Whether the men's basketball team can sustain last Sunday's momentum through next weekend or not, the city of Atlanta has the entertainment options to keep spring-breaking fans' energy levels up during their trip down South.
Younger than nightlife mainstays such as New York and Los Angeles, media-rich Atlanta has yet to become an entertainment mecca. But with a rich store of Internet startups-and their young employees-and its reputation as a pillar of modern media, Ted Turner's playground is rapidly becoming the South's entertainment capital to reckon with.
"It's like going to Vegas," said an Atlanta club owner who goes only by Pablo. "You can do all the touristy stuff, but there are some underground clubs as well."
Pablo runs a club called Karma, the closest nightclub to the Georgia Dome and one of a few dance clubs in the heart of downtown. A sprawling three-level structure, Karma is one of Atlanta's hottest celebrity destinations, having hosted the likes of Prince, 'NSync, Christina Aguilera and Spike Lee in recent months. And although the club caters to the ritzy Eurotrash set-the sound is all about deep house and uptempo big beat music-the cover charge is low (usually $10) and the atmosphere is inviting. That is especially true of tomorrow night, when the club hosts "Strip Poker with DJ Dove."
"It's the American dream," Pablo said. "It's sex, music and gambling." Ten bucks at the door buys you a stash of gambling chips, which you can use in the "casino" area on the top floor, along with dancing on the lower levels. As for the "strip" part? Once you're
Also almost in spitting distance of the Dome is the CNN Center location of Jocks N' Jills, a sports bar chain that boasts seven locations in the Atlanta area. Located two blocks from the ACC action, the bar offers 175 televisions and at least 16 beers on tap.
"We do this every year," said manager Ed Seay, who added that although there will not be any ACC specials this year, the bar is adding extra beer outlets to deal with the overflow crowd-Seay expects 5,000 people to overcrowd the bar's 1,500-person capacity. But there is a bit of bad news-the bar shuts its doors at midnight.
For a broader, later range of party action, Atlanta's Buckhead district is the college crowd's choice. With over 100 bars, restaurants and nightclubs, a typical weekend night at Buckhead means clogged avenues and constant insanity, as the city's youthful set descends on the area for late nights of dancing, drinking and a healthy sprinkling of debauchery.
Even if it is not near the beach, Buckhead keeps up the spring break vibe at BAR, which claims to be "Atlanta's wildest weekend party spot." With a youthful crowd and a stripped-down feel, BAR gives you the chance to become the maniac you never knew you were-and it is open until 3:30 a.m. Stop at BAR early in your visit-Thursday night is college night.
One of Buckhead's truly brew-centric establishments is the Rock Bottom Restaurant, a basic microbrewery that is a mainstay with beer lovers. With a healthy selection of homemade ales, stouts, lagers and pilsners-not to mention pool tables-Rock Bottom is the place for folks who want to knock them back in style.
If you are more in the mood for rocking out than breaking it down, Atlanta still has some answers-early in the weekend, at least. The spirit of the '70s haunts Thursday night, when the Van Zant Brothers (as in, deceased Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie Van Zant) break out the Southern skronk at the Tabernacle, the city's most ornate live music venue. For the more independent-minded, the tiny Echo Lounge serves up underground favorites Guided By Voices tonight, with the spaced-out surf-punk sound of Alabamians Man Or Astro-Man taking over tomorrow. If you would rather stick closer to the known end of the musical universe, pop-rock maestro Matthew Sweet promises a two-plus hour set at the upscale, mid-size Roxy Theatre in Buckhead tomorrow.
Once you are worn out from your night of partying, Atlanta has plenty of places to sip a cup of coffee or get a late-night bite. If hot doughnuts are your idea of how to settle your stomach, there is a 24-hour Krispy Kreme in the heart of midtown. For breakfast-and-burger aficionados, Buckhead's OK Cafe has the late-night market cornered until 3 a.m.
But if you are trying to fill your spring break with both sport and sleaze, Atlanta's super-sketchy Clermont Lounge is the city's premier dive-bar domain. With a packed, hot dance floor and strippers to boot, Clermont is the kind of place that can make even a less-than-innocent Duke student feel unclean.
But that's OK-after a long weekend of basketball, it will be time to hit the showers anyway.
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