The Anthem
The Anthem is a 6,000-capacity live music and event venue in Washington, D.C., operated by I.M.P. as the anchor of The Wharf waterfront development, hosting concerts promoted by Live Nation and AEG Presents alongside private rentals, food and beverage concessions, and brand sponsorships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Anthem does
The Anthem is a state-of-the-art live music and event venue located at 901 Wharf Street SW in Washington, D.C., on the Southwest Waterfront as the anchor of The Wharf, a $2 billion mixed-use development adjacent to the National Mall. The venue opened on October 12, 2017, and is operated by I.M.P. (Inner Media Properties), a concert promotion and venue management company that also operates the 9:30 Club, Lincoln Theatre, Merriweather Post Pavilion, and The Atlantis. The 54,000-square-foot venue features flexible configurations ranging from 1,200 seated dinners and 2,500–3,200 reserved-seat concerts to 3,000-capacity cocktail parties and 6,000 standing-room concerts, with 90% of seating removable and broadcast-ready cabling for live video production.
The Anthem's core product is the venue itself, used for touring artist concerts promoted through Live Nation and AEG Presents, and additionally offered as a private rental space for corporate events, weddings, and special occasions. Ancillary product lines include a box office (with no service fees for in-person purchases), on-site food and beverage concessions operated by partner EcoCaters (handhelds, shareables, craft beer, the Wharfle dessert), the Frites and Greet European-style fry stand at District Pier, the Anthem Marquee Bar balcony lounge with waterfront views, a dedicated merch stand, and the cross-venue "Friends With Benefits" loyalty program. The venue also provides comprehensive accessibility infrastructure including ADA seating, assistive listening devices, T-coil devices, ASL interpretation, step-free access at 900 Maine Avenue, and ADA-compliant restrooms on every level.
The business model is event-driven, with revenue generated across five streams: ticket sales (processed through Ticketmaster and the venue box office), food and beverage concessions (per-transaction), merchandise (per-transaction), private venue rentals (per-engagement professional services), and beverage/alcohol brand sponsorships (advertising — current sponsors include Truly Hard Seltzer, Glenfiddich, Hendricks Gin, Jack Daniels/Gentleman Jack, Tito's Vodka, Tullamore Dew, and Dogfish Head). Go-to-market reaches patrons through the venue's own event calendar and website, a digital and monthly-printed "Volume" newsletter, a Discord community, and partnership channels including water taxi (Potomac Riverboat Company), parking (SpotHero), and charitable tie-ins via PLUS1. Customer segments are split between consumer concert-goers (primary), private event organizers (corporate/weddings), and touring artists and promoters (B2B). The Anthem is a privately held entity domiciled in the District of Columbia, with no public financial disclosure, no funding rounds, and no headcount data available.
The Anthem firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Anthem
- Legal name
- The Anthem
- Website
- https://theanthemdc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Anthem is a 6,000-capacity live music and event venue in Washington, D.C., operated by I.M.P. as the anchor of The Wharf waterfront development, hosting concerts promoted by Live Nation and AEG Presents alongside private rentals, food and beverage concessions, and brand sponsorships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Anthem industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Music Venue
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB), Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), Concession & Stadium / Arena Catering (THAFAIAG), Live Music Bars & Venues (CRANACAH)
Keywords
Where The Anthem is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Anthem business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from ticket sales through Ticketmaster and box office. Tickets sold for concerts, events, and private rentals.
- Food and Beverage: Concessions including beer, wine, spirits, handhelds, shareables, and snacks sold during events. Also includes Frites and Greet french fry stand and The Anthem Marquee Bar balcony bar.
- Merchandise: Sale of artist and venue merchandise through dedicated merch stands.
- Venue Rentals: Private event rentals for corporate events, weddings, and special occasions. Flexible footprints available for various event types.
- Sponsorships: Beverage and alcohol brand sponsorships including Truly Hard Seltzer, Glenfiddich, Hendricks Gin, Jack Daniels/Gentleman Jack, Tito's Vodka, Tullamore Dew, and Dogfish Head.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Anthem product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Anthem is a state-of-the-art music and live event venue located at The Wharf in Washington, D.C., with flexible capacity of 2,500-3,200 seated or up to 6,000 standing across 54,000 square feet. The venue hosts touring concerts and live performances promoted by Live Nation, AEG Presents, and I.M.P., and rents its space for private corporate events, weddings, seated dinners, and cocktail parties. Ancillary paid offerings include on-site food and beverage concessions (handhelds, shareables, craft beer, the Anthem Marquee Bar balcony bar, and the Frites and Greet fry stand) and merchandise sales.
Product overview
The Anthem is a physical music venue and event space operated by I.M.P. (International Music Properties) at The Wharf in Washington D.C. The core product is the venue itself, offering flexible event hosting for 2,500-6,000 attendees with state-of-the-art production capabilities. The venue provides integrated ancillary services including box office ticketing via Ticketmaster, food and beverage concessions through EcoCaters, the Marquee Bar balcony lounge, Frites and Greet outdoor fry stand, and a Friends With Benefits loyalty program. The venue also offers comprehensive ADA accessibility services and private event rentals with customizable configurations for seated dinners and cocktail parties.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Anthem Venue Concerts
- Venue Rental Services
- Food and Beverage Concessions
- Frites and Greet
- The Anthem Marquee Bar
- Friends With Benefits Loyalty Program
- ADA Accessibility Services
Companies that use The Anthem
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Anthem technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Anthem partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Truly Hard SeltzerminorBeverage sponsor listed on the venue's sponsors page. Provides sponsorship support for venue operations and events.
- GlenfiddichminorWhiskey brand sponsor. Listed among venue beverage sponsors on the sponsors page.
- Hendricks GinminorGin brand sponsor for the venue. Listed among beverage sponsors.
- Jack Daniels/Gentleman JackminorWhiskey brand sponsor. Listed among venue sponsors for beverage offerings.
- Tito's VodkaminorVodka brand sponsor. Listed among beverage sponsors at the venue.
- Tullamore DewminorIrish whiskey brand sponsor. Listed among venue sponsors.
- Dogfish HeadminorCraft brewery sponsor. Beer selections include Dogfish Head offerings. Listed among beverage sponsors.
- TicketmastercorePrimary ticketing platform for The Anthem. All advance ticket sales processed through Ticketmaster. Integration with venue website for ticket purchasing and accessible ticket options.
- Live NationcoreMajor concert promoter bringing shows to The Anthem. Multiple events listed as 'Live Nation Presents' including Jack Harlow, Shaboozey, and Metric/Broken Social Scene/Stars tours.
- AEG PresentscoreMajor concert promoter. Multiple events listed as 'AEG Presents' including Ella Mai, Jungle World Tour 2026, and others.
- I.M.P. (Immediate Music Presents)coreParent company and operator of The Anthem. I.M.P. also operates 9:30 Club, Lincoln Theatre, Merriweather Post Pavilion, and The Atlantis. Described as an 'award winning team' responsible for these iconic D.C. music venues.
- The WharfcoreThe Wharf is a $2 billion mixed-use waterfront development that anchors The Anthem. Nearly one mile development along Southwest D.C. Waterfront, adjacent to National Mall. The Anthem is described as the anchor of The Wharf.
- Potomac Riverboat CompanyminorWater taxi service connecting Georgetown, Old Town Alexandria, National Harbor, and The Wharf. Promotional code 'ANTHEM' available for $3 off one-way or round trip tickets.
- SpotHerominorThird-party parking reservation service integrated into The Anthem website for advance parking reservations near the venue.
- PLUS1minorPer-ticket donation program partner. Multiple artists partner with PLUS1 for $1 per ticket donations to various causes including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, JED Foundation, LGBTQ+ youth organizations, and local animal shelters.
- EcoCatersminorPartner behind Frites and Greet french fry stand and The Anthem's concessions and artist catering. Located at District Pier next to the venue.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Anthem competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- House of Blues: Live Nation-owned chain of mid-to-large music venues across major U.S. markets. Overlaps with The Anthem on capacity, food-and-beverage programming, and touring-artist programming, but as a national portfolio rather than a single standalone venue.
- The Fillmore: Live Nation-operated chain of historic music venues (Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco, etc.). Comparable as a multi-city, promoter-affiliated concert venue platform with similar flexible capacities and a mix of ticketed concerts plus private events.
- The Wiltern: ~1,850-cap historic concert venue in Los Angeles operated by Live Nation. Comparable as a single-asset, mid-large, general-admission-plus-seated music venue with similar sponsor, F&B, and ticketing dependencies.
- The Beacon Theatre: ~2,800-cap historic Live Nation venue on the Upper West Side. Comparable as a premium seated concert venue in a top-tier U.S. market with broadcast-quality production and a similar Broadway-style touring-act booking profile.
Direct peers
- Music Hall of Williamsburg: Bowery Presents-operated ~1,500-cap concert venue in Brooklyn. Comparable on standalone mid-size GA music-venue model with integrated F&B, sponsor, and ticketing operations under a regional independent operator.
- 9:30 Club: Sister venue operated by I.M.P. in Washington D.C. — 1,200-cap iconic music club. Comparable as a live-music venue under the same operator with shared box office, loyalty program, and touring pipeline, although The Anthem sits one tier up in capacity.
- Terminal 5: ~3,000-cap general-admission concert venue in Manhattan. Directly comparable on capacity tier, GA standing-room configuration, and primary use as a touring-artist mid-large room, even though geography differs.
- Merriweather Post Pavilion: Sister I.M.P.-operated outdoor amphitheater in Columbia, MD (~19,300-cap). Comparable under the same operator with shared touring pipeline and audience, though The Anthem's indoor 6,000-cap profile targets a different season and configuration.
- First Avenue: ~1,550-cap flagship independent music venue in Minneapolis with multiple connected rooms. Comparable as an iconic, single-metro, independent-operator live music venue with diversified concert and rental programming and a strong regional draw.
- Brooklyn Steel: ~1,800-cap flagship general-admission concert venue in Brooklyn operated by Bowery Presents. Comparable as a single standalone, GA-focused, modern live-music venue in a major metro with comparable F&B and sponsor economics.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Anthem social profiles
Digital presenceThe Anthem financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Anthem leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Anthem funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Anthem M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Anthem
What does The Anthem do?
The Anthem is a state-of-the-art music and live event venue located at The Wharf in Washington, D.C., with flexible capacity of 2,500-3,200 seated or up to 6,000 standing across 54,000 square feet. The venue hosts touring concerts and live performances promoted by Live Nation, AEG Presents, and I.M.P., and rents its space for private corporate events, weddings, seated dinners, and cocktail parties. Ancillary paid offerings include on-site food and beverage concessions (handhelds, shareables, craft beer, the Anthem Marquee Bar balcony bar, and the Frites and Greet fry stand) and merchandise sales.
Is The Anthem a public or private company?
The Anthem is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Anthem founded?
The Anthem was founded in 2017.
Where is The Anthem based?
The Anthem is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Anthem make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are food and Beverage, merchandise, venue Rentals and sponsorships.
Who are The Anthem's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are House of Blues, The Fillmore, The Wiltern and The Beacon Theatre. Direct peers are Music Hall of Williamsburg, 9:30 Club, Terminal 5, Merriweather Post Pavilion, First Avenue and Brooklyn Steel.
Does The Anthem have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Anthem.
What industry is The Anthem in?
The Anthem's product category is Live Music Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGALAC, Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues), with a secondary code of MPAGAIAB, Live Music Clubs & Venues. Its NAICS code is 71131 and its SIC code is 7900.