Simon's in Gainesville

[speedway]

Noticed a post on the music forum that Simon's in Gainesville is celebrating its 15th anniversary...

I was fortunate enough to be a part of that club years one-four ('90-'94) which (I think for many of us) really set the tone for a long-term appreciation of dance music for me.

I remember in year one, you had to actually be a member with a membership "card" or be a guest of a member to be admitted into the club. A lot of word-of-mouth as to what nights the club was open, etc. In those days, an open bar was often the norm as were extended hours past sunrise. DJ's included Kimball Collins, Andy Hughes and even Sasha occasionally.

I'm curious if any of the Miami junkies have been to Simon's, especially back in those days. If so, please post your thoughts/memories.

And man, I cannot believe its already been 15 years since that place opened.

[PORNSTAR]

I went to UF and use to go to Simons back in the day 94 - 00. But i was on the tail end of the good times....... i was part of the no glow sticks rule, close by 2 getting and raided every other week

i got to enjoy some fun times but when you were there we had Chili Pepper in Ft Lauderdale

After 3 let everyone got in and it was crazy

[speedway]

yea - I recall a serious crackdown on the place right after I left UF...

I never kept up with all the politics, but am amazed that it's still up and running today in 2005...

never hit the Chili Pepper in FtL, but recall some big nights at the Edge around that time

[PORNSTAR]

Yea u r right it was the Edge the Chilli Pepper was after...... yea the edge used to have these crazy nights with back rooms with all types of "stuff" going on

Crazy scene back in the day

[absolut_v]

ive gone up there from time to time during that period

most memorable was dj dan 94.. i havethe set on mp3 too

tenaglia
and cant forget simons tent @ harvest fest with dub tribe

[barstar diana]

Originally Posted by speedway

Noticed a post on the music forum that Simon's in Gainesville is celebrating its 15th anniversary...

I was fortunate enough to be a part of that club years one-four ('90-'94) which (I think for many of us) really set the tone for a long-term appreciation of dance music for me.

I remember in year one, you had to actually be a member with a membership "card" or be a guest of a member to be admitted into the club. A lot of word-of-mouth as to what nights the club was open, etc. In those days, an open bar was often the norm as were extended hours past sunrise. DJ's included Kimball Collins, Andy Hughes and even Sasha occasionally.

I'm curious if any of the Miami junkies have been to Simon's, especially back in those days. If so, please post your thoughts/memories.

And man, I cannot believe its already been 15 years since that place opened.

i went to UF from 2002-2004

and went to simmons ofen, but i mean there are clubs everywhere in gville and the club secen changes every semester..but ya i always had fun there good times

[dgrutman]

best time of my life was gville 93-96. sean ferguson on the rooftop and kioki was the big dj at the time. i also remember simon renting a bus and going to oz. outstanding. his brother joesph was great as well. looking at a flyer going who is this dj named after a shoe (doc martin). simons was way beyond his time and had the sickest dj's ever play there.

[kelly923]

hey first post... lol ;D

i go to UF and Simon's is actually closing next month... dubtribe will be spinning the last set ever at simons... kinda sad lol; pretty inevitable though... gainesville has no EDM scene whatsoever... i've seen a few good djs at simon's the past 4 years... bukem just last week, zabiela last year, ak1200, a few i can't think of atm... no one supre big but they all rocked... nothing like all the stories i've heard from back in the day lol... i'd say this is official conclusion to gainesville's nightlife (excluding the party aspect)

[pod]

Never went there, but it is sad to hear that yet another "institution" in the scene is passing on. 15 years is a record of sorts.

I'm curious as to whether it is just the difficulty in keeping a dance music-only venue open in general that is causing the closing, or is it the result of political pressure, or both, or something else?

Morbid curiosity since the current power structure in this country makes me suspect the worst.

[RzO]

i just graduated form UF this may and simons had not been a true dance music venue for quite some time...after 99 rave ordinace it was downhill..i mean what dj wants to coem and play when at 150 they r kicking everyone out to be in time for 2 am law...every few months for the past 5 yrs they would get a good act to coem for a short set but the club is being run by peeps now to cater to the college crowd there...hip hop blah blah blah...simon still owns the name but has sold most of the ownership...it is true though it all started in america at simons boith sasha and pvd played their first us gigs at simons...also it was good for its time, too small to hold the crowds we now draw in modern dance music...i was up two weeks ago for the kickoff weekend and got to see ltj bukem/mc conrad there....brought back soem good memories indeed

but to answer ur question pod, yes politics played a great deal in the initial rave ordinacne and has never been the same since then....also couple that with the fact that the typical university of florida student isnt so dance music savvy like us...lol..