Washington DC Music Scene
:. Where to Catch a Local Band
Velvet Lounge
The Velvet Lounge is located on the block of 9th Street and U Street in Northwest DC. With a bright white martini glass to mark its space, the large front window is deceptive because it's about the biggest thing in the place.DC9
Right across the street from the Velvet Lounge and relatively new to the local music scene, DC9 has become a choice venue in just over a year. They've surprised in their ability to get some great local acts and some prominent national acts to play (how they once got the former Smashing Pumpkins drummer to play in such a comparatively cozy place is beyond me). The layout is nice. Unlike the Velvet Lounge, it has a bar upstairs so you don't have to miss any part of the music to grab a drink, and there's some seating for those who are only half-interested in the music or don't prefer smashing into other sweaty people. Sound is good and the stage is only about a foot higher than the floor, so it feels cozy but not cramped.Black Cat
For most independent rock music and bands, this is the gold standard. Co-owned by Dave Grohl (of Foo Fighters and formerly of Nirvana) it is a sizeable venue that mostly deals only in nationally acclaimed acts on the main stage and dabbles with the locals mostly on the backstage. It has a large capacity but will still sell out rather easily if a big enough band comes through. It's a nice balance of local and national music acts, and they even have popular DJ and dance nights on the weekends, depending on the schedule. It's on 14th and S or T St. in Northwest DC.Warehouse Theater
The Warehouse is an interesting venue because it's tucked away next to the Convention Center in historic Shaw and Mount Vernon Square area...And because the music is part of the greater Warehouse entity which includes performance arts and plays, and visual arts and galleries. The music area is small, but isn't overly-restrictive. It's a relatively new venue, but it's already established itself as reputable place to catch a band and the integration of the arts makes it more appealing.Iota Club and Cafe
In Arlington, VA, Iota is a sizeable venue that has a large room and an established reputation and crowd. It can get crowded quickly if a large enough band comes through. Iota gets some prominent musicians and some of the larger local acts in the DC-metro area. They tend to get bands or musicians in the lighter, more pleasant sounding rock, and dabble in the more experimental acts. But you probably won't find anything terribly heavy or hard.9:30 Club
The largest largest venue in DC short of stadia or arenas. Just a block from the Velvet Lounge and DC9, this is the venue where you will find the music that you're most likely to hear on the radio, on iPods, and in television commercials. It has two levels, is spacious, and provides an excellent area to view and hear the music. But with these amenities come substantial costs: Tickets can be pricey (not including the scalping that is destined to occur when large bands come through), drinks can be exorbitant, and it can get rather loud. There's seating on the second level, but given the size of the venue, there's a good chance you'll be standing far away and packed in with scores of elbows and bodies. It's a worthy place to catch great music acts and if you've got a favorite band, there's a good chance they'll show up here if they aren't booked at a pavilion or a stadium. Moreover, the diversity of music here is notable: mostly rock of all types (light, heavy, metal, and indie), but frequent hip-hop acts pepper the schedule.:. Local Music Critics, Blogs, etc.
Big Yawn
DCist
Drill down for music happenings.:. The DC Blues Society Festival
See the D.C. Blues Society's website for more info on the festival and after party, or to volunteer at the show.The 16th Annual D.C. Blues Festival, "Cookin' Homestyle," was held on Saturday, September 4, 2004 from 1 to 9 PM at the Carter Barron Amphitheater. What a blast it was. See our pictures from the 2004 festival!
Support the D.C Blues Society!
Jazz in DC
DC is home of Jazz legend Duke Ellington. U Street has played a prominent place in Jazz history. Here are some excellent places to enjoy some of the finest Jazz in Washington DC, or just have a laid back time with local performers.Blues Alley
(Georgetown)1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW
202-337-4141
Arguably the best jazz club in D.C. Frequent performances.
Columbia Station
(Adams Morgan)2325 18th St NW
202-462-6040
This cozy bar/restaurant offers a relaxing, easy going experience. Plenty of locals hang out here.
Bohemian Caverns
(Read FindOutDC.com Review)(U Street)
2001 Eleventh Street N.W
202-299-0801
Twins Jazz
(U Street)1344 U. St. NW
202-234-0072
Lots of great jazz talent plays here - tickets are a good value. You might be able to catch a name here that you would have to pay much more to see at Blues Alley.
:. Great Performances
