The Fillmore voted best small venue by h.a.d readers

In what ended up being a tight race between The Fillmore and The Great American, The Fillmore ended up taking the prize for best small venue. I was pleasantly surprised to see the huge (over 70!) number of votes in the first-ever poll. I have to admit that I was a bit surprised that The Independent didn't amass more votes, and I would have liked to see newcomer Rickshaw Stop be more of a contender. Nonetheless, it seems somewhat fitting that Bill Graham's original San Francisco venue is still coming out on top, even if it has become a part of the dastardly ClearChannel empire. Be that what it may, there really can't be any argument that the Fillmore's allure and mystique not only gives the audience a real sense of rock history, but that it also continues to bring out some of the best performances of the artists that grace its stage.

New poll now up! Pick your favorite Bay Area music festival!