The only thing that makes my heart sing more than the words "free beer" are the words "good free beer." After Casey and I spent $28 on a pitcher of Long Hammer IPA by Redhook at Brick and Fire in downtown Orlando (we saw our friend co-host a radio broadcast for ESPN there) we knew we needed to continue the night on the cheap.

Enter McRaney's Tavern in Winter Park, from 9 - 11 p.m. every Wednesday night all wine, and select drafts are free for ladies. No cover either. Last night the select drafts were Great White (not named after the band) and Warsteiner. I went with the Great White, a light lager that I was only able to get a pint of and a half down before Casey started calling it. He had his share of Pear cider though.

I think that $28 pitcher earlier or the talk of NASCAR or the fact that we forgot to have dinner may had kicked us in the ass and knocked the wind out of our sails a bit early. Either way, both places had their charms, especially a bar that gives me free beer that's not Coors or Natty Light.

Faces on 4910 Edgewater Drive is back, although not with the same management. The bar still caters to predominately the lesbian and gay crowd and will start live entertainment immediately including karaoke and musicians. For more info go to: http://www.myspace.com/FacesOnEdgewater

Seems like there has been a lot of talk about karaoke lately, with the opening of Rising Star at Universal CityWalk. That said, it's a shame I heard about the passing of Paddy McGee's in Winter Park last weekend.

Karaoke at this place was a blast. We had a going-away party for my friend there last summer, that coupled with Guitar Hero we rawked the face off of Paddy (and probably scared away most of the folks sitting around the bar). I've called a couple of times and left an email to find out the fate of the building and whether or not we shall see Paddy again around town. I'll post what I hear.

Work those drinking muscles at Wall St. Plaza tonight with the superstars of the WWE. Wrestling isn't really my scene but I think seeing a bunch of those WWE cats with a buzz would be a riot. The Wrestlemania 24 Block Party starts up at 7 p.m., there is a $5 cover.

Also, make sure to head out to Independent Bar on Sunday night for the last night of Sunday Night Vinyl to Go. This night, a continuation of the show on 104.1, has been going on for over 10 years now. Originally, it started at the old Cairo Nightclub in downtown Orlando and moved to I-Bar about six years ago. Supposedly, numbers have been waning so they night was axed. It will surely be missed.

Well, finally Universal has officially announced the closing of CityJazz and the opening of Rising Star. Here's the press release that was just sent out:

"March 13, 2008 CITYWALK’S RISING STAR TO DEBUT AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT

Karaoke Artists Take the Stage in True Rock Star Form with Back-Up Singers and a Full Band  

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 13, 2008) – If you love the thrill of karaoke, the warmth of the spotlight or just want to show off, you have what it takes to be a “rising star.”  Tapping into one of the nation’s hottest trends, Universal Orlando Resort elevates karaoke to a whole new level with the addition of CityWalk’s Rising Star.  The new venue features karaoke with a twist, where performing guests will be introduced to screaming audiences by an emcee and take center stage as they sing with a full live band and back-up singers.

This fresh, new take on a favorite social pastime gives even the most amateur karaoke fans a taste of musical fame as they belt out their favorite songs either solo or with a group of friends.  CityWalk’s Rising Star will offer guests the same compelling stage performance experience every night of the week with a host and back-up vocalists, and five nights a week with a full band (Tuesday – Saturday).  Whether you’re a table of two or here with a larger group or party, CityWalk’s Rising Star offers something for the music lover in everyone. The club’s diverse song list is packed with rock ‘n’ roll, country, hip-hop and other popular classics from several decades.

CityWalk’s Rising Star will reside in the location made famous by CityJazz, which will close on Sunday, March 16 and re-emerge on Friday, March 21 offering the excitement of karaoke and other entertainment."

So when that "safest/dangerous cities" report came out earlier this year and named Orlando as number 11 on the "most dangerous" list I turned to Casey, the fiance, and said "Compton is safer than Orlando? (Compton came in at number 14) It's not like there are drive-bys happening down Orange Avenue"

Well, next time I'll keep my mouth shut because late last night we got ourselves a drive-by, outside Club Firestone no less and right across the street from the building I'm sitting in right now writing this. The Sentinel has the story and video here.

Basically around 1:18 a.m. a gold sedan traveling on Concord pulled up next to a white Mercury Grand Marquis and fired shots into the car. The four men were on their way to Club Firestone and have not been identified, shards of glass injured one person but luckily the shots didn't get anyone. Supposedly the victims don't know who attacked them.

And now on to happier topics, Caitlin Van Voorhis, the former mistress of ceremonies at Wall St. Plaza, has left that gig but didn't travel far to her next venture. Van Voorhis has officially become owner of the spot formerly known as Room3Nine at 39 N. Orange Ave. in downtown Orlando. A renovation is taking place in the space which will be known as Finnhenry's when it reopens. Although the name sounds like it would be attached to an Irish pub, Van Voorhis is adament there is no niche she's trying to model the bar after, other than a cool, laid back place where folks can enjoy a beer and hang with friends. Sounds good to me! I'll let you know when you should expect seeing the doors open closer to the date.

 

Even though Universal CityWalk stonewalled me a couple of weeks back when I asked for confirmation on CityJazz closing, I still got my answer. A source who's close to moi that works inside gave me the 411 on what's happening to CityJazz and I'm happy to share.

March 15 expect the club to close and reopen shortly after as Rising Star, a karoake bar that instead of having an audio track as a backdrop, has a live band backing the singer on stage. They're installing muy video monitors and cameras everywhere according to my source.

Plus, there will be hosts, no Ryan Seacrest-types, thankfully, but if you were a fan of the Rocky Horror Picture Show production Universal did over Halloween you will recognize the faces.

So, I thought the curse that plagued the space at 843 Lee Road in Winter Park was lifted after Duke's set up shop there three and a half years ago.

Not so much. Now there's a new name and concept in the space that has changed names more times than Diddy.

The new 11/12 Lounge Entertainment & Sports Bar does have a neat hook, though, that may help it outlast its predecessors, who along with Duke's include Aura, Cyberzone, Infinity, The Breakfast Club and Scores Sports Bar & Grill. And I'm not even mentioning the two restaurants that stood there before all of those bar concepts.

But back to the hook: 11/12 Lounge has an open bar every night between 11 p.m. and midnight. As far as gimmicks go, it's not a bad one. Even when it's not open bar, the prices are fair.

The other night a couple of friends and I stopped by during the club's happy hour, which occurs daily 4--7 p.m. A friend's two-fer on his Captain and Coke cost him $6, and a Riesling was $4.50 and heavy on the pour, which really worked out since that was also two-for-one. More like four-for-one, in my opinion. My domestic bottle was $4, which was the only part of the bill that I thought was out of line, but if they're going for a club atmosphere, liquor is usually the poison of choice.

That is, if they're going for a club atmosphere, because from my visit I wasn't completely sure. The predominantly black-and-red venue has all the markings of a club; first of all it's gi-normous, the hardwood dance floor alone could probably fit 500 people. The stage at the far end of the dance area could fit Sam Rivers and his Rivbea Orchestra comfortably, and the DJ booth at the opposite end could sleep a family of three. And that's just the dance area -- there are two VIP sections over by the octagonal bar located in the first section of 11/12, and that room could easily fit another 300 or so. Flat screens were set up throughout the space playing music videos; even though there's a ton of dance space there's also ample seating for those who just want to hang and drink. An outside patio allows for more seating for the smokers in the crowd.

But still, it looks like a club, which is why I'm puzzled by the "Entertainment & Sports Bar" part of the club's name. The bartender mentioned to us that a menu that included sushi and crab cakes was being brought in, and I had to wonder why? This is a solid club-and-music-venue concept. There's no reason to serve food, or be open so early for that matter, unless you have the money to have a space that big empty for a while. It seems 11/12 is trying to be something for everyone, when they really need to home in on being a fun nightclub.

There are things 11/12 has started to help them toward that goal. First, there is never a cover for ladies during its themed nights. Those include jazz, blues and R&B on Mondays and Tuesdays, '70s night on Wednesdays and '80s night on Thursdays. The weekends will see DJs and hopefully bands booked on that large stage, according to our bartender.

There is a dress code: no gym shoes, athletic wear, T-shirts or flats and sandals. Could you repeat that sports bar part of the name again? My friends and I were pretty lax in our wear, but it was only 7 p.m.

I'm looking forward to seeing if 11/12 has the stuff to make this space finally become a success. If they focus on what exactly they want to be, they just might have a chance.

11/12 Lounge is at 843 Lee Road in Winter Park, call 407-539-3410.

Remember when I told you guys about the city of Winter Park pushing around those fine folks just wanting to put on a St. Patrick's Day parade? Well, the community got involved to make sure that the parade took place, in fact it's happening this weekend. Kinda early for St. Patrick's Day but at least it's happening. If you want to check it out and show your support for the folks that fought to keep this Winter Park tradition alive, head over to the Winter Park Country Club and Golf Course at 761 Old England Ave. on March 2 at 2 p.m. where the parade starts and marches to Park Avenue, ending at the city hall. For those of you ready to continue the party after the parade, head over to Central Park for Irish music and dancing. For more information call 407-366-3402.

 

Column from Friday, enjoy!

I had forgotten just how stunning the Cheyenne Saloon & Opera House was until I stepped back into the building for its grand opening last weekend.

Then again, I wonder if I ever appreciated how beautiful it was originally, before the Church Street venue closed seven years ago. The last time I was there, I was freshly legal to drink, which is probably why the memory is a bit fuzzy. I remember a friend was meeting up with some guy who dug country music as much as she did -- me? Not so much. I hung out by the ornate staircase and kept company with a bottle of Bud.

Then again, did anyone fully appreciate Church Street in its heyday? We all knew it was a fun place to go when relatives were in town -- or, as in my case, if you wanted to escape the suburban constraints of being a teenager in Lake Mary. Most just accepted its always being there. And then one day, it wasn't.

Today, the place is a sight, from the three tiers of saloon seating overlooking the dance floor and stage in the center of the 20,000-square-foot wooden structure to the stained glass and brass throughout. The employees were in Wild West saloon period gear and all had smiles on their faces.

The smiles carried over to the packed house, there to see Collin Raye, the act rechristening the stage of Orlando's version of the Grand Ole Opry. A couple of friends in our group that evening are big fans of Raye; the rest of us are big fans of bars, and this was topping the list of one of the most beautiful I had ever seen. We sat on the second tier, directly behind the stage -- since we were facing the performer's back, the big screen anchored from the ceiling helped folks in obstructed-view seating get a glimpse of the show.

The crowd was definitely mixed, with fans of yesteryear packing the house along with younger country fans checking out what is a new venue to them.

Hopefully, they'll keep acts such as Raye coming, because the drink prices were a bit high for the dust bowl that is currently Church Street. With $7 Jack and Cokes, I had to double-check I was actually on Church Street and not Disney property. I know there are bills to be paid in a place like this, but you want the people to keep coming, and with prices like that it will be hard to justify no matter how beautiful it is.

Especially when the post-apocalyptic area that is 55 West's construction site is making Church Street look like it dead-ends smack dab in the middle of the street. But even without the music acts, the outdoor seating on the second floor and pool table and barbecue restaurant on the third give reason for people to stick around. We had a fabulous time talking about and gawking at all the antiques that adorn the building.

One suggestion though: The place really cleared out after Raye left the stage, and a house band came on playing "Brick House" and other wedding-reception faves. I'll dance to anything, but the majority of the crowd came to see a Nashville act -- as my friend Brad put it, "It would probably be a good idea if they kept playing country music, you know, since this is a country bar."

I'm not a big country fan, but he had a valid point. Who goes to a country bar to hear "Smooth" by Santana? And a club this size emptied by 11:15 on a Saturday night is not a good thing.

I only mention this because I really, really want Cheyenne Saloon to succeed, and hopefully breathe life into this area again. The fact that this beautiful building sat in dust for the past seven years is a shame; I don't want to see that happen again.

Cheyenne Saloon & Opera House is at 128 W. Church St., Suite 13 in downtown Orlando, go to cheyennesaloonandoperahouse .com