Nocturnal Vibe by Doug Van Sant
|
|
In February of 2004 I created the first nightlife column in the history of Tampa Bay. The column was a weekly look into the nightlife vibe of the Bay area. My focus was to look behind the velvet ropes of our raging club scene and bring the reader closer to the many DJs and personalities that make up Tampa's nightlife. The following is one of my last columns from the Tampa area, with many more archived below.
A Friday Fantasy
Saludos cada uno! Welcome to another installment of our club hopping in your face look at Tampa nightlife. It's Cinco de Mayo and all I can think about is hitting a local barra Latina for a nice cold Corona cerveza. Lucky for me, Bahasa will throw down with Latin Pop Promo for yet another crazy Latin Ladies night. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the 5th of May but with true Latin culture and amazing people. But let's get you up to speed on this weekend and where only the hottest parties in town will throw down. There's a fantasy on the waterfront of downtown Tampa, a posh evening off I-4 and some more Paradise love coming from South Tampa. As my friends in San Juan say, get a nightlife!
So the one thing we all want to know when planning our evening is where the hottest party will be. What party will leave a lasting memory of beautiful people, sultry atmosphere and crazy entertainment? What party will have every narcissistic individual in town breaking out the Prada shoes and Gucci jeans? Well folks, I've seen the light. And it's emanating from Jackson's, the downtown waterfront cafe on Harbour Island. Last Friday I ventured over to the newly minted Fantasy Friday party at the cafe and was greeted by a packed house of the most famous faces in the Bay area. There were dancers on platforms throughout the club, a chocolate fountain inside, one of the best Latin House DJs, and even midget flame throwers. It was a night to remember, and for many of us it didn't end until the sun was quite visible from the Howard Franklin. My friends at Tampa Bay 2 Night took a ton of photos, so be sure to visit them at tampabay2night.com to take a peak at the action.
The weekly party is hosted by Jackson's and Pied Piper Productions and features a typical South Tampa crowd grooving to the sounds of DJ Chino. The party gets started at 10 p.m. with a small $5 cover to interact with Tampa's elite in-the-know crowd. We arrived around 11 and found the joint almost packed to capacity, so make sure you arrive early. You'll see various members of the Bucs, the occasional Devil Ray, club owners, managers, and some of the top party promoters in town. Need I mention the belly dancer who seemed to have various upstanding gentlemen melting to the shimmy of her hips? Bahasa takes the cake for the hottest party on Thursday nights, but Pied Piper and Jackson's clearly have taken Friday's by storm. With a waterfront atmosphere, great entertainment and only the best party-crowd in town, there is no reason to miss this week's gig. Check out Pied Piper Productions for more info on Fantasy Friday's.
We Love Paradise
The next dance exclusive to report on will go down on Saturday, May 7th as Joshua Wilkins and JASK return to the decks of the Hyde Park Cafe for the second week in a row. Part of their long-time running Paradise parties, Wilkins and JASK will be mixing out soulful sounds to celebrate Tampa's house music movement. I know most of you have spent an evening or two enjoying the tropical urban atmosphere of HPC, but Paradise is a party that takes music to a whole new level.
Tampa's own Joshua Wilkins will get the party started with an opening set to melt your heart with funk desires. After this house music magician drops the beat, JASK will follow up with his usual array of soulful and exquisite sounds for the rest of the evening. Make sure you get over to the Cafe early, because lines will form and make things tough on getting inside. And you don't want to be listening to the sets from the sidewalk, now do you? Of course, ladies are always welcome free of charge at the Cafe. HPC is located at 1806 W. Platt Street in the heart of Hyde Park. For more info call 813-254-CAFE or visit Thehydeparkcafe.com.
Nocturnal Vibe Archive:
|
|
April 28 - 30: Crystal Method at Underground, Paradise at HPC
April 21 - 23: Richard "Humpty" Vission at The Amp, D:Fuse at Floyd's
April 14 - 16: DJ Heather joins the Paradise crew at HPC
April 7 - 10: Christopher Lawrence, America's No. 1 DJ blows up The Amp
April 1 - 3: Grand Prix racing brings multiple parties to St. Pete
March 28 - 30: Perfecto On Tour presents Paul Oakenfold at The Amp
March 24 - 27: Winter Music Conference takes over Miami
March 17 - 19: Real World San Diego's Jamie Chung visits Ybor
February 23 - 24: Massive Party, Red Party and DJ Santana on the decks
February 17 - 19: The Bass Queen and JT Donaldson hit the turntables
February 10 - 12: Some hearty tips to surviving the Sant' Yago Knight Parade
February 4 - 6: Kimball Collins keeps Trance alive in Ybor City
January 27 - 29: Jeter, Jordan and Manning make a celebrity outing at Hard Rock
January 20 - 23: Agent K and Deuce drop some bass and breaks
Clubland by Doug Van Sant
|
|
After creating a successful nightlife column on TBO.com, the Tampa Tribune asked that I become their Friday Extra clubland writer. Clubland was a bi-weekly bar and club profile that featured off-beat looks at local drinking and dancing establishments. The following is a collection of various columns I wrote during my years with TBO.com.
The Tiki Bar - April 1, 2005: The Tiki Bar has a vibe that can't be found anywhere except a minor-league stadium.
On The Rocks - March 18, 2005: On the Rocks isn't what you expect in club-driven Ybor.
Wilson's Sports Bar - February 25, 2005: It's dark, it's dingy, and it's upholstered in duct tape.
Whiskey Park SoHo - February 11, 2005: In keeping with the neighborhood, Whiskey Park caters to an upscale crowd of south Tampa locals.
Howl At The Moon - January 28, 2005: Howl at the Moon reminds us of the days of having friends over, playing games, and acting silly all night long.
Cafe Alma - January 7, 2005: This fine dining restaurant blends the underground hipster culture with the chic atmosphere of a European cafe.
Faze 2 Lounge - December 24, 2004: The initial vibe is culturally hip and urban dance-club.
Headliners - December 10, 2004: There's no way to get around the fact that Headliners Entertainment Venue is a club in a mall.
Lotus Ultra Lounge - November 5, 2004: Lotus is a mecca for the the dangerously hip and stylish.
Gators Cafe And Saloon - October 7, 2004: Visiting Gators is like walking off the beach and into The Swamp in Gainesville.
Gilligan's Hideaway - September 24, 2004: Gilligan's is home to a young, relaxed, party-focused crowd.
Stormans Nightclub - September 17, 2004: Storman's offers a different scene every day of the week.
New World Brewery - August 27, 2004: New World is one of the long time gems of Ybor City.
The Green Room - August 6, 2004: Live music rules here. You can rock to your favorite band in the courtyard, then retreat to the lounge.
Tiny Tap Tavern - July 23, 2004: Locals make this down-to-earth joint home, and some even have their mail forwarded to the tavern.
The Amphitheater - July 9, 2004: This is a club that knows how to entertain with world-class DJs headlining every week.
MacDinton's Irish Pub - June 25, 2004: MacDinton's Irish Pub has the feel of a backyard cookout.
The Rack in South Tampa - June 11, 2004: The Rack's pool hall/sushi bar theme makes it a unique venue on the South Tampa rotation.
The Undertow Beach Bar - May 28, 2004: Close your eyes and think island paradise. The Undertow is pure Florida.
Floyd's Nightclub - May 14, 2004: Floyd's Nightclub is a scene unlike any other you'll find in the Tampa club scene.
|
|
