Nocturnal Vibe by Doug Van Sant

Before we get into details about our weekend festivities, I want to wax some rubbish on last week's main event. Baby Anne rolled into the Amp and threw down one of the best bass-heavy breaks sets I've heard in quite awhile. The Bass Queen out did herself, keeping the hair on our arms standing and our eardrums pounding for the better part of a two-hour set. But one thing did strike me as odd from the evening. Earlier in the week, I had contacted Baby Anne's press agent about an interview. All steps were heading in the direction to get the interview through email. I sent an assortment of questions, ranging from her inspiration; to what parties she will be playing at the up-coming Winter Music Conference.

Guess what happened next? Nothing, nada, zilch. She came, she went, and sometime in it all, Baby Anne forgot the local media. Now, I know she's busy and all, but I also know her fans would love to hear more about her and life after her Mixtress release. But there is no need to worry. I plan to attend the Music Conference in Miami and will bring back all sorts of inside interviews and goodies. So stay tuned as we start to gear up for the biggest EDM festival in the US at the end of March. And hopefully Baby Anne's next trip to Tampa will be followed with a cool Tampa Tribune/TBO.com feature about her and the Florida breaks phenomenon.

Okay, off the soapbox and back to the grind. This Friday night, February 25th, Floyd's Nightclub, Groove Productions and Hallucination present Massive with guest Josh Wink. Quite possibly his first trip to Tampa, Wink has always run ahead of the pack, as a DJ, label owner, producer, remixer, and artist. With the release of Profound Sounds Vol. 2, Wink continues to forge ahead, challenging established conventions of what a mix CD should be. He not only remains true to his mercurial aesthetic as a DJ, but also takes advantage of technology to fine-tune his selections into the best possible recorded representation. Lucky for you, Wink will throw down with Tampa favorites DJ Monk, Busto, Jason Perez, Dino, Maestro, Malicious Mike, and DJ Craze. It's a party on a global scale, so you seriously don't want to miss it. The party runs from 10 p.m. - 5:30 a.m. and admission is $15 before midnight and $20 afterwards. See you there!

Hosted by Avant Garde, The Red Party is an artistic sculpture and metalwork's party with Rustic Steel Creations in Channelside. The event throws down at 9 p.m. and will run until 1 a.m. at the Rustic Steel Creations studio. The Red Party will blend the creative style of metalwork, the artistic vision of Avant Garde and the soulful sounds of DJs Joshua Wilkins and Anthony Silvestri.

So what makes such a hot little event in the emerging Channel District? Avant Garde would be the answer. AG is one of Tampa's hottest young professional groups, dedicated to helping discover local emerging artists. But they're also dedicated to mingling with fellow art lovers and hanging with the Bay area's social revelers. You know the types...always there at the hottest parties around town wearing those funky sunglasses that don't exactly block the sun. So now AG is celebrating their success by sipping crimson cocktails in one of the more urban and artistic neighborhoods of Tampa. You'll discover the urban alleys of Channelside, enjoy custom steel art creations and get your funk on to the eclectic mix of soul, hip-hop, house and nu-jazz. You'll also get to see an amazing piece of steel art that will be created live at the party and auctioned off during the event. Not something you'll see every day at the Tiny Tap, unless the art is a beer can pyramid. Tickets are $20/AG members and $25/non-members in advance and $35 at the door. Price includes light fare, beer, wine, liquor & Redbull. Rustic Steel is located next to the Port Authority parking garage at 114 South 12th Street in the Channel District. You can get more info by checking out Avant Garde and Rustic Steel.

Lucky for you, the Red Party kicks off early enough for you to enjoy the artistic scene of Channelside and then move to the swank confines of The Amphitheater. As the red carpet rolls out, DJ Santana will step to the tables for a night the Amp crowd has been itching for since his performance opening for Tiesto. Of course, I wouldn't wait too late to get inside, or you will find yourself staring at the velvet rope outside. With trance addicts coming from all over the state, you can bet this party will close out a very successful and groovy Saturday by the Bay.

DJ Santana, aka. Paul Santana, is a Tampa native and comes from a family steeped in music tradition. Santana has been playing the tables since he was 13 and has had gigs everywhere from 1509, Cosmos, The Edge, Club Inferno, Plush, and Storman's in Clearwater. Now Santana brings his smooth blending of heavy beats and vocals to the club that treats you right on a weekly basis. For more info on DJ Santana, check him out online at DJ Santana Radio. And if you're looking for news you can use on the gig, check out the TBO.com Amphitheater profile from Clubland.