RNR Hotel--RIP

ROCK & ROLL HOTEL – WASHINGTON, DC – March 2, 2020

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Rock & Roll Hotel will cease operations effective immediately, Monday March 2, 2020.  All shows and events are cancelled.

Over the last 3 years Rock & Roll Hotel experienced rising operating costs, an increase in the number of music venues, and the decrease in ticket and bar sales. While Rock & Roll Hotel did all we could to adjust with the times, it was not enough to stay a float and hence, we sadly join a growing number of small businesses and music venues by closing our doors permanently.

Rock & Roll Hotel gives our heart and soul of thanks and appreciation over the last 14 years to all the employees (past and present), fans, and H St local businesses and residents who without them, we would have never made it this far.

While many will feel a sense of sadness, disappointment or anger with this announcement,  we ask that you stay positive, and continue to support the many music venues and small businesses in DC.

Stay dedicated to the discovery and recovery of great music!

– Rock & Roll Hotel
rockandrollhoteldc@gmail.com

Sad - I liked the place. It was the venue closest to Baltimore :/ 

It'll make a great combination ramen shop/arcade.
Unless I'm mistaken, it's the last relic of early H St. gentrification.
We're past weird/art gentrification and onto Whole Foods/Peloton scene.

evilizac wrote:
Unless I'm mistaken, it's the last relic of early H St. gentrification.

Yep. I remember going to RNR Hotel in 2007 before I moved to DC. Wondered where the hell my friend had taken me. Everything was quiet and mostly boarded up.

I also remember firing up a smoke inside the venue because we didn't have a smoking ban in Michigan yet and everyone gasping and wondering what the hell I was doing.

It was indeed a scary area back in 2007. 

That's too bad. Their Bear Happy Hour on Fridays was always fun. Saw some great shows there. Metz, Dream Syndicate, Phoenix, Mark Kozelek, Nothing, Meat Puppets, Ex Hex.

I'll miss it and never had a problem with the place.

Damn, now where will I go for a show after my pre-show drinks at H St Whole Foods?

Thousand wrote:

evilizac wrote:
Unless I'm mistaken, it's the last relic of early H St. gentrification.

Yep. I remember going to RNR Hotel in 2007 before I moved to DC. Wondered where the hell my friend had taken me. Everything was quiet and mostly boarded up.

I also remember firing up a smoke inside the venue because we didn't have a smoking ban in Michigan yet and everyone gasping and wondering what the hell I was doing.

You were killing yourself and we were gasping at your stupidity.

I think I only saw two or three shows there…

Called it.

Japandroids, Rentals, Craig Finn, Dream Syndicate, Lydia Loveless, Beach Slang, and many more.  And like Vas, I enjoyed its relative ease of access from baltimore. Also, the vegan place down the street: Pow Pow, was a favorite.

bearman🐻 wrote:
That's too bad. Their Bear Happy Hour on Fridays was always fun. Saw some great shows there. Metz, Dream Syndicate, Phoenix, Mark Kozelek, Nothing, Meat Puppets, Ex Hex.

Yeah, Metz was great. As was Father John Misty and Har Mar Superstar. Lydia Loveless. Diarrhea Planet. I’m blanking on a bunch of others I saw there.

heh - from last fall -  https://hillrag.com/2019/09/06/dont-worry-rock-roll-hotel-is-not-closing/

Hasn’t  Granville Moore’s been around since rnrhotel opened up?  That was my go-to pre show place.

So why do venues play that game?
I hope that the employees were informed and moreso taken care of as best possible.
Beyond the appreciation of any individual club, it really seems like what is disappearing in the DC region is the tier of venue that is better than a total shitshow dive and still allows for less than hyped bands to test their sound and show in an environment that looks, feels and sounds like a real venue. The kind of place that friends would be apt to see your show at because they could recognize some of the names of other bands playing or having played there. 
 

Saw many great shows there back in the day. My favorites were the ones sparsely attended at the time like Thunderbirds Are Now! and Dan Deacon. This post really dates me, no wonder parking was easy to find back then! But yeah, you made a bee line to RNR Hotel in those days.

King Kruel and Superorganism were two of my fond memories
gotta be a few more, but I can't remember

Gener played a freeman show that was kinda fun, think both hutch and Yada attened

I thought that was a great Gener show!

In retrospect the Freeman album was good!

I have the set list somewhere

I “saw” White Denim from back! Couldn’t see much and sound sucked

Owner is a jerkoff per AzGhal who has been eagerly awaiting this day

I just can’t get it up for this venue closing

Shows I remember:
Eugene Mirman
Bishop Allen/Say Hi/Throw Me The Statue
Mark Kozelek
Alvvays
Phoebe Bridgers
Centro-Matic

Probably a a half dozen others I'm forgetting. RIP