SEX & DRUGS & ROCK & ROLL >>

• BEST ACOUSTIC PERFORMER
  If you think traditional American folk music is all about frogs and mama, go out and buy the American Anthology of Folk Music. Sex and violence are at the heart of our folk tradition, folks. But if the '60s revival did occasionally glance down at these darker roots, it more often set its sights... More >>
• BEST ALBUM OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS
  Last fall when rumor began spreading that there was a 23-year-old drum 'n' bass artist working out of his parents' Edina basement, many local insiders assumed the music he made would be a fraction as interesting as that exotic home life. Well, we were wrong. The willfully elusive anti-beats and... More >>
• BEST ALL-AGES VENUE
  It comes as little surprise that as the nation's latest baby boom passes into adolescence, all-ages venues such as the Whole Music Club on the University of Minnesota campus, Bon Appétit in Dinkytown, and the Coffee Shock in St. Paul are experiencing a late-'90s boom. But the Foxfire... More >>
• BEST BAND NAME
    More >>
• BEST BAND TO LEAVE THE TWIN CITIES IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS
  After releasing a funky lip-smack of a sophomore R&B album, Play, Vanguard's core members Scott Ruffner and Ian Jones relocated to Manhattan last year to start a record label (TVP Records) and a production company. Ruffner and Jones still periodically revisit their home turf to reunite with... More >>
• BEST BEER SELECTION IN A BAR
  For sheer, ridiculous variety, Williams has a lock on this category. With over 300 different bottled beers available upstairs, 70-odd tap varieties in the basement peanut bar, and a selection that changes every week, this place really moves the suds and draws the crowds. Sure, you can get an... More >>
• BEST BIKER BAR
  The hogs come out in springtime. Your Fat Boys. Your Sportsters. Your Softails. The rumbling of pipes plays a rough bassline below the treble shrieks of the cappuccino maker. There's parking out front, bikes only, and sometimes you'll see some makeshift tune-ups at curbside. No need to hide... More >>
• BEST BLOODY MARY
  So many Bloody Marys are social climbers, posing as a special juice blend or an exciting flavor sensation instead of being true to what they are: an alcoholic drink. Luckily, the dingy-but-proud Poodle Club is no fern bar entertaining notions of grandeur. It's a bar that serves liquor--no... More >>
• BEST BLUES BAR
  Though the Blues Saloon in St. Paul may possess more space and majesty, the Viking has the advantage of smallness: It's always comfortably packed. It also has the advantage of history: The long, narrow West Bank joint with booths lining one side and a stained-glass sun behind the bar has stood... More >>
• BEST CLUB DJ
  Rather than choose one of the cast of longstanding superstars who keep the local club scene alive--e.g., Drone, E-Tones, or Jennifer--we thought we'd spotlight the best of the new school of youngsters working the all-ages circuit. DJ Tyrone, a member of the Family Werks crew, has been the... More >>
• BEST COCKTAILS
  A few years back there was a going-away party for a Star Tribune editor at this dark, wood-paneled watering hole, beloved by Stribers for its proximity to the Newsroom of the Twin Cities. (It's also stumbling distance from City Hall.) At the climax of the evening, the guest of honor scrambled... More >>
• BEST COMEDY CLUB
  The Twin Cities comedy circuit may be a bit small compared with its '80s heyday, but Acme has managed to keep the Twin Towns guffawing with a mix of well-known national headliners and local acts. The place to see comic stars, this club has played host to the sardonic sneers of Margaret Smith,... More >>
• BEST CONCERT OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS
  Simply for rarity, this slice of Minnesota pop life was worth the wait. As the deep-voiced, string-popping bassist for Sly and the Family Stone and the leader of Graham Central Station, Larry Graham had inspired a generation of '70s funk practitioners, not least a young Minneapolis resident... More >>
• BEST CONCERT VENUE
  Few doubt that the larger of First Avenue's two concert rooms has a central place in the documentary that will someday be made about Minneapolis rock 'n' roll. But this converted Greyhound station's black cinder-block exterior is more than a punk-rock landmark and a postcard for Purple Rain... More >>
• BEST DANCE CLUB
  Well, they've still got that strangely undanceable dance music. The DJs here aurally tease clubgoers with occasionally interesting but rarely groovy mixes of everything and anything: techno, rock, and big beat, and occasionally dub, lounge, and God knows what else. We could point out that First... More >>
• BEST DRAG KING
  Until a few months ago, we couldn't confirm that such a breed existed. Compared to their stiletto-heeled sisters...er, brothers, the elusive drag king is difficult to spot in his natural habitat. Not so for Heather Spear, the Gentleman King, who was often spied playing with local bands Deformo... More >>
• BEST DRAG QUEEN
  With her oversize, Steven Tyler lips and Elton John eyeglasses, and a hairdo that might look normal on your insane aunt, Miss Richfield (a.k.a. Russell King) resembles the family member you might confide in about tawdry secrets while shopping. Although drag queens seem to be a dime a dozen... More >>
• BEST FEMALE VOCALIST
  Face it: Most female singers get their propers only if they do the little-girl alternative-rock coo or bellow the blues down in Koko Taylor's register. Dana Thompson does neither. Best known as the chirpy diva of the local eight-piece jazz and ragtime band the Hot Heads, Thompson is both jazzy... More >>
• BEST GAY/LESBIAN BAR
  For some unfathomable reason, the Saloon has shied away from the funky house music that made its Thursday nights central to Twin Cities nightlife last year. As a result the lanky club kids who stirred up the mix (including most of Minneapolis club life's queer contingent) have been replaced by... More >>
• BEST JAZZ CLUB
  Dakota owner Lowell Pickett is the patron saint of national jazz in these towns, fending off the IRS and frequently digging into his meager bank account to bring commercially dubious but musically rich, innovative acts to St. Paul. Like Ray Drummond's Excursions All Star Band, an ensemble that... More >>
• BEST JUKEBOX
  It should make sense that the club that served as the spiritual focal point for Minneapolis's rock 'n' roll heyday should have a jukebox whose selection list reads like an aural history of the city's sound and sensibility. Choosing from predictable landmarks like Hüsker Dü's Warehouse... More >>
• BEST KARAOKE
  Antler chandeliers, decades-old fryer grease, and the smell of stale alcohol fill this city slickers' version of a rural hunting lodge. Walking into the Country Bar and Grill, one would almost expect to see orange vests and guns of all sizes alongside burly beer-drinking men. This stereotype is... More >>
• BEST LOCAL BLUES BAND
  Sisterhood and brotherhood are powerful, as the sibling roots rockers in Indigenous know well. These twentysomething blues enthusiasts from the Yankton Indian Reservation in South Dakota make a big, warm sound in their big, warm family. And if they aren't technically "of the Twin Cities," they... More >>
• BEST LOCAL JAZZ ARTIST
  Other locals have more nationally prominent profiles (Jack McDuff, Anthony Cox), and more noteworthy styles (Kenny Holman, Bill Carrothers), but when it comes to the sort of ubiquitous presence, technical proficiency, and stalwart excellence that keeps a local scene humming, you can't do any... More >>
• BEST LOCAL POP GROUP
  It almost seems redundant to give the Hang Ups this award again, but Minneapolis hasn't produced a better band in years and it isn't likely to produce one anytime soon. In fact, the Hang Ups even register nationally as one of the better purveyors of wistful high pop. They avoid glibness or... More >>
• BEST LOCAL R&B GROUP
  While countless bands earn a steady living by moving the weekend crowds with more traditional R&B, pop hopefuls with dreams of radio stardom and more contemporary tastes often find themselves scrounging for attention at community talent shows and other less-prominent venues. That's how... More >>
• BEST LOCAL RAP GROUP
  Local hip hop exploded in 1998. What had been a diffuse, isolated scene came together in a series of events (most notably Bon Appétit's weekly open mics) and albums including the groundbreaking debut by St. Paul's Abstract Pack. Bousta Set It (For the Record) will be remembered as the... More >>
• BEST LOCAL RECORD LABEL
  Minneapolis is blessed with a number of noteworthy record labels, from Kim Randall's eclectically rocking No Alternative to Woody McBride's techno syndicate Communiqué. But none made as much noise in 1998 as Jace Kraus's History of the Future. And when we say noise, we mean NOISE.... More >>
• BEST LOCAL REGGAE BAND
  In small Caribbean and Central American towns, any music with a hint of hip hop gets the tag "reggae." In the Twin Cities, most of what locals call reggae is a kind of pop-rock so soft it could put Sting to sleep. But Dred I Dread adeptly follows the south-of-Mexico aesthetic, mixing deep dub... More >>
• BEST LOCAL ROCK BAND
  Has a punk band ever made rocking out sound like such hard work? Craig Finn's apoplectic streams of consciousness make it sound as if he's about to burst a blood vessel in his brain. Meanwhile, the rest of the band bashes about in search of a chorus with a determination that borders on the... More >>
• BEST MALE VOCALIST
  When you first hear Mason Jennings sing out loud, you're caught off guard, wondering what bizarre condition could enable a 24-year-old kid with an acoustic guitar to sound like a 94-year-old blues singer. But when Jennings calms to a rolling lull--that's when you're sold. For sure, his vocals... More >>
• BEST MARGARITA
  Before we sing the praises of Boca Chica and its la Señora margarita ($4.25), there's something we need to get straight. Whatever your Midwestern palate has been conditioned for, the margarita is supposed to consist of absolutely fresh lime juice, tequila, and triple sec, shaken with ice... More >>
• BEST MARTINI
  The standard martini is simple: gin served with a splash of vermouth and an olive. In recent seasons, though, the vast number of martini variants has watered down the definition of the cocktail to any liquor served nearly straight in a sleek, conical glass. Take, for example, the Black Martini... More >>
• BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR (MINNEAPOLIS)
  They're fighting for your soul up in Northeast Minneapolis. In the land with as many churches as bars, it's not uncommon to see Catholic and Orthodox worshiping across the street from one another amid the many dens of gin littering the neighborhood. Nowhere is this phenomenon more noticeable... More >>
• BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR (ST. PAUL)
  Though there's not a whole lot of neighborhood immediately surrounding the Starting Gate, there's usually a comfortable community feeling in this room. Despite the large front windows--a rarity for a bar like this--most of the interior is appropriately dark and seemingly immune to time. It's... More >>
• BEST NEW BAND
  A gaggle of indie-rocking tykes from Hopkins High, the Plastic Constellations are a garage-rock band that plays the most gentrified garage-rock ever--a messy, post-Pavement art-pop that tries to approximate their heroes' sonic pastiche the way the bands of yore used to try to approximate the... More >>
• BEST OLD BAND
  The Flamin' Oh's, the Trashmen, the Litter, and a cruise ship full of other aging rockers have made impressive and high-profile returns to the Twin Cities music scene after long absences. But Safety Last, in their unassuming way, are the most graceful recent revivers of their own ghost, playing... More >>
• BEST OPEN-MIC NIGHT
  An open mic is an amazingly democratic phenomenon, if also an occasionally painful one for audience and performer alike. Since 1991, singer-songwriter Leslie Ball has cleared the Southern stage for the performance efforts of the bold and adventuresome. Newcomers to this midnight Saturday... More >>
• BEST PICKUP JOINT
  For the discerning pickup artist, good music, decent drinks, and conversation are more than just a distraction from the business at hand. While the Walker Art Center may not be a "joint" in the classical sense--the $14 door charge ($7 for members) stands in evidence--the After Hours party on... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO GO FOR A DRINK AT 8:00 A.M.
  At 8:00 a.m. almost any day, a steady ant-line of cars flows into the parking lot of the Polish Palace in Nordeast. Mostly American makes, Fords and Chevys, with a few older-model Toyotas thrown in. Behind the wheels are public servants--law enforcers and postal workers--coming off the night... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO HEAR BLUEGRASS
  The first thing you'll notice about the Homestead Pickin' Parlor is that it looks damn down-home despite its Richfield strip-mall surroundings. Once inside the shop's cozy environs, which are stocked with the best and latest in bluegrass recordings, you'll find a wide selection of jam sessions... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO SALSA
  The consolation prize goes to First Avenue, whose Thursday night Salsa Infernos represent the club's biggest step away from the alt rock that has been its bread and butter for most of this decade. And although the rich assortment of Latin dancing in both Minneapolis and St. Paul clubs offers a... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO SEE A STRIP SHOW AT 9:00 A.M.
  The Payne Reliever's third-shift strip show starts at 9:00 in the morning with a happy hour and amateur dancers. "Amateur" means that the handful of performers--clad in miniskirt or short shorts and bra-like top--are paid with tips only. The women mingle with the customers, hoping to arrange a... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO SLOW DANCE
  With an intimate supper-club atmosphere (dim), classic American soul food on the menu (greasy), and jazz veterans or dance DJs filling your ears (funky), Arnellia's is an essential spot for pleasure dining in St. Paul. But it's also among the few small supper joints with a genuine dance floor,... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO SWING DANCE
  City Pages was cutting a rug back when your grandma wore hoop skirts. Yet we've never seen anything like the dance craze that has lately hit the Cities, which beats hula hooping and mosh pitting by a mile. Floors that hadn't known a good night's crowd for years have seen action all over town,... More >>
• BEST POOL HALL
  If you're going to shoot stick, shoot stick with the best. Shoot stick where old-timers spin tall tales for the wide-eyed, eager youngsters. Where the waft of Marlboro reds keeps hustlers buzzing until the doors lock at 4:00 a.m., and where seasoned journeymen stop for some action on their way... More >>
• BEST PUB
  St. Paul is the Irish town, so it makes sense that the best pub is located there. The Dubliner has three pictures of JFK hung in various corners, and its crowd is most often a mix of neighborhood folk and Irish expatriates. The always-gregarious expats pull up chairs around the bar, and soon... More >>
• BEST ROCK CLUB
  The new-look 400 Bar of the late 1990s is just a single room on the West Bank. It can have slightly higher cover charges than spoiled Minneapolitans are used to, and it doesn't exactly break attendance records every night. So why have we been going there more often than to any other rock club... More >>
• BEST RUMOR ON THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE
  Closing-time fears have dogged First Avenue for nearly two decades, and for fairly obvious reasons. For one, the old black ark's lease has a six-month demolition clause, which means the Ave. is always potentially two seasons away from The End. And according to management, the club has been... More >>
• BEST SONG ABOUT A LOCAL INSTITUTION
  Last time the Austin, Texas-based Watson was in town, he played Lee's Liquor Lounge, where he was greeted as warmly as any regular. Local Watson fans love his old-school-styled country music and Watson loves 'em right back. He opened his set with "Louie's Lee's Liquor Lounge," his affectionate... More >>
• BEST SONGWRITER
  Alabama-bred Marlee MacLeod has spent a career quietly investigating the intricacies of life as a Southern girl born again into the culture of Amerindie rock. Never bombastic or unduly confessional, her songs stake out a private world where references to the way "the iridescent birdie on my... More >>
• BEST SPORTS BAR
  This comfortably sized bar has an unfair advantage here, since it sits across the street from the Dome, making it the ideal pre- or post-game destination for Twins, Vikings, and Gopher football games. What the hell: It's not a bad spot to come to after a monster truck rally, either. Sure,... More >>
• BEST STRIP CLUB (FEMALE DANCERS)
  If you're going to design a strip club for the downtown Minneapolis male bourgeoisie (and wannabe bourgeoisie), you need to give your room not just the veneer of class, but a kind of ski-lodge coziness that makes all those nervous Oles-in-suits comfortable. Rick's Cabaret fits the bill, with a... More >>
• BEST STRIP CLUB (MALE DANCERS)
  With an early-evening time slot given over to buff male dancers (7:30 to 9:30 p.m.), Friday and Saturday nights at the Payne Reliever can have the pitched air of a girls' happy hour gone loopy. Though attendance varies wildly, this mirror-walled, working-class St. Paul club can get rowdy on a... More >>
• BEST VEGETARIAN BAR
  Okay, so it might be the only public vegetarian drinking hole in town. But the Triple Rock Social Club would also qualify for plenty of other awards, like Best New Bar, Best Punk Pickup Joint, Best Bar Makeover, and Best Graphic Menu Design. Let us explain. Not long ago Blondie's on the... More >>
• BEST VIDEO ARCADE
  When you're downtown, it's all about having options. Beer and rye for breakfast? No problem--there's sure to be a dive near the parking ramp. A noon-hour romance? It's the Whitney if you're serious, the Hilton for a quick getaway. Need to stretch that coffee break into a lazy afternoon, wander... More >>
• SECOND BEST BAND NAME
  Good puns don't need explaining, and neither does good music. The five-piece modern swing group includes two members of Trailer Trash (Nate Dungan, Andy Olson), an ex-Wallet (Max Ray), and secret weapon Joe Savage. More >>
• THIRD BEST BAND NAME
  Youngsters might think Vaseline Alley is just another great, greasy punk-rock band name, but the classic-rock fans these kids are trying to offend will immediately see it as a play on Gasoline Alley, the 1970 sophomore effort by Rod "The Mod" Stewart. And what a wry, ingeniously witty play it... More >>