Updated 2007-08-19 22:37
| Aria When Aria’s hot (and it usually is, when school’s in session), the line’s out the door, with young girls dressed in their H&M best, ready to wiggle to Top 40 as dudes in tight Rayon drool nearby. When summer comes, however, the crowds don’t. Lately, kids have headed across the street to Rumor (owned by the same promoter), leaving Aria’s red, cushiony couches and artfully-splintered mirrors to the dedicated few, who wait patiently for fall. 246 Tremont St., Boston. 19+ or older, depending on the night. MBTA: Green Line to Boylston; Orange or Red Line to Downtown Crossing. 617.338.7080. |
| Good Life This neo lounge is both a full-time restaurant and bar, and a well-programmed club. The latter action takes place in the (too cleverly-named?) Afterlife, which features occasional live music and DJs, mostly spinning house music from classic to the sickest derivation, Tuesday through Saturday, 9 p.m. until 2. The food is several notches above usual club fare and the menu wisely sticks to simple classics, well prepared from local and even sometimes organic sources. 28 Kingston St., Boston. MBTA: Orange or Red Line to Downtown Crossing. 617.451.2622. |
| Gypsy Bar A dancer’s delight, Gypsy Bar combines a chic place to be seen with a devilish dancefloor filled with bachelorette parties, skantily clad females and the men who follow them. Several rooms offer an escape from the mayhem, but why would you want to head away from the V.I.P. section that has welcomed Tommy Lee, Kevin Federline, The Pussycat Dolls and other attention seekers? If you’re here, you know you love the limelight just as much as them. You can also get on their text message mailing list for updates on every surprise V.I.P. they have coming into town. 116 Boylston St., Boston. Wed 10 p.m. -2 a.m.; Thu-Sat 5 p.m.-2 a.m. 21+ MBTA: Green Line to Boylston. 617.482.7799. |
| The Roxy The Roxy is a hard club to get a handle on. It looks like the “Muppet Show” theater. …if the “Muppet Show” theater had green lasers. In the past, it’s hosted a gallery art shows, live boxing, Senator Barack Obama, a beach party and Chippendale dancers (not, sadly, on the same night). The only performer that could possibly summon all those aforementioned acts in one night is actually performing there on Sept. 6. We’re of course talking about none other than George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic. Pictured here, he actually looks like he’s trying to be all those things in one. 279 Tremont St., Boston. 18+ or 21+, depending on the night. MBTA: Green Line to Boylston. 617.338.ROXY. |
| Rumor Boston, meet South Beach. The city’s hottest club - at least this week - features two rooms, the biggie for Top 40 dance, the smaller for “House and Latin vibes,” dancing girls and one dude on a bongo drum. And that’s just Saturday. Thursday, house mavens DJ Roger M and DJ JC man the booth, and Friday is hip-hop till 2 a.m. Dress upscale (or at least wear a nice shirt) but don’t feel too self-conscious - here, greasy-haired cheeseballs party next to down-home girls. And everyone’s having fun. 100 Warrenton St., Boston. 19+ or 21+, depending on the night. MBTA: Green Line to Boylston. 617.422.0045. |
| Vertigo It’s getting hot in here. I’m a hustla, baby. Hip-hop hooray. It’s brand-name hip-hop (and brand-name gear, a la Rocawear) at this long-lined club, the biggest rap joint in the city. Fridays, there’s an equally popular Latin night. 126 State St., Boston. 21+. MBTA: Orange and Blue Line to State St. 617.723.7277. |