Los Angeles Entertainment

  1. Avalon

    Now booking superstar DJs for its Saturday-night electronic dance scene 'Avaland,' the 1400-capacity club hopes to win the battle of the Saturday-night dance clubs. Weekly, the cavernous venue introduces live bands and local DJs into the mix. With its late-night permit, you'll see Avalon party kids spilling onto the sidewalk as the sun comes up.

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  2. Catalina Bar & Grill

    The exterior of LA's smoothest jazz club looks more like an office complex than a sexy club, but once inside the spacious but sultry digs, all is forgiven. Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakely and the Marsalis brothers have graced the stage but up-and-comers are spotlighted too.

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  3. Hotel Café

    Unsigned bands get their due at charmingly intimate Hotel Café, where an appreciative crowd comes for the music and not the scene. Seen as a stepping stone for up-and-comers, the calendar includes an eclectic mix - from touring Australian cult faves John Butler Trio to rock legends like Pete Townsend. The narrow, redbrick interior fills quick, so arrive early for a table or a meal.

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  4. House Of Blues

    Despite a Disneyfied 'Mississippi blues shack' exterior, this center-of-the-strip music hall books quality, sometimes quirky, small-venue bands from all over the US and abroad.

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  5. Nic's Beverly Hills

    Martinis for every palate lure the cocktail crowd to upscale but fun-loving Nic's, where the libations range from the colorful and sassy to the no-frills and classy. Reserve the chilled VodBox for flights of international vodka. Lounge bands Friday and Saturday night.

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  6. Troubadour

    A mix of rock legends, cult faves and MySpace up-and-comers keep the rafters rising at this legendary rock hall - open since 1957 - where a beer-drinking crowd serious about its music keeps attitude to a minimum. Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Guns N' Roses played early gigs here.

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