The Atlantis

When Kevin Duplain opened The Atlantis in 1978 it served as a catalyst for proving that DC could cultivate a thriving music scene, sending reverberations throughout the country that drew bands to the nation’s capital for the first time. Throughout the years spent at 930 F Street, hundreds of now-legendary artists graced the stage of that delightfully dingy 200 capacity space from The Police to Cyndi Lauper to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. When The Atlantis closed, Jon Bowers and Dodi Disanto recognized the energy and potential this city and that room held – so they purchased 930 F St., developed an avant garde community of artistic tenants, and opened the 9:30 Club. Seth Hurwitz and Rich Heinecke started booking shows under the moniker “I.M.P.” around the same time, and quickly became synonymous with the club before officially taking over in 1986. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Atlantis is Where Music Begins – built from the ground up not just to honor what came before, but to solidify a stage that supports bourgeoning artists in telling their story. Every star started somewhere – we hope they start here.