The Anthem, at the Wharf, D.C.
The last time I attended a concert at The Anthem was for The Killers, performed in 2022 to celebrate The Anthem’s fifth year (The Killers were also the headliners for The Anthem’s first show). I’ve been a regular ticketholder at The Anthem, and I repeatedly have enjoyed the experience.
The venue is next to a great Shake Shack, Hank’s Oyster Bar, and lots of other restaurants, and has the cool vibe available in very few locations in the DMV. Based on that experience, I paid Ticketmaster for a “Super Excellent” seat for The Killers’ 2022 show. Things did not go well.
If you’ve been to The Anthem, you know it’s a great venue – located on the vibrant D.C. Wharf, a go-to venue for outstanding artists, and loved by fans of those artists. My experience for the 2022 show was so disappointing, however, that I left before the end of the first set.
Although I paid for a Super Excellent seat, and while the seat location was good, the guests in the row in front of me spent the entire time on their feet. When I asked for their consideration – that they were blocking my view – they smiled and I think congratulated themselves for behaving as they did. Rock on, courtesy be damned.
That negative experience was a major driver in my decision to avoid The Anthem for the past three years. While it would be great to enjoy a show in one of the Super Excellent and more expensive seats, my thinking was that it would be less than great when the experience was to consist of looking at the bouncing bottoms of the guests in front of me.
Then Sarah McLachlan posted that she would be inaugurating her 2025 United States tour at The Anthem in November. Setting aside my reservations about the venue, I booked a ticket – this time not in a Super Excellent seat but in a seat in one of thirteen box seat areas on the venue’s third floor.
With seat 1 of Rows A, B, and C on the aisle, I immediately accepted Seat 3, Row B seat in this box. (For this show, the box included two extra rows of folding chairs, so all told the box would seat about forty guests.)
The bar and menu offerings have evolved, with more food options and a well-staffed service area. I didn’t wait even 10 minutes for the line to move so I could place my order. Prices were typical for concert venues – not excessive, not cheap. I paid $23 for a double Bombay Saphire and tonic – note there is a “sustainability fee” charged: it’s not a tip. For my tab, the fee was $.75.
I understand that this fee supports The Anthem’s efforts to pay a living wage to all its staff members. In my view, it’s a promising idea. But again in my view, paying this fee does not excuse us from properly tipping when we’re at the bar. I left a $5 tip and had no problem with a $31 charge for my double G&T.
Sarah’s performance, and that of her band, was electric and thrilling. As has been my experience at The Anthem, the acoustics were outstanding, the connection between artists and guests was spot on, and the vibe of the supporting staff (bar, menu, security, seating staff – all the venue’s infrastructure) was positive and supportive.
The support staff were positioned throughout each floor of the venue; the bathroom was spotless and was constantly being cleaned throughout the concert. When coupled with The Anthem’s security and maintenance staff, Sarah played her part through her music and through her repartee with the audience, to make our space safe.
What made this concert an exceptional experience for me was the view from the box seats. Including all fees, I paid about $127 for my ticket, and I had a direct and unobstructed view of the performance space, saw Sarah in all her glory, heard what she had to say about the songs she and her band performed, and enjoyed the very positive community vibe from all the people in our third-floor box seats.
