Dancing with the underage stars
Are you in college and sick of being excluded from the club scene because you're not 21? Promoters and club owners throughout Boston are looking to change that with regular dance nights that don't sacrifice hipness to stay open to an 18-plus crowd.
The after-hours club Rise, for night owls who feel like dancing after the clubs close, is 18+ all the time. Tonight, Rise has booked Boston's biggest techno celebrities, Hush and Bons, to keep the upstairs dance room bumpin' until 6:30 a.m. It's a private club, meaning you've got to land a spot on the guest list (call or e-mail the club) or shell out for a yearly membership. 18+ Tonight, doors at 1:30 a.m. $10 members, $20 guests. 306 Stuart St. 617-423-7473. riseclub.us
Next month, Basstown at Great Scott is going 18+ for one night only. On April 7, Gui Boratto, a widely acclaimed minimal-techno producer from Brazil, will play the special undergraduate-friendly event. Check basstown .net. 18+ April 7. Doors at 9 p.m. $12, $10 advance. Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Ave. 617-566-9014. greatscottboston.com
Throwed!, a new monthly party at the Middle East, is backed by DJs who mix techno-inspired club hits and two-stepping Top 40s hip-hop tracks. They often team up with internationally renowned DJ Chris Devlin, known for his super-charged Baltimore-style party beats. Check for details of next month's banger at myspace.com/throwedboston. 18+ Doors at 8 p.m. $12, $10 advance. The Middle East Downstairs, 480 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge. 617-492-9181. mideastclub.com
For those who prefer dance-rock to hip-hop, Happy Endings at the Paradise is the place to go one Saturday a month. The Lounge is undergoing renovations soon, however, so the future of the night is up in the air. Check myspace.com/popthecork for details. 18+ Doors at 9 p.m. $6. 969 Commonwealth Ave. 617-562-8814. thedise.com
Max Pearl is a Hampshire College student who blogs about under-21 events in Boston. 