Johannesburg Nightlife:
Nightlife in Johannesburg is lively and dynamic. From shebeens and pubs to fancy cocktail lounges and clubs, the city has something for everyone. Melville is one of the most popular areas: there are dozens of little bars around Seventh Street. More affluent party animals favour Rosebank, Norwood, Rivonia and Orange Grove, while in the Central Business District, Newtown is a big draw. For listings on nightlife in Johannesburg.

Culture in Johannesburg ranges from small projects and artistic developments to comedy acts, large-scale operas, art exhibitions, intimate theatre performancse and poetry readings. For listings, consult the Tonight supplement of the city's main daily newspaper.

Tickets to cultural events are available from Computicket (tel: (011) 340 8000 or 083 915 8000), the national reservations system, which also has kiosks in the larger shopping malls.

Music.

Carfax:
The lusty lyrics and irresistible dance beats of kwaito can be heard blasting out of taxis, clubs, shebeens and street parties throughout Johannesburg. The genre uses local languages and street slang in lyrics that reflect life in South Africa and employs a distinct South African style of dancing and dressing.You can listen to kwaito at a number of venues in the city, including Carfax.

39 Pim Street
Tel: (011) 834 9187.

Kippies Jazz Club:
Jazz is also popular and one of the best venues in Johannesburg is Newtown's Kippies Jazz Club.

Market Theatre, 121 Bree Street
Tel: (011) 836 1805.

Theatre.

Market Theatre Company:
Since 1976 and the days of protest theatre, the Market Theatre Company has gained a reputation for putting on productions that are socially relevant.

121 Bree Street, Newtown
Tel: (011) 832 1641.

Civic Theatre Complex:
This complex comprises the Nelson Mandela Theatre (formerly Civic Main), Tesson, Thabong and Pieter Roos theatres and an art gallery. Shows are mainly local productions, musicals, ballet, comedy and pantomime (when in season). The incredibly powerful 26-strong Soweto Gospel Choir regularly play here too.

Loveday Street, Braamfontein
Tel: (011) 877 6800.

Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre
Owned by the great impresario who gave it his name, this theatre gives both new and established artistes opportunities for new directions and growth. The complex includes a 1,900-seater theatre.

Shop 65, Montecasino Boulevard, Fourways
Tel: (011) 511 1818.

The Sound Stage
Another well known theatre and cabaret figure, Richard Loring, runs a supper theatre, The Sound Stage.

Old Pretoria Road, Midrand
Tel: (011) 315 5084.

Dance.

Dance Factory:
This hosts a huge range of international and local performers, often mixing classical and ethnic styles.

President Street, Newtown Cultural Precinct
Tel: (011) 833 1347.

Bars
City nightlife item
Catz Pajamas
In Melville, Catz Pajamas is a 24-hour restaurant and pub housed in an old building with an iron balcony where you can watch the sun come up over breakfast after a night's partying. From insomniacs to fashionistas, it has big appeal.

Main Road
Tel: (011) 726 8596.

City nightlife item
Cool Runnings:
This spot has a reggae theme and hosts weekly live comedy in the Dungeon on a Sunday.

Fourth Avenue
Tel: (011) 482 4786.

City nightlife item
Radium Beer Hall:
One of the city's oldest bars. The Radium Beer Hall started life as a tea room in 1929, was converted to a beer hall in 1944 and has never looked back. The long bar is the original bar from the Ferreirastown Hotel from the early mining days. Decorated in vintage posters and press clippings, it has a great ambience.

282 Louis Botha Avenue, Orange Grove
Tel: (011) 728 3866.

City nightlife item
Katzy's
Also in Rosebank in the mall attached to the Park Hyatt, Katzy's is very popular with the northern suburbs affluent residents and offers fat sofas, chunky bricks, soft blues music and a top-of-the-range selection of cigars, cognacs and whiskies. The adjoining Grillhouse restaurant specialising in steaks adds to its allure.

The Firs, Hyatt Shopping Centre, Oxford Road
Tel: (011) 880 3945.

City nightlife item
Melrose Arch
This is a trendy piazza-style complex with a number of fashionable places to eat and drink.Try the stylish bar in the Melrose Arch Hotel with its stylish dark wood bar, leather armchairs and unique modern African décor.

Corlett Drive, Melrose

Clubs.

City nightlife item
Monsoon Lagoon
When it comes to nightlife in Johannesburg, this is the city's most upmarket club. Monsoon Lagoon offers extravagant décor, high-tech sound equipment and a team of professional dancers who strut their stuff on podiums.

Emperor's Palace Casino in Kempton Park
Tel: (011) 928 1000.

City nightlife item
Tokyo Star
Melville has its fair share of trendy nightclubs. Tokyo Star is decorated in Japanese pop culture décor and sushi is available.

Fourth Avenue, Melville
Tel: (072) 478 2592.

City nightlife item
Horror Café
In Newtown, the Horror Cafe is decorated with horror movie memorabilia and plays African music including the infectious kwaito at the weekends.

15 Miriam Makeba Street

City nightlife item
The Rock
This is one of Soweto's trendiest clubs, which again features kwaito and jazz, a large bar, roof deck and dance floor.

1987 Vundla Street, Rockville
Tel: (011) 986 8182.

City nightlife item
Reality
One of the favoured venues for raves are Reality which has three dance floors and offers a blend of hip hop, house and drum'n'bass.