D.C. is kind of like the little sister that has a crush on her hip, older sister Baltimore's boyfriend and pushes away the nerdy best friend that wants to be something more. Except the boyfriend is a lot of national tours that skip over D.C., and that nerdy best friend is plenty of good concerts (who needs the Virgin Festival, anyway?) that the city does land. Look, just go to shows. Here are some venues.
9:30 club 815 V St. N.W. Acts on the horizon: Rilo Kiley, The National, The New Pornographers Prices: $15-$40 Seating: Unassigned Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (green line)
If there is a concert venue where you are likely to run into another AU student, this one is it. With a true diversity of acts, ranging from indie to metal, music fans of all shapes, sizes and creeds are likely to find their niche at the 9:30 club. Visitors 21 and older, particularly those of short height, can revel in the ability to observe concerts from the upstairs bar, while all the desperate underage kids below stare up in bitter jealousy. The 9:30 club is probably the most accessible concert venue and surely a great way for incoming D.C. newbies to break into the concert scene, as prices are generally reasonable and musical guests tend to be fairly mainstream enough for one to find a friend to go with.
The Black Cat 1811 14th St. N.W. Acts on the horizon: The Little Ones, Sunset Rubdown, The Mountain Goats Prices: $15-$20 Seating: Unassigned Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (green line)
Of all Washington's premier concert venues, the Black Cat is surely one of the most unique, as it not only hosts concerts, but album release and dance parties as well, which range in theme from The Cure versus The Smiths to '60s garage mod-rock night. Situated a few blocks from thriving, hip U Street, this is a very young, trendy spot that is mostly frequented by students and young adults. The Black Cat opened over a decade ago as a remedy to D.C.'s ailing quality of concert venues, especially ones that catered toward underground music. Today, a range of acts, both local and national, drop by and present the concert-hungry with a plethora of choices.
DAR Constitutional Hall 18th & C streets N.W. Acts on the horizon: Macy Gray, Tori Amos, Blue Monday Prices: $50-$200+ Seating: Assigned (orchestra style) Metro: Farragut West (blue and orange lines)
Penny-pinchers should look elsewhere; this hall is not for the thrifty. Acts here tend to be fairly mainstream, and the prices serve as testament. Bear this in mind when considering attending a concert at the DAR, yet also consider that you usually get what you pay for, and the story is no different here. (After all, the $100 Arcade Fire ticket this Eagle staffer paid for was worth every penny.) The hall's large nature has made it susceptible to an assortment of different events, from the Country Music Association Awards to an HBO special with Whitney Houston. The concert experience at the DAR Constitutional Hall is certainly one not to be rivaled, as the exceptional acoustics alone are worth the hefty price tag.
Rock and Roll Hotel 1353 H St. N.E. Acts on the horizon: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Oh No! Oh My!, The Noisettes Prices: under $20 Seating: Unassigned Metro: Union Station (red line)
This one is for the ambitious. Indeed, Union Station is the closest Metro stop, but it's another 15-block walk to the hotel. The administration urges guests and visitors to rely upon taxi cabs for transportation, as the surrounding area is not exactly the safest in D.C. This is not actually a hotel - recently two party suites and three recording suites have been erected, each with the capacity to hold 15 to 50 people. The Rock and Roll, through its collection of music memorabilia and eclectic list of musical visitors, strives to capture the ambiance of the Chelsea in New York City, the Savoy in London and the Inter-Continental in Paris and bring the same bustling energy to the H Street corridor of D.C. A huge perk here is the dependably low-priced shows, which are even free from time to time. While it might sound like an ordeal to arrive at the Rock and Roll Hotel, it is a unique experience that no other D.C. concert venue could match.
