Half a Cadillac sticks out of the wall above the entrance of the Rockstore on Rue de Verdun, which tells you most of what you need to know. Open since 1986 in a former cinema, it is the city's longest-running live-music venue and a fixture of student night life. The downstairs concert room has hosted countless touring rock, indie, electronic and hip-hop acts on the way up and on the way down.
After the gig, the upstairs club kicks in until the early hours. The crowd skews young and the playlists range from grunge classics to current electronic. Look for posters around the city for upcoming shows; tickets are cheap by French standards and the bar prices are not unreasonable.