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Entertainment Overview

Every night of the week you'll find New Yorkers going out on the town. Nobody here waits for the weekend -- in fact, many people prefer to party during the week when there's actually room to belly up to the bar. If word gets out that a hot band is playing in a bar on a Tuesday, or if a well-known DJ takes over a dance club on a Thursday, you can be assured these places will be packed like the Saturday nights in most other towns.

The nightlife scene is still largely downtown -- in drab-by-day dives in the East Village and Lower East Side, classic jazz joints in the West Village, and the Meatpacking District's and Chelsea's see-and-be-seen clubs -- but you don't have to go below 14th Street to have a good time. Midtown, especially around Hell's Kitchen, is developing a reputation, and there are still plenty of preppy hangouts on the Upper East and Upper West sides. And across the East River, Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood has become the place for artists, hipsters, and rock-and-roll fans.

There are enough committed club crawlers to support venues for almost every idiosyncratic taste. But keep in mind that when you go is just as important as where you go. A spot is only hot when it's hopping -- a club that is packed at 11 might empty out by midnight, and a bar that raged last night may be completely empty tonight. These days, night prowlers are more loyal to floating parties, DJs, and club promoters than to any specific addresses.

For the totally hip, Paper magazine has a good list of the roving parties and the best of the fashionable crowd's hangouts. You can check their online nightlife guide, PM (NYC), via their Web site, www.papermag.com. Another streetwise mag, The L Magazine (www.thelmagazine.com), lists what's happening day by day at many of the city's lounges and clubs, as well as dance and comedy performances. The Village Voice, a free weekly newspaper, probably has more club ads than any other rag in the world. Also check out the New York Press, which has pages and pages of nightlife listings. The New York Times has listings of cabaret shows. You may also get good tips from an in-the-know hotel concierge. Keep in mind that events change almost weekly, and venue life spans are often measured in months, not years. Phone ahead to make sure your target hasn't closed or turned into a trendy polka hall (although that might be fun, too).

Most clubs charge a cover, which can range from $5 to $25 or more, depending on the venue and the night. Be sure to take some cash, because many places don't accept credit cards. (Nothing will enrage the people behind you in line like whipping out the plastic.) Remember to dress properly, something that is easily accomplished by wearing black and leaving your beat-up sneakers at home. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed public places in New York City, including restaurants and bars. Some bars have gardens or fully enclosed smoking rooms for those who wish to light up, but in most places you'll have to step outside.

Any night of the week, gay men and lesbians can find plenty to keep them occupied. For the latest listings of nightlife options, check out gay publications such as HX (www.hx.com), Next (www.nextmagazine.net), MetroSource, and the New York Blade, as well as Paper and Time Out New York. GO NYC is good source for lesbian happenings.