Carmen Macri
It’s like the Jacksonville Gods answered our prayers with Decca Live.
Words by Carmen Macri
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve begged, pleaded, and borderline prayed for Jacksonville to get a nightclub that actually delivers — because, let’s be honest, Myth just isn’t cutting it anymore (no offense). So imagine my shock when the universe finally answered in the form of an email from Decca Live, announcing its grand opening and inviting the “Folio” team to a pre-opening VIP party. Naturally, we were honored.
Now, do you want the good news or the bad news first?
Let’s rip the Band-Aid off—the only downside? A brutal wait outside in what felt like sub-zero temperatures (OK, fine, it was 52 degrees, but still).
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s talk about the night.
For my Jacksonville locals, walking into Decca Live feels like stepping into the love child of Freebird and Surfer. The main entrance opens right into a massive venue, with a full bar stretching along the left side and an upper balcony wrapping around the entire space. Head upstairs, and you’ll find another bar backed by floor-to-ceiling windows showing off Jacksonville’s surprisingly stunning skyline. The upstairs is perfect for those who want to be in the action without drowning in it. And if you need a full escape? There’s a rooftop seating area waiting for you.
Acting as true “Folio” employees, of course, we needed to scope out the entire area first, but you better believe we were front and center the second Tokyo Moreno, Jacksonville’s best fire dancer took the stage. If you’ve been around — or if you’re a dedicated “Folio” reader — you already know about Moreno and the absolute show she puts on. From start to finish, she had the entire crowd hooked. People were practically hanging over the balcony rails just to get a better view.
As the night went on, the crowd shifted from older business owners and —what we assumed — rich investment bankers to young influencers and Jacksonville bar regulars.
Upon entry, we were handed two free drink tickets each—exciting at first but gone way too fast. That said, shoutout to the bar staff because no matter how big the crowd got, drinks were flowing nonstop, and we never waited more than five minutes. A blessing and a curse.
The plan was to keep it chill — you know, casual drinks and light people-watching. But then DJ Crespo took the stage, and the next thing we knew, we were four drinks deep, screaming along to early 2000s bangers and dancing like our rent depended on it — which technically, it did.
Decca Live is exactly what Jacksonville’s nightlife has been missing: a fresh, much-needed upgrade to the scene, and honestly, we couldn’t be more grateful. The official grand opening kicks off on Jan. 31 with a sold-out show by Kaskade, setting the bar high right out of the gate. The hype doesn’t stop there, though. Night two brings another sold-out performance, this time from Tape B, which feels a little personal for me since we run in the same circles (friends of friends, you know how it is). If this lineup is any indication, Decca Live is here to make some serious waves.
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