Nightlife

BY JEREMY DILLAHUNT

BIG APPLE BEATS

New York City’s hottest nightlife scenes are no longer exclusive to a few areas— now they can be found all over town.

NEW YORK CITY has long been one of the country’s musical meccas; on any night of the week, it is host to such diversity as Bruce Springsteen, the Bulgarian National Choir and Justin Carter. Much of its history centered on neighborhood scenes: Harlem jazz of the 1940s, West Village beatniks of the 1960s and the downtown punk scene of the 1980s, to name a few. These days, however, there’s good music to be found from Brooklyn to Hell’s Kitchen. Here are a few suggestions.

Studio B

259 Banker St, Greenpoint, Brooklyn 718-389-1880
www.clubstudiob.com

The reigning king of Greenpoint’s fickle and hip nightclub scene keeps its title by booking the best underground DJs the world has to offer. At this loud and vibrant club you can see acts like Swayzak, Metro Area, The RZA, Justice, MSTRKRFT and Ellen Allien. Wear whatever is in season in nearby ultra-stylish Williamsburg; the club tends to attract the coolest kids you’ll ever see on a dance floor.

Pacha NYC

618 W 46th St, Hell’s Kitchen 212-209-7500
www.pachanyc.com

Legendary club Pacha Ibiza decided to try its magic in NYC. After a fitful start, it’s safe to say they got it right. Spread over five floors, the 2,650-person-capacity club has everything necessary to evoke its Balearic sibling, including top DJs like Erick Morillo and Sander Van Doorn, a gut-rumbling sound system and spectacular lights and projections.

Southpaw

125 Fifth Ave, Park Slope, Brooklyn 718-230-0236
www.spsounds.com

Southpaw is unquestionably one of the best spots in NYC for live music. The space manages to be both roomy and small, with great sight lines, a warm sound system and talented headliners—KRS-One, TV On The Radio and Cat Power have all electrified Brooklyn audiences here. The club mostly books indie rock and hip-hop acts, but if you’re in town on the first Saturday of the month, definitely stop in for The Rub, a white-hot dance party hosted by DJ Ayres, DJ Eleven and Cosmo Baker.