Nightlife

Much of the city's nightlife can be found downtown, in Westport, and at Country Club Plaza. For information about what's going on in jazz and blues clubs, pick up the free weekly Pitch; or call the Jazz Hotline (tel. 816/753-5277). For tickets to main events, call Ticketmaster (tel. 816/931-3330; www.ticketmaster.com).

The Performing Arts

The Lyric Theater, 1029 Central, is the venue for both the Lyric Opera of Kansas City (tel. 816/471-7344; www.kcopera.org), which presents four productions yearly in the original language with projected translations, and the Kansas City Symphony (tel. 816/471-1100; www.kcsymphony.org). The Kansas City Ballet (tel. 816/931-2232; www.kcballet.org) performs at the Lyric Theater and at the Midland Theater, 1228 Main St. (tel. 816/471-9703), a lavishly decorated 1927 theater that also stages musicals, concerts, and other performances. The turn-of-the-20th-century Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th St. (tel. 816/474-4444; www.follytheater.com), is known for its Jazz and Children's series. In summer, open-air Starlight Theatre in Swope Park (tel. 816/363-7827; www.kcstarlight.com) has presented Broadway musicals and concerts for more than 50 years.

The Club & Bar Scene

Phoenix Piano Bar & Grill, downtown at 302 W. 8th St. (tel. 816/472-0001; www.phoenixjazz.net), specializes in Kansas City-style jazz, seafood, and steaks, while the nearby Majestic Steakhouse, 931 Broadway (tel. 816/471-8484; www.magesticsteakhouse.com), offers dining and jazz nightly in a historic setting. Jardine's Restaurant & Jazz Club, 45436 Main St., near Country Club Plaza (tel. 816/561-6480; www.jardines4jazz.com), offers live jazz nightly and New American regional cuisine.

In the historic 18th and Vine District, the best spots offering live blues and jazz include the Blue Room, 1600 E. 18th St. (tel. 816/474-8463; www.americanjazzmuseum.com), a smoke-free venue (the better to protect its displays of jazz memorabilia) featuring jazz on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday; and the Mutual Musicians Foundation, 1823 Highland Ave. (tel. 816/471-5212), a National Historic Landmark where musicians have been meeting for decades to jam after midnight -- Fridays it's blues, Saturdays it's jazz.

In Westport, Blayney's, 415 Westport Rd. (tel. 816/561-3747; www.blayneys.com), offers blues, jazz, R&B, and rock Monday to Saturday in a pub setting; while farther south, barbecue meets the blues at the casual B. B.'s Lawn Side Bar-B-Que, at 1205 E. 85th St. east of Troost (tel. 816/822-7427; www.bbslawnsidebbq.com), with live blues Wednesday to Sunday nights.

Riverboat Gambling

Riverboat gambling takes place on non-cruising boats along the banks of the Missouri River, including Harrah's Casino, U.S. 210 and Chouteau Trafficway, North Kansas City (tel. 816/472-7777; www.harrahs.com); Ameristar Casino, I-435 and Route 210 (tel. 816/414-7000; www.ameristarcasinos.com); and the Isle of Capri Casino, off I-35 at 1800 E. Front St. (tel. 816/855-7777; www.isleofcapricasino.com).