Pierced punks, long-haired headbangers, and vintage-clad hipsters all make pilgrimages here for off-the-radar music—it's kind of like what the UN would be like, if it was run by Brian Eno.

Groups of thirty-something gas and gangs of teenage misfits—you'd think the only place you'd ever see these two forces mingle is in a subway car, or at a young mothers PTA meeting. Drawing a crowd more diverse than the international foods aisle at the supermarket, the legendary bicoastal club is one of the city's most eclectic music venues. Attracting acts ranging from Japanese punk to rock en Espanol to Finnish heavy metal, The Knitting Factory is known for not playing to the masses. The venue has three separate areas for music performances: the Front Bar, where party people can gather round the stage, pull up a stool at the bar or stake a spot on the red-and-white leather seats; the two-story Main Stage, where (depending on who's on the bill), you can find club kids thrashing around on the wooden dance floor downstairs or couples canoodling at one of the booths upstairs; and the Alter-Knit Lounge, a more intimate space hosting everything from acoustic performances to ska and reggae nights.—Elisa Jacobs