Music
Exterior of the original 9:30 Club. Photo from www.loc.gov.
On 9/30, The Fleshtones Return to D.C. at The Atlantis + Mark a Huge Milestone for I.M.P. Concerts
September 29, 2023 @ 10:00am
As The Atlantis wraps its 44 shows commemorating 44 years of the 9:30 Club, we catch up with the band closing out this historic opening season.
In the four months since its opening this past spring, The Atlantis has seen incredible acts of all genres — Pixies, Darius Rucker, The Magnetic Fields, Spoon to name a few — grace its stage. Each artist had previously played 9:30 Club before, and this lineup of 44 artists celebrated not only 44 years of 9:30 Club, but also the opening of The Atlantis.
This weekend marks another triumphant return to stage and a celebration of a musical relationship many years in the making. The legendary garage rock band The Fleshtones take the stage at The Atlantis this Saturday — their 44th time playing with local booking stalwarts I.M.P. Concerts — and they just happen to be the first band that Seth Hurwitz, chairman and co-founder of I.M.P. Concerts, ever booked.
“Seth is more than just a promoter to us,” says Keith Streng of The Fleshtones when asked about their long-standing relationship. “He is cool and a good friend. When we play shows with him we look forward to hanging out.”
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Streng and his band first played D.C. in 1977 — coincidentally, Streng says over email, it was also the first time the band played outside of their home of Queens, New York.
“Very special indeed,” Streng says, referring to that night 46 years ago. “We played with The Nuns from the West Coast and met Jennifer Miro and Alejandro Escovedo, Patti Smith stood right in front of me for the whole show, she played with her band around the corner earlier in the evening.”
As the venue wraps its 44 shows commemorating 44 years of the 9:30 Club, ushered in by The Fleshtones’ show tomorrow, Hurwitz notes their return materialized in a way that only made sense for the venue.
“It’s just the karma thing to do to open our first series of new artists with them. And it came together so easily it was obviously meant to be,” Hurwitz says.
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As if The Fleshtones’ return to our fair city for their 44th show here wasn’t poetic enough, it takes place on 9/30, and Saturday will be the first time in I.M.P. history that all five of their venues are booked, teeming with artists and fans as usual.
“I think I’m the one that first figured out that was happening,” Hurwitz says. “It wasn’t planned that way, it just did. On 9/30 no less. And when I did realize that, I said ‘Okay, I’m going to all of the [shows].’ So I am. Besides being the first 9:30 show I booked, The Fleshtones were the first band I played drums with (I do that occasionally). And I will finish the night sitting in with them again.”
To learn more about The Fleshtones, visit their official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fleshtonesofficial/. View all upcoming I.M.P. shows at www.impconcerts.com and be sure to check out a show at their newest venue The Atlantis.
The Atlantis: 2047 9th St NW, DC; theatlantis.com // @theatlantis_dc
Shows to See at IMP Venues on 9.30
The Fleshtones at The Atlantis
2047 9th St NW, DC; theatlantis.com // @theatlantis_dc
KennyHoopla at 9:30 Club + Slowdive at 9:30 Club
815 V St NW, DC; 930.com // @930club
All Things Go Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion
10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD; merriweathermusic.com //@merriweatherpp
Zhu at The Anthem
901 Wharf St. SW, DC; theanthemdc.com // @theanthemdc
Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra at Lincoln Theatre
1215 U St NW, DC; www.thelincolndc.com // @thelincolndc
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