The Anthem opened to much fanfare at Washington D.C.'s brand new District Wharf in October 2017. This brand new $60 million dollar 57,000 square foot venue is about as state of the art as it comes and is extremely well thought out (aside from a few glitches here and there which we are sure the venue will resolve over time).
901 Wharf Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
Capacity: 2,500 - 6,000 (based on on Venue Config)
2,500 - 6,000
(based on on Venue Config)
2,500 - 6,000
(based on on Venue Config)
The Anthem is the sister entity to the 9:30 Club, a legend in it's own right, and is owned by the same production company, I.M.P. Concerts. You will find that I.M.P. will do some cross promotion between the two venues with a major act playing one night at the 9:30 Club, and another night at this venue.
Security
The Anthem has a greater security procedure than any other DMV indoor music venue. You should expect to empty your pockets and have any bags inspected when entering the venue. At some, but not all events, you will also have to go through a metal detector. Please do not attempt to take in any contraband as chances are good that it will be confiscated or not allowed in the venue - just enjoy the performance.
In addition to the metal detectors and item inspection you can expect additional security measures at particularly popular and sold-out shows. You should expect to queue up in security lines to either side of the venue entrance as you wait to get into the venue.
Payment Options
The Anthem, like so many other venues in Washington DC, has gone cashless. This means that you must bring a credit card to purchase anything in the venue. You will have to use a credit card or mobile payment application to purchase food, drinks, coat check, and band merchansise. If you do not wish to use a credit card, The Anthem accepts payments via the Rooam mobile app.
Parking
As of Spring 2019, there is always a good chance that parking at The Wharf will be sold out. As more resteraunts have opened and The Wharf has become a popular destination we have found parking selling out earlier and more often. Please take this into account when determining if you wish to park at The Wharf or take alternative transportation. If you do want to park at the venue, please arrive earlier. (More Information about Parking below.)
The box office is located opposite the main entrance of The Anthem in a small structure. We recommend going to the box office to purchase tickets without additional "convenience fees." The box office is open from 12 PM - 7 PM daily (or until 9PM on show nights).
In addition to purchasing tickets for The Anthem, you can also purchase tickets for other I.M.P. venues including the 9:30 Club, Lincoln Theatre, and Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Anthem Seating Chart. Click to enlarge.
"Super Excellent Seats" / Box Seats
The entire venue is general admission & first come first serve except for the first two rows of each box seat and the seats directly behind the soundboard on the first level. If you want to enjoy the concert with designated seats, they are available for purchase at premium prices.
There are 450 box seats available in this venue. Box seats behind the first two rows are general admission. We have found that audience members can have a very enjoyable seating experience with General Admission seating
General Admission Seating
There is ample and comfortable General Admission throughout the venue. In fact there is hardly a bad seat in this venue. I.M.P. owner Seth Hurwitz designed the venue with the intention that there is not a bad seat in this venue.
Box Seating Important Note: Behind each box section there are two rows of unreserved General Admission Seating available.
Second and Third Level General Admission Seating: At the back of the second and third level of this venue are unreserved General Admission Stadium Seating. Audience members can stand or sit in stadium seating and enjoy the show.
Bars are bars available on each side of the venue on the first, second, and third level.
At the back of the main level, right behind the soundboard, you will find a very large double sided bar.
On the second and third story of this venue there are specialty carts selling drinks including a coffee/espresso bar and specialty margaritas.
(Temporarily Suspended) HAPPY HOUR!! If you go into the venue early The Anthem has "Happy Hour Pricing" at the 2nd and 3rd Level bars. These specials run from Door Time until the first act takes the stage. Think of this as your opportunity to get cheaper drinks AND better seats!
Bathrooms are available on each level of the venue at the rear of the venue (except for the main level bathrooms that are on either side of the venue)
Special Notes:
Main Level Bathrooms: Bathrooms on the main level are especially crowded due to the high volume of GA Standing on this floor. Bathrooms on the second and third floor are not nearly as crowded.
Main Level Men's Room Bathroom: If you are standing towards the front of the GA Standing section you may find it difficult to get to the men's bathroom. There is a bar between the front of the venue and the men's bathroom. If the bar lines are especially long and dense, it is a little difficult to navigate across these lines to get to the men's room on the opposite side.
Vending is found in the main lobby when entering from the Wharf Street / Wharf Side entrance. There is additional vending at the back of the venue next to the Maine Avenue entrance.
The coat check can be found on the main floor of the venue towards the rear of the venue space directly opposite the main entrance of the venue (Maine Avenue side of the venue). The coat check system is very modern and your mobile phone number will act as you ticket stub. What's more, if you leave without taking your items you will receive a friendly reminder that you didn't pick up your items. There is a nominal fee for each item.
Note: A very important note, there is no fee for coat check when you show your 9:30 Friends With Benefits Card at coat check. The 9:30 Friends With Benefits is FREE and signup is simple.
An outdoor smoking lounge is located on the second level of the venue. This lounge serves several purposes besides smoking. Concert attendees should be able to get cellular coverage from this lounge and also be able to take in breathtaking views of the Wharf's harbor from behind The Anthem's marquee signage.
A View from the Smoking Lounge
A View from the Smoking Lounge
Elevators are available on the Wharf Street side of the venue that transport concert attendees between the three levels of the venue.
ADA accessible seating is available on the second and third level of the venue on the Wharf Street side of the venue between the GA Stadium Seating and Box seating.
Additional Features
As you walk through the lobby on the Wharf Street entrance, please make sure to look up. You will notice a beautiful two story installation of drum cymbals overhead. You can also view this installation close up as you exit the elevators on the second and third level.
There are plenty of places to go on The Wharf before a show. The list below highlights some of our "off-the beaten path favorites.
While The Wharf has plenty of places to eat before a performance, The Wharf is not known for many cheap eats. One of our favorite cheap eats is Falafel Inc, just a minute walk north and closest to the District Fish Market. You can get a tasty falafel or a falafel salad for under $5 ($5.50 if you add humus). Best of all, every delicious meal you enjoy also helps feed a refugee.
It is also worth noting that The Anthem has a happy hour before each performance.
After a performance at The Anthem, there are a myriad of food and drinking options available to choose from. We recommend that you check the schedules at Pearl Street Warehouse and Union Stage just a few minutes walk away on the south-end of The Wharf - there might be an after-party.
Click to enlarge
Car
North of Washington DC: From I-495, take I-295 South. Take Exit 1B-C toward I-695/Route 395/Downtown. Take Exit 5 for 7th Street/L’Enfant Promenade, then turn left onto 7th Street to Maine Avenue. Turn right on Maine Avenue.
South of Washington DC: Take I-395 North. Take Exit 4 toward SW Waterfront/National Park/Maine Ave and follow 9th Street to Maine Avenue. You will then face The Anthem.
Train
L'Enfant Plaza Metro station is 4 blocks away from venue. This Metro station is especially good given that is it serves the Orange, Silver, Blue, Yellow, and Green
The Waterfront Metro station is the closest to The Wharf, however station is 4 blocks away from the venue at the far end The Wharf.
Taxi / Uber / Lyft
The venue and box office is located on 900 Main Street SW. This address will be the easiest address to direct your driver to,
There are several parking options available for people driving to The Wharf.
Wharf Parking
The closest parking option is parking at The Wharf which will cost approximately $45 for 4 hours or more. This parking lot is located on Maine Ave SW on Blair Alley, one block south of the Fish Market.
NOTE: Since The Wharf opened in 2017 it has become a destination for food and entertainment. As a result parking easily sells out when a band performs at The Anthem, or when Pearl Street Warehouse and Union Stage have large shows simultaneously, an event such as Cherry Blossom Festival, and for that matter a random Wednesday Night. If you want to ensure parking, get there early.
Electric Vehicle Charging at Wharf Parking
Wharf Parking has 6 standard 220 Volt electric vehicle charging stations. The charging is free with paid parking.
Location: you can find these charging stations on the First Level Yellow Zone at the northern end of the parking garage.
NOTE: IWhen DIstrict Whar Parking is sold out, these spots will be unavailable. The parking lot attendents close down the parking and will not allow your electric vehicle in.
Additional Parking
*** We cannot understate the value of the following information ***
There are approximately 10 parking lots within walking distance of the venue.
We have found that when a top tier act or multiple top tier-acts simultaneously perform at The Wharf the parking lot sells out.
A map to these facilities can be found here.
NOTE: If you are looking for pre-booked parking at discounted rates, we recommend using SpotHero. If you don't mind walking a few blocks, you can buy parking for as little as $7.
For more information on The Wharf, please see the following link.
