If you are a fan of my journals, you will know that no trip is complete for me without a little nightlife thrown in for good measure, and what better way to jiggle away all the chowder calories than a good club!!

We were recommended Avalon by the bloke that worked the door at our hotel, as I wanted a good techno music night. We took the T over to the Fenway (Kenmore was nearest T stop) area, which had quite a lot of bars and clubs all around. Avalon would have been easy to find we had been looking rather than getting distracted by all the neon in that area.

It was $15 to get in, though I’m sure the prices vary depending on the night and time you go in. There was already quite a line forming at 11:30pm, which surprised me, and the doormen seemed to be quite picky. As this is advertised as the biggest (and best) club in Boston, I guess they can afford to be.

I also noticed that whilst we were there on a regular night, from the fliers being passed out, Avalon sees its fair share of big-name DJs, though the nights did seem to vary a lot between techno and hip-hop. One night Sean Paul would be pulling the crowd and the following night they had Tiesto, so be sure to check first on their WEBSITE.

As you enter the club, you are blown away by the sound system. It was amazing, with some great lights and lasers. Tucked away are secluded VIP areas, but the main dance floor is the place to be anyway. At various points in the evening, the ceiling would lower and the lasers became more intense.

There was a stage at the front with go-go dancers, but not the usual just bikini-clad ones. These had extravagant costumes and could actually really dance!! I liked it. and as the night progressed, the dancers gave mini shows, sometimes in Asian outfits, another time with glow-in-the-dark capes.
The crowd was young and fun, and the dancing was serious techno, but everyone was just about having a good time and no one cared how anyone else moved or grooved. It was the kind of club I could have stayed partying in all night and not cared about drinking (which was good, as the bar wasn’t cheap).

When it was time to go, of course the T was no longer running, but it was easy enough to hail a cab, and it was just $10 back to the hotel.

The venue was very cozy; it felt like the bands were very close. The sound was excellent; we could hear from any point in the club. The ceiling looked a little old and rundown, but it had a certain charm to it anyway, kind of an old barn or auditorium type of feel. The bar was really cool looking. There were couches to sit on upstairs. The crowd was pretty respectful.

Modest Mouse played at a bar across from Fenway called Avalon. Awesome show. They mostly played stuff from the new album. They kept things really subdued too, which was probably good since there were so many meatballs in the audience. They sold the place out, but we got tickets on Craigslist. The city closes up early though. Modest Mouse was done by 10pm. The bars are mostly done at 1am.

Thursday night is international night. You'll see a lot of international students with loads of money to spend. But fine girls (or guys) are around to make everything worth it.

I'm not the biggest club kid in the world, but Avalon is decent for the every-so-often clubgoer. Call ahead beforehand (617 262-2424) to find out the age limit (the standard in Boston is often 19+, but it can vary between 18+ and 21+). As a dance club, Avalon plays your standard dance/Top 40 stuff. It also hosts various shows and events, ranging from DJs to live rock acts. Smoky, but you're not there to breathe. You're there to dance.