NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — “There’s a new venue in town!”
The Annex, a 460-person-capacity music venue, officially announced it’s opening later this month at 2500 Church Street in Norfolk. WAVY first brought you the news about it back in January 2023.
The venue is a collaboration between local concert promoter LAVA Presents and Young Veterans Brewing Company, which runs a similar-sized venue down at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront called the Bunker Brewpub.
Like the Bunker, the venue will have a separate dining area with a full bar and kitchen, in addition to the 460-capacity venue space. That’s about a third of the size of the NorVa.
LAVA Presents’ Josh Coplon said last year that the space is “something our community has desperately needed for years.”
“Outside of the NorVa, there’s not been a small, proper music venue in Norfolk in many years.”
The first show on the docket is from jam band Papadosio on Thursday, August 29 at 7 p.m.
“This has been a dream of mine for over half of my life and it feels surreal to finally be making this announcement,” said Coplon on Thursday. “I’m excited to be partnering with Young Veterans Brewing Company + The Bunker Brewpub to help bring this to life.”
Coplon says LAVA, which has put on shows in Hampton Roads and Richmond for nearly a decade, will continue on, with outdoor shows like its Minifest events (one is on August 31) at Toast on Colonial Avenue in Norfolk.
“I am excited to continue to bring more great shows and events to the area for many years to come!” Coplon said.
The Annex will be at the old Five Points Community Farm Market, which was featured on a 2011 episode of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” You can read more about the project in our previous coverage.
