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.
7 comments:
so much love
Its understandable that you'd defend your hometown...Alot of people think Orlando is "Lame". The reason why is when you compare it to cities like NYC, LA, Philly and San Fran it kind of is.
What "scene" are you talking about exactly? The events listed are shows for Chicago, Reo Speedwagon and the B-52's...and a screening of Die Hard, good movie but WTF???
Who exactly outside of retirees are voluntarily moving to Orlando from the cities listed???
driftin...
I wrote my intro because there are plenty of kids going around town with a "I just moved from such and such awesome city and I hate it here" attitude. Believe me, there are plenty of them who are not yet retired. The main purpose of this blog is to showcase the non-Disney side of Orlando that may not be on the same level as the big cities, but still has some cool shit going on.
I try to be well-rounded with the events I list by including local and national club DJs, bands, hip hop artists, old rock bands that you may have forgotten about, art shows, movie nights and so on. The reason the list might look less than A+ at the moment has to do with the lack of promotion done in advance for certain events. For example, Hard Rock Live has already posted some of their events for 2009, while most small venues only update a month ahead of time (if we’re lucky). Sometimes I only hear of events the weekend they're happening. Also, I think the Enzian's Cult Classic movie nights are a great idea. You can support a local business, see an old movie on the big screen, eat awesome food and drink alcohol.
I know Orlando can't compete with major cities... but my goal is to show that's not such a bad thing. We can have a better scene if we work together to make it happen. The time is now. I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. (end cliched closing paragraph).
thanks for the music!!! see you @ SWITCH!!!!
"eat awesome food and drink alcohol. "
i totally agree!!
"eat awesome food and drink alcohol. "
Words to live by.
Awww, I'm a sad panda for missing the Orlando Switch show..just saw your post. l
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