Nightlife in Baton Rouge
Valentine's Day with Le'Moine
Valentine's Day with Le'Moine and J. Holiday on Saturday, January 24, at 8 p.m. (Up to 74% Off)
Le’Moine bathes the crowd in romantic sounds along with J. Holiday (“Bed”), Ian Von, and Latangela Fay; comic D’Lai lightens the mood
Baton Rouge River Center Arena
$38.30 $10
Select Local Merchants
Who's Who boasts a menu of signature cocktails and a sweeping selection of more than 25 spirits. The Above the Line lounge, tucked cozily behind a retail area offering wine and cigars, beckons to oenophiles and martiniphiles alike with leather couches, soft lighting, and slender pub tables on which patrons can sophisticatedly fill in their coloring books. While enjoying live music, creatures of the night can suck down a Vampire's Kiss ($10), a seductive combination of Absolut vodka, Chambord, lemon juice, and champagne. Technologically inclined tipplers can feast their eyes on two large flat-screen TVs while feasting their faces on the iMartini ($8), which finds Svedka Clementine, white-grape juice, sour, and confectionary pearls. Fine vodkas, whiskeys, and other spirits line the walls, awaiting their fates in neat tumblers or in watering cans to sprinkle on party-loving houseplants.
In addition to shaking up myriad specialty martinis, the staff at Duvic’s Martini Lounge piles plates with a slew of Cajun-inspired bar staples. Duck, crawfish, and pork cohabitate in savory boudin balls ($6), and spicy-bacon creole cream cheese oozes from fried louisiana shrimp ($7) like charm from a New England bed-and-breakfast. Duck-fat fries ($5) can accompany a half-pound burger, showcasing a brioche bun loaded with beef that's ground in-house ($7.50). Duvic’s signature martinis include the key lime pie, a blend of Stoli Vanil, melon liqueur, fresh lime, pineapple juice, and cream served in a graham-cracker-rimmed glass. Chocolaty drinks abound, such as the mint chocolate chip, chocolate raspberry, or white chocolate, and the Cajun martini tempts sippers with a mixture of tabasco, okra, and spicy green beans zesty enough to make maracas shake themselves.
Sporting the highly hummable melodies of composer Gioachino Rossini, The Barber of Seville kicks off Opéra Louisiane's fourth season on Sunday, November 14 with a comic tale of romance and deception. Lead warblers Leah Wool and Jason Detwiler—both veterans of their roles—help set the tone for a production that will engage ears with an auditory high five and eyes with a visual feast of opera meats.
Video Games Live, presented as a finale to the Red Stick International Animation Festival, has become a global phenomenon by blending live symphonic performances of video game music with dynamic video and multimedia elements. With the help of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conductor Wataru Hokoyama, and a cheat code that gives musicians an unlimited supply of treble clefs, Video Games Live will enthrall its audience with the sights and sounds of classic games as well as more recent screen sensations over the course of two-and-a-half-hours. The exact musical lineup varies by performance, but VGL's regular repertoire includes the well-known notes of Mario, Zelda, Halo, and Warcraft. A synchronized light and laser show and live-action stage actors also add to the entertainment buffet, and special interactive segments will allow some lucky audience members to become part of their favorite games in a way not seen since the marriage of beer and Pong.
The Cove’s taste-bud-boggling array of single malts ensnares both walk-in connoisseurs and private-tasting aesthetes with its caramel-brown mouth velvet. Tasting attendees, in intimate groups no larger than 10, test-drive scotch from each of Scotland’s six producing regions in order to appreciate the peatiness of Islay’s elixir, the deep smokiness of Highlands’ quaffables, and the hair-turn handling of Speyside’s concoctions. Each tasting features a different set of six, plus one bonus scotch, drawn from The Cove’s laundry-list menu. While scotch enthusiasts savor their samples, a staff expert narrates the magical beverage’s rich history, explaining reasons for geographical differences and demonstrating the adhesiveness of the tape from which the drink takes its name. Tastings may be scheduled Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays starting at 7 p.m., and last an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the engagement of guests.
As ceiling fans whir and beer signs cast a neon glow inside Rickochet Billiards, pool balls clack against each other and head-nodding beats keep the atmosphere upbeat seven nights a week. Stick-wielding customers face off at one of many pool tables, or grasp controllers to play video games on big-screen TVs. Bartenders at the full-service bar dispense draft beers and cocktails, accompanied by menu items including cheese sticks, pizza, wings, and onion rings. Daily specials include 8-ball tournaments, cue stick and case raffles, and showdowns to determine who can hold the most pool balls in their mouth.