Black Cat
1811 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C.
www.blackcatdc.com
It's hard to reach consensus in the capitol these days, but the choice for the hippest rock club is unimpeachable. Owner Dante Ferrando made the Black Cat a family affair, naming the venue after a pre-Prohibition era Greenwich Village nightclub run by his grandfather. Inside the sprawling complex, which also contains a checkered mainstage for established groups and a somber blue backstage for entry-level acts, you'll find the Food for Thought Café, which serves vegan-friendly dishes originally cooked up at a now-defunct restaurant run by Dante's father. If you're still stir crazy, the adjoining and cover-free Red Room Bar serves up rich Belgian ales alongside pool tables and pinball machines. But this one-stop nightspot makes sure the bands are still the main draw. Local legends like Fugazi have played numerous sets, and the club's all-ages policy and 7,000-square-foot mainstage have made it a key stop for national tours.
Famous Alumni: Q and Not U, Dead Meadow, Ted Leo
Bands to See Now: Medications, Army of Me
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Shellac performing August 2006 at Black Cat
Photo Credit: Bryan Whitson
