Nightlife
NIGHTLIFE
Words by Jeremy Dillahunt
Go’s nightlife columnist recommends three hotspots with successfully selective music policies.
A different beat
Nightclubs and music venues can be much more than just places to enjoy live bands and socialize. Over the short history of the pop music industry, some clubs have come to embody sounds that defi ne a generation. New York City’s Blue Note jazz club, for example, spawned a record label and served as home to some of the genre’s most innovative forces. In Los Angeles, the Whisky A Go-Go did the same for psychedelic rock, and in Detroit most of Motown’s artists perfected their soul moves at The Twenty Grand.
Some of the most creative and exciting music right now is being performed by international artists who are fusing traditional sounds with contemporary pop styles. This hybrid music—variously known as world beat, global beat or fusion beat—often sees reggae being married to hip hop, jazz blending with traditional Turkish folk melodies, or American pop mixing with Brazilian bossa nova. In some cases, all of it gets mashed together. The following nightclubs have become a nexus of sorts for this emerging style of music, so if you are intrigued by what you’re reading, drop in and have a listen.
NYC
Nublu (62 Avenue C, 212-979-9925, www.nublu.net)
Food: No
Dress: Anything goes
Lowdown: Opened by Turkish transplant Ilhan Ersahin just three years ago, Nublu has already gone a long way toward establishing a fabled history for itself. Norah Jones used to practice her piano melodies in the basement, and The Brazilian Girls were the lounge’s house band before rocketing to international stardom. Wednesday nights you can catch traditional Brazilian gypsy music played by Forro in the Dark featuring Seau Jorge and Mauro Refresco. Dub legend U-Roy often performs in the tiny space on weekends, and New York’s latest underground heroes Kudu channel the sounds of Blondie on Tuesday nights. The club nights have proved so successful that Nublu recently launched its own record label.
Miami
Madiba (1766 Bay Rd, 305-695-1566, www.madibamiami.com)
Food: Yes
Dress: As with all things South Beach, smart and sharp
Lowdown: The upstairs restaurant at this hip South African nightclub serves typical dishes from the country, including potjie bredie (classic beef stew), bobotie (traditional curry) and ostrich carpaccio. Downstairs, the dance fl oor is always packed and swaying to the Soweto township-inspired live music and DJs. It’s a good idea to check the calendar, as Madiba often throws one-off parties or screenings of South African fi lms followed by bands.
LA
Temple Bar (1026 Wilshire Blvd, 310-393-6611, www.templebarlive.com)
Food: Yes
Dress: Anything goes
Lowdown: Located in trendy Santa Monica, the Temple Bar has one of the most eclectic weekly live line-ups of any nightclub in the United States. A typical week may feature such diverse and original acts as Argentinean dance band Los Pinguis, soul crooner Eric Roberson, DJ Cheb i Sabbah spinning Indian-inspired dance tracks, Latino reggae champions Quinto Sol or hip-hop godfather CL Smooth. To preview what you can hear at the Temple Bar, check out the club’s streaming radio station on the website.