The Club & Music Scene

Having a night on the town in Houston doesn't require a lot of planning, but pick up a copy of the Houston Press, the free weekly that you can find at many restaurants and shops. It provides a good rundown of what musical and comedy acts are in town, and it includes a lot of advertising from the clubs. There's also the daily paper, the Chronicle, which has a well-organized entertainment section, and a pullout published on Thursdays. If you want to know what's going on in the clubs before you get to Houston, try their websites, www.houstonpress.com and www.houstonchronicle.com.

In general, the most popular locations for nightspots are the following: downtown, around the theater district and Old Market Square; in the Montrose area; and south of the Galleria along Richmond Avenue (called the Richmond Strip). There are enough clubs in these places that you can move from one to another quickly and easily until you find something you like.

Megaclubs -- In the theater district in downtown Houston, a developer has converted the old convention center into a complex of restaurants, clubs, bars, and a movie theater. It's called Bayou Place (tel. 713/227-0957) and is located at 500 Texas Ave. It houses the Verizon Wireless Theater, which usually has live rock or jazz acts or comedy (tel. 713/230-1666; www.verizonwirelesstheater.com); the Hard Rock Cafe (tel. 713/227-1392), with some live acts on the weekends; and Slick Willie's (tel. 713/225-1277), a billiards club. Also, there are a few video and dance bars with canned music that are very popular with a younger crowd. The movie theater is called Angelika Film Center and Café (tel. 713/225-5232), which is a popular place to hang out in the evening before going clubbing or to a concert.

Rock -- One of the best venues for catching live rock acts is the old Houston institution known as Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak (tel. 713/862-3838). It occupies an old Polish dance hall near the Heights neighborhood and gets talented local and touring bands. Look for their advertisement in the Houston Press to see who's playing while you're in town and to check ticket prices.

For alternative rock acts in a suitably grungy place, go to the Engine Room (tel. 713/654-7846). It's in the southeast part of downtown at 1515 Pease near the intersection with La Branch. This club gets a mostly 20-something clientele, which comes to hear bands that are as far away from pop as they can get.

Jazz -- To hear some jazz, your best bet is one of two club/restaurants downtown that are fairly similar and close by each other. If you're not wild about the band at one, you can walk over to the other. The more formal and expensive one is in the old Rice Hotel and is called Sambuca Jazz Café, 909 Texas Ave. (tel. 713/224-5299). It gets a dressed-up crowd and lines up some talented bands. The Red Cat Jazz Café is at 924 Congress (tel. 713/226-7870), 3 blocks away. I heard a great band here playing interesting arrangements of bebop standards. Both cafes require a minimum consumption depending on the night of the week and what band is playing.

Another option is to check out some swing band music at Scott Gertner's Skybar (tel. 713/520-9688) in the Montrose area. It's on the top floor of a 10-story building at the corner of Montrose and Hawthorne at 3400 Montrose Blvd. There are often guest bands playing other varieties of jazz. The club has a dance floor and a rooftop terrace with a great view.

Blues -- Try the Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club, 5731 Kirby Dr. (tel. 713/523-9999), in the Rice Village. This club lines up a lot of local blues talent that is uncommonly good, as well as touring zydeco acts. The clientele is a real mix of everything from yuppies to bikers. Admission can be anywhere between $5 and $15, depending upon the act.

Folk & Acoustic -- Anderson Fair, 2007 Grant (tel. 713/528-8576), is the place to play if you're a folk singer. The club is a survivor from the 1960s, and looks every bit the product of its age. In its many years it has nurtured several folk artists who went on to become big names in folk, including Nancy Griffith. That it opens only Fridays and Saturdays only adds to its aura of counterculture. People of all ages hang out here, though there are a lot of former hippies. It's located a block off Montrose, behind the Montrose Art Supply building.

Another folk and bluegrass institution in Houston is McGonigel's Mucky Duck (tel. 713/528-5999). It offers pub grub and burgers, wine and beer, and live music every night (except Sun, when it's closed). Wednesday Irish jam sessions are free, as are Mondays. The club is at 2425 Norfolk, near Kirby Drive where it intersects the Southwest Freeway.

Country & Western -- Blanco's (tel. 713/439-0072) is a Texas-style honky-tonk that packs 'em in Mondays through Fridays, attracting all sorts, from River Oaks types to tool pushers. Lots of good Texas bands like to play here, so it's a good opportunity to see a well-known band in a small venue. There's a midsize dance floor. Monday through Wednesday is open-mic night, usually with one or another local band. Thursday and Friday offer live music, and the club is closed on Saturdays for private parties. It's located at 3406 W. Alabama, between Kirby Drive and Buffalo Speedway. When there's live music, the cover ranges from $5 to $15.

The Bar Scene

La Carafe, 813 Congress (tel. 713/229-9399), has been around for ages, and the small two-story brick building it occupies even longer. In fact, it is the oldest commercial building in the city and sits slightly askew on a tiny lot facing Old Market Square. Its jukebox is something of a relic, too, with the most eclectic mix possible and some obscure choices. The clientele is mostly older downtowners who were here before the resurgence, office types, in-line skaters, and reporters from the Chronicle. For sheer character, no place can beat it.

Another bar with a unique flavor is Marfreless, 2006 Peden (tel. 713/528-0083). This is the darkest bar I've ever been in. The background music is always classical, and the ambience is understated. Little alcoves here and there are considered romantic. The only trouble is finding the bar itself. It's in the River Oaks Shopping Center on West Gray. If you stand facing the River Oaks Theater, walk left then make a right into the parking lot. Look for an unmarked door under a metal stairway.

Gay & Lesbian Nightlife

Most of Houston's gay nightlife centers on the Montrose area, where you'll find more than a dozen gay bars and clubs mostly along lower Westheimer Road and Pacific Street. For current news, pick up a copy of Houston Voice.

For a large and popular dance club, go to Rich's, 2401 San Jacinto (tel. 713/759-9606), in the downtown area. Rich's gets a mixed crowd that's mostly gay men and women. It's noted for its lights and decorations and a large dance floor with a mezzanine level. It's very popular on Saturdays. For something more low-key, try EJ's, 2517 Ralph (tel. 713/527-9071), in the Montrose area. It's just north of the 2500 block of Westheimer. Gay men of all ages come for drinks and perhaps a game of pool. There's also a dance floor, and a small stage for the occasional drag show.