The Marquee Club was closed for renovations when the Best of Music poll opened, but it didn’t stop the majority of you from voting it best venue. Despite constant rumours of its imminent demise, The Marquee continued booking high-profile national and international acts—Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Billy Bragg and Ron Sexsmith—while providing constant support to Halifax artists. Skratch Bastid, Contrived, North of America and the Jimmy Swift Band are just a few of the local acts who graced the Marquee stage in 2003, and dozens more performed downstairs in Hell’s Kitchen. Now reopened, renovated and rejuvenated, The Marquee Club is poised for another amazing year. Sure, the bar looks a lot different and there’s plenty of new faces working the room, but as long as the club keeps booking quality acts and supporting the scene, people will keeping showing up.
Runner-up: The Seahorse Tavern, 1659 Argyle