BEST ROCK CLUBS

Stubb's Bar-B-Q
Austin
Capacity: 2,200
Adventurous booking (Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, Wilco and Arcade Fire have hit the stage), killer barbecue and a massive PA all contribute to the party vibe that makes Stubb's the coolest outdoor club in America.
Photo: Cambria Harkey


The Orange Peel
Asheville, North Carolina
Capacity: 942
In the Seventies, the Orange Peel was a premier funk-and-soul club. Since it reopened five years ago, Bob Dylan and Smashing Pumpkins (who picked the spot for their nine-show reunion run last year) have gone out of the way to play the Peel — drawn by Asheville's bohemian vibe and attentive crowds.

Bowery Ballroom
New York
Capacity: 550
Perfect sound, clear sightlines and zero attitude make the Bowery the best place to see a show in Manhattan. The indie-heavy club, which opened ten years ago in a former discount shoe store, has hosted legendary gigs by R.E.M., Coldplay, Sleater-Kinney and New Pornographers.
Photo: Scott Gries/ImageDirect

The Magic Stick
Detroit
Capacity: 550
Pretty much every Detroit band — from the up-and-coming White Stripes to the Detroit Cobras — has played the Magic Stick, a funky, high-energy pool hall above the Garden Bowl bowling alley. Local talent plays most nights, alongside national acts like Tokyo Police Club and the Breeders.

The Norva
Norfolk, Virginia
Capacity: 1,500
Artists love the Norva, a renovated vaudeville theater that features a backstage basketball court, game room, hot tub and sauna. And with six bars, two smoking lounges and a giant, crystal-clear sound system, concertgoers dig it too.

Check out everything ruling the rock universe in 2008