Ace's Is The Place For Live Music In Bradenton

, 4343 Palma Sola Blvd., proclaims itself as Bradenton's live music venue.

Sure, many bars do. But rarely does one have a new musical guest almost nightly like Ace's, featuring nationally-acclaimed musicians to local favorites. And while it's unheard of to charge between $15-$25 a cover, Ace's can – and still fills the joint, a testament to the quality of its lineup.

Drink options include more than 30 beers, a few wines and a full liquor bar. An even more impressive food menu includes pizza, hot and cold subs, burgers, pasta, seafood, veal and chicken. With Chef Ron working his culinary magic until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, along with plenty of drink options and quality live music, Ace's is the place to go – and stay.

Ditto for this weekend, because Ace's isn't taking a break for the holidays. The lounge is open for its regular hours from 10am - 2am Thursday, Friday and Sunday and is open from 3pm - 2am Saturday on Christmas Day.

Located just off Cortez Road, Ace's Lounge stands as one of the last mainland outposts before the barrier islands. The two-story building is rather nondescript on the approach from north; the charm is the wooden interior decorated with album covers and instruments, an upstairs loft with pool tables and seating for a direct view of the stage below and a 50-foot, barn-style ceiling.

Not an accident, the high ceiling directly above the stage was built to provide for first-class acoustics not always found in a bar – perfect for a live music venue like Ace's. Owner Renee Bennett also invested in a quality sound system to bring patrons a more enjoyable experience. "If you're going to do live music," she said, "do it right."

Bennett is no stranger to the business. Her mother (nicknamed Ace, hence the name) once owned Rainbow, a popular dive bar from the 1970s that once stood in the vicinity of Ace's. The cypress lumber on the south wall of Ace's was once part of Rainbow, and the remainder of the bar's wood paneling comes from a Tennessee barn that the family bought, deconstructed and transported to Bradenton in the mid-1980s.

The family sold Ace's, but Bennett repurchased it about five years ago with the intentions of shedding its rowdy reputation and transforming it into a destination for a diverse clientele. That began with making connections with booking agents and bringing in regional and national acts, along with popular local bands. The musical lineup features mostly blues and southern blues, her favorite genre, but also reggae, Americana, jazz, alternate-country and some rock.

Some acts are already booked into April. Upcoming performers next month include Tony Tyler Band, a local funk rock artist, performing New Year's Eve with opener Terry Helm Acoustic; the Damon Fowler Group, a nationally-known blues musician from Tampa Bay on Jan. 8; and Canadian rocker Fred Eaglesmith on Jan. 15. British blues guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor is scheduled for March 12.

"Sugar Shack Mondays," a weekly event/webcast featuring Damon Fowler and featuring a new musician each week, debuts at 8pm Monday, Jan. 3. It's not a "jam" for amateur musicians but a showcase of touring artists playing their original music, then jamming with Fowler. Guitarist J.P. Soars is the special guest for Jan. 3. Follow this new event here through Facebook.

Ace's has always offered food, but not to this extent. The bar sublet the kitchen earlier this year to a veteran chef who expanded the menu with quality lunch and dinner dishes. It's not just bar food anymore, Bennett said. Click here to see the menu.

Bennett wants to eventually expand the beer selection, which offers mostly domestics with some imports (Heineken and Red Stripe, among others) available. Beer on tap includes a few domestics. Regular and flavored bottles of Smirnoff Ice are also available, much to my fiancée's delight.

Beer prices range from $2.25 to $4, depending on when you're there. Happy Hour is all day Tuesday. Sunday specials include televised NFL games all day, beer deals, jello shots, wings and pizza (click here for details). Enjoy the blues, rock, and soul of The Smokin' Bones from -9 p.m.

Quality live music, food, beer and football games on Sundays: Ace's Lounge has it all.

IF YOU GO

Ace's Lounge, 4343 Palma Sola Blvd., is open from 10-2 a.m. everyday. Hours for Christmas Day Saturday are 3pm - 2am. Contact Ace's at (941) 795-3886 or visit its website at www.4aceslounge.com. Live music tonight (Dec. 23) from Shinola, 7-11 pm

AROUND BRADENTON THIS WEEKEND

• , 5106 14^th St. W., is open all day and night Christmas Eve Friday. Enjoy drink specials during Happy Hour from 11-7pm, then $12 buckets of domestic beers from 7-2 a.m.
• , 4307 26th St. W., is having a Sexy Santa Costume Contest at 9:30pm Friday followed by an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest at 2pm Saturday.
• , 425 Old Main St., is one of the few places open all night Saturday. Stop by for a cigar and a drink. Cork's is open from 5-2:30am.
• Another downtown Bradenton locale, , 313 Old Main St., is open on Christmas Day, too. The Pub's Saturday hours are 6-2:30am
• , 5131 14^th St. W., serves up its weekly buffet of soul food and live music starting at 7pm Sunday. The $10 cover includes all the food you can eat!