Best Nightclub Alternative

Forget the lights, the shiny shirts, the tight dresses and the too-cool-to-be-human DJs lording over the dance floor like a dispassionate Roman emperor surveying the masses. If you want all the energy with none of the pretense, you’re at the Cosmopolitan’s Book & Stage, where all the cool kids go anti-clubbing. On a Wednesday night in February—not exactly prime time—the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club drew enough people that security had to scream at fans to get off the casino floor and cram into B&S territory. And it happens week after week with up-and-comers and indie darlings alike. For free. Save your $30 in cover for what really matters: cocktails.