Best of Sacramento 2014: Arts & Entertainment

Rack 'em up at the Blue Cue in Midtown.

Rack 'em up at the Blue Cue in Midtown.

photos by lisa baetz

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

www.jodiangel.com

3. Mary Volmer

www.maryvolmer.com

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

www.sacramentobeerweek.com

2. Chalk It Up

www.chalkitup.org

3. Launch/TBD Fest

www.tbdfest.com

Best film festival

1. Sacramento Film & Music Festival

www.sacfilm.com

2. Trash Film Orgy

www.trashfilmorgy.com

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

Rebecca Roland (left) and Krystal Morentin (right) do karaoke right at the River City Saloon in Old Sacramento.

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

www.crc.losrios.edu

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

www.susansilvester.com

2. Micah Crandall-Bear

www.micahcrandallbear.com

3. Amanda Cook