The results for our 2019  Best of the Bay Awards are in!  Here you’ll find Tampa Bay’s best nightclubs, music acts, DJs, burlesque dancers, and more, all determined by you and neighbors. If you don’t see your personal favorites here, maybe this will lead you to a few new places to try! Read the full 2019 Best of The Bay issue here. 

Best Small Concert Venue (Under 2,000 capacity) Winner: Jannus Live, jannuslive.com Second Place: The Verona, facebook.com/TheVeronaBar Runner Up: Paper Crane, facebook.com/papercranestpete Photo by Anthony Martino
Best Local Hip-Hop Act Winner: Fresh P, soundcloud.com/fresh813prince Second Place: Around the Bonfire, facebook.com/aroundthebonfiremusic Runner Up: Reeves, soundcloud.com/reeves727 Photo via Roberto Rivera/Creative Loafing
Best Music Festival Winner: Gasparilla Music Festival, gasparillamusic.com Second Place: Orange Blossom Jamboree, orangeblossomjamboree.com Runner Up: 97x Next Big Thing, 97xonline.com/nbt2019 Photo via Ysanne Taylor/Creative Loafing
Best Drag Performer Winner: Adriana Sparkle, facebook.com/adrianageminisparkle Second Place: Matthew McGee, heresmatthew.com Runner Up: Konstance Panic, facebook.com/konstancepanic Photo via Adriana Sparkle/Facebook
Best Local Classical Musician Winner: Tom Kersey, tomkmusic.com Second Place: Rose Mallare, rosemallare.com Runner Up: Melissa Grady, facebook.com/MelissaGrady Photo via Tom Kersey/Facebook
Best Dance Club Winner: The Castle, castleybor.com Second Place: Enigma, enigmastpete.com Runner Up: Blur Nightclub, blurdunedin.com Photo via The Castle/Facebook
Best Club DJ Winner: Austen van der Bleek, avbleek.com Second Place: Jayson Chancey, djjayson.com Runner Up: Jason Kitchen, facebook.com/djjasonkitchen Photo via Austen van der Bleek/avbleek.com
Best Local Experimental Act Winner: The HeadTones, facebook.com/TheHeadTones Second Place: Skallop, skallop.bandcamp.com Runner Up: Terrapin, terrapinsounds.bandcamp.com Photo via The HeadTones/Facebook
Best Local Jam Band Winner: Black Honkeys, theblackhonkeys.com Second Place: Little Kintner Boys, kintnerboys.com Runner Up: Uncle John’s Band, unclejohnsband.com Photo via The Black Honkeys/Facebook
Best Local Bluegrass Band Winner: The Applebutter Express, facebook.com/TheApplebutterExpress Second Place: Free Range Strange, freerangestrange.com Runner Up: The Wandering Hours, facebook.com/thewanderinghours Photo via The Applebutter Express/Facebook
Best Country Act (Original) Winner: Soul Circus Cowboys, soulcircuscowboys.com Second Place: Have Gun, Will Travel, hgwtmusic.com Runner Up: The Cadillac Cowboys, thecadillaccowboys.com Photo via Soul Circus Cowboys/Facebook
Best Open Mic Night (Poetry) Winner: Smoken Words, facebook.com/SmokenWords Second Place: Iberian Rooster, iberianrooster.com Runner Up: The Blueberry Patch, blueberrypatch.org Photo via Smoken Words/Facebook
Best Stand-Up Comedy Venue Winner: Side Splitters, sidesplitterscomedy.com Second Place: Improv Comedy, improvtampa.com Runner Up: Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, beefobradys.com Photo via Side Splitters/Facebook
Best Concert in the Last 12 Months Winner: Pride Closer, pridecloser.com Second Place: P!nk at AMALIE Arena, facebook.com/pinkconcertamaliearena Runner Up: Gasparilla Music Festival, gasparillamusic.com Photo via Pride Closer/pridecloser.com
Best Art Party Winner: Painting with a Twist, paintingwithatwist.com/stpetersburg Second Place: Practically Pikasso, practicallypikasso.com Runner Up: Nude Night, nudenite.com Photo via Painting with a Twist/Facebook
Best Strip Club Winner: Oz Gentlemen’s Club, ozgentlemensclub.com Second Place: Mons Venus World Famous, facebook.com/monsvenustampa Runner Up: Le Palace Clearwater, facebook.com/lepalaceclearwater Photo via Oz Gentlemen’s Club/Facebook
Best Burlesque Act Winner: Mayven Missbehavin, facebook.com/MayvenIsMissbehavin Second Place: Femmes & Follies, femmesandfollies.com Runner Up: Black Diamond, blackdiamondburlesque.com Photo via Mayven Missbehavin/Facebook
Best Local Cover Band Winner: JT Curtis and the Florida Scoundrels, facebook.com/jtcurtisandthefloridascoundrels Second Place: Pig Floyd, pigfloydinc.com Runner Up: Pitbull Toddler, facebook.com/PitbullToddler Photo via JT Curtis and the Florida Scoundrels/Facebook
Best Dancer Winner: Jordan Denise Williams, jordandenisewilliams.com Second Place: Alessandra Berrojo, facebook.com/alessandraberrojo Runner Up: Azeeria Azizah, facebook.com/BellydanceByAzeeria Photo via Jordan Denise Williams/Facebook
Best Local Roots/Alt-Country Act (Original) Winner: The Wandering Hours, facebook.com/thewanderinghours Second Place: Bearded Brothers, thebeardedbrothers.com Runner Up: Soul Circus Cowboys, soulcircuscowboys.com Photo via The Wandering Hours/Facebook
Best Local Reggae/Ska Band Winner: Jah Movement, jahmovement.com Second Place: Victims of Circumstance, vocska.com Runner Up: Fall on Purpose, facebook.com/fallonpurpose Photo via Jah Movement/Facebook
Best Film Festival Winner: Gasparilla Film Festival, gasparillafilmfestival.com Second Place: Dunedin International Film Festival, dunedininternationalfilmfestival.com Runner Up: Sunscreen Film Festival, sunscreenfilmfestival.com Photo via Gasparilla Film Festival/Facebook
Best Dance Company Winner: Fusion Dance Company, fusiondancenow.com Second Place: Karl & DiMarco North Tampa Dance Studio, karlanddimarconorth.com Runner Up (Tie): All American Classical Ballet, allamericanclassicalballet.com Runner Up (Tie): Dance Quest International, dancequestonline.com Photo via Fusion Dance Company/Facebook
Best Local Hip-Hop Act Winner: Fresh P, soundcloud.com/fresh813prince Second Place: Around the Bonfire, facebook.com/aroundthebonfiremusic Runner Up: Reeves, soundcloud.com/reeves727 Photo via Roberto Rivera/Creative Loafing
Best Local Band (Original) Winner: F19 Band, facebook.com/F19BAND Second Place: Derrick Williams & The Gospel, thegospelvoicetvshow.com Runner Up: Discord Theory, discordtheoryband.com Photo via F19 Band/Facebook
Best Art Gallery (non-museum) Winner: Dunedin Fine Art Center, dfac.org Second Place: ARTpool Gallery – Vintage Clothing Boutique & Vinyl Record Store, artpoolrules.com Runner Up: Morean Art Center, moreanartscenter.org Photo via Dunedin Fine Art Center/Facebook
Best Weekly Club Night Winner: CJ’s On The Island Monday, cjsontheisland.com Second Place: Ol’ Dirty Sundays, facebook.com/oldirtysundays Runner Up: Turbo Tuesday 2.0 @Morph, facebook.com/2.0turbotuesday Photo via CJ’s on the Island/Facebook
Best Local Pop Act (Original) Winner: F19 Band, facebook.com/F19BAND Second Place: Jordan Denise Williams, jordandenisewilliams.com Runner Up: Zai Gyros, facebook.com/ZaitheEntertainer Photo via F19 Band/Facebook
Best Gallery (Non-Museum) Show Winner: Dreams of Dali, dreamsofdali.net Second Place: Cam Parker at The Blue, facebook.com/painkillercam Runner Up: Insatiable at the Dunedin, dfac.org/insatiable Photo via Dreams of Dali/dreamsofdali.net
Best Local Jazz Ensemble Winner: Derrick Williams, derrickwilliamsvocalist.com Second Place: Betty Fox Band, bettyfox.net Runner Up: Crisis, The Jazz Project, crisisthejazzproject.bandcamp.com Photo via Derrick Williams/Facebook
Best Local Vocalist Winner: Ev V Frederick, youtube.com/evvfrederick Second Place: Brooke Gonzales, Runner Up: JT Curtis, bandmix.com/jtcurtis Photo via F19 Band/Facebook
Best Karaoke Winner: CJ’s On The Island, cjsontheisland.com Second Place: High Caliber Karaoke with Richie Hodge, richiehodge.com Runner Up (Tie): City Side, citysideloungetampa.com Runner Up (Tie): Double Decker, doubledeckertampa.com Photo via CJ’s on the Island/Facebook
Best Improv Team Winner: American Stage Improv, americanstage.org/improv Second Place: Bay Area Renaissance Festival Cast, bayarearenfest.com Runner Up: Improv at USF, facebook.com/improvatusf Photo via American Stage Improv/Facebook
Best Local Singer/Songwriter Winner: Ev V Frederick, youtube.com/evvfrederick Second Place: Derrick Williams, derrickwilliamsvocalist.com Runner Up: Jariah Higgins, jariahhiggins.com Photo via F19 Band/Facebook
Best Large Concert Venue (2,000-plus capacity) Winner: AMALIE Arena, amaliearena.com Second Place: Ruth Eckerd Hall, rutheckerdhall.com Runner Up: Mahaffey Theater, themahaffey.com Photo via Amalie Arena/Facebook
Best Place to Play Pool Winner: CJ’s On The Island, cjsontheisland.com Second Place: Stroker’s Sports Bar & Grill, strokerswebsite.com Runner Up: Brewlands Bar & Billards Carrollwood, facebook.com/Brewlandsnorth Photo via CJ’s on the Island/Facebook
Best Local Metal/Hardcore Band (Original) Winner: Against My Will, reverbnation.com/againstmywill Second Place: Head High, headhighfl.bandcamp.com Runner Up: Aera Cura, facebook.com/AeraCuraFL Photo via Against My Will/Facebook
Best Local Rock Band (Original) Winner: F19 Band, facebook.com/F19BAND Second Place: Black Honkys, theblackhonkeys.com Runner Up: Scapeghost, facebook.com/scapeghostFL Photo via F19 Band/Facebook
Best Local Soul/R&B/Funk Act Winner: Derrick Williams, derrickwilliamsvocalist.com Second Place: Black Honkeys, theblackhonkeys.com Runner Up: Brandon Santino, facebook.com/santinomusic Photo via Derrick Williams/Facebook
Best Stand-Up Comedian Winner: Rick Stepinsky, facebook.com/rickstepinsky Second Place: Cam Bertrand, facebook.com/cam.bertrand Runner Up: Jander Gray, facebook.com/jandergray Photo via Rick Stepinsky/Facebook
Best Open Mic Night (Poetry) Winner: Smoken Words, facebook.com/SmokenWords Second Place: Iberian Rooster, iberianrooster.com Runner Up: The Blueberry Patch, blueberrypatch.org Photo via Smoken Words/Facebook
Best Singles Hangout Winner: CJ’s On The Island, cjsontheisland.com Second Place: Smoken Words, facebook.com/SmokenWords Runner Up: Armature Works, armatureworks.com Photo via CJ’s on the Island/Facebook
Best Release By A Local Band Winner: Slow & Low by F19 Band, facebook.com/F19BAND Second Place: Jesus Oh How I Love You by Derrick Williams, derrickwilliamsvocalist.com Runner Up: All We Want by The HeadTones, facebook.com/TheHeadTones Photo via F19 Band/Facebook
Best Spoken Word Artist Winner: Novacane, instagram.com/novathenymph Second Place: Dan and Dad Show, dananddadshow.com Runner Up: Telicia Da Poet, facebook.com/teliciadapoet Photo via Smoken Words/Facebook
Best Instrumentalist Winner: Joey Aceto, facebook.com/Blaquepromotions Second Place: Derrick Williams Pianist, derrickwilliamsvocalist.com Runner Up: Dave Muse, davemuse.com Photo via Braque Promotions/Facebook
Best Local Record Label Winner: Derlie Records Inc., derlierecords.com Second Place: Hands in Motion Music Productions & Marketing, handsinmotionmusic.com Runner Up: Noir Addiction Musik Group, noiraddictionmusik.com Photo via Derlie Records Inc./Facebook
Best Local Concert Promoter Winner: TampaBayNightLife.TV, tampabaynightlife.tv Second Place: Bungalow Entertainment, bungalowentertainment.com Runner Up: Open House Conspiracy, openhouseconspiracy.com Photo via TampaBayNightLife.TV/Facebook
Best Record Store Winner: Daddy Kool Recrods, daddykool.com Second Place: Vintage Vinyl LLC, vintagevinyl.biz Runner Up: Bananas Records: CDs, DVDs & Vinyl, bananasrecords.com Photo via Daddy Kool Records/Facebook
Best Place to Bowl Winner: Dunedin Lanes, dunedinlanes.com Second Place: Pin Chasers, pinchasers.net Runner Up (Tie): Splitsville Southern + Social, splitsvillelanes.com/tampa Runner Up (Tie): Ten Pin Lanes, littlecenters.com Photo via Dunedin Lanes/Facebook