Mad Planet
533 E. Center St.
263-4555

As a rock club, Mad Planet is one of the city’s finest, a perfectly sized venue for mid-level touring bands and popular local acts. When bands aren’t playing, though, the venue doubles as a full-out dance club. Every Friday, its ’80s-themed Retro Dance Party attracts a clientele as diverse as you’d expect from the Riverwest neighborhood, including punks, Goths and hipsters seldom found clubbing elsewhere. And with its cheap $4 or $5 cover, the night offers more bang for your buck than many of the Downtown clubs. (E.R.)

Runners-up: Heart Breakers, Shank Hall