Our Ultimate List of 15 Venues In DC for Live Music

930 Club

Photo Credit: WePoisonedIvey.blogspot.com

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The crown jewel of the D.C. music scene, the 930 Club has been called the “greatest small room in America” by Rolling Stone. This venue hosts everything from DJ Will Eastman dance parties to sets from Snoop Lion to hard rockers like GWAR. The room still only holds 1,200 people so shows regularly sell out months in advance.

Black Cat

Photograph by Shervin Lainez.

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The Black Cat sits in the heart of the ever-hot 14th street corridor. The venue has a large second story hall that hosts major touring acts as well as the “backstage” – a room on the first floor that hold around 100 people for intimate mid-week performances. Keep an eye on the backstage calendar, many smaller touring acts sneak in D.C. sets. (Note – cash only bar)

The Hamilton

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Styled after the dining halls that hosted crooners like Sinatra and Crosby, The Hamilton aims to reestablish the idea of enjoying dinner and show all at once. Located in the basement of the hotel/restaurant, the Hamilton Live enjoys a pipeline of New Orleans jazz and soul artists. If you are ever in search for a last minute date idea, buying a seated ticket to a gig at the Hamilton is a great idea. (Protip – spring the extra $4-5 for the seated tickets. The standing area is further from the stage)

Rock and Roll Hotel

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H Street’s largest concert venue, the Rock and Roll Hotel boasts one of the best sound systems in town. Depending on who has booked the 930 Club, the Hotel is sometimes host to bands who are way beyond playing a 400 person venue. Get there early if you are seeing a Friday or Saturday night show as the line for the 2nd floor dance party can get quite long. (Protip – buy your tickets at the door to avoid to hefty online fee)

Velvet Lounge

Photo Credit: http://dcrocklive.blogspot.com/

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The Velvet Lounge harkens back to an earlier time in D.C.’s live scene. The room is lined with plywood boards and sits on top of a narrow staircase. Its grungy as shit. Even though you get the feeling that the room would be a great place for a mosh-pit, the Lounge brings in a variety of artists playing all types of music.

DC 9

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Sister venue of the Rock and Roll Hotel, DC9 is a room that can pack 200 music fans around a half circle stage. Bands on the rise often find their first touring gig in the District upstairs at DC9. Keep an eye on the calendar because every now and then you find a serious gem making their way into the mainstream. (Note – the sound guy’s name is Randy Lancelot – that’s an awesome name)

The Dunes

The Dunes – Photo Credit: JPZ Photography

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A full-time art gallery, part-time music venue, the Dunes is a great room to catch local acts in Columbia Heights. The intimate setting provides concert-goers with a chance to reach out and touch the musicians (not recommended… at least until after the show). You can even grab a fancy cocktail in a plastic cup from the gallery’s bar. Added bonus – Taqueria Distrito Federal is right next door so you can grub on amazing tacos between bands.

Solly’s

Photo Credit: Solly’s Website

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Home to the still-cheap PBR, Solly’s on U Street hosts bands free of charge on Thursday and Sunday nights. If you are looking to hang out with some of the District’s coolest bartenders and enjoy a bluegrass or folky show, this is your spot. Solly’s also now has a full kitchen so you can enjoy some tasty Po’boys, a Tall PBR, and show all for around $15.

H.R. 57

Photo credit: Ryan Campa

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Formerly tucked away on 14th St, H.R. 57 now calls H Street home. The name stems from the resolution denoting jazz as the only unique American musical art form. The venue provides top notch jazz on the weekends lets musicians step onstage to jam on midweek nights. The cover charge is not pricey and you can pay a little extra to bring in your own wine. The new incarnation of H.R. 57 also has a lovely smokers patios facing out towards H Street for those who like to swill their jazz with a fine cigar.

Beats

Photo Credit: beatsvenue.com

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Formerly Beats at 9th, the venue holds almost 300 people and is essentially a part of the Convention Center complex. One of the newer additions to the local music scene, Beats has yet to establish the style of music they intend to invite onstage each night.

U St Music Hall

photo credit: itiaudio.com

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Sister to the crown jewel, U-Hall is host to one of the loudest sound systems in town. Though known mostly for hosting electronic dance groups, U-Hall sometimes snags a touring rock act that isn’t quite ready to command full billing at 930. (Protip – beware the all ages shows. It’s never fun to have a band invite the crowd onstage, only for you to then realize the glare coming back at you is from all the braces onstage)

Wonderland Ballroom

Photo Credit: thewonderlandballroom.com

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Wonderland is for local music. On nights when bands are booked, you can expect to see free music, an upstairs dance-hall that feels similar to Velvet Lounge, and a great beer selection.

The Howard Theatre

Photo Credit: WashingtonPost.com

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Brilliantly renovated, the Howard is an elite music venue. The space is elegant, the sound is great, and service is unbelievably responsive. The problem thus far has been its inability to book bands to fill the room. That being said, seeing acts like Brian McKnight, Salt-N-Pepa, and Vintage Trouble in a half empty beautiful space is not the WORST thing you can do with your evening. (Protip – snag a table for you and your group. There is a minimum buy but the sheer convenience of having your drinks run to you is worth it when you are trying to get your dance on)

JoJo’s

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I have never had a bad night at JoJo’s on U Street. The restaurant-first, bar-second, jazz venue-third spot is home to some of the most soulful and dance filled evenings in D.C. There is something about the space that feels unique to the District. Roll there with a few of your friends who want to get down. You will start your night dancing with them near the bar but most certainly will finish your evening dancing alongside men or women well into their 50’s and 60’s enjoying a night on the town.

The post Our Ultimate List of 15 Venues In DC for Live Music appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

As the weather is getting warmer, many are coming outsidein hopes to get in shape for the summer. We thought we’d ask frequent runner Kenny Ames, who recently finished Monday’s Boston Marathon, to give us his best running paths in DC.

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Best Running Paths in DC

With many people joining the running community to run in support of Boston, it is fitting to review some of the routes DC offers. I have run an estimated 20,000 miles in almost nine years of running, most of them on the streets, trails, and paths right here in the Greater Washington area through heat and cold and all forms of precipitation. Here are my favorite routes:

Best trail: C&O Canal

Website: http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm

Photo credit: http://georgetown.patch.com/

With its entrance tucked underneath the Key Bridge, this flat path follows the Potomac River for miles into Maryland and beyond. It is perfect for beginners as there are bathrooms and water fountains just a few miles down at Fletcher’s Boathouse, a good turnaround point for those only looking for a short run. The trail draws many of the area’s runners so it can get crowded. There are fewer bicyclists on the C&O since it is a dirt path and road bikes tend to stay clear, preferring the paved Capitol Crescent, which it intersects at Fletcher’s.

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Best route for a negative split: Capital Crescent Trail

Website: http://www.cctrail.org

Photo credit: gogobot.com

If you start at its base at the Key Bridge, this paved path makes a crescent-shaped arch from Georgetown into Bethesda and Silver Spring. It rises in elevation as you leave DC so by turning around, you will be running downhill allowing for a faster second half of your run. This is another popular trail that runners and bicyclists share with walkers and skaters that enjoy the sights as it curves through woods, passes homes, and through downtown Bethesda. There are a few water fountains for thirsty runners.

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Best “DC” route: The National Mall

Website: http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc70.htm

Photo Credit: sponsorthefool

We’re in DC for a reason, so take advantage of the history and beauty by running along the National Mall. Arguably the heart of DC, this stretch is perfect for the Congressional staffer looking for a quick lunchtime run. The route can be trimmed as short or as long as you like – the ambitious runner can run a large loop encompassing RFK, the Capitol, the Lincoln, and the Memorial Bridge and Arlington Cemetery. The downside is that there are busy cross streets that are dangerous to cross against the light and it can get congested with tourists, softball, kickball, rallies, and festivals. But, there is a reason many races incorporate parts of the Mall, which makes running in our capital city so spectacular.

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Best route to go long: Mount Vernon Trail

Website: http://www.bikewashington.org/trails/vernon/

Photo credit: StickyBottleteam.com

Just over the river in Virginia, the Mount Vernon Trail is a scenic paved path that stretches from George Washington’s home in Virginia into Alexandria and connecting to Georgetown. The trail travels along the Potomac, passes the airport, winds in and out of Old Town, and rolls down to where George and Martha used to reside.

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Best route to run in circles: Hains Point

Website: http://dc.about.com/od/restaurant1/a/EastPotomacPk.htm

Photo credit: Examiner.com

The best part about Hains Point is that it juts out from DC and is bordered by the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, making it seem that you are running off the end of the earth. With great views of the airport, the Wilson Bridge, and the DC landscape, it can be a simple run on a flat surface. Runners share the road with cars, bikes, walkers, skaters, and tourists, but it is worth the hassle. The wind can slow or speed up your run, depending on the day and direction. If you’re looking to run repeats or to just go short, this is a solid destination.

If you are looking for others to run with or for advice, consider checking out DC Road Runners Club, a chapter of the Road Runners Club of America. DCRRC has something for everyone from races to training programs to happy hours and group runs. DCRRC affords its members with a year-round calendar of running events that offer the opportunity for all to participate regardless of age, gender, or athletic ability.

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His view on the Boston Marathon

Kenny Ames running in the Boston Marathon

Last Monday, I finished my 2nd Boston Marathon, 22nd marathon overall spanning 13 different states, and 100th race of any distance. It was an experience unlike any and my emotions ranged from excitement and anxiety to disappointment and pain to elation and then to sheer terror, guilt, sadness, and melancholy. If you want to read my thoughts and race recap of the Boston incident, visit brooklandrunner.blogspot.com and follow @BrooklandRunner and tumblr.com/blog/brooklandrunner. Or feel free to email me directly at kames@fireside21.com.

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Kenny Ames, formerly a Congressional staffer, serves as Director of Outreach for Fireside21. He resides in Brookland with his girlfriend and can be found running with his dog, @RunningSpaniel.

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Amazing Photos of Hurricane Sandy in NYC and DC

We put together a compilation of a few photos of Hurricane Sandy for NYC and DC. Check it out!

Firemen search for people trapped in their cars at 14th street and Avenue C in Manhattan

Lights Out in the NYC Village

Newark metro is flooding

Street Flooding

River heads into the city

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Bonus!

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Cloture Girl’s: The Weekend Review

Hello DC Weekenders! As we all know Washington DC Restaurant Week 2012 is in full swing through the 19th and Washingtonian’s everywhere are running out to scarf up those great deals through the end of the week. For those of you full to the brim with good eats and great drinks, here are some events to break through the eating binge.

Brews, Bikes and Golf

Head on out to the H Street Country Club on Friday the 17th from 4-8 as new Belgium takes over all over the Country Club’s taps at a special happy hour. AND make sure you practice your putting: A limited-edition Fat Tire cruiser bike is up for grabs during a special hole-in-one challenge.

Chocolate City Anniversary Party

Come on out to Penn Social on E St. NW where the Brookland-based brewery marks its first year in business at Penn Social, a cavernous new bar that’s home to 40 taps and numerous games. Entertainment includes Skee-ball, shuffleboard and giant Jenga and the anniversary party features four Chocolate City beers for $5 each, including the El Segundo Saison. DJ Benny C provides dance tunes all night to keep you moving even when you’re not indulging in games or the pursuit of happiness through beer.

Chuck Brown Day Concert

Head on out to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center this Saturday starting at 4pm and you’re sure not to be disappointed. The late Chuck Brown’s annual birthday concerts at the 9:30 Club were epic. The hours-long shows featured Brown, of course, but also a cavalcade of go-go stars performing to pay homage to the Godfather. This concert should be epic for DC in a similar fashion. In addition to Brown’s longtime backing band, the Original Soul Searchers, the bill includes a who’s who of go-go groups: Trouble Funk, Hot Cold Sweat, E.U., Backyard Band, Junkyard Bard and Suttle Thoughts. Brown’s daughter KK is among the hosts.

A Lovely Victorian Tea

The Weems-Botts Museum puts on a lovely event from 1:30-3:00 this Saturday for the Victorian lover in us all. Children and their favorite stuffed animal or doll are invited to a tea complete with a story called “Language of the Fans.” It promises to be fun through the ages.

Get Your Soccer Fix

DC United meets Philadelphia Union at RFK Stadium at 5pm Sunday the 19th. Don’t forget to buy your tickets early and catch one of the remaining games!

Redskins Rides

Make the trip to Redskins Park from 12-5pm this Sunday for a car show sponsored by the Redskins, with autograph signing and other entertainment. Admission goes for $15 a piece, $10 for children, or $50 for family of four. Get your Sunday football mix as early as they come!

This Weekend’s Must-Try Dining Experience: The Hamilton

600 14th St., NW Washington, DC 20005

Not only a wonderful dining experience, the Hamilton is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even late-night dining, it also offers a great concert experience. The Hamilton offers local, national and international musicians the unique opportunity to entertain a city that is never short on opinions, accompanied by the two level, five bar, four dining room layout of this glorious building in the heart of downtown DC.

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