How to get to the region’s concert venues using transit

Greater Washington has a strong musical legacy. From Jazz to DIY punk to Go-Go to EDM, the city has always maintained a vibrant music scene. As the city grows and redevelops, more venues continue to open attracting more diverse acts.

Several major venues, such as Echostage, Howard Theater, Anthem, and The Fillmore have opened their doors in just the last 10 years. Today, the music scene is more robust than ever. So where are all these venues, and how do you get to them? Here is a rundown of the city’s prominent indoor music venues:

The Venues at the Wharf (Anthem, Pearl Street Warehouse, Union Stage)
700 Water Street SE
Anthem calendar
Pearl Street Warehouse calendar
Union Stage calendar

When the Wharf opened two years ago to much fanfare, the centerpiece of the development was Anthem, a venue with a capacity of 6,000. In addition to the internationally renown acts at Anthem, a pair of smaller venues opened to offer more intimate settings for a wide array of smaller acts. Bars, restraurants, and recreation areas fill the rest of the development, so it is a great place to linger before and after a show.

The Wharf is just a few blocks from Waterfront station on the Green Line, and is walkable from L’Enfant Plaza, Navy Yard, and the Tidal Basin. DC Water Taxi’s Wharf terminal is also adjacent to Anthem.

Echostage
2135 Queens Chapel Road NE
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EDM venues don’t get much better than this. Ranked #2 in the world last year by DJ Magazine, Echostage hosts premier DJs from around the world in a warehouse-style setting reminiscent of the early DC rave scene. A larger venue with a capacity around 3,000 and a mezzanine that offers table service, the club has an intimate atmosphere despite its size.

In addition to EDM, the venue hosts hip-hop, go-go, and international music acts. Its location off Bladensburg Road makes it a little tricky to find, however. It is about two miles east of NoMa-Gallaudet U station and two miles north of Stadium-Armory station.

Unfortunately, the nearby New York Avenue corridor is not particularly walkable. It is half a block away from a stop on the B2 bus, which you can catch at Stadium-Armory, but due to the nature of the venue with many shows ending long after Metro closes, many concert-goers utilize ride-hailing to reach the venue.

9:30 Club
815 V Street NW
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9:30 Club is one of the most iconic venues in the city, named one of the 10 best music venues in America by Rolling Stone magazine. Opened in 1980 at 930 F Street NW, it was a mainstay of DC’s robust punk and hardcore scene in the 80s and 90s before moving to its current location in 1996. At its new location, it grew in prominence and helped revitalize the U Street corridor. The IMP-operated venue now attracts a diverse array of major artists.

It’s fairly easy to get to on Metro, located just a block up Vermont Avenue from the 10th Street exit of U Street station on the Green Line and a few steps away from U Street’s many bus routes. The area is also one of the city’s most prominent nightlife destinations with dozens of places to have a drink or get a meal.

Black Cat
1811 14th Street NW
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Just a few blocks from the 9:30 Club, the Black Cat hosts more underground, independent, and alternative acts. It was recently renovated and now boasts a beautifully redone 7.000 square foot main stage. It is just three blocks from the 13th Street exit of the U Street station as well as the many bus routes along 14th Street and U Street.

Several other venues lie along the U Street corridor, including:

DC9
1940 9th Street NW
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Lincoln Theatre
1215 U Street NW
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U Street Music Hall
1115A U Street NW
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The Hamilton Live
600 14th Street NW
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In addition to its three dining room, three bar-restaurant, The Hamilton hosts an intimate 300 seat venue that offers small acts from local artists and beyond. The comfortable, classy atmosphere is perfect for a date night, and its location on the corner of 14th and F Streets is a couple of blocks west of Metro Center station.

Rock and Roll Hotel
1353 H Street NE
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This lively venue houses a stage on the first floor and a second-floor DJ dance parties in the heart of H Street. The live stage brings in smaller rock and alternative acts, including local artists. Its location is a half a block from the 13th Street NE stop on the DC Streetcar, roughly a mile east of Union Station. The east end of H Street is home to several dive bars and boutique restaurants and the Streetcar now runs late, so concert-goers can make a night of it.

Howard Theatre
620 T Street NW
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The Howard Theater has a history dating back to 1910, notable for hosting many African-American acts in its heyday. Shuttered in 1980, it sat fallow for 32 years before a 30 million dollar renovation completed in 2012 restored the Beaux Arts building to its former glory. The venue now holds over 1,000 people and hosts a wide array of local and national acts.

It sits around the corner from the Shaw-Howard University Metro station on the Green and Yellow lines amidst the burgeoning Shaw bar scene

Blues Alley
1073 Wisconsin Avenue NW
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For over 50 years, Blues Alley has maintained DC’s jazz legacy. The Georgetown club has seen star musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie and Wynton Marsalis perform on its stage. Located just south of the intersection of Wisconsin and M streets NW, it is a little under a mile from the Foggy Bottom station. The area is also served by the 30 series buses and the DC Circulator.

Gypsy Sally’s
3401 K Street NW
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Gypsy Sally’s has a capacity of about 400 in the main stage area. It hosts up-and-coming artists. It is located near the end of K Street NW in the shadow of the Key Bridge. It sits about a 3/4 mile walk across the Key Bridge from the Rosslyn station and is also served by the 38B bus and the DC Circulator on M Street.

Not all of DC’s major venues lie within the city limits. Here are a couple just outside the city that attracts major artists:

The Fillmore
8656 Colesville Rd Silver Spring
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This Live Nation Venue is one of eight Fillmores across the nation. The chain started with the iconic Fillmore in San Francisco. Silver Spring’s venue has a capacity of about 2,000 and hosts many major artists. Nearby transit is plenty, as it is situated just north of the Silver Spring transit center, which offers several major Metrobus and Ride On services, a Metro station (Red Line), a MARC station, and a future Purple Line station.

The Birchmere
3701 Mount Vernon Avenue Alexandria
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Since 1966, the Birchmere has been Northern Virginia’s premier music concert hall. Its current location opened in 1981 and has a capacity of around 500. About a mile west of the future Potomac Yard station on the Blue and Yellow Lines, it is not currently situated close to a Metro station, but you can catch the 10A or 10B bus from Braddock Road station to get there.

Did we miss any? What are your favorite music venues in the region?

Author’s note: I have been affiliated with the Echostage in various capacities since it opened.