Seattle’s most elaborate music venue is Sky Church, located within Experience Music Project (325 5th Ave. N, 206/770-2777, www.emplive.com). Well-known performers often come here, though space for the audience is limited—meaning there’s barely room to stand. You also can't carry drinks into the performance area. But the enormous high-tech video screen is an attraction in its own right.

You’ll also find a lot of national acts at the Showbox (1426 1st Ave., 206/628-3151), near Pike Place Market. This decades-old venue has such a rep for good performances that it had to open an annex in Pioneer Square (1700 1st Ave. S.) to satisfy Seattle’s thirst for rockin’ shows.

The Belltown area north of downtown has several popular clubs. Crocodile Café (2200 2nd Ave., 206/441-5611, www.thecrocodile.com) is a fun club that acted as the alternative scene’s incubator for years. It’s a good place to look for rock stars passing through town.

One of Seattle’s most unusual nightspots is Sit & Spin (2219 4th Ave., 206/441-9484) a Belltown laundry/bar/restaurant where you can watch the clothes go ’round in the front or head back for dancing, eating, playing board games, or surfing the Web.

Worth checking out is the stylish Watertown (106 1st Ave. N, 206/284-5003), with a music mix that romps all over the place, from alternative to dance music. Tasty food, too.