Club Reports: Alfie’s HiFi, Sessions, The Robinson, Palm Tree Club

Always great to be back in Orlando and last night we began the evening at Alfie's HiFi where we found DJ Juan Sanchez (USA) alternating with Grammy Award winning DJ Tracy Young (USA). You can find all of last night's pics on Orlando Entertainment News HERE.

 

Friday Funny: The Homeless Of Disney Springs

Disney Springs is a quaint little lakefront town but a few years ago we reported on the homeless problem you might spot while visiting there. Here is a link to that article. (This is obviously parody.)

Trip Report: Ka De We (Berlin)

We'll be back in Orlando this weekend for our usual club reports but we'll fill today's article with a couple final photos from Berlin. The building above is home to Berlin's famous department store, Kaufhaus Des Westens, called Ka De We by everyone. It's the largest department store in continental Europe and the second largest in Europe overall after Harrod's in London.

Department stores in the United States continue to struggle although 4th Quarter results so far appear promising. Ka De We (literally Department Store of the West) was absolutely jammed with customers during two visits this past Saturday and Sunday. (Sunday was one of just four "Shopping Sundays" that German law allows each year.) Check out the food hall on the 6th floor. A very impressive stop for any tourist visiting what at one time was West Berlin, the island of freedom surrounded by communist East Germany.

This Weekend In Techno Town

Thanks for reading This Weekend In Techno Town!

THU   11DEC     OLIV BAR     DJ J-ROK (USA) 

FRI     12DEC     CELINE     DJ Kompany (USA)

FRI     12DEC     PALM TREE CLUB     DJ duo Sparrow & Barbossa (E)

FRI     12DEC     ALFIE'S HIFI     DJ Tracy Young (USA)

SAT    13DEC     VANGUARD     DJ duo Atliens (USA)

SAT    13DEC     QREATE     House & Coffee:  DJ Chino (USA) 8:30AM-2PM

SAT    13DEC     MORSE CODE     DJ Johnny Park (USA)

SAT    13DEC     ALFIE'S HIFI     DJ Frankmatik (USA)

SAT    13DEC     ELIXIR BAR     DJ Technasia (HK/F)

SUN   14DEC     ELIXIR BAR     DJ Locklead (NL) 

 

 

 

Downtown Update: It Looks Like Christmas Downtown Too!

Yesterday we showed you Christmas decorations in Disney Springs. Today we show you that decorations are now up in downtown Orlando too!

 

DS Update: It's Beginning To Look A Bit Like Christmas

Christmas decorations are up at Disney Springs!

 

Concert Report: World's Smallest Disco (Berlin)

Last Saturday night we visited the World's Largest Disco which is in Buffalo, New York. Last night we visited the World's Smallest Disco which is in Berlin, Germany. And as you can see, it's in a phone booth! We've posted the photos over on Orlando Entertainment News HERE.

 

Trip Report: German Christmas Markets (Berlin)

Grüße aus Berlin. Spending Friday in the "new" downtown of the city; an area where the Berlin Wall once created a no-man's land between free West Berlin and communist East Berlin. And the beloved Ampelmännchen figures, once part of pedestrian crossings in East Berlin, survived the merger and still exist throughout the city. Don't cross.

OK to cross.

Germany and numerous other European countries are famous for their Christmas markets. And a city as large as Berlin has several locations including this larger one at Potsdammer Platz. 

Made up of wooden kiosks and often rides, they are a popular gathering place at night for both locals and tourists.

Temperatures around 35F° yesterday are typical.

Lots of sweets available including Gingerbread. Some kiosks sell Christmas souvenirs such as ornaments and nativity scenes, often handmade in Germany.

Beer and wine, particularly heated Glühwein, are popular in German-speaking countries.

A variety of hot wursts, wings and fresh pommes frites (french fries) are available. None of this is particularly cheap but it's an annual tradition and you can likely be satiated for around €20. 

Ice skating at this location.

And a train ride! 

Moving to West Berlin on Saturday, an even larger Christmas market.

 

Kathe Wohlfahrt has a branch here. The brand appears at Christmas markets worldwide including in the United States. They specialize in handmade wooden Christmas products and real glass ornaments.

And plenty of hot Glühwein assures that a good time is had by all.

Friday Funny

 

PI Update: Where Is The Landing?

To our knowledge there is just one sign saying "The Landing" on it and it only points to it. To our knowledge, there is no sign that says you've actually arrived at a place called The Landing. So where is The Landing? We don't really know.

 

This Weekend In Techno Town

Wow, quite the dead weekend!

THU   04DEC     ALFIE'S HIFI     DJ Brian Burnside (USA) 

FRI     05DEC     MORSE CODE     DJ The Reverend (USA)

FRI     05DEC     GOOD TIMES    Abyss: DJ Lavidicus (USA)

FRI     05DEC     PALM TREE CLUB     DJ Jack Swoon (USA) 

SAT    06DEC     GRUMPYS     DJ Gr3ywolf (USA)

SAT    06DEC     ALFIE'S HIFI     DJ Brian Tappert (USA)

 

 

 

DS Update: Level99

Construction continues at adult-oriented interactive game experience Level99, going into the former NBA Experience building in Disney Springs West Side.

 

We were skeptical about NBA Experience and we're skeptical about Level99. No opening date has been announced as of yet.

Trip Report: International Quandry

As we drove by this cannabis dispensary this past weekend in Canada, it's important to mention that crossing the United States/Canada border with cannabis is absolutely illegal. Cannabis is legal in the state of New York and it's legal in all of Canada. But you cannot cross the border in either direction in possession of it. In Florida you might even have a medical card that allows you to legally purchase it but don't try to cross the international border with it because it's a federal crime in both countries and can get you arrested and jailed. Be aware.

 

Concert Report: World's Largest Disco (Buffalo)

This is the Buffalo Convention Center in beautiful downtown Buffalo, New York. While Buffalo is most-famous for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League and the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League, on the Saturday night of the American Thanksgiving weekend, it's also famous for something else:

The World's Largest Disco.

If you have a VIP ticket you can get inside one hour earlier than GA and come relax in this large room filled with 70's furniture.

 

There are also numerous food stations to enjoy, included with your ticket.

It's all-you-can-eat.

Buffalo was where Buffalo Wings were invented as well as hot shaved beef on a weck roll.

Also for VIP only, this huge color-changing plexiglass dance floor.

Music delivered by DJ Roger Christian (USA) from local oldies radio station WECK.

As well as the Disco Unlimited (USA) band.

Drink sales are handled via drink tickets and every ticket to the World's Largest Disco comes with 10 drink tickets. Like the overall WLD itself, all bartender tips go to Camp Good Days to help kids with cancer.

Deney Terrio (USA) from 70's television program "Dance Fever" is an annual guest at the Disco and he did a quick dance number for us.

Songs from the band during our visit included "Heaven Knows", "Boogie Wonderland and "Shake Your Groove Thang". They do such a good job you forget there's a band playing and not the original record itself.

Ten years ago one would have had to scour eBay or thrift stores to find 70's fashions to wear to the World's Largest Disco but with all this back in style currently, there's no problem finding sparkly clothing, bell bottoms and Go Go boots.

Eventually we left the VIP area and headed upstairs to the convention center main floor and walked into this.

Up here the music was delivered by DJ Nicholas Picholas (USA) from radio station WKSE, Kiss98.5.

Checking the Blog archives, we first met Nicholas Picholas in 2011 when he was doing a radio station remote at Dragonfly Nightclub in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He shocked me when the station was going to a commercial break and without warning he handed me the microphone and told me to say something! It's all a blur now but I said something like "Hey Niagara frontier, if you are hearing me it means you're listening in your car and you're not here at Dragonfly Nightclub. So come out next Friday night!" 

Shortly after 9PM, the dance floor still had capacity.

But it was filling fast for songs such as "Boogie Fever", "Forget Me Not", "Shake Your Groove Thang" and "The Hustle".

WLD has numerous shiny disco balls so you know it's legit.

The surrounding convention center walls are filled with pics from famous 70's television programs such as "Banana Splits", "Mork & Mindy", "Laverne & Shirley" and "Adam 12".

By 10PM the place was packed!

Disco classics such as "Funkytown", "Disco Inferno" and "Ladies Night".

Musical dance skit on the main stage.

Every edition of the World's Largest Disco is amazing but last night the vibe was extra-amazing. Everybody all smiles and having a good time.

Forgot to write in my notes what song they were performing but it may have been "It's Raining Men".

"You Dropped A Bomb On Me", "Hot Stuff" and "Ring My Bell". 

It was a surprisingly young crowd overall last night as the newer generations have embraced Disco and they know all the words!

This year's musical guests were R&B vocal group The Blue Notes (USA).

Posing for OEN backstage.

"Rock The Boat", "Brick House" and "Get Down Tonight". The hits just kept on coming!

"We Are Family", "What A Feeling" and "Upside Down".

Numerous songs had accompanying music videos such as "Love Train" from the television program "Soul Train". 

And "Car Wash" from the film of the same name.

The hit film "Mama Mia!" has introduced ABBA (S) to new generations and we heard back-to-back "Gimme Gimme Gimme" and "Dancing Queen".

Another classic 70's film "Saturday Night Fever" included many Disco songs that became hits and we heard "Stayin' Alive" and "Jive Talkin'".

Deney Tarrio came on the main stage to dance another number.

He introduced this year's guest stars which included Christopher Atkins (Blue Lagoon), Lorenzo Lamas (Falcon Crest & Dynasty), Heather Locklear (Melrose Place, Dynasty & TJ Hooker), Jennifer Beals (Flashdance) and Sonja Morgan (Real Housewives of New York).

                                      "Greased Lightning" from the hit film "Grease".

Packed to the rafters!

WLD holds around 7,000 guests and tickets usually sell out within hours. If you want to get on the email list for next year's show, apply HERE for the link. No obligation and you won't get spammed. Presumably, the next event will be on 11/28/26.

Other than one guy we run into every year, we didn't recognize anyone this year but we did get some interesting poses.

Midnight at WLD always means it's time for "YMCA". Singing in unison with 6,999 of your closest friends, it is something to behold!

Making sure you spell it correctly.

The WLD is SO much fun!

Getting freaky with ""Freak Out", "Le Freak" and "Super Freak".The show would run to 1AM ending with "Last Dance" of course.

Another amazing World's Largest Disco. Big thanks to WLD Leader Dave Pietrowski for the professional courtesies and photo access. A good time was had by all.