Page 210 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Prague

208  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

Nightlife Communist period, Prague was
an internationally renowned
Nightlife in Prague is as lively as in other European cities. centre of jazz, never failing to
A constant stream of visitors and a spirited local crowd has attract the biggest names.
seen to that. Cheap drink, cutting-edge performers, liberal Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Duke
gambling and prostitution laws all help pull in the crowds. Ellington and Buddy Rich all
played in Prague during the
Prague is also now firmly established as a tour-stop for major 1960s and 1970s.
American and UK pop and rock acts, with venues such as the Today, Prague’s many jazz
Tipsport and O2 arenas playing host to big names at least clubs play all forms, from
once a month. Dixieland to swing. One of
On a more local level, Prague’s club scene is a proven testing the leading and most popular
jazz venues in the city is the
ground for up-and-coming bands, and its dance/music events, Jazz Club Reduta, which has
which are heavily influenced by nearby Berlin, are renowned daily jazz concerts at around
for being experimental. Prague’s gay and lesbian scene is 9pm. When former US President
buzzing, and the local population is among the most tolerant Bill Clinton asked his Czech
in mainland Europe. counterpart Vaclav Havel if he
could play some jazz during a
state visit to Prague in January
Discos and Nightclubs Rock and Pop Clubs 1994, the Czech president
The biggest club in the city is Lovers of live rock music are took him to the Jazz Club
the Lucerna Music Bar, which well served in Prague. One Reduta. The Jazz Boat is a
offers a varied programme – school of thought feels that great way to see the sights
either live local bands or a the anarchic influence of from the river and relax to
DJ playing classic hits – in an Prague’s pioneering 1980s local jazz. At the AghaRTA J
unusual basement ballroom rock bands helped – however azz Centrum, you can hear a
in the beautiful, but run down, inadvertently – bring down high standard of playing. U
Lucerna building. It fills up the Communist regime. There Malého Glena has regular live
quickly however, so make sure are today a large number of blues, jazz and funk, as does
you get there early. popular rock venues – generally Jazz Republic, with perfor-
Karlovy Lázně is another small clubs and cafés – which mances every night from 9pm.
large club, which sometimes host a variety of different groups. For serious enthusiasts, the
has live bands. Zlatý Strom The indigenous scene continues International Jazz Festival
offers techno/ house together to thrive – Prague’s own rock (various venues) and the
with 1970s, 1980s and 1990s bands play both their own Bohemia Jazzfest in Old Town
dance tunes until 5am in compositions as well as cover Square, both held every few
a spectacular medieval versions of more famous num- years, attract talent from all
cellar setting. bers, many singing in English. over the world. Blues Sklep
The trendier clubs, more Higher-profile, more inter- is a relative newcomer to
likely to be playing cutting- nationally renowned Western Prague’s jazz scene and offers
edge music, include Nebe and bands play in Prague regularly, an inventive schedule, show-
Radost FX, where the city’s usually at the Tipsport Arena casing acts from jazz, blues
most affluent are attracted by or O2 Arena. and other genres.
a constant diet of house music The Rock Café and the
and plush decor, together Vagon, both very popular Gay and
with Fatal Music Club and venues, offer regular concerts
SaSaZu. The Double Trouble followed by discos. Other Lesbian Venues
is popular with visiting stag venues include the Futurum With even mainstream clubs
parties, which means it can Music Bar, open till the early such as Radost FX holding
get quite rowdy. For enthu- hours. Palác Akropolis in regular gay nights, it is no
siasts looking for genuinely Žižkov is great for visiting wonder that Prague is
experimental and original foreign bands. The Lucerna considered one of Europe’s
hardcore house and techno Music Bar and Roxy also host hottest gay destinations. The
music, the best place to go regular bands. scene is liberal and diverse.
is Roxy, where sets are often Clubs are split into various
accompanied by art-house categories, with Termix being a
video projections. Roxy regu- Jazz loud and lively disco, and always
larly hosts live rock bands, The roots of jazz in Prague packed. Drake’s Club is a less
including a number of big- can be traced not only to the in-your-face venue, and popular
name bands. The Crossclub American tradition but also to with visitors, while the city’s
offers a wide variety of the pre-war heyday of Prague’s most famous gay venue, Friends,
music ranging from dubstep famous jazz players, such as is a cocktail bar. Friends has a
to hardcore. Jaroslav Ježek. Even during the steady following among expat

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.5)
Date 5th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm