Nocturnal Vibe by Doug Van Sant

Now I've been in Tampa long enough to know that we aren't without our problems. Yes, our downtown is slightly quiet after 5 p.m. Yes, our population relies on our cars way too much. And yes, Ybor City can be a bit crazy late at night. But our city is growing by leaps and bounds. Our downtown is in the midst of a revival. More and more residential building is slated for the Channel District, downtown and on slices of prime south Tampa real estate. This should help breathe life into downtown Tampa's nocturnal malaise, but the big price tags could stunt what should be some heady growth. But there is one thing this city never has a problem with, and that's a plethora of nightlife options.

While a story in a little wrap across the bay can suggest we aren't hip, the truth can be told in the party lineup each week. The truth can be found behind the velvet rope in bars and clubs from Ybor, to Soho, to downtown St. Pete. And if that's not enough, readers like you hear about our groove every week in this column. So truth be said, young people are everywhere in the Bay area. And with parties like Tantra on the horizon and visits from Paul Oakenfold and Christopher Lawrence, the problem won't be finding a party. The problem now is picking the party.

So with all the hype coming from SoBe and the WMC, it's good to know Tampa will play a part in the DJ explosion of Florida. More world-class DJs will visit our state over the next two-weeks than any other in the country combined. The Amphitheater and Hallucination.com have made sure Sunshine City is in that mix. Monday, March 28th, Perfecto On Tour brings to the stage of The Amp, the world famous Paul Oakenfold. Get your tickets now, cause this show will sell out and the party will bounce the Amp off its foundation.

So to kick-start this show, the pre-party will happen the night before, Sunday, March 27, at Tantra 12. Paul Gamache and friends from the Amp will host spring love, yet another tradition of pjs and cocktails. For those in the know, invites are floating around town and the gig throws down at 10 p.m. After checking out Tantra 11, I highly suggest a visit and remind the guys, don't forget to wear PJs. As the invite says, no t-shirts or shorts allowed and what happens at Tantra, stays at Tantra.

But this is just a precursor to the crazy sets blasting from probably the most famous DJ in modern times. Save your energy, cause Monday will be hot. So what's in store for the dance-thirsty crowd? U.K. DJ-producer Paul Oakenfold, one of the biggest names in electronic music. His resume includes remixed tracks by such rock superstars as The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley and U2; including opening for the latter on tour. Oakenfold, who was among the 2004 nominees for the very first Electronic/Dance Music Grammy Award, helped usher in the "dance culture" era by producing the debut album by the largely influential British band Happy Mondays. In 2002, he released his award-winning solo debut, "Bunkka," which features guests as diverse as Ice Cube, Perry Farrell and the late Hunter S. Thompson. His 2004 mix album, "Another World," went gold. Oakenfold's other remix clients have included Madonna, Michael Jackson, The Stone Roses, The Cure, Massive Attack and many others. He's also dabbled in film, working on tracks for such major pictures as "The Matrix Reloaded," "Collateral," "Shrek 2" and "GoldenEye." He's also featured prominently featured on the forthcoming TV reality show "The Club."

Now his stylish reworking of The Doors' "L.A. Woman" appears on his album "The Club" (Perfecto), which is in stores now. Hitting the decks with Oakenfold is Perfecto tour partner Liquid Todd and Amp resident DJ Mondo. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door and the party starts at 9 p.m. Be sure to check out my exclusive Amphitheater review from Clubland, or visit them online at Amphitheaterybor.com.