According to the TBDArts blog, Seth Hurwitz, chairman of I.M.P. and co-owner of the 9:30 Club, will run 9:30 Records. The first signee, Justin Jones, is actually something of a homegrown talent, a Virginia native who has been a bartender at the club for some eight years and managed by Hurwitz for four.

The decision apparently was an easy one to make, with Hurwitz commenting via press release, “It’s no secret the traditional record business is in total disarray. But I’ve been an independent businessman my entire career and have been used to taking things into my own hands, so we decided, hell, we’ll launch a record label so we can launch Justin Jones.”

One potential obstacle may be trying to book Jones in venues associated with Live Nation, who Hurwitz sued the state of Maryland over just a few months ago. As for playing in venues outside of 9:30, Jones remarked that they’d “cross that bridge when (they) get to it, but it’s not much of an issue now. Quite the opposite, actually.”

Jones’ The Little Fox EP, the label’s first release, will be available September 14th. As always, stay tuned for more news as it’s announced.

Live Nation struck a deal with Montgomery County in 2007 in order to build a 2,000 capacity rock club in Silver Spring, a suburb of D.C. The deal was subsidized with $4 million from Silver Spring’s Montgomery County and a matching $4 million grant from the State of Maryland. Since then, the deal has been swarming with controversies, and on June 16th, 9:30 Club owner  Seth Hurwitz filed suit against the State of Maryland claiming that Montgomery County did not meet the criteria to be proffered grant money from the state.

Until 2007, the location for the venue was slated to become a dinner theater operation in conjunction with Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, VA. That deal fell through, and at that time, the 9:30 Club tried to get in contact with the County Executive Office, who were controlling the deal, to express interest in bidding. The 9:30 Club’s calls were not returned. Two days later, it was announced that the Silver Spring venue would be a Live Nation venue.

Live Nation’s bid was $3 a square foot, plus a monthly rent check of $7,500. The 9:30 Club later offered a bid of $6 per square foot and offered to buy the building outright from the county. Their bid was denied.

Hurwtiz’s parent company, I.M.P., Inc., insists this suit against the State of Maryland has nothing to do with Live Nation. Audrey Schaefer, a representative for I.M.P. spoke with CoS regarding the fundamentals of the lawsuit.

“If the criteria for the funding isn’t met in accordance to the law, it’s illegal to release the money.” Schaefer said. “It’s that simple.”

The criteria in question was given from the county to the state in the form off a feasibility statement and cost information. It was approved April 14th, effectively awarding the Live Nation venue an additional $4 million. It is in this criteria that Hurwitz’s suit hopes to uncover error, faulty findings, low estimates, and misinformation.

“I think if the public knew how every step of this thing has been back-roomed and steam-rolled, they would be properly outraged,” Hurwitz said in a statement. “We are going to begin the process of uncovering these layers.”

There is a storied history of poor budget planning for new arts venues in Montgomery County. The $100 million Music Center at Strathmore was $50 million over projections, the bulk of which was paid for by the public. There were also overruns at the American Film Institute and the Round House Theatre, both in Silver Spring.

Schaefer expressed her concern about the subsidizing, saying, that in the current economic crisis, building a music venue shouldn’t be so high on the county’s list of priorities.

“What we’re saying is, in a time when the county is laying off teachers and making budget cuts, and is still going to invest $8 million dollars in a rock club, at least follow the letter of the law,” Schaefer said.  “If the requirements are not met, the funding should not occur.”

Montgomery County Councilwoman Valerie Ervin expressed her views on the lawsuit to the Mo.Co. Gazette Online. Ervin claims that Hurwitz is merely lashing out against perceived competition and has little legal precedence to stop the Fillmore.

The Washington Business Journal reports that because of the lawsuit, the state cannot currently release funds for the project. No court date has been set for the lawsuit, but pending the lawsuit, the county plans to start construction on the 2,000 capacity venue this September, to be completed September of 2011.

This lawsuit and Hurwitz’s antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation will all come to rest in the coming year, and we will continue this report once they are settled.

Even better, tickets to Monday’s show are free of charge. “We wanted to do something really different,” said club co-founder Seth Hurwitz. “We want to be surrounded by people who have made this place special.”

The venue can only hold about 1200 of those people, and members of the club’s online community have the first crack at tickets through a lottery system. Everyone else will have to explore other avenues or show up before doors open at 5 p.m. to fight for the limited number of tickets that are available on a first come, first served basis. From the looks of the lineup, Monday night will surely be an enjoyable trip down memory lane.

D.C. native Henry Rollins will emcee the free show, which features Bob Mould and Ted Leo headlining a 13-act bill that also includes Clutch, The Psychedelic Furs, and The Evens (who are fronted by Fugazi’s Ian MacKaye).

A press release says more artists with roots in the nation’s capital are scheduled to make surprise appearances. While the club’s PR won’t give any more hints, Dave Grohl has been rumored to be one of the possible surprises. Grohl played drums in D.C. hardcore outfit Scream.  UPDATE: Grohl played an acoustic version of “Everlong” and played two Bad Brains covers alongside Scream bandmate Peter Stahl. Check out those videos here. (Thanks to Ben Hyman for the tip)

But, if you can’t wait for Monday to party for free, two Andrew Jacksons will get you into the club for the first night of the celebration. On Sunday, May 30th, Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine will take the stage and play lounge versions of songs from artists that have graced the 9:30 Club’s stage.

The list of songs could go on and on, but hearing a Bublé-esque version of Fugazi’s “Promises” or The Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” just might be worth the 40 dollar ticket price. Here’s a lineup for this weekend’s shows:

05/30 @ 6:30 p.m.
Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine

05/31 @ 5 p.m.
Henry Rollins (Emcee)
BT (DJ)
Tiny Desk Unit
The Fleshtones
Tommy Keene
The Slickee Boys
The Psychedelic Furs
Marti Jones & Don Dixon
Clutch
Trouble Funk
The Evens
Justin Jones
The Pietasters
Ted Leo
Bob Mould

Nightclub 9:30 is one of those off the beaten path landmarks that has been filling its small space since the seventies, back when it was known as the Atlantis Club. You wouldn’t even know it is there since they do not have a marquee or sign, leaving the blue entrance and a few paper flyers as the only clue that something is actually in that red brick building. It was home for anyone whose only outlet was a rock club that luckily happened to be all ages (most of the time). The area’s youth would come home late after a night of slamming into one another, ears ringing, shoulders bruised, and smiles wide. Once in the doors, and past Josh, the most intimidating person in D.C., you are given a choice, the weathered floor or the wrap around balcony. The lights are dim when you walk in and the pre-show tunes have been carefully picked to match the night with a little Bob Marley here and there to remind everyone to relax, its just a show after all. The times have changed since its simple beginnings, and while I for one have spent the past decade going to the corner of 9th and V, the club has had its own colorful history.

After a short decade as a small rock venue, what was the Atlantis closed its doors and consequently changed owners and names to better reflect its then location at 930 F Street. The switch was just in time for the next wave of underground rock as Hardcore took over for a period of time that if you blinked you might have missed. For the 9:30 club, however, this was its big shining moment to make an impact on a city struggling to cope with Reganomics. Legends of the movement were born during this time as D.C. bands like Government Issue, Minor Threat and Bad Brains led the mob, influencing other locals like Henry Rollins and Dave Grohl to name a few. The club was also a key battleground during the D.C. versus New York punk rock feud as the later city began its own Hardcore scene.

Once 1986 hit, however, the moment was over. While the bands slipped quietly into the bloody and bruised night, the little club had grown into a landmark. For the next decade it would play host to the post punk, grunge, and alternative scenes even though D.C. itself was experiencing a bit of a local music drought. In 1995 the decision was made to move the venue to support its growth. After remodeling the WUST Radio Music Hall at 9th and V Streets, the new Nightclub 9:30 was opened with a little help from Billy Corgan in 1996 for the inaugural show. The move to a bigger location helped transition the club from a local underground staple to a mainstream venue. The little place that helped Fugazi get their start transitioned to hosting Bob Dylan, Radiohead, and the Beastie Boys just to name a few. Now in the new millennium, the club has become one of the premier small venues on the east coast serving both the mainstream rock audience and underground music scenes equally. With a capacity of 1,200, the staff is able to work the room to fit the band so that no matter where you stand, you get an amazing view and sound that is equally just that. Three bars and a grill also make waiting for those bigger names a little bit easier if you don’t mind D.C. prices.

From its humble beginnings, Nightclub 9:30 has exploded, but it will always be just the 9:30 Club for those locals like myself that spent their youth inside its walls, face to face with their musical heroes. It was the city’s equivalent to New York’s CBGB’s in the early days and is now one of the few relics left from that time. It is a place that lets the artists and bands who play there know that D.C. is still musically relevant. For local bands, it serves as the great goal; to book the 9:30 Club. While some may scoff at the venue for becoming mainstream all those years ago, it is still an undeniable landmark for the city and a musical home for many as we move from immature punk rockers to immature hipsters and so on. If you ever find yourself planning a trip to the nation’s capital, plan around a show. Just make sure you tip the local homeless man who is keeping your car safe. He’s the one with the paper plate necklace.

Fugazi – “Bed For The Scraping” (1997)

Rancid – “Fall Back Down”

Justice

Nightclub 9:30
815 V St. N.W.
(intersection of 9th, V and Vermont streets.)

Upcoming Shows:
10/16 – The Secret Machines w/ TK Webb & The Visions
10/17 – Little Feat w/ The Bridge
10/18 – Cold War Kids w/ A.A. Bondy
10/19 – Donavan Frankenreiter w/ Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek
10/21 – Relient K w/ Ludo, This Providence & House of Heroes
10/23 – Minus The Bear w/ Annuals & Sylvie (Early Show)
10/22 – A Place To Bury Strangers w/ Ceremony & Sian Alice Group (Late Show)
10/23-25 – The Black Crowes
10/26 – Deerhoof w/ Experimental Dental School & Flying
10/27 – Billy Bragg w/ The Watson Twins
10/28 – The Hotel Cafe Tour
10/29-30 – Slightly Stoopid w/ Outlaw Nation
10/31 – The Pietasters w/ The Toasters & Deals Gone Bad