thePulse picks the 5 hottest clubs

By Noah Schaffer, Photos by Jeff Loughlin

Few people look forward to the end of summer as much as Worcester club owners. As college kids return to school and young professionals come back from vacation, the city’s clubs begin to fill up again.

It used to be that Worcester had two kinds of clubs: places for students with fake IDs who wanted to get laid, and places where middle-aged alcoholics could drown their sorrow in dollar drafts to the company of a football game on TV.

Thankfully, those days are long over, and a new breed of Worcester club has risen. About the only thing they have in common is a willingness to offer the city something different, and to find their own niche.

The Lucky Dog

88 Green Street, Worcester

When you enter the Lucky Dog’s doorway, the bouncer wants more than your ID and cash for the cover charge. He also wants to know what band you’re seeing — that’s how the club pays its acts.

But on an average night, the checklist will show that a lot of the crowd isn’t present to see a particular band. They know that whoever is on stage will be well worth their five bucks. That’s because the Lucky Dog keeps the quality high and the atmosphere comfortable.

As one of the city’s few venues for original music (Ralph’s being the other must-go for music fans looking to avoid cover acts), the Lucky Dog staff could easily cop a cooler-than-thou attitude. Instead, they’ve created a place where mohawked punks feel equally at home as buttoned-up preppies. What was once the dingy Sir Morgan’s Cove has been cleaned up and given a new lease on life, and live music fans reward it every weekend when bills of four bands rock the joint.

The club has featured rock ‘n’ roll free-for-alls on Wormtown Wednesdays, the sounds of the ‘80s coming back to haunt us with Mullethead on Thursdays, and the ever-popular Disco Hell on Sundays. A surprise hit when it started three years ago, some folks didn’t think the bodies would keep coming in to shake their booty to ‘70s grooves, but disco night draws as well as it ever did.

Finally, the Lucky Dog features the hippest drink name around: A shot of Cacao and vodka is “That Blue Stuff They Put Combs In.” Hair not included.

Club Marque

336 Main St., Worcester

Hip-hop, reggae and Latin music have a long history in Worcester. But much of that history has involved clubs closing, and dances being held in dusty Elks clubs. Finally, the Club Marque has given the music the downtown showcase it deserves.

The space is no stranger to reggae and hip-hop, having been called The Source until it was re-birthed last year. Owner Paul “Romeo” Allen kept what worked at The Source, and has added special dates by big name reggae artists and sound systems. But the real crowds come in late at night, when the two floors give the 18+ dancers the sounds of everything from old-school jams to hot salsa grooves. Reggae’s roots heritage is featured on Tuesdays, while on Sunday nights, the dancehall rules with Bashment Nights.

Zara Jazz Club

320 Main Street, Worcester

While the Club Marque blasts sounds from its huge speakers, Zara’s Jazz Club is dedicated to letting folks unwind and relax. Finally giving the city a full-time jazz venue, owner Patrick Igwenagu has created a beautiful room, where portraits of jazz greats hang while the music is kept alive by first class musicians.

The music ranges from down home blues to hard bop to Latin jazz. The elegant surroundings place the band right in the center of the action, making the club a music lover’s dream. Zara even offers an eclectic menu of hot snack food. The live jazz flows Wednesday-Saturdays, with Sundays devoted to African music.

Red 1888

41 Pleasant Street, Worcester

The past few years have been good to those who’ve opened new clubs in Worcester. The Atrium proved that a restaurant and hot dance club can work together beautifully. (Its outdoor space has been the hit of the summer.)

One of the most unique new rooms has been Red 1888. Located upstairs from hippie-heaven Tammany Hall, Red has tried to bring a touch of Miami Beach to Worcester. Techno has always ruled at A-Men (just ask the many straights who go, especially females who enjoy a hassle-free evening.) But Red offers a particularly sleek, upscale experience.

In its early days patrons balked at a $10 cover charge, but a lower cover and growing fondness of the progressive dance sounds being spun have shown that something different can really work in Worcester. And wait until you see the new room opening upstairs sometime this fall which promises to increase Red’s popularity with those looking for something a little more elegant and sophisticated.

Thursday nights find Red 1888 becoming Club Mambo, where Latin sounds are spun and salsa lessons are are given. Like Club Marque, how much you’ll pay will depend on your gender and what time you arrive. Most nights, except Saturdays, Red is 18+ and cover free for ladies, and 21+ and $5 for men.

Vincent's

49 Suffolk Street, Worcester

While live music and pounding beats are fun, everyone wants a place where they can simply go and have a beer and a conversation. Vincent’s has taken the art of un-pretension to a new level. With friendly bartenders and a lovingly decorated interior, Vincent’s also boasts good food and the best jukebox in the city.

Its Grafton Hill location disproves any theories about location being the most important ingredient in the club scene. But that doesn’t stop Vincent’s from being packed all week with fans who wouldn’t dare sip a martini anywhere else.

Other good tips for a low-key evening are Guertin’s, the oldest bar in the city on Canterberry Street with a true neighborhood feel, and Moynihan’s on Main Street. “Moynie’s” offers the cheapest drinks we’ve found, and a bizarre jukebox where blue-collar 80s rock alternates with Latin ballads, reflecting the diversity of the patrons.