Nightlife, it's the right life. And this weekend, it's also a meltdown of music and mayhem. Tonight (Thursday) begin to relive the glamour and elegance of Havana in the Forties and Fifties as Yuca Restaurant (501 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, 532-9822) starts the summer run of Havana Nights. Enjoy the sounds of our not-so-distant neighbor with the Havana Nights Band, a twelve-piece orchestra pulsating with the lushness of an earlier era. Host Bacardi Rum provides a distinctly Cuban touch. The show starts at 8:30 -- early enough to order dinner during the show and whistle while you eat, or late enough to catch a quick bite at home and jump inside for just the show. Then get ready for a ravelike super bash when Culture blasts into Rezurrection Hall at Club Nu (245 22nd St., Miami Beach, 535-9016) on Friday, with special guest DJs from around the globe spinning trance and trip-hop tunes until the wee hours. Doors open at the unusually early hour of 10:00 but don't close until the last backpack-bearing club kid goes home. In a different vein, get your fill of live music on Saturday, when Churchill's Hideaway (5501 NE Second Ave., 757-1807) hosts Ace Music's 40th anniversary bash, starring Ace employees and their bands. Included on the bill are Shape Shifter, Wait on Time, Eyes of Pandora, Fat Peter, and surf sensations Category 5. The live music melee comes to us free, but get there early. The bands start at 8:00 (another ungodly hour), but it's all definitely worth it in the name of fun and the pursuit of supreme club happiness.

Thursday
Groove Jet, "Groove Girl." Eclectic locals gather for mayhem and mischief with resident DJs Luis Diaz, Carmel Ophir, and Glenn Richards spinning musical fun. 323 23rd St., Miami Beach, 532-2002.

Rezurrection Hall at Club Nu, "International Night." French-Caribbean superstar from Haiti Sweet Mickey brings special guest Phantom for a jammin' good time. 245 22nd St., Miami Beach, 535-9016.

Caffe Torino, "Garbo's." Cabaret fun and fantasy for the girls who love girls, with a little live music thrown in for good measure. 1437 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 531-5722.

Friday
Baja Beach Club, "Flashback Friday." Retro fun with drink specials, synthetic fabrics, and all the mood music of the Seventies and Eighties. 3015 Grand Ave. (CocoWalk), Coconut Grove, 445-0278.

Kitchen Club, "Ladies Night." Progressive, new wave, industrial, and gothic music playing in two rooms, with complimentary admission for the ladies until midnight. 3701 NE Second Ave., 754-0777.

Century Beach Club, "Blue Nights." Live jazz in a cozy little setting under the stars every Friday and Saturday night. 161 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 674-8855.

Saturday
Bash. DJ Marc Sacheli spins the latest and greatest dance music in the main room, while international DJ Ivano Bellini pumps out world beats under the stars in the back-yard Magic Garden. 655 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 538-8858.

Cameo Theatre. Get into the groove with a sweet blend of reggae, R&B, and house music pumped out by DJ Waggy Tee. Tight and heavy sounds for the masses. 1445 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 532-0922.

Twist. The bar for boys, always brimming with excess and overindulgence, hosted by dance master DJ Charlie Mercado. 1057 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 538-9478.

Sunday
821, "Top-Secret Lounge." Andrew Price Summers hosts and DJ Shannon spins at a nasty little night, always a crowd pleaser for the local trade and featuring the Top-Secret Show, a weekly variety extravaganza of lounge singers and polyester galore. 821 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, 534-0887.

Liquid, "X-Tra Large." Men, men, and more men -- on a night where nothing else much matters. Jack Benggio and Marvella host this men's-travaganza while DJ Jo Jo Odyssey spins humongous grooves. 1439 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 532-9154.

La Covacha, "La Carcel." A Cuban country roadhouse packed with patrons dancing to Latin rock. The club where a good time is always the first priority. 10730 NW 25th St., West Dade, 594-3717.

Monday
Van Dyke Cafe & Lounge. Local music maestros Billy Marcus and Don Wilner perform toe-tapping, finger-snapping jazz. 846 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, 534-3600.

Rose's Bar & Music Lounge, "Open-Mike Night." Locals try their best before a crowd of appreciative regulars. 754 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 532-0228.

Virtua Cafe, "Reality Sucks." Drown your real-life sorrows with alternative grooves, multimedia interaction, and dollar longnecks all night. 1309 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 532-0234.

Tuesday
Cafe Miro. Divine diva of song and love Maryell Epps performs jazz and blues classics. 448 Espanola Way, Miami Beach, 538-6476.

Berlin Bar, "Kit Kat Club." The hottest men take it off for anyone who wants to watch at South Beach's answer to the Chippendale dancers. 661 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 674-9300.

Ensign Bitters. Bring a friend to this cigar and cognac kind of place for two-for-one entrance all night and DJ Ray spinning a variety of music to work off all that food. 3000 Florida Ave. (Mayfair), Coconut Grove, 448-2582.

Wednesday
Society Hill, "For a Better World." Cheap drinks for a fun-loving crowd with hip-hop, reggae, and R&B dispensed by DJ Chief. 627 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 534-9993.

Bermuda Bar, "Wild Women Wednesday." Tropical gourmet munchies, dancing till dawn, and cocktail courtesies for women. 3509 NE 163rd St., North Miami Beach, 945-0196.

Lua, "Worldbeat." Straight from Ibiza, DJ Kid pumps up a night of fashion and frolic with a world-beat feel. 409 Espanola Way, Miami Beach, 534-0061.

-- By Liz Martinez

Send information regarding special "one-nighters" to "Into the Night." Fax material to 372-3446 or call 579-1572.