Nightlife News: Get Ready for Alive After Five, Pisces Expanding to Mooresville, Corkbuzz Coming to SouthPark, Hartigan’s Pub Closes

A lot's happening within Charlotte’s nightlife scene. Check out the latest below.  

 

Alive After Five, Charlotte’s largest weekly after-work party and live entertainment event, kicks off its 2014 run on April 3. And when it returns for the 13th year, there will be a couple of notable changes. For starters, the entire run of AA5, which takes place each Thursday beginning at 5 p.m. from early spring through summer, will be held at the EpiCentre—the first month will not be hosted at Wells Fargo Plaza, as had been tradition. Secondly, for the first time ever, the EpiCentre is going to offer free parking in its parking deck during the Alive After Five kickoff (saves you 10 bucks). The band lineup has been announced, with Groovetown leading things off on the Bud Light Stage (rooftop) on April 3, followed by Sol Fusion (April 10), Rubberband (April 17), and Early Ray (April 24). And as usual, there will also be bands performing in the commons area (first floor). The EpiCentre’s rooftop bar, formerly known as Pavilion at EpiCentre, is being rebranded as Rooftop 210 (rooftop210.com), having undergone major renovations and upgrades. Lastly, the reason Thursday nights in Uptown are so lively is because once Alive After Five wraps up for the evening (usually around 9:30 p.m.), many guests hang out at several of the EpiCentre's restaurants and bars, which tend to offer food and drink specials, in addition to free admission with your AA5 wristband. AliveAfterFives.com, facebook.com/AliveAfterFiveCLT. 

 

The EpiCentre is turning six years old, and it has undoubtedly revolutionized dining, nightlife, and entertainment in Uptown during that time. A lot of you moved to Charlotte after 2008, so you probably don’t know the city without the EpiCentre. Trust me, nightlife was a lot less eventful. Venues at the EpiCentre began opening in spring 2008—such as Whisky River and Suite—and the staggered openings of new restaurants and bars would continue for two years (actually, beyond that, like Bubble opening last year). Today, there are more than 40 venues at the EpiCentre, with a bowling alley, movie theater, hotel, and gym in addition to the dozens of restaurants and bars. The EpiCentre is celebrating its six-year anniversary this Friday, March 28 with a free event that will include a Bret Michaels concert, giveaways, strolling street performers, venue sampling booths, and more. epicentrenc.com. 

 

Pisces Sushi Bar & Lounge has been a go-to spot for not only good sushi but also great cocktails and socializing since opening at the Metropolitan in Midtown four years ago. Soon, residents in the Lake Norman area will get their own neighborhood outpost of this cool place. Pisces is constructing a location in Mooresville, and it appears to be on track to open this spring. The layout of the bar and lounge area is looking as hip as the original, and they're installing some really posh booths. Keep up with the progress on the Pisces Facebook page. Pisces Sushi Bar & Lounge, 591-A River Hwy., Mooresville, piscessushi.com.

 

Corkbuzz Wine Studio is coming to Charlotte. Owner, sommelier, and restaurateur Laura Maniec tweeted on March 13 that she was in town to sign the lease on the new location, and then news spread once Eater NY reported on it last week. Corkbuzz, with its original location in New York City's Union Square neighborhood, is a wine bar, restaurant, and wine education center all rolled into one. Basically, it’ll be a place you’ll go to whether you’re a wine connoisseur who wants to sip from the finest labels, or you’re a novice who wants to take a fun class and learn more about vino, or you’re attending a special wine dinner or party there. Charlotte Business Journal nailed down the exact location, reporting that Corkbuzz is opening in Sharon Square in SouthPark (Sharon Square is the mixed-use development where Whole Foods is located). corkbuzz.com.

 

Hartigan’s Irish Pub closed for good yesterday, after going out with a bang over the weekend. Hundreds showed up to say farewell to the bar that’s been a staple in Charlotte’s LGBT community—and for bar-hoppers in general—over the last six years. Management posted a statement on Facebook last week to announce the closing, which read in part: “The reality is that the building is getting older; and after 3 different landlords in 6 years, we are unable to sustain the financial and physical burdens of a more than 100 year old building.” They went on to tout a few of the bar’s highlights, such as hosting the Maryland delegates for the 2012 Democratic National Convention to being chosen as one of the Top 29 Sports Bars in the Universe by ESPN the Magazine to having Showtime’s Homeland film scenes there. Located in the shadows of Bank of America Stadium, that’s a valuable piece of property. It’ll be interesting to see what goes there next. hartigans.com, facebook.com/hartigans.