Nightlife in Lansing

Having spawned hordes of comic luminaries in the last 30 years, including Mike Myers, Chris Farley, and Tina Fey, the revered iO Theater curates one-of-a-kind evenings of improv every night. Two spacious theaters host shows where everything from classic long-form improv and family-friendly fare to musical improv and improvised Shakespeare launch audiences into imaginative stories. A full-service bar in each theater allows audiences to hone spit-takes when sipping sudsy drafts and cocktails.

Founded by an Italian immigrant love-struck by the blues, Rosa's Lounge gathers minor-key maestros and their fans into a rollicking joint celebrated by Frommer's as "one of the best joints in town for spirited, authentic Chicago blues." Throughout its cozy, low-lit caverns, guests rock to the soulful strains of the guitar, the impassioned wail of the harmonica, and the haunting tinkle of the baritone glockenspiel. Since 1984, performers from a wide spectrum of styles have strode across the stage, from traditional Delta musicians such as Pinetop Perkins and David Honeyboy Edwards to the latter-day Chicago-school of blues folk such as Billy Branch and Sugar Blue.

Lively jazz tunes bounce off the brick walls, exposed rafters, and blue-tinged décor of Close Up 2 Jazz's South Loop location. Bartenders shake cocktail mixers in syncopation with smooth jazz that flows from a floor-level stage. Up-and-coming artists mix R & B and classical jazz in the loft-style lounge, whose music and ambiance have attracted numerous mentions in the press. Just steps from the LaSalle/Van Buren Brown Line stop, the chic club leaves its doors open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Saturdays to catch the postwork crowd and recently retired "L" train cars.

The private rooms at Lincoln Karaoke act as a lyrical playground for parties of crooning compatriots fueled by audience admiration and refreshments from the kitchen and bar. Sofas cushion spectators as soloists belt out the lyrics displayed on flat-screen televisions, and two additional wireless mics aid in a capella renditions of the theme from Ghostbusters. A range of rooms is available to accommodate groups both small and large, with the biggest rooms seating up to 30 people. A menu of Italian and Asian favorites—such as pizza, dumplings, and orange chicken—sate hankerings and specialty concoctions from Dave the bartender wet parched throats between sets.

Funny-bone pummelers on The Comedy Bar's aluminum-accented stage weave witticism in front of cabaret-style seating that keeps guests close enough to reach out and touch jokes. Cool suds fuel revelry, and ice clinks against glass as bartenders concoct a variety of cocktails or work to separate feuding arctic explorers. From the curved, burnt-umber walls, dim sconces help create an environment that lures belly laughs from their natural habitat, and the Ontario Street location facilitates after-show festivities with its proximity to restaurants, bars, and public transit.