Nocturnal Vibe by Doug Van Sant

The red carpet was rolled out for the formal closing party of Derek Jeter's second-annual Celebrity Golf Classic. And the carpet was needed when you hear the guest list at this highbrow function. Virtually every heavy-hitter in Tampa was present, getting their groove on all night with the likes of Reggie Jackson, Eddie George, Dave Winfield and Desmond Howard.

The evening began at 9, but as any weekly party aficionados will tell you, the crowd truly arrived closer to 11 p.m. The nightclub was sectioned into VIP areas, which allowed almost anyone in the room to rub elbows with some of the greats of sports. Even MJ worked the room to say hello to friends, of course toting three bodyguards. But the highlight was watching Daryl Strawberry get down to Ludacris and Usher while Jeter mingled with guests throughout the club. It was a night to remember for the Hard Rock, as Floyd's nightclub officially became the A-list club of Tampa.

First of all, you need to dress for the occasion and bring a sweater or jacket if the weather isn't so Florida-like. Trust me, last year it was a brisk 55 degrees with wind, so those wearing only t-shirts or shorts made for some heavy drinking to make up for the chill. The current forecast shows sun and temps in the 70s, so you should be safe. The second thing to note is if you plan to enjoy libations, you need to bring them. We showed up thinking the Publix downtown would be a nice stop, only to find local pirates had pillaged their beverage isle all morning. No glass containers are allowed. Coolers are not allowed because of the safety issue. Backpacks are allowed, but patrons are asked to keep them on. Vendors will be plentiful to sell drinks and food, but if you are interested in the adult type, it's all on you.

The best locations to check out the parade will be closer to downtown, or near Howard Ave. I say this because almost every pub and restaurant in town will host parties prior to and after the parade. One of the great parties is always found at Four Green Fields on Platt St., or Po'Boys Creole Cafe on Howard Ave. Both places party hard before and offer great food to fill the stomach on something other than a malted drink. Bahasa Lounge will also host a pre-parade party starting at 9 a.m. for cocktails. Then... after the parade they plan to hold the Gasparilla After Party, giving prizes to those with the most beads. So plan accordingly, target only the good beads, and be creative in trying to catch them. And if you see the Nocturnal krewe on the corner of Bayshore and Howard, stop by and say hello!

Now you know the deal with these parties. Every two weeks, Paradise brings some of the best in the house music business to South Tampa. Not only will you experience the grooves of one of the true founders of Chicago hard house, you'll get to throw down with Paradise residents JASK and Joshua Wilkins. Of course we always tell you to arrive early, but I would take that advise this week. With the Gasparilla festival, the parade, the parties all over, you know the house will be rocking.

So here is the skinny on Grant. After having whirlwind years in 1997 and 1998 as Cajual's top gun producer, Mark Grant found himself making the progression from label hit-wonder to autonomous producer and label mogul. With much of his time spent proportionately between deejaying, traveling and producing, Mark Grant continues his path of musical expression.

The success of "Dancin'" as Chicago Connection, his union with Cajmere won Grant mass approval. Chicago Connection was just one of Grant's successful collaborations on the Cajual label. His production with Braxton Holmes remains one of Cajual's most revisited disco anthems. For label mates Holmes, Glenn Underground, Andre Harris and Green Velvet, Grant provided pinch-hitting with his remixes. His "Taste of Cajual" CD was named one of "The Top 15 Albums of the Year", and Grant was held in the limelight. Suddenly the label folded and Grant became a true free agent.

Fortunately, he continued to work with various labels during his Cajual days. And projects featuring Grant turned up on the choicest of labels. His work with Donna Blakely as Black Fibre was snapped up by SubUrban. More acclaim came with his work for the Guidance label and was lauded by many as some of his best. "Spirit of The Black Ghost" and "Fly With Me" remixes remain popular with house heads around the globe. Respected NY labels i! Records and Velocity also got a bit of Grant's magic touch.

Emerging from a solid tradition of celebrated Chicago house producers, Mark Grant continues to be highly sought after for his technical skills as a DJ and his creative innovations as a producer and remix artist. Growing up in the city that introduced house music to the world, Grant found his aspiration in life to be a DJ at a young age. Influenced heavily by legends such as Frankie Knuckles, he was instinctively drawn to house. Now he brings his instinct to the crowds at HPC and will throw down a very seductive and soulful set to close out one of the best weekends in town.