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You Don't Know Jack About House
The past, present and future of Charlotte's underground dance music scene
By Ray Anderson
Page 4 of 4
Soul, the brainchild of Kastanas, has all the pressure of being pointed to by tastemakers, DJ's, promoters, and house heads alike to be Charlotte's defining moment in the pro-house war. "Soul will be located in the old Perch space, right above Lotus on Central Avenue." Kastanas says. "It's gonna be a lounge. I'm also gonna do light food there. I love food and I love music, and I think it's [perfect] to integrate these two together to where they're on equal playing fields.
"I want people to relax and chill, and listen to the music," Kastanas continues, "and if you wanna dance, dance! If you wanna get a bite to eat, then eat! But people need to be there and hang around and feel comfortable. That's what I'm working on now. Hopefully it's gonna be the house music Mecca. It's all interactive. The DJ will be playing all throughout dining hours and everything. I wanted a place where everything was happening all at once. Music and food. You're having dinner ... what's wrong with listening to some good music? Hopefully that'll be a place a where some of the new guys can play, and every now and again, I can bring some of the bigger guys to come play. I want it to inspire and motivate others."
Where Soul will be open seven days a week for house heads to enjoy, the massive Garden and Gun Club will be open only three or four nights a week. And where Soul is a lounge, The Garden and Gun, scheduled to open towards the end of July in the growing N.C. Music Factory complex, is a bona fide nightclub. According to a recently distributed press release:
"The nightclub's focus will be squarely on progressive dance music and bringing the latest national and international sounds to the Queen City. The 12,000-square-foot venue will have a large dance floor, an impressive sound and lighting system, ample seating and an outdoor garden patio. The concept is comfortable and inviting and will feature art and cultural exhibitions as well."
Kastanas serves as to the club's creative consultant (it's owned by the Charlotte-based TwoDalGals LLC), and he also plans to get behind the turntables again on a regular basis "I'll be the Saturday night resident at Garden and Gun. It's just something I felt I wanted to do, to come back out and play music for people from all parts of life," he says. "It's black, it's white, it's straight, it's gay. It's all about everyone coming together and listening to real good music, the kind of music that needs to present in this city."
For a music that's based on love and freedom, it seems to be the right music at the right time for our city -- one that's welcoming newcomers from all over the world every day. If what we need is love, why not all love under the same roof and in the same "house"?
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