HOTEL At Mandalay Bay   

House of Blues, like McDonald's, has become a national brand name that promises the same look, sound and style whether you're in New York or Gnome, Alaska. The Las Vegas location offers the novelty of being housed inside the Mandalay Bay Casino, but the club itself delivers few surprises for anyone who has attended an HOB concert before. There's the usual trademark ramshackle exterior and multi-level performance area adorned with junk-art accents and above- average sight lines (watch out for the pillars on the main floor, though). The Bok Bar area adjacent to the theatre has a particularly fine array of bottle cap creations from folk artist Jon Bok, whose work is collected by such stars as Julia Roberts and Madonna. The attractions lineup is wonderfully eclectic, ranging from punk to country to jazz, and mixing up-and-coming bands with legendary veterans such as Etta James. Besides offering up great acts to shake your moneymaker to, HOB's regular club events also make it a favorite dance spot, with nostalgic boogie nights such as Flashback Fridays.