Compared to many US cities, where you need money and attitude in equal measure, San Francisco's nightlife scene demands little of either. It is not unusual for restaurants to provide live music and you can often eat and be entertained for no extra cost. This is no 24-hour city, and the approach to socializing is often surprisingly low-key, with little of the pandering to fads and fashions that goes on in New York or LA. For $30 you can get a decent night out, including cover charge and a few drinks. Always have your ID with you, otherwise you cannot get past the bouncers at all clubs and music venues. Though smoking is technically illegal in all bars and clubs, the law is routinely flouted by locals willing to risk a ticket.

The Sunday Chronicle 's "Pink Pages" supplement, along with the free weekly Bay Guardian or the San Francisco Weekly , are the best sources of listings . Ticketmaster (tel 415/421-8497, ) is the major ticket agency, with outlets in Tower Records and Rite Aid stores. Tickets.com (tel 415/478-2277, ) is also worth a try.

Bars
Since its lawless, boomtown days, San Francisco has been a drinking town. Even as the rest of California cleans up its act, San Franciscans continue to indulge; the city's bars vary from seedy late-night dives to rooftop piano lounges touting...
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Live music: rock, jazz and folk
San Francisco's music scene reflects the character of the city: laid-back, eclectic and not a little nostalgic. The options for catching live music are wide and the scene is definitely on the up and up, with the city regularly spawning good...
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Clubbing
While clubbing in San Francisco may not have the feverish following of other cities, the clubs that exist are encouragingly inexpensive, and you can leave your attitude at home. A recent spate of police raids has put something of a damper on...
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Classical music, opera and dance
Though the San Francisco arts scene has a reputation for provincialism, this is the only city on the west coast to boast its own professional symphony, ballet and opera companies. These companies rely entirely on private...
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Theater
The majority of the theaters in downtown's Theater District are not especially innovative, but tickets are reasonably inexpensive - up to $20 a seat - and there's usually good availability. The TIX Bay Area ticket booth in Union Square...
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Comedy clubs
Bay Area Theatresports Bayfront Theatre, Bldg B, Third floor, Fort Mason Center (Marina Blvd at Buchanan St) tel 415/474-6776. An acting-based improv group that can be hilariously spontaneous. Definitely a less predictable comedy night out than at...
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Sports in San Francisco
San Francisco's dedication to its professional sports teams can verge on the obsessive. Tickets for the big events can sell out, but it's usually possible to show up on the day, and it needn't cost all that much: an outfield seat to watch...
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