Nine for the price of one is one heck of a deal when it comes to most anything, particularly good music. Thus the appeal of “The Nine,” a regular concert series featuring nine singer-songwriters performing short sets. The next show is Sunday at DC9.
“You know when you come to the show, you’re going to see a certain amount of regulars that do a really great job of entertaining, and then you’re going to see some new people as well,” said Justin Trawick, an Arlington-based musician who originated The Nine in December of 2008.
The Nine rotates between D.C., Richmond, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Each act gets two, two-song sets. The three-hour show features a number of locals and a couple of slots reserved for touring people.
“We’re in this ADD society,” said Trawick, 27. “If you’re listening to a new artist, four or five songs in, you might already be bored. It’s not because the music’s bad. It’s just that we’re so inundated with music now. By going through twice, that allows everybody to have at some point a really good audience.”
“The Nine” also nurtures the independent music scene by exposing artists to other’s fans. Tom McBride, a D.C. musician who played with The Nine earlier this year, felt that an unfamiliar audience kept him sharp.
“It was a great chance to get exposure to a new audience,” said McBride. “It forces an artist to be solid, to put on a good show. You can’t mail it in.”
Catching each other play is also a novelty for musicians who spend their free time performing.
“It’s good to meet each other,” said Baltimore-based Victoria Vox, who has performed with The Nine since its inception. “It’s cool to get to meet people and hear each other.”
Arlington musician Wes Tucker will be participating in his first The Nine show this weekend. He’ll play some stripped-down songs that his regular band, The Skillets, has yet to learn.
“It’s a different vibe, it’s a change of pace,” said Tucker. “I have to hand it to Justin for putting it together.”
After this Sunday’s show, the next The Nine performance is October in Baltimore, then in Richmond and Philadelphia before returning to D.C. Dec. 20.
“I’m attempting to create a community with these people, not only individually, but by playing together, making it more of an overall event,” Trawick said.
The Nine takes place at 8 p.m. Aug. 30 at DC9 (1940 9th St., NW, D.C.). It features Justin Trawick, Jason Ager, Adrian Krygowski, Tom McBride, Rene Moffatt, David Stein, Wes Tucker, Victoria Vox and Brooks Wood. Tickets are $8. For more information, visit dcnine.com.
