Winging It

Fashionable attire is the norm at Wings Nightclub in West Covina, OK? So, don’t be strutting in wearing Levi’s, Nikes and a T-shirt.

And every Saturday, rock en espanol--with a sprinkling of flashback alternative classics--is king here. Got it?

Good. That’s practically all you need to know to have a good time at Wings, because everything else--from valet parking for your car to a coat check for that heavy jacket and hit tunes for your dancing feet--will be taken care of by the club.

DJ Eddie and DJ Santi--both from “Superestrella” KSSE-FM (97.5)--take turns spinning discs. Eddie and Santi form part of a six-DJ rotation that also covers Giggles in Glendale, Wings’ sister club.

On a recent Saturday, rock en espanol fans in the house were dancing it up to hit songs from Mana, Los enanitos verdes and Jaguares on the cozy dance floor. Fridays are reserved for Top 40, but the club’s reputation as a popular rock en espanol venue rules; it attracts partyers from as far away as Palm Desert.

“There’s more singles here, and that’s cool because at the clubs over there [Palm Springs] you’ll see mostly couples,” patron Cindy Rodriguez said.

When they’re not writhing on the small dance floor, Wings patrons can relax in plenty of booths surrounding portions of the club, which holds up to 450. Or they can chat--make that yell--with friends over the deafening blast of rock. Fully stocked bars anchor each end of the club, dishing out lots of Long Island iced teas and Blue Hawaiians.

“I love the music and the older crowd here and everybody dresses nice,” said Jesse Rendon from Carson. Though a large number of rock en espanol clubs call Los Angeles home, Wings serves well as an alternative for fans in the San Gabriel Valley. Welterweight boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya, for one, has been known to visit.

The nightspot made the San Gabriel Valley its home in 1985, according to its owners, brothers Garnik and Edmund Galoostian. Garnik Galoostian said Wings--which recently hosted its 14th annual New Year’s bash--was one of the first clubs to make rock en espanol its primary music category.

Oh, yeah, there’s one more thing you need to know to have a good time there. Unlike some other clubs, Wings does not rely on any outside promoters for publicity.

So, if you want to keep up with its special events, listen for commercial spots on Spanish-language radio or sign up for the Wings mailing list. Then you’ll know for sure when it’s a great night to take flight toward Wings.

BE THERE

Wings Nightclub, 2934 E. Garvey Ave. South, West Covina. (626) 966-0544. Doors open at 9 p.m. and close at 2 a.m. $10 cover charge, 21 and over. Top 40 on Fridays, and rock en espanol on Saturdays.