RIGHT, so you've just arrived in a strange city, you know there's fun to be had but where to go? What to do? Well, checking icLiverpool's guide for the uninitiated student in the city is a good start. WHERE TO ... SHOP The area loosely defined as 'The Ropewalks', based around Bold Street contains most of Liverpool's best retail emporia. The city's top independent music store Probe Records (9 Slater St.) is the place to go for new releases and hard to find discs, not to mention a good joint to pick up fanzines, while just next door 3 Beat (5 Slater Street) is the place any self-respecting DJ goes to pick up their cuts. Down the road News From Nowhere (96 Bold St.) is probably the best independent bookshop in North-West England and an ideal outlet to get all the reading material for your course. While for you arty students Rennies (61-63 Bold St.) is the place to go get your crayons on a student discount. The fashion-conscious amongst you should head to Westworld (55 Bold St.) for a selection of funky threads for men and women. While further up the road and almost too hip for its own good, Microzine (65-67 Bold St.) is the ultimate men's store for guys who want to get ahead of Topman style. If those are a little out of your budget though, vintage clothing and classic records are a little more affordable at Oxfam (35-37 Bold St.) where you can look good and help to save the world a the same time - what more do you want? Closure threatened but still clinging on the Quiggins Centre (Grand Central builing on Renshaw St) remains the only place in Liverpool where you can get a tattoo, a short back and sides, a new pair of boots, an old chair and a tarot reading before sitting down to a nice cheese toastie under a single roof. While the stunning example of misguided town planning that is the St Johns Centre (got a big tower sticking out of it, you can't miss it) is considerably less hip, but home to many bargain shops where you can stock up on essentials like loo roll and beans, saving the rest for books, materials and of course booze. WHERE TO ... DANCE The biggest, baddest student club night in Liverpool is probably Medication held every Wednesday in the Nation venue (Wolstenhome Sq.) with three massive rooms playing cheese, house and alternative to the sloshed masses. It also hosts legendary fancy dress nights, so get your nurses outfit ready! Garlands (8-10 Eberle St.) was once principally a gay club but now welcomes all and sundry up for a top night out and hosts its own student event on Thursdays. Those more discerning of music, however, would best hitting it on a Saturday. The Krazy House (16 Wood St) is primarily a rock/punk/metal nightclub, but also bit of indie/house/cheese/everything else and is very popular with students both 'alternative' and 'not really bothered as long as your can dance to it' because of cheap drinks and banging atmosphere. It's also a good place to pull, with a capacity of 2000 odds in favour eh? The Liverpool branch of Barfly (90 Seel St.) meanwhile, keeps the indie kids happy every Thursday and Friday with Mixed Bag and Panic respectively. It's also home to the near-legendary beat frenzy Chibuku every other Saturday, featuring the biggest DJs and the most up for it clubbers, though it's not cheap so best save that one for a special party. Le Bateau (62 Duke St) continues to defy the laws of physics by managing to cram several hundred people into a terraced house for nights of alternative fun from Tuesday right through to Saturday night including the longest running indie night in the UK. Liquidation has been running from 1993 and has been resident in Le Bateau since 1996 with its mix of recent indie music and older but classic indie and rock tracks. Last but not least, mention must be made to the Blue Angel (108 Seel St.) known to most as 'The Raz', one of the oldest clubs in the city and one that positively revels in its own tackiness and dirtiness. The Raz is THE place to go for £1 bottles and people dancing to the theme from Baywatch. WHERE TO ... GIG The multi-roomed Barfly (90 Seel St, again) is an excellent venue, with often several gigs going on at once, from big names to the unsigned, but enough about them already. Nearby the Zanzibar (43 Seel St) remains the best small venue in the city for both sound and atmosphere, while the recently opened Korova (39-41 Fleet St) manages the difficult task of combining a chic bar with good music and plays host to the best alternative acts and club nights from Liverpool and the wider world. Confusing for those new to the city is that Carling Academy Liverpool (11-13 Hotham St) and Liverpool Academy (160 Mount Pleasant) are not the same place. The former is part of the chain that owns all the other Academy music venues in the UK and the latter is the re-branded Liverpool University students union. Both are good venues that pull in big acts but the latter wins because of its cheaper ale. For something a little more stylish Magnet (39 Hardman St) hosts both top gigs and cool club nights but no other excuse is really needed for sliding into the booths and chilling in its downright sexy interior into the wee small hours. | 
