New Years Eve Parties in Orlando - 2010/2011 Style!

New Year’s Eve in upon us, which is usually hit or miss in our beloved Orlando. There’s plenty going on at the theme parks, Wall Street and Church Street, but here at Don’t Sleep Orlando, it’s our jobs to bring you the alternatives to such events.

And after a few hours of scouring the internetz for some decent NYE parties, the pickins appear to be slim this year. I’m going to chalk it up to procrastinating on the part of clubs and promoters, although the super-mega-shiny-shirt clubs downtown seem to have their act together.

Anyway, without further adieu, here is what’s on this New Year’s Eve in Orlando:

Don’t Forget with DJs Andrew Spear, Mot and Ken Sherry
Best for: The old Knock Knock crowd, fans of Jaegermeister
Details: This trio of DJs doesn’t disappoint and their music selections include everything from house, funk and disco to rock, electro and hip hop. Plus, they’re all a bunch of drunks (in a good way) so expect late night rantings on the microphone, plus Jaeger-fueled shenanigans.
Where + How Much: Peacock Room, $10
What’s in it for me? Free champagne toast at midnight



Red and Black Party with DJ Secret Weapon and guests
Best for: Beer enthusiasts, the indie crowd
Details: The FB invite leaves much to be desired and Redlight Redlight doesn’t even have a freaking website. Seriously?? But DJ Secret Weapon (aka Calvin from Park Ave CDs) has awesome taste in music, although it would be nice if he let the songs play a little longer before mixing them out. Just sayin.’
Where + How Much: Redlight Redlight, Cover charge TBD
What’s in it for me? Forget Miller High Life. Toast 2011 with DeuS -- the literal champagne of beers.
James Bond New Year’s Eve Party: Dress to Kill
Best for: Secret agents, Bond girls and Villains
Details: Unleash your inner Goldeneyes and Octopussys for this annual themed party at The Enzian. The Bond movie Thunderball will be showing outside the Eden Bar at 8PM.
Where + How Much: The Enzian, Starting at $25
What’s in it for me? Hot Bond guy/ Bond girl eye candy, Shaken or stirred drink specials and Enzian Film Society Members receive one complimentary espresso vodka cocktail.



New Year’s Eve Prom Night
Best for: 80’s fans, People who missed their high school dances
Details: Ah, the 80’s prom theme. Will it ever die? Not likely, as this is the third year in a row for IBar’s NYE Prom. So dust off those taffeta dresses and ruffled tuxes, it’s time for prom! (Again.)
Where + How Much: Independent Bar, 21+ $10 cover, 18+ $15 cover
What’s in it for me? Half price admission if you get decked out (we want to see elbow-legnth gloves, ladies!) and $1 Heinekens until 11.



Late Night New Year’s Eve Bash
Best for: House-heads, club kids, people who want to party until 3AM
Details: The untz untz beats will be thumping at the Cameo Theater when Pitchverb, Just Jason, Joey Paranoia, Romano Arcaini and Megan Lyons take over for the night.
Where + How Much: The Cameo Theater, 21+ $10 cover, 18+ $15 cover
What’s in it for me? Free champagne at midnight



Hopefully something from the above list tickles your fancy this New Year’s Eve. If not, check out one of our favorite neighborhood bars below who didn’t bother to list their festivities online:

Will’s Pub
Wallys
The Hideaway
Milk Bar
Lou’s Lounge
The Imperial
Copper Rocket

Good luck and have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve!

Return of the Mack + WTF, Crooked Bayou is Closing?!?!?!

What’s up, kids? Yeah, it’s been a minute, but to quote the lyrical stylings of a Mr. Cool J, “Don’t call it a comeback, we’ve been here for years.”

What’s new with me, you may be wondering? Well, I’ve been lucky enough to travel around the world with my jobby-job (including living in Finland for the last three months) so I’ve been a busy bee. I never did forget my beloved Don’t Sleep Orlando, though, especially every time I had to pay for the domain name.

So, long story short, we’re back. I’ve found a new partner in crime to help me update these lovely event listings, so you can expect much from us in 2011. Announcements and introductions coming soon and we hope to have a comprehensive New Year’s Eve post up early next week, so stay tuned.

But all this is not why I’m here. It is with a heavy heart that I bring news of a well-loved, downtown Orlando bar’s closing. Known for the iconic fried pickles, tater tots, po boys, 25 cent wing nights, and Orlando’s best bartender, Dan the Man, Crooked Bayou, one of our favorite spots, has been sold.

Sad face. :(

In its place, a new BBQ joint will be moving in, and word on the street is they want to keep the status quo – same staff, same DJs, same venue. Supposedly only the menu will be different, but with new ownership, who knows what will happen.

In the meantime, let’s drown our sorrows with one last hurrah this Thursday night. The annual holiday party put on by Hoochie Productions (always a major bash in itself) is being rebranded as the Official Crooked Bayou Closing party. (It pains me to even type that. I still don’t want to believe it’s true!) I can’t think of a better party to thank Crooked for their last 15 years of service to Orlando. Get more info at Hoochie Productions’ website or the Facebook invite. The full menu goes until midnight, so have a Danimal and a Grand Slam shot for old times sake.


We’re looking forward to whatever future ventures the Bayou staff is involved in. There are rumors of a sandwich bar opening soon in the Milk District. Stay tuned.

Surf Expo After Party + Dirty South BBQ III

Yeah, yeah. I know.

I haven’t been here in awhile but this is an excellent weekend to return. Why? Because of these two things:

First up, you may or may not have heard the news about Covert getting robbed while MOT was out of town. Lame. So tonight, in an attempt to bring up his spirits, check out the Music Never Forgets party with Mot, Spear and Ken Sherry at Sky60 (I don’t want to cave to their new branding until I absolutely have to!). And since it’s an offical Surf Expo after party, things are gonna get nuts (read: Jager. And lots of it).


And on Sunday over at the Milk District is the 3rd annual Dirty South BBQ. Etoile, Covert and BETA bring you the dopest potluck party of the year including Dj's, live bands, lola's pizza, dunk tank, bike tune ups, crafts and vegan hotdogs! 12 pm – 8pm, rain or shine (hell yeah, we got down in the rain a few years ago). Donations welcome!


So come out and support your local kids who are doing their best to make it happen in the midst of thieving assholes and a shitty economy!!!!!

Tonight: THE Michael Jackson Tribute Party

Sorry I haven’t been around lately but I’ve had shit to do. Planning a major party in one week has been stressful, but tonight we will reap the benefits! Our man Michael Jackson died one week ago today and we need to pay him respect. There have been a few other tribute parties here and there, but I guarantee this one will be the party of the year. 10 PM, Peacock Room, $5 cover.


We encourage everyone to dress as appropriately as possible!!! Meaning glitter gloves, red leather jackets, high water pants, fedora hats, arm bands, white v-neck tshirts, and fakes noses !!!

So tonight, gotta leave that 9 – 5 upon the shelf, and just enjoy ourselves.

What To Do This Weekend?

Tonight you should go to this at Peacock:



And tomorrow you should join me at Semoran Skateway for my awesomely retro-fied roller disco birthday party!!!



Tube socks will be in effect. Sweet.

Magic Playoffs + Extended Drinking Hours = Extreme Work Hangovers

You may or may not have heard by now that you can get your drink on until 3 AM tonight and Thursday due to the Magic playoffs. This is a bittersweet victory for a few reasons: 1) Umm… don’t most people have to be at work early on Wednesday and Friday? and 2) Really, City of Orlando? All it took to extend drinking hours was the economy tanking and the Magic finally making the playoffs? If we ever hope to get back to the days of clubs actually staying open late, maybe we’ll just have to conjure some unicorns or teach pigs to fly. If the Magic can make the playoffs, anything is possible, right? Oh yeah, and fuck you for that parking ticket the other night. I was one minute late and on my way to refill your stupid meter!!!!

Wait, what was I saying? Oh, right… more time to drink tonight! If you want to get all up in the downtown chaos, Crooked Bayou is a great spot to watch the game. Not only do they have awesome food (try the Danimal with honey mustard and a side of tater tots), but they’ve also been featuring Magic-al drink specials throughout the playoffs.


Redlight Redlight will also be showing the game this evening, along with hosting a special beer-tasting event. The Left Hand Brewing Company will be serving up beer flights to try their southpaw-style beer and the first 48 people get to keep their pint glass.

(Note… Not sure if Redlight Redlight gets that extra-hour extension. According to the official press release of the City of Orlando, “alcohol can be sold until 3:00 a.m. (instead of 2:00 a.m.) and that closing of properly licensed establishments (within the City’s corporate limits) will be 4:00 a.m.” This fun little parentheses may very well screw over places like Redlight Redlight, Will's Pub and Peacock Room.)

And the award for most creative way to rip off the Magic’s logo goes to Covert Skate Shop!

Even though I'm the opposite of a sports fan, I can't help but be stoked for my li'l ol' town of Orlando getting national recognition. Hopefully they won't get their asses handed to them again! Happy hangovers to all planning to celebrate (or drown sorrows) tonight and Thursday!

The Haps This Weekend

Here’s some stuff you just shouldn’t miss:

Tonight at Will's Pub: La Garage a Go-Go! with Los Knievels, The Empyres, The Mondellos


Over at Peacock: Latenight Society presents Disco Disco with Just Jason, Romano Arcaini, Gino Sutera and Nigel


Saturday at Orlando Brewing: The Grafitti Bus Tour featuring artists, DJs, BBQ and beer.


Saturday night at Hard Rock Live: comedian Jim Gaffigan



Have a good one :)

Lif + Larva

If you’re feeling political and hip-hop-y, don’t miss Def Jux's golden boy, Mr. Lif at The Social.



If you’re feeling artsy and bugged out, check out Doug Rhodehamel’s latest art installment, Larva (Get it? Bugged out? Larva? Anyways.) over at Will's Pub.



Here are the copy/paste-style details since the flyer is a tad small.

LARVA
an installation by Doug Rhodehamel

Will's Worm! Will's Worm! Party Time! Excellent!

On Tuesday May 26th I will create a giant, inflated, larva-like structure in the lovely Orlando Florida cozy spot that is Will's Pub.

This will be my first attempt at something like this. If all goes well, it should look really really cool!

Speaking of really cool, A Scissors, as well as Algarhythm will be making some music!

All for the unbelievable price of FREE!

Recap:

- Big air filled Larva.
- Music by: A Scissors.
- Free!

See? Not a single hater remark in this post! Aren't you proud of me? It doesn't matter - my opinions are what make this blog worth reading. You know you love it.

Memorial Day Weekend Events You Won’t Do Because It’s Raining

Yep – day 5+ of non-stop rain. Should make for nice soggy BBQs this weekend. (Soggy BBQ sounds like a band name, doesn’t it?) In addition to the lame “hip hop artist” with the same name as our state performing at whack attack Tabu tonight (she hit the flo’, next thing you kno’, low, low, low, barf, barf, barf), there is plenty going down in our swampy city this holiday weekend.

Music Never Forgets tonight at Sky60 (weather permitting, of course) with MOT, Spear and Huggy.



I’m guessing this one may be canceled. If so, check out Nigel and Gomez at Crooked Bayou instead.

Tomorrow during the day, there’s a special event that has somehow managed to pair beer tasting with couch racing. Not really sure what that’s all about but it sounds interesting.



If skateboards and artwork are your thing, check out Pushin’ VIII at Bold Hype tomorrow night. Over 30 local artists have decorated – you guessed it – skateboard decks for the show which will all be on display. Afterparty immediately following at Stardust with Mot and Johnny Five Mikes.



Another art party, False Alarm, will be taking place down at the warehouse space on west Central Ave featuring DJs Cub and Mo.



Haven’t really seen anything for Sunday yet except for a drunken crawfish boil which is sure to be full of drunken frat boys. I’m sure you can find a soggy BBQ here or there. Have a nice holiday!

Charles Marklin T-Shirt Art + Pop Off Presents Yip-Yip + Twin Peaks Party

Ok, the plan was to post this waaaaay earlier in the day, but the day job has taken over (as it has a right to, of course). And since time is no longer on my side, here are tonight’s events, summarized in 20 words or less:

Can’t afford the real work from Charles Marklin’s art show? Get it on a t-shirt tonight at Mother Falcon.

The monthly installment of Pop Off features the black and white stylings of Yip-Yip tonight at The Social.

I never watched Twin Peaks but if you did, check out the themed fundraiser party at The Lodge.

Be back tomorrow with more weekend goodness.