BOSTON hotels and travel guide - NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT

•	Harborside Inn	Boston from $179.95 USD
•	Taylor House Bed & Breakfast	Boston from $119.95 USD
•	The College Club	Boston from $159.95 USD

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Mainstream Boston's pride and joy, the Boston Symphony Orchestra is based at Symphony Hall, 301 Huntington Ave (tel 617/266-1200, ), which Stravinsky called the best auditorium in the world - with a winter season followed by the Boston Pops concerts in May, June and on July 4. The city's theater scene divides into the safe productions of the Theater District (often Broadway cast-offs) and more experimental companies in Cambridge. The Bostix ticket kiosks (tel 617/482-BTIX, ) at Faneuil Hall and in Copley Square sell tickets for all major events - as well as tours, "T" passes, and so on - with some half-price same-day tickets. They're open Tuesday through Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 11am-4pm; Copley Square is also open on Monday 10am-6pm.

Seattle bands may have attracted much of the music business hype during the 1990s, but arguably Boston has made a more innovative and substantial contribution to rock music . The emergence in the late 1980s of the Pixies, Dinosaur Jr and Buffalo Tom has been followed by a fresh batch of guitar rock acts like Tracy Bonham and Letters to Cleo, and the live music circuit is dominated by the very best local and touring indie bands. Key nightlife zones include Lansdowne Street , an entire block of nightclubs next to Fenway Park; Boylston Place , on the south side of Boston Common; and Cambridge's Central Square district.

Note that the city's bars are unusually officious in demanding ID. Though not permitted to offer cut-price happy hours, some provide free early-evening snacks instead. The free weekly Boston Phoenix ( ) is the best source of up-to-date listings.

Boston

Avalon 15 Lansdowne St tel 617/262-2424. An anchor on the Lansdowne St club scene, Avalon is a local favorite for late-night dancing with different themes on different nights (Saturday is techno night) and a live concert venue. Dress tends to be casual.

The Black Rose 160 State St tel 617/742-2286. Large Irish pub beside Faneuil Hall, with traditional music every night and Guinness galore.

Bull and Finch Pub 84 Beacon St, Beacon Hill tel 617/227-9605. Its status as the original setting of TV's Cheers makes this place totally touristy, but at least it's central and lively.

Chaps 100 Warrenton St, off Stuart St tel 617/266-7778. Glitzy gay club filled with lots of decked-out young men.

Commonwealth Brewery Company 138 Portland St tel 617/523-8383. Brewpub right by the Fleet Center near North Station, serving good pub food and its own ales.

J J Foley's 21 Kingston St tel 617/338-7713. A blue-collar Irish bar in the heart of downtown, with decent food, sports on TV and a great jukebox. Around since 1909.

Other Side Cosmic Café 407 Newbury St tel 617/536-9477. Popular and trendy café with great salads, sandwiches, beer, wine, coffee and tea. Across from Tower Records and the Mass Turnpike, and open late.

Sevens Ale House 77 Charles St, Beacon Hill tel 617/523-9074. It may not look like much, but that's the point at this centrally located neighborhood watering hole.