Kolkata is a big, sophisticated city with a wide array of evening entertainment on offer from the sophisticated to the sleezy.

Theatre and Dance: Regular dance, music and theatre programmes are held at Nandan Complex, 1/1A AJC Bose Road, near Cathedral Street (tel: (033) 2223 1210), which includes the Rabindra Sadan (tel: (033) 2223 9936), specialising in Bengali poetry readings, dance and drama and Sisir Mancha (tel: (033) 2223 9917), which hosts mainly Bengali musical evenings. Kala Mandir, 48 Shakespeare Sarani (tel: (033) 2240 2197) often puts on English-language music, drama or dance performances. There are also regular music, dance and theatre performances at the Academy of Fine Arts, 2 Cathedral Road

Bars and Clubs: There are many bars in restaurants around Park Street, good for a few drinks albeit in slightly boozy all-male environment (lone women should probably avoid them), and a few upmarket trendy clubs in top-class hotels, but little in between. Kolkata lacks a middle ground of mainstream pubs popular with a mix of people, the like seen in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, but there is certainly a growing number and variety of venues.

Most nightclubs have a mix of Western music and Hindi pop, with variations of reggae, blues, trance and of course banghra, and remixes of everything else. Dress code for hotel nightclubs is smart casual; locals are fashion conscious and often dress to be seen - and that's just the men.

The city also has a history of a strong 'club culture' - that is the private members' variety, rather than dancing. Visitors may be allowed in without a member.

Dublin, ITC Sonar Bangla Sheraton, is Irish-bar-style, with a packed dance floor at weekends and different sections with contrasting ambience. The Park Hotel, 17 Park Street, has a great selection of drinking and dancing: Someplace Else, an English-style pub with different live music every night; Tantra, a very stylish, lounge; and Roxy, which has the atmosphere of a classy bar with soothing lighting and music and also serves food also.

Live Music: There are many performances of traditional live music throughout the week. Venues include the Academy of Fine Arts

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