Share
The Sunset Club reopens this weekend, unveiling an entirely different, high-tech look. Co-owner Sonny Gur says the club in South End has changed everything from items as big as a new sound system down to details as small as the glassware.
Why the change? The club is 11 years old and recently changed partnerships (Doug and Dawn Smyth joined the Sunset team in March), Gur said, explaining it was time for a fresh start.
I got an early look at the revamped club Wednesday, four months and close to $1 million later.
The Scene: The club's biggest improvement is its overall flow and design. Even though square footage hasn't changed, it feels as though it has doubled in size, thanks to a more open main room and a bigger bar area. Gur said he added about 10 new staff members to accommodate the new bar.
Hand-painted acrylic panels by local artist Ron Wimer line the rectangular bar, backlit with the club's new lighting system that changes color sporadically.
Custom-made high-backed booths create intimate, semi-private VIP seating areas that have already been booked for two weeks.
But what the club's partners are most excited about is a new technology called Playmotion that allows partygoers to interact with different virtual environments via infrared cameras and projection screens mounted on the ceiling.
The Crowd: The club has always been a destination for local celebrities (Michael Jordan and other Bobcats execs have their own humidors) and national artists looking for an anonymous night out while in the Queen City. Derek Braun, the club's promotional director, says the club is aiming to be an ultra lounge – an exclusive nightspot where every single person has his or her own VIP experience. In other words, bring your AmEx black card. Note: It is a private club, so if you're not a member, you need to be a guest to get in. Details on memberships are on the Web site.
The Music: Gur and partners plan to bring in DJs from around the country to provide a mixed format of all different genres of music. For Saturday's grand reopening party, Rooney G, resident DJ at Jet nightclub in Las Vegas, will spin his DVDs. He's a video DJ, and the club is excited to see what he does with its interactive Playmotion software.
The Details: Sunset's grand reopening party will be 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday. 1820 South Blvd. www.sunsetclub charlotte.com.
saarthun@charlotteobserver.com; 704-358-5207
