There's always something going on in Salt Lake City, which is working hard to lose its image as a dull place where the sidewalks get rolled up every night. Check the Friday editions of the Salt Lake Tribune or Deseret News for listings of upcoming events. For additional entertainment news and listings, pick up one of the city's free papers, including The Event and Salt Lake City Weekly, which also offers alternative news articles. The Salt Lake City Convention and Visitors Bureau also publishes calendars of events.

Among the top entertainment venues in Salt Lake City is The "E" Center, 3200 S. Decker Lake Dr., West Valley City (tel. 800/888-8400 or 801/988-8888 for the box office; www.theecenter.com), an arena-style venue that hosts numerous sports events plus big name touring entertainers in its 3,700-seat theater.

Jordan Commons -- An Uncommon Experience -- The Jordan Commons complex encompasses 2 city blocks at 9400 South State St., south of downtown Salt Lake City in Sandy. The complex boasts sixteen 35mm movie theaters plus one 70mm large-format super-screen theater -- all with digital sound. The theaters surround a food court with a stupendous variety of edibles: cuisines from Australian to Chinese to Italian to Mexican, plus a deli, coffee shop, and of course popcorn. The theaters are equipped with chairs large enough to accommodate food trays, so you can bring your dinner in with you! Call tel. 801/304-4636 or check the Web at www.jordancommons.com for movie information and tickets.

The Performing Arts

Tickets for performances at a variety of venues can be obtained from Art-Tix (tel. 888/451-2787 or 801/355-2787; www.arttix.org).

The highly acclaimed Utah Symphony & Opera (tel. 801/533-6683; www.utahsymphonyopera.org), combines one of the country's top symphony orchestras and the well-respected Utah Opera Company. They present four operas a year plus a year-round symphony season at Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, an elegant 2,800-seat venue known for its excellent acoustics.

The nationally acclaimed Ballet West (tel. 801/323-6900; www.balletwest.org) performs at the historic Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South. The September to March season usually brings four productions, ranging from classical to contemporary. Modern dance is presented by the Repertory Dance Theatre (tel. 801/534-1000; www.rdtutah.org) and the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (tel. 801/297-4241; www.ririewoodbury.com), with performances at the historic Capitol Theatre, located at 50 W. 200 South; the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, located at 138 W. 300 South; and other venues.

The Pioneer Theatre Company, 300 S. 1400 East, Room 325 (tel. 801/581-6961; www.ptc.utah.edu), is Utah's resident professional theater. Located on the university campus, its repertoire ranges from classical to contemporary plays and musicals. Recent productions have included Man of La Mancha, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Miracle Worker, and South Pacific.

The Hale Centre Theatre, 3333 S. Decker Lake Dr., West Valley City (tel. 801/984-9000; www.halecentretheatre.org), just down the road from the "E" Center, features locally produced and performed plays and musical comedies.

The Club & Music Scene

As Salt Lake City grows, it's shedding its strait-laced image and is actually beginning to hold its own with other western cities in catering to the hard-drinking, hard-dancing crowd. Some of the following establishments are so-called private clubs, so you'll have to buy a short-term membership.

One of the city's more with-it and cosmopolitan nightspots is Club Axis, 108 S. 500 West (tel. 801/519-2947; www.clubaxis.com), an upscale bar with a loud DJ and live music. This place attracts Salt Lake City's dot-com millionaire types. The Dead Goat Saloon, 119 S. West Temple, in Arrow Press Square (tel. 801/328-4628; www.deadgoat.com), is a fun, funky bar featuring live blues bands. Monday is the time to go for big name acts. For country dancing to live music or a DJ, head out to the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy and New Sandy's Station, 8925 S. 255 West (tel. 801/255-2078; www.sandysstation.com).

Quite likely Utah's largest sports bar, Port O' Call Social Club, 400 S. West Temple (tel. 801/521-0589; www.portocall.com), boasts 40 TV screens, a game room with pool tables and pinball machines, and a patio. Walls are covered with sports memorabilia.

If you're seeing a performance at the Capitol Theatre, stop by Club Baci, 140 W. Pierpont Ave. (tel. 801/328-1333), afterwards; it's only about a half block northeast. Another good before- or after-theater choice is the New Yorker, 60 W. Market St. (tel. 801/363-0166). For one of the best martinis around, stop at Kristauf's Private Club, 16 W. Market St. (tel. 801/366-9490), a favorite of business types and other well-dressed tipplers.