Happy New Year everyone from beautiful downtown Orlando. Let’s begin 2025 by remembering the downtown carcasses left behind in 2024. Irish Shannon’s and Don Jefe’s: GONE. This space was once home to famed Orlando club Antigua. It went downhill when it was split into two different venues which couldn’t figure out what niche they were trying to fill. For awhile they had live bands, for awhile Latin, for awhile DJ’s. Too often you’d find them closed.This trio of rooftop bar High Tide (formerly Latitudes), mid-level bar Cahoots (formerly Big Belly Brewery) and downstairs Chillers: GONE. This is a real shame because they had just spent a lot of money redoing the wood decking at High Tide plus Chillers had had those frozen alcoholic drinks. Just few customers.Ember: GONE. Such a beautiful space with both an indoor restaurant and outdoor terrace. When they opened more than a decade ago, this was the spot for happy hour as downtown office workers stopped by before heading home. Saw some great DJ’s play here over the years.Arena Art Bar: GONE. Opened in 2024, closed in 2024. In the former Suite B/Peek Downtown space, the owner did all she could to keep this place open with night-after-night of great music options and contending with the City‘s onerous regulations. Saw some great DJ’s here too during it’s too short lifespan.And perhaps the biggest sadness of all, Schmankerl Stub’n: GONE. Located where club Neon Beach was once located, this was primarily an excellent German restaurant with a bar on the side. Another place that opened in 2024 and closed in 2024. The City says they want more retail downtown, they say they want more restaurants. Yeah, sure. OK, we knew downtown would be dead last night coming 3 days after NYE. A double-whammy, a cold front had passed through central Florida so temps were in the upper 40’s F° (9 C°) around midnight. Still, we trudged on beginning at Elixir Bar.Since it was rather chilly, the DJ booth was moved inside.Here we found DJ Suga (USA) playing.Just a handful inside though.Outside, their famous dance patio and DJ booth were idle. The inside music was being pumped outside.There were actually quite a few people out here in the chill.Their new neon sign has been installed for those selfies you need to take.A lot of his music selections began with Hip Hop tunes which then morphed into House. Pretty cool. Across the street, another downtown favorite is rooftop club Aero Bar.Working in the cold, Friday night resident DJ Cliff T (USA).Dance floor had a few hardy souls on it.The Friday & Saturday night music format is House and EDM.There was some shufflin’ going on!As a rooftop bar, at Aero you’re literally dancing with the stars.Always great music at Aero Bar and there is no admission charge!The Monk? They mean Monkey Bar, the House music oasis in the vast desert of mediocrity that is Wall Street Plaza.Resident DJ Dity (USA) had just turned the decks over to guest DJ Derek Fereal (USA) when we arrived.Like everywhere downtown last night, just not a lot of people out.House music, of course.DJ Duke (USA) dropped-by for a visit during our visit.Time for one more stop: The Robinson Cocktail Room.There are three rooms at The Robinson including this one where the bar is located. There was actually a crowd in here.Music and dancing happens in the Disco Room.Here we found DJ Jay-R (USA) in the booth.The music mostly Top 40.There’s not just one but multiple shiny disco balls here so you know the place is legit.I didn’t recognize the DJ until he told me his name.We first met Jay-R back in 2017 when he played at STK in Disney Springs as seen in this OEN archives photograph.A good time was had by all.
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