CHEER UP CHARLIES

Cheer Up Charlies is a bar and music venue at 900 Red River Street that has been a cornerstone of the Red River Cultural District for years. It describes itself as an everybody space, and that is not just marketing. CUC has been a welcoming home for the LGBTQ community, for people who like dance parties, for people who prefer kombucha on tap and fresh juice cocktails, and for anyone who just wants to hang out in a space that prioritizes inclusivity without making a big production out of it. The venue has a solid indoor room for shows and DJs, plus a large outdoor patio area that is one of the better hangout spots on Red River. The booking covers a wide range, from dance parties and DJ nights to live bands, burlesque, drag, comedy, and whatever else fits the spirit of the place. The bar program is notably different from most venues, with kombucha, fresh juice cocktails, and options for people who are not necessarily looking to get hammered. Cheer Up Charlies is open Monday through Sunday from five to two, which makes it one of the more reliable spots to end up on the strip. In a district full of loud rock clubs, CUC provides a different kind of energy, one that values the people in the room as much as the music coming from the stage.