This new South End spot is shifting from small plates to late-night dancing
A new nightlife concept is spinning into South End.
DeepCuts HiFi, which opened May 1, is a listening bar that blends craft cocktails, curated music and a late-night dance atmosphere. The venue caters to fans of deep cuts, funk and soul, offering a space where music is as central as the drinks.
Owner Preston Abernathy, who opened The Music Yard next door eight years ago, told CharlotteFive the concept is rooted in his longtime passion for music and hospitality.
“I was a bartender for over a decade, I just love showing people a good time,” he said, adding that his travels to cities like Ibiza, Miami and Los Angeles helped shape the idea. “I saw a lot of cool stuff and wanted to open something that pushed the culture forward.”
Laid-back dinner destination spot
By evening, the spot operates as a laid-back dinner destination with a “really fun tapas-style food menu,” Abernathy said, of small plates like ahi tartare, burrata, lemon vodka shrimp cocktail, charcuterie and caviar with crackers, along with other Mediterranean-inspired bites.
But after 11 p.m., the energy shifts, transforming into a full-on dance floor. Music will range widely depending on the DJ, Abernathy said.
“It leans more toward underground dance music, but it’s really whatever the DJs are feeling,” he added. “Anything from funk to soul to jazz to deep house to R&B -- just good vibes.”
Void Acoustics sound system
The sound itself is a major focus, powered by a high-end system from Void Acoustics Abernathy called “one of the best in the world.”
“They’re a London based speaker company that came out and did the install and the tuning,” said Abernathy. “So the sound is really the big feature of the space.”
DeepCuts HiFi is open Thursday through Saturday, with dinner service running from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., followed by dancing until 2 a.m.
DeepCuts HiFi
Location: 2433 South Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28203
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Instagram: @deepcutshifi
