Charlotte’s newest music and event venue finally opens at former strip club site
QC Soundstage, a new music hall and event venue, will open this month in a former strip club in west Charlotte after a two-year wait because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The site was formerly Club Cameo, where rapper Drake caused a stir in 2013 by throwing $50,000 worth of bills in the air, the Observer previously reported.
The late rapper Young Dolph’s “In Charlotte” track also talked about the club in his “Bullet Proof album. And J. Cole mentioned Drake’s Cameo incident in “Cole Summer.”
The inaugural concert at QC Soundstage will be the Femme It Forward tour with Queen Naija and Grammy-Award winner Seyvn Streeter on March 26. Two other shows also are scheduled next month at the new venue at 3049 Scott Futrell Drive.
Local entrepreneur group ECMONT had planned to open QC Soundstage in spring 2020 after purchasing the property in January that year for $3.19 million, Piedmont Properties/CORFAC International told the Observer at that time. The proximity to the airport and growth in the area make it an attractive location, said said Chris Babilonia, principal of ECMONT, in a recent interview.
ECOMONT planned to turn the 20,000-square-foot Club Cameo building, with capacity for 1,100 people, into an upscale music event center booking entertainers from across the country, including comedy and gospel concerts.
Then the COVID pandemic shut businesses down and music venues weren’t able to reopen until a year later under restrictions and many artists still not touring.
“It’s been a rollercoaster to say the least,” said Babilonia. He said manufacturing and shipping delays also pushed the opening date out.
What to expect at QC Soundstage
QC Soundstage expects to host all music genres, Babilonia said, from R&B to rock country and gospel, as well as comedy. The venue can accommodate 25 to 1,400 people for corporate events, private concerts, weddings, receptions or business meetings, according to QC Soundtage’s website.
Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology magnet high school already booked its prom there, Babilonia said.
Inside QC Soundstage, everything from the bar, stage, and floors and walls has been updated. The biggest changes were made to the equipment for sound and lighting, Babilonia said.
“Anything that relates to the strip club is gone,” he said.
The venue also will have a full bar and concession foods.
Babilonia is a veteran in the restaurant and event industry, including owning the Press Box Bar and Grill at UNC Charlotte. He and his father Ed, a native of Puerto Rico who died in September, planned to open QC Soundstage together with Lamont George, a national event coordinator who helps book the talent.
“I’ve always had an interest in entertainment and in business with sports bars and nightclubs for years,” Babilonia said.
On the calendar
March 26: Femme It Forward tour with Queen Naija and Grammy-Award winner Seyvn StreeterS, also known for writing six songs from Chris Brown and two songs from Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire.” Tickets start at $45.
April 1: Rhythm & Laughter with Lyfe Jennings, Marcus Combs, Burpie and Ambrose Jones. Tickets start at $35.
April 16: Musiq SoulChild and Kelly Price. Tickets start at $45.
This story was originally published March 15, 2022 at 6:00 AM.