Nicknamed the "best remnant of the '40s," the Turf Club had a reputation as the Twin Cities' foremost place for country two-stepping long before line dancing became a pop-culture phenomenon. While other bars at the busy St. Paul intersection of University and Snelling decayed and dropped in popularity, the Turf managed to keep its old-fashioned, hokey atmosphere in pristine condition. Then the management decided to lend a hand in the "land of 10,000 bands," offering the Turf as a place where new bands could hone their performing skills. The rest is a brief but mercurial history. Alternative rockers who used to confine themselves to Minneapolis' Uptown, downtown and Lake Street found their way to St. Paul and hit the Turf. Now it's one of the hippest hangouts in the Twin Cities, with music almost every night, sometimes by the odd national act (at eye-poppingly low cover charges). And some musicians have decided to reside in the neighborhood, lending a bohemian twist to an already diverse area.

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