I get the feeling I'm one of very few serious clubbers on this list, but I figure someone might show up some day who would find the following information helpful. I will add to it as I go out!

Note 1: I have a penchant for electronic dance music of various types, so that's what most of my reviews will be about. Hopefully folks can add info about different kinds of clubs to this report.

Note 2: Each club can vary widely in music styles and costs from night to night; these are my experiences when I went.

Club name: Suite
Location: c/Virgen de los Peligrosos, near c/Alcala
Night: Friday
Music style: house
Time it "gets going": 12 AM
Cost: Free between 12-1AM
Crowd age and type: 22-35 years
Drink cost: 6 E
Notes: Very nice place with outdoor courtyard, candlelit, glass walled, good DJ upstairs, not too loud, great place to start the dancing part of your night (or finish it if you're not up for the wilder stuff).

Club name: Passapoga
Location: c/Gran Via, 37
Night: Friday
Music style: progressive house/pop-techno
Time it "gets going": 2:30 AM
Cost: 8 E or free with flyer
Crowd age and type: 18-30 years, mixed gay/straight
Drink cost: 6 E
Notes: Nice club, gets very loud, bring earplugs

Club name: Arena
Location: c/Princesa, 1
Night: Saturday
Music style: trance (I hear they sometimes have techno too)
Time it "gets going": 1:30 AM
Cost: 8 E or free with flyer and/or between 12-1AM
Crowd age and type: 18-26 years, mostly hetero
Drink cost: 6 E
Notes: not very crowded for a saturday, but not empty either.

Club name: Impacto
Location: c/Campoamor, 3
Night: Thursday
Music style: hip hop
Time it "gets going": 11:30 PM
Cost: Free early, maybe all night?
Crowd age and type: 20s-30s
Drink cost: 6 E
Notes: Nicely lit and decorated club, friendly people. Shameless plug: I offer DJ lessons here!

Club name: Soma
Location: c/Leganitos, 25
Night: Friday and Saturday
Music style: underground techno (minimal downstairs, bangin' up, nothing you'll ever hear on the radio)
Time it "gets going": 12:30 AM
Cost: 8 E or free with flyer and/or between 12-1AM
Crowd age and type: 16-22 years (!)
Drink cost: 5-6 E
Notes: Fills up fast, very very fast. At 1 AM the line is way down the street. Very crowded inside.

Club name: Maxime, party name "Emotion" :l:
Location: Ronda de Toledo, 1
Night: Thursday
Music style: underground techno, spun by wizards on the decks :l:
Time it "gets going": 1:00 AM
Cost: 8 E or free with flyer and/or between 12-1AM
Crowd age and type: 18-32 years (and then there's me :jeje: )
Drink cost: 6 E
Notes: :l: (guess where you'll find me :cheers: )

I'm open to trying all kinds of clubs and am looking for playmates (my hubby isn't into clubbing much) so if you'd like to go out sometime, please email me at djzelda@mac.com.

Hey Juliette!
Good work!

Arena can get a good crowd going- it depends on the night. I've gone and seen hoards of people lined up outside because its too full and no one can get in!

I'll be up for play and have a friend whos all about going out also- so we'll give you a call when I get there Just a few more days (Hoping that Hurricaine Isabel doesn't ground my plane!). See you on the playground!

Count me in too, Juliette! The report was great - much better than just turning up and hoping you've got it right! One thing though - and this a very girly question - what about dress codes for the different places? It can be a nightmare here in Birmingham as venues are constantly changing and often the bouncers just seem to decide on the night what is/isn't allowed. What's it like over there? Karenanne

Clubbing as a group sounds good. I'm all ears. I've done a lot of exploring this summer and here are some of impressions. They're not as detailed as Juliette's, and I'll put the same disclaimer about how clubs change from night to night. BTW, I've found that the listings on:

Madrid LaNetro Home Page

are pretty good, especially if they have current user reviews. I should also add that I like all music, but don't know much about the sub-specialties of house, jungle, etc. Usually, I went either because I had a flyer or read something in one of the papers. My preference is for clubs that don't charge cover and don't have ostentatious gorillas at the door.

DEEP at DIVINO
Location: The Aqualung Shopping Center on Ermita de los Santos
Music: House
Crowd: Very young the night I was there, mostly in the 18-25 range, looked almost tourist-free
Cost: Free with flyer before 0130, probably the usual 9/12 Euros after that.
Comments: Very spacious, with giant video screens, etc. A macrodisco. Not convenient to get to unless you live in Southern Madrid.

BARNON
Location: c/Santa Engracia, not far from Alonso Martinez
Music: R and B/urban on Sunday nights
Crowd: Mixed, young
Cost: Usually free until 0130 on Sundays. Sometimes the first drink is free.
Comments: Nice space, good music.

CAFE DUCADOS
Location: Plaza Canalejas (about two blocks west of Sol)
Music: Latin/Brazilian-flavored House
Crowd: All ages, mix of Spaniards and tourists
Cost: No cover, drinks 6 Euros, maybe less for beer/refrescos
Comments: I've been here about three or four times, so I guess that makes it my favorite. One of the few places that have a DJ early in the evening that doesn't charge cover (they close around 0230). The disco is in the basement, loud, with a good space that can get crowded though. The DJs are good and don't let people stop dancing.

BLACKJACK
Location: Calle Principe (off Plaza Santa Ana)
Music: Spanish hits on the ground floor, house/some R and B in the basement
Crowd: Famous for tourist girls and Spanish boys hoping to meet tourist girls, but all ages last night
Cost: Free until about 0130 or 0200; drinks 5.50 Euros
Comments: I was there last night for the first time and enjoyed it. The basement is a little cramped since it is really three or four rooms with no really big dance space. Crowded. Lines start after 0200 or so.

MILENIO
Location: c/Pradera, in the heart of Alonso Martinez
Music: Spanish hits on main floor, R and B supposedly in the basement (though not the night I was there)
Crowd: Young mostly, mostly Spanish
Cost: No cover, drinks were 5.50 Euros
Comments: Very crowded, too much OT and "Papi Chulo." Long lines as the night goes on. But perhaps worth another try since they don't charge cover.

In reply to Karenanne's question about dress codes, I've been pleasantly surprised at how mellow many of the clubs are. Most of the doormen I see seem to be mostly focusing on screening for under-age teenagers. There are a handful of clubs who want to preserve a reputation for selectivity and "gente guapa" and may turn people away, but they are well known for that such as Fortuny, Gabana, and just about any club/disco in Salamanca district. This is in contrast to some places. For example, I was in Temple Bar, Dublin in July and it was disturbing to see some of the bouncers turning away groups of people just because they happened to be black or Asian.

I've seen women dressed in everything from the little black cocktail dress to the typical bell-bottomed blue jeans and midriff top. Men will be in everything from very self-conscious club wear (think extreme H and M) to polo shirts and jeans.

Re the dress code:
NO SNEAKERS! - some places allow it- most don't but just in case... do you really want to deal with that on a fun night out?

Ok, the sneakers was mostly for the guys.

To go out- dress nice. To clubs- real clubs- not pubs (bars with dance music) A nice pair of slacks and a top or dress or skirt- hate to say it, but the better you dress, the better possible perks you'll get- especially true for women But be comfortable in whatever you wear!

More clubs:

Joy: Over priced- 2 floors- its an old converted theatre- You pay to get in (too much) you pay too much for drinks. Mostly tourists or natives wanting to get lucky with tourists and a select few that will only be seen in a club where everything is overpriced. A favorite with the Marines from the American Embassy.

Palacio Gaviria: Cover unless you have a pass (then free or discount) several rooms- variety of music, dance, salsa, chillout. Drinks are expensive, but its cool to go as you get several venues in one It has a foreign night (I believe Thursdays) where exchange students from all sorts of different programs are encouraged to go (set up by their groups as a social event) and mingle with eachother and natives.
On a regular night, there will be loads of foreigners and just as many Spanish- again, hoping to get lucky with the foreigners.

Kapital:
10E to get in- several floors, to current dance, spanish 80's equiv. music- and a top floor with mellow music where you can hang out and actually have a conversation! Again, mix of native and foreign. Nice place.

In the summer Kapital has a 'terraza' behind the Atocha old train station. There are several different areas- again playing a variety of music from club to salsa- mostly natives- and you'll bump into some midly famous celebs.

what a great post!!! Juliette, I wish I was there to party with you, I know I would LOVE you!!!

Nice work on the post!! :cheers:

Hi all, continuing on this post - where do I go on a Sunday? I have some friends over and no idea where there's any groovy (read house/techno/breakbeat/d n' b) tunes going on a Sunday night...any suggestions?
cheers/tora

(With tongue in cheek). Are there any clubs in Madrid I can come to where they play "old" music? From the 70�s (or earlier!!)

madsue --> www.multimadrid.com/ubbgrfx/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=000084

Saludos,
jer...

Yes jer, I did that search! but I mean sing-a-long to the songs I know the words to. :b: Nooooo, I do not mean karaoke either

Maybe live music?

Hey Juliette,

I wonder if you've heard of a supercool little hip hop duo named Despacito y Buenaletra? I'm not sure if they go on at Impacto or not, but I know they do concerts around Madrid. Anyway, just wondered.

Jess

Madsue, I believe Siroco is having a "strictly '70's disco night" this weekend. That said, I don't know of any typical Spanish disco club that doesn't have "I Will Survive" and "It's Raining Men" on their play list.

juli-shame on you for thinking no one clubs here. i am out there and know there cant be only two of us because these clubs would shut down.not saying you should be religious but have FAITH. last friday i saw john aquaviva at deep. i am not into techno big time but him and richie hawtin i will see anytime.
if you like chicago house, come to "oui" off of c/leon.i spin there every other thursday and 1 sat a month. out

Lifesponge, I know the city has clubbers, but this board I wasn't sure about. Could you give me the exact address of Oui? I'd love to come out and hear you spin. Maybe you know some techno-promoter-type-folks to whom I could give a CD? I'm dying to spin here in Madrid.

My new friend Miryam (single cutie from France, guys ;-) and I will be going out tomorrow night, Thursday, to Emotion at Maxime (see above), if anyone would like to join us. Feel free to call me at 617 635 249 or email djzelda@mac.com.

Thanks so much for all the added contributions and enthusiasm for this topic! I no longer think this board is devoid of clubbers.

Tora, I know there are good places on Sunday for house, and I know the place to find out about them is c/Hortaleza. If you walk up that street off Gran Via and stop in any of the bars along the way, they have flyers for local events, most of which are house and many of which are on Sundays.