With the opening of Anthem, D.C.'s newest venue, independent concert production company I.M.P. shows no signs of slowing down in their work to create as large and diverse a music scene as possible.
Readers will recognize I.M.P. as the live-music juggernaut that runs the 9:30 Club, Merriweather Post Pavilion, and the historic Lincoln Theatre. And while Seth Hurwitz, the man behind I.M.P., could easily justify resting on his laurels, he's pushing forward harder than ever. He says that he and his team hope to make Anthem the greatest concert venue in the world. Anthem certainly sounds impressive on paper. The venue sits on D.C.'s beautiful southwest waterfront, complete with no less than seven bars, seven dressing rooms, a convertible capacity that will change with each performance, and huge glass windows that look out onto the Potomac River. Hurwitz has also mentioned how proud he is of the venue's unobstructed sight lines and unparalleled acoustics. All of this and more will be put to the test on October 12, Anthem's opening night.No One But the Foos Could Open Anthem
To make it a real party, Anthem is kicking off their time in D.C. with a concert by none other than the Foo Fighters. The D.C. hometown heroes are storied friends of I.M.P: Hurwitz brought the Foo Fighters to RFK Stadium on July 4, 2015, to commemorate their 20th anniversary as a band.
Hurwitz certainly had his choice of performers. After all, he's booked pretty much every band you can think of across his numerous venues; any one of them would have jumped at the chance to open Anthem. But the Foos were his first and only pick.
“There was no Plan B,” Hurwitz said in a statement. “It was always just the Foos. I texted Dave some photos of the venue after we started building it and asked him, ‘Who else should open it?’ He said ‘Nobody.’ That was the end of it.”
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Dave Grohl and Seth Hurwitz visiting Anthem - Courtesy of IMP.[/caption]
The band recently released a surprise single, "Run," which debuted at number nine on the Billboard Rock Charts and has swept online streams.
If their history of performing in D.C. is any indication, fans can expect the show at Anthem to sell out. Still, it's a great chance to see them play at a larger venue. Hurwitz has talked about how Anthem hits the sweet spot between the 1,200-cap 9:30 Club and larger stadiums like the 12,000-cap Verizon Center. Being able to see bigger bands like the Foo Fighters without being jammed into a packed room could be like a breath of fresh air.
The music scene isn't the only part of D.C. that will benefit from the new venue. Anthem is part of a newly-renovated mile-long stretch across D.C.'s Southwest edge called The Wharf. The multi-billion dollar project has turned the Potomac waterfront into a blooming center of culture, dining, shopping, and relaxation.
Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketfly.
What are some of your favorite D.C. live music memories? Tell us in the comments!
