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.

Tonight: Bonde de Role (sans Marina) + Villains + Wii Bowling + The Dude

The new (and improved?) Bonde do Role will be playing tonight at Firestone, but the real question is: will they be any good without frontwoman Marina? Without the hyper-mega-crazy lady in the group, can they still rock out like they did before?



Watch these videos of the *new* BDR performing at Coachella and judge for yourself.

I've pretty much always been on the fence with them, but I do love this Radioclit remix of 'Gasolina.'

Bonde Do Role - Gasolina (Radioclit remix).mp3

And just for fun, here's a Switch remix of Radioclit!

Radioclit - Divine Gosa (Switch Remix).mp3

Villains, the DJ/Producer group from LA who have been tearing up dance floors with their Michael Jackson (Thriller) and Daft Punk (Around the World) remixes, will also be throwing down a special DJ set after the show.



Check out their DJ and production skills below:

Bloc Party - Hunting for Witches (Villains Electro-Banger Remix).mp3

Villains - Vol 1. Mix.mp3 (via Zshare)

If big clubs playing heavy electro music aren't your scene, you may want to check out The Peacock Room instead. This evening kicks off their first Wii bowling league night, where you can get drunk and bowl without really bowling. The night is hosted by J-Rod, who has hosted past events such as Guitar Hero and Matchbox Car Races.



And since we're on the topic of bowling, I feel the need to mention that BackBooth is hosting Movie Night, where they'll be showing the Coen Brothers cult classic The Big Lebowski. Nobody fucks with the Jesus.