Photo from the SFOTE organization.

You may be close to saving up for the vacation you deserve, but it's time to use some of your dough toward a cause even more worthy than achieving the perfect sun-kissed glow. For $30 you can purchase a ticket to the Laventille Bus benefit concert organized by the SFOTE organization, taking place tonight, August 18th, at 9pm at Santos' Party House in Soho. You'll see performances by Dragons of Zynth, Kaneng Lolang, the Brooklyn Jumbies performance troupe and more. Following the concert, you're welcome to stick around for the late night dance party beginning around 12am.

Go--if not so you can feel good about yourself for staving off skin cancer at least a while longer--because 100% of the door proceeds will be donated to SFOTE's 2008 Educational Initiative, providing free transportation to and from school for children in Laventille, Trinidad. In Laventille, where there's a free public school system, the lack of free public transportation forces kids whose families can't afford the daily round trip to drop out of school. Why not join the effort to educate children and enjoy some live music on a Monday along the way?

Lookin' for more places to booze? Check out Now in New York: New Nightlife.

There's been a lot of talk about Andrew W.K.'s Soho dance club, Santos' Party House, since the bloggers first got wind of it late last year. So, does it deliver the goods?

Hits: In a New York club scene overrun with exclusive bottle-service boites where no one dare boogie, Santos' serves as a dancing nirvana with sweet DJs spinning on a thumptastic sound system.

Misses: You better like dancing, because seats are scarce as snowflakes in summer. And after all that construction, it'd be nice to have more creative decor than disco balls.

Read our full editorial review of Santos' Party House then peruse other New & Notable bar reviews or check out our list of spots that are too new to review (but not too new to get you hammered).

Photo courtesy of The Randolph

As we reported back in May, The Randolph at Broome (formerly M Bar) recently closed for a makeover, and planned to reopen with a few changes--most notably, the addition of mixologist Matty Gee (of Milk & Honey and East Side Company fame), and a piano churning out ragtime hits. Well, given that we've always liked the bar (and even included it on our list of the Best New Bars of 2007), we sent one of our ace reporters to check out how The Randolph is faring as a piano bar / hot spot hybrid.

Hits: The crowd is a good mix of creative hipster and young urbanite, with minimal bankers tossed in for good measure.

Misses: Although the lower level is supposedly where "anything goes," the decor is a throwback to the days of partying in your parents' unfinished basement.

Read our full editorial review of The Randolph at Broome, then peruse other New & Notable bar reviews or check out our list of spots that are too new to review (but not too new to get you hammered). And since we skipped work last Friday to get drunk and watch the fireworks, check out our review of last week's hot spot, Highbar.

NOTE: At long last, we've decided to combine our list of new bars with our list of openings and closings, so you can get all your New York nightlife news in one place. Same goes for restaurants - have a look. 

It's that time of week again, when we bring you a new review, hot off the press. This week we check out the ever-cool SubMercer, the recently reopened hot spot beneath the Mercer Hotel in Soho.

Hits: Unlike other hot spots, the SubMercer maintains a relaxed vibe with its dim lighting and clubby disco music--it might even make you forget just how cool you are, even if only for a moment.

Misses: The attitude is in-crowd, but the crowd itself isn't always up to par; you may find yourself mingling with the white v-neck-wearing Jersey set.

Read our full editorial review of the SubMercer, then peruse other New & Notable bars or check out our list of spots that are too new to review (but not too new to get you hammered).

The Randolph At Broome (formerly known as M Bar) came in with a splash last fall--even making it onto our list of the Top 10 Bars of 2007--and now it's shaking things up again.

Co-owner Hari Kalyan tells us he's brought esteemed Milk & Honey mixologist Matty Gee on board as his new partner, and together they'll roll out a new and improved version of the bar that features a pro pianist churning out bebop and ragtime tunes, new seating and other interior renovations. Oh yeah, they'll also be serving up a new menu, thanks to Matty's signature cocktails.

The Randolph at Broome re-opens this weekend, so head downtown and check it out--and be sure to wear something classy and leave the frat boys at home; from what we can tell, it's going to be less sh*tshow, and more, uh, ragtime piano music and fancy cocktails.