Totally not lame: Charlotte’s club scene in the ’80s
Going to the Pterodactyl Club was a rite of passage for me when I was a student at UNC Charlotte during the late ’80s. It was my first club scene. Music, clothes, makeup, attitude – they were all part of the experience. We went in groups, and we went to dance.
These memories have been preserved by hundreds of die-hard fans. These two groups, Old School Underground Charlotte and The Pterodactyl, post old photos and flyers, and exchange information about the concerts they saw and people they met.
Sit back and enjoy your tour through the ’80s club scene. For sure, you will take a trip down memory lane or learn something new about the Queen City.
The clubs
They were called alternative dance clubs and black was the only black. Hair was big, clothes were leather and belted. Charlotte was a big town, trying to be a big city. Park Elevator, 13-13, Viceroy Park and The Cellar were landing places for bands trying to make a name for themselves and the fans who loved them.
– The Milestone. Still in operation now and located at 3400 Tuckaseegee Rd.
– Pterodactyl Club. Once located at 1600 Freedom Drive, closed in 1999.
The Music
Depending on the club and the night of the week, the music varied from The Cure, The Cult, Violent Femmes, Talking Heads, The Smiths and The Cramps.
The Smiths, Manchester 1983. #PaulSlattery pic.twitter.com/SW6jpadARz
— Impossible Cool. (@impossiblecool) October 15, 2015
Theron Ross, a prominent blacksmith artist in Charlotte, played guitar in a local band called Moist Cow. Ross reminisces: “I spent a lot of time and brain cells at The Milestone in the early ’80s. The music scene was really great then.”
The Stage
Charlotte’s nightlife was growing and it was a stop for the upcoming major players in the music industry. If you were lucky to have $10 or $15 to buy a ticket, you could have seen one of these groups live:
– The GO-GO’s at The Milestone in 1980.
– R.E.M. at The Milestone in 1981.
Find of the week: Poster from Sept. 13, 1986 show in Memphis, TN #REM pic.twitter.com/B71NyXTfHR
— R.E.M. HQ (@remhq) September 18, 2015
– Black Flag at The Milestone in 1981.
– Iggy Pop at Viceroy Park . in 1981.
https://twitter.com/TheTrueDeliever/status/651621723289194496
– Children of God Tour – Swans at The Park Elevator in 1987.
– The Ramones at The Pterodactyl Club in 1988.
– Red Hot Chili Peppers at 13-13 on Mother’s Milk Tour in 1989.
On this day in 1984, the Red Hot Chili Peppers released their self-titled debut album. Produced by Andy Gill #RHCP pic.twitter.com/h59uZYmc5r
— Red Hot ChiliPeppers (@ChiliPeppers) August 10, 2015
That concludes your ’80s tour. Feeling nostalgic? Put on some tunes and hop around the house. Feeling enlightened about your city? Buy a ticket to a local show and become a part of history.
Photos: Diedra Laird/Charlotte Observer, Vanessa Infanzon.
Vanessa Infanzon wrote this article sitting at Pinky’s on Freedom, staring longingly out the window. Vanessa tweets as @morethanVMI.
This story was originally published October 15, 2015 at 10:01 PM with the headline "Totally not lame: Charlotte’s club scene in the ’80s."