408 Riverside Ave. website

Just opened in April of 2007, the Nucleus may be the newest venue in the Eau Claire music scene, but with steady stream of regional buzz bands and up-and-coming indie acts (not to mention some classic local veterans), they’ve quickly established themselves as one of the premier all-ages stages in the area. The intimate but versatile venue holds about 100 people (sometimes seated, some times standing) and shows generally feature earlier start times (like 8 or 9pm) and are done by 11:30pm. But with a great coffee house attached (Racy D’Lene’s) serving up sandwiches, soups and quiche, as well as all the juices and desirable caffeine pick-me-ups, The Nucleus can satisfy music lovers of all generations.