Jason Toft

Whether your taste runs toward Jimi Hendrix or Pearl Jam, no visit to Seattle would be complete without checking out the city's diverse music scene.

Many live music clubs are right downtown, featuring both the local blend of Seattle-talent as well as national touring acts. The Crocodile, Graceland, and Showbox cater mostly to the indie-rock crowd, while jazz and world music can be found at Jazz Alley and Tula's. Fans of rockabilly and alt-country can get their fix in the Ballard neighborhood, at venues such as the Tractor and the Sunset Tavern. There are also lots of DJ/dance/variety options-the Nation, I-Spy, and Rebar are all downtown, while Chop Suey is the latest hip club in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Those who just want to "go out" can find numerous blues and reggae bars in historic Pioneer Square, and anyone interested in the legacy of rock should schedule a visit to Seattle's fancy new museum at the base of the Space Needle: The Experience Music Project, which includes exhibits, live stages, a DJ lounge, and much more. For those of you staying near the University of Washington campus, local watering holes such as the College Inn, Big-Time Brewery, and the Blue Moon will keep you occupied in the immediate neighborhood.
All of these venues are within an easy bus ride or even walk from the downtown Convention Center, so don't be afraid to get rid of that extra energy that builds up as you take in the scientific sessions at the conference!

The music scene ebbs and floods with the tides, so the following web sites will help you plan your attack :www.thestranger.com and www.seattleweekly.com. Seattle's free alternative weekly newspapers feature club listings, musical events, and a whole lot more.

Seattle's listener-powered radio station, www.kexp.org, has with a live web-broadcast to prep your arrival, and an events link for club listings. Bus routes and schedules are online at transit.metrokc.gov/tops/bus/bus.html. The Convention Center has its own stop in the bus tunnel, so there's no excuse not to get around…