Where to go when ya really wanna rock and roll

Weeding through D.C.'s countless pubs, bars, nightclubs and theaters can be daunting. But here, Chips' own Gabe Morden-Snipper takes you through the turnstiles of the best, the closest and the quirkiest of D.C.-area concert venues.

9:30 Club—815 V St NW

The famed 9:30 Club didn't earn the title of "Best Place to Hear Live Music" in washingtonpost.com's Best Bets contest for nothing. Since its move to a bigger venue in 1996, 9:30 has been the premier place to see the biggest and best performers.

The modest warehouse-like exterior doesn't reflect the top-notch main hall. A sound system that thumps like a sledgehammer and lights that dazzle the eye highlight an expansive stage that maintains an intimate feel. The sheer excellence of the club, which has a second floor balcony, attracts performers who would not normally play in such a personal setting. As a bonus, the buses park right next to the club, so band members often hang out with fans after the show.

Punk, funk, blues, hip-hop and reggae—it all sounds good in the cavernous club, and 9:30 is where it comes to town. Crowds vary for the different acts, but there is enough space to accommodate every type of concert-goer, from the refrigerator-sized bald man with boots itching to mosh, to the scrawny emo-kid in an undersized t-shirt, satisfied to rock gently to the beat.

Nation—1015 Half St SE

The atmosphere and acts are similar to 9:30 , though Nation features DJs and dancing more often. It's composed of a dance space and the hall where the main concerts go down. Two floors of balconies wrap around the outside of the main floor. The space below is narrow and sight lines can get tangled, but its sound system is bone-crushing. Massive towers of sonic power frame the stage and deliver an experience to be remembered.

Junior Ben Austin-Docampo derides the construction, however. "I don't like the stage. It's too big—like they're trying to fit a stadium stage into a small club. It's not communal," he says.

Kennedy Center Millennium Stage—2700 F St NW

Every day at 6:00 p.m., a strange thing happens at the Kennedy Center. No Bach today; instead, it's B.B. King. Singer Scott Ainsle's steel guitar sings a B.B. classic into the normally muted foyer. This is the Millennium Stage: intimate, diverse and, perhaps best of all, free.

The Millennium Stage opened up the Kennedy Center to a wider audience and hosts a myriad of different types of acts: one night could be Latin, the next jazz and the next folk. Well-lit and expertly mixed, the shows are broadcast online at www.kennedy-center.org. Though the rows of chairs detract from the energy of the performances, the crowd still participates actively.

Shuttles run from the Foggy Bottom Metro station to the Kennedy Center every 15 minutes, making transportation relatively quick and painless. It's first-class music without the first-class price.

Taliano's—7001 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park MD

In the music-rich environs of Takoma Park, tucked into the heart of Old Town, sits Taliano's. The restaurant looks average enough from the outside, but mundane decor masks a world of jazz, blues, rock and folk that comes to life in the rear section.

A four-inch stage ensures a flow of energy between performer and audience, and simple lights and sound system fit perfectly with the rest of the restaurant. And it's all about a sense of community. Every Tuesday is open mic night, and jazz and blues jams pepper the Taliano's schedule.

Taliano's is more than just the music, though; it's also the relaxed atmosphere and the warm, welcoming environment. "Pull up a chair and check out some flavorful music," the restaurant seems to say.

Other clubs worth checking out:
Black Cat—1811 14th St. NW—The indie-rock epicenter of the D.C. area with an 800-person main hall, lounge area and shows almost every night.

Electric Maid—268 Carroll St NW—A Takoma Park storefront transformed into a community space that puts on punk rock shows to pay the bills.

Blues Alley—1073 Wisconsin Ave NW—The smoky Blues Alley, a 40-table restaurant club, has earned the reputation as one of the best jazz clubs in the world.