Been here for multiple events and still have some mixed feelings about it. The general admission and seated tickets provide a very different experience. If you get GA tickets, be prepared to not be able to see well. The crowd can get very large and sometimes rowdy. If you're packed towards the front it tends to get very hot and people start to pass out, but there is constantly staff handing out water to help prevent this. I personally try to avoid GA for the Anthem as much as possible. If you get seated tickets however, it's a much better experience. Security checks tickets for this section and it's really nice to be able to sit down. During a recent concert, my friend was groped by someone in the crowd. We ended up telling security about it and they were very reassuring and diligent. The security guards ended up talking to the guy who assaulted my friend, but I don't know if they kicked him out. Either way, I was impressed with security's response. Not my favorite concert venue honestly, but a lot of shows in DC end up being here. read more

What an awesome venue Saw Bush here last weekend and I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. Feels small and intimate and it was easy in and out with tons and tons of dining. Can come before or after a show and walk around. Lyft pickup was fast and easy too. Will absolutely come back. read more

The Anthem - Awesome venue - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The Anthem is amazing. The venue is huge, clean and safe. We took metro to the Waterfront stop. (Safeway is beside the exit). If you have time, go early and stroll along the wharf. It is beautiful. We watched the sunset on the water. There is parking near the entrance to the Wharf. It is pricey and takes a while to enter/exit. We saw All Time Low & warm up bands. We got in line at 430pm. Doors opened at 5:30pm. Anthem employees walked by the line & handed out wristbands (after checking id). They gave instructions on Will Call and which lines to enter. The staff was focused, helpful and nice. The lines moved quickly. BAG TIP: limit what you bring. I had a small cross body purse. The bag policy is vague and any bag can be rejected if security thinks it is too large. There are bag lockers. Save the money on the locker & spend it on food instead. Don't bring anything larger than a fanny pack or small cinch sack. All bags will be searched. There are several bars inside. I lost count. It looks like each floor has at least one or more bars. There is a small bar at the front of the building on the second level (photo opp). There are snacks for sale on the second floor and at bars (popcorn, brownies, candy - most $5). Hot food can be ordered upstairs but there is only one pick up area: right side of the stage, lower level. There are sandwiches, basic snacks and fries. The fries were okay. There are so many restaurants in the area. We stopped at Ben & Jerry's. Come early and grab a bite where you can sit. There are several vendors in addition to nearby businesses. The venue was packed. Security had a large presence. They circulated throughout the building and were positioned by the stage. They were skilled at catching crowd surfers. There must have been at least fifty attendees brave enough to be lifted in the air. Things stayed peaceful and festive. One person passed out and the staff stepped in quickly to assist. The floor was crowded. We had a great view from the middle second level. There were a few bathrooms around the building. Capacity was 48 in the restrooms so the lines moved quickly. There are elevators and ADA seating. The sound is great. If you need earplugs, just ask an employee. We had a nice visit. It was lovely having a great community evening on a sad news day. We left before the last song to miss a lot of the crowd. There is something for everyone - seated areas or standing in general admission. We were happy to sit. We'll be back. read more

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This was my first time at the Anthem, and the experience was overall great! Traveled down to see KATSEYE on their Beautiful Chaos tour. Parking was very easy to find and get out of. The staff working at the Anthem were all very kind and helpful. The graphics and special effects were some of the best and high quality that I've ever seen seen. Some things to note: the venue was beautiful, but very cold. There was a noticeable chill as soon as you entered the seating area. Make sure to bundle up! There were a lot of food items that were not as expensive as other concert venues I've been to. The best item was the fries. The burger and empanadas were fine on the inside, but the outer bun/wrap were so dry that it made the burger and empanada hard to eat. It crumbled in my hands as I tried to take a bite. But it lasted us through the show, so it was fine. read more

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I had an amazing time at this venue! It's located in The Wharf, so there are a lot of parking garages nearby (we parked a little farther away for a cheaper price). There is plenty of food and drink options near the venue to enjoy before a show. I came here for the Addison Rae concert and had an amazing time. The Anthem is HUGE! The GA floor has so much space, I loved the raised standing room in the back for shorter people like me. You can also choose to buy seated options on the second floor. They have a ground VIP section too. The flow of this venue is easy. They had plenty of restrooms, easy to find. The merch was in clear spots and so was the food and drinks. I was able to bring in a small purse. The security and check-in process was extremely easy. I'd highly recommend attending a show here. read more

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The Anthem, at the Wharf, D.C. The last time I attended a concert at The Anthem was for The Killers, performed in 2022 to celebrate The Anthem's fifth year (The Killers were also the headliners for The Anthem's first show). I've been a regular ticketholder at The Anthem, and I repeatedly have enjoyed the experience. The venue is next to a great Shake Shack, Hank's Oyster Bar, and lots of other restaurants, and has the cool vibe available in very few locations in the DMV. Based on that experience, I paid Ticketmaster for a "Super Excellent" seat for The Killers' 2022 show. Things did not go well. If you've been to The Anthem, you know it's a great venue - located on the vibrant D.C. Wharf, a go-to venue for outstanding artists, and loved by fans of those artists. My experience for the 2022 show was so disappointing, however, that I left before the end of the first set. Although I paid for a Super Excellent seat, and while the seat location was good, the guests in the row in front of me spent the entire time on their feet. When I asked for their consideration - that they were blocking my view - they smiled and I think congratulated themselves for behaving as they did. Rock on, courtesy be damned. That negative experience was a major driver in my decision to avoid The Anthem for the past three years. While it would be great to enjoy a show in one of the Super Excellent and more expensive seats, my thinking was that it would be less than great when the experience was to consist of looking at the bouncing bottoms of the guests in front of me. Then Sarah McLachlan posted that she would be inaugurating her 2025 United States tour at The Anthem in November. Setting aside my reservations about the venue, I booked a ticket - this time not in a Super Excellent seat but in a seat in one of thirteen box seat areas on the venue's third floor. With seat 1 of Rows A, B, and C on the aisle, I immediately accepted Seat 3, Row B seat in this box. (For this show, the box included two extra rows of folding chairs, so all told the box would seat about forty guests.) The bar and menu offerings have evolved, with more food options and a well-staffed service area. I didn't wait even 10 minutes for the line to move so I could place my order. Prices were typical for concert venues - not excessive, not cheap. I paid $23 for a double Bombay Saphire and tonic - note there is a "sustainability fee" charged: it's not a tip. For my tab, the fee was $.75. I understand that this fee supports The Anthem's efforts to pay a living wage to all its staff members. In my view, it's a promising idea. But again in my view, paying this fee does not excuse us from properly tipping when we're at the bar. I left a $5 tip and had no problem with a $31 charge for my double G&T. Sarah's performance, and that of her band, was electric and thrilling. As has been my experience at The Anthem, the acoustics were outstanding, the connection between artists and guests was spot on, and the vibe of the supporting staff (bar, menu, security, seating staff - all the venue's infrastructure) was positive and supportive. The support staff were positioned throughout each floor of the venue; the bathroom was spotless and was constantly being cleaned throughout the concert. When coupled with The Anthem's security and maintenance staff, Sarah played her part through her music and through her repartee with the audience, to make our space safe. What made this concert an exceptional experience for me was the view from the box seats. Including all fees, I paid about $127 for my ticket, and I had a direct and unobstructed view of the performance space, saw Sarah in all her glory, heard what she had to say about the songs she and her band performed, and enjoyed the very positive community vibe from all the people in our third-floor box seats. This was a major improvement over the experience I had with The Killers three years ago. Well done, staff and management at The Anthem. My takeaway is: if the option is available when you're purchasing your tickets, keep the box seats in mind. read more

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First time at The Anthem. Arrived in the evening, so I did not get a chance to walk around the wharf. Once inside, the place was warm, clean, safe, and much bigger than I thought. The staff was very nice and helpful. My seats were great as were the sound of the show. I will add this place to my list of venues. The only negative is the complete mess that forms outside when waiting for transportation - it was complete chaos with long waits. read more

The Anthem - View of the stage - hours before the show. - The image shows the stage at The Anthem in Washington, DC, with a crowd gathered in front, and screens displaying event information. - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The venue is nice enough. I've only ever seen comedy shoes here, so not sure how a music event would play. However the seats are very close together, so good luck in anything but an aisle seat. When it's busy the food wait line can be ridiculous and disorganized. The security is no joke at checking bags at entry and monitoring for phone use during the show. Parking near the venue on weekends can be a disaster and garages often fill up. read more

The Anthem - John Mulaney at the Anthem - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've been to several concerts at this location (Mother Mother, Cavetown, Ice Spice, Black Eyed Peas, etc.) and it is a solid venue with a good variety of popular musical artists. It's located in a fantastic location on the Wharf, so it's easy to take a Metro or arrive after a dinner. However, they also have solid food options at the venue in case you want to eat there before the concert. Interestingly, the venue doesn't seem to have reseller tickets offered directly on Ticketmaster's app. It is annoying that I can't see any reseller prices if I miss out on a presale and have to check third parties like StubHub, which I don't trust as much. However, kudos to them if that's something that the venue is doing specifically to prevent scalpers. read more

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A is for Anthem & Introduction to alphabet series: Just started a new alphabet series of Yelp reviews. Unfortunately, the first of the A's Au Bon Pain on 1100 13th St NW is recently permanently closed, but I wrote a quick 1 paragraph review anyway in honor of them. I'm doing each letter restaurant or business from my credit card bill based on eras of time. When I lived in northern VA October 2011-September 2017, A is for The Anthem represents October 2017-December 2018 era, and the rest are each calendar year 2019, 2020, etc. up through 2024. The experiences at the Anthem: Anthem opened in October 2017 when I moved to MD from VA. I first visited about a year later in October 2018 to see Goo Goo Dolls concert with a friend, who is a mega-fan of them. Apparently, I bought some sort of alcoholic beverage that time as that was on my credit card. I'm less inclined to drink these days. Prices are relatively high for drinks like any concert venue and also high like drink prices in DC. Staff was efficiently making the drinks. When I saw Goo Goo Dolls in 2018, I was very impressed with the open air experience at the venue, high ceilings and spacious concert space unlike the small venues like 9:30 Club, which has its charm too, but I prefer The Anthem experience over 9:30 Club, where it gets more packed like sardines. My next visit to The Anthem was Evanescence in May 2019. Wow, amazing concert. Don't tell my mega-Goo Goo Dolls friend, but Evanescence performance was superior to Goo. I had won the Evanescence tickets, and a potential bidding relationship was disappointed when I didn't ask her. I went with a male friend. In spite of that hiccup of her jealously, we got in a relationship anyway, so it worked out in the end (for a while while in that relationship). My next visit was in August 2019 to see the Raconteurs. I won a meet & greet with them. That new girlfriend of less than 2 months was out of town, so I took another friend to that show, which was the 1st time trying Falafel Inc. also at the Wharf. In January 2020, while having the INWEGO app, my girlfriend of that time went to our only concert at the Anthem together, Grace Potter, which was an awesome concert. We were in the upper deck area, which had great view above with seating. INWEGO gave us those tickets. INWEGO was an event based app, you paid $19 for one event in the month, $39 for 3, or $59 for 5. I generally did the $39 for 3, but sometimes did $19 depending on what they had for the month. It was cool things like concerts, plays, comedy shows, & sporting events. I took advantage of all of the above. I joined INWEGO in mid-April 2019, & we know what happened in mid-March 2020. INWEGO sadly went defunct in September 2020 as they couldn't operate under the Covid environment. I joked the INWEGO era was the best 11 months of my life. On Halloween October 31, 2024, my current girlfriend & I saw B-52's here. I had won tickets at an event in Silver Spring. Not the best performance, but a nice time, and my g/f's first time at Anthem, which she was impressed too. My most recent visit was Saturday, September 6, I had won tickets to Pulp on the radio. I'll be honest, I didn't know much about Pulp, but that show was awesome. Anthem had changed to the back entrance on Maine Ave as opposed to the front on the Wharf side for radio winners, so that threw me off. After realizing this back entrance was an option, it made it easier to get out the venue and closer to the Metro to get the heck out of DC. My g/f was unavailable to go to this concert as she had a bachelorette party. So, the same friend who went with me to the Evanescence concert in May 2019 has the distinction of being the only person to have gone with me to TWO concerts here. Even the 2 girlfriends I mentioned was just one concert there. So, in summary I've been here for 6 concerts over the years. I'll be honest while I enjoy concerts, I mainly try to win concerts on the radio or whatever as they are expensive nowadays, and they aren't my top favorite activities. Anthem is a great venue, my favorite concert venue in the District. read more

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This is one of the best places for a concert. We had seats in the balcony and there is so much legroom!! I've never experienced leg room like this. We say the Teddy Swims concert and it was a great show. The sights and sounds were perfect. read more

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I'm really impressed with this venue! Good location - walkable from L'Enfant Plaza metro and near plenty of restaurants to eat at before or after the show. I like the intimate feel of the arena (you can actually see the artist on stage - no need for giant screens), and operations are run efficiently. I've done general admission on the floor, general admission on the balcony, and super excellent seats. All were positive experiences. Staff was friendly, quick, and efficient. There was a line around the block before doors opened, but the lines moved quickly once doors opened. They had a staff member holding a sign that said "End of the Line" so you know where to hop in. When we got to the front of the line, staff members were clearly communicating that all gates were open and that general admission (standing room only) was open for all three levels - not just on the floor. They did an ID check after scanning your tickets. Everyone over 21 gets a wristband and under 21 gets a hand stamp. A plus is that you can bring bags into the venue (none of those "no bag" or "clear bag" restrictions). There is a bag check, naturally - I brought a small purse and the security person was very thorough - they literally emptied everything out of my bag and even opened my glasses case. GA for a sold out show can definitely be intimidating, so if you can't stand in a big crowd for hours and hours, you should splurge for seats. Note: For seats, the tickets must be picked up in-person by the purchaser (they check ID). There is a different entrance and pick-up spot for seated tickets. As a short person, I wasn't sure how I would fare on the floor. We got there when doors opened and were able to get a prime location on one of the balconies (behind the seats), per the recommendation of one of the staff members. This gave us a great view of the stage without having to deal with the large, packed house at a sold out show. Sound was great. And maybe it was just the show I was at, but people were really respectful about space on the upper levels (no crowding or jockeying for position). I will note, however, that those concrete floors were NOT kind on my feet by the end of the show... so be sure to wear comfortable shoes! Staff was present to help direct you to the different areas of the venue. They were upbeat and even reminded us to have fun AND stay hydrated. There's multiple bars and snack kiosks set-up on the different floors, and I really appreciated that they had free water cups that you could grab at the bar (as opposed to charging you exorbitant amounts for water after banning outside food and drinks). Sometimes the water cup supply would be empty (as the priority was always customers buying drinks), but I was usually able to find more at a different bar. Snacks were about $12-$15 - typical concert venue prices. Bathrooms were clean and well-stocked. There are always lines, but I never had to wait too long. The bathrooms on the upper levels are much less busy than the main floor, and same goes for the bar (for obvious reasons). Overall, The Anthem is a great venue to see a show in the city. I'll be back. Pro tips: - I was picking up my tickets at will call right before the show, and they had a dry erase board posted of the set times and show end time. (The opener artist ended up running late, so it's not necessarily abided by, but it gives you a good idea of the schedule.) - Sign up for their Friends with Benefits club, which is basically a loyalty program for all the IMP venues. It's free to join, and you accumulate points from ticket purchases and concert attendance (you have to get your card scanned at a table), which you can redeem for cool rewards (shirts, socks, cupcakes, totes, tickets, etc.) read more

The Anthem - Balcony view (general admission, standing behind the seats) - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We traveled back to DC for another show at The Anthem. I think it says something if you're willing to travel 400 miles to see a concert at a venue. We were GA for this show, it was so easy getting around and stress free. Also, exiting afterwards was shockingly easy. I really appreciate that they had cups of water available, it's hot in DC in the summer, and if you can't bring a bottle with you, you shouldn't have to take out a second mortgage for water. Sound quality was great, bathrooms were pretty clean, free water, and drinks were reasonable. read more

The Anthem - The Pixies - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Such a sick venue. I've been down to the wharf a few times but this was the first time going to a concert at the anthem - lorde. Awesome venue, they really take care of the concert goers. Plenty of water stations, actively handing out water, bar lines move quick, plenty of bathrooms and they're on both sides. I was on the floor but the upper level suite seats look like they're worth trying to. read more

The Anthem - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Traveled from NYC/NJ to go to a concert here with a good friend who lives in Maryland. It was so much fun. The venue was really big inside. The acoustics were amazing! Had a great view once inside read more

The Anthem - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

BLUF: Concert and multi-purpose venue in DC's Wharf neighborhood. I love this venue! From start to finish, the experience was exceptional. Every staff member we encountered was incredibly nice and helpful--seriously, where did they find these people? The venue itself was very clean and i appreciated the amenities including a bar, a merch shop, and impressively large restrooms. My husband and I attended the David Gray concert and had floor seats. The chairs were cushy and comfortable, and our view from aisle seats in Row T was fantastic. The Anthem has a slight industrial vibe, which gives it character and makes it feel like a perfect fit for its location in the DC Wharf neighborhood. Parking was conveniently located almost directly below the venue, though at $38, it was on the pricey side. However, we appreciated the ease and proximity, especially in a busy area. For those taking the Metro, its about a 1/2 mile or 15 minute walk from the Waterfront station on the Green line. But on a blustery January night that 1/2 mile walk was going to feel like an Arctic trek so $38 it was. Another perk of the Anthem was the abundance of restaurants and eateries nearby. While there are plenty of classy dining options, we opted for Shake Shack right next door, and it hit the spot before the show. All in all, The Anthem provides a memorable concert experience, blending great service, a distinctive atmosphere and a prime location. I can't wait to return - and with any luck, it will be warmer next time. read more

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Came to the Anthem for a Lorde show. The staff were extremely nice--from security to the bar. The room is gorgeous of course and everyone seemed to be having fun. The AC seems to be a problem, multiple people were sick or fainted throughout the show. That's my only complaint! read more

The acoustics in this place are HORRIBLE! Came to see Teddy Swimms with my homegirl and we were in the balcony. There is no enjoying the show unless you're on the ground floor. I came to see Janelle Monae last year and her show was amazing but I was on the floor so I see now that's the difference. I wouldn't come back unless the tickets were free. Besides being at the age and physical state that I can't stand long the acoustics are bad upstairs anyway. read more

Amazing venue with friendly staff! It is the best one in the area in our opinion for concerts. Very modern. Only challenge is getting to and from here can be a challenge via uber or Lyft but it is not their fault. We came here for Ice Spice for her first concert on her Y2K Tour and look forward to returning. read more

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I was with my friend watching The Neighborhood Preform and I started getting really dizzy so we pushed our way out and I was about to fall over so I leaned against a wall and sat down for a moment trying to catch my breath. These two staff from like 30 feet away start waving at me to stand up over and over meanwhile I could barely hold my balance and had walked over there holding my chest with one hand and using my friends arm to keep from falling, the two girls didn't even ask if I was okay. It's been a good venue in the past and they normally hand out little water cups from the barrier but this was really awful, I nearly vomited and blacked out from the heat and I got rushed out when trying to breathe. read more

Came here yesterday for the Gunna concert. I got there an hour before the show started because I wanted to get some food. The process to get in went smoothly, likely because I came early. Speaking on the food, I had the Anthem burger and it was pretty good. I was a fan of the system when it comes to ordering food. There are three floors and each floor has 2 bars. You can order your food from any of the bars and then go to the concession stand to pick up your food. I thought that this was quite convenient. Onto the concert itself, I bought a general admission standing ticket, so I was on the floor. The sound quality was very good and the stage is high enough so that you can get a good view even if you're closer to the back. This was nice because it meant that I don't have to jockey for position to get to the front, which can be a hassle (but not something I haven't done before). Overall, for my first time at The Anthem, I was impressed with what I saw and experienced. I would definitely go back for another concert I the future. read more

I visited the Anthem to see Lorde and had a great overall experience. Security was very smooth and the staff had us moving through the line quickly. For this show, most of the seating was GA. We didn't realize it initially, but there was additional GA seating behind the box seats on the second and third floors. The second floor had a partially obstructed view, but the third floor was perfect for people who want a good view and some space. We also had a bar and restrooms upstairs and I never waited in a single line. The drinks were very reasonably priced, it was $9 for a well drink. I also liked the QR code tab option so I could watch my tab throughout the show and remember to close it. We could also see venue staff taking waters to attendees in the front of GA which was a nice gesture to keep everyone safe. The only thing that wasn't great was that venue staff required us to stand anytime someone was performing. I think this was because we were GA tickets, but I thought it was annoying and weird. If I want to sit on the ground during an opener, I should be able to. That being said, it wouldn't prevent me from coming back to a concert here! read more

The Anthem - View from behind a third floor box. - A concert venue with a stage illuminated by blue lights, performers on stage, and a large audience in the main floor and balcony seating. - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a great venue with great ambience and acoustics. However, I didn't love the GA seats because the place was packed and standing for hours was not pleasant. It also seemed there wasn't enough space for everyone. There were numerous bars which made getting beverages and snacks easy. Entering and exiting was a breeze. read more

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The Anthem has always been good to us! There are so many options of where to sit/stand, as well as food and drinks at each level. The bathrooms are huge, and clean, which is a big plus for such a large venue. read more

The Anthem - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A newer concert venue in dc. Line to get in moved very quickly. Clean bathrooms and a good amount of bars to order drinks and food. Not much standing room in the balcony. Better lighting and sound than the 9:30 club. Would absolutely recommend checking this place out when they host a performer you like. read more

The Anthem - A large crowd is gathered in a concert venue, facing a stage with bright lights and smoke effects, with multiple performers and sound equipment. - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

What a cool multi-level venue. Very spacious with plenty of seating. I attended a concert here and the acoustics were Overallthe staff were great and the bar spaces were fully stocked. Food was catered by Mission BBQ so that was a plus. Look forward to the next visvisit read more

The Anthem - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I went to see John Mulaney last night at the Anthem. Our show was supposed to start at 10pm. The first show got out late so we got no openers. Normally there are two openers, and then the main show. We also waited in line outside in 34 degree weather for more than 30 minutes. We sat in line for like 15 minutes and they then told us we weren't in line and sent us to another line. It wasn't well marked and that was incredibly disappointing. The way they got people seated was inefficient. The staff was not gracious in the least bit. Tickets were spendy and people were being seated still 20 or 30 minutes into his already incredibly late set. JM was hilarious, but this venue is too big for the location, there isn't a good process to turn over the space. The idea of having people wait an extra half hour beyond the purported start of a show, outside in freezing weather is pretty crappy. I won't see another show here. There are so many better venues. Again at a couple hundred a ticket I just expect a better experience, and nicer staff. I am annoyed with the experience. This may have been my only opportunity to see the comedian and it was less pleasant due to the venue's inability to make two shows happen in one night. read more

I caught a concert at this venue and found it to be a peasant experience. Lots of space for a big crowd, excellent acoustics/sound system, really well organized entry and exit, quick and friendly service throughout the place. It's not easy to get a ton of people in and out of a building in an organized fashion while also being polite and making it simple for everyone. They really pulled that off here and so big credit to them for that. Parking can be a hassle, and it can be expensive if you're there for more than 4 hours but I can't blame the venue for that since they don't control the parking deck. I will say that if you're staying nearby and planning on spending a significant amount of time at this venue or in the surrounding area that you might save $ by ubering back and fourth instead of parking in the nearest deck. So be mindful of that when you're planning your visit. Aside from the parking, this was an overall great experience and I'd definitely do it again. read more

The Anthem - Music Venues Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is a fantastic venue. It is new, modern, and spacious. From the website, it sounded like seating was available for the Fontaines DC concert. The website stated that seating was "first-come, first-served." I envisioned a venue with plenty of available seating. However, when I called, I was informed by the very nice representative that the seating arrangement changes based on the act and that there was no seating available at all. All seats were sold out, and the venue is mostly standing room only. There were plenty of tickets, but be prepared to stand for the entire show. If you arrive early, there are 3 levels and plenty of great spots to stand. We walked around to find the best spot for us, but then we had to claim it and park there all night. The venue does a great job of keeping people from standing in the aisles in front of you. Because we got there early, we ended up standing for over 4 hours. We knew this going in, but we also know that there are very few concerts we would be willing to stand for 4 hours, especially when we have a 2.5+-hour drive in each direction. There are plenty of bars and places to order food, drinks, and snacks. We had hot dogs and popcorn, which were decent, and we needed this since we didn't have time after our long drive to grab dinner before we entered the venue. It's the perfect venue for locals, not so much for those coming from out of town unless you are staying overnight. Parking is very difficult, and traffic is horrendous. I am fairly sure we got the very last parking spot in the garage after driving around for 15 minutes looking for one. The number of "open" parking spaces on the parking sign is completely incorrect, so don't rely on that. However, it was an excellent show, and now that we know all this information, we will make decisions accordingly. read more

This is a great venue! I'm always impressed with how quick and easy entry is. The line moves fast because they are well staffed and prepared to scan tickets and check IDs at multiple entry points. You're allowed to bring a small bag which will be searched upon arrival. There's also a coat check and bag check for $5 which seems reasonable. There are multiple bars on each level (I think I counted eight different bars total?) so lines move fairly fast there as well. Water is free and readily available at each bar. I noticed that drinks besides water are being served in sturdy reusable cups which is nice since I'm sure they were producing a lot more plastic waste in the past. I also appreciate the fact that if you have a GA ticket, you still have access to standing room in the balconies. You have a great view of the stage and the crowd (perfect for people watching) without having to be squished in between hundreds of people on the floor. There are plenty of parking lots nearby (although all are very expensive). Leaving was fairly easy but we also left before the encore to beat the rush. Otherwise, traffic can get pretty crazy once a concert lets out. The sound is great, bathrooms are clean, and the lighting and visuals are always pretty cool regardless of who you're seeing perform. I definitely recommend seeing a show at this well managed venue! read more

Love this venue, great sound and lighting for concerts while still having an intimate feel. The upper floors are box type seats you'd find in a play theater which makes great viewing for concerts without sacrificing any quality. The staff was very friendly and professional. I would recommend to friends and family. I look forward to seeing many more concerts here. Only drawback is it can be difficult to find parking at the very busy wharf tourist area. Metro is really the best way to go and the venue even encourages mass transit. read more

So disappointed with the Anthem last night when we went to see John Mullaney. The line to get in went on for what felt like a mile and was so disorganized we were all seated 40 minutes late. The result was we didn't get what we paid for. Mullaney had to start right away without letting his 2 comics that begin the show have their sets because there is a curfew and Mullaney had to finish by a certain time. The Anthem should have made some kind of concession to the patrons for the loss of a portion of the show. In addition, because they serve drinks, people were up and down and up and down drinking and going to the bathroom and interrupting, coming and going in the incredibly tight rows which slowed things down a great deal, obscuring the view. Mullaney was GREAT! Not interested in going to the Anthem again. read more

A lot to love here, but egregious crowd management ruined my night Came to DC specifically to see a concert, Keane 20th Anniversary tour. It was sold out. I had great seats, sixth row, right on the aisle, which is important, because I am very short and that aisle space gives me a good sightline when the rows in front of me stand up. I don't mind folks standing up, not at all, I plan for it, by getting an aisle seat. The venue is really cool, nice temperature, easy to find, lots of bars, restrooms etc. They give you a little certificate for your first show if you go to the coat check. Cute. The moment the concert started, things went haywire. The first four rows all stood up and RUSHED the stage. Thats fine, thats between them. What people in front of me do is not my business. The problem came when people from the BACK of the auditorium decided to try and join into that crowd, thinking the place had suddenly turned general admission. Dozens and dozens of people, all night long, coming from the back row, getting right in front of me. I confronted MANY of them. There were no ushers preventing this. Just little old me. But when someone stood on a chair, they came like a flash. So thanks, Anthem, for not enforcing seating. Thanks for letting me do it, playing traffic cop to keep my view, that I paid for and struggled mightily to keep. Not the memorable fun experience I wanted, at all. 10/10 won't visit this venue again. read more

Here's my deal... My specific experience was the Janelle Monae and Grace Jones concert. I enjoyed the layout of this spacious venue but here's the paradox. I paid more for what I thought would be nicer seats where my friends and I could sit down if and when we wanted to and not be in the crowded "pit" area. Granted this was my first time at this venue so I thought my assumption about seating was reasonable. Pay more for better seats. Not the case. My seats were in the nosebleed section basically, while the cheaper tickets could approach the stage and actually see the show up close. Our premium seats only got us a good view of the monitors and a hard chair. By the end of the show, pretty much any and everyone had come upstairs to sit down during Grace Jones' set after dancing to Janelle for dang near three hours! Janelle was fantastic!! That's just a warning about the tickets. I guess it depends on who you're going to see but I really wanted to see Janelle perform up close. Luckily she stayed in my hotel so I did get to see her. :) Otherwise there were bars everywhere inside so the lines were short. The bar and greeting staff were awesome. The Janelle and Grace fans were fantastic and because I stayed at the Pendry on the Wharf, the walk home was only a few minutes. There are also great restaurants all around for pre and post concert. I'll give the Anthem five stars because I don't think they promote or manage the ticket and seating arrangements and because the show was fire!! I recommend the Anthem for events. Beautiful, spacious and clean venue. read more

The management of the Anthem treated me very fairly. I had bought tickets to a Jim Gaffigan show for my son as a Christmas gift. My son then moved away from the D.C. area, making the tickets unusable for us. When I explained the situation in an email, the Anthem graciously granted me a refund for the tickets. I appreciate the Anthem's decent and kind response. read more

The venue is very nice but I wish that they had a heavily enforced no smoking policy. I went to see Mariah the Scientist on Saturday night and numerous people were smoking. I am not a smoker and came out with my hair, clothing, and skin smelling like weed. I have severe allergy symptoms when it comes to being around weed and the smoke being an irritant to my respiratory system so now I'm under the weather. read more

So I haven't been to a live show in a while, and the waterfront overall isn't really my speed. So I had measured expectations about what I was getting into. But I was completely won over by this place, not only the concert experience itself but the layout and operation. Ticketing was fast and easy, just scanning you at the door and quickly getting the crowd moving. The entrance, halls, and stairs are all large so there's no crush or bottlenecks where you get to smell some stranger's hair for 20 minutes, and no penguin stepping as a crush of people waddles through the doors. Instead, though we arrived with the bulk of the attendees, we breezed in with the crowd and easily navigated up the stairs to where we could stand and watch the show. The balconies are arranged so it's steep enough to get good views of the stage without any trouble, and I'm not the tallest person so that's notable for me. There are a lot of bars scattered around as well, so even with the crowd I wasn't missing a quarter of the show every time I grabbed a beer. And I really liked the mobile tab so we could expedite our orders then close out on my phone while walking out. That's a new-to-me thing at least and was really cool. I might go so far as to say I'm re-sold on the idea of live shows...? read more

The Anthem is magical; very magical. Located on the Wharf in Washington D.C., the Anthem has been one of the best places I have seen a concert, period. The design of the venue, the acoustics, the positioning of the bathrooms, the incredibly friendly and attentive staff that attended to any concert-goers having health issues and passing out water, and the bars located on both sides of the venue; the Anthem knows how to put on a show. They can pack a lot of people into the venue between the GA floor space and the seating options on the second and third levels. My wife and I went to the Anthem to check out Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service concert, and we would fly back to D.C. to see more shows here. The people are friendly, the staff are accommodating, access to the bathroom is easy, and you felt like you could enjoy the show without feeling people on top of you. If you are looking for food, there are plenty of restaurants in the surrounding area that you can hit up before and after the show at the Anthem. read more

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Definitely the worst major venue in DC. Every single interaction I've had with the staff besides the people who scanned my ticket was incredibly rude to me. I'm sorry I don't inherently know my way around? I walked back to my seat feeling embarrassed about being lost. Also, please do not plan on driving here because the parking garages around the area will scalp you, had to lose $30 last night on that. read more

The Anthem rules! Easy ingress/egress, and we arrived 30 minutes prior to the show and they do a great job managing the lines. Bathrooms were also easy to access and well marked! The sound and vibes are fantastic. And GA standing room is available on all 3 floors of the venue! Drinks are fairly priced - you can get a can of beer for $8 which for entertainment venues is reasonable! Go to a show here when you can! read more

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