In 1980, the 9:30 Club opened as a new music venue in the Penn Quarter neighborhood in Washington, D.C.

Within the next 45 years, the nightclub went on to host future legends like R.E.M., the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Public Enemy. It changed locations to its current V Street venue and became one of the most legendary places to see live music in the world.

The love of live music started early for one of its current co-owners, Seth Hurwitz.

“My parents took me to see Peter, Paul and Mary at the Carter Barron amphitheater on 16th Street,” Hurwitz told WTOP. “Technically, they are the first band I ever saw. … Concerts were a big part of my life when I was young.”

In 1983, Hurwitz’s company I.M.P. became the exclusive bookers for the nightclub. By 1986, Hurwitz bought the 9:30 Club with his business partner and former teacher Rich Heinecke.

I.M.P. also manages the Lincoln Theatre, Merriweather Post Pavilion and The Atlantis.

While the Atlantis was designed to have similar vibes as the original 9:30 Club, tech-wise, Hurwitz said it’s night and day.

“You remember your first car and it didn’t have air conditioning? It had crank-down windows. And then you buy a car that has air conditioning and power windows and a stereo,” Hurwitz said. “Well, that’s the difference; you have fond memories of your first car, but you wouldn’t want to drive your first car again.”

He said his biggest “pinch me moment” was “Bob Dylan, always, because that was my guy when I was growing up.”

Another moment Hurwitz compared it to is when Ringo Starr performed at The Anthem.

“Like, come on, who gets to promote a Beatle?” Hurwitz said with a laugh. “He was nice, by the way.”

Hurwitz said people ask him the names of people who were harder to deal with.

“I say, ‘I don’t know, because I don’t go near them,'” Hurwitz said. “I somehow find the nice ones.”

Sarah McLachlan, Shirley Manson and Dave Grohl were all mentioned by Hurwitz as recognizably nice people.

“You hang out with them on one side of the stage and then you go watch the show,” Hurwitz said. “I love looking out at the crowd and thinking I had a part in bringing them joy. That makes me very happy.”

“To someone in that crowd, this is their favorite show ever,” Hurwitz said.

To celebrate the 9:30 Club’s 45th anniversary, the venue is selling a limited edition reissue and expanded version of their sold out coffee table book “9:30 — A Time and Place.” Plus, there’s a new photo exhibit at The Atlantis.

“I wanted to do a coffee table book that graphically had all the history, but it told the story of how the whole thing happened and still happens,” Hurwitz said. “I wanted it, if people picked it up and read it, that they would keep reading it and turn the page and read some more.”

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