Since when did Tuesday become Booze-day?
There were more people at Whisky River last night than there were on Saturday.
There was the soft opening on Friday, the grand opening on Saturday, and then last night was Dale Earnhardt Jr’s V.I.P grand opening. And according to my NASCAR buddy, Jr. has another V.I.P opening tonight, and then there’s another grand opening on April 17.
In case you didn’t get the memo – Whisky River in the EpiCentre is now open.
After you climb up enough flights of stairs to suffice as a workout, and around the EpiCentre construction, you get to Uptown’s only hick-hop bar, hick with some hop. This urban-country hip-hee-haw heaven has three bars, a mechanical bull, a massive dance floor and a somewhat exposed V.I.P area that Dale Jr. didn’t hide very well in. The cow printed upholstery on the booths didn’t do a good job of camouflaging him. You knew where Dale Jr. was based on the line of women waiting in line to talk to him as though they were waiting in line for a roller coaster.
But this isn’t your typical country bar where you’ll find peanut shells on the floor, and so much hairspray and smoke combined that you’re at risk for spontaneously combusting. Whisky River is no dive, it’s perhaps the only upscale country bar I’ve ever been to, ever… let alone in Charlotte. But considering the music was alternating between “Boots with the Fur” and “These Boots are Made for Walking,” I’m not really sure what genre to put Whisky River under. But I can tell you that the random play list made it impossible for my hips to sit still.
Finally… a bar you can both chill and dance in. I was having an intense rock, paper, scissors battle in one corner, having normal volume conversations at the bar and dancing more than a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader in my white cowboy boots. Was I at a country bar or a club? I don’t know, but I can tell you that whatever it was, I had a hip-hee-haw good time.
This article appears in Apr 9-15, 2008.
How does this relate to a music blog? I KNOW there is more happening around Charlotte involving (live) music for one to write about. First Britney Spears and Idol, now this. When did Loafing become so mainstream?
It’s a club, they play music and it’s part of the nightlife. QC After Dark is part of the Vibes section… So, that’s why it’s here.
As far as Idol and Britney Spears – why not make some fun of things that are all over the airwaves. It’s a blog for random daily thoughts that are music based. I don’t discriminate and try to cover all aspects of music – mainstream, alternative, metal, whatever.
anon is right (although it would be nice if people didn’t blog anonymously): the whisky river item might as well be a paid advertisement. Plus, I’m sorry, but that woman cannot write to save her life. As for Idol being in the blog, I’m disappointed but not surprised. Hahne’s whole approach is so mainstream and unimaginative, it makes longtime readers of Creative Loafing despair.
Elliot are you smoking crack rocks? Hahne covers more local, unsigned and indie acts than any music editor in the last 2 or 3 years. Your statement is utterly ridiculous and shows that you don’t read the section even casually. Yeah Zakir Hussain and moe. are mainstream. Elliott, you’re totally off-base and incorrect.
I have thrown some mainstream artists in there to show diversity and to cover all bases, because not every reader likes the obscure.
Which of the following are mainstream?:
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Amy LaVere
Sarah Borges
The Whigs
Tiger Army
Hellyeah
Rasputina
MuteMath
Michael Franti
Static-X
Scary Kids Scaring Kids
Flaming Lips
Jucifer
Nicole Atkins
Susan Tedeschi
Various local artists…
I interviewed Daughtry – he’s the top selling artist of 2007 and a runner-up for CL’s Best of edition last year… so some of our writers must like him. More CD reviews are mainstream, but I try to balance them with the obscure and bring it even in the section.
I appreciate the comments – Elliott and Anon. Hopefully there is a mixture of articles that you like in the paper.