The Echo

The area's largest venue for alternative music features star acts such as the Donnas and George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, or local bands and DJs.

Popular Drinks: Anything with vodka in it.

Food: Full menu of inexpensive Continental/ American fare.

Seating: Bar stools, 15 booth-like tables; but you are here to cut some carpet, so harken yourself to the dance floor.

Ambience: A fashionably scrappy, mixed gay and straight crowd inhabits this dive. The crowd varies somewhat each night -- check listings to see what's going on any given night. As with many clubs, the weekend crowd skews a bit toward non-locals who "heard it was cool."

Extras/Notes: Occasional live acts -- mostly punk/underground stuff. There is no cover Tue.-Wed. Look out for the Punk Rock Barbecue, an occasional weekend afternoon party that the club hosts.

Parking: Tons of free (well, after 6 p.m. -- otherwise metered) parking in the city-owned lots behind the club. Be sure to tip Mama, who selflessly patrols the lots in the wee hours. Also, street parking can often be had.

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