# Washington DC trip...wanna hear good live music... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-dc-trip-wanna-hear-good-live-music/169350 "2003-04-17T16:51:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-dc-trip-wanna-hear-good-live-music/169350/1 "2003-04-17T16:51:13Z")
…ok and I realize “good” is extemely subjective but, anyway… The wife and I are taking a weekend to DC in May and I am looking for a good place to hear some live music. I have in mind something along the lines of what you would find the Manhattans East Village. You know, low key. Just a good place to sit back, have a few beverages and enjoy the atmosphere. Any DC dopers out there can give us a hand? ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-dc-trip-wanna-hear-good-live-music/169350/2 "2003-04-17T17:19:12Z")
Check out the schedule at the 9:30 Club. ---
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-dc-trip-wanna-hear-good-live-music/169350/3 "2003-04-17T17:21:29Z")
9:30 club is one of the best music clubs in D.C. Not always low key, though. ---
**Author:** ![Winnie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e480ec/32.png) [@Winnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnie)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-dc-trip-wanna-hear-good-live-music/169350/4 "2003-04-17T17:55:38Z")
…and at the 9:30 Club you can’t really sit back and enjoy. It’s a standing room club. You didn’t say what kind of music you were anxious to sit back and enjoy, so here are some other venues that might interest you: There’s the [Birchmere](http://www.birchmere.com/index.cfm) right outside of DC in Alexandria that features a cool mix of jazz, blues, bluegrass, folk, rock, etc. If you’re looking for strickly blues and jazz, there’s the legendary [Blues Alley](http://www.bluesalley.com/) in Georgetown, DC. The [Black Cat](http://www.blackcatdc.com/) is partially owned by Dave Grohl of the Foofighters and plays anything from funk and soul to hardcore rock and metal. Hope one of these fits your fancy. If you’re still looking for other options you can always go to [Digital City Washington](http://www.digitalcity.com/washington/bars/) or [WashingtonPost.com’s Guide to Live Music in DC](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/eg/section/music/index.html) to search for the area or type of venue you’re looking for. Good luck and have fun in our fine city! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-dc-trip-wanna-hear-good-live-music/169350/5 "2003-04-17T19:41:27Z")
Yeah, if you want the quiet, folkie stuff you can’t get better than the Birchmere. ---
**Author:** ![JerH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@JerH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerH)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-dc-trip-wanna-hear-good-live-music/169350/6 "2003-04-17T21:22:42Z")
Try [Iota](http://www.iotaclubandcafe.com/), in Arlington. They’re small and don’t book the big names, but a lot of good artists on minor labels.