Switch It Up

Let’s go back in time for a moment. The date is March 28, 2008 and it’s a million and one degrees. I’m sweating my face off while hanging out poolside at the Southseas Hotel in Miami Beach. This is my ninth straight year of attending the Winter Music Conference and I still haven’t learned my lesson: I’m not dressed properly for the scorching heat and am getting trashed on mojitos way too early in the day. My friends and I are at the Windish Agency day party, eagerly awaiting the major headliner of the moment: SWITCH. As the day goes on, more drinks are consumed, Groucho Marx novelty glasses provide much amusement and we dance to Drop the Lime and DJ Medhi. Somewhere in my drunken haze, I ask Mike Feinberg what time Switch is playing.

"He’s not."

Another WMC lesson not learned: sometimes the headliners bail. Had I been less drunk, I might remember why. His agency canceled, he’s double booked, he missed his flight -- it’s all coming to mind. (Although, I could be confusing the latter with Bloody Beetroots, who also missed their Rockbar gig.) The news is quite a blow, considering we’re specifically at this party to see him. The next morning at breakfast I beg Feinberg to bring Switch to the artist formerly known as the Saturday/Thursday party at Firestone. He tells me it’s already in the works.

Fast forward a few months: Saturday/Thursday is dead, leaving few options to host this big-name producer slash DJ from the UK. There aren’t many Orlando venues that can deliver a paying crowd without promoters losing their ass. Not to mention Orlando might not be the number one destination for a man of such accomplishment: he’s behind the music of M.I.A and Santogold (to name a few) and the founder of Dubsided Records, not to mention XLR8R’s Artist of the Year of 2007.

But Mike Feinberg and Pauly Crush are smart. Knowing Switch may not be overly eager to stop in the Sunshine State, they have set up a mini-tour to make it worth his while. So now it’s all up to YOU. In the name of all that’s good and holy, you MUST support their efforts!!! There are three options to catch the man in action and it is your duty as a club-going Floridian to be at one or all of them.

Thursday, December 11th in Orlando
Catch him at Icon with Pauly Crush, Mot, Andrew Spear and Queso
***Spend $30 at Covert or Beta and get a free ticket!***



Friday, December 12th in Ybor City
He’ll be at Pulp with Pauly Crush, Justin Scott and Estrange



Saturday, September 13th in Miami
Playing at the Heathrow Lounge with Pauly Crush, Jessica Who?, Keen One and Damaged Goods



And just for good measure, here are some of my favorite Switch remixes.

P Diddy Ft Christina Aguilera - Tell Me (Switch Remix).mp3

Freeform Five - No More Conversations (Switch Remix).mp3

CSS - Music Is My Hot Hot Sex (Switch Feat. Mapei Remix).mp3

The Futureheads - Worry About It Later (Switch Remix).mp3

Please do whatever it takes to get to one of these shows. Sell a kidney if you have to. Yes, he's just that good.

I Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts!

Halloween is a messy holiday. There's just something about mixing costumes with alcohol that leads to a super distorted sense of reality. And Halloween weekend in Orlando always means one thing -- a bunch of unprofessional drinkers (dressed as Pimps and Hos) descend upon downtown, drink themselves into oblivion and turn into complete and total douchebags. While you're bound to encounter a handful of these amateurs, you can steer clear of them by avoiding Church Street/Wall Street, and by attending any of the recommended events below:

If you're looking to engulf yourself in the chaotic mess of the annual downtown block party -- it's fun if you don't drive -- you're best bet (read: FREE) is to hit up the Halloween edition of Get Mental at Sky60. As homage to the upcoming election to rid the White House of Satan himself, the password for the evening is "Scarier Than Politicians." $5 without password.



In their annual Halloween tradition, Crooked Bayou will be hosting everyone's favorite Misfits cover band, Psycho 78. Jerry Baloney seems to like them, anyway. $5 cover.



The older and slightly eccentric crew will be over at the City Arts Factory for the Shine Psycho Circus Halloween Masquerade. Tons of stuff going on there -- check the over-saturated flyer (if you can read it) for details. $20 cover.



If the downtown mayhem ain't your scene, then make your way down Mills to Peacock Room for their annual Halloween party. I've seen people pull out all the stops to win the costume contest so it should be pretty interesting. $7 cover.



Ride your bike to Stardust Video and Bold Hype for their joint parking lot OMG WTF Halloween party. No cover.



More non-downtown action can be found at Taste in College Park, who is hosting A Funky Boogie-ween with the Windham Group and The Good Rub. $8 cover.



And finally, if you just want to get the fuck out of Orlando altogether, head over to party in Ybor with the Pulp kids for Lol-O-ween. Special guest (and my hero) DJ Mega. No cover with costume, $5 cover without.



Be safe, kids. If you do go out, I'll bet a million dollars you hear at least one of the following: Thriller, Ghostbusters or Highway to Hell. Bonus points if you hear all three!