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Canberra’s nightlife has had an adrenalin injection in recent years, and there are great wine bars, pubs, and music venues. Most venues are clustered in the city center and the fashionable southern suburbs of Manuka and Kingston. Except on weekends, few places showcase live music.
The Thursday edition of the Canberra Times has a "What's On" section (in the Times Out supplement) listing performances around the city. The Saturday edition's Arts pages also list weekend happenings.
The European-style gaming room beside the National Convention Centre forgoes slot machines in favor of more sociable games like roulette, blackjack, poker, and keno. There are 40 gaming tables here, and the complex includes a restaurant (which has live music) and two bars. The Galaxy Club Retro is open Saturday night and stages vintage dance parties.
This 1940s-style club was once just for women, but now anyone can sit at the wooden booths and enjoy a relaxing meeting with friends or a meal at this arty café that does a great breakfast; in fact the kitchen is open all day. Established in 1984, the café stages a full range of cultural events from poetry readings to live music, particularly jazz and blues. Check the website for details.
