By Linnea Sheldon

Don’t forget to check here for the latest on what’s new around town!

There’s never an excuse not to go out in Worcester. There’s something to do every night, from open mics to karaoke to college nights to football parties…Here’s a list of what’s happening at local clubs ~ so start 2007 off right and get out there!

~Sh-Booms has piano players every Friday and Saturday nights in Duke’s Dueling Piano Bar. The club also features Sam James every Thursday night. Friday nights in the Déjà Vu room are Brazilian nights.

~At Tammany Hall they host an open mic Tuesday nights, and every performer who signs up is given a half hour. Wednesday night is college night with Sam James and there is no cover; they are currently looking for college bands to play that night, too.

~At Voodoo, Thursday nights are 18+ college nights. They also feature Exotic Fridays and Latin Night on Saturdays. Voodoo has also been hosting Sunday night Reggae for over a year now and it’s been getting a great response.

~Over at Irish Times, the week starts early with TNT (Tuesday Night Trivia) with Casey Cullen. Teams of 2 to 6 people answer pop culture questions for nightly prizes and a chance to win the monthly grand prize. Fridays, the Times offers a Vegas promotion ~ where anyone who shows up between 9 and 11 p.m. is entered to win a trip for two to Las Vegas. Saturday is Monday PM Move night with free popcorn, candy, and classic movies playing on all the screens.

~Club Red 1888 features a Heaven and Hell Saturdays, BLU Fridays, and an 18+ college Thursday night. All different themes for those who like to take it to the dance floor.

~McFadden’s host Sunday and Monday night football with beer and wing specials every week.

~Jason James is on the mic (and the keys) every Sunday night at the Ship Room over at the Hotel Vernon.

~The Lucky Dog Music Hall really enjoys theme nights. They offer karaoke every Monday night and Wormtown Wednesdays open mic. Their most popular theme nights are flashbacks to days of yore with Mullethead on Thursday nights (for the hair metal fans in all of us) and those of us who like to get down on it shouldn’t miss Flock of Assh*les on Sunday nights.

~Londonrocks inside London Billiards features DJ Shame every Thursday night, with an eight week battle of the bands contest sharing the stage.

~All you goth/metal fans should head over to The Compound on Monday nights. For the rest of us there’s karaoke on Tuesday nights with Techno Night with DJ Nathan in the club. Wednesday is open mic night, Fridays feature DJ Reckless, and on Saturdays Jam’n 94.5 Hustle Simmons is on the turntables.

~Many other clubs in the area feature open mics for those who are looking to get some stage experience or try out some new music. At 3 G’s Sports Club, open mic is Saturdays at 9 p.m. Acoustic Java hosts open mic Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Over at Greendale’s Pub, Bill McCarthy hosts open mic at 7 p.m. every Tuesday night. The Java Hut offers open mic every Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. with hosts “Me & the Kid” and Cowboy Matt from Pharmaceutically Gifted.