2. CHOOSE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
Music
No amount of research, however thorough, can ensure that you will end up in the club of your dreams. A good thing to consider when making your decision about where to spend your hard-earned night of revelry is the type of music or entertainment you desire. If you are into hard-core house music, stay away from the club advertising disco night. If you are in the mood to dance to hip-hop or feel like Latin music, seek out clubs offering this specifically. Again, the free weekly papers typically offer detailed descriptions and reviews of the DJs, musical acts or other entertainment performing at local venues.
Cost
It is also wise to think about how much money you are willing to spend BEFORE you go out. Any club charging a high cover price ($15 - $30 or more) is likely to be just as expensive when it comes to buying drinks or food inside. At a more expensive establishment, drinks are likely to average about $8 - $10. By the time you pay for parking or a taxi, the night can end up costing a small fortune. So if you are not willing to max out your platinum Visa, pay attention to the cover price and plan accordingly. Also realize that if you hate the first club and decide to go to another one, you don't get your cover charge money back. There's $20 per person down the drain for 10 minutes of hell.
We realize that a lot of this sounds ambiguous, if only because each club has its own distinct personality. But the table below should give you some great general guidance:
Smaller local night clubDance clubRaveAfter hoursGeneral description Usually more casual and fairly plain. Less likely to have to wait in a huge line, but small enough to be packed inside and even a bit claustrophobic. Likely to have multiple rooms, or a main room and a VIP area. Comfortable seating ranging from swanky lounge chairs and couches to tables and chairs. Loud, bass-filled warehouse type venue. Little to no seating. More likely to have a juice and soda bar than alcohol. No alcohol (legally). Held in varying, random locations. Cost $0-$10 $15-$25 $10-$25 Varies Clientele People out more to just hang with friends rather than those looking for a "scene." Unpredictable and varied crowd. 21-year-olds and older. If it is 18+, it will be noted on the listing. A well dressed, money-spending, scene-making crowd. Out to get drunk and crowd the dance floor. Usually all ages. Mostly "raver" types who are there to DANCE. Don't get in anyone's way - you might get sideswiped by a Blow Pop. People who can't stop dancing, don't want to go home, don't want to go home alone, or consumed too many stimulants. Music A good mix. More likely to play classic dance hits. Could be anything. Usually focus on one or two genres per night. Hip hop, old school, house, International, disco, etc. Electronica Varies