Music entertainment in Italy
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A
Leningrad Café
Another hip venue, this café-club down a quiet alley in the San Martino quarter of town pelts out everything from garage, punk and indie rock to rock 'n' roll, swing and soul. DJs spin during the week and Saturday sees cabaret steal the show.
reviewed
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B
Anima
The interior is overdone Gothic-Hawaiian, the music hi-energy house and hip-hop. It gets busy at this fashionable, fussily dressed-up bar, and there are burly bouncers on the door but no admission charge. The cocktails are great (around €10) and the drinkers are young, good-looking and loving it. Come early for drinks or drop by late for a dance.
reviewed
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Mercati Generali
The student population's favourite club, this place is out of town (so you'll need your own transport or a taxi) and it hosts the best parties around. DJ Talvin Singh has played here, as well as many good international and local DJs. You'll find Ninja Tunes-released artists on their list, as well as some of Berlin's promising names.
reviewed
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C
Etò
A shiny, hi-tech club, hosting shiny, dressed-up people, Etò plays commercial house and dance to a lively crowd, and serves knock-your-socks-off cocktails. Most summers it moves to the terrace of the Palazzo dei Congressi in EUR : go-go dancers on the walls of Mussolini's stern architecture have to be seen to be believed.
reviewed
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D
Club Malibú ZZ
Cefalù's hottest club and the place where Palermitans often flock in the summer, Malibú is full of youngsters keen on big nights out. With lots of decent DJs and plenty of cocktail swigging, the party really gets heaving in August. The best place to go if you're after a good night's dancing.
reviewed
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E
Blue Jane
In the 1960s, docked boat Blue Jane was the famous A Lampara, floating playground for the likes of Mick and Bianca Jagger, Kirk Douglas and cult Italian singer Fabrizio de Andre. Today it pumps out mainly commercial and house tunes to a friendly, chilled-out crowd.
reviewed
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F
GM Bar
People flock to Procida for peace, so don't come expecting a wild time. Marina Grande has a few low-key options. GM Bar features live jazz, latin or local pop acts on Friday night, and DJ-spun commercial/house and commercial/Latin on Saturday and Sunday night respectively.
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G
Rocket Bar
This is the centre of Palermo's 'alternative' scene, with photographs of Blondie, Elvis, the Ramones, and other kings and queens of rock and punk. The Rocket gets packed after 22:30, with the crowds spilling out onto the piazza and staying there until the early hours.
reviewed
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Rococó
It's a reasonable trek from the city centre, but classic Rococó is a club worth cruising to. It has a touch of decorative Oriental luxury and the music ranges from hip-hop and R&B nights to world music and soul. Wash it all down with colourful cocktails.
reviewed
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H
Café Giufá
A fun bar that spreads onto the tiny square at the back, the Giufá has some good DJs who like reggae, jungle and dub beats, and the crowd - including the bar staff - are jolly and friendly. Beer's the name of the game here.
reviewed
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I
Gargà
This rustic-chic American bar in the old town is the only place where you'll find live music and DJ sets. It starts to fill up around midnight. There's live music on Thursday and Sunday and DJ sets on Friday and Saturday night.
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J
Zò
Just northeast of the train station, Catania’s former sulphur works, Le Ciminiere, has been renovated into a very cool cultural centre featuring films, live music, dancing, and a bar-cafe-restaurant serving good food.
reviewed
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K
Café di Barbarossa
A life-size statue of Elvis rocking out on his guitar greets you at the entrance of this good-time bar set in a medieval red-brick cellar below the towering 12th-century Porta Soprana. Outside there’s a leafy deck.
reviewed
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L
Rising South
Urged on by a strident soundtrack of hip hop, drum and bass, Latin and electronica, a young, up-for-it crowd grooves beneath the centro storico. Art-house video projections provide the visuals.
reviewed
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M
Gloss
With rough red walls, modern art and regular DJ and live music sets - mostly house and electrofunk - Gloss is appealingly laid-back, attracting a lively, but not too intimidatingly dressed-up crowd.
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La Siesta
La Siesta is another big place, mostly open air, for summertime dancing. Music ranges from Latin to house, but nothing too heavy. About 10km out of town on the SS292 road to Villanova Monteleone.
reviewed
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N
S’Move
Another aperitivo hot spot in Chiaia, the bulbous lamps and futuristic wall panels here channel Barbarella. DJs spin nu-jazz, acid jazz, electro and funk every Thursday to Sunday.
reviewed
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L'Altromondo Studios
The futuristic décor gives no hint of Altromondo's heritage - Ray Charles and James Brown have both partied here. Nowadays, the sounds are commercial and the crowd's young.
reviewed
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Il Ruscello
A big open-air disco about 10km northeast of Alghero on the Olmedo road, Il Ruscello has two dance areas. Mostly mainstream international and local music is played.
reviewed
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O
Tenax
This is the city’s biggest venue for live bands and doubles as a house disco club; check online for details. Take bus 29 or 30 from Stazione di Santa Maria Novella.
reviewed
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P
Shibuya
This cool little cafe and CD shop is also a bar and has regular DJs; make a beeline for the few outside tables at the top of an ancient alley.
reviewed
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Q
Caffè del Corso
During the day, this is the place for an espresso and croissant. At night the action moves upstairs to the moody plum-coloured music bar.
reviewed
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R
Cocoricò
Dance under a glass pyramid at one of Italy’s most famous clubs, 12km south of town in Riccione. Underground, techno and house rule.
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Docks Home
Away from the city centre, head to Docks Home, set in a converted 1912 warehouse, for house music and exhibitions.
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S
Paradiso Club
Disco never dies in paradise. One of Rimini's mega-clubs, the Paradiso is heaven for up to 2500 dolled-up, anything-goes dancers.
reviewed