Best of Sacramento 2014: Arts & Entertainment
Best live music venue
1. Ace of Spades
1417 R Street, (916) 930-0220, www.aceofspadessac.com
2. Harlow's
2708 J Street, (916) 441-4693, www.harlows.com
3. Blue Lamp
1400 Alhambra Boulevard, (916) 455-3400, www.bluelampsacramento.com
Best all-ages music venue
1. Ace of Spades
1417 R Street, (916) 930-0220, www.aceofspadessac.com
2. Witch Room
1815 19th Street, (916) 508-0213, www.witchroomsac.com
3. The Boardwalk
9426 Greenback Lane in Orangevale, (916) 988-9247, www.boardwalkrocks.com
Best author of fiction
1. Christian Kiefer
2. Jodi Angel
3. Mary Volmer
Best big screen
1. Crest Theatre
1013 K Street, (916) 442-5189, www.thecrest.com
2. Esquire IMAX Theatre
1211 K Street, (916) 443-4629, www.imax.com/oo/esquire-imax
3. Tower Theatre
2508 Land Park Drive, (916) 442-0985, www.readingcinemasus.com
Best casino/cardroom
1. Thunder Valley Casino Resort
1200 Athens Avenue in Lincoln, (916) 408-7777, www.thundervalleyresort.com
2. Red Hawk Casino
Red Hawk Parkway in Placerville, (530) 677-7000, www.redhawkcasino.com
3. Cache Creek Casino Resort
14455 Highway 16 in Brooks, (530) 796-3118, www.cachecreek.com
3. Capitol Casino
411 N 16th Street, (916) 446-0700, www.capitol-casino.com
Best comedy experience
1. Punch Line Comedy Club
2100 Arden Way, (916) 925-5500, www.punchlinesac.com
2. Sacramento Comedy Spot
1050 20th Street, Suite 130; (916) 444-3137; www.saccomedyspot.com
3. Laughs Unlimited
1207 Front Street, (916) 446-8128, www.laughsunlimited.com
Best community-theater group
1. Big Idea Theatre
1616 Del Paso Boulevard, (916) 960-3036, www.bigideatheatre.com
2. Celebration Arts
4469 D Street, (916) 455-2787, www.celebrationarts.net
3. Fair Oaks Theatre Festival
7991 California Avenue in Fair Oaks, (916) 966-3683, www.fairoakstheatrefestival.com
Best dance spot
1. Faces
2000 K Street, (916) 448-7798, www.faces.net
2. Badlands
2003 K Street, (916) 448-8790, www.sacbadlands.com
3. The Press Club
2030 P Street, (916) 444-7914, www.facebook.com/thepressclub
Best festival
1. Sacramento Beer Week
2. Chalk It Up
3. Launch/TBD Fest
Best film festival
1. Sacramento Film & Music Festival
2. Trash Film Orgy
3. Sacramento French Film Festival
www.sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org
Best gay club
1. Faces
2000 K Street, (916) 448-7798, www.faces.net
2. Badlands
2003 K Street, (916) 448-8790, www.sacbadlands.com
3. The Mercantile Saloon
1928 L Street, (916) 447-0792
Best karaoke
1. River City Saloon
916 Second Street, (916) 443-6852, www.therivercitysaloon.com
2. Pine Cove Tavern
509 29th Street, (916) 446-3624, www.pinecovetavern.com
3. The Distillery
2107 L Street, (916) 443-8815
Best local actor
1. Ryan Snyder
2. Matt K. Miller
3. Shannon Mahoney
3. Jonathan Rhys Williams
Best open-mic night
1. Luna's Café & Juice Bar
1414 16th Street, (916) 441-3931, www.lunascafe.com
2. Shine
1400 E Street, (916) 551-1400, www.shinesac.com
3. Fox & Goose
1001 R Street, (916) 443-8825, www.foxandgoose.com
Best place to hear poetry
1. Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Café & Juice Bar
1414 16th Street, (916) 441-3931, www.lunascafe.com
2. Sacramento Poetry Center
1719 25th Street, (916) 240-1897, www.sacramentopoetry center.com
3. Red Alice's Poetry Emporium
at Shine, 1400 E Street
Best place to knock down pins
1. Capitol Bowl
900 W. Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento, (916) 371-4200, www.capbowl.com
2. Country Club Lanes
2600 Watt Avenue, (916) 483-5105, www.countryclublanes.com
3. AMF Land Park Lanes
5850 Freeport Boulevard, (916) 421-3671, www.amf.com/landparklanes
Best place to see art
1. Crocker Art Museum
216 O Street, (916) 808-7000, https://crockerartmuseum.org
2. Verge Center for the Arts
625 S Street, (916) 448-2985, www.vergeart.com
3. Sol Collective
2574 21st Street, (916) 476-3628, www.facebook.com/artcultureactivism
Best place to stock your bookshelves
1. Beers Books
915 S Street, (916) 442-9475, www.beersbooks.com
2. Time Tested Books
1114 21st Street, (916) 447-5696, www.timetestedbooks.net
3. The Avid Reader at the Tower
1600 Broadway, (916) 441-4400, http://avidreadertower.com
Best reading or lecture series
1. Sacramento's Living Library, Time Tested Books
1114 21st Street, (916) 447-5696, www.timetestedbooks.net
2. Stories on Stage, Sacramento Poetry Center
www.storiesonstagesacramento.wordpress.com
3. CRC Literary Series, Cosumnes River College
Best professional theater company
1. B Street Theatre
2711 B Street, (916) 443-5300, www.bstreettheatre.org
2. California Musical Theatre
1419 H Street, (916) 557-1999, www.california musicaltheatre.com
3. Capital Stage
2215 J Street, (916) 995-5464, www.capstage.org
Best spot for pool
1. Blue Cue
1004 28th Street, (916) 441-6810, www.bluecue.com
2. Corner Pocket Sports Bar
7777 Sunrise Boulevard in Citrus Heights, (916) 722-2582, www.thecornerpocket sportsbar.com
3. R15
1431 R Street, (916) 930-9191, www.paragarys.com
Best trivia night
1. Blue Lamp
1400 Alhambra Boulevard, (916) 455-3400, www.bluelampsacramento.com
2. de Vere's Irish Pub
1521 L Street, (916) 231-9947, www.deverespub.com
3. The Depot Video Bar
2001 K Street, (916) 441-6823, www.facebook.com/thedepotsac
Best visual artist
1. Susan Silvester
2. Micah Crandall-Bear
3. Amanda Cook