Music & Nightlife
Your guide to the best nightclubs, live music and concerts in Boston
The best clubs in Boston
Royale
This Theatre District nightspot hosted some of the city’s biggest bashes during its previous life as the Roxy. Today, Royale continues to host national-level music acts on various nights, and on weekends the clubs kids pack in to dance the night away. The massive room has a grand stage, an elegant marble foyer, cushy seating nooks, a fantastic sound system, a festive light show and more. There are VIP balconies if you feel like getting away from it all.
Phoenix Landing
While some know the Phoenix Landing as Cambridge’s busiest soccer bar, the space really comes alive at night, when the pub-like space transforms into an old-school dance spot. The floor is tiny, but the variety of tunes is huge. Keep an eye out for popular 80s nights, plus DJs spinning hip-hop, reggae, house, techno, new wave, dubstep, and more.
Good Life
One of several spots that first dragged downtown Boston out of late-night wasteland, Good Life hangs on by catering to many different scenes. On a given night, the DJs may be spinning top-40 hits, underground hip hop, Latin remixes or cutting-edge electro music. Don’t like the scene upstairs? Head down to the more intimate subterranean lounge area.
Middlesex Lounge
At this eclectic nightspot near Central Square, DJs spin the best vintage hip-hop, classic electro and underground dance. Middlesex is more of a lounge than a full-on nightclub; the room is filled with little metal benches on wheels that can be artfully arranged to accommodate even the most disorganized of parties. Check with the venue to learn about electronic nights, queer dance parties, and special guests.
