Winstons in Ocean Beach, on Bacon Street.
OCEAN BEACH, CA. For the last week we ran a poll asking readers : Where’s the best spot in O.B. to catch your favorite band and or music?
Winstons, the long-time local club on Bacon Street won hands down. It received 58% of the votes. There was no one a close second. Farmers Market came in with 16% of the vote, and the Harp had 15%.
Here’s the full tally:Where’s the best spot in O.B. to catch your favorite band and or music?
* Winston’s 36– 58% of all votes
* Dream Street 0– 0% of all votes
* Portugalia 1– 2% of all votes
* The Harp 9– 15% of all votes
* Gallagher’s 0– 0% of all votes
* Farmer’s Market 10– 16% of all votes
* Veteran’s Rock 1– 2% of all votes
* Other – 5– 8% of all votes
Total Votes: 62 — Poll started: August 13, 2009 – August 21, 2009
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Seen me some great bands at Winston’s – frequently a cut above a lot of the other venues for bringing touring acts to town. Paid me some steep cover charges there, too…
I’ve never been down to farmer’s market with the intention of experiencing music, but it’s cool to stop at the stage off Bacon for a few minutes, and the local performers are a lot better sidewalk decoration than empty storefronts. Seems they’ve multiplied in recent years, it’s harder for me these days to choose a couple to toss a buck to every week (would love to support ’em all, but then I’d have no veggies and other goodies to get me through ’til next time).
Portugalia has an interesting environment, but I go there mostly because the food is killer and Jason is hands-down the raddest proprietor ever.
Dreamstreet: where kids from East County go to hear their friends’ metal bands, or where good bands go to die. Those are among the descriptions of the joint that have stuck with me over the years. And about half the time I go it’s to see one of my buddies’ metal bands…and I grew up in East County. Cool place, if you’re not stuck with a $9-10 cover that seems kinda steep when you’re still blowing a good chunk inside on drinks and none of the unheard-of local acts are getting a cut on the door.
Veteran’s Rock has produced plenty of memories over the years, but like the farmer’s market I don’t see it as a place for music as much as an experience with all kinds of varied performances as an added bonus.
I’ve never actually seen a show at, or spent much time in Gallagher’s, for some reason…
I dig the Harp a lot – a good variety of good performances, usually local and always free! Toss in decent-if-not-spectacular bar food and what’s not to love?
Still, with every venue having its upsides and a definitiely distinctive vibe, I gotta say “Other” is where it’s at…though I forget if that’s how I voted.
I love Winstons! They have a really diverse calendar. I hear they have stand up comedy on Fridays. Wow! We do live in paradise.
diverse calendar? Lousy Smarch!
Interesting outcome. From my own standpoint and personal experiences I can say that I’ve played at Winston’s many times and it was fun, but it was also fun to play there when it was the Beach Club too. Dream Street a few times and yes, it was hard to get a lot of people to want to go there tho they’re now using a mobile boombox to advertise. Gallagher’s when it was Le Chalet’ and those were some good times, but more people seemed to go the Beach Club in those days as well.
I’ve played at the Farmer’s Market at Bacon St. and that was a lot of fun making music while seeing your friends and neighbors cruising around & shopping out in the daylight and fresh air. Also the park where Veteran’s Rock is had some really fun shows to play at! There’s just something about jamming outside on a stage in the sunshine and looking out over folks and seeing the mighty Pacific Ocean. ;)
The only “other” places for me here in O.B. (besides private functions) would have been Java Joes and the Texas Tea House but as everyone knows, they have moved on and/or out.
This just in: It looks like my new band which is comprised of 4 local cats from O.B. will be playing at the next OB Global benefit concert coming here in November…this is going to ROCK! Stay tuned for more info!