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How the 9:30 Club Became a D.C. Staple and Set a Gold Standard for Small Venues

Indie music venue 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. is profiled for a new series. Owner Seth Hurwitz talks how the club became a national touring spot.

“When it came time to put on a show, [Heinecke] had the money and I had been to New York to visit agents with the promoter Sam L’Hommedieu Jr.,” says Hurwitz of tagging along from D.C. with the co-founder (along with Jack Boyle) of the 162-seat club Cellar Door. In 1993, Dante Ferrando and a group of investors that included then- Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl opened the neighboring venue Black Cat, which could be scaled from 500 to 800 capacity. In its nearly 40-year history, the venue has hosted such legendary acts as Tony Bennett, Bob Dylan, Adele, Iggy Pop, Drake, Justin Timberlake, James Brown, Lou Reed, George Clinton, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Radiohead and countless more.

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