The Anthem

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.

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!

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...?

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.

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.

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

A lot to love here, but egregious crowd management ruined my nightCame 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.

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!

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.

I attended a concert at The Anthem last night, and it was a fantastic experience! Although the line to get in was incredibly long, the venue provided complimentary water to those waiting, which was a nice touch. All the staff I encountered were very friendly, adding to the positive atmosphere.For food, I ordered chicken tenders and fries. The fries were delicious and served hot, but the chicken tenders were not as breaded as I typically prefer. I was pleasantly surprised to see their menu expansive enough to offer a vegan option, which is quite rare. This was especially convenient as my friend is a vegan, but she settled for the fries which she also thoroughly enjoyed. We secured a great spot in the center balcony area, providing an excellent view of the stage. Overall, The Anthem provided a memorable concert experience with its considerate amenities and friendly staff.