The NorVa — Attraction in Norfolk

Used to love this place with all of my heart. It was amongst my favorite places on earth to catch a show. I would make the drive from Richmond pretty regularly just to catch a vibe. Previously left a 5 star review with nothing but praise.

This was all until I recently attended the Tribal Seeds show in March 2025 and was assaulted by a security guard.

Not 60 seconds after walking in the door, my girlfriend and I are making our way into the packed crowd when all of a sudden I was shoved from behind, which caused me to clumsily stumble into the people around me. I turned around to see who or what had fallen into me, to see a security guard yelling at me and sticking his finger in my face. I asked him what the problem was, and without answering, he shoves me again, two hand shove, right in the chest. Then he just stares at me with crazy angry eyes as if he's literally challenging me to fight him, so I asked him "what is your problem?" At that point he attempted to physically pick me up. I'm not a big guy, but just due to the packed crowd and the fact that I was holding hands with my girlfriend throughout this entire interaction, he was unable to pick me up to I guess kick me out or whatever he was trying to do...?

I will point out, that's pretty embarrassing. I weigh less than 150lbs. Not a huge guy. Not even slightly big, I'm a small king. This guy was like 8 inches taller than me probably had 100 pounds on me and couldn't pick me up. How are you supposed to effectively crowd control or keep people safe in an emergency if you are physically inept? It's unsafe, this guy needs to hit the gym.

Anyway, so at this point he's shoved me in the back, shoved me in the chest, and wrapped me up bear hug style and tried to pick me up, but couldn't. At this point I guess he realized he was making a fool of himself, so he just started swearing and walked away toward the stage. My girlfriend and I cleverly took advantage of this and followed him all the way to the front and watched the rest of the show from the rail. That part was pretty sick lol.

But I cannot be any more crystal clear about this, I have absolutely no idea why any of this went down. It was way more crowded than usual, we were in the thick of the crowd, and we had just walked in the door. We hadn't even bought a drink yet, we're completely sober standing in a shoulder to shoulder packed crowd and this security guard loses his cool and tried to pick a fight with me for no reason.

To make matters worse, I tried to reach out to the venue to explain to them my experience. I reached out on social media and via phone and email. All of my requests were completely ignored. They don't give a damn if their employees assualt their paying customers for literally no reason whatsoever.

So, I will never be going back. I would encourage any and everyone to also not give this place your money. The floors are stickier than scotch tape. I used to find this endearing, now it's just disgusting. They get decent mid sized acts, but all they do is keep these acts from playing other cooler, cleaner, more professional venues in the area, of which there are many. So, in the interest of lovers of live music, and in the name of sweet justice, I thoroughly hope the place burns down with no one inside very soon.

To the security guard: I know you have serious problems in your life that have your mental health so adversely affected that you struggle to control your actions and emotional outbursts. I understand that you don't get any love or respect in your personal life, and probably not at work either, which causes you to power trip and throw rage fits. I'm sorry your life sucks, but you still have to maintain decorum. I'd recommend hitting the gym. It is a great way to clear your mind and improve your mental state. It would also help you be proficient at your job because you are mentally unstable and physically inept (unable to lift 140lbs), which equates to complete and utter incompetency and inability to perform the essential duties of your job.

Do so...

First time at NorVa for a Beres Hammond concert. Things started out well, but then...

The Good: the venue looks and feels good pre-concert--good layout on two levels with balcony wrapping all around, great lights system and apparently a good sound system plenty of bars to get drinks (4 for the general public, 2 inside, up and down, one in the yard for the smokers, and one street level, after the entrance but before the doors to the concert room. bar tenders are efficient and pour fast--drinks are $12 plus tip and not all that strong, but I did not go there to get drunk, so fine plenty of staff around, most of them quite helpful, informative and courteous opening act sounded good and I was thinking "good sound system, clear, crisp and not deafening" since I forgot my concert earplugs Beres and the Harmony band, with his excellent backup singers (I believe they are Dorette Wisdom, Denette Lewis, and Sherida Sharpe) delivered a phenomenal show, as always! Too bad NorVa was not the ideal venue for their art...

The Bad NorVa managed to make a Beres concert almost impossible to enjoy--now that's a feat! They oversold and overpacked the venue--I just do not see how that level of crowdedness can be safe or enjoyable. People were literally packed like sardines throughout the entire room, trying to get a drink or get to the restrooms was a body surfing, bumping, squeezing experience and good luck getting your spot back! Too many people, NorVa got greedy riding on the popularity of Beres! A lot of the people in the audience were yapping away loudly throughout the show! I get it, you are with friends and excited/tipsy/high whatever reason, but if you want to yap constantly, step outside! I mean, these folks were very loud and kept going, and not just one group, way too many of them. The sound system was louder, but not clearer and with all the yapping, pushing, shoving and singing along, it was rather difficult to hear or enjoy Beres' music. Not sure if the sound engineer was trying to (over)compensate for the loud crowd or what, but the music was at times hard to distinguish. I saw Beres and the band two weeks ago at a major outdoor reggae festival in Europe and it was a much, much better experience, musically as well as organizationally--the sound system was killer good, though outdoors, the crowd was there to enjoy the music, though much larger, and there was sufficient space for everyone.

Conclusion: NorVa has a good venue but the management/owners are more interested in revenues than in the art and experience. I am not going back there unless I want to attend a punk or metal moshpit type of gig. Clearly a musically intricate show is not their forte...and that's a shame, because the venue is good and Beres is a...

My favorite spot to go see a concert in the 757 is The Norva. There"s nothing quite like The Norva in downtown Norfolk when it comes to live music. Prepare to have your mind blown and your heart racing because this legendary venue is the epitome of concert-going perfection. Get ready for an unforgettable experience that will leave you begging for more!

Step into The Norva and feel the electric pulse of excitement pulsating through the air. This place has vibes that are off the charts and as soon as you walk in you'll be instantly immersed in the energy of the crowd. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just looking for a wild night out be prepared to have your senses awakened and your soul enlivened.

No matter where you choose to stand you're guaranteed to have a jaw-dropping view. From the front row where you can practically feel the sweat of the musicians to the cozy balconies that offer a bird's eye perspective of the stage every seat in the house is a winner. There's simply no excuse for a boring view here!

Speaking of views let's not forget the mind-blowing sound system. The Norva has mastered the art of delivering crystal-clear heart-pounding audio that will make your heart skip a beat. You'll be enveloped in an auditory experience like no other as powerful bass lines reverberate through your body and the soaring vocals send shivers down your spine. Get ready to be transported to a sonic utopia!

But it's not just about the music at The Norva — this venue is a social hotspot too. Grab a drink at one of the multiple bars strategically placed throughout the venue each boasting its unique atmosphere. Whether you prefer chilling by the downstairs bar mingling with fellow music lovers on the balcony or rubbing shoulders with the in-the-know crowd in VIP there's a spot for everyone.

And let's not forget about the memories you'll make. The Norva is a breeding ground for unforgettable moments the kind that you'll reminisce about for years to come. You might find yourself dancing like nobody's watching in a spontaneous burst of joy pumping your fist in the air alongside thousands of like-minded fans or sharing a knowing smile with a stranger who gets just as lost in the music as you do. These moments are priceless and you'll carry them with you long after the lights fade and the encore ends.

So get ready to embark on an epic journey of sight sound and soul at The Norva in downtown Norfolk. Fuel your passion for live music and get ready to be blown away by the sheer intensity and intimacy of this iconic venue. From the electrifying energy to the mind-blowing music it's time to experience a concert like never before. Buckle up because The Norva will...