This past Tuesday night started out like any other. Well, other than the fact that I'd already walked to the halal cart for lamb over rice. And yeah I know, many will judge me for going before 2 a.m. but I'd missed it the previous two nights so the craving was real.
Nevertheless, my boyfriend — who decided not to disown me for my dinner choice — and I went to our fave watering hole for a normal late night. Little did we know, however, our regular plans would be changing very soon. A friend of ours walked in with a couple friends and sat down inside the bar.
Thirty minutes later, our friend was walking out with another friend who he'd convinced to go with him and his two friends to Chasers Charlotte NoDa. You know what happened next. They started in on us, trying to convince us to tag along. *Sigh* Just when I thought we'd enjoy a quiet night on a patio with just the two of us.
A quick Google search turned up these results: "'Where the happy people party!' A fun gay nightclub featuring the finest in female impersonation from all over the nation and sexy go-go boys." Yep, we were in for a hell of an experience if we decided to go.
I looked at my boyfriend immediately trying to gauge whether or not he was in for a drastic change in scenery. Me personally, I'm no stranger to LGBT nightlife. In fact, some of the most fun I've had in Charlotte has been at popular spots such as Scorpios, Bar 316 and (what used to be) L4 Lounge. However, this particular night, I was uninterested.
I voiced my complaints, "It's going to be too loud. I don't do the club scene anymore. I'm not in the mood." To each of my concerns, the boyfriend rolled his eyes. I think he knew I really wasn't in the right frame of mind, but the lack of valid excuses weren't working either, especially when some of them were coming across snobbish or like I was a "know-it-all."
When it was all said and done, the boo was convinced, even though I couldn't tell if he thought I was trying to do the convincing through my complaining. Despite my anxiety, I try to go with the flow. So guess what? We grabbed an Uber with another patio straggler — who, I might add, said that Chasers was a good time and that it could be confirmed by all the "hot chicks" present.
Our driver, who looked a lot like Fortune Feimster, pulled past the spot (we didn't know where we were going) and she said, "Wait, y'all going to Chasers?" She put the car in reverse and pulled into a sketchy little parking lot where there was a sign on a small building over a door that looked more like a back entrance. She assured us we were going in the right way, that we'd have a good time and ended with, "Oh hey, it's free taco night and stay out of the bathroom." She laughed a hearty laugh and we walked away from the car a bit confused as we walked down the stairs into the nightclub.
It was dark, but someone waved us over to a window on the right where we got IDed and I peeped a sign that said, "CASH BAR ONLY." No worries, though, they have an ATM inside. We got out cash and proceeded to the bar before grabbing seats at a table right in front and below the stage. The venue is small, so I was thankful that there weren't a lot of people on this eventful Tuesday.
When the performers were on stage, the faces in the crowd lit up. And as for those performers, they took their jobs very seriously. Their makeup was on point, their outfits were lit and if they ever missed a step in their routine, I couldn't tell. Some of our group passed ones to the performers as they made their way down the stairs of the stage into the crowd. I just observed as I was still trying to figure out when I was going to be buzzed enough to be on the same level as everyone else.
It wasn't until we stepped outside that we realized our third wheel didn't know that ladies loving ladies weren't there every single night of the week. Talk about a riot. He was clearly shook and it was hilarious to me. It was late, 1:30 a.m. or so., so we'd have to save real fun at the venue for another night. We hopped in an Uber and drove away.
The next morning, the boyfriend and I laughed as we remembered our adventure. Even though I wanted a better first experience that I was prepared for, I was thankful my boyfriend didn't let me Chase the fun away.
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