Dance Facilities
NOTE: Please send us factual corrections and additional
North Carolina club information. We will no longer list information about
clubs located outside North Carolina. We suggest that you call or
write an NTA teacher for information in his area - 1998 worldwide directory
(4.7 MB in compressed .exe file or 5.9
MB in Adobe PDF).
North Carolina clubs generally require membership
before entering. Discrimination is still
alive and legally encouraged in North Carolina.
KEY: "Closed" denotes a facility that is either:
totally out of business, has a dance floor too small for Country Western
dancing, or does not offer traditional country western music (R&B,
Rock, Shag, and Top 40 are not Country Western) and dancing. Triangle
Non-Country Facilities
Alamance County
Alamance Lutheran Church
- Location: NC 62
- Telephone: 226-4926
- Issues: Alamance County Line Dancers
- Date of last notes: November 26, 2002
Angier
Country United (Closed)
Apex
One More Time (Closed)
Atlantic Beach
Hitchin' Post (Closed)
Autreyville
Rocking Horse Music Ranch
-
Location: 14 miles east of Fayetteville off Maxwell
Road
-
Telephone: 910-567-2614 or 910-485-6028 (J. A. Markley,
2448 Owen Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28306)
-
Music: Country
- Open dancing: Reported down to once monthly
-
Issues: Old barn from farming operation. Tile
over concrete dance floor. Casual dancing - the style a combination
of ballroom, freestyle, line, and country western
Beargrass
Deadwood (Closed)
Beaufort Gilda's Dance World (Closed)
Benson
American Legion
- Location: 605 N Wall St.,
Benson, NC 27504-1162. On U.S. 301 (from Raleigh take I-40, get off
at first exit marked Benson, at end of ramp turn right towards U.S.
301 and Benson, at intersection with U.S. 301 turn right for about
a city block and look for the American Legion on the right - there
is a large cemetery on the left directly opposite the Legion building
and a car wash business on the right when you drive too far)
- Telephone: 919-894-3727
- Music: Country western mixed with big band, Elvis-Jerry Lee Lewis
rock, occasional bluegrass or blues number, and two called square
dances songs per evening
- Open dancing:
- Tuesdays 7:30 - 10:30 - Benson Swingin' Seniors for ages 50+
(except for the following dates in 2002 - Jan. 1, Dec. 24, Dec.
31)
- Saturdays 8 - midnight - community social dance
- Dance floor: about 5,000 square feet, hardwood floor - currently
extremely easy to dance on, but could be considered slick
- Issues: Largest, cleanest, smoothest, hardwood dance floor with
regularly scheduled dances in the Triangle area. Almost everyone
who comes is a dancer and this keeps the large floor filled.
There's plenty of dance floor space during the band breaks and after
the crowd thins, about 11. Dress code has been relaxed over
the past ten years, but the folks tend to dress up, above the jeans
and t-shirt level, for Saturday and even more so (evening dresses
and suits) for the couples and specialty dances. Permits ages
13+ on Saturdays. Gymnasium size building originally opened for dancing
about 1946. Continuous Saturday dances since the opening. Senator
Charlie Albertson's Band (either country or rock oldies sounding)
appears in the rotation. Valentine's Day and other holidays
may add dances to the schedule. There is no answering machine or apparent
regular time for staffing for ensuring that the telephone is answered.
It can get very hot, before the air conditioner is turned down. On
Saturdays, it fills with smoke in spite of the large room size and
ceiling fans. Doors open officially at 8 p.m., band starts at 8:30
and stops at midnight. Do not count on dancing with music before the
band starts, during a 30 minute light snack time (Fridays and special
occasions - included in the cover charge), or during the two short
band breaks per night. Bands must provide the break and pre-show
music and some don't. Duke Benson recently played a medium-fast
warm-up, a medium speed first break, and a slow speed last break tape
set. Modern Knights has played a triple length Electric Slide.
Cover charges are modest ($5-8 per person). A cup of Pepsi with
slush ice is $.75. Guests are permitted to bring their own drinks
on special occasion dances (not on Tuesdays and Saturdays).
The floor was refinished in 1998, which appeared to eliminate its
stickiness. At 5,000 square feet, it is the largest, smoothest,
and cleanest hard wood dance floor we've seen in North Carolina.
Country dance floor etiquette is not the norm for this facility and
line dancing is usually crowded due to the high number of dancers.
The expected etiquette calls for couples lead follow dancing.
It is a relaxed atmosphere compared to the bar and fast dance scenes.
The Tuesday night dance gets 140-190 dancers out. The weekend
gets 2-400 dancers, which can easily pack the floor. The thinnest
crowds are for the fastest country western bands, breaks, and third
set.
- General facility: Clean. Rest rooms stalls are nearly impossible
for many handicapped or extra large people. Has kitchen and eating
area separate from dancing room. Family style seating at folding tables
on sides of floor, which are very tight to get in and out of when
the seats are filled. Go early to get a seat in the air conditioning
and heating zone or use a set of bleachers at the back of the hall.
- Date of last review: January 6, 2002
Country Junction (Closed, see Longbranch II)
Double Deuce (Closed)
Enchanted Barn (Closed, see Double Deuce)
Longbranch II, Inc. (See The Junction)
The Junction
- Location: 791 Tarheel Road, Benson, NC 27504. From Raleigh,
head South on Interstate 40 - turn off at the first Benson exit, turn
right at the stop sign, turn left at the first road (Tarheel Road),
drive about a mile and look for a club on the right - looks like a
double wide wooden structure raised on blocks and sits a couple hundred
feet off the road
- Telephone: 919-207-1580 aka Tamara Tilden, 198 Sandy Road
Four Oaks, Benson, NC 27504 or Don Beasley, 791 Tarheel Road, Benson,
NC 27504; 919-207-1585
- Owner: Lynwood Ray Hall, registered agent, 5/4/00. Incorporators
Lynwood Ray Hall and Harry Dan Wood.
- Manager: Dan Wood in early 2000. In mid-June Dan reported
he has divested all interests in this operation. Name will remain
the same under new ownership.
- Music: Country western and Southern rock - Lost Highway Band, etc.
- Open dancing: Saturday
- Dance floor: 300-600 sq. ft. dance floor - tile over wood
- Issues: Membership club with full ABC permits, serving liquor
by the drink as well as permitting brown bagging. Minimum age
is 18. Alcoholic Beverage Control Comission cite: "Offer
in Compromise – 3-day suspension, suspended upon payment of
$300.00 on charge of allowing a person not a member or a bona fide
guest of a member to be
present as a patron on the licensed premises."
- General facility: Low ceilings leads to smoke and heat build
up. Planned opening under this management should be on the weekend
of June 16.
- Date of last visit: June 8, 2000 - Updated 12/28/02
Bostic
The Wagon Wheel
-
Location: 248 W.E. Padgett Rd., Bostic, NC 28018
-
Telephone: 828-453-0643 or 828-245-1881 - Jay
L. Wilson, 858 E. Main St., Forest City, NC 28043
-
Music: Country western (call to verify) by Broken
Axle Band
-
Open dancing: Fri-Sat 8:30-12:30
-
Dance floor: 1000 sq. ft. dance floor is plywood
over concrete with a 2-step lane marked and a wagon wheel logo painted
in the center, smaller secondary floor
-
Issues: No alcohol. For all ages.
Basic food and drink - you won't starve.
-
General facility: See club's Internet site.
-
Date of last visit: owner - 2/13/00
Brevard
Dance Ranch (See Two Step Junction)
Two Step Junction
-
Location: Highway 64, Brevard, NC 28712. Look on the
outskirts of Brevard, NC. From I-26, take Exit 9, Hwy 280 South
(travel about 12 miles) to intersection with Hwy 64. Turn left on
Hwy 64 (towards Hendersonville, NC). Travel 1/2 mile; look on left.
- Telephone: 828-862-4051 or 828-883-2679
-
Owners: Lee Starr and Carol Henderson
-
Dance floor: 2,000 square foot main floor - 500 square
feet swing floor - slick plywood
-
Music: Country
- Open dancing: Saturday 7:30 - 11:30 p.m.
- Dance lessons: Varies - call for information.
- Issues: No alcohol. $7 cover. 200 seats. DJ only.
Dances include couples, line, and round. Used to be called "Dance
Ranch." Contra on Friday night.
- Date of last visit: 12/2902 - call with owner
Bunn
Top of the Hill
- Location: 1807 Highway 98, Louisburg, NC 27549 aka Highway 98 West,
Bunn, North Carolina. From Raleigh go north on Route 401, turn
East on 98 for about 7 miles and stop at the top of the hill.
It is several miles down the road on the right.
- Owner: Buck Smith, manager Steve Arnold
- Telephone: 919-496-2166 Manager Steve Arnold's pager 919-871-2283
- Dance floor: 900+ tile over concrete
- Music: Occasional country western on Saturday
- Open dancing: Saturday 8-2
- Issues: Owner changed in spring 2002. In May 2002, advertising
open on Wednesday with a DJ and no cover charge. Karaoke with Big
Mike Hopkins on Thursdays. Rock DJ on Fridays. Country on Saturdays.
Mixed bag of music on Sundays. June 2 offered free cookout with home
made ice cream. Attractive outside with white rail fence to guide
you in, well lighted roadside sign. Pool room with separate bar dims
the band/DJ sound for those wishing to concentrate on their game and
talk. The dance floor was clean on May 25, but was driveway grit dirty
on June 29. Rest rooms were clean, although no hand towels were in
the men's room in our May visit.. Owner and staff were friendly and
polite. Canned Pepsi was available for designated drivers at $1 per
can. In May, the sound was very loud before the first band set and
during part of the act. When asked about the volume, a staff member
said it could/would not be turned down. A row or so of folding chairs
and tables can be found slightly off axis with the speakers, which
lowered the sound in case you wanted to talk to your friends or just
avoid the pain. By mid-evening, the DJ plays urban music and drops
the country western. The bands scheduled for June and July are not
known for a full evening of strong country western dance music - Switch
(rock), Percy Sledge (r&b), Whiskey River (Skynyrd/Hendrix/r&b).
Recommendation: bring a dance partner and ear plugs - you might just
need both. Folks are friendly, hats have bills or brims, and boots
are worn. On our June visit, we got there at 8, but the dance side
didn't open for another hour or so - we were told the culprit was
blown circuit breakers. They are trying to please a good chunk of
their community.
- Date of last visit: June 29, 2002
Burlington
Cactus Club (Closed)
Palomino (Closed, if it ever existed)
Cape Carteret
Kickers (Closed)
Silver Saddle Dance Hall (Closed 12/00)
Carrboro
Cat's Cradle (Closed)
Charlotte
Coyote Joe's
-
Location: 4621 Wilkinson Boulevard, Charlotte, NC
28208-5532. Go west of Charlotte on U.S. 29/74 and watch on your
left side.
-
Telephone: 704-399-4946
- Owner: Incorporated by Alan A. Presley, Kent Robinson, and Larry
L. Presley on June 20, 1990.
-
Dance floor: Oak floor, without right angle corners,
and with a band stage splitting the back of the dance floor - second
dance floor in another room
-
Music: Modern country for line dances - lacks two-step/couples
-
Open dancing: Thursday- Saturday 7 p.m.-2 a.m.
- Lessons: Wednesday
-
Issues: Full ABC.
-
General facility: Occasionally schedules national
acts. Ladies get in free and cover for men is only $2 on Thursday.
Cover averages $5 each on the weekends. Local radio station does
live broadcast from the club. The larger floor in the back room
appears to be used during the lessons. The unusual floor design
on the main floor frustrates dancers doing progressive dances. A
very large stuffed bear is housed in a plexiglass box. In the past,
this club's local instructor changed many of the "nationally-accepted"
dance steps slightly. This created a lot of problems with visitors
trying to blend with the natives. This passion is now on the wain,
with another one approaching. Some of the dances designed as slow
stroll dances are being danced at race track speeds.
-
Date of last visit: September 1994 - partial update
3/23/02
New Country City (Closed)
Palomino Club
-
Location: 9607
Albemarle Road, Charlotte, NC 28227-3341. Look near the intersection
with Harris.
-
Telephone: 704-568-6104
- Owner: Incorporated by Paul A. Scoggins and Linda Scoggins on April
28, 1982. Linda was dropped on July 20, 1994, but Paul continues with
the business.
-
Dance floor: Hardwood floor estimated at 1,700 sq.
ft.
-
Open dance: Friday and Saturday
-
Music: Country western and country rock
-
Issues: Two sided club, which can run top 40 band
and dance at the same time as country band and dance. Occasionally
schedules national acts. Charges for tap water. Multiple clubs
in the Carolinas under one management, permitting access with one
membership card. Expanded oak floor in 1995 - it's now smooth
enough for dancing, but very sticky - powder available. Open bar
on Fridays and occasional Saturdays continues to drive the dancers
away. The music is so loud, it is intolerable, even with wax ear
plugs and fingers in your ears. Some regular dancers are trying
the club again with the new DJ that plays country dance standards.
Bad rockin' loud bands also hurt the dance crowd, but there has
been an effort to bring in better bands in 2002. Some may remember
the Saturday that only ten dancers showed up.
-
Date of last visit: 1994 - March 21, 2002 update
by Clare
Chocowinity
Silver Fox (Closed)
Southern Nite (Closed)
VIP Club
- Location: 3208 South Route 17, Chocowinity, NC 27817
- Telephone: 252-946-5785
- Music: Country/Rock
- Owner and operations manager: Dwight Sheppard
- Facility: 6,500 sq ft building and offer live bands each and every Friday and Saturday night that play a combination of Country and Southern Rock Music.-Dwight Sheppard
Conover
Cactus Jack's Country Dance Club - Closed 7/12/03
Creedmoor
Cadillac Ranch (Closed)
Dunn
Club Faces (Closed)
Flashbacks (Closed)
Singing Spur Concert Arena (Closed)
Durham
Dome (Closed)
Shooters (Closed)
Shooters II Incorporated
-
Location: 827 West Morgan St., Durham, NC - go west
from Raleigh on I-40, continue on the Durham Freeway, then take
the Duke Street exit north, cross the railroad tracks and take the
second left, which is Morgan street, go 1 block and park on the
right at the bus station - Parking lot signs will be posted for
the club and you can always follow the Trailways/Greyhound signs
to the club.
-
Telephone: 919-680-0428
-
Music: Anything goes - know your band's play list
-
Dance floor: less than 1200 square feet of hard
wood
-
Open dancing: 8 until close Fri.-Sat.
-
Dance lessons: Line Dance lessons on Thurs.
7-9:00
-
Issues: Speakers sitting on the floor, a dance platform
for the four '60s' style Go-Go girls (who couldn't go-go), and the
stairs to the platform reduce the floor size and define the size
and shape for dancing. Karaoke on Thursday from 9:00 to closing.
Line dance lessons on Thursdays. Operates as an ABC private club.
Garage door size opening to the outdoors can act as an air exchanger,
reducing the smoke, which can get heavy with few customers in the
facility. Coach/carriage stop is at the side door for your warm
weather rides. Remodeled older building is a interesting place to
visit. Includes full length balconey overlooking the lower floor
bar, dance floor, and some seating areas. Rest rooms were clean.
Band stage is small and the dressing room/lounge is over it. Two
pool tables on the upper level, one on the ground level. Full width
mirror fills the wall behind the dance floor. It makes the floor
and room look larger and may distract you from your dancing. Mirror
ball light circles one way on the dance floor and the reverse way
on the mirror. On two Fridays, there were very few pieces of country
western clothes worn in the club and virtually no country western
dancing. I was told it all happens on Saturdays. Came back on Saturday
and it doesn't happen then either. Bring a dance partner and be
prepared for the DJ's urban music sets. Saw two hours of line dancing
from 8-10 on Saturday night and during that period heard only a
few Country Western songs. The rest of their line dance music is
banned from WQDR and should be banned in any country western dance
facility. In the entire evening we saw about 12 folks who could
line dance and two couples who could do the couples dances. Staff
has always been professional and friendly.
-
Date of last visit: 3/30/02
Fairview
KD's Country Music (may be closed)
- Location: 15 Spivey Lake Drive, Fairview, NC
- Telephone: 828-628-3341 (temporarily disconnected?)
Fayetteville
Dallas (Closed)
Midnight Rodeo (Closed)
Nashville Station (Closed)
Palomino Club, 210 Owen Dr. (Closed April 2001)
Palomino Club
-
Location: 2869 Owen Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28306
- Owner: Incorporated by Paul Scoggins, registered agent, on June 6,
2001.
-
Red Roper (Closed)
Your Place (Closed)
Garner
Garner Optimist Club (closed)
Garner Senior Center
-
Location: 205 E. Garner
Rd., Garner, NC 27529
-
Telephone: 919-779-0122
-
Floor: Approximately 25'x50', tile over concrete - some
area will be lost to seating, depending on crowd size. Floor is slightly
slick.
-
Music: Country western
-
Open dancing: 4th Tuesday night 7-9:30 p.m. with
Bill Pollard's Band
-
Dance lessons: Non-standard line dances. Call to verify
time.
-
Issues: No alcohol, no smoking, and no one under age
55. Cover $4-5.
Panther Branch Community Building (Closed)
Gaston
Chattahoochie Club
- Location: Beside the Big Value Red & White store on Highway
46, Gaston, NC 27832
- Telephone: 252-537-3881 (may answer at the hardware store - just ask
for the owner)
- Owner: Harold Ray
- Dance floor: Tile over concrete 40'x50'
- Music: Country western by local bands - Roanoke River Band
- Open dance: Saturday 8:30-11:30
- Issues: No alcohol. Smoking in a separate room. All ages. Cover is
$7. Started in 1993. Holds to 400, recently 125 or so.
- Information provided by the owner. - 12/28/02
Gastonia
Frontier
-
Location: West Franklin Boulevard, Gastonia, NC
or 2549 Kings Mountain Highway, Gastonia, NC 28052
- Telephone: 704-867-1117
-
Music: Diamond Back - house band
-
Issues: Since the telephone company and a listing
service gave us different addresses, we recommend a call before visiting.
Goldsboro
Country Club at the Playground (Closed)
Shady J (Closed)
Total Country (Closed)
Goldston
North Carolina Sports Arena (Closed)
Greensboro
Laredo's Neon Cactus (Closed)
Palomino (Closed)
Santa Fe Rose (Closed)
2010 "Country" (Closed)
Greenville
Texas Two Step - (Closed)
Hamlet
Moore Country
- Location: 187 Batton Road, Hamlet, NC 28345. Go East of Hamlet
on Highway 74 East until you see the Coke plant on your right.
At the next street on your left, turn left and go 7/10 mile. Turn
left on Batton Road, which is also the first paved road on the left.
Go 1/2 mile to Moore Country, which is on the right side of the road.
- Telephone: 910-582-0010
- Owner: Tim Moore
- Music: Band first Saturdays starting February
- Dance floor: 32'x34' or 1088 square feet - wood
- Open dance: Every Friday and one Saturday nights a month.
- Issues: Cover is about $6. Sells beer, wine coolers,
soft drinks, and snacks. Fridays the doors open at 7, Karaoke
starts at 9 and runs to midnight or later. Send your name and
address to get on the mailing list for activities or call. Two
step, line dance, waltz, and other dances, as you wish.
- Information provided by the owner. - 12/28/02
Havelock
Cactus Jack's Incorporated aka Kactus Jack's
-
Location: 330 E. Main Street, Havelock, NC
-
Telephone: 252-447-4615
-
Music: Country western - Southern rock
-
Issues: Kactus Jack's - "The dance floor
in Havelock leaves much to be desired, very small and quite unkempt.
The local clientele is a Marine crowd, very much NOT a line or couple
dancing crowd. They enjoy the shows, but they go to drink and party.
The only real dancing that is done is when the DJ plays vulgar rap
music during the breaks. Sadly a lot of clubs are going that
way these days." - Comments from a country western friend via
E-mail
Hard Times (Closed)
Hollywood Nights (Closed)
Hickory
New Country Music Bar
-
Location: 1822 Tenth Ave. (Highway 70 West) SW, Hickory,
NC 28602-4906
-
Telephone: 828-322-2471 or 828-324-1977 (same owner,
but the club next door is called Wheel's Sports & Cue)
-
Music: Country western on Fridays and Saturdays
with local bands
-
Dance floor: Wood
-
Open dance: Fridays and Saturdays 8-2
-
Information provided by the staff.
Silver Dollar Saloon (Closed - See Rodeo's Night Life in Newton)
Wayneo's Silver Bullet
- Location: 5172 NC Highway 127 S., Hickory, NC 28602-9308
- Telephone: 704-462-1030
- Dance floor: Hard wood 1200 square feet.
- Music: Bands play country-Top 40 mix
- Issues: Opened about 1973. No one under age 21, no earrings
for men, no T-shirts, no ball caps. Open only on Thursday and Saturday
from 8-1:30. Cover $5 for members, $7 for guests. No dance lessons.
High Point
Rockin' Horse Nite Life aka Rocking Horse Nite Life (Closed)
Southern Storm Saloon (Closed)
Hillsborough
Shooters I (closed)
Holly Ridge
Topsail Moose Lodge 2061
-
Location: N.C. 50, between Holly Ridge and Surf City
(near the Route 210 cut off)
-
Telephone: 910-329-3541
-
Music: Country with a touch of old rock and beach -
live bands on some Saturdays
-
Open dancing: Saturday 9 - 1 a.m.
-
Issues: $9 cover and bring your own bottle - per staff
9/23/98
Jacksonville
Commotions (Closed)
Gus' Warehouse
- Location: Highway 24, across from Camp Lejeune's Main Gate, Jacksonville
- Music: Country western
- Issues: Opened summer 2002. Memberships $5. Open on Fridays
and Saturdays.
Jacksonville Recreation and Parks Department
- Telephone: 910-938-5305 or 910-938-5312
- Lessons: Line dance
JR's (Closed)
Northwoods Tavern (Closed)
Tarheel Opry House
-
Location: 147 Blue Creek Church Road, Jacksonville,
NC 28540. It is only three turns from Raleigh to the club.
From Raleigh take I-40 East to 24 East By-Pass. Take the 24
East By-Pass (it will also become 258) until it meets Route 17 in
Jacksonville. Turn South on Route 17 and watch for the traffic
light with the Marine Base Gate on your left and Blue Creek School
Road on the right. Turn right on Blue Creek School Road and
go only a few hundred feet. The club is on the left.
- Telephone: 910-347-4731
-
Dance floor: Sticky tile over concrete, about
60x35
- Music: Country western/rock
- Open dance: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 7-3
- Issues: Reported as new ownership mid-2001. Band comes
on at 10 p.m. Wednesday is $1 day and $1 beer night. Friday
and Saturday are band nights. The men's rest rooms were closed
by management before midnight and the nearest on the north side of the
club were about 3 miles away. Guests and staff were friendly and
polite. Floor etiquette was some of the best in North Carolina.
The dance floor was the only negative, simply because it required so
much effort to dance on it. It forced elimination of some moves
in order to prevent injuries. Moves were not precise, because
your feet would stick in the middle of pivots and you would not be aligned
properly (either with your partner or with the normal alignment of your
body parts). Industrial fans were in the corners of the dance
floor room with some ceiling fans, but it was still very warm, requiring
some seat time. Generally the dancers did the same steps we are
familiar with in Raleigh, except for the elimination of many usual pivots,
turns, and scoots. I am curious if this was because of the floor
surface. Dancers lined up and used the half floor between
the main seating area and the pole in the middle of the dance floor
for line dancing. Only occasionally would the floor fill past
the pole. One of their bands for 2002 was the Dalton Brothers, who have
been known to play more free style dance music than country western.
- Date of last visit: February 16, 2001, w/partial update 12/28/02
Kenansville
Country Squire (Closed)
Kernersville
Cowboy's Nightlife (Closed)
Kinston
Galaxy of Sports Skating Center
-
Location: Galaxy of Sports Skating Center on U.S. 70
East, Kinston, NC 28501. The large sign and property is on the right
as you drive east on 70.
-
Telephone: 252-939-3343. 252-527-2701 (Tuesdays'
Senior's Club information 252-527-9053/252-527-2064 President Lenoir
Country Country Swingers' Dance Club/919-252-3343)
-
Managers: Dan and Cecil
- Dance floor: probably 5,000 or more
-
Music: Heavy on the country with a touch of big band
and beach
-
Dance schedule: Band from 7-10 on Tuesdays, 10-10:30
prerecorded music
- Issues: On Tuesdays only, minimum age is 50, no alcohol, no drugs,
no profanity, cover charge $5, and no vulgar dancing (definitions lacking).
Attendance averages 200, but the skating rink holds 400-500. Charlie
Albertson's band started playing for them in 1994. The Lenoir
County Country Swingers' Dance Club started in 1982. The City
of Kinston sponsors this club for security, printing and publicity.
Several door prizes are presented at 9 p.m. Floor is sticky for dancers
and any polishes or powders are banned. This is due to the stick requred
to keep the skaters on the floor.
Kickin' Kountry (Closed)
La Grange
New South Family Entertainment
-
Location: 7541 Rt. 70 W., La Grange, NC 28551. It is
on the south side of Route 70, just a couple of miles east of the
La Grange signs and about 7 miles before Kinston.
- Telephone: 252-566-4206
-
Dance floor: Coated concrete about 3,100 square
feet
-
Music: Classic country western band with a touch of
classic rock - DJ plays classic country western CDs before the first
band set and during the breaks - Saturday 7:00-11:30
-
Open dancing: Saturdays 7-11:30
-
Issues: The dance floor is surprisingly easy to
pivot/dance on, considering it's concrete. It has a silicone sealant
and then talcum powder is sprinkled over its surface. No smoking seats
are across the end of the dance floor and to the immediate left as
you enter the club. Lower ceiling seating on the right side of the
dance floor tends to be hotter so most customers veer to the left
and sit in the main seating area, which is also closer to the snack
bar and rest rooms. There is decent Country Western floor etiquette
with signs announcing that young children should not be on the dance
floor unless accompanied by an adult. This is an all age family facility.
Paul Jones mixers are called so you can meet the other dancers.
- Facility: Rest rooms were clean. Paper towels were high quality. Snack
bar had red hot dogs as well as nachos and Pepsi. Prices were very fair.
Cover was $6 for members and $7 for first time visitors. The extra dollar
covers a membership card (this is not an ABC facility). Lights and backdrop
made the bandstand look high class. Attractive facility with very friendly
customers. A lot of dancers doing a variety of dances.
-
Date of last visit: 3/23/02
Lasker
Grand Ole Opry
-
Owners: Calvin Daughtry
-
Dance floor: Wood
-
Music: Traditional country band
- Open dancing: Fridays 8-11
- Issues: Capacity about 100. No alcohol. Small wooden
building back of house built in 1991 for band rehearsals. Tends to be
an older crowd.
- Information provided by The News and Observer and customers: Updated
to 12/28/02
Leland
Chantilly's Country Club (Closed)
Lexington
Cowboys Corral
-
Location: 1700 South
Main Street, Lexington, NC 27292-3616
-
Telephone: 336-242-1497
- Music: 5 to 2 a.m. Wednesday - Sunday with possibly a country western
band on Fridays and Saturdays
-
Dance floor: 20x20 per staff
- Issues: Advertises line dancing, full ABC permits, and big screen
televisions for the sports. Sundays are occasionally family days-wear
the Cowboys Corral T-Shirt for free admission-call to verify. There
is a life time membership offer. Warnings: Advertising '70s
soft rock as well as country on Thursday - Motown sound? and Be-Bop,
Beach, and Shag on Wednesday. Floor's too small for serious dancing.
-
Date of last visit: September 5, 1997 and 9/99 - as
advertised by owner
Liberty
Pure Country (closed)
Lillington
C & G Country Club
-
Location: RR 6 aka 3545 Highway 401 S, Lillington, NC
27546. On U.S. 401 just 3.5 miles south of Lillington on the east
side of the highway.
-
Telephone: 910-893-5208
-
Dance Floor: Rectangular, sheet vinyl over plywood,
ridged at the seams - giving padded feeling with good control, about
20x32' or about 640 square feet - Floor may have been improved since
this review.
-
Music: Country western/southern rock/top 40 mix from
a live local/regional band on Saturday nights. Karaoke on Fridays.
Call for information on midweek dance lessons.
-
Open dancing: Saturday 8 p.m.-2 a.m.
-
Issues: Signs are posted against inviting strangers
into the club. No parking lot security visible. $5-8 normal cover.
4/20/96 - Young male drunks prowling parking lot swearing at each
other and other customers. Much quieter on 2/1/97. Two 20 oz. Pepsi
bottles with ice and cups were $6.50. Ice can be rather expensive
in clubs that permit bringing your own bottles. It is the one way
to make money with a ban on liquor by the drink sales. The DJ was
a young boy, who started the music about 8:45 It was country, but
the choice of several ballads eliminated dancing. Rest room floor
was wet due to leaking pipes.
-
General facility: Rough parking area for gals with city
footwear. In early evening, the dance floor has space for country
western dancing. Later the dance floor packs with dancers jumping
up and down to band's rendition of southern rock. Band memos on the
walls were representative of local country sounding bands. Seating
for about 200. Pool tables and band do not intrude on the dance floor.
Attractive country dance clothing is for sale and available by participating
in raffles.
-
Date of last visit: February 1, 1997 - rls
Long Beach
The Creek (Closed)
Louisburg (also see Bunn)
The Country Club (Closed)
Love Valley (See New Hope)
Lucama
Bubba's (Closed)
Country Boys Western Saloon (Closed)
Red Barn
- Location: On Spring Field School Road, NEAR Lucama - Easy to find.
From I-95, Exit on Route 42 West to blinker light, turn left on Rt.
581 going south one mile, turn left on Spring Field School Road, cross
over I-95, pass the church on the right and immediately look for a sign
on your right advertising the Red Barn, turn left at the sign into the
drive way of the facility. If you are coming from Clayton, turn right
at the blinker light at Rt. 581 and follow the directions above. If
you are on Rt. 301, turn north on Rt. 581 at the only blinker light
between Kenly and Lucama, go a couple of miles until you see a greenhouse
(It was lit the entire length the night we came down.) on the right.
Turn right on Spring Field School Road and follow the directions above.
- Owners: Contact Robert McGee, Southern Rain Band
- Telephone: 919-894-4503
- Dance floor: About 24'x40' or 960 square feet of tile over concrete.
- Music: Southern Rain Band on Saturday - Country, easy rock, verge
of square dance
- Open dancing: Saturday 8-11:30 p.m.
- Issues: No alcohol or smoking inside. Canned Pepsi products, candy,
popcorn, and chips available. Cover $5. Music is by the Southern Rain
Band, which was doing weekly dances every Friday at Lake Shore about
1996. Expect 2-3 breaks during the evening. The floor was generally
too sticky to do decent turns without endangering your body. It had
a few slick spots, possibly wax, and a few spots with water over the
tile. It did not look like someone spilled a drink so much as condensation
due to high humidity and cold floor. That is more likely to happen in
the northern colder climates. The sound was fine for the room size.
Rest rooms were small and could have used some cleaning by mid-evening.
The audience was all ages-a good family atmosphere. Very friendly folks
and most all of them dancing. Some regulars drive 30 miles or so for
the fellowship and fun.
- General facility: The dance floor was fine for about 25 couples doing
spot dances, while the seating area may have held 150 between the tables
with folding chairs and the nice picnic style table sets. Boots and
cowboy hats made nice decor for the walls. Reported as closed and then
reopened in 2002.
- Date of last visit: January 17, 1998-rls
Maggie Valley
Shepard's Thunder Ridge (Closed 2002)
Stompin' Ground
- Location: Maggie Valley main drag
- Telephone: 828-926-1288
- Owner: Kyle Edwards
- Music: Includes country western on Fridays and Saturdays 8-11 p.m.
- Issues: Great facility, dedicated to mountain music and dancing.
"Home of the world's finest cloggers." Only open from April
to October. Very large hardwood dance floor with stadium seating for
2,000. Opened 1982. You might even hear something to shag to.
Mebane
Outback II (Closed)
Micro
Duke's
-
Location: About 2 miles south of U.S. 301 (Turn off
U.S. 301 at the only crossroad intersection between Micro and North
Johnston County High School. The sign will say Oak Grove Inn Road
for one side and Bizzell Church Grove Road for the other side, because
the road changes names at U.S. 301. Take the Bizzell Church side,
then look for and cross the railroad tracks within a block of U.S.
301. Clue: If you didn't cross the tracks, you are going the wrong
direction.)
- Music: Smooth country with touch of SOuthern rock and oldies provided
by Duke Benson and the Southern Drawl Band, with family or visiting
musicians asked to join.
-
Open dancing: Fridays (all year)
-
Dance floor: Approximately 40'x60' or 2400 square feet
of tile over concrete. The tile was slightly slick, which made it
easy to slide and turn. Six roof support poles are in the dancers
way.
-
Issues: No alcohol permitted on the property and no
smoking in the dance area. Cover is about $8 for couples and $5 for
individuals. You sometimes feel like you're a guest in Duke's home
- comfortable, and the kids are expected to be on their best behavior.
-
General facility: Clean. Table seating for 150 can fill
by 8:30 p.m.. Small one toilet and hand sink restrooms let you make
new friends as you wait to get in. Air conditioning and fans try to
keep you comfortable, with a few hot dead air spots. All ages admitted.
Do not count on music during band breaks for your dancing.
-
Date of last visit: March 22, 2002
Moriah
Circle J at Moriah Station (Closed summer 2001)
Mt. Airy
The Music Palace (Closed)
New Bern
Bridgeton Dance Building (Closed)
Craven County Shrine Club
-
Location: New Bern, NC
-
Telephone: 252-638-2467
-
Lessons: Tuesdays - 7-10 for country western dancing
Lost Creek Cafe (Closed)
New Hope
Silver Spur Cafe
- Location: 181 Henry Martin Road, New Hope, NC 28625
- Telephone: 704-592-5311
- Issues: No idea what happens here, but the answering machine works.
Newton
Bronco Billy's Lounge (Closed)
Country Dance Corral (Closed)
Rodeo's Night Life (Closed - See Silver Dollar Saloon in Hickory)
Silver Bullet (Closed)
Oriental
Trawl Door (Closed)
Outer Banks
George's Junction (Closed)
Pelham
The Warehouse
-
Location: 434 Green Tree Road, Pelham, NC 27311.
Just south of the Virginia border near Pelham, North Carolina. From
Raleigh take I-40 west to N.C. 86, north on N.C. 86 to Danville, Virginia,
then take U.S. 29 south towards Pelham (95 miles from Garner). This
sounds out of the way, but is only way since a linking road has never
been built. Take the exit at the border and go west slightly. Turn
to the left on Greentree Road by the Economy Inn. Go 1/2 mile down
this road which looks to be deserted and you will find The Warehouse
on the right. You can easily see The Warehouse from Route 29. It will
on your right as you go south. If you pass it, get off at the next
exit and return one exit on Route 29 and try again. There is no road
from the ABC store to the club!
- Telephone: 336-388-1600 They have an answering machine occasionally
on the line.
- Music: Promoted as country western, but in reality is a wide mixture.
U.M.U. and TOYZ have more rock than country western on their song list.
-
Open dancing: Saturday evenings 8 p.m.-1 a.m.
-
Dance floor: (estimated to be about 90x30') advertised
as almost 3,000 square feet - looks and feels like laminated Armstrong
tongue in groove plank flooring laid over concrete in extremely fine
condition.
-
Issues: Membership club. Minimum age 21, except for
designated drivers, who must be banded. Tables may be reserved until
10 The DJ announced that there would be no smoking or drinking on
the dance floor. There were few two stepping couples who made the
circle of the floor. This encouraged both line dancers and spot dancers
to use the floor to the edge, without leaving a lane for traveling
dancers. This was not a major problem until after midnight, when most
of the country dancers were already home. On a rainy Friday night,
most of the guests were dancers. Both the DJ and Street Fleet, the
band, played a decent mix of songs between country, beach, and rock
from 8-midnight. From midnight to 1 a.m. it was mostly rock. The band
was good and the sound level reasonable. Brown bagging allowed. Gets
smoke filled despite large size and high ceilings. 12,000 square foot
building. Advertising band rotation of: Diamond Back, Street Feet,
Rocking Horse, Savannah Jack, Southern Fried, Skeeter Hawk, True Justice,
Ho Bo Junction, Back Street, and Del Reno. Available for private parties
Sunday-Wednesday. Dancers knew some line dances and a lot of the old
rock dances from the mid 60s. Cover $6-8. 12 oz. can of Pepsi with
cup of ice - $1.00. Light snacks.
-
General facility: Owners and bouncers were very concerned
that all guests were having a good time and would come back. The staff
helped seat us and saw that we would have table service if we desired.
Late in the evening a young lady offered to sell us roses. This was
one of the cleanest clubs we've been in. The rest rooms were well
lit, clean and well maintained. We saw mostly paved parking areas.
There was plenty of staff to ensure safety and service to customers.
Staff appeared to have head set radios to communicate. After a guest
spilled a drink on the floor, staff mopped and towel dried the floor.
They marked the area with the traditional wet floor safety sign. The
floor was almost as hard as tile over concrete, but maintained an
even slickness for dancers, after our rain wet boots dried. Good light
and sound system. Even air and heat distribution. The building used
an arch system of roof support, eliminating any floor poles.
-
Last review: February 6, 1998-rls
Pisgah Forest (Also see Brevard)
Dance Ranch (Closed)
Raeford
Countryside Recreation (Closed)
Raleigh
NOTE: The Raleigh/Triangle area offers 2,264 bars and restaurants,
24 professional theaters, pro and college sports, and 14 museums.
The median age is 34. - The News and Observer, 3/19/01 - About
200 facilities offer singers and bands on a regular schedule.
Back Door (Closed)
Breakers Billiards (Closed)
City Slickers (Closed)
Dallas (Closed)
Howl at the Moon Saloon (Closed)
Longbranch Productions, Inc. (Closed, see Longbranch Saloon)
Longbranch Saloon Enterprises,
Inc. dba Longbranch Saloon
-
Location: 608
Creekside Dr., Raleigh, NC 27609 (1/2 mile inside the I-440 beltline
and one block off Wake Forest Rd.)
-
Owner: Fred
V. Wilburn (also dba WILBURN ENTERPRISES, INC.), Corporate Agent,
5/17/00 (1/18/91). The club operated as Longbranch Productions, Inc.
from 1985-2000. The corporation went through a dissolution in July
1993 and a reinstatement in August 1993. On August 6, 1993, the principal
officers were Fred V. Wilburn and Faye Glass. From 1994-1995 they
were Fred Wilburn and Jame Dupree. In 1996 they became Fred Wilburn,
James Dupree, and Evin Sides. In 1997 and 1998 they were just James
Dupree and Evin Sides.
-
Telephone: 919-829-1125
-
Dance floor: About 45' wide and 70' long (3150 square
feet) unsealed hardwood.
-
Music: Country western DJ Jeff for weekends and Bob
for Lessons - some party music
-
Open country western dancing: After dance lessons
or about 8-? - Sundays and Tuesdays or 8-2 Fridays-Saturdays
-
Dance lessons: Sundays and Tuesdays 7-8 - Beginner and
Intermediate Two Step, Beginner Waltz, Swing (East Coast or ballroom
West Coast Swing), Line (doors traditionally open at 6:30) with Swing
on Thursday night
-
Issues (primarily limited to the country side of the
building):
- Dance floor: Can be one of the best in North Carolina for country
dance ease and control, when clean and dry. The raised stud
design allows the floor to flex, which takes a lot of stress off
the dancers' bodies. It's getting a slight bit uneven. It was restored
to "full size" in December 2001. In September 2002, it
has been cleaned after major events and is very usable.
- Age limit: Under age (18-21) wrist banding is being permitted
on some evenings, but it is not promoted for memberships.
- Fire code: 1,700+ on the country side. Will hold over 1,000 more
on the other sides.
- Multiple bars (not always fully staffed) and two hardwood dance
floors.
- A stage suitable for national acts with small but functional dressing
rooms and rest room.
- Two ladies' and one gentlemen's rest rooms are available.
- Dance lessons have been offered for over ten years, with several
hundred line dances taught no longer being danced by its dancers.
The standards the dancers settled on through the years are still
being taught with a small number of new ones rotating in.
- By December 2001, the VIP raised seating area was reworked and
high enough to be an asset.
- Fire safety code: Staff said the club has met the Raleigh
fire code since mid-September 2000.
- Carpeting: New carpet was installed in mid-2002.
- DJ booth: In 2002, the DJ booth was moved near the creek
side entrance. The main sound and light boards are on the same wall
nearer the stage.
- Speaker systems: John Kennedy announced upgraded music system
in mid-2002.
- Furniture: Some new chairs and bar stools were added on
the country side on July 15, 2000. Small round tables have
been added on the raised seating area.
- Dress code: The casual dress code excludes ball caps and
T-shirts, but both have been seen occasionally on the dance floor.
- Floor etiquette: The dance instructors usually teach and
the DJ may announce: No drinking, smoking and standing on
the dance floor. This is frequently not enforced during national
acts or Michael Jason Carroll's concerts and at other times it is
weakly enforced.
- DJs: DJs provide their personal selection of CDs, not the
club's, and play requests.
- Appearance/image: The ceiling is sprayed black, the management
never completed putting in the drop ceiling panels (some say the
music sounds better without the tiles). The bars were redesigned
and finished with mirro backs and new neon signs in mid-2002.
- Cover (always subject to change): All members $2-5 and
guests slightly higher on Sundays and Tuesdays. Average member cover
is $6 (guest cover $10) for local and regional bands. Early
Saturday night discount has been as low as $2 or $3 for members
in mid-2002.
- High tech: Various sites have popped up and disappeared
with the apparent endorsement of the Longbranch management, but
the Digital City gossip site
still lurks on the Internet.
- Smoke/attendance: The traditional smoke cloud fills the
air on Saturdays in September 2002 and that means the attendance
is fairly strong. The weaker attendance on Fridays, when national
acts are not scheduled, means plenty of dance floor. Although this
is a club with regular lessons and dancers, it always has attracted
a good number of nondancing spectators.
- The Longbranch ad "The longest running Country Dance Club
in the State of North Carolina!" is challenged by Charlotte's
Palomino Club, which has held the same location and ownership since
1982 (three years before the first Longbranch corporate filing in
1985 and eight years before the reopened Longbranch corporate filing
in 1990).
- Facility: Continues to be one of the best clubs for country western
two step dancing in North Carolina and has one of the most active band
booking schedules.
- Date of last review: October 5, 2002
Longbranch Too, Inc. (Closed)
Midnight Rodeo (Closed)
Music City (Closed)
Neon Moon, Inc. (Closed)
Scramble Dog (Closed)
Silver Dollar Saloon (Closed)
Silver Saddle (Closed)
Stroker's Saloon (Closed)
Whitaker Mill Senior Center (not confirmed for 2003)
-
Location: 401 E. Whitaker
Mill Rd., Raleigh 27608-2631.
-
Telephone: 919-856-6444
-
Music: Country music with Bobby Duke's Band on 4th Monday
at 7 p.m.
-
Open dancing: 4th Monday at 7 for country music
-
Dance lessons: Line dance for individuals and for performing
team
-
Issues: Cover is $4.
Randleman
Community Center/V.F.W.
- Location: Worthville Road, Randleman
- Telephone: 299-7011
- Music: Country with bands
- Open dancing: Last Saturday night monthly 8-Midnight
- Issues: Family atmosphere - no alcohol.
- Date of last information: November 2000
Riders in the Country (Closed)
Reidsville
Bar-S Ranch (Closed)
Roanoke Rapids
Star Lite (Closed)
Rocky Mount
The Branding Iron (Closed)
Diamond Club (Closed)
Roxboro
Silver Saddle
-
Location: 260 Virgilina (or Virginia) Road, Roxboro,
NC 27573-4420. (Just north of town. Where North 501 turns west, go
straight across the railroad tracks and look one block on the left.)
We think it is the V.F.W. Post.
-
Telephone: 336-599-0059
-
Dance floor: Slightly raised parquet style floor about
30'x70' - a pop floor is located in the next room
-
Music: Some country western, but mostly rock
-
Open dancing: Saturday nights
-
Issues: Double venue, with one side country and the
other side Top 40. Brown bag, but they do sell the ice and mixers.
Friendly folks without structured country western dancing and floor
etiquette. Plenty of canned soft drinks, for $1.50 with a cup of ice.
Very hot and smoke filled. Extremely hard for single ladies to get
country western dance partners. Does not run year round. Was closed
for at least a couple of weeks for fair duty in August/September.
-
Date of last visit: April 19, 1997-revised 1/23/00-rls
Sanford
Lone Branch South (Closed)
Moose
- Location: 821 Woodland ave., Sanford, NC 27330. From Raleigh take
Route 1 South to the Route 421 Exit towards Greensboro at Sanford. Take
the exit and turn right on the first street. Go several miles until
you see Sonic (car hop burger joint) on the left, then watch at the
next traffic light for a tricky turn. There are two choices to your
right - take the second. Go 1/2 block and the Moose parking lot is on
the left. Virtually all 4-lane driving and about 35 miles from Crossroads
Mall in Raleigh/Cary.
- Telephone: 919-776-2125, 919-776-3710
- Music: Social community dance mix, including country western
- Dance floor: Polished concrete about 30' x 40'
- Issues: Cover $5. Snacks with Coke provided. Bring something snacky
to share. Clean rest rooms.
- Open dancing: Thursdays 7-10
- Date of last visit: 1/10/02
Senior Citizen Enrichment Center (not confirmed for 2003)
-
Music: Country western with bands on Saturdays at 8
p.m.
-
General facility: The band says that the facility is
very nice.
-
Issues: Town and Country Band plays country at this
facility.
Semora
Flaming Star (Closed)
Seven Springs
Maynard's Entertainment Incorporated
- Location: 5404 NC Highway 55 E,
Seven Springs, NC 28578-8954. On the south side of N.C. 55 just at the
west edge of Seven Springs. Maynard's is 43 miles east of Dunn.
- Telephone: 252-569-9121; 252-559-9121 (cellular)
- Owner: Maynard and Janie quit the business in December 2000.
- Dance floor: Wood, about 2400 square feet, slightly uneven,
possibly due to increased humidity due to recent rains, no slip-no powder
- Music: Rare country - Mark Chestnutt scheduled for early 2003
- Issues: Reported as new management in April 2001. Policies
may have changed reducing the volume and lowering the profanity.
Easy to find, with a big sign, and the buildings were very visible to
drivers headed east. The club may promote "dress for success,"
but the customers wear ball caps going both directions and tail out
T-shirts and blouses. We were not sure if any dress code was enforced.
No ice or working cash register at the bar until about 8:30. Coolers
were brought in by many guests and they set up their own bars
with the family size bottles of the hard stuff and beer. We were
blind sided several times by folks dashing across the dance floor from
the side entrances to the floor. Band stairs protrude from stage
middle into the front of the dance floor. Cover $10-12.
Bands do play a wide spectrum including kiddy rock. The Mt. Olive
Tribune mentioned that Maynard's served as a hurricane flood shelter.
A Raleigh area rock band who can't get work in our Raleigh country club
finds work there occasionally. Alcoholic Beverage Control COmmission
cite: case against Randall Ralph Casey, Maynard's, was dismissed on
August 16, 2002.
- General facility: It is a large place and shows a substantial
investment on the part of the owner. Rest rooms were clean.
Decorations include the traditional rebel flag. The dance floor
has a side rail, partially protecting the dancers from the audience.
- Comments: This multi-tiered, balconied club is not a country
western dance club or even a southern rock club. It is a community
social gathering place serving young and old. The first impression
I had, when I saw the outside was "It's large." The
parking lot was grass. When we stepped out of our transportation,
the sound of urban music (the kind you would expect to hear in the inner
city, while waiting at a traffic light from the car three lanes over
- all bass beat, slow tempo, and usually short words) was felt.
Inside, we asked the cashier what music was scheduled for the evening.
She assured us it would be country since Leesburg was playing.
Only 30 minutes of the next hour and a half would be country music,
and it wasn't the best choice for dancing. Bouncers walked the
dance floor during the evening and were extremely visible. They
didn't always clear the folks standing on the inside of the rail in
the dancers' way. The flower girl was trying to sell flowers to
the dancers in the middle of the floor during the dances.
The people at a club make up the environment and can many times determine
if the evening was enjoyable for you. The lady guests dressed
in pedal pushers, shorts, jeans, dresses, and skirts. Many wore
their blouses untucked and hanging. The guys mostly wore jeans.
Shirts ranged from dress country to T-shirts. Yes, they weren't
all tucked in either. The rubber athletic and platform shoes were
there. There was a group of young men, drooling their hormones
and making remarks about the ladies, standing on the floor blocking
one entrance and along the rail on one side of the dance floor.
There were some who just weren't looking where they were going or who
didn't care and just banged into other folks. Some were probably
under the influence by 11, because they weren't walking straight and
were a little too happy. The only line dance group on the floor
in the first three hours went out to do the Bus Stop, while they sang
about the Double Dutch Bus. About a dozen folks did two step or
three step occasionally. During the one waltz, only one couple actually
waltzed, while the floor filled with slow dancers, leaning back and
forth.
After the band's first set, the music went back to urban and we left.
Would we go back to dance? No. The square peg doesn't fit
in the round hole. Regulars recommend the club for both singles
or couples. The natives seem to have fun there.
- Date of last visit: 3/23/01, w/update 2/9/02 - rls
Smithfield
Brandin' Iron (Closed, see Twisters)
Country Gold (Closed)
Golden Spur (Closed)
Twisters
-
Location: Rt. 301, Smithfield
-
Telephone: 704-872-2424
-
Music: Country music, old rock, some ballroom - varies
- Issues: Sponsored by Swingin' Seniors of Johnston County, over age
50, Thursdays 7:30-10:30, $5
Snow Hill
Club Chances (Closed)
Rockabilly's (Closed)
Statesville
Hobo's Nightlife (1) (Closed)
Hobo's Nightlife (2) (Closed)
Swansboro
Silver Saddle Dance Hall Incorporated (Closed 12/23/00)
Wake Forest
Northern Wake Senior Center
-
Location: 235 E. Holding
Ave., Wake Forest, NC 27587-2927
-
Telephone: 919-554-4111
-
Music: Bands play mixture from country western to local
social mix
-
Open dancing: Third Tuesday with O.B. Perry and Tobacco
Road or Pete Wright and the Sometimes Band at 7:00 p.m.
-
Issues: No alcohol, no smoking. Cover $4.
Walnut Cove (See Mt. Airy)
Washington
Whichard's Beach, Inc.
- Location: Whichard's Beach Road, Washington, NC 27889
- Telephone:
- Owner:
- Music: Occasionally country on Saturdays
- Open dance: 7:30 - closing
- Issues: July 2002 Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission cite: Offer
in Compromise - 15 day suspension, suspended upon payment of $1,500.00
on charges of being open to the general public, allowing persons less
than 21 years old to possess and consume alcoholic beverages while upon
the licensed premises and performing services while or after having
consumed alcoholic beverages while upon the licensed premises.
Weldon
Dillon's Nite Life (Closed)
Wendell
Eastern Wake Senior Center (not confirmed for 2003)
- Location: 323 Lake Dr. at Hollybrook Road in Wendell, NC 27591 -
from Raleigh take US 64 East until you pass the Knightdale Airport,
then take Business US 64 to the fifth block past the Wendell Magnet
school, turn right on Hollybrook Road, cross the railroad tracks, stop
at intersection, continue one block to the Center
- Telephone: 919-365-4248
- Dance floor: Sticky tile over concrete, approximately 25'x35'
- Music: Country flavor to both country and oldies (1920s-1950s) by
Rough Riders, Tobacco Road, or the Sometimes Band
- Open dancing: Thursdays 7 - 10 p.m.
- Dance lessons: Line dance lessons. Call for day and time.
- Issues: No alcohol or smoking permitted. Minimum age 55. Cover $4-5.
No music during breaks. There are two breaks, about 15-30 minutes each.
Ice cold water at the drinking fountain, clean spacious rest rooms,
and light refreshments provided for the first break.
West Ashville
Lone Dove Saloon & Barbeque (Closed)
Willow Spring
Rocky's Roadhouse (Closed)
Wilmington
Dreams
- Music: Occasionally a Saturday night country or southern rock band
McDevitt's Pub (Closed)
New Country USA - (Closed May 2002) - DeAnne
F. Cox
New Hanover County Department of Aging Senior Center
- Location: 2222 S. College Road, Wilmington, NC
- Telephone: 910-452-6400
- Lessons: Line dancing Wednesday 10 a.m.
- Issues: $4 per lesson
McDevitt's Pub (Closed)
Palomino (Closed)
Yellow Rose (Closed again and again by 2001)
Wilson
Bill Ellis Convention Center
- Location: 3007 Downing Street, Wilson, NC; at intersection of Downing
Street and Forest Hills Road. From Raleigh take US 64 East to US 264.
Take US 264 East to Forest Hills Road. Turn right on Forest Hills Road
and look for all the Bills signs and trucks on the left (just past the
Moose Lodge). Alternate routing: Take US 70 East to NC 42. Turn left
on NC 42 East until you arrive at the intersection of Forest Hills Road.
Turn right on Forest Hills Road and look for all the Bills signs and
trucks on the left (just past the Moose Lodge).
- Telephone: 252-237-4372; E-mail: billsbbq@cocentral.com
- Dance floor: 1200+ square feet of ballroom style tight fitted tile
squares over thin foam and concrete in front of the stage, with an extra,
but tight, two step lane around three sides - another dance floor 700+
square feet in the rear of the hall
- Music: The bands usually play very danceable music for country western
dancers - music starts at 6, band plays 7:30-10:30
- Dance lessons: Line dance lessons starting at 6:30 and between band
breaks, but much of the music is no longer country western
- Issues: No smoking, no alcohol facility. Attendance ranges
about 300, but the facility is rated at 1,400. Front dance floor is
filled to overflowing most of the evening, is extremely smooth, and
can get extremely slippery when powder is applied for the two step lane.
The back dance floor is textured and sticky. Bands - Bowie Martin, Frankie
Taylor, and Nancy Dail with Hog Wild (house band), Clyde Mattocks with
Supergrit Cowboy Band, Southern Star, Thunder Road, et al. Guest stars
pop in. Full admission is $8 (children $4) with 4 1/2 hours of country
music. When you eat at Bill's restaurant before coming to the show,
bring your receipt and admission drops to $5/$3 for the show and dance.
Pulled pork, split hog, fried chicken, field peas or green beans, boiled
potatoes, slaw, hush puppies, corn sticks, and banana pudding are in
the buffet line for $6.95/$3.25). Snack bar at the dance offers: tea
and soft drinks at $1. Cups of ice and water are $.50, with free fountain
refills. Popcorn, hot dogs, and barbecue sandwiches are sometimes available.
NOTE: This is advertised as Bill Ellis country and it is not hot FM
Shania. Look and listen for the pedal steel. Bill Harper gets 30-50
out for line dance lessons, but his lesson music has been towards Atomic
Dog and Road Runner.
- Facilities: Seating for about 400 at round tables with about 8 chairs
suitable for dining. Rest rooms were clean, modern, and offered greater
capacity than many North Carolina dance facilities. Air conditioning
worked fairly well considering the room size and crowd. There is no
air flow in most of the room so bring some sort of fan - funeral parlor
hand fan or battery model. About 300 folks coming out and filling to
spilling over the dance floors.
- Date of last visit: April 2003
Buck's Western Saloon (Closed)
Club Little Rock (Closed)
Packhouse (Closed)
Winston-Salem
Bareback Jack's (Closed)
Carolina Stampede (Closed)
Crazy Horse Saloon (Closed)
Iron Horse Station (Closed)
Montana Jack's (Closed)
SRO (Closed)
Ziggy's (Closed)
Zebulon
Southern Spirits (Closed) |