40 Best Venues...according to PASTE

[eltee]

(Has this been discussed?)
 In the latest of issue of Paste magazine (their readers), Nightclub 9:30 is one of the best venues in the Northeast.
 "9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. Best place to see a show in the worst neighborhood: Northwest D.C. isn�??t the coziest place on Earth, but the 9:30 Club still pulls music lovers from all over the metro area, booking both the nation�??s most popular acts and up-and-coming local favorites.
 Introduced the world to: Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Fugazi 815 V St. NW, 930.com"
 
 Jammin' Java receives kudos for Southeast region. Page 3 of the online article is missing, or not loading for me. (Thus, the remaining Northeast and the Southeast listings are not showing online.)
 
 Read about the rest

[beetsnotbeats]

Originally posted by nonameface:
  worst neighborhood

Clearly an outsider. Or chickenshit.

[sweetcell]

Originally posted by nonameface:
 "9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. Best place to see a show in the worst neighborhood: Northwest D.C. isn�??t the coziest place on Earth

WTF?  the author can potentially gripe about U Street, but bagging ALL of NW?!?  yeah, georgetown and woodley park are really rough...
 
 "NW" isn't a neighborhood.  it contains several dozen neighborhoods.  but as a chickenshit outsider, i'm sure that subtlety escaped the author.

[eatitwithmatt]

i have never once felt unsafe in the area of the 930 club.

[bearman🐻]

Like any major urban area, I think it's really about keeping your eyes open to who is around you and just accept that anything bad can happen anywhere. The person that wrote this is a dumbass. When I used to work at the club in '97 there were some nights I would get off work at 3 or 4 am, not be able to get a ride home or find a cab so I used to walk back to Foggy Bottom. It was a VERY different neighborhood then and there were times I was definitely a bit freaked. I'm happy to say nothing bad ever happened, but I also think it was because I kept my head down, walked fast, and just minded my own business.

[xneverwherex]

well if you put it into perspective - 9:30 is in a much worse neighborhood than say The Bowery Ballroom, or wherever they named near the Lincoln Center. Perhaps that is all the author meant.
 
 And not to agree with the author: but if you are an outsider, its not the best neighorhood, and you cant gripe at someone because they dont 'live' there. im sure he hasn't lived in every state he named a venue.
 
 just my $.02.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

The Bowery Ballroom is no place near the Lincoln Center.

[vansmack]

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
  The Bowery Ballroom is no place near the Lincoln Center.

She was referring to the Alan Room that was listed in the article.  It is listed as "The Alan Room at the Lincoln Center," along with The Bowery and The Living Room as one of three New York venues listed as the best of the Northeast.
 
 She never said it was near the Bowery.

[ledooh]

What is Paste magazine? Are they an authority on this kind of thing or are they wannabes?

[you be betty]

Yeah, the 9:30 is no doubt in a less "cozy" neighborhood than Bowery.  Or the Troubadour.  Or many other clubs in the US, for that matter.  It could be worse.
 
 We're used to it because we all live around here and know that there are worse parts of DC.  But other people from other parts of the country are used to different environments.  I had some friends come play a show at the club earlier this year from West Hollywood, and they were  surprised and a little scared...it was cute.
 
 
 Also, just because you haven't felt "threatened" around the 9:30 area does not mean others haven't.  I am guessing you have a penis.  I am fine inside the club, but I know if I walk around the club, I will get stares/whistles/followed.  It happens in other parts of DC, too...it can happen anywhere...it happens in Bethesda...but that area still isn't exactly top notch.

[xneverwherex]

Originally posted by vansmack:
   

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
  The Bowery Ballroom is no place near the Lincoln Center.

She was referring to the Alan Room that was listed in the article.  It is listed as "The Alan Room at the Lincoln Center," along with The Bowery and The Living Room as one of three New York venues listed as the best of the Northeast.
 
 She never said it was near the Bowery. [/b]

Thanks! And yes, I was referring to the Allen Room. Couldnt remember the name of it. The good news is, I didn't even realize they were having bands at the Living Room. And since they closed Sin-e and Tonic, it will just give me another place to go instead    
 
 And yes, thanks for being clear - but the UWS (Lincoln Center) and Bowery (LES) are nowhere near each other.
 
 I do live in this lovely city, and im not a total moron on knowing where im going and where things are located. to put into perspective - i live between the two neighborhoods.
 
 and FWIW - the National kicked ass at the bowery last night. F'ING AMAZING!

[eltee]

This is how Paste determined the results:
 "To help find America�??s best music venues, we went to the experts�??you. In addition to our many contributors scattered across the country and many of the artists driving from club to club, Paste readers nominated more than 500 different venues at PasteMagazine.com�??from hole-in-the-wall rock clubs to elegant theaters, legendary halls to brand new bars, quiet listening rooms to rock extravaganzas.
 
 We weighed history, setting, sound, character, comfort, atmosphere, vibrancy, uniqueness, and their roles in helping launch careers. Among hundreds of worthy choices, these 40 venues rose above their peers. Our picks for the best music venues in America follow in this special section..."
 
 I think the writers did their own research and didn't exactly quote the voters. (Unless the 9:30 lead in was quoted by people who go to shows one time per year. It sucks they used that as a lead in...9:30 deserves more creed than that.)
 )
 I agree with some of what betty said. Paste is a decent magazine, but I assume the writer(s) didn't visit all of these places. Obviously, they are trying to jazz up their text, but both of these local reviews seem unfamiliar as if the text was pulled from the internet. (other Paste articles can be like that imo.)
 
 All right, the remaining pages are now working online if you want to read more. Here is what they said about:
 "Jammin�?? Java - Vienna, Va.
 Best place to bring the kids to an early show: You know a venue is artist-friendly when it�??s run by two touring musicians�??in this case, Daniel and Luke Brindley of The Brindley Brothers, along with their brother Jonathan. With a capacity of just under 200, Jammin�?? Java is a wonderfully intimate place to have dinner or coffee while witnessing performances by artists like Over The Rhine, Andrew Bird and David Mead. Introduced the world to: Kaki King, Teitur, Matt Wertz 227 Maple Ave E., JamminJava.com."

[Frank Gallagher]

It's all relative. When I first arrived here I was told at work that there's an area we never drive through on a test drive because you might not make it back out. Of course curiosity got the better of me so I took a spin down one day.......it was about as dodgy as Tenley Town!!!
   :roll:

[TheDirector217]

Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:
  It's all relative. When I first arrived here I was told at work that there's an area we never drive through on a test drive because you might not make it back out. Of course curiosity got the better of me so I took a spin down one day.......it was about as dodgy as Tenley Town!!!
   

[Random Citizen]

Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, Ore.
 Best place to spend the night after a show: This one-time greasy spoon located in Portland�??s Eastside scuzz-junkie district has retooled to become the Rose City�??s hottest nightspot. Its lodge-like upstairs dining room and �??spare no sonic expense�?� 300-person downstairs music venue have made it the favorite of both picky local bands and up-and-coming touring acts.
 Introduced the world to: The Decemberists, Viva Voce, The Thermals
 830 E Burnside St., DougfirLounge.com

Yay! My home away from the 9:30 made the list.     I love the Doug Fir. I'm there at least three times a month. It really is a great place to see a show and I love it when bands who can easily fill a larger venue perform there. And their mac & cheese served upstairs in the restaurant kicks ass.