The Anthem (entertainment venue)
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| The Anthem (entertainment venue) | |
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| Name | The Anthem |
| Address | 901 Wharf Street SW |
| City | Washington, D.C. |
| Country | United States |
| Owner | Oak View Group |
| Operator | Oak View Group |
| Capacity | 2,500–6,000 |
| Opened | 2017 |
| Architect | HGA, Rockwell Group |
| Publictransit | L'Enfant Plaza station, Waterfront station |
The Anthem (entertainment venue) is a multi-level music and performance venue located on the Southwest Waterfront of Washington, D.C. Opened in 2017, it hosts a wide range of concerts, festivals, private events, and civic programming, and has become a prominent site for touring music artists, cultural presenters, and festival organizers. The venue is part of the waterfront redevelopment that includes residential, retail, and cultural projects tied to the revitalization of the Southwest quadrant of Washington, D.C..
Overview
The Anthem is a flexible-capacity indoor venue designed to accommodate seating and standing configurations, enabling performances from intimate club shows to arena-style concerts. Located near landmarks such as the National Mall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Tidal Basin, it sits within a mixed-use district developed alongside projects by firms associated with urban waterfront renewal. The venue is managed by the Oak View Group and frequently collaborates with touring promoters, producers, and local presenters to curate diverse programming spanning rock, pop, hip-hop, electronic, classical crossover, and world music.
History and Development
The Anthem was developed as part of the broader Southwest Waterfront redevelopment, a multi-decade effort involving public and private stakeholders including the District of Columbia government, private developers, and cultural institutions. Announced in the mid-2010s, the project involved partnerships among firms with experience in arena and venue development. Its opening followed a wave of contemporary venue projects in major American cities that sought to combine live entertainment with waterfront activation. Since inauguration, it has hosted tours by major artists connected to music circuits that include venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Madison Square Garden, and Radio City Music Hall.
Architecture and Design
Architectural work on the venue involved collaborations with design firms experienced in performance spaces, producing a box-like exterior and a flexible interior with varied sightlines and acoustics tailored to amplified music. Influences in the design reference modern waterfront typologies seen in projects near Battery Park City and Pier 17 (South Street Seaport). The interior incorporates tiered balconies, a configurable floor, and rigging points for lighting and sound systems comparable to those used in venues such as The Wiltern and The Fillmore (San Francisco). Acoustic consultation drew on best practices from contemporary performing arts centers to balance amplified genres and spoken-word events.
Facilities and Capacity
The Anthem’s capacity ranges from approximately 2,500 in seated configurations to about 6,000 for general admission standing shows. Facilities include tiered balcony seating, VIP lounges, backstage dressing rooms, loading docks for touring rigs, and technical booths for audio and lighting control. Concessions, box office facilities, and merchandising areas support both public-facing operations and industry logistics for touring production teams that also work at venues like Staples Center and United Center. The venue offers hospitality spaces for private events, corporate functions, and festivals that integrate with waterfront plazas and adjacent retail.
Events and Programming
Programming at the venue covers a broad spectrum: headline concerts by mainstream and independent artists, themed nights tied to festivals, album-release parties, and community-oriented outreach events. Artists and acts who have toured circuits including Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Lollapalooza, and Sundance Film Festival have brought performances to the venue, reflecting the intersection of touring festivals and urban club-sized houses. The Anthem also accommodates benefit concerts, political rallies, and digital live broadcasts, partnering with promoters, record labels, and cultural organizations to present cross-genre lineups spanning rock, hip-hop, jazz, electronic dance music, and spoken-word residencies.
Reception and Impact
Since opening, the venue has been noted in press and industry accounts for energizing the Southwest Waterfront cultural scene and attracting national touring routes to Washington, D.C. Critics and industry commentators have compared its role to that of other mid-to-large-capacity venues that bridge club and arena markets, such as The Wiltern, Brooklyn Steel, and The Fillmore (Philadelphia). Economists and urban planners studying waterfront redevelopment cite its contribution to local nightlife economies and visitor foot traffic, though debates persist about gentrification and displacement similar to discussions around projects in Hudson Yards and Factory Districts elsewhere.
Transportation and Accessibility
The venue is served by multiple transit options: nearby Washington Metro stations include L'Enfant Plaza station and Waterfront–SEU station on lines connecting to regional transit networks such as Metrorail and surface bus routes. Waterfront access is enhanced by pedestrian promenades connecting to the Southwest Waterfront parks and piers, and by vehicular access via Interstate corridors that link to metropolitan arteries like Interstate 395. Bicycle parking and rideshare pick-up/drop-off zones accommodate alternative mobility modes, while accessibility features in the building comply with standards used in contemporary public assembly venues to ensure access for patrons with disabilities.
Category:Music venues in Washington, D.C. Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2017