Charlotte Nightlife

[atlrvr]

I used to go to a lot of industrial/"hardcore" shows at Tremont and they all pulled a pretty good crowd. KMFDM, Gravity Kills, Stabbing Westward, Deftones, Cluth, Dinosaur Jr.

There have also been some preety good shows that I didn't see such as Primus, Fugazi...ummm, and lots of others.

Even so, I still agree that the smaller music venues need to work harder to get a variety of bands, and more local band venues......The single biggest crush to Charlotte's "scene" IMO was the closing of Fat City, though K.C was a bit...umm...yeah. I'm sure some of you know....

I think this discussion is worthy of it's own thread......

[A2]

I used to go to a lot of industrial/"hardcore" shows at Tremont and they all pulled a pretty good crowd. KMFDM, Gravity Kills, Stabbing Westward, Deftones, Cluth, Dinosaur Jr.

There have also been some preety good shows that I didn't see such as Primus, Fugazi...ummm, and lots of others.

Even so, I still agree that the smaller music venues need to work harder to get a variety of bands, and more local band venues......The single biggest crush to Charlotte's "scene" IMO was the closing of Fat City, though K.C was a bit...umm...yeah. I'm sure some of you know....

I think this discussion is worthy of it's own thread......

Yeah Dinosaur Jr. is my Fav. I saw them live at Amos's. Great show !!! I think J Mascis came w. The Frogs (instead of good ol' DJR)

I wish we had more diversity in our venues as well atlrvr. We need more than just big name acts (ie US, Rolling Stones, etc etc). Don't get me wrong with BIG acts they definately are great for CHarlotte, but there is nothing like a "gritty" venue like Tremont or Fat City to get some of the more "underground" music scene rolling in.

A2

[RaleighHeelsfan]

Oh man, Dinosaur Jr is the most underrated band of ALL time! They are amazing. I have been a die hard fans since the late 80's. Green Mind and Your Living All Over Me are my fav two albums. I saw them at the Ritz in Raleigh back in 94, Lallapalooza 93 in Raleigh, Cats Cradle in say 97 and again just this year. They are amazing live!

Oh yeah, I also like the album "whatever's cool with me"

Every Dinosaur song off everyone of their albums is good.

Cinco..

I saw Interpol at the Orange Peel in Asheville just last Nov. That is a cool little venue.

[cinco]

Oh man, Dinosaur Jr is the most underrated band of ALL time! They are amazing. I have been a die hard fans since the late 80's. Green Mind and Your Living All Over Me are my fav two albums. I saw them at the Ritz in Raleigh back in 94, Lallapalooza 93 in Raleigh, Cats Cradle in say 97 and again just this year. They are amazing live!

Oh yeah, I also like the album "whatever's cool with me"

Every Dinosaur song off everyone of their albums is good.

Cinco..

I saw Interpol at the Orange Peel in Asheville just last Nov. That is a cool little venue.

thats funny b/c i drove to raleigh to see them. they played @ what used to be the ritz... can't remember the new name of that place. anyways, one of my favorite bands (blonde redhead) opened up for them.

also, i used to work @ a place called henri's bistro in chapel hill. i was late night cook and made j. mascis a burger in which he liked b/c he came back to the kitchen to tell me.

we probably should start a thread.

[ngp]

used to be the ritz... can't remember the new name of that place.

Isn't it something like Disco Rodeo now? Pretty stupid.

[cinco]

Isn't it something like Disco Rodeo now? Pretty stupid.

yeah... thats it.

[poplife88]

Perhaps Noah Lazes could give us this venue y'all are referring to with his development in 4th ward.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

Cinco...

Yeah, the concert this year was at the ritz (industrial drive)....disco rodeo or whatever...lol. I was at that also. I also saw Interpol there this year.

Everybody calls it the ritz still.

I think its a cool place to see a concert. They just need to get rid of that deck in the middle because it blocks everyones view. (it used to not be there)

Disco rodeo is pronounced row day o. Just incase you did not know. I don't think its that dumb of a name. Myself, along with everyone else in Raleigh just calls it the Ritz

[kickazzz2000]

Greensboro has always had an advantage in booking concerts that would go in these size Arenas: location. It can pull from both Charlotte and Raleigh to fill up their concerts. Charlotte will never have that advantage.

The last time that U2 was in town was over 10 years ago back when the Charlotte Colisiem was new.

The last time that Rolling Stones was in town was when then Ericson Stadium was new.

Charlotte has a history of being skipped for big tours like these. Most of them go to Greensboro.

Dude, U2 came in 2001 for All That You Can't Leave Behind.

It was a beautiful day

[monsoon]

Even so, I still agree that the smaller music venues need to work harder to get a variety of bands, and more local band venues......The single biggest crush to Charlotte's "scene" IMO was the closing of Fat City, though K.C was a bit...umm...yeah. I'm sure some of you know....

I think this discussion is worthy of it's own thread......

Haha, I think everybody in town must know KC. I do miss Fat City. If you want to start a thread, we can move the stuff from here into it.

[Skyybutter]

I think that when people are looking for good nightlife, they are looking for something a bit grittier and a bit more exciting than the upscale restaurants and bars found in downtown Charlotte. Think SoHo (the London one), or the former French Quarter in NO, or Duval St. in Key West, etc. The people want dance clubs, beatnik coffee houses, corner pubic houses, stip clubs, underground places. The things that don't fit in well with downtown's squeeky clean image. There used to be a pretty good scene developing a few years just past Cosmo on College st, but they came and tore all those buildings down.

Charlotte needs an area like this but the problem is that it gets gentrified away.

I couldnt agree with you more metro. The "trendy" bars and restaurants in Charlotte fill a niche for sure, but your right,Charlotte needs some places like Lupies and maybe Fat City(is fat city still around?) in uptown. Im worried Uptown is only targeting one demographic. I think in the long run it will be bad for the area.

[krazeeboi]

Have you guys checked out this blog about single life in Charlotte? While I don't think that Charlotte is absolutely destitute when it comes to being single in the city, I don't think anyone can deny that the city is quite family-oriented, and a lot of venues in the city will reflect that.

[Rickydavisfan21]

I am coming back into town this weekend, for my 21st birthday, my friends and I wanted to go bar hopping in a big city, because well lets face it, savannah only has a handfull of bars right now (8 have closed down in the past two months) and its not the biggest city in the world. I'm wondering what the best bars uptown are, and if anyone says bar charlotte I will discount the suggestion. I don't want a college bar. What I want is sometihing special, I want one those jems that I haven't heard of. To date, we are going to Fox and Hound and Stool Pigeons, and the bar accross from blumenthal, any more suggestions. Also is Cans open, at Gateway Village???

Oh and one more thing, has anyone been to ARPA, the tapas place on I'd like to say Trade. Because I love me some tapas, I work in a tapas bar singing frank sinatra, so they are near and dear to my heart

Some other Questions,

who has the best martinis

who has the most single malt scotches

Most Diverse beer list

Best Wine Bar.

somebody help me out please, I'm running out of time to plan, and I figured I'd enlist the help of some fellow charlotte fanatics

[nmcheese]

Well, I can help you out on a couple of these:

Most Diverse beer list - not sure about diverse, but a couple of good places to have a beer are Sir Edmund Halley's (Park Rd Shopping Center) and The Waldhorn (Out near Pineville)

Best Wine Bar - I have to give props to the Dean and Deluca wine bar at Phillips Place - not only b/c I live within sight of it, but it has great selection and somewhat fairly priced tasting menus.

[Rickydavisfan21]

I wanna show off our downtown, and I'm also trying to impress someone from the home of miller, Milwaukee.

but here are the places that I want to take them.

Tapas at Arpa

Martinis at Therapy Bar and Cafe

RiRas

Cosmos

Fox and Hound

Stool Pidgeons

those are the places that I want to go, anything on the list that should be taken off/ added

When I said best single malt scotch, i meant the largest list of single malt scotches, a bar I hang out in at savannah called meg O'malleys which has something like 50 single malt scotches (including a 31 year old macallan $39.50 a shot), and everyone wears kilts, thats the atmosphere I want.

[appatone]

The best beer list in town is hands down Flying Saucer but I wouldn't recommend going there. It's all the way up in the University Area and why come to Charlotte to drink in a suburban strip mall anyway. Mellow Mushrooms all have a good beer selection and there is one close in at NODA on 36th if you chose that.

There isn't anything spectacular about Stool Pigeons or Fox and Hound IMO but they're certainly OK places to go. I think RiRa is a definite for atmosphere, remember to point out that the interior was actually imported from a pub in Ireland and if it's warm they have a great patio overlooking Hearst Plaza. A lot of people like Connolly

[teshadoh]

Yeah Dinosaur Jr. is my Fav. I saw them live at Amos's. Great show !!! I think J Mascis came w. The Frogs (instead of good ol' DJR)

I wish we had more diversity in our venues as well atlrvr. We need more than just big name acts (ie US, Rolling Stones, etc etc). Don't get me wrong with BIG acts they definately are great for CHarlotte, but there is nothing like a "gritty" venue like Tremont or Fat City to get some of the more "underground" music scene rolling in.

A2

I knew I liked you & Atlrvr for a reason, I've seen them twice, in 94 & then at the reunion show last year with the original 80's lineup - good to see Lou Barlow happy again

Forgive my ignorance though, I know the Milestone & Pteordactyl are no longer around, but no other club has successfully filled in these shoes? Charlotte was still a small market in the 80's, & would still get passed up for bigger college towns. But those clubs did book some good bands, including an incredible '89 line up of Red Hot Chili Peppers / Soundgarden / Fetchin' Bones. But one huge difference is that Charlotte does at least get the big concerts that used to only go to Atlanta or Washington. But that isn't the point - it's those middle niche shows that Charlotte doesn't seem able to book. Which is why old movie theaters are a neccessity, most of the concert venues in Atlanta that book these bands are old movie theaters (Variety Playhouse & Roxy) or are big bars (which Atlanta doesn't have as many). That latter point might be the biggest issue, popular bars are too often the target of city beurocrats who are catering to NIMBYists. Drug busts, selling alcohol to teens, other illegal acts are a death warrent for any locally owned bar.

That's at least my theory - more bars with large stages are needed. Not the 'stylish' type that pays the big rent, but the shady looking place on the side of the railroad tracks. Which is what most city buerocrats miss the point - people don't want to party where they are told to party.

[Rickydavisfan21]

I found this recent article talking breifly about several 5th St. Bars.

5th Street rocks uptown scene

awesome thank you, any other suggestions people

[appatone]

I know the Milestone & Pteordactyl are no longer around, but no other club has successfully filled in these shoes?

The Milestone is around this is the website http://www.afterbirthcasserole.com/milestone/site/

We have Tremont Music Hall which A2 metioned but we still get passed for Chapel Hill and Asheville alothttp://www.tremontmusichall.com/

In fact, it looks like your brother might be playing there in March

[Mobuchu]

Well, real quick, if your bringing people here to show off the city make a stop at Bentleys on 27th. Its on the 27th floor of the Charlotte Plaza building on College St. This is a guess but I think its 201 S. College, two tone black building. Go in the front, up the escalator to the mezzanine floor and then take elevator to the 27th floor. Beautiful views of the city...

Just dont plan on eating there unless your friends are paying $$$$$$. But you can sit at the bar or on one of the couches and hang out. Quiet atmosphere and upscale, but a good first stop for the night.

[teshadoh]

The Milestone is around this is the website http://www.afterbirthcasserole.com/milestone/site/

We have Tremont Music Hall which A2 metioned but we still get passed for Chapel Hill and Asheville alothttp://www.tremontmusichall.com/

In fact, it looks like your brother might be playing there in March

Thanks for the correction & I didn't even realize I had a brother! (I probably did look similar 15 years ago though & as idiotic as I looked, I miss having a full head of hair)

I might have been thinking of another club in Charlotte that closed, it had a number in the name.

[cinco]

I might have been thinking of another club in Charlotte that closed, it had a number in the name.

probably the 4808 club or the 1313. man, those were the days... when a guy could get a beer, raise a horned hand and say hell yeah!

[cinco]

In fact, it looks like your brother might be playing there in March

wow, is that you appatone?

[teshadoh]

Is it just me, but didn't the Milestone Club have bigger acts in the past? Or am I that completely out of the music loop that I don't recognize any of the bands? ...which is probably the case.

But I'm glad the club is still going strong - there aren't many rock clubs in the US that have operated as long as the Milestone.

Cinco - definitely the 4808, I searched it online & it came up with a 1990 news article on the arrest of a member of GWAR. I can remember that - certainly not as lewd as anything Antiseen or GG Allin.

[fulcrumsf]

Is it just me, but didn't the Milestone Club have bigger acts in the past? Or am I that completely out of the music loop that I don't recognize any of the bands? ...which is probably the case.

But I'm glad the club is still going strong - there aren't many rock clubs in the US that have operated as long as the Milestone.

Cinco - definitely the 4808, I searched it online & it came up with a 1990 news article on the arrest of a member of GWAR. I can remember that - certainly not as lewd as anything Antiseen or GG Allin.

Well, I think in the past they had bands that eventually got bigger.