Bremen nightlife offers a full range of activities. Many pubs and clubs, including those geared toward the gay community, are located in the Ostertorsteinweg district (tram: 10).
The Performing Arts -- Classical concerts, opera, and dance performances by visiting companies are held in the Theater am Goetheplatz complex, Am Goetheplatz 1-3 (tel. 0421/36530; tram: 2 or 3). Call for a list of scheduled performers, ticket prices, and available seating. One of its stages, Schauspielhaus (tel. 0421/36530), houses a theatrical company that occasionally performs in English. Tickets are 12€ to 27€ ($16-$35) during the September-to-June season. Opera and other musical performances are scheduled in the Musiktheater, Am Goetheplatz (tel. 0421/36530; tram: 2 or 3), where tickets are 12€ to 35€ ($16-$46). Experimental theater and modern dance can be found in the Concordia, Schwachhauser Heerstrasse 3 (tel. 0421/36530; tram: 1, 4; bus: 25), where a seat costs 14€ to 25€ ($18-$33). To attend productions of the Bremen Shakespeare Company, head for the Theater am Leibnitzplatz, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse at Leibnitzplatz (tel. 0421/500333; tram: 6), where tickets are 11€ to 17€ ($14-$22).
Bars -- An early-evening bar, Achims Beck Haus, Carl-Ronning-Strasse 1 (tel. 0421/15555; tram: 4, 5, or 6), is a gathering place for drinks and simple pub fare. It's open Monday to Thursday 9:30am to 11:30pm, Friday 9:30am to 1pm, and Saturday 10:30am to 1:30am. An art-scene hangout with a large street-front terrace and a sometimes-rowdy clientele, Litfass, Ostertorsteinweg 22 (tel. 0421/703292; tram: 2 or 3), has the longest bar in town. It serves breakfast, snacks, coffee, and beer. It's open Sunday to Thursday 10am to 2am, Friday and Saturday 10am to 4am.
Casino -- Bremen's centrally located casino, Casino Bremen, Boettcher Strasse 3 (tel. 0421/329000; tram: 4, 6, or 8), contains roulette and blackjack tables. Admission is 2.50€ ($3.25), and a passport is required (you must be 18 years old to enter and gamble), as are jackets and ties for men. The casino is open daily 3pm to 3am.
Dance Clubs -- One of Bremen's clubs-of-the-minute is Stubu Club, Rembertiring 21 (tel. 0421/326398). Open only Thursday to Saturday from 9:30pm to 3am, it offers high-energy dance music on its street level and a somewhat calmer, more contemplative ambience upstairs. Expect doses of house, punk rock, and garage music, and clients ranging in age from 23 to 50. Cover charge is from 4€ to 6€ ($5.20-$7.80). In winter, Modernes, Neustadtswall 28 (tel. 0421/505553; tram: 1, 4, 5, 6 or 8), is a movie house during the week, with dancing and live music on the weekend. The rest of the year, bands usually play from 7 to 11pm; afterwards, it's a dance club. The cover charge is 8€ ($10) when there's just dancing; when there's live music, it's 15€ to 26€ ($20-$34). Twice monthly, there's a free show.
Gay Clubs -- Much of the gay nightlife in and around Bremen is diverted into the clubs of nearby Hamburg, but there are still a few good spots. A gay and lesbian bar of note, mostly for men, is Rat und Tat, Theodor-Körner-Strasse 1 (tel. 0421/700007; tram: 10).
Live Music -- For music in a bar setting, check out the band lineup at Aladdin's, Hannoverschestrasse 11 (tel. 0421/435150; bus: 40), which also houses a two-room dance club and a bar with rock-'n'-roll memorabilia. It's open Wednesday to Saturday 10pm to 7am; cover is 5€ to 10€ ($6.50-$13). Moments, Vordem Stein Tor 64 (tel. 0421/7926633; tram: 2, 3, or 10), hosts live rhythm-and-blues and jazz for a crowd of loyal regulars. Cover is 5€ to 8.50€ ($6.50-$11). The place functions as a dance club on some nights; cover is then 7.50€ ($9.75). Moments is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8pm until dawn.
Variety -- Popular with children and adults, the ambitious puppet theater Theatrium, Wüste Stätte 11 (tel. 0421/326813; tram: 2 or 3), produces entertaining interpretations of books, plays, and movies, ranging from classical works to Woody Allen. Tickets cost 11€ to 24€ ($14-$31). In the same building, Theater im Schnoor (tel. 0421/326054) presents cabaret and underground theater productions. Tickets are 16€ to 22€ ($21-$29).
