About Seth Hurwitz, Chairman of I.M.P.

Together with his high school teacher Rich Heinecke, Seth Hurwitz launched I.M.P. in 1980. I.M.P. is an independent concert promotion and production company based in Washington, D.C. Hurwitz first booked musical acts at the Ontario Theatre, and then quickly started booking the 9:30 Club, as well. Hurwitz and Heinecke bought the 9:30 Club, which had a capacity of 200, from its original owners, Dody Disanto and Jon Bowers in 1986.  In 1996 they moved the club to its current location, the former home of gospel radio station WUST, which enabled them to host larger bands and larger audiences with a capacity of 1,200.

Still fiercely independent, I.M.P. is now in its 45th year, and has presented more than 35,000 events, hosting millions of music fans. Seth Hurwitz took over operations of Merriweather Post Pavilion in 2004, and D.C.’s historic Lincoln Theatre in 2013. He built and opened the 6,000-capacity The Anthem along D.C.’s waterfront in 2017, and in 2023 added the company’s newest venue, The Atlantis, which is a near replica of the original 9:30 Club, but with a capacity of 450. It’s known as the place “Where Music Begins.”