Vienna has always had a unique position as a meeting point between the west and the east.Prince Metternich once said “the Balkans begin at the Rennweg (a large street running east out of Vienna)”, this is perhaps even more true of today’s Vienna than it was in Metternich’s time.

Established in 2005, Ost Klub has staked itself as the quintessential viennese venue, where, you guessed it, East meets West. Nestled in a side street by Schwarzenbergplatz, Ost Klub is a maze of interconnecting rooms falling over two floors, dominated by Balkan sounds fusing together with western musical styles such as ska, dub, blues and rock. Host to a series of festivals including the Balkan Fever Festival, an eclectic range of artists and guest are on regular weekly rotation.

If you want to dance up a storm, weekends are the best bet, as for a more chilled out experience there’s Monday’s piano klub, with only the top bar open. But stumble in on Tuesdays for the funk magnificent ‘Jam Session’ hosted by Big John Whitfiled, with guests performing the cooleset of cool cover tunes this side of Memphis, and where you, blessed with musical talent, may take to the stage to jam it up. Cover charges apply, but it’s worth the entry. Bring your bongos, or your best poker face for Wiener Balkan-Poker hosted on Mondays through to Wednesdays.

Stumble upon Auslage—“display” in English—and you’ll get a fast lesson in Architecture 101. With a layout executed with effortless modern minimalism, the night venue holds massive jagged booths, an impressive top-floor bar and built-in stairs running up along the side. All help construct a slightly funky, open space good for holding conversations.

Auslage is a slick option along the Gürtel, and a good break from those with a Chelsea habit. The crowd is fueled to dancing until the sun pops up, and the music covers a broad expanse of electronic music, from house and fidget to breaks, as well as the occasional hip hop DJ holding the mike.

A former slaughterhouse, Arena is one of the city’s biggest live venues, with a mad mix of established and underground acts playing under the same alternative umbrella. Four separate areas host artists as diverse as Seal, Dinosaur Jr., Roison Murphy and Helmet. Even good old J.B. (James Brown) made one of his last live performances here.

Not forgetting its d.i.y. (do-it-yourself) origins as a former squat, it still supports grass roots indie events that attract niche audiences. Goths, punks and graffiti crews have been known to travel from as far as Italy and Sweden to attend, perform and/or participate in these one-off made-to-order events. Apart from live shows the Arena presents film screenings, spoken word events and theatrical presentations.

With a view of Helden Platz and situated directly in Vienna’s large city park, hanging out in the ’50s-style Volksgarten Pavillion for the afternoon proves to be a very pleasant experience. Under the shade of the surrounding trees, the Pavillon serves up a delightful and fresh spread of Viennese and Mediterranean treats.

By daylight the Pavillon offers a relaxed environment where one can sip coffee, eat a selection of olives and prosciutto and read the newspaper. By night some of Vienna’s best DJs take over the decks and play a medley of electronic, techno, drum ’n bass, and Latin-inspired beats.

Don’t miss their famous Tuesday night party, “Techno Cafe.” And with many other quality line-ups, check their website for an up-to-date listing of who’s spinning when.

Fluc is an anarchist party experiment gone right—a rugged-looking night club in the formerly “dirty down Prater” that has grown into its role as a major club venue. Showcasing alternative nightlife culture from the start, Fluc has been built from the bottom up to the level it is today.

It couldn’t have been done, of course, without the support of Viennese city subsidies—their blood, sweat, tears and love of the underground. It was and still is on the cutting edge of programming, even way back when it was only a little bar out in the middle of then-“Nowhereville”, near Praterstern station.

Two spaces are on offer: the Fluc Cafe on the top floor showcases wacked-out live, experimental, electronic and indie acts (including the monthly indie-electronic party Kleines Fische), while bottom level Fluc Wanne can only be described as a sound bunker for electro and disco parties like Elektro-Nix Gang Bang, Pling Plong, and the breaks party “Addiction” designed to encourage patrons to go all-fours-to-the-floor during peak hours.

Come early to enjoy a free concert at the Fluc Cafe before sliding in between the two levels all night long.

Blue Box may be most famous for having a pop culture moment in Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus” video (yeah, you know—the scene with the bikers at the bar). But it’s also been a popular cafe/bar mainstay for more than 20 years.

Frequented by students, cultural denizens and local 7th district residents, it features a well-praised breakfast served through to the late afternoon (until 17hr), and also offers some vegan items on its menu. The former ’80s hot spot also has a daily DJ program, spinning low key electronic soundscapes that add to, instead of interfere with, your conversation. A few local experimental electronic musicians can also be found DJing here from time to time like B. Fleischmann.

A former pet care salon, Mon Ami has catered to a different kind of wild animal since opening in 2007. The small lifestyle emporium is outfitted with a bar, music shop and fashion studio to provide a panacea for all primal needs—a place to cure thirst, hunger, art, music, social exchange, creativity, warmth…well, you get the picture.

Plush sofa chairs are easy to sink back into, especially when grabbing a drink or a bite to eat—crusty pita sandwiches and soups (gluten-free and based on the five elements) are advisable picks. Come for the ambiance, or come for the chill-out grooves on Wednesdays at the Friendly Circle evening, hosted by the DJ-collective Groovebox.

One of the only places in Vienna to get an authentic, expertly mixed cocktail, First Floor sets the tone for intimate meetings, happy hours and night caps, all backed by a smooth mix of jazz and soul.

Designed by architectural duo Eichinger oder Knechtl, the cocktail boasts a swank and grown-up vibe—and the near-100 drinks on the menu mean that the night is literally shaking with possibilities. Grab a martini, then check out the big aquarium swirling with different a breed of liquid creatures.

A modern live music venue where the sound and light concepts actually matter, is not as common as it should be. Aware of this, Porgy and Bess, the jazz and music club, made it their goal to create a contemporary performance space for jazz music—one that was able to transform according to the dictates of the music.

Additionally, there is a CD shop and internet cafe, a gallery, a restaurant and three bars (two in the lower level and one on the balcony). If that was not enough, below the stage there is also a rehearsal room and a sound studio, which allows professional recording for on- or off-stage productions.

While featuring local and international jazz artists like Bobby Previte, Kenny Wheeler, Django Bates, Eliott Sharp and Martin Siewert, there are also some cross over collaborations with electronica experimental label, Charihzma. On the weekends there are soul and funk DJ sessions.