Is going to become a J. Crew store. http://6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/27/j-crew-goes-hardcore/ I feel kind of nauseous at the thought.
I've never been to the current location. But, man, saw some great shows at the original venue back in the day when I lived in NoVa and worked in D.C.
The new one is a much better music venue, but it doesn't have that smell that the original did. I killed a LOT of brain cells at 9:30 F Street NW. And saw a lot great shows myself.
I just saw this and I'm sad. Man, I had some good times in that place. I've only been to the new place once, to see the Old 97s. It was okay - nice and roomy, but it wasn't even remotely the same.
Have you seen the documentary about the original club? Called "930 F St". Very good for anyone who went there and agrees, as people here seem to, that the new club is clearly a better music venue but the uniqueness of the original was something special. I particularly like this review of the documentary: http://blogcritics.org/music/article/documentary-930-f-street/ Why? Because it specifically discusses "the smell": "One segment is devoted to discussing the venue's pungent stench, which was universally known by the interviewees, but largely undetermined. However, one of the staff members reveals that she led an odor specialist around the building, and he determined that the smell was a combination of tobacco, sweat, cleaner, and rat urine. This revelation leads to a discussion of the club's infamous rat infestation, which marked the demise of the old Atlantic building."