Clubs: The best of the rest

FRUIT CLUB @ the brunel rooms

This is rapidly becoming the most famous club in the Swindon area after building up local support combined with clubbers hoping to catch a glimpse of Melinda Messenger if she's home for the weekend. But you'd be hard pressed to spot her among the scores of other petite blondes in this sizeable venue. The drinks are cheap (compared to London) and pumping house music keeps the thousand-plus revellers dancing: when a gig finishes at 3am there's not much time to waste hanging around on the sidelines.

Fri, 1 Havelock Square, Swindon (01793 531384) 9.30pm-3am pounds 5-pounds 7

REPUBLICA @ bakers

This Birmingham club is something of an institution in a city which provides plenty of stiff opposition. It's a smart-looking venue with a rotating list of excellent spinners, meaning that it's usually packed with a very dressy crowd. Scott Bond and Andy Cleeton take charge of the Technics tonight. As one of the few big gigs running tonight, everyone will be trying to recreate that New Year's Eve vibe on pure adrenaline - there are only 51 weeks left to the millennium New Year bash.

Tonight, 192 Broad Street, Birmingham (0121-633 3839) 10pm-3am pounds 5-pounds 10