Locals agree -- with little dispute -- that the 9:30 Club is the king of DC music venues. The 9:30 Club is performance central, where more than 200,000 fans per year pay to stand and experience the best-known national and up-and-coming acts. Headliners are, in a word, spellbinding. Animated crowds, especially when the place is packed, give artists the drive and momentum to provide blistering sets. The drawback? Sometimes this means less than ideal views of the stage. Still, this cavernous club plays host to approximately 300 shows annually, and past performers have included R.E.M., Beastie Boys, Radiohead, Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins and James Brown.

The venue's design is well thought out and focused on the audience: There are two box offices, and inside, four bars, a downstairs lounge, balcony tiers, a 90-ton ventilation system to circulate fresh air every nine minutes and ample bathroom facilities. Couple this with a stellar sound and video system, and you have a great place to take in a show. -- Elisabeth Frater (Photo: Brett H. Freeman)