DC9, Fitting In By Fritz Hahn
Washington Post Weekend Section
Friday, April 23, 2004
Most rock clubs in Washington fall into two categories: giant venues for touring acts that hold hundreds of fans (the 9:30 club, the Black Cat's main stage) or small bars that cater to local or independent bands with much smaller followings (Galaxy Hut, the Grog and Tankard, Velvet Lounge). There is very little middle ground.
That's where DC9 comes in. Holding 250 people and offering live music and DJs six or seven nights a week, the two-month-old club is an excellent shot in the arm for the local music scene. It's also an obvious heir to the Metro Cafe, the much-missed venue that held about 200 people and played host to up-and-coming indie rockers, hip-hop MCs and DJ dance nights.
"I'd been looking to open a place for a while, and we stumbled across [this building] that had been Club Hollywood [and before that, Asylum]," says co-owner Bill Spieler. DC9 is a great two-story space: The narrow, saloon-style bar on the ground floor has a cozy, lived-in feel to go with its impressive digital jukebox (130,000 songs and counting).
Upstairs, the double-wide concert room spans two storefronts, and murals of zodiac signs cover the dimly lit walls. There's abundant seating on both levels, with diner-style booths, couches and plenty of bar stools. (My favorite part of the club is the small, blood-red room that's hidden past the DJ booth. With gilt-edged mirrors hanging over black leather couches; it's more bordello than rock club.) So far, most of the featured bands have been small indie-rock groups that are so up-and-coming you probably haven't heard of them.
"We have some hip-hop and soul bands coming in," says co-owner and primary booking agent Brian Deily, but they haven't made it onto the calendar yet. "I want to give everyone a shot if they're from D.C." News of the club is spreading mostly by word of mouth, Deily says, and the owners think it will take a few months before DC9 begins attracting larger acts.
Much of the talk about DC9, though, has centered on when the bands play.
Thursday through Saturday, live music begins about 8 or 8:30, wrapping up before 11. Then DJs take over and spin until closing (2 or 3 a.m.). Sunday through Wednesday, the shows begin at 9:30 and finish about midnight. This seems like a great idea. For years, I've heard people complain that concerts at clubs start too late, that they were tired of concerts that ended after midnight, that they wish shows would start earlier.
So when a club books earlier shows, what happens? People begin to complain that 8 is too early and that they have to rush from work or happy hour to catch the first band. Also, there has been some griping that bands are getting the short shrift in favor of DJs -- including Spieler, who spins records on Saturday night. "People will complain about something at any venue that tries to open," Spieler says. "For us, [the live music] has been going quite well," though "some bands are dismayed that they have to go on so early."
Spieler admits he wanted weekends to be limited to DJs, but Deily found it was hard to book some bands earlier in the week. So the owners compromised, offering live and recorded music Thursday through Saturday.
The DJs -- including former Flying Saucer Discs owner Matt Dunn -- are committed to playing what they call "M21," or "Music for the 21st Century." Unlike other DJ nights, Spieler says, that means no '80s retro, no Britpop's greatest hits, no party jams -- think Snow Patrol, Dizzee Rascal and Franz Ferdinand. Recent playlists can be found on
www.dcnine.com, and you can even listen to virtual mix tapes by the DJs.
DC9 is more comfortable than fancy, but that's the point, Spieler says. "I wanted to make the place so . . . that anytime you walk through the doors, you know what to expect."
