Club Directory

Charlie´s: A gay country and western bar, ol´ Butch and Sundance would have been proud to walk into Charlie´s. The place has a rustic theme with an all-consuming wooden decor, from the outdoor patio, which also features a volleyball court, to the rails next to the dance floor. Sun: Drag show, Pussy LeHoot and Friends. Mon: Undies Mondays. Tue: Two-step dancing lessons. Thu: Beginning line-dancing lessons. Fri: 75-cent happy hour 7-9 p.m. After-hours high-energy disco music from 1-3 a.m. Sat: Advanced line-dancing lessons and happy hour 7-9 p.m. After-hours high-energy disco music from 1-3 a.m. 727 W. Camelback, 602-265-0224.

Char´s Has the Blues: A freestanding roadhouse, Char´s is nearing two decades of showcasing Valley blues artists seven nights a week. Stop in to see local institutions or just to shoot a game of pool and sip bourbon with friends. Wed: Soul music from Fire in the Sky. 4631 N. Seventh Ave., 602-230-0205.

Chaser´s: Chaser´s is like a rugged Lynyrd Skynyrd song. Men in muscle shirts and softball jackets drink beer, an American flag hangs on the stage, and three pool tables inspire competition. Mon: Open mic night. Wed-Sat: Local rock bands. Other nights, the jukebox fare ranges from George Thorogood to Limp Bizkit. 8005 E. Roosevelt, Scottsdale, 480-945-4985.

Chez Nous Cocktail Lounge: After your eyes adjust, you´ll see that you´ve found lounge heaven: deep vinyl booths, an old-school bar and smoky dark. One of the most diverse clienteles in the Valley comes together over stiff drinks and a small, crowded dance floor for live funk, soul and R&B. Mon, Fri-Sun: Covers by weekend house band Roscoe Taylor, Tim Forkes & Co. Tue: Covers and originals by Street Life. Wed: Open-mike jam session. 675 W. Indian School, 602-266-7372.

Club Bash: 230 W Fifth St., Tempe, 480-966-5600.

Club Central: A two-tiered jazz and blues club, Club Central also hosts karaoke on Friday nights so the amateurs can share the spotlight with the revolving door of musicians and comedians. Sun and Wed: Live jazz. Mon: Margarita night. Tue: Live blues downstairs and a DJ upstairs, playing R&B dance music. Thu: DJs play salsa-merengue. Fri: R&B dance music upstairs and karaoke downstairs. Sat: R&B dance music upstairs and live blues or R&B bands downstairs. An enforced dress code on Friday and Saturday nights distinguishes Club Central from other Valley blues clubs. 3110 N. Central, 602-200-8121.

Club Freedom: Among the most popular dance clubs in the Valley, Club Freedom features a massive dance floor on its lower level; wild, twirling lighting; and scores of well-dressed, college-age would-be ravers. Friday nights are big here thanks to Kind Fridays, where big-name DJs like Frankie Bones and Sandra Collins hit the console hard. Fri: Kind Fridays. 919 E. Apache, Tempe, 480-929-9003.

The Clubhouse: Formerly Eugene´s Rock Cafe and tucked next to the Horse & Hound, the Clubhouse has in short order become a favored room for local bands in Tempe and across the Valley, filling for fans a musical roadhouse niche left bare by the closing of the old Nita´s Hideaway. The small club is unpretentious for sure, but tastefully so, with handsomely painted walls and decorative covers obscuring Eugene´s old framed rock ´n´ roll posters. Thu-Sun: Live music. 1320 E. Broadway, Tempe, 480-968-3238.

Club Level: Local hip-hop radio station Power 92.3 keeps the dance hits coming on Fridays at this watering hole upstairs on Mill Avenue. The people-watching can´t be beat on Friday and Saturday nights, and the high school contingent turns out for occasional all-ages events. Wed: 21 and up, ´80s night. Thu: 21 and up hip-hop and R&B in one room; trance and house music in the other room. Fri: All ages, Power 92.3. Sat: All ages and half off with a college ID. 411 S. Mill, Tempe, 480-967-6655.

Club Rio: This mammoth Top 40 and retro dance club hosts live music on occasion, but is better known as the college scene´s favorite pickup bar. Former ASU and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer got in hot water for an infamous pass he made here. Wed: Sun Devil College Night. Thu: Adrenaline Rock Night. Fri: Amazing Happy Hour, with live reggae music, 21 and over. Retro Old School Ladies´ Night, 21 and over. Sat: Wild on Rio and Club Kiss After Hours. 430 N. Scottsdale Rd., Tempe, 480-894-0533.

Club 245: Located within Jackson´s on 3rd (see entry), Club 245 steals patrons from Jackson´s main stage after the bands have called it a night. Offering a dance floor and bar in a separate room for the remainder of the evening, 245 escapes Jackson´s sporty image revealing a dance club that rivals anything Scottsdale presents, in terms of showiness. 245 E. Jackson, 602-254-5303.

Coffee Cabana: If you enjoy the acoustic sounds of singer-songwriters -- occasionally drowned out by the grinding of rich Colombian coffee beans -- the homey, father-and-daughter-run Cabana Republic awaits. Cover bands play the patio some Saturdays. Thu: Open mike 7-9:30 p.m., no cover. 2105 S. Alma School, Mesa, 480-755-7900.

Coffee Plantation (Biltmore): 2468 E. Camelback, Biltmore Fashion Park, 602-553-0203.