The most action you will get in downtown Tucson is on East Congress Street. This is your one stop for music, clothing, food and bars.
Club Asylum
When tired of your clubbing options on North Fourth Avenue and East University Boulevard, it is time to head to Club Asylum. Asylum is about drinking, dancing and socializing, and the people are nonjudgmental. Gothic pictures hang on the walls, and a large metal spirder hangs from the ceiling, adding to Asylum’s dark feel. The DJs stick mostly to industrial and house music but on Thursday you can catch them playing Brit pop and indie. Still not convinced to check it out? Keep in mind that Davey Havok, lead singer of AFI, frequented the club on the band’s last stop to Tucson. See, everyone is doing it. 121 E. Congress St.
Hydra
Naughty nurse, seductive maid or foxy firefighter ðð- just some of the costumes you will find at Hydra. Most students head here for outfits, but the store carries all kinds of edgy items. Walking through, you will find an assortment of men’s and women’s clothing, shoes, bags and glasses. The shoe collection is huge, with boots, stilettos and platforms. Although the store relies on the club and goth scene, it can appeal to everyone. Owner Margo Susco and the rest of her staff are some of the friendliest people on Congress and are completely knowledgeable about their store. 145 E. Congress St.
Club Congress
Club Congress is the most popular stop on East Congress Street. Located inside of the historic Hotel Congress, the club always delivers impressive dance nights, live music and a good selection of special events. Covers range from $3-$5, and there is always a variety of drink specials. The club is a small venue for concerts that give an up-close-and-personal feel to its shows. Club Congress hosts local bands to national favorites, Mostly Bears to Jimmy Eat World. It is also a hot spot during the semi-annual Club Crawl, Tucson’s downtown music festival. 311 E. Congress St.
Grill
Open 24 hours, Grill is the perfect place to get some food on those late nights. With its blue walls and red vinyl booths, Grill is the reflection of most ’50s diners. Its menu claims that breakfast is served until tomorrow and includes selections like Cap’n Crunch, tater tots and burgers. Although Grill has great food and an awesome staff, it is appealing because of its atmosphere. When you are done eating, make your way over to the other side of Grill to the Red Room. Known for having live music, the Red Room has a huge selection of beer. And don’t forget to read the back of Grill’s menu. It’s pretty legendary around these parts. 100 E. Congress St.
The Rialto Theatre
For Tucson, The Rialto Theatre is kind of a big deal. The Downtown landmark is where you can find concerts, comedy and other shows. Bringing in performances like Maroon 5, 311 and Plain White T’s, you can expect some of the biggest names at the venue. Most shows are 18 to party and 21 to drink, with events happening almost every night. You have the option of either being near the stage (watch out for crowd surfers) or you can chill on the balcony with a drink of your choice for a sky view of the show. After going through major renovations the theater has much better acoustics than before, and the quality of the concerts has greatly improved. 318 E. Congress St.
– compiled by Kara Slack
