Alexandra K.
Yelp
The first concert I attended at The Atlanis was Bartees Strange, with Jachary as the opening performance. The venue is small and very cold, standing only with two levels, and I can't wait to come back for my next experience; I'm looking up all the upcoming acts I can to have an excuse to do so.
I love how convenient The Atlantis is to public transit - several buses as well as the U street metro stop. The venue itself is beautiful- very clean, including the bathrooms, which might partially be newness but also speaks well of how the staff are maintaining the facilities, because there have been dozens of performances with thousands of people attending already.
The acoustics are excellent. I confess I was only recently familiar with Bartees Strange when I saw that he was one of the inaugural 44 acts for the opening of the venue. After seeing him live, I'm definitely a fan - his performance was moving, uplifting and exciting all at once, and the intimacy of The Atlantis was an amazing space to showcase his skills. I want to see more shows like this, Bartees and others, because to me this is what live music is supposed to be.
Just an FYI, another reason to love The Atlantis is the sustainability focus through their r.cup program - when you order a drink, you get it in a reusable "r.cup," when when you're done there are clearly marked bins where you return them and the facility washes and reuses them. You're not allowed to bring in your own beverage containers so this is a nice option. Beverage options include a good selection of beers, liquors, a few wines, and sodas as well, and they're pretty fairly priced too.
The one downside of the experience was how COLD it was, but then again I'm ALWAYS cold. A lot of people, including my partner, purchased hoodies and other merch to layer up for warmth, but I'll just wear a warmer jacket (and scarf) next time. I can't wait!