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By Bruce Moore
In the past few years, the musical landscape in the city of Richmond has changed dramatically. There are now more
places than ever to take in a concert or catch a show.
One of the newest and, quite possibly, best places in
town to see a show is the newly renovated National
Theatre. Located at the corner of 7th and East Broad
Streets, The National is designed to bring live music to
the Richmond area in an intimate setting, but with the
capacity to accommodate more than 1,400 patrons.
The building that houses The National is steeped
in history. The theatre opened its doors back in 1923
and has since hosted a plethora of big name celebrities.
Actor, comedian and singer Eddie Cantor has performed
there as well as the legendary Academy Award-winning
actor, director, writer and producer Orson Welles. The
National was also home to early vaudeville acts and silent
movies, which were accompanied by live music from the
largest orchestra pit in the state.
From the outside, The National bears a striking
architectural resemblance to an Italian style Renaissance villa complete with a grand entrance with nymphs strewn
throughout and a frieze of them near the roof. Inside,
The National houses a state of the art concert venue that
allows a capacity of 1114 people on the first floor. Wooden
floors, brick walls, and seven full bars, add to the classic
ambience of the room. The first floor level is designed
to allow those standing an intimate view of the stage
from virtually anywhere on the floor while several video
screens and monitors located throughout The National
also televise the performance. The balcony offers 300
padded seats that are available on a first come first serve
basis. These seats allow for an unobstructed view of the
performance in a more comfortable environment.
The National is booked by James River Entertainment,
the same company that books for The Norva in Norfolk,
and displays music from national acts to up and coming
artists. Some of the performers that have recently graced
The National’s stage are Country musician Tracy Morgan,
Heavy Metal acts, Sevendust and The Devil Wears
Prada, Richmond native and hometown favorite Jason Mraz and American Idol runner up David Archuleta, to
name just a few.
Adjacent to the National Theatre is Gibson’s Grill, a
two-story restaurant serving lunch and dinner. Gibson’s
Grill is open 7 nights a week until 2am with food being
served until 1am and has two fully stocked bars. The
restaurant also houses the Seven Below Lounge, which
features plush seating, low lighting and an atmosphere that
is made for relaxing. This is the perfect spot for a romantic
date, a get-together with family or friends or a quick
bite to eat before or after a show. Gibson’s Grill offers
classic American Favorites with a Rock and Roll twist.
For example, diners can order the “1/2 lb Angus Young
Burger,” named for the guitarist of the rock band AC/
DC. Other menu options include “mixed Al Greens”
and “The Chicken ‘Puff Daddy’ Pastry.”
Tickets for all events at The National are available at
all Ticketmaster outlets, www.nattickets.com, www.thenationalva.com or www.ticketstobuy.com. Tickets are only available at the
box office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
and one hour prior to the doors opening the night of
the show. |
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