For many people, local nightlife is a regularly scheduled part of their week. So with a city as diverse as Charlotte, it’s needless to say that not all nightlife venues are the same. In fact, one in particular stands out as quite possibly the craziest nightlife hotspot the Queen City has to offer. That night is none other than Shiprocked at Snug Harbor, a place where drag queens, go-go dancers, and a slew of other outrageous folks can be found. The man in charge of organizing this weekly wild house is Plaza Midwood’s Scott Weaver, a man who’s passion for music and partying have gained him the title of one of Charlotte’s most well known DJs.
Music has been a powerful influence on Scott’s life from an early age. Playing both French horn and trumpet in his school’s band, along with singing in the school choir, he knew that music was a creative outlet he wanted to further explore. “I know what I want to hear and what creates a certain experience in the room.” After moving to Charlotte in August of 1995, Scott was soon immersed into the club scene that was thriving in the mid 90s. “When I moved here we were really the biggest stand out weirdos in town, there was a pack about 20 of us.” The group was known for sticking together, and could be often times spotted at concerts, parties, and other local events dressed in the extreme fashion of the club kid era.
Not long after, Scott started throwing parties that truly pushed the envelope. The parties took place at a local bar called The Masquerade, and were known for being anything but tame. His first party was called ‘Cherry’ which he wanted to be, “a totally campy and southern version of The Factory meets a John Waters film.” Different themes allowed partygoers to dress in wigs and costumes, giving them the chance to go out on the town dressed wild without the concern of sticking out like a sore thumb. His influence on the Charlotte nightlife scene grew, and quickly at that. Parties became more and more elaborate with eager patrons, as well as a constant stream of newcomers driving to Charlotte from surrounding cities just to see what really went down at these parties.
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| Photo by Justin Smith |
Despite the success of the parties and events he was throwing, there have been moments that really made Scott take a step back and look at the lifestyle him and his peers were a part of. Since moving to Charlotte he has lost several friends to drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. “There was a period where it seemed like every six months or so I would get a call saying that someone I knew had died from drugs and AIDS.” This is something that bothered Scott, and for good reason. Losing a friend is tough enough, but losing them to something that could have been avoided? He knew that there were ways of deterring it from happening. In fact, Scott even provides condoms to folks in the audience of Shiprocked. “People think I’m being funny, but I’m really just trying to help them be responsible with whatever they choose to do.” A bold and selfless move to say the very least.
Weaver’s influence on the city isn’t merely musical, but also visually artistic in many ways as well. Along with doing the makeup and styling for a multitude of photo shoots shot around town, he has done interior design for restaurants and bars such as The Diamond, Soul, Phoenix and Re:Public. His style is hard to define, however there are without doubt some parallels between his music and design taste. His home in Plaza Midwood is a salute to the 20th century with vintage furniture from every decade. Every room is brightly and colorfully painted with close attention to detail, and his kitchen sports a multitude of eccentric Americana bric-a-brac that one can’t help but gaze at in wonder. There’s also a closet filled from ceiling to floor, wall to wall, with records, CDs, and various tokens of Scott’s past achievements and various memories.
What does the future hold for Scott? Well, for starters he wants to further the business side of design work. He also has a degree in art, and is interested in venturing down an avenue that will help him further his passion for painting. “The fact that I have a degree in art is something I’ve never really shown people in Charlotte. So I’d like to get a space that is exclusively for me to paint in, just to get away from everyone. I just want to have a coffee pot and a paint covered jam box and just hang out and paint for hours. “
What does the future hold for Scott? Well, for starters he wants to further the business side of design work. He also has a degree in art, and is interested in venturing down an avenue that will help him further his passion for painting. “The fact that I have a degree in art is something I’ve never really shown people in Charlotte. So I’d like to get a space that is exclusively for me to paint in, just to get away from everyone. I just want to have a coffee pot and a paint covered jam box and just hang out and paint for hours. “
“Jack of all trades” is almost an understatement when describing Scott’s various passions and art forms. His unique style and one of a kind artistic expressions come from within, and are a pure expression of a man who loves what he’s doing. He has had as much of an influence on Charlotte as it has had on him, and all signs point to that influence only growing more and more in the years to come. You can see Scott playing all of your favorites, and a slew of new jams you can’t help but shake it to at Snug Harbor’s Shiprocked every Thursday. Come join the party, and prepare yourself for a wildly good time!
