I often turn to my favorite movies for inspiration. Recently I watched Juno, and as soon as I heard Ellen Page's character say the word ``shenanigans,'' I grabbed my car keys and headed out to Hollywood's Shenanigans Eastside Pub , 1300 S. Federal Hwy.

The front door is actually in the back by the parking lot so don't make the mistake (as I did) of aimlessly circumnavigating the building to find the entrance. A group of guys and girls were sitting under the thatched roof of the outdoor tiki bar, but I rushed inside to see the band that was punching through a pounding version of Tom Petty's American Girl.

The band turned out to be just one guy shredding on the Parker Fly (the Lamborghini of guitars) backed up by his brilliantly self-sequenced recorded instrumentations. He segued into a smooth cover of Crash by Dave Matthews and then reenergized the crowd with a ferocious adaptation of Ozzy's Crazy Train. His name is Stevan Carter Holmes (stevancarter.com), and he plays every Friday night.

You can also come early for the daily 11 a.m.-7 p.m. happy hour when drink prices are reduced and martinis are 2-for-1. On Tuesday, frozen margaritas are only 99 cents, and from open to close every day (11 a.m.-2 a.m.) buckets of five domestic beers are $12. Eight beers are on tap, or try special house shots, like the Diddy (Jerry Navy Rum 92 Proof and a squirt of pineapple juice).

Although it has been open for more than a year and attracts a fair share of seemingly hollow-legged Hollywood locals, Shenanigans Eastside Pub still has that new bar smell. The floors seem barely tread upon, and the marble bar counters are free of that perpetual stickiness your elbows encounter at similar locales.

You can typically find a vacant bar stool on any given night unless UFC fights are shown on the flat screens. Then the place gets so packed you'll basically need mixed martial arts skills just to get through the front door (that is, if you can find it).

Shenanigans West, also in Hollywood, west of Interstate 95 at 3303 Sheridan St., doesn't close until 4 a.m. and after 17 years in the business, it has a grungier feel than its eastside baby brother.

It attracts outgoing 20- and 30-somethings there to imbibe cheap drinks and text each other on their iPhones and Blackberries while bands play five nights a week.

I recently caught String Theory (Myspace.com/stringtheorygroup) passionately playing Dylan's All Along the Watchtower. As Juno might say, the guitar solos were ``the cheese to my macaroni.''

UPCOMING

Four Years Strong, Set Your Goals, Polar Bear Club, Fireworks and Drive A play Saturday at the Culture Room. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; tickets are $13.

DMX, DJ GQ & Friends perform at Revolution Live at 10 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20.

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