South County Nightlife: Sing and Dance

Mishnock Barn
If you’re looking for country music, line dancing and all the Garth Brooks references you can handle, put on your cowboy boots and head to The Mishnock Barn in West Greenwich. It’s under the radar unless you’re one of the few Southern-leaning Rhode Islanders who knows a lariat from their Ariats. The state’s epicenter for country music, the Barn has three dance floors and hosts massive line dancing parties most nights of the week. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights are Beginners Nights: lessons start at 7:30pm and dancing goes until 11pm. The pros come out on Friday and Saturday nights, but there are still 8pm lessons, and the dancing goes until midnight. Mishnock Barn hosts live music the first Thursday of the month - so get to stepping.

The Towers
If, like Miss Eliza Doolittle, you could have danced all night, then Ballroom Dancing at The Towers is for you. Every Wednesday night, the Narragansett Towers hosts ballroom dancing lessons. Classes start at 6pm with the West Coast Swing Flash Mob, then move on to Hustle and Rumba before the real fun starts at 8pm: a lesson in the dramatic, romantic Argentine Tango. For the rest of the night after these lessons, it’s open dancing and tango practice. Go there with your S.O. for a different kind of date night, or head to the Towers solo - there’s no partner required.

Billy Hill’s Roadhouse
Live on a prayer, don’t stop believin’ or pump up the jams - just make sure your pipes are in good working order and you’ve got a great rally song prepared for karaoke at Billy Hill’s Roadhouse in Wyoming. Tuesday and Thursday nights, bring your most beloved ‘80s jams - whether you actually choose songs from hair bands is up to you, but just know that some karaoke aficionados consider it a party foul to sing sappy songs. Every weekend night, Billy Hill’s has live music, if you’d rather leave the singing to the professionals.

Kingstown Bowl
Kingstown Bowl in North Kingstown is more than just a bowling alley: it’s home to Club Roxx, a nightclub with three bars, pool tables, DJs and live bands. On Wednesday and Thursday nights, Club Roxx hosts karaoke. There’s even a stage for you to truly feel like you’re having your 15 minutes of fame. Just remember - even if you totally strike out, you’re at a bowling alley. It’s technically a good thing.

The Knickerbocker Music Center
What was once The Knickerbocker Cafe is now The Knickerbocker Music Center. The Prohibition-era music club in Westerly got a rebrand, but their commitment to rock, blues and folk music is as strong as ever. The Tap Room offers a Dine and Dance menu, especially good for Let’s Dance Wednesdays when dance lessons start at 7pm. R&B and blues band The Mystic Horns is playing on September 6, and the jazzy/swingy The Cartels performs on September 13.