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Photograph by George Sakkestad Letter Perfect: DJ AD, one of the stars of our Bars & Clubs issue last June, won the nod as best Club DJ. Best Music and Nightlife A FEW READERS THOUGHT we were kidding when we asked about the Best Bathrooms (in a local club)--no doubt they couldn't get that scene from Trainspotting out of their minds. But after a few high-quality lemon drops (the drink, not the cough suppressant) at Clouds, the Red Room or Club Dakota, the little things do count for something. For those who like their music straight, Palookaville led the way as the best All-Ages Venue in the area. Extra Large and ROBOTGOD rallied the troops to walk away with most of the prizes in the Local Band and Local CD categories. Considering the long haul and genuine track records, readers dubbed fixtures Bob Brozman, Oliver Brown and Robert Lowery the best of the best--and we heartily concur. Best All-Ages Venue GOLD Palookaville 1133 Pacific Ave., SC 454.0600 SILVER The Catalyst 1011 Pacific Ave., SC 423.1336 BRONZE Santa Cruz Vets Hall 846 Front St., SC 458.7110 Best Bar GOLD Club Dakota 1209 Pacific Ave., SC 454.9030 SILVER Clouds Downtown 110 Church St., SC 429.2000 BRONZE The Red Room 1003 Cedar St., SC 426.2994 Best Bartender GOLD Steve Ongman at Club Dakota 1209 Pacific Ave., SC 454.9030 SILVER Chris Kelly at Poet & Patriot Irish Pub 320 Cedar St., SC 426.8620 BRONZE Kim "Slim Shady" Cady at Moe's Alley 1535 Commercial Way, SC 479.1854 Best Bathrooms (local club) GOLD Crow's Nest 2218 E. Cliff Dr., SC 476.4560 SILVER Club Dakota 1209 Pacific Ave., SC 454.9030 BRONZE Palookaville 1133 Pacific Ave., SC 454.0600 Best Cafe Scene GOLD Cafe Pergolesi 418 Cedar St., SC 426.1775 SILVER Jahva House 120 Union St., SC 459.9876 BRONZE Lulu Carpenter's 1545 Pacific Ave., SC 429.9804 Best Club DJ GOLD DJ AD (Wednesdays and Saturdays at Club Dakota) SILVER DJ Taylor (Wednesdays at Aptos Club, Fridays at Rosie McCann's) BRONZE DJ Adrian (Thursdays at Blue Lagoon) Best Dance Night GOLD Blue Lagoon, Thursdays SILVER Club Dakota, Wednesdays BRONZE Moe's Alley, Rockabilly (most Wednesdays) Best Happy Hour GOLD El Palomar 1336 Pacific Ave., SC 425.7575 SILVER Crow's Nest 2218 E. Cliff Dr., SC 476.4560 BRONZE Seabright Brewery 519 Seabright Ave., SC 426.2739 Best Lemon Drop GOLD Clouds Downtown 110 Church St., SC 429.2000 SILVER The Red Room 1003 Cedar St., SC 426.2994 BRONZE Club Dakota 1209 Pacific Ave., SC 454.9030 Best Live Music Club GOLD The Catalyst 1011 Pacific Ave., SC 423.1336 SILVER Palookaville 1133 Pacific Ave., SC 454.0600 BRONZE Moe's Alley 1535 Commercial Way, SC 479.1854 Best Local Band GOLD (Tie) ROBOTGOD and Extra Large SILVER Slow Gherkin BRONZE Sneaky Creekans Best Local CD GOLD Always Wild by the Chop Tops SILVER Dance to the Spin by Extra Large BRONZE Suicide Club by ROBOTGOD Best Local Musician GOLD Bob Brozman SILVER Oliver Brown BRONZE Robert Lowery Best Place to Dance GOLD Blue Lagoon 923 Pacific Ave., SC 423.7117 SILVER Club Dakota 1209 Pacific Ave., SC 454.9030 BRONZE The Catalyst 1011 Pacific Ave., SC 423.1336 Best Place to Play Pool GOLD The Catalyst 1011 Pacific Ave., SC 423.1336 SILVER Fast Eddy's 4300 Capitola Rd., Capitola 462.1882 BRONZE One Double Oh Seven 1007 Soquel Ave., SC 425.9589 Best Singles Bar GOLD Blue Lagoon 923 Pacific Ave., SC 423.7117 SILVER Club Dakota 1209 Pacific Ave., SC 454.9030 BRONZE Crow's Nest 2218 E. Cliff Dr., SC 476.4560 Readers' Choice Awards Best Food & Drink Best Goods & Services Best Sports & Recreation Best Arts Best People & Places Best Write-Ins Critics' Choice Awards Jesse Davis: All the Shoes That Fit Stuart Finch: Rock Balancing Act Isabel Piekarski: Latin Dance Sensation Juan Cuellar: Compassionate Warrior Nate Brunskill: Film Fanatic Warren Odell: Tour Guide to an Anomaly Sarah Gerhardt: Woman Who Rides Mountains Seema Weatherwax: Late-Blooming Photographer Stephanie Smith: Student of the Sciences Theo Paige: The Not.So.Mad Fiddler [ Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]