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[whitespace] Best Music & Nightlife

Readers' Choice Awards

EVERYTHING YOU need to know about going out on the town is the old formula "One martini is not enough, and two are too many." The point is proven at Clouds in downtown Santa Cruz, where the martinis are colder than the heart of NRA spokesman Wayne La Pierre.

On the other hand, too much espresso is not enough (just ask Balzac). Teetotalers don't have to stay home after dark when so many of our coffeehouses offer nightlife as varied as that of any bar or disco. The crema of the crop populate Cafe Pergolesi, Jahva House and Espresso Royale (1, 2, 3 respectively in the voting for Best Cafe Scene), self-medicating with caffeine until the wee hours.

The beleaguered Catalyst won again this year for Best Live Music Club, perhaps a vote of confidence in the venerable club's recent troubles with the city of Santa Cruz and the police department. Winners in the Best Band categories show off a new beat around the local music--and a few good grooves still going strong.

Newcomer Kaye Bohler edges her outfit into the blues category, picking up a bronze behind longtime diva Sista Monica and the hard-working Red Beans and Rice. Master of the ukulele Oliver Brown, though he's been turning out white vinyl 12-inch records for years, ranks as a virtual upstart amid folk winner Mary McCaslin and bronze finisher Larry Hosford, who both have contributed to the local (and national) scene for decades. Best Local CD winner the Lonely Kings, debuting on the Goldies after a big year selling out shows all over town, have all the trappings of this town's next big thing.


Best bar

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 bartender

GOLD Sal Lal at Blue Lagoon

SILVER Amy Hawthorne at Zelda's

BRONZE Bill Sipple at Stagnaro's


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 (a.k.a. Espresso Royale Cafe)
1545 Pacific Ave., SC, 429.9804


Best club DJ

GOLD DJ Taylor, Wednesdays at Aptos Club, Thursday at Club Dakota, Fridays at Rosie McCann's and every third Saturday at Blue Lagoon

SILVER DJ AD, Wednesdays and Saturdays at Club Dakota

BRONZE DJ Tripp, Fridays and every second Saturday at Blue Lagoon and every first Thursday at Blue Lagoon


Best dance night

GOLD '80s at Blue Lagoon, Thursdays

SILVER Ladies Night at Club Dakota, Wednesdays

BRONZE Disco Night at Blue Lagoon, Tuesdays


Best happy hour

GOLD El Palomar
1336 Pacific Ave., SC, 425.7575

SILVER Crow's Nest
2218 East Cliff Dr., SC, 476.4560

BRONZE Blue Lagoon
923 Pacific Ave., SC, 423.7117


Best live music club

GOLD The Catalyst
1011 Pacific Ave., SC, 423.1336

SILVER Moe's Alley
1535 Commercial Way, SC, 479.1854

BRONZE Palookaville
1133 Pacific Ave., SC, 454.0600


Best local band/musician-blues

GOLD Sista Monica

SILVER Red Beans and Rice

BRONZE Kaye Bohler Band


Best local band/musician-folk

GOLD Mary McCaslin

SILVER Oliver Brown

BRONZE Larry Hosford


Best local band/musician-jazz

GOLD India

SILVER Dizzy Burnett

BRONZE Johnny Fabulous


Best local band/musician-rock

GOLD Extra Large

SILVER Ribsy's Nickel

BRONZE Good Riddance


Best local CD

GOLD 'What If' by the Lonely Kings

SILVER 'Dub Congress' by Dub Congress

BRONZE 'Dance to the Spin' by Extra Large


Best martini

GOLD Clouds Downtown
110 Church St., SC, 429.2000

SILVER The Red Room
1003 Cedar St., SC, 426.2994

BRONZE Pearl Alley
110 Pearl Alley, SC, 429.8070


Best place to dance

GOLD Blue Lagoon
923 Pacific Ave., SC, 423.7117

SILVER Club Dakota
1209 Pacific Ave., SC, 454.9030

BRONZE Palookaville

1133 Pacific Ave., SC, 454.0600


Best place to play pool

GOLD Fast Eddy's
4300 Capitola Rd., Capitola, 462.1882

SILVER Santa Cruz Billiards
325 Soquel Ave., SC, 425.7665

BRONZE The Catalyst
1011 Pacific Ave., SC, 423.1336


Best singles bar

GOLD Blue Lagoon
923 Pacific Ave., SC, 423.7117

SILVER Asti Cafe
715 Pacific Ave., SC, 423.7337

BRONZE Club Dakota
1209 Pacific Ave., SC, 454.9030

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Best Food & Drink
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      Critic's Choice

Best Arts
      Reader's Choice
      Critic's Choice

Best Music & Nightlife
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Best Goods & Services
      Reader's Choice
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Best People & Places
      Reader's Choice
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Best Sports & Recreation
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Best Write-in

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From the March 22-29, 2000 issue of Metro Santa Cruz.

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