The Black Cat
If the 9:30 Club is the king of the D.C. rock scene, then the Black Cat is its fowl-mouthed, punk-rocking bastard prince. Though it has not attracted quite as much national attention as its notorious neighbor, the Black Cat is a well-known regional destination for independent rock. The venue prides itself on booking huge bands before they get big. The Black Cat built its “indie cred” by staging now-household names like Bloc Party, The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Killers, Foo Fighters, Blur, and Beck when they were still climbing to stardom. Not bad.
Names like that may bring in crowds for the big shows, but it’s the space itself that attracts a steady flow of music lovers to the Black Cat every night of the week. The venue’s “Red Room” is truly one-of-a-kind, installing a chill neighborhood bar directly below one of the loudest live stages in the District. If you’re taking full advantage of the club’s all-ages status, there’s also a full coffee lounge and vegetarian cafe, Food For Thought. Anyone that has ever sat through an especially irritating opening band at an indie show can appreciate such accessible alternatives to the main stage.
