Nightclub 9:30
Categories: Dance Clubs, Music Venues [Edit]
815 V St NW(between N 8th St & N 9th St)
Washington, DC 20001 (202) 265-0930
- Nearest Transit:
U St/African-Amer Civil |War Memorial/Cardozo (Green, Yellow)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Music: Live
- Best Nights: Wed, Thu, Fri
- Happy Hour: No
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: Yes
114 Reviews for Nightclub 9:30
I've been going here since high school and it's always been a great venue to see really good bands. It has gotten more trendy though, but nonetheless a good place. Definitely take the metro. Back in the day it wasn't a great idea to walk from the metro to the club but we did it anyway. With all the changes in the area it is safe to walk. Interesting mix of bands here too; some really popular bands play as well as others. I've only seen a few big ticket names at this venue but I mostly like it for the smaller bands because you get really really close to the stage.
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More intimate than the Merriweather or Nissan Pavillions, but hardly a true "intimate" club music experience.
The 9:30 club welcomes a diverse group of artists into their venue and due to that, a relatively diverse crowd of people can be found here on any given night. Many shows are all ages, and the staff seems to be really good about curbing under-age drinking (Last Saturday I personally witnessed 3 separate questionable groups being asked to show their "over 21" hand stamps and one poor girl STILL had to produce a valid ID). For those who have just recently hit the big 2-1 (or those with an eternally youthful appearance) be prepared to prove your age once inside the club.
Yes, the drinks are slightly overpriced- but I am always happy to find a large(er) venue like this one with a beer selection that extends beyond Bud Lite, Yeungling and Sam Adams. (Three cheers for being able to enjoy Abita Purple Haze and Wolavers Oatmeal Stout for a show!)
Despite the large(er) space, I have never had a problem hearing the band from any point in the club. If you are short, I recommend getting there early enough to stake claim on a spot neat the stage or by the railing upstairs... it is easy to lose sight of the band from the back of the club.
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Is this area really THAT sketchy? Come on, people. If you go in the summer and it's still light out, you can certainly walk to the show from the Metro without any worry and when you leave on a Saturday night, the street is PACKED with other people. This is not a sketchy place to go to.
My only beefs with the 9:30 Club:
- Crappy drinks that cost $7 for a mini dixie cup with watered down booze.
- The main acts don't go on until at least two hours after the doors open, so all the annoying people show up then and try to push their way to the front.
They usually succeed. We were there last night and I was about to punch three guys that pushed their way RIGHT IN FRONT of me.
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I've gone to two concerts here: Brazilian Girls and Gnarls Barkley.
Close to the U Street metro, plenty of places nearby to grab a bite beforehand. Seems to have good crowd flow entering and exiting the building.
The acoustics sound great to me, and standing in the balcony seems just as good as being on the floor.
9:30 Club brings in great artists that you just couldn't draw anywhere else. Problem is that it has ridiculously priced drinks, including $11 cocktails. If you don't mind that, though, they do have plenty of bars inside and they also have a food station and a coffee station.
Ordering online gets costly. You have to pay all sorts of fees (including ordering online, what the hell?) so it adds up.
One final thing: okay, you can't bring outside liquids. But upon leaving, my friend was told she had to drink or throw out the bottle of water she bought inside the club!
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Being the directionally challenged person that I am it took me awhile to realize that no, I didn't have to drive to the 9:30 club, I could metro to U street! The walk is a little sketch but it's pretty quick, plus there are other people heading to/from the show to the metro as well.
Most of the times I've gone here the show has been sold out so I really recommend getting on their email list so you can find out about their shows and buy tickets before they fully advertise them.
The space is awesomely intimate, even standing in the back I have a pretty close view of the band--though I make sure to wear heels!
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9:30 has a space for everyone. Want to get down and dirty close to the band? Stand by the stage and blow your ears out. Want to chill out and have a drink or two? There's a bar upstairs with some nice tables and chairs overlooking the stage. In limbo? Sit or stand on the 2nd floor and judge- erm, look at- the people below you. The club has improved a lot since the smoking ban, in my opinion, if only because I can actually enjoy my time there. The acts that perform there are quite eclectic too- I've seen Kidz Bop, rap, hip hop, rock, dance parties, 21+, all ages, you name it. Not very intimate (big space after all), but very fun.
If you're hungry, there are much better places to eat than at 9:30. Drinks too, for that matter. Come here for the music, and if you're hungry afterwards head over to Ben's (with the rest of the people who were at the concert).
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It's great that DC has a place like the 9:30 club and they deserve a lot of respect for the great bands they get into town on an almost daily basis. The massive spectrum of music that comes through the 9:30 club is like nothing I've ever seen. Big acts in varied genres play at the 9:30, but unknowns play too, even local bands manage to squeeze in. They've really covered their bases and it shows, as they've got performances booked nearly every night year round.
The 9:30 club is right by public transit, which is awesome. There's nothing worse than waiting to get in and out of parking lots and here no one has to. The building is big enough to get a respectable crowd, yet small enough to still feel intimate. There are plenty of really great options from where you can choose to watch the show. The stage is central. There's a big main dance/standing area right in front, wall seating in a nook in the back, a balcony with a fantastic view, tables beyond the balcony, a basement to disappear to, and bars conveniently located everywhere. the bathrooms are easy to get to, and flow in & out is surprisingly smooth.
In spite of all the aforementioned awesomeness, I do have one big problem with the 9:30 Club: The building is a warehouse. The acoustics are terrible. I understand a venue going low budget to get bands in, stay low-key, etc, but 9:30 club is no longer a low budget venue... tickets there can be $40+, pre-fees. They've got shows 3-4 nights a week with international megastars. With the steady and long-term supply of revenue, the owners should be able to make the 9:30 club the most amazing venue ever. I'm not talking cosmetics here, either. There's no reason to yuppify the place or ad some lame theme to it... what the 9:30 club needs is some acoustic structuring. The place needs it dearly. There's room to set up acoustic paneling. There's a lot that could be done to improve the sound. Hell, even the metro has acoustic panels up, which might mean that the U street metro station has had more thought put into sound space than the 930 Club and its open rafter roof. For whatever reason, the owners don't seem to be trying. The only explanations I can come up with are unflattering, at best.
I fully expect the mindless zombie cow denizens of DC be content paying for tickets at long-established profitable venues with sub par acoustics. Most of them are guilty of accepting, embracing, and paying top dollar for far more gratuitously sub-par things. What really bugs me is that the owners can focus so much on getting bands in and so little on making them sound good. I can't imagine having such low standards. Me personally? I just sigh as I realize the performance I'm watching on youtube, as captured by someone's iphone, has better sound than what I saw last night in person at the 9:30 club. "Wait... there were backup vocals?"
DCsters! Start to care! the 930 club sells more tickets than any other club in the whole country. There's no reason they shouldn't have the sound to match.
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Some might get completely sketched out due to the location. Just don't get lost ... especially stumbling into the night after a show.
Yes, your wallet will become amazing lighter if you decide to drink here. You'll deal with it somehow - you always do don't you?!? Retirement and credit scores are overrated anyway ...
Some might bitch about the acoustics here. Still better then your car stereo. And the performers can share their bodily fluids with you. Bonus!
The "VIP" section is laughable. A small sliver of balcony, stools and a head on view with the stage. Will this thing collapse with 50 people jumping up and down?? Who cares!
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Brazilian Girls popped my 9:30 cherry last weekend! (Doesn't that sound awesome?)
The experience buying tickets was a little off-putting. They should not charge a lower service fee to buy in person ($1) than to buy online ($6). I realize that Tickets.com has to take their cut, but the logical geek in me dictates that there should be every incentive to automate the process and not waste 9:30's staff time with manual sales.
But once I got there with Elizabeth S., tickets in hand, the experience was mostly good. The line for ticketholders moved quickly, and the staff at the door were super friendly. It seems that the venue reminds people of different past lives; I'd say it was a roller rink. Awesome feel; cavernous yet somehow intimate. It's awesome and rare that they have Rolling Rock on tap (one of the few domestic macrobrews that I adore).
My biggest beef is that the doors opened at 11 and Brazilian Girls didn't take the stage till 12:30. With no opening act, we were all getting fidgety by midnight. It was hard to tell if it was the band being diva-ish, or if it was club management maximizing liquor sales (I'm pretty sure the delay was more than long enough to ensure everyone with tickets got in).
But once the show did start, it was golden! The band plays tight and Sciubba is such an amazing performer. I could barely understand the lyrics live (which might have been a product of their own arrangement), but the sound was still solid. And once they started letting people on stage in Brazilian Girls fashion, it was unforgettable. Bravo to them and to 9:30 for a memorable night!
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I've seen many a shows here and hands down a top place to see a show. Locals and out-of-towners need to share in the experience. Get there
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This place was an integral part of an awesome fun DC weekend. Excellent space because it's so unexpected. Huge, sketchy warehouse in an even sketchier area of town? It could be worse. But as with most things in life, it's the substance that counts, and this place has got substance. The roster for great musicians is amazing...and really, who doesn't enjoy live music?
The beer selection is actually decent. It's at $6 for a classic red college beer cup. You decide the value.
It's definitely Metro accessible and the area really isn't so bad if you've got common sense to navigate the area. The space is big enough that it's well-ventilated, which is a huge plus. Really, you can't get a bad seat here. Overall, great place to get your rock on.
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9:30 Club is my first foray into the DC music scene. And I must say, what a tasty treat. It's a large venue, probably holds around 500 people on its two levels (the upper level is a catwalk around the main level). They have several bars, drinks at normal markups.
It's hard to judge a crowd by a single concert, but I was overall impressed by the pleasant inebriation rather than the rip-roaring drunk-and-high fests that are some smaller venues I've experienced.
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Memories from the 9:30:
1)dancing on stage with the toasters, singing along to "decision at midnight". I was 16.
2)seeing the roots here for the umpteenth time, being amazed as they ended their set covering "what a man". I was 17.
3)having a super cute blonde girl tell my friend(security) that I was "asian spice" - him gagging as he told me later. I was 18.
4)paying way too much for a drink. Really. I was 19.
5)having a homeless guy offer to "show me" to my car, and being hit by the foul odor of Thunderbird, vomit, and shit. I was 20.
6)Having a guy try to mug me with a knife, and as I was a runner, watching him give up after abotu a block or two. I was 21.
7)smoking with some band members before and after the show. Every fucking time I was here, man.
I love the 9:30. You will too. Share your damn parliament lights with cute girls, and you'll do fine.
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As a once avid goer of shows, I think it says a lot that the 9:30 Club is my favorite venue on the East Coast. It surpasses any NY venue I've ever been to.
I would highly, highly recommend jumping at the opportunity to go to 9:30 if it arises. I think the coolest part about the place is that there really isn't a bad seat in the house. If you want to be in the action, you head down to the main floor, where it's standing room only. There are two or three bars down there. Or, walk upstairs to the balcony where there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy a really nice view of the stage. There is a large bar up there, as well.
I almost miss being under 21 and getting the HUGE a** stamps of snakes (I think?) on boths my hands. I felt so cool walking to classes every morning after a 9:30 show with those stamps that do not wash off for at least three days (I've tried everything...)
Another awesome plus is they have a random little parking lot next to the venue and it's only like $5 to park. If I remember correctly there is a guard at the gate. However, I would still recommend just metroing to U Street and walking the few blocks. It isn't really a bad part of town anymore, since it's being built up, and if you leave a show late at night, the enormous crowd of show-goers is enough to scare off any hooligans around.
And as if the place couldn't get cooler...Ben's Chili Bowl is literally down the street! The ultimate best way to cure ringing ears and other people's sweat dripping off you after a hardcore show.
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My first trip to the 9:30 club was before it moved, back when you could openly see women giving head to guys in the corner.
I think I was a little too young to witness that, but at least I survived! :D
The "new" location is so much better. I can really appreciate all the little areas to sit, or balconies to view the shows.
The bartenders give strong drinks, except downstairs in the lounge area where I think they want you to sober up.. :D
The best show I ever saw here was the Gorillaz...and yes, I was that obnoxious girl singing/slurring to all their songs up until the very end. You won't get another show like that, I can promise you that much!
9:30 offers some of the best in a much smaller setting.
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THE BEST place to see live music.
The 9:30 attracts a diverse roster of artists, the acoustics are the best you'll find, and no matter where you situate yourself in the club, you have a great view of the stage (my favorite perch is the second-floor balcony, which offers the best unobstructed stage views). The staff is generally very friendly, which makes a concert-going experience all the better.
The parking situation used to be better years ago when they opened the vacant lots across the street on show nights; now you have to pay $10 to park in the back lot, but it's still worth it because it's monitored, located just behind the club, and generally safe. The neighborhood is a little blighted, but I've never had any problems.
The only con: drinks are incredibly overpriced.
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When I lived in D.C. I went to the 9:30 club a lot; it is the only place in D.C. that consistently gets the right bands, the groups that I really want to see. It's big enough that you don't feel like you're at a bar, but its small and intimate enough that even a shorty like me (I'm 5'2") can actually see the artist. I love going up and watching on the balcony. I like that, that isn't a frequent occurrence for me. I've never had much trouble parking around the 9:30, which is a plus on weekdays when the metro stops running before the show ends. There really isn't much else good to say about this place that someone else hasn't said.
So, my reason for docking a star at this place. I look young, but at youngest 16. I can definitely pass for 18, but I do not look like my 22 years of age. That being said, I have never EVER been told that I look like I am 12, except maybe WHEN I WAS 12. So, it was a shock to me when one of the bouncers told me that I was 12. Ahem, maybe you didn't see my valid drivers license, or my college id, or my child-birthing hips even. I did not enjoy having to scrub off the wrong hand stamp from my hand, and then have another employee come and hassle me that I needed to come back after it was washed after already having been told to do so. 'Um...do you not see me scrubbing furiously? This thing is still on my hand!'
That was a bit frustrating, but besides that I do love this club, and have many fond memories of seeing some of my favorite artists here. So, go! See a show there!
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This place is the best venue in D.C.
hands. down.
I used to come here pretty often since I'm from the area, and the 9:30 attracts tons of big acts. Chances are that your favorite musician has played there. The sound system is great, the drinks are pretty cheap (says the New Yorker used to paying 10 or 12 bucks for a mixed drink), and the staff is pretty nice if you treat them with respect.
The neighborhood is kind of sketch, but if you're there for a show, you're going to be one of hundreds in a crowd in the area, so no troubles.
I actually come down from NYC to see shows here, and that's saying something.
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Oh. My. God. BOOBIES.
That's pretty much all I could pay attention to while I was here for a concert. Not that the concert wasn't great, or that the sound system wasn't impressive, or that the crowd wasn't into it. No, 9:30 club had it all pretty much going on.
There was just a set of extremely large boobies attached to a relatively large lady... and the lady was grooving... and her boobies were having their own little party. And if you know me, you know that I have this small infatuation with boobies.
Oh. And it was kind of chilly up on the balcony just off the left of the stage. Perfect view (for someone of my stature) to look down on the performers. Amazing picture angles. Just don't get caught video recording anything. The ushers -will- hunt you down.
And it might be wise to arrive early to try and get a good spot on the floor or on the balcony. We got there half an hour early and the line wrapped around and up 8th Street.
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I come to this place ALL THE TIME.
I'm a huge live music fan and I've come to the 9:30 as many as three times in a week. Metro accessible. Sketchy part of town, but you'll be alright.
When I went here for the first time, I thought it looked like a sweatshop. Like I was going in and never coming out. Turns out I was fine. I've seen SO many great acts (from Albert Hammond Jr. to Jason Mraz to Incubus) in this place and have always felt taken care of here.
Standing room only. I'll see you at the next show.
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every show i have seen at 9:30 (since it's been 940) has been by far the best sounding show. i personally think its the best venue in DC. the clientele can be a bit annoying at times, but it is what it is.
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This place was... okay. I was expecting better based on the rest of the reviews.
I was kinda miffed right off the bat because the first chick wasn't going to let me in. I'm 30 okay? I don't look 18. I have a temp MA license because I just moved and it has the dates on it, which say its valid. I have all my credit cards, my social security card, my atm card, etc. I had to grab the manager and then the original chick was really lame--threatened me as she gave me the "no drinking stamps" that if I was caught trying to drink I'd get kicked out of the club. And mind you, I do understand that venues need to be careful about carding, but I'd been to several other bars and clubs the last week that didn't mind the id at all. I just would have been really upset if I'd driven down all the way from Boston, and hadn't been allowed in.
The staff are definitely nazis about videoing, as someone else noted. I don't even know how they saw me, but they did, and escorted me out during my fave band's set, (even though I had a photo pass) and made me delete what little video I took. Lame.
Other than that, I wasn't really impressed with the sound. The space okay. There's a cute bar downstairs where you can go chill during the opening acts, and sit down. Of course, I wasn't able to drink anything but water, but it was still nice.
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Unlike earthworms, hearing does not grow back. Buy a $4 pack of 30 foam earplugs at CVS; you'll thank yourself later when all your friends are trading in their concert tickets for hearing aids. And for goodness' sake don't stand next to the speakers.
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This is a great place to see live music, acoustics are awesome and there are more bars then you can shake a stick at and the best part is it is Metro accessible.
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This place ROCKS! The best place to catch a show. The tickets are fairly priced and its relatively clean (for a club). The shows are always amazing. I've been here at least 10 times to see bands like No Doubt, 3EB, TMBG to international acts like Puffy AmyYumi and so many others. This is my favorite place on the planet to see shows. Houses about 500 people MAX so its really intimate, even with big bands, which is the best part. How often can you just walk up to Gwen Stefani and be close enough to actually talk to her. Its got a good pit to rock out in, plus an upstairs to just watch (and still be only 2 feet away). Also, you can almost always catch the band leaving and get an autograph, if you are willing to stand outside for 2 hours after the show.
Don't see shows anywhere else but here!
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I LOVE the 930 club! It's my favorite venue in DC. The sound is always good. I usually wear ear plugs at shows but at the 930 club it's not necessary because the acoustics are so good! There is so much space to dance too! Even in a sold out show! The bar is great too, you never have to wait long for a drink and the bar staff is very friendly. Can't wait to go back soon:)
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When the larger acts(but not Madonna magnitude) roll into town, they generally roll into 930. Decemberists...Our Lady Peace...Metric....Reel Big Fish...which really just entailed a drunk Aaron Barrett being dragged off the stage and me flailing "HALP" in the middle of an impromptu and in my opinion, unecessary, moshpit...etc..etc..
When I was a co-ed in DC, I used to bopp over to the 930 for an occassional show, but not really to hang-sha-bang. A large venue space, able to accommodate the masses with a floor level, 2 opposing bars, a balcony level, and a severe sound system. The multi-level aspect of the space is appealing because I am always able to find a little face hole or low lying shoulder to peek over in order to see a band..or the ever popular -gets on cellphone- "OH HEY...WHERE ARE YOU...I DON'T SEE YOU" -ends up in front row- also had a tendency to work. But im also an intimidating girl. -seas part-.
The drinks here have a tendency to $rack$ up quickly, but at least there is a decent variety of beers on tap(although you will clearly be drinking cocktails). The prices tend to teeter on the more expensive side...and most of the time they check your bag at the front door...so youll have to stash your flask in your bra. Jus sayin. And don't use a fake..just don't....most of their bouncers' arms tend to be thicker than my leg.
The crowd that comes here is difficult for me to put my finger on since my visits have been primarily show based, but the vibe tends to be young 20 somethings on most occassions.
On my most recent visit I came here for a gay dance night appropriately enough on one of my besties birthday. So all 20+ of us came hopped up on good vibes and redbulls ready to tear up the dance floor. Sights, sounds, visualizations, a large projector and gyrating things everywhere. It seemed almost like a fake crowd, like those found in the background of Capcom games.
Lots of bears. And leather. And Daniel thinking that someone he pointed out at the beginning of the night as unattractive was suddenly attractive by the end
-flashback to earlier that night-
D:"HEY GAIS. LETS ALL DO SHOTS!!! -pours six shots of jack-"
All:"no daniel."
D:"PUSSIES" -takes six shots of jack-
-flashforward-
This was also the night he screamed out a taxi window that he wanted to makeout with various members of the Bloods, followed by "please don't kill me!"
As for the bathrooms in the 930. I hope you have a strong bladder...the winding line seems to have no rhyme or reason. I wouldn't know about it though, because I CUT. No backsies.
Shirley Manson says it best:
"Boys in the girl's room
Girls in the men's room
You free your mind in your androgyny"
Someone humping in stall 3....me consoling a friend by a urinal....drag queens having free range. Bitches.
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AWESOME VENUE!!!!! Huge floor, lots of bars, lots of rail space to see, upstairs, downstairs, huge clean bathrooms, AND lots of great artists. Last night was Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks. The sound is great!
I had such a good time! The beer was cold and even though the show was sold out, I could still move and get around. Very nice. For such an intimate place it attracts very big names. Its easy to get to from U-Street metro. Plus! after the show you can join the throngs at Ben's Chili Bowl!
Be sure to check this place out!
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Ok so here's the deal with 9:30 club: It is absolutely the perfect sized venue to see a show, however it's far from flawless.
I've visited 9:30 club for shows many times over the past 5 years. The good thing about 9:30 club is the shows that come during the week. Blind Melon for $15?!?! Hell yeah! Hieroglyphics for $10? You know it!
The weekend shows and bigger names though sometimes cost a little more than they should. Slayer is a legendary metal act but worth $45 a ticket? I don't think so. Same goes for $35 to see the Eels. Still, this isn't the venues fault, as they have to pay the bands something to get them to come here, right?
My issue with 9:30 club is their sound. Over the past 2 years, I've noticed the sound has progressively gotten worse and it's not as much equipment as I've found certain bands just don't sound good there. The Hold Steady, for example, sounded fucking AMAZING at 9:30 club last fall. Murder by Death did not. The Bravery show had better sound at 9:30 club then the band even has on their albums! Though, I was extremely disappointed by the sound quality at a performance by the Roots.
All in all, 9:30 club is in the elite class of a dying breed - the small, less-than-arena-sized venues that will allow the listener to have an intimate evening with the artist while still rocking their face off. If you're going to go, check out the shows during the week. They're really well priced shows for bands that are usually just on the cusp of stardom and are gaining a lot of buzz. Plus the crowd during the week isn't nearly as many high school kids as on the weekends. You'll feel less like you're babysitting and not getting paid if you hit a Wednesday night show versus a Saturday night show.
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Cool place. I saw Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow with Kid Koala here a couple months ago and it was a good experience. Despite the awful charges added to the ticket price and the expensive alcohol ($6 for a Miller Lite?), I had a good time. The show was a blast and I had no problems hearing anything. There's lots of room, so they could pack lots of people in, but it still didn't seem TOO crowded. I was hanging out upstairs the whole time, and can't complain. I haven't been there when there wasn't a show, but I definitely want to go back when more bands I like come through.
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Great music venue! The place deserves to be smoke-filled, but given the predilection for lung health over aesthetics these days, I guess that won't be coming back anytime soon.
The acts these guys dig up aren't bad either.
Excellent venue for live shows. The acoustics are great and it's just big enough so that the shows are intimate. Not like a stadium. They have a balcony area which is cool. You can drool over your favorite acts. Be careful they might slip! They bring in great bands especially smaller, underground acts. Sucks that it's standing room only. Worth it to see your favorite bands though. You need the exercise anyway!
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Old 930 -- tiny dump in what was once a very disheveled part of downtown....right by an "adult bookstore" and near a run down row of tattoo parlors and general sketchiness. Not that you would know it today -- after a transitional era of cheesy dance clubs (which were bad enough), the 900 block of F St. is now just condos and office buildings. Sigh.....give me back my old "friendly but disheveled" DC (I guess I can do without the blatantly ghetto stuff though).
But wait -- old-school sketchy DC still survives down at the eastern end of the U St. area! Most of U St. has become pretty gentrified over the last 10 years, but as you wander down U St., once you cross over 10th St. or so you almost feel like you're back in the old "Murder Capital" DC of the years when the Redskins were good (damn, I guess DC has been safe for a long time, then). I exaggerate a bit -- it's actually a fairly safe area now, but it still looks more run down than the rest of the condofied U Street corridor. The "new" (not so new anymore -- it's been there for a decade now!) club is a warehouse with an excellent sound system, a balcony, good beer on tap, and not a bad seat in the house. Even though I'm doing a compare/contrast between the old-school and current versions, it's really that proverbial apples and oranges comparison. Most moderately big bands (in other words -- too big for the Black Cat but not big enough to fill the MCI Center or Merriweather or wherever) play here and there's always something for everyone. If you like music and live in DC, you'll be spending a lot of time here.
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I hate the 930 club. I hate the food, I hate the drink prices, and I hate the crowds of people that gather around the merch stand waiting to put on the concert tee-shirt that they just bought for $40.
I hate the 930 club, but it's also the best thing ever. The sound quality here is far and away the best of any local venue, and the sight lines are great from all over. They run a tight ship, but more importantly they book some great acts.
Sure, a club is a club is a club, but 930 is one that doesn't make you want to wretch. The bathrooms are fairly clean considering the number of folks they get in and out of there. The beer selection is expansive, if a bit costly. Ticket prices are reasonable, especially if you buy at the window instead of ticketmaster.
Here's a tip: If you have good eyesight, go all the way up to the top bar. You'll never wait more than 3 minutes for a drink, no tall person will block your view, and you might even get to sit and watch a show. Sure, you'll be hanging out with the parents who are chaperoning the 15-year-old kids below, but, let's face it, you're not getting any younger.
Obviously, this is judged on its venue qualities only. It has no other qualities. You can't even come in unless you have a ticket. Still, I recommend pre-partying on U St. to save on alcohol, and make sure you eat before you come in, because the food isn't good.
The ATM has a $3 convenience fee.
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As big concert clubs go, this place falls somewhere between OK and good. It draws a huge age range of people depending on what band is playing - I've seen kids under 10 and adults over 60 there on a regular basis. The acts booked need to be able to reasonably fill the large hall, so they tend to be of the "mainstream/slightly alternative" variety that pull a lot of college kids or else are the aging-legend acts that 40+ year olds with money are going to drive out of the 'burbs and throw down 25-50 dollars to come see. If you want cutting edge rock, you probably need to go someplace else.
The neighborhood is not great but has improved a lot since the club first opened. Unfortunately, there still isn't much of anywhere decent to eat or stay in the neighborhood of the club, so if you're coming from out of town, you have to get a motel elsewhere (Don't stay in those joints on New York Avenue unless you want to experience your own personal episodes of Cops) and eat somewhere else in the city prior to the show.
Parking can be hard to find especially on weekends when the area bars are busy. Use caution when parking on the street as car break-ins are pretty frequent. There is also a parking lot next to the club but there is also an extra charge to park in there. The Metro is a short walk away, but you might have to duck out on the encore to make the last train. Cabs are pretty easy to get if you walk about a block up the street.
Except for seated shows (announced in advance), there is no seating anywhere on the first floor. If you try to sit down anywhere down there, like on the floor, they will make you stand up or you will get thrown out. They are really anal about this (I don't know why). You can sit upstairs on these cement steps in the balconies, but you probably won't be able to see anything over the people who are standing at the railing. Spending a three-hour show constantly standing up on cement floors isn't a lot of fun.
They have a nice selection of beers and also some really good bar food (try the nachos with avocado - on a good night they put about 1.5 avocados on there) but it's hard to juggle your food and a drink, would be better if there was more room to eat, or possibly to sit and eat. Beware of the sold-out shows and only go if you're totally in love with the band, because the club will be so jammed that you will find it extremely hard to see, move around, or get a drink all night long. Sound at this club is hit or miss and can range from really great to really awful. And yes, it gets kind of grubby - but it's a BIG ROCK CLUB and that's how they are, so deal.
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The 9:30 Club is a local staple. It's pretty much the perfect venue to enjoy your favorite band. It's large enough to attract big-name artists and have great sound, yet small enough to have an intimate feel - you'll be able to see your favorite artist's face no matter where you stand.
Just a couple of tips:
- their mixed drinks are inexpensive, but tend to be rather horrendous. Stick to beer, and bring cash.
- if you want to avoid being in the middle of a crowd, get there early to get a good spot on the top level. If, however, you're like me and don't feel like you're getting the full experience unless you're getting crushed and pushed around, stay on the main level.
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I have now been to the 9:30 Club twice since moving to DC and I think it is a great venue. It reminds me of the small places where big names play in London and I miss that a lot! The drinks are a bit pricey and I have not ordered food here or anything. The first show I went to I stayed on the ground floor but the second show we sat upstairs. I recommend either one. The club is small enough that you can't really have a 'bad' spot. If you find out that some band you love is playing here that is the treat of the century. I wouldn't pass that up!
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