We began our Saturday during an afternoon “School’s Out For Summer” pool party in our neighborhood’s town center complex.Music delivered by DJ Matty J (USA). Just when we think we’ve met every DJ in Orlando, we meet another one.The music at this family-friendly event was old and new Top 40.All you can eat hot dogs!A good time was had by all. And now on to Saturday night…..Many people remember this building as Firestone, The Club at Firestone or Firestone Live.Some people remember it as Venue 578.But after an extensive gutting and reconstruction (which you can read about here), it is now The Vanguard and it’s bigger and better than ever.So many memories here!Before we could get inside though, we first had to try to talk our way past the door hostesses. But they had heard it all before and weren’t buying my spiel.But we eventually made it inside and walked into this!The opener was playing in the 9PM time slot.DJ Tooltime (USA)This was a night of mostly Breaks and that’s what he was playing.With a lot of Old Skool mixed in there too. So many of the hit songs back in the day were actually Breaks.Lots of memories delivered from his great set.The opener always faces an empty room.But just 20 minutes after the club doors opened, the dance floor was already filling in.And would continue to do so.The Vanguard has a shiny disco ball above the dance floor so you know they’re legit.In his spare time, Tooltime is Vice President of Toole’s Ace Hardware with stores throughout central Florida. When you need hardware, home improvement or gardening products, skip the big boys and get expertise at your local neighborhood Ace store.Near the end of his set, a couple of John Summit (USA) songs remixed to Breaks. And by the end of his set, the dance floor now looked like this!We ran into so many peeps from the Florida dance scene. Some were new but most we knew.And then at 11PM, there he was!He’s in there somewhere…..The legendary DJ Icey (USA).Icey always has a knack of knowing what the people want and then delivering on it.Dance floor getting jammed.If you’re fortunate at an Icey show, you also get Dancer Kriss Reign (USA).They say you can never go wrong with Go Go girls.Well damn, they were right!Everyone in a great mood last night.Except maybe that one chick with the finger in the upright position. Also, spotted on the dance floor: Krista and CJ. Last night’s show was close to a sell-out.Spray down! (Or was it a Spray up?)There was a little bit of capacity down there but it was overall pretty jammed.“Going to drop another banger, but first, let me take a selfie.”Icey always plays a great mix of new and old. Some of the Classic Dance songs he played last night included “Sweet Harmony”, “The One”, “Everyday”, “Beachball”, “You Used To Hold Me” and one that we’ve not heard in a long time, Kosheen (GB) hit “Hide U”.During the conversion from Firestone to The Vanguard, a separate room called The Den was eliminated. But the stairs that led up to The Loft is still there, now leading to the VIP area. On big nights they used to have different DJ’s playing in both The Den and The Loft.Club was packed to the rafters last night.More peeps!Always.Thank you everyone for your poses.Near the end of Icey’s set, “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)”. We will always remember it as the final song ever played at Mannequins on Pleasure Island. DJ Dave Cannalte (USA) played it that night and he would have appreciated hearing it again but he was playing last night over at Barbarella.Promptly at 12:30AM, shift change.When you combine Bunny…..…..with David Christophere.You get duo Rabbit In The Moon (USA).Bunny was celebrating his birthday last night and he shared his birthday cake with the audience.If you were close enough you could grab a hunk, lol.When RITM played here at The Vanguard in June, 2023, they did their entire floor show with Dave Christophere playing the DJ role and Bunny doing all the skits such as The Grinder (pictured above) along with The Eye, Bubble Boy, Gas Mask and more.In November the same year, Bunny did a DJ set to a huge crowd from the Anniversary Art Car stage at Electric Daisy Carnival-Orlando.Last night was a DJ set with their famous fusion of Breaks, Trance and House.Bunny did do his Mr. Freeze segment and later, the Grinder.Glad to see so many of you. An amazing show and a good time was had by all.
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