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The Black Cat (nightclub)
Encyclopedia
Black Cat is a nightclub
in Washington, D.C.
, located on 14th Street Northwest in the Shaw
/U Street
neighborhood. The club was founded in 1993 and quickly established itself as a venue for independent music. While Black Cat is most known for its support of indie rock
, featured musical acts include metal, punk
, and electronic
, as well as DJ/dance nights.
Black Cat's "Mainstage" is on the second floor and has a capacity of approximately 700. Lesser known acts play on the "Backstage", a smaller area on the first floor that holds approximately 200 people. The first floor of the club also contains a no-cover bar/lounge called the "Red Room", and the "Food For Thought" cafe. Serving primarily vegetarian food, along with some meat and vegan dishes, "Food For Thought" is named for the Dupont Circle
vegetarian restaurant – owned by Black Cat owner Dante Ferrando's father Bob Ferrando – that operated from 1973 to 1999.
In 2001, the venue moved three doors south, from 1831 to 1811 14th Street. Black Cat is served by the U Street station on the Washington Metro
.
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, located on 14th Street Northwest in the Shaw
Shaw, Washington, D.C.
Shaw is a neighborhood located in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. It is roughly bounded by M Street, NW or Massachusetts Avenue NW to the south; New Jersey Avenue, NW to the east; Florida Avenue, NW to the north; and 11th Street, NW to the west...
/U Street
U Street Corridor
The U Street Corridor is a commercial and residential neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C with many shops, restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries, and music venues along a nine-block stretch of U Street. It extends from 9th Street on the east to 18th Street and Florida Avenue on the west...
neighborhood. The club was founded in 1993 and quickly established itself as a venue for independent music. While Black Cat is most known for its support of indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
, featured musical acts include metal, punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, and electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, as well as DJ/dance nights.
Black Cat's "Mainstage" is on the second floor and has a capacity of approximately 700. Lesser known acts play on the "Backstage", a smaller area on the first floor that holds approximately 200 people. The first floor of the club also contains a no-cover bar/lounge called the "Red Room", and the "Food For Thought" cafe. Serving primarily vegetarian food, along with some meat and vegan dishes, "Food For Thought" is named for the Dupont Circle
Dupont Circle
Dupont Circle is a traffic circle, park, neighborhood, and historic district in Northwest Washington, D.C. The traffic circle is located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue NW, Connecticut Avenue NW, New Hampshire Avenue NW, P Street NW, and 19th Street NW...
vegetarian restaurant – owned by Black Cat owner Dante Ferrando's father Bob Ferrando – that operated from 1973 to 1999.
In 2001, the venue moved three doors south, from 1831 to 1811 14th Street. Black Cat is served by the U Street station on the Washington Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
.