Complex magazine 50 best concert venues in America

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2. 9:30 Club
City: Washington, D.C.
Address: 815 V St. NW
Capacity: 1,200
Coolest Feature: the Backbar, where you can imbibe beneath the venue

Widely regarded as one of the best (if not the best) venue on the East Coast, the 9:30 Club is the seed from which D.C.'s early-'80s atlernative music scene grew. Since moving to its current V Street location, the 9:30 Club has been home to countless historical music moments, including back to back performances by Bob Dylan following his Kennedy Center Honors acknowledgement, the Smashing Pumpkins celebrating the release of Zeitgeist, and the beginning of the new Alice in Chains' 2009 world tour.

The 9:30 Club has four full bars that serve everything from the hardest of liquors to non-alcoholic beverages. And if you're just looking for a boost, there's a coffee bar that slings caffeine to eager fiends. But the best place to grab a drink is at the Backbar. Located beneath the venue, it's a great place to kill time, especially while waiting for 2 Chainz to arrive from Philly after performing at the Made in America concert. Don't smoke in there, though—D.C. has an indoor smoking ban and security isn't lenient. People have gotten the boot for bakin' during Wiz Khalifa's Waken Baken tour.

Puff-free zone aside, Iimagine watching Method Man begin his set from the rafters amid the crowd before performing his signature crowd walk and seeing an injured Curren$y bring a sofa onstage for ambiance. It's little things like this that have earned 9:30 Club the distinction of being Billboard Touring Awards' best bar for four years straight.

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Their justification is terrible.

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46. U Street Music Hall
City: Washington, D.C.
Address: 1115A U Street NW
Capacity: 500
Coolest Feature: The sound system—you can hear it crystal clear a few doors down

In 2010, D.C.'s historic U Street corridoor became home to the cities premier dance party venue, as well as a pretty damn good place to catch a live show. Much of this is because of a remarkable sound system that will have your rib cage rattling even as you're buying some much-needed water at the 7-Eleven next door. It's also because the venue was created by DJs who are aware of the dynamics needed to enjoy the perfect performance. After the descending the steps, you enter a Batcave where the dance floor is encased by two full-bars. The stage is at the front; the spacious DJ booth (which might as well be another stage) is at the back. It's also the house that Moombahton built, as DJ and D.C.-area native Dave Nada created the musical sub-genre in The District. The blend of reggaeton and house pumps proudly through those speakers on a weekly basis.

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4. Red Rocks Amphitheatre City: Golden, CO Address: 18300 W Alameda Pkwy. Capacity: 9,450 Coolest Feature: The huge, slanted rock that sits behind the stage

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