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The Best of Denver, our annual love letter to the city, is on newsstands now. Within, you'll find 200-some pages filled with the things that make Denver interesting, from the best handheld burrito to the best twerking workout. We found plenty to celebrate in Denver music and nightlife, too — see the winners below, and head to the Arts & Entertainment section to learn much more.
Best Jukebox: Nob Hill Inn
Best Karaoke Bar: Armida’s
Best Spanish-Language Karaoke Bar: 100% de Agave
Best Open-Mike Night: Strange Grounds
Best In-Store Performances: Twist & Shout
Best Concert Series: Strings & Wood
Best Old-School Hip-Hop Night: MGM’s Restaurant & Lounge
Best Club Night: TheHundred/Culture Magazine Fridays
Best Underground Dance Parties: Deep Club
Best Place to See New Bands: Bar Bar (Carioca Cafe)
Best New Club: Vie
Best Dance Club: Beta Nightclub
Best Rock Club: hi-dive
Best Blues Club: Ziggies
Best Jazz Club?: Dazzle Restaurant & Lounge
Best DIY Venue: Rhinoceropolis
Best All-Ages Venue: Skatuary
Best New Venue: Syntax Physic Opera
Best Multi-Stage Venue: Mercury Cafe
Best Non-Venue Venue: Mutiny Information Cafe
Best Venue for the Unexpected: Deer Pile
Best Art Gallery/Music Venue: Denver Art Society
Best Underground Arcade and Music Venue: Hyperspace
Best (Literally) Underground Venue: Ubisububi Room at the Thin Man Tavern
Best Venue to Fall in the Past Year: Dead Leaf Arts
Best Venue Green Room: Bluebird Theater
Best Sound System: Summit Music Hall
Best Sound-System Upgrade: Lost Lake Lounge
Best Venue Renovation: Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
Best Door Guy: Trevor Thon, Larimer Lounge
Best Sandwich-Making DJ: DJ Gatsby/Peter Schroeder
Best Underground Promoter: Aaron Saye, Seventh Circle Music Collective
Best Music-Education Program: Youth on Record
Best Recording Studio: Dryer Plug Studios
Best New Radio Station: OpenAir 102.3
Best Music Video: “Amsterdam” - Gregory Alan Isakov
Best Comeback Album: America, The Samples
Best Denver Music Compilation: Wet Pizza V: Wet It Be
Best Use of Weed in an Album Design: Drive, Sleepers
Best Use of Bones as Instruments: Matthew Hunzeker/Of Earth and Sun
Best Fitness Band: Werk Out Palace
Best Tribute Band: Fauxgazi
Best New Band: Future Single Mom
Best Music Festival: RockyGrass
Best Concert of the Year: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Temple Buell Theatre
Best Album: Totem, Snake Rattle Rattle Snake
Best News About the Denver Music Scene: We Beat Austin!
Keep Westword Free... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Denver with no paywalls.
