20_569457 Ch15.qxd 9/30/04 10:12 AM Page 268 Chapter 15 Hitting the Clubs and Bars In This Chapter ᮣ Listening to the music ᮣ Laughing it up at the comedy clubs ᮣ Quenching your thirst at the hottest bars ᮣ Tripping the light fantastic at dance clubs he so-called serious cultural entertainment is covered in Chapter T14, so in this chapter, I dig into the less serious, but just as enter- taining, entertainment options in New York City. Whether it’s live jazz, rock, comedy, or cabaret; or if it’s sweating on a dance floor, sipping a martini while lounging on a plush lounge couch, or just people- watching in a neighborhood pub, New York has plenty of choices for your evening’s entertainment. To find out what’s happening and where, check out these print and online sources. The Village Voice, www.villagevoice.com, is a weekly free newspaper that has a very good calendar with listings of weekly entertainment. Rivaling the Voice in its listings is the weekly magazine, Time Out New York, www.timeoutny.com. A good source for information about bars and clubs is the annual book, Shecky’s New York Bar, Club, & Lounge Guide. The Web site at www.sheckys.com is more current than the book, as is Shecky’s Bar Phone at % 212-777- BARS or 212-777-2277, which offers up-to-the minute nightlife news. It’s About the Music FromCOPYRIGHTED punky bands at holes-in-the-wall MATERIALwith no cover charge to the world’s greatest musicians in the new venue Jazz at Lincoln Center, you can find something for every taste every night of the week in New York. All that jazz People come from all over the world to experience jazz in New York at any of the city’s many celebrated clubs. No matter when you come, you’re guaranteed to find top talent playing at a city venue. The best of New York’s jazz clubs include: 20_569457 Ch15.qxd 9/30/04 10:12 AM Page 269 Chapter 15: Hitting the Clubs and Bars 269 ߜ Birdland, 315 West 44th St., between Eighth and Ninth avenues (% 212-581-3080; www.birdlandjazz.com).This legendary club is one of the city’s premier jazz spots. The big room is spacious, comfy, and classy, with an excellent sound system and top-notch talent roster any night of the week. Expect lots of accomplished big bands and jazz trios, but you can’t go wrong with the regular Sunday night show, starring Chico O’Farrell’s smokin’ Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band. (See the “Midtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St., at Sixth Avenue (% 212-475-8592; www. bluenote.net). This Greenwich Village institution attracts some of jazz’s biggest names. Lately the club has veered away from the harder edge in favor of the popular smooth jazz. Prices can be astronomical here. (See the “Downtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St., between Park Avenue South and Lexington Avenue (% 212-576-2232; www.jazzstandard.net). With 150 tables, the Standard is one of New York’s largest jazz clubs. But its size does not detract from the quality of the sound. Here you can hear straightforward, mainstream jazz by new and established musicians. (See the “Midtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ Lenox Lounge, 288 Malcolm X Blvd., Lenox Avenue between 124th and 125th streets (% 212-427-0253). The club’s history includes past performances by such artists as Billie Holliday and Dinah Washington. Now, at this beautifully restored club, you just may hear the next Billie or Dinah. (See the “Harlem & Upper Manhattan” map on p. 189.) ߜ Smoke, 2751 Broadway, between 105th and 106th streets (% 212- 864-6662; www.smokejazz.com). This intimate Upper West Side club is a welcome throwback to the informal clubs of the past. On weekends, covers never exceed $20, and the music is free Sunday through Thursday. (See the “Uptown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ The Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. South (% 212-255-4037; www.villagevanguard.net). The Vanguard, established in 1935, is a New York legend. All the greats, from Miles to Monk, have played here, and their spirits live on in the new, high-quality talent of fre- quent performers like Roy Hargrove and Bill Charlap. (See the “Downtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) It’s only rock and roll In New York, you truly can rock and roll all night (KISS is from Queens, after all). ߜ Arlene Grocery, 95 Stanton St., between Ludlow and Orchard streets (% 212-358-1633; www.arlene-grocery.com). This funky little Lower East Side club has become a big name in the intimate rock club scene. With covers that rarely peak beyond $7, it’s a bar- gain as well. (See the “Downtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) 20_569457 Ch15.qxd 9/30/04 10:12 AM Page 270 270 Part V: Living It Up After Dark: New York City Nightlife ߜ Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St., at Bowery (% 212-533-2111; www.boweryballroom.com). There’s plenty of room in this club, but it still has the feel of a more intimate venue. With great sight- lines and sound quality, the Bowery Ballroom attracts excellent alt-rock talent. (See the “Downtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ CBGB, 315 Bowery, at Bleeker Street (% 212-982-4052; www.cbgb. com). The launching pad for New York punk and New Wave, this gritty, grungy club is now a living shrine to the Ramones, who made their name here. (The corner of 2nd Street and the Bowery was officially renamed “Joey Ramone Place” in 2003.) It’s still a big draw, so come early if you actually want to soak up any of the per- formers’ sweat. Two more laid-back performance spaces — CB’s Lounge and 313 Gallery — sit next door, where the music offered ranges from acoustic to freeform jazz. (See the “Downtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ Irving Plaza, 17 Irving Place, at 15th Street (% 212-777-1224; www. irvingplaza.com). Perhaps the biggest name in New York’s rock club scene, this mid-sized music hall is a prime stop for national- name rock bands. The best seats can be found in the upstairs balcony but come early for a spot. (See the “Midtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston St., at Essex Street and Avenue A (% 212-260-4700; www.mercuryloungenyc.com). Another excel- lent intimate spot for good quality, hard-edged rock and roll, and it doesn’t cost a fortune. As a result, the Merc is always packed. (See the “Downtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) The best of the rest What follows are clubs that are tough to classify; on one night they may feature jazz or blues, and on another night you could hear cutting-edge rock or world music. ߜ B.B King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St., between Seventh and Eighth avenues (% 212-997-4144; www.bbkingblues.com). Despite its name, B.B. King’s rarely sticks to the blues. Here you can find big-name talent from pop, funk, soul, and rock more from the past than from the present. On Sunday, a gospel lunch is served. (See the “Midtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ Fez Under Time Cafe, 380 Lafayette St., at Great Jones Street. (% 212-533-2680; www.feznyc.com). Although the club’s most popular attraction is the Mingus Big Band jazz band on Thursday nights, the rest of the week brings an eclectic live music-and- performance art mix. (See the “Downtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ The Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St., between Broadway and Church Street (% 212-219-3055; www.knittingfactory.com). At New York’s premier avant-garde music venue, in the four separate spaces within the Knitting Factory, you may hear performances 20_569457 Ch15.qxd 9/30/04 10:12 AM Page 271 Chapter 15: Hitting the Clubs and Bars 271 ranging from experimental jazz to acoustic folk to spoken-work to poetry readings. (See the “Downtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ Satalla, 37 W. 26th St., between Sixth Avenue and Broadway (% 212- 576-1155; www.satalla.com). With performances in Flamenco, Klezmer, Celtic, Middle-Eastern Jazz, and Afro-Cuban to name just a handful, the diversity of music that can be heard on any given night in Satalla is staggering. The room is cozy and most nights you can get in with no admission charge. (See the “Midtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) ߜ Tonic, 107 Norfolk St., between Rivington and Delancy streets (% 212-358-7501; www.tonicnyc.com). The Tonic, which features alternative jazz and rock, may not be for everyone, but if you like your music challenging and in an intimate setting, this Tonic is for you. (See the “Downtown Arts & Nightlife” map.) Life is a cabaret Want the quintessential New York night-on-the-town experience? Take in a cabaret. But be prepared to part with your greenbacks; covers can range from $10 to $60 along with a two-drink or dinner check minimum. Always reserve ahead. New York’s top cabarets include: ߜ Cafe Carlyle, at the Carlyle Hotel, 781 Madison Ave., at 76th Street (% 212-744-1600). This is the room the great Bobby Short made famous. Bobby Short, who has long presided over the room, announced and then rescinded his retirement, but if you want to see him, you’d better head to the Carlyle sooner rather than later. When Short isn’t there, you still get the top performers on the cabaret scene. And at prices that range from $65 to $75 per person with a $30 per-person minimum, top quality is what you certainly should get.