Alive After Five

Tonight marks the kick off of Charlotte’s biggest summer happy hour – Alive After Five. This weekly celebration allows corporate America to roll out from their cubicles, crawl down their concrete towers, and indulge in post-office beverages, laughs and feel good music. Not particularly kid-friendly, unless you want ‘you-have-a-baby-in-a-bar’ stares, this outdoor festivity has increased in popularity over the past several years, especially among young adults.

During the month of April and to help celebrate its 10th anniversary, AA5 will warm up its concert series at Wachovia Plaza on Tryon Street. This is where the excitement began back in 2001 and has since grown massively in reputation and size. Beginning May 5, the party will relocate to its latest three-story home of the EpiCentre, a newly instated icon of Uptown, only a few blocks over on College Street. The party will remain at this self-proclaimed Mecca of social gathering for the remainder of the summer.

Though the drink specials are anything but ‘special’, the bands are anything but spectacular, and cash is king at this weekly event, it’s a wonderful place to unwind with coworkers and friends. Also, if Thursday is the new Friday, it’s good to note that the AA5 wrist band offers admission into any designated after party bar sans a cover charge.

If it rains? No worries, the EpiCentre location has instituted a new “When it Rains, We Pour” promotion by purchasing two large tents and promising discounted drink specials during inclement weather. (Wachovia Plaza better hope for a dry April.)

The festivities begin at 5pm tonight and host Liquid Pleasure, a North Carolina-based band versed with an upbeat R&B and Motown vibe that has proven to be an AA5 favorite.

For more information or a list of performances at both the Wachovia Plaza and the EpiCentre, please check out their website.

The AA5 season spans every Thursday afternoon at 5pm from April 7th to September 15th in Uptown.

Contributed by Keri Lynch