I used to tour with bands, and I was always super stoked when we got to play the Norva. The club is just awesome, but the backstage is what did it for me. There was a pool table, a foosball table, video games, a full basketball court upstairs for the bands to play on, and a jacuzzi in the headliner's dressing room. Catering was awesome, too. If you ever get a chance to get backstage here, do it. And to top it all off, it's across the street from a mall. Love this place. read more

This venue is the absolute worst. They don't display the rules clearly and kick people out if they don't abide. I was here for a concert I paid fo and before the main event, I was thrown into the crowd to crowd surf. I didn't know that it wasn't allowed and was swiftly kicked out. They said the manager would be out to talk with me to let me back in. He never came. I was outside freezing for over an hour before I took an Uber home. This is the worst venue I have ever been too. read more

An amazing venue... if you are an artist. They have arcade games, ping pong and lots of food. Clean and very good at taking care of bands. read more

Great venue to watch a concert. 3 levels to watch, although parts of it was closed off for VIP. I went for a Carbon Leaf concert on St. Paddy's Day, definitely best part of the day. Parking can be challenging as there aren't many street parking spaces and you may have to resort to parking at the Mall. The drinks were ridiculously pricey. read more

I saw some truly great artists at the Norva this year and found the venue to be highly enjoyable each time. Great sound and sight...not a bad spot in the venue. With the exception of the rare superstar performance, it is easy to get very close to the front without being an obnoxious shover. It's no secret that the Hampton Roads area generally gets screwed over when it comes to concerts. But thankfully The Norva provides a wide variety of acts big and small, amazing and horrible, so everyone can find shows they want to attend throughout the year. It is especially enjoyable to catch someone who would play a venue ten times larger at a major city in the Norva's intimate environment. The staff is friendly and while the security was perfectly appropriate at Cat Power and Blonde Redhead, I had to witness a setlist-grabber getting brutalized after Morrissey. It was so bad that if I had my camera, it would have been the next viral video. read more

Honestly the best venue within the Hampton Roads area for all my favorite EDM shows. Their sound system is better than most around here. The layout is easy to comprehend -- you come in, restrooms to your first left, bar in the far left, and then the stage is right in front of you. I've gone here for non-EDM shows as well and every experience I've had has been great. Only thing that sucks sometimes is that the restroom stalls get dirty pretty quickly, especially at EDM shows. read more

Simply the best freakin concert venue EVER (if you can get tickets). this place is small, but that's what is so great. The last concert I saw there was Dropkick Murphy's with Roger Miret and the Disasters and The Casualties and I have to say it was awesome! Ever been to a "Real Concert" and been so close you had the lead singers saliva grace you with it's presence?.... Go to Norva and you will. Simply excellent! read more

The NorVa's a great medium sized venue for shows. It's a got a dark, clubby rock-n-roll feel, but you don't feel like you need a shower when you leave. It filled a major void after the demise of the legendary Boathouse. The sound is decent, and the space is intimate but not cramped. It's standing room only (at least every time I've been there), and you can stand right up against the stage. My favorite spot is against the railing on the mezzanine. By now, everyone from James Brown to the Cowboy Junkies to Snoop Dogg to Morrissey has played there. Rumor has it that artists love it because of the relatively swanky backstage digs (including a hot tub). I sometimes wish they had a little more variety in music style on the lineup on a regular basis. How many death metal bands with vaguely biblical names can there be? Other than that, it rocks. read more

This place really knows how to put on a show! They have great local artists all the time and their lights and sound equipments is really top notch. My biggest complaint is lack of ANYWHERE to sit. When I went to the show last night, my foot was bothering me and there was literally no where to sit besides the bar that was in a separate area where you couldn't see or hear any of the show. Unfortunately I alternated between standing for a period of time at the show and going back to the bar to sit for a while and missed half the show. This really is a great place for a show, it's just hard to enjoy when you are in pain and this could have been easily solved by having seating. read more

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One of the better music venues I have been to in a while. It has a relatively intimate feel, while still being able to pack in a pretty good crowd. My husband and I went here to see a local band (The Fighting Jamesons, you MUST see them if you get the chance) but the Norva also gets bigger headline acts like Flogging Molly and Billy Currington. The only reason this place didn't get 5 stars from me is that 1. At the beginning of the concert the bar didn't have a single bottle of Jamesons at The Fighting Jamesons concert and 2. there was a pretty good sized crowd, but it wasn't packed and they turned the big overhead air conditioners on...which happened to be going directly down my back at the table we were sitting at. Not exactly the most pleasant thing in the world with a backless shirt on. Oh well. GREAT VENUE! Absolutely the place to go see any band/artist play. read more

There's a lot of nostalgia here for me. That being said, I do not like seeing shows here. They need more seats up stairs. It's smells like beer. The crowd is awful too. I've been to many different kinds of shows here and I'm always on edge. Also the ticket fees are outrageous! read more

The Norva is probably one of the better spots in Hampton roads for shows. Personally I like that it is standing room only (there is a few seas) because you just get the whole concert experience and you don't have to worry about being in the way. I've been to all kinds of concerts here from country to EDM to rock and roll. It's all been great. The only thing that bothers me is during rock concerts the staff is too on it with moshing and crowd surfing, which I get because it's a hazard and insurance thing. Overall I've always had a good time here, the bar is overpriced though but that's what you get at venues like this. It's in a conveniant location for both parking and eating. read more

I came here for the first time for the Margaret Cho show and I really enjoyed this venue. This venue is the perfect size to have a close-up look at the performer without being squished by everyone around you. I like that tickets to this venue are general admission, which allows everyone a fair chance to get a good seat. Drinks are also not terribly expensive...$6 for beer I believe. read more

They didnt let me in cause they thought i was drunk after i payed 50$ for a ticket. Very bad experience, as I do not drink at all? They also threatened to have me arrested. I am never going back to this club, and I'm sticking to shakas, way better club with friendlier staff who don't act like it's a privelage to enter their premises. read more

This is an excellent venue for a concert that is well-kept and updated. The GA standing floor is spacious, bathrooms are clean, the staff is friendly, and it didn't take an hour to get inside (being from NY this is a nice change!). We arrived early for a concert and were super close to the stage, and the sound was amazing! There is also an upper level surrounding the floor and overlooking the stage where you can stand if you don't want to be mixed in with a crazy crowd. It would be nice if they had some food at the bar, but it didn't make or break the night. read more

The Norva - Young The Giant - Music Venues Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

I went with some of my buddies to the norva for the sevendust show last night (2/09/19). I was upstairs with a majority of my group. I walked down stairs to meet 2 of my other friends and got laid flat out on my back walking through the crowd. I guess I was being hostile when I went by the bouncer and he decided to put me down? I was in the venue for about an hour at that point. Either way you look at it, I don't recommend going to the Norva for anything. You'll just end up getting physically hurt when pay pay to see a show. I haven't been to The Norva in probably 15 years and I dont intend to go back...ever! read more

The Norva is one of the better music venues in the area. I dont go there a lot, however I usually try to catch it whenever they have reggae music playing. The dance area is amazing. As well the upper level is a great place to chill and enjoy your favorite beverage. read more

I went and saw a concert here in January and had a blast! Very accommodating to the performers. There wasn't any bit of confetti shooting, giant beach ball throwing, or flashing lights which the Norva could not accommodate! Had a great time and the place had a great vibe. Only complaint is that I wish there was closer parking when it is that cold. Had to park at the mall across the street and walk over. If you are going to the Norva get there early to park close and get a great standing spot. read more

Worst venue ever. The crowd was terrible too. Everyone was drinking in the pit and spilling beer everywhere. Seemed like people were just there to get wasted and could care less about the bands. I saw more girls wearing sun dresses and wearing sunglasses then fans in band shirts. People kept coming in and out of the pit to go get more beers and would spill each time and shove their way back to the front. i really think they should stop allowing alcohol in the pits. its unsafe and it'll separate all the stupid alcoholic posers from the people in the crowd who actually came to see a show. And security could care less about you having a good time. They're extremely adamant about you wearing a bracelet regardless of your age or whether or not you'll be drinking. I'm 25 and I don't drink so I just went to enjoy the show. I sat down and took off the wristband that nearly cut off circulation and a bouncer shows up and starts lecturing me about drinking ages. And he gets in my way of watching the show. Jerk! I showed him my ID and he still insisted on marking my hands with those annoying black X's. I don't get their stupidity. If I'm not wearing the right wristband or any wristband at all and I tried to order beer wouldn't they just not serve me beer??? Duh, right? It was just the stupidest thing ever. These rent-a-cops are always too busy to help you but never to busy to try and punish you or kick you out for something stupid like wristbands. they simply replied with condescension. The management wasn't any more helpful either. After i told them how disruptive and unprofessional their bouncers were i said the bouncer wouldn't let me enjoy the show and the manager said that "i wasn't really enjoying the show now by complaining, was I?" another jerk! I really hope I never come here again. I'd rather go drive 2 hours back and forth to Richmond then have to deal with the Norva's bull. The place was way too crowded with alot of obstructed areas where you stand and cannot see the show. and if you go upstairs there is hardly any room. you'll most likely end up behind one of the many pillars and wont be able to see a thing. I've been to so many shows and this was the worst one ever. the band was great but the crowd (i wont call them fans) and the Norva staff were terrible. WORST VENUE EVER!!! WORST FANS EVER!!! Something about this venue just brings out the worst in people. I can't stand it. I'm never coming back!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone who likes this place probably hasn't been to a better venue outside of Norfolk. It's unfortunate that this is where the best bands come to play. read more

This is one of my favorite places in Norfolk. It delivers on everything a small/medium sized venue should be. Think the 930 club in DC or the National in Richmond but better. Yeah the 930 is more iconic and draws the bigger name bands, but that's DC. Besides, the Norva is more organized, bigger and cleaner and your probably 10x less likely to get stabbed walking to your car. They seem to know how to run a show. I don't think I have seen a show there that had any audio mishaps or felt like the security were being dickheads or distracting. I have read and heard from musicians that they are taken care of at the venue which I'm sure helps the performance. I know it will be tough for the older locals to let go of the beloved Boathouse and it's bier garten and I was sad to hear of its demise too, but even CBGB's closed eventually guys. From Slayer to N.E.R.D., Marilyn Manson to Lou Reed and many others. It's all been good times at the thunderdome. read more

Had a terrible experience at The Norva on the 31st while going to see Odd Future. The event staff were abusive, vulgar, incompetent and could not figure out how to effectively handle a crowd. Had an incident with one of the staff members berating the minors I was accompanying, one of whom had a panic attack because of it and I could not even get him a glass of water from this place without paying 3 dollars for it. No Class. Pass. read more

Attended the ZZ Ward concert here last week when it was around 19 degrees out. This venue NEVER turned the heat on! WTF?! I have no problems with standing room only or the pricey bar drinks, but when it is so cold inside the venue that the bartender is wearing a heavy coat and scarf then we have a serious problem. I don't even know how the musicians managed to play guitar with those cold inside temps. ZZ Ward even mentioned the frigid temps more than once. Bottom line - there are venues in nearby cities were you can see the same bands and not get frostbite. I'd rather drive several hours away than ever give this joke of an establishment my hard earned money again. read more

I forgot my printed out ticket so I called the box office just to ask if they would be able to scan the ticket on my phone. The lady who answered ignored the specifics of my question and just recited Ticketmaster rules at me then hung up. I missed dinner to run around finding somewhere nearby with a printer to print the ticket out because I had no idea if I would be able to get in or not. Then, once we got in, my underage friend who was our DD went to the bar and asked for a glass of water and the bartender charged him $4 for it. For tap water. Later a lady came over and asked for water too and he just gave it to her and my friend looked at him, and the bartender replied, "Well, she's spending a lot of money." Why is everyone who works here so rude? read more

Awesome venue and great service. To give you an idea of the caliber of the staff here, one of the security staff (whose name I'm blanking on and is a med student) recognized my father is paralyzed and personally escorted him and my family to a handicapped area. The venue itself is great, and the built in pizzeria is genius. I love this venue and describe it as the hidden gem of Norfolk. read more

Venue was smaller but impressive. It was an awesome night. Looking forward to attending future shows

Hands down the best place to see a show in Norfolk!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the NORVA!!! I've been living in Williamsburg, VA for a year now. My husband and I just fell in love with this place. Such a cool venue to see a show. It's intimate, comfy, NO SMOKING!! (a first for us coming from FL - so SUPER NICE!), you have a great view no matter where you are standing, cool, cool, COOL atmosphere...just AWESOME!! I can't wait to see Sound Tribe Sector 9 - oh yeah!!! GO HERE!! YOU WILL LOVE IT!!! read more

Absolutely the greatest and the worst. The venue is great until they allow way more than capacity to enter. Went to Slayer with Anthrax and Death Angel. All three bands were great except for the 'fans' that were allowed to become total assholes once Anthrax, and especially when Slayer, took the stage. Usually I go to festivals and, unless I'm in the mosh pit, I don't have a problem. Hell, I've been in mosh pits that I've seen smarter people than this concert. The crowd pushed the people in front of them until there was no more room to push. With my back injury, I could only stay in for the first two songs from Anthrax before I was able to escape the crowd. I tried to leave as soon as they started, but couldn't move. I never got to see more than a glimpse of Tom Araya, even though I started the concert in the third row from the stage, because I had to get away from the stupidity. This after driving 4 hours to Norfolk and waiting 2 hours in line to be one of the first through the doors. The crowd was fine during Death Angel and never pushed. I probably will never return to Norva. There is too much foolishness allowed inside. read more

I have been going to the NorVA for 17 years and would recommend the Norva as a concert venue the caveat to my recommendation would be the event staff. I was hit in the face at the Silverstein/hawthorn heights show when a mosh pit started around my boyfriend and I. I was able to break out of the crowd and make my way to the bathroom to check my eye. My boyfriend ended up on the outer circle of the pit, as a non participant and was repeatedly pushed by an older larger man with a grey beard. After the third time of informing the man that he was not in the mosh pit and to step back he put him in a headlock, preventing further assault. It was later he discovered he was event staff pushing him into the circle. He was subsequently thrown out of the venue for defending himself. (Please note that he did not throw a punch nor did he push the security guard back.)When I came out of the bathroom I learned my boyfriend was outside and what had happed. When did it become okay for event staff to physically assault concert goers and the management to brush them aside when trying to explain what happened. I am not sure if Ken ward was the security guard or manager but that was the only name I was given by someone who also felt we were wronged. read more

Love the bands and atmosphere! The sound is amazing, the staff is friendly and the entertainment is top notch! Parking is not a pain. Whether you are on the floor or up in the balcony section, you are guaranteed a great time! I am looking forward to visiting for future shows! read more

A tiny concert sits next to the MacArthur Mall. The drinks were not so bad, but these costed both of my legs and my arms. The atmosphere was so cozy, but only until the crazy teenagers invaded the concert. read more

This is the best place to see a concert. If you make a reservation super early, you can even have dinner backstage and come into the concert early via backstage (a cool experience if you haven't been backstage before). The staff/security are very nice and there isn't a bad seat in the house. I'm short...and that's ALWAYS a problem at concerts...but as long as I'm upstairs, I never have a problem seeing the show. Most of the time when I see a show here, I meet the band afterwards. I highly recommend this venue for any music lovers! read more

My absolutely favorite place to see bands in Hampton Roads! Next best thing to having them play in your own living room. The Norva is super intimate! Very easy to get up close & personal with your favorite artists. Great video and photos can be taken from anywhere in the house. Comfy, cozy completely seperate VIP room, bar, and bathrooms with the concert on monitor in a sitting area with plush couches. Great bartenders! I'd like to see a wider bar selection & a better price differential between bottom & top shelf liquors. Bar is pretty limited. Pizza avail downstairs. Other appetizers in other bar areas would be great! read more

Never coming back. The staff sucks and are super rude. And they'll kick you out for having too much fun example, crowd surfing, headbanging to hard, jumping to high etc the bouncers will break it up and/or escort you out if you do anything beyond stand there and listen. Don't come here. read more

Since the Boathouse closed and the Jewish Mother got less active on their musical bookings, the Norva is really the only place to turn for a good concert. Of course there's the amphitheater, but most of my favorite artists aren't playing to crowds of 200,000 plus. The Norva books the up and comers, the niche artists and the well known but not excessively popular artists and I applaud them. Although it's two floors and quite roomy, there's still an intimate feel to the Norva. Being here is like being at a VIP show, you can always get close enough to the band if you want or you can go to the second floor and watch the action from above. The line up is always varied, but I love the number of crucial reggae shows they book here. Check out the schedule online, I promise there's someone you want to see coming soon. read more

First time here. Saw AFI and it was amazing. Truly an intimate setting. Never seen any place where one can get that close to the stage. Location is easy to get to and parking deck nearby. I hope to come back for additional shows. read more

If you happen to be the only over 21 aged person in your group do not let a friend hold your drink for you while you take a pee. You will be grabbed and shoved forcefully out of the venue without warning or given an opportunity to speak(even though the bathroom doors have "no alcohol beyond this point" signs posted on them). I Can't help that my friend I came with was under 21 and only person available to hold the drink. That was such a ridiculous night and waste of money. Probably wont be attending a show here anymore. Pretty pissed that I was being pushed physically to leave when I was in no way causing a scene or did anything wrong. read more

Saw Badfish here not too long ago. I enjoyed the venue. It was dive bar-esque, but in a good way. All of the staff was polite and smiling. Great place to catch a show. read more

I went to a concert here last night (10/4/18) and got in line a few hours early so I could be closer to the front. After being in line for a while I ran into the mall across the street to use the restroom and when I came back my friends all had wristbands, security just came by asking for ID and handing them out, nothing more than that. I assumed it was just for drinking purposes considering this is a bar venue and I'd later get an ID check. They came back by multiple times asking if anyone needed to visit the box office but nothing about wrist bands. When the time came to enter the venue I was told by a security guard I needed a wrist band to get inside the venue, even with my event ticket present. I explained my situation and he told me he didn't have wrist bands on him and I had to go all the way back of the line to get one. I let my friends go in without me and I went all the way to the back of the line to get a wrist band (it took me 45 minutes from the back of the line to get back to the doors of the venue) and while my friends waited for me inside they saw multiple people receiving wrist bands just inside the door. They tried to talk to more security inside but they all had dismissive and "oh? too bad" attitudes. Needless to say, the staff or the rules they have to stick to at the venue needs to be updated. read more

The NorVa is a cool venue for checking out concerts in Norfolk. It's kind of in the middle in terms of size--it's a fairly large venue, but not so large as to be alienating. There is still a good sense of intimacy with the performers I've seen there. Probably my favorite show I've seen there was Girl Talk; he's a mash-up artist who allows for anyone to come up on the stage and dance. The whole place was like a giant party all orchestrated by Girl Talk. It was a fun night--we danced, we walked around, we met people. We could get closer to the stage and be a part of the action or chill out in the back and hear each other talk as we drank a beer. Definitely a cool spot for a show! read more