Music entertainment in North America
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Ego
On the hillside 3km south of town, Morelia’s hottest club thumps, bumps and grinds to house and electronica tunes. Dress code is casual. The crowd is young and pretty and they don’t stop dancing till they have to.
reviewed
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A
Ivy Room
The Ivy Room boasts live country, blues and rockabilly bands and an excellent jukebox of classic 45s.
reviewed
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B
La Chiva
A tiny boho stronghold very popular for its alternative (electronica, hip-hop and rock)tunes.
reviewed
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C
Metropolitan Opera House
New York’s premier opera company, the Metropolitan Opera offers a spectacular mixture of classics and premieres. This is the place to see favorites such as Carmen, Madam Butterfly, Macbeth and Otello, as well as new works like Hansel and Gretel and Les Contes d’Hoffmann, unveiled in 2009. The season runs from September to April. Though ticket prices start at $70 and can get close to $300, the standing-room tickets ($15 to $20) are one of NYC’s best bargains. They go on sale at 10am Saturday for the following week’s performances. True, your feet will hurt and you won’t see much, but you’ll hear everything. You can also stand in line to try and score a prized rush ticke…
reviewed
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D
Boston Pops
Also playing out of the auditorily and visually delightful Symphony Hall, the Boston Pops arranges crowd-pleasers for the orchestra to tackle. Usually this means seasonal fare such as Christmas carols, movie scores and thematic mischief. In recent years, real live pop stars have fronted the Pops, included Amy Mann, Natalie Merchant and Elvis Costello. The business is conducted by the dashing Keith Lockhart, making Boston hearts swoon since 1995. The Boston Pops plays popular classical music and show tunes from May to July and offers a popular holiday show in December. Tickets are booked out far in advance, especially for shows during the winter holidays.
reviewed
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E
BarRio
Located in the basement of an old, abandoned waterworks, this club is the perfect blend of sleek and comfortable and offers the best night out in Uruapan. There’s a large dance floor packed with an exuberant, sexy crowd of 20-somethings, old stone walls that drip with river water, huge exposed pumps, wheels, belts and pipes overhead and a global progressive soundtrack (although musical style and DJs rotate nightly). Service is brilliant. It’ll keep you drinking.
reviewed
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F
1015 Folsom
One of the city’s biggest clubs, ‘Ten-Fifteen’ has been eclipsed by Temple and Ruby Skye, but still draws huge crowds, primarily Asian. Its main hall is enormous, and four other dance floors mean you’ll lose your posse if you’re not paying attention. If you’re a sound purist, 1015’s basement has one of the best systems in the city. Be prepared for a pat-down before you enter; there’s a serious no-drugs (or weapons) policy after some problems with the SFPD.
reviewed
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G
26Mix
It looks like an ordinary dive, but Latin-owned 26Mix is clearly all about DJs and dancing. A little ways beyond the central Mission District, 26Mix showcases the talents of local DJs every night of the week, with karaoke on Wednesdays. The sound system pops and the crowd is pretty low key. The club tends to get cranking later in the evening, and when it's packed it gets downright steamy. Early weeknights can be slow, and drinks are pricey.
reviewed
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H
Big Easy
This club splices together iconic emblems from the great southern city in a superficial pastiche that has caused it to be ridiculously successful. It's hard to tell whether the place is mocking New Orleans, but come inside anyway to experience knock-off wrought iron balconies that overlook the dance floor, huge open spaces and oversized cocktails (hurricanes, of course). The music is usually pop DJs, with the occasional lame cover band.
reviewed
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I
Five
One of the city's hottest clubs, Five keeps its patrons happy by (1) letting them inside (you won't find super-snotty bouncers here) and (2) offering a smorgasbord of house, reggae and hip-hop with occassional drum & bass spun by well-known local and international DJs. Spanning three floors, Five has a popular Caribbean-inspired rooftop deck. The bars are where to flirt. Coupons (check the local papers) grant free entry until 00:00.
reviewed
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J
Royal Unicorn Cabaret
A grungy, uninspiring old-school lounge throughout the week, the Unicorn is transformed on Salbourg Saturdays into perhaps the city’s best alternative night out, when it’s packed to the rafters with indie lads and lasses celebrating a relentless barrage of ironically cool dance music. They’re certainly not here for the beer selection, which runs all the way from Coors to Kokanee. Arrive early to avoid the line-ups.
reviewed
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K
DC Sanctuary
Check your attitude at the door. DC Sanctuary welcomes everyone - black and white, straight and gay - so long as they have an appreciation for soul-soothing house and garage, blue lights, disco balls and a mellow vibe; this is not a pick-up joint. Couches, paintings and a big dance floor fill the minimalist-looking space. The club is in a transitional neighborhood, far from any Metro stop, so you'll need to drive or take a cab.
reviewed
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L
Café Chaos
This down 'n' dirty basement bar is just the place to catch the latest up-and-coming bands for a pittance in cover. Tuesdays there are two-for-one microbrews and turntable action with 80s glam rock, old pop classics and a pinch of punk. The bar is a workers' co-op that's definitely worth its weight in bong water. The downstairs Bar les Conneries runs a Wednesday oldies evening and hosts a variety of its own rock acts.
reviewed
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M
Play Lounge
How can you resist a place with the motto 'no rules and everyone has a good time?' Especially when said place has a stripper pole that draws lines of girls waiting to show off their moves? The scene at this one-room club is reminiscent of a kick-ass college party - no space and tons of sweaty, thriving bodies. If you're in the right mood (and can get past the burly bouncer), it can be a great place to let loose.
reviewed
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N
Sonar
Many Vancouverites don’t know it, but double-roomed Sonar is actually the city’s premier club for experimental DJs and live club shows from all over the globe. On any given night you’re likely to find progressive house, jazz fusion, soul, hip-hop, reggae or electronica. It’s definitely worth braving the atmosphere – which can sometimes be thick with attitude – if you know exactly what you’re looking for.
reviewed
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O
Axis
The black, white, grey and red color palette and painting scheme feels very dated (think 1994), but they've got stripper poles and sometimes hire professional dancers (clothed ones) to use them. Thanks to the smoking ban, the lack of cigarette odor reveals that the place smells like feet, even when empty. There's a large floor and complicated light arrangements to make you feel glamorous.
reviewed
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P
111 Minna
Window-lined gallery by day, rockin’ lounge space and bar by night, 111 Minna hosts a wild array of events, from monthly free Sketch Tuesdays, when artists make work for sale to the audience, to SF’s best techno-dance party Qoöl, to live acoustic performances and disco-house nights. Best of all, you can look in the windows and see if it’s your scene. Check the calendar.
reviewed
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Q
Voda
Blue lights are always cool, and vodka is a drink from cooler climes: that's pretty much what Voda's about. This place boasts several dozen vodka imports on its impressive-looking shelves, and the coolest after-work crowd shows up to, well, cool off and look cool. Drink prices are surprisingly reasonable. DJs spin jazz, French-touch electro and hip-hop starting in the early evening.
reviewed
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R
Main Hall
You'll find a mix of everything here from rock bands to world music. Check the local free entertainment guides around town to see what's coming up. You can usually buy tickets at the door (generally around C$10) when the doors open at around 21:00, but the entertainment guides will also mention which secondhand music shops or other venues you may be able to buy them from.
reviewed
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S
Glo
Victoria's best mod lounge bar, Glo has waterfront views, cozy oversized booths and a warming red-hued ambience. A great spot for nighttime cocktails, this is where the city's beautiful young people come to ogle each other. The food is also worth an ogle: the flatbread pizzas are great and the dessert menu covers all the bases. DJs spin a few tracks on weekends.
reviewed
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T
Balak
Masquerading as a giant Mayan temple about 10 minute's walking distance from the border, Balak is Tijuana's biggest, loudest most state-of-the-art disco, featuring international DJs, a multi-million-dollar sound system, wildly festooned performance dancers and an always-packed dance floor. Pay extra to take advantage of the barra libre (open bar).
reviewed
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U
Akbal Lounge
Enter this opium den–style mélange of red velvet, chandeliers and giant antique mirrors through La Casa de Maíz. Sip a cocktail and lose yourself in the mood music – ambient and lounge sounds during the week, revving up to sexy electro and deep house at weekends – or stargaze on the groovy deck. Sunday night is gay night, but every night is gay friendly.
reviewed
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V
Hyde Park Café
This downtown late-night indoor-outdoor café, pizza place (pizzas $9 to $15), and VIP club gets really packed on Tuesday nights with eclectic music. Patrons drop by on other nights to check out the DJ spinning tunes. Happy hour (with no cover) dominates from 8pm to 10pm, while silicone implants and South Beach slick attire pick up the slack after 10pm.
reviewed
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W
Palladium
Hailed by many as the best disco in town, Palladium attracts a 20- to 30-something crowd with its fabulous views from floor-to-ceiling windows. DJs pump out hip-hop, house, trance and techno from an ultraluxe sound system. Around 3am the famous ‘Silver Aztec’ entertains the screaming crowd with fire and dance. Dress up, and expect to wait in line.
reviewed
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X
Green Room
Inside a former fire station right in the heart of downtown, Green Room comes with a big performance space where you can chill with free cult movies or a band most nights. Entry is usually no more than a couple of bucks and if you dig hip hop and indie grooves a little more than the casino has-been scene, then this is the Reno venue for you.
reviewed
