This is an odd little thing in the center of Florence--an American style live music club. There's a bar up front, and in back are rows of benches and long tables, a bandstand, and a dance floor. Its rough, red and black decor fits the unpretentious atmosphere. The crowd there was late teens to mid-twenties, I would say (my husband and I and one set of parents were the only ones over thirty, except the staff). The act was a one-man show who played guitar and sang to his canned rhythm section, but he managed to work the crowd into a dancing frenzy. He covered everything from the Beatles to Richie Valens to Ricky Martin to Sting. The kids dancing were a fun combination of American students and Italian youth. The Italians were mesmerized when an American girl exhibited her salsa skills--smooth as silk.

Since cover is free, it might be worth a stop in after 10:30 or 11:00 to see who's playing. But if you're not comfortable among the vibrancy of youth, you might be better off sipping campari at a sidewalk table somewhere else.