What I.M.P. Entertainment does

I.M.P. Entertainment is a privately held, founder-controlled concert promotion and live music venue operator headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1980 by Seth Hurwitz and Rich Heinecke, the company owns and operates a portfolio of five wholly-owned venues spanning the DC metro area: the flagship 9:30 Club (a ~1,200-capacity club consistently named the #1 nightclub in the U.S. by Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Pollstar), The Anthem, Lincoln Theatre, The Atlantis (intimate format), and Merriweather Post Pavilion (a ~19,000-capacity amphitheater in Columbia, MD). The company's core product is live concert programming across rock, indie, electronic, country, pop, and themed dance-party formats, complemented by ancillary on-site revenue streams including food and beverage (the Food Food stand, four full bars, coffee bar), monitored parking ($20-25), merchandise, and seasonal coat check.

The business runs on a direct-to-consumer GTM with multi-channel ticket distribution: five physical venue box offices (no service fees), Ticketmaster online (primary digital ticketing and exclusive VIP package channel), and the 9:30 The Truck mobile outlet. Underlying technology is a conventional venue-management and ticketing stack integrated with Ticketmaster; the company has no proprietary AI, app, or disclosed data assets. Marketing relies on owned digital channels (Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, email/SMS lists, Discord community), the Friends with Benefits loyalty program (presale access, free coat check, rewards), and the print 'Volume' newsletter.

I.M.P. earns revenue through ticket sales (transaction-fee economics via Ticketmaster and direct box-office), food and beverage, parking, merchandise, and coat check. Customer segmentation is horizontal, addressing both music enthusiasts (consumers across all ages, with the 9:30 Club operating as an all-ages venue) and touring musicians/artists requiring DC-area routing stops. The company maintains charitable partnerships (PLUS1, Save The Music Foundation, REVERB) where $1 per ticket supports artist-aligned causes, which functions as a brand and artist-relations lever rather than a material revenue stream.

Name

I.M.P. Entertainment

Legal name

I.M.P. Entertainment

Website

https://930.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

I.M.P. Entertainment is a privately held Washington, D.C.-based concert promotion company that owns and operates five wholly-owned live music venues—the 9:30 Club, The Anthem, Lincoln Theatre, The Atlantis, and Merriweather Post Pavilion—programming concerts for touring artists and DC-metro music audiences via Ticketmaster and on-site box offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Venue Operations

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Nightlife Venue Groups & Operators (Multi-Location) (MPAGAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), Venue Food, Beverage & Hospitality Operations (Concessions, Catering, Premium Seating) (MPAGALAN), Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD), VIP, Hospitality & Premium Experiences (Packages, Clubs, Suites) (MPAIAFAK)

Keywords

• Live music venues
• Concert promotion
• Event ticketing
• Live entertainment
• Music venue operator

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from advance and door ticket sales for concerts and live events across all I.M.P. venues, sold through Ticketmaster and venue box offices.
2. Food and Beverage: Revenue from on-site food service ('Food Food' stand) offering tacos, quesadillas, wraps, salads, and tater tots, plus alcoholic beverages from 4 full bars and a coffee bar.
3. Parking: Revenue from monitored parking lot at 2366 9th St NW, available online for $20 in advance or $25 at the lot on show nights.
4. Merchandise: Revenue from venue merchandise including artist merchandise sold at shows, venue-branded items at the merch stand.
5. Coat Check: Seasonal coat check service at $5.00 per item, with Friends with Benefits members getting one item checked for free.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

I.M.P. Entertainment owns, operates, and promotes live music events across five wholly-owned venues in the Washington D.C. metro area, centered on the flagship 9:30 Club nightclub. The company books and produces concerts at every capacity tier — from the intimate The Atlantis to the amphitheater-scale Merriweather Post Pavilion — and sells tickets directly to consumers through Ticketmaster and its own venue box offices, supplemented by on-site food (Food Food), beverage, merchandise, parking, coat check, and the Friends with Benefits paid loyalty program.

Product overview

I.M.P. Entertainment operates a portfolio of music venues and live entertainment properties across the Washington D.C. area, centered around the flagship 9:30 Club nightclub. The core offering is live concert events featuring diverse musical acts. Supporting services include the Food Food on-site restaurant, box office and ticketing services (via Ticketmaster), parking facilities, the Friends with Benefits loyalty program, Discord-based community platform, and email/text newsletter subscriptions. I.M.P. venues include The Anthem, Lincoln Theatre, The Atlantis, and Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 9:30 Club Flagship live music nightclub in Washington D.C. at 815 V St NW, hosting concerts, themed dance parties, and special events across genres; all-ages venue (unless otherwise posted) with a capacity of approximately 1,200. Named #1 nightclub in America by Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Pollstar.
• The Anthem I.M.P.-owned large-capacity music venue at 809-815 9th St. NW, Washington D.C., presenting national touring acts and sharing box office services with the 9:30 Club for cross-venue ticket sales.
• Lincoln Theatre I.M.P.-owned historic live music venue in Washington D.C., part of the I.M.P. venue network and sharing box office services with the 9:30 Club for cross-venue ticket sales.
• The Atlantis I.M.P.-owned intimate music venue located behind the 9:30 Club at 9th and V NW in Washington D.C., sharing box office services with the 9:30 Club for cross-venue ticket sales. Revives the historic Atlantis venue name that previously operated at 930 F Street before the 9:30 Club.
• Merriweather Post Pavilion I.M.P.-owned outdoor amphitheater venue in Columbia, MD, hosting larger-capacity concerts and sharing box office services with the 9:30 Club for cross-venue ticket sales.
• Food Food On-site food concession at 9:30 Club offering Mexican-inspired items including tacos ($10–$14), quesadillas ($9–$11), wraps ($13–$15), empanadas ($8 each or 2 for $15), tater tots ($7.50), nachos, salad bowls, and chips & salsa.
• Friends with Benefits Loyalty Membership Paid loyalty program for 9:30 Club fans offering one free coat check item, exclusive presale codes, special seating options, bonus rewards points, and exclusive Discord content and presale access.
• Box Office Services In-person ticket purchase service at five venue box offices (9:30 Club, The Anthem, Lincoln Theatre, The Atlantis, Merriweather Post Pavilion) with no service fees; hours vary by day and show schedule.
• Parking Services Monitored parking lot at 2366 9th St NW (a few blocks north of 9:30 Club) available 1 hour before general admission doors; pre-purchase online for $20 or $25 at the lot on show nights (credit card only).

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticketing platform for all I.M.P. venues. Handles online ticket sales, transfers, and refunds. VIP packages exclusively sold through Ticketmaster. Box office system integration for seamless ticket operations across 9:30 Club, The Anthem, Lincoln Theatre, The Atlantis, and Merriweather Post Pavilion.
• PLUS1minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable giving program where $1 from select ticket sales goes to various causes including immigrant rights, LGBTQ+ youth support, mental health resources, and environmental organizations. Multiple artists participate including American Football, Ashley Cooke, Medium Build, Sylvan Esso, and more.
• Merriweather Post PavilioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorI.M.P.-owned amphitheater venue in Columbia, MD. Shares box office services with 9:30 Club for cross-venue ticket sales. Part of the I.M.P. venue network offering larger capacity shows.
• The AnthemcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorI.M.P.-owned music venue in Washington DC. Shares box office services with 9:30 Club for cross-venue ticket sales. Located at 809-815 9th St. NW.
• Lincoln TheatrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorI.M.P.-owned historic music venue in Washington DC. Shares box office services with 9:30 Club for cross-venue ticket sales. Part of the I.M.P. venue network.
• The AtlantiscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorI.M.P.-owned intimate music venue located behind 9:30 Club at 9th and V NW. Shares box office services with 9:30 Club for cross-venue ticket sales.
• Save The Music FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit organization helping students, schools, and communities through music education. Partnered for josh conway tour where $1 per ticket was donated.
• REVERBminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental organization creating a more sustainable music industry. Partnered with Medium Build for tour where $1 per ticket supports their environmental and social initiatives.
• Buzz BakeryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBakery in Alexandria, VA supplying 9:30 Cupcakes sold at the venue. Made from Buzz Bakery, supplies are limited each night.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Troubadour: The Troubadour is a legendary independent music club in West Hollywood, California, with a comparable scale (~500 cap) and similar role as a launching pad for touring artists. It is a regional peer with a comparable single-venue, brand-led operating model.
• Austin City Limits Live: Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater is a 2,700-capacity music venue in Austin, Texas, hosting touring acts and the iconic ACL TV tapings. It is a regional peer operating a comparable theater-format live music venue in a different geographic market.

Broad incumbents

• AEG Presents: AEG Presents is the second-largest concert promoter and venue operator in the U.S., owning and operating venues such as The Greek Theatre, Red Rocks, and The Shrine. It is a broad incumbent competitor to I.M.P. for artist routing and touring economics, although geographically diversified well beyond D.C.
• Live Nation Entertainment: Live Nation is the largest live entertainment company globally, operating concert promotion, venue ownership (House of Blues, Fillmore venues), and ticketing (Ticketmaster). It is a broad incumbent that competes with I.M.P. for artist routing and operates overlapping venue types, though at vastly greater scale.
• House of Blues Entertainment: House of Blues operates a national chain of music venues integrated with Live Nation, offering live music and integrated F&B programming. It overlaps with I.M.P.'s live music + F&B venue model but at a chain, multi-city scale rather than a single regional cluster.
• Madison Square Garden Entertainment: MSG Entertainment operates iconic live entertainment venues including Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and The Beacon Theatre. It is a broad incumbent in venue-based live entertainment with concert promotion adjacency, though it operates at arena scale rather than club scale.

Direct peers

• The Bowery Presents: The Bowery Presents is a multi-venue independent concert promoter and operator running rooms such as Brooklyn Steel, Webster Hall, and Music Hall of Williamsburg. It is the closest direct peer to I.M.P. — an independent operator of multiple mid-sized club and theater venues with a strong brand identity in its home market.
• Brooklyn Bowl: Brooklyn Bowl is a multi-location music venue combining live concerts, bowling, and full F&B service. It is a direct peer in the music-plus-hospitality venue space, though it has expanded into additional U.S. markets where I.M.P. does not yet operate.
• Brooklyn Steel / Bowery Presents venues: Brooklyn Steel and other Bowery Presents-operated rooms are direct peers to the 9:30 Club in scale, format, and artist tier. They compete head-to-head for routing decisions on the East Coast touring circuit.
• Another Planet Entertainment: Another Planet Entertainment is an independent Bay Area-based concert promoter and venue operator (Fox Theater Oakland, The Independent, Bill Graham Civic). It is a direct peer to I.M.P. as a multi-venue independent operator with strong regional brand identity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/930club
• Facebookfacebook.com/930club
• Instagraminstagram.com/930club
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/9-30-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about I.M.P. Entertainment