"I don't have the blues anymore," sang Joe Likely, backed by the Midnight Blues Band last Saturday night inside Rab's Woodshed (4440 Lake Avenue, 663-4610). And the same goes for the rest of Charlotte. The big boat is gone and people are out enjoying the lakefront.

Rab's is just one of the summer nightlife options in the lakeside Charlotte neighborhood. Under Rab's lone red stage light, the blues is a regular fixture (check the City music listings for bands). Its bayou juke joint feel seems to suit aficionados and working-class fellas alike.

Even with the sun down, Abbot's Custard continued to draw a crowd. And next to it, The Penny Arcade filled up for that night's battle of the bands. Under new ownership, The Penny has made some changes, ditching the pizza shop that took up half the club. While the new owners are still working on the liquor license, the music is continuing without pause. Look for its grand re-opening celebration on September 1.

The most unmistakably flashy stop on the Charlotte strip is NOLA's BBQ (4775 Lake Avenue, 663-3375). Wednesdays and weekends, bands set up on the outdoor stage playing to NOLA's asphalt patio of picnic tables, bikers, and a neon blue island bar. Stephanie Wesp, a NOLA's server, said that weekend business booms around dinnertime and doesn't stop, especially when a second band will move the music inside around 10 p.m. Doubling as a restaurant, there's usually a cover after dinnertime, and music ranges from blues and classic rock to jazz and country. Saturday, it was the rock-blues Double Take Blues Band.

Even driving down the strip, Windjammers (4695 Lake Ave, 663-9691), primarily known for its dinner service, had some late night action happening. Right on the water, the Pelican's Nest (566 River St, 663-5910) has a full schedule of Rochester party band regulars (Skycoasters et al).

There were even a couple boats in the water by the vacant port: Harbor Town Belle, with a private party on board; and Hots Ahoy, a floating burger stand docked just south of the pier. So even if you party a little too hard, you can still get your street meat on the lake.