Location: 815 V St. NW
Readers’ Pick: 9:30 Club
If your Saturday night repertoire of local bars and clubs is getting stale, trade your regular plans for a night filled with live music at the 9:30 Club.
Located in the District’s trendy Shaw neighborhood, the 9:30 Club is an intimate concert venue loved by D.C. locals and visitors alike. The prime location is just steps from the bars and restaurants around U Street like Gaslight Tavern, so you can grab a bite to eat and wash it down with a cold drink before seeing a show.
The 9:30 Club has a capacity of 1,200, with two levels of standing room. The intimate size and layout of the venue allows for a solid view of the stage from all locations. D.C. crowds are polite enough to only scoff as you weave through them toward the stage. It may get crowded in this space for some popular acts, but once the lights go down for the headliner, it will feel like only you and the music.
The venue was first housed at the 930 F St. NW nightclub – hence its name – when it opened in 1980. Back in the day, Nightclub 9:30 was a hub for punk and alternative music groups as they started to gain traction. The venue was moved in 1996 to its current location and over the last few decades has become a place for music legends like Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Police and The Ramones to play.
For prices as low as $15 and sometimes as high as $55, you can secure a ticket to the concert venue that has been dubbed one of the best in the country by Complex Magazine. The club hosts a wide range of artists, from low-key acoustic to rock bands. During the spring season, artists like indie darlings Japanese Breakfast ($18) and Alvvays ($25) will play at the venue, along with a rare show from Swedish electronic artist Fever Ray ($40).
Guests older than 21 can take advantage of the club’s extensive bar and beer selection, priced from $6 to $18, with options like Stella Artois ($8.50), Guinness Stout and the District’s very own DC Brau brews for $9 each.
Despite the ringing in your ears and sore feet that might leave you feeling fatigued the next morning, D.C.’s 9:30 Club will give you a night you won’t forget.
