• Matthew Thorsen
• Light Club Lamp Shop

Light Club Lamp Shop

12 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington, radiobean.com

The Light Club Lamp Shop is among the most beautifully appointed spots in Burlington. While you're enjoying everything from folk quartets to spoken word poetry to experimental cabaret, it's perfectly natural to be distracted by the club's dazzling display of lamps, sconces and chandeliers — all of which are for sale, by the way. The sister biz of global street-food restaurant ¡Duino! (Duende) and coffee shop/live music venue Radio Bean, the Light Club Lamp Shop is the perfect spot for date nights, group hangs and even flying solo.

ArtsRiot

400 Pine St., Burlington, artsriot.com

Equal parts restaurant, rock club and community gathering space, this chic South End hub has some of the most diverse programming in town. Surf-rock bands, political puppet shows and Moth storytelling hours all happen here.

Half Lounge

136 1/2 Church St., Burlington, Facebook

This diminutive dance club takes its name from its unusual address — and from how darn small it is. Late-night revelers get loose as resident DJs spin house, disco, hip-hop and whatever else gets the party started.

Higher Ground

1214 Williston Rd., South Burlington, highergroundmusic.com

Higher Ground is Vermont's premier concert hall, split into two separate performance spaces. The grand Ballroom hosts some of the biggest names in the biz, while the smaller Showcase Lounge stages tomorrow's up-and-comers.

The Monkey House

30 Main St., Winooski, monkeyhousevt.com

One of the longest-standing businesses on the Winooski roundabout, the Monkey House is the Onion City's go-to spot for live music. Its large sidewalk patio is perfect for post-work pints and late-night laughs.

Nectar's

188 Main St., Burlington, liveatnectars.com

The storied venue presents a wide variety of music genres, including soul, funk, reggae, hip-hop, jam and blues. The club also serves up one of the area's most popular trivia nights and the best gravy fries around. Head upstairs to Club Metronome for your dance fix.

The Skinny Pancake

60 Lake St., Burlington, skinnypancake.com

This crêperie is just steps away from Burlington's Waterfront Park. Fans of folk, Americana and roots music will love the café's laid-back energy — and, in the warmer months, its expansive patio.