Hampton Roads is made up of nine cities including Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson and Williamsburg. It’s one of the greatest music scenes on the East coast! With all the entertainment, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and caught up in all the choices. While not all cities will be featured in this article, each one contains its own unique music scene and entertainment venues. These are some of the most recognized venues in the area.
Shaka’s Live- http://shakaslive.com/
Shaka’s Live is located in Virginia Beach. It’s one of the smaller venues (capacity at about 200 people), but packs a lot of heart. The venue features a DJ set every Friday and Saturday night and with a bar in the venue it’s hard to beat. Shaka’s features local artists and national touring artists. It’s a good venue for people who don’t want the pressure of large crowds and want something more low key.
Upcoming Performances at Shaka’s Live – Joyce Manor, Mike Love, and VA Beach Funk Out
The NorVa Theatre- http://www.thenorva.com/
More commonly referred to as, The NorVA, the performing theatre is located in the heart of Norfolk on Monticello Ave. Founded in 1917, the venue offers a wide variety of performances. It’s generally recognized as being an outstanding music venue, but also offers comedy shows. All seats at The NorVa are general admission standing (unless otherwise specified), but the venue also features a balcony and a bar if you prefer to not be in the middle of the pit. The NorVa is a Rolling Stones fan voted best venue.
Upcoming Performances at The NorVa – Kodak Black, Modern Baseball, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
Hampton Coliseum- https://www.hamptoncoliseum.org/
Opened in 1970, the Hampton Coliseum is one of the biggest venues in the Hampton Roads area. It holds 13,800 people for concerts and 9,777 for basketball games. The venue is most recognized for its architecture. The Coliseum has also featured some of the greater rock bands to ever grace the Hampton Roads region. Phish, Pearl Jam, and The Grateful Dead have all made their appearances at the Hampton Coliseum.
Upcoming Performances at the Hampton Coliseum – Hampton Spring Jam and Hampton Jazz Festival
Portsmouth Pavilion- http://www.pavilionconcerts.com/
Located in downtown Portsmouth, the Portsmouth Pavilion holds 6500 people. The amphitheater is regarded as one of the best venues in Hampton Roads and has featured acts like Twenty One Pilots, Lauryn Hill, and Chris Stapleton. Though not as big as the Hampton Coliseum, the Portsmouth Pavilion features pit, seats, and a general admission seating in the back.
Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach- http://www.virginiabeachamphitheater.com/
Another massive amphitheater is located in Virginia Beach. The seating capacity is a whopping 20,000. There are even five parking lots that are connected to the amphitheater so all 20,000 people can have easy parking. This venue has featured a variety of bands including Weezer, Bruce Springsteen, and Dave Matthews Band.
Upcoming Performances at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach – Zac Brown Band, Chicago & The Doobie Brothers, and Foreigner.
Though all of these places offer a wide variety of music and entertainment, there are plenty of other places to consider! For a full list of Hampton Roads music venues, check out http://hrscene.com/guide/music-venues-on-hrscene/