10 Best Places to See Live Music in Washington DC

Howard Theatre was the center for jazz and specifically African American music where you'll now find a variety of different artists and genres performing in a historic setting. Think of it as The Apollo before The Apollo to get an idea of its historic reputation decades ago.

When you visit these days, you'll still find the same historic designs and structure, but it's been combined with modern lighting and sound quality, letting you get the best of both worlds. All sorts of hip hop, electronic, and pop artists perform here, among others. You can experience it yourself in Shaw northeast of downtown.

9:30 Club is a legendary multi-genre venue most known for its customizable setup that lets every concert performed here feel intimate and energetic. The full capacity is 1,200, but with clever engineering, a show with only 500 attendees can feel just the same.

The wheeled stage here is the cornerstone of their success. Its rail-mounted setup allows it to be moved back and forth, so a crowd of 500 can feel just as large for the artist and for attendees as a full capacity show that's sold out. Experience it for yourself between Shaw and Cardozo northeast of downtown.

Capital One Arena is a sports and entertainment arena that frequently hosts live concerts by world-famous artists who bring in crowds numbering in the tens of thousands. The arena isn't too particular about genre, but given the crowd sizes it expects, you'll mostly find pop artists performing here like Beyonce and Lady Gaga.

When you visit this arena, you'll find a 20,000 seating capacity along with high-tech lighting and sound to make the experience unforgettable no matter where you're sitting. You can get to this arena in Chinatown just southeast of downtown.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a prominent and accessible venue where you'll find quite a few different stages available along with numerous genres showcased. Hip hop, jazz, and contemporary music are quite popular, but you can attend symphony performances as well.

Multiple stages are available here, including 3 main stages and several more supplementary sections, so it's easy to find something impressive to see. Plus, performances here are often free to attend. You'll find it all in Foggy Bottom southwest of downtown.

DAR Constitution Hall is a historic venue with one of the largest auditoriums in the city that frequently hosts concerts of varying genres among other events. You'll find performances in pop, country, hip hop, and much more depending on what's playing during your visit.

Being a major and historic concert venue, you'll want to book your visit far in advance, as most shows played here tend to sell out. After all, the venue alone and its classical revival style are often enough to draw in the crowds. See this national historic landmark near the White House.

Echostage is a popular concert hall and nightclub designed to showcase regular EDM and dance music alongside popular artists for dedicated performances. It has a 3,000-person capacity, and it has featured artists such as Lorde, Avicii, and David Guetta, among others.

When it's functioning as a nightclub, you can still enjoy live music, as local and sometimes popular renowned DJs perform EDM and dance sets. Try it out for yourself in Langdon, which is a few miles east of downtown.

The Anthem is a popular venue that was created with advanced acoustic design that offers rock concerts by both local and internationally touring artists. Advanced technology integrated into the venue itself elevates every concert experience to the point where you can feel the music with power and clarity.

Since both local acts and touring famous artists perform here, the venue has a variable capacity from 2,500 to 6,000. That means the definition of sold-out can vary quite a bit, so you might want to get tickets early for a show you definitely want to see. You'll find it near the channel in Southwest Waterfront.

Lincoln Theatre was the center for Washington's Black Broadway and currently functions as a popular venue for traveling artists of various genres. It's historically known for jazz and big band performances, but the modern venue offers a lot more variety with pop, hip hop, and rock performances, too.

When you visit this venue, you'll find a relatively small capacity compared to other venues in the town of just 1,225, so expect a more intimate experience. The theater itself is located in Shaw just northeast of downtown.

Black Cat is an independent music venue best known for indie rock that also showcases lesser-known artists of other genres in addition to dance nights. The venue was founded by a group of musicians including Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters, so the venue was always designed with new artists in mind.

Indie rock is the most popular genre here, but you'll also find metal and punk shows. Electronic music isn't quite as prevalent but still has a presence here, especially during DJ/dance nights. See for yourself in Cardozo just north of downtown.

Pearl Street Warehouse is a live music venue where you'll find delicious local food, craft beer, and concert performances showcasing Americana genres. The tendency towards Americana highlights the overall goal of the venue, which is to provide the ultimate American experience.

The artists who perform here tend to be locals most of the time, but occasionally you'll find more prominent acts as well. Plus, the dinner comforts, local brews, and specialty cocktails can make any show better. Try it for yourself in Southwest Waterfront among the wharf.