The nation's capital doesn't close down when Congress adjourns for the evening. The District of Columbia enjoys a varied and vibrant nightlife. Whether you're up to rubbing shoulders with influential government staffers, or simply want to sip a beer and hear your favorite music, you'll find lots of opportunity in Washington, DC. Blues Alley, the oldest continuing jazz supper club in the country, is the place to see nationally renowned jazz artists. Everyone from Sarah Vaughn to Winton Marsalis has graced their stage. Reservations are required. For Washington DC's best acid jazz, stop by State of the Union. This club, which affects an homage-to-the-former-Soviet-Union decor, serves up more than 30 different vodka selections (not including the flavored ones). The truly sophisticated should drop into the West End Cafe, a piano bar where Burnett Thompson has been entertaining a celebrity clientele with his classical and jazz stylings for the last 16 years. Blues buffs should make a beeline for the New Vegas Lounge. This popular blues joint features amateur night on Mondays, a professional blues jam on Tuesdays, and the best local and national blues talent from Wednesday through Saturday. Bookstore/cafe/blues venue Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe & Grille serves up live blues and rockabilly from Wednesday through Saturday. This neighborhood institution is open late every night except Friday and Saturday, when they don't close at all. Fans of rock & roll should head to the 14th and U Corridor where they'll find the Black Cat. This venue's Concert Room, which books the best alternative and independent bands around, offers great live music at a rock-bottom door price. The Black Cat's Red Room, with its separate entrance, offers a wide selection of microbrews on tap, as well as pool tables and a killer jukebox. Nightclub 9:30 is Washington DC's premiere alternative rock club. Bands from R.E.M. to Nirvana trod the boards at their original venue. Since moving to a larger, 900-capacity location that was once the old Wust Music Hall, 9:30 offers great music seven nights a week. This multilevel club features four full bars as well as coffee and food for those who have to drive home. If your taste runs to things Celtic, you can order Guinness on tap and take in the pub food and Irish folk music offered at Dubliner Restaurant and Pub. Aficionados of African and Caribbean rhythms should check out Kilimanjaro, where the beat goes on from Monday through Saturday. For an elegant evening, don your best attire (for gentlemen that means a jacket and tie) and head for the Rooftop Terrace at the Kennedy Center. This swank lounge and restaurant offers live music and a panoramic view of the Potomac, Georgetown, and the capital's lighted monuments. It's open from Tuesday through Saturday, and reservations are strongly suggested. What could be more appropriate than political satire in Washington, DC? The singing comedy troupe Capital Steps has poked fun at the government since the first Reagan administration, at venues ranging from early-morning TV shows to the White House. When these former Capitol Hill staffers are not on the road supporting their albums (which include "Fools on the Hill," "A Whole Newt World," and "Sixteen Scandals"), you can catch their show Fridays and Saturdays at Chelsea's Cabaret. Call first to make sure they'll be performing. For up-to-date schedules and venue information, consult Washington DC's free weekly City Paper.
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