#136 Space Fish (Mike Brown, Michael Bales, Rich Thibault, and Matt Simmons)

Space Fish Is Back! A Deep Sea Dive Into Orlando's Iconic Club, Label, and More

In this episode, we revisit the legacy of Club Space Fish, one of Orlando’s most influential underground venues and a driving force in the city’s late 1980s and early 1990s DIY music and arts scene.

Through stories from Mike Brown, Michael Bales, Rich Thibault, and Matt Simmons, the conversation traces Space Fish from its themed Beach Club events to its evolution into a weekly gathering and eventually a standalone venue built entirely through grassroots collaboration.

The episode explores the venue’s unpredictable creative energy through stories of themed nights like Roman Orgy, Kiss The Cook, and Wheel Of Fish, along with live performances, DIY theatrics, Splash magazine, and the community that helped define its identity.

The guests also discuss the challenges of sustaining an independent venue, the upcoming reunion show featuring bands including Damage, Love Gods in Leisure Suits, The Riddlers, Target Earth, and Bloody Mary, plus renewed activity surrounding Space Fish Records and Splash magazine.