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» Best Live Music D.C.
The world’s coolest cities have live music scenes that come in all shapes and sizes. The common denominator is that they deliver an outstanding evening of great music—be it blues, Latin, soul, funk, jazz, rock, indie-pop, or something in between. These are our hands-down favorites.
Best Live Music in....
Best Live Music
D.C.
The Black Cat 1811 14th St. NW, U Street Corridor, 202-667-4490 blackcatdc.com
The Draw: Black Cat wants you to get intimate with rockers: The 7,000-square-foot concert hall hosts acts that, in other East Coast cities, normally play massive venues. The Scene: Ground zero for hipster D.C., here you can see the latest Pitchfork darlings and local punk acts. The upstairs concert space doubles as a dance club: On the weekends, DJs throw indie rock, ’80s alt-pop, hip-hop, and legendary Britpop dance parties. In the downstairs Red Room Bar, the vintage-clad masses sip Pabst and play pinball, Pac-Man, or pool to tunes from the district’s best jukebox. Hot Tip: Those in the know turn down the faux-hip PBR for the house beer, Red Room Ale, which is equally cheap and exponentially better.
Blues Alley 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Georgetown, 202-337-4141 bluesalley.com
The Draw: The candlelit tables and tiny stage of the country’s oldest continuing supper club will transport you to the supper clubs of the 1930s.
The Scene: Contrary to the name, Blues Alley is a straight-up jazz club, located down an alley between a T-shirt store and a sushi joint. Jazz hounds dine on Cajun cuisine while top-name musicians play two sets per night. The converted 18th-century carriage house oozes ambience, and the cozy feel is ideal for couples. Hot Tip: Music lovers covet the chance to see nationally known acts in this intimate setting, so be forewarned that talking over the music is a big no-no. Dinner isn’t mandatory, but there is a $10 per-person food and drink minimum.
Madam’s Organ 2461 18th St. NW, Adam’s Morgan, 202-667-5370 madamsorgan.com
The Draw: The 25-foot-tall busty madam’s mural lures 18th Street revelers from blocks away. But this quirky bar doesn’t need a sexy painting to sell the nightly drunken throwdowns to blues, Latin, and funk. The Scene: The interior resembles a cross between a gin joint and an antique store, with a hodgepodge of trombones, vintage bikes, nun pictures, and bear heads. A rowdy crowd of music-lovers dances on the ground floor, sits around the lofted mezzanie’s roaring fireplace, and throws back whiskey on the roof deck. Hot Tip: Redheads always get half-price Rolling Rocks; practice thinking while drinking on Tuesday Trivia Nights.
