Central LA _________________________________________________________________ B-SIDE Checca, 7323 Santa Monica Boulevard., L.A. (213) 960-5148 The exterior appearance of a swanky bistro conceals down-to-earth groove quarters, while the mindset of the many is cosmic. Separating ambiance from gyration, one room mixes danceable funk, soul and acid jazz, while the other slips in a mellower version of same. The crowd is casual, laid back and snap-finger cool. B-Side also occasionally features live music of similar vibes. Wed.; no cover; 21 and over. MAYAN NIGHT CLUB 1038 South Hill Street, downtown (213) 746-4287 What was once a grand venue for movies and theater showcases is now home to salsa on the ground floor, and hip-hop and disco upstairs. Absolutely gorgeous, with intricately detailed design evident indoors and out, the Mayan is worth visiting simply for the architecture. Fri.; $12; 21 and over. PASION 12215 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City (818) 752-7333 even, to dance to the beat of such a differeIt's singles night at Pasion and the flavor is salsa. This elegant supper club features live sounds from a stage large enough to accommodate a 20-piece band. After the performance, DJ inspiration takes over. The sartorial sense is semi-casual, bleeding class all over. Sun.; $5, two-drink min.; Thur., no cover; 21 and over. EROTICITY Glam Slam, 333 South Boylston Street, downtown (213) 482-6626 The man formerly known as Prince will not let you forget who owns the place. His bi-gender insignia adorns nearly every crevice. Two bare-skinned females -- the equivalent of 20-foot Oscars -- stand opposite each other holding up the building. The crowd reeks of style, with an emphasis on sexy, while the mood's seductive. There's a huge dance floor for hip-hop, funk, retro and an occasional treat of unreleased material from Him. Fri.; $10; 21 and over. GLOBAL JAM Savannah West, 12100 Wilshire Blvd., West .L.A. (310) 207-3333 Sporting a southern, Gone With the Wind, setting, this upscale dance spot is dripping with sheer elegance. Even the men's bathroom is exquisitely garnished with fresh-cut flowers. Tunes include reggae with a little Top 40 dance. There's a lounge for unwinding and an outdoor patio bar to catch a cool, refreshing dose of sea breeze. Fri.; $10; 21 and over. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Long Beach: BLUE CAFE 210 The Promenade, Long Beach (310) 983-7111 South Bay residents culture-starved from a lack of clubs in the heart of the city, don't fret. Blue Cafe's young, casually dressed clientele lives it up to alternative rock bands and dance medleys. While the music blares downstairs, the pace upstairs is a little calmer, as billiard balls beg to be racked. The outdoor patio is perfect for summer. Mon.; $4-$5; 21 and over. LIVE BAIT 6251 East Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach (310) 594-6775 Wanna play volleyball? Yup, it's a beach motif -- neon scrawl desecrates the walls as overhead surfboards skim waves of alternative rock peppered with house and disco. Pool tables and video games help kill time as you decide whether to venture onto a cramped dance floor. Wear shorts or a tie, they don't mind, fer sure. Fri.-Sat.; $3; 21 and over. _________________________________________________________________ West Hollywood: TAM TAM Luna Park, 665 North Robertson Boulevard., West Hollywood (310) 652-0611 Moving through the many rooms of this two-story complex is as much fun as prying into your neighbor's medicine cabinet. The main room is for foot shuffling to world music such as salsa, New Orleans blues, funk and soukous. Then there's the cabaret featuring similar beats. The restaurant is a getaway from the two previous quarters, and the outdoor patio is an escape from all of the above. Sat.; $10; 21 and over. VIPER ROOM 8852 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood (310) 358-1880 Hate to drag out those skeletons, but this is what the people crave. River Phoenix's untimely passage has made this club infamous. However, the pleasant vibes, and opportunities to see live stars like club owner Johnny Depp, keep 'em coming. Tues.; $10; 21 and over. HOUSE OF BLUES 8430 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood The exterior could pass as a rural country shack if it wasn't so damn big. Inside, a Cajun, New Orleansflavored scheme refuses to admit it's in Tinseltown. Blues tunes are set aside one night a week for energetic house music. And though it almost seems unjust, sacrilegious even, to dance to the beat of such a different drummer, the thought quickly fades into guilt-free bliss. Wed.; $10; 21 and over. CHERRY Love Lounge, 657 North Robertson Boulevard., West Hollywood (310) 659-0472 Cherry is not for the meek. It's loud, flamboyant, anti-pretty, and patrons possess that devil-may-care attitude. Musical blasts range from '70s rock to '90s alternative. If dancing to bands like Hole is a challenge, just follow the lead from male and female exotic hip-masters onstage. While slurping down drinks, overhead projections of '60s cult films like Beyond the Valley of the Dolls will keep your mind focused. Fri.; $10; 21 and over. _________________________________________________________________ Hollywood Proper: CIRCUS 6655 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood (213) 462-1291 Once you pass the circus-tent facade, the night shifts into hyperdrive. The main dance floor, large enough to house the Goodyear blimp, delivers high-energy house, techno and salsa in a nonstop fervor. A disco inferno woos equally frantic booty-shakers in a more intimate chamber. The mostly Latino crowd is young and vibrant. Sat.; $10; 21 and over. CLUB WITH NO NAME Dragonfly, 6510 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood (213) 466-6111 To mutilate Henry Ford's immortal words, you'll find patrons donning every color imaginable, as long as it's black. A gothic congregation that would make Trent Reznor proud swiftly glides to the beat of alternative and industrial sounds. Live bands further torture these creatures of the night in a separate alcove. Wed.; $6; 21 and over. COSMOS 1608 Cosmo Street, Hollywood (213) 466-7800 They'll play that funky music 'til you die at this cozy shack. After reaching a fever pitch from oscillating wildly, head upstairs and slow your heartbeat on Victorian couches 'til you're ready for another dose of wigglin'. If that doesn't help, try the outdoor patio for a breath of our freshly contaminated air. You'll get a healthy serving from L.A.'s cultural melting pot here. Spiffy duds are not required. Fri.-Sat.; $5; 21 and over. CRUSH BAR 1743 North Cahuenga Boulevard, Hollywood (213) 463-7685 Motown melodies continue to thrive at Crush Bar, which aspires to a nostalgic feel of simpler times. Which epoch is not quite clear since the music mix also includes '60s soul and '70s retro. But folks buy into the time-blender theme, wrapping themselves in garments from various eras. Fri.-Sat.; $8; 21 and over. DUBWISE Webb Nightbar, 5657 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood (213) 467-4068 Because of the shortage of reggae venues in L.A., Dubwise has been enthusiastically embraced by clubgoers. An open-minded posse prances weekly to tempos from roots to dancehall on the massive floor. Visit Dubwise on the right night and you'll be treated to live jams. There's no specific crowd here, so enjoy the diversity. Mon.; $5; 21 and over. _________________________________________________________________ EMPRIE Diamond Club, 7070 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (213) 969-2545 Hosting a mishmash of cultures and dress senses, Empire churns out rave-paced techno and house in the main room, while relaxing the tempo with funk and hip-hop in a smaller, adjacent dance space. You'll encounter another room for schmoozing hidden near the entrance. Fri.; $10; 21 and over. FLORENTINE GARDENS 5951 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (213) 464-0706 With merciless, break-neck speed, techno and progressive house slam onto the huge dance floor as local radio station Power 106 broadcasts live. Mixing noise -- heavy on the boom please -- for a young, diverse assembly, Florentine Gardens continues the party ('til 4 a.m., thank you) long after other clubgoers are counting sheep. Sat.; $10; 21 and over. HELTER SKELTER The Probe, 836 North Highland Avenue, Hollywood (213) 462-7442 Competing with Club With No Name for the gloomier-than-thou category is this nocturnal cavern. It's moved to several different locations over the years, yet the undead horde continues to religiously follow. Expect dark, hypnotic and soul-searching industrial music and physical interiors as black as the mood. Wed.; $7; 18 and over. KLUB KIIS The Palace, 1735 North Vine Street, Hollywood (213) 462-3000 KIIS-FM radio extends house, hip-hop and Top 40 sounds at this youth hangout. At particularly busy times, the immense ground floor has been mistaken for a sardine cannery; however, the upstairs dancehall usually has enough space for the sl-i-ide portion of the Tootsie Roll. Sat.; $10; 18 and over. THE FLY Dragonfly, 6510 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood (213) 466-6111 When entering for dancin', you may notice a band setting up to pump out hard-and-heavy R&R. Don't be alarmed. Just groove on over to the adjacent dance room for some bass-slapping funk and retro vibes. The floor is bacon-strip long and narrow -- ideal for "unintended" elbow grinding. Rest stops aren't mandatory, yet no one will keep you from visiting the outdoor lounge where serene sounds emanate from a trickling fountain. Attire is as flashy or casual as you dare. Sat.; $10; 21 and over. PUBLIC SPACE LACE, 1622 Schrader Boulevard, Hollywood (213) 486-4536 This warehouse-size shanty imprisons ambiant waves, delivering an ultra-relaxed environment. But wait, there's more: it's also a cafe, though sculptures and paintings could leave the impression that it's a gallery too. Bands have been known to play too, and it's all for one of the most reasonable covers in town. Fri.-Sat.; $3; 18 and over. SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER Diamond Club, 7070 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (213) 848-9300 Dust off that white leisure suit and those platform shoes, the night is young baby, and the superflies are on the prowl. This hot spot has attracted a diverse gathering of class and culture naturally, no one group has laid claim to the '70s as their era. Like it or not, that even, to dance to the beat of such a differedecade belongs to us all. Anyway, the results are non-threatening flamboyance and lots of carefree swingin'. Sat.; $12; 21 and over. THE SELLOUT Dragonfly, 6510 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood (213) 466-6111 If dancing to punk rock seems impossible, you just haven't tried hard enough. To instigate the primal urge to slam, pogo or whatever, the DJ score includes angst-driven favorites from veterans such as Black Flag in addition to the melodic whinings of newcomers like rock stars Green Day. Check your attitude at the door, 'cause there's no hate at this joint. Tues.; $5; 21 and over. STIGMATA The Probe, 836 Highland Avenue, Hollywood (213) 462-7442 As you may guess from the club name, patrons are drop-dead serious about being serious. And while pearly whites are rarely happily flashed, there's no shortage of dancing. Musical selections are adventurous, exploring various rock genres spanning the last decade. Fri., 'til 4 a.m.; $8; 18 and over. _________________________________________________________________ Pasadena: CLUB DIVA Club Shelter, 40 South Pasadena Avenue, Pasadena (818) 577-4040 With the entrance tucked in an alley, Club Diva has a dangerous air. But this is Old Town Pasadena, where it's simply considered a development opportunity. The club features very safe dancing to house, funk and old school on the ground floor, while casual cocktail sippers and voyeurs alike lounge around upstairs. Dress to impress, or at least tuck in your shirt. Fri., $5; Sun., $10; 21 and over. Q'S BILLIARD CLUB 99 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena (818) 405-9777 Cleverly masquerading as a semi-casual bar and billiards room, Q's reserves a space for sweaty rump bouncin' to a beat that varies from '70s funk to modern house jams. If it gets too crowded on the ground floor, or in the billiard zone and bar quarters, there's a last resort of relaxation downstairs with the pool sharks. Thurs.-Sat.; $5; 21 and over.