Number 9 Sign
courtesy of tedeytan

About a month ago, I got a first-hand look at Justin Trawick’s local songwriter series “The 9” when I performed at Iota Club and Café with eight other DC-area artists. It was a unique experience both on stage and off.

Being a part of “The 9” is a collaborative effort. That’s what makes it interesting.

Tonight, “The 9” will be back at Iota. Though it’s common for “The 9” to perform at Iota (it’s a monthly affair at the Arlington rock club and café), there is no such thing as a standard set. Each show is different because the bill changes from venue to venue, month to month.

Here are a few reasons from tonight’s “9” as to why this particular show might be worth your Tuesday night:

Zia Hassan: It’s the first day of spring.  There’s no better way to come out of hibernation than to hear 9 different musical perspectives in one performance.  A new beginning for the trees, and a new beginning for your ears.

Maureen Andary: …because I’m gonna write a song about pie just for the show!

courtesy of Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie

Ben and Jasmin: There will be Germans at the “The 9.”  Ben und Jasmin from the Berlin based band, Roemer Collective will be making their US debut and collaborating with Justin Trawick.

Justin Trawick: This is the first “9” show with an international lineup. Ben Seidl is one of my oldest and best friends and now lives in Berlin with his German wife Jasmin.  They perform in Germany as “Ben und Jasmin”.  This is their first US club show and we are actually going to collaborate with each other during the show.

Heather Renee: In an age when everything can be downloaded, file shared, tweeted, and liked from the comfort of your home, this show will give music lovers an opportunity to mingle with a diverse crowd, meet a potential friend and/or lover, while enjoying quality live music.  With “The 9” of the most accomplished singer/songwriters spanning the mid-Atlantic region, there is no doubt that one will strike a cord.

Charles Harrison:  “The 9″ is all about introducing audiences to songwriters and songs that they might not have heard before. In the spirit of new I am going to use this “9” show to play some brand new music. I love the room and the line up, so I can’t think of a better place to birth a bouncing new tune. That and I will give a CD to anyone that mentions “We Love DC.”

Flo Anito: I think there are lots of great reasons to come to this particular showing of “The 9.” The artists in this edition come from a wide variety of styles, genres, and backgrounds so it should make for a really eclectic mix of music. There aren’t that many opportunities to hear musicians who have never met collaborate on songs and I know that’s happening this Tuesday night. There are also several artists in this edition that will be making their debut “9” appearance, from places as far away as Germany and as nearby as DC. Finally this will be my first appearance with “The 9” so I hope people can come to keep me company!

Brent Peterson: “The 9″ is unique in its ability to be equally exciting for the audience as it is for the performers. In many cases “The 9” events are the first time artists who you might see performing together on stage have met let alone made music together, often with surprising results. If that’s not reason enough, it’s a very cheap way to hear new music and be a patron to the arts!

Jenee Halstead: It is a rare event when you get to hear this many great songwriters in one room, even more rare is when they collaborate on each others songs to create a fluid, creative night of sound and song that only happens one time. Rare.

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You can see “The 9” live tonight at Iota Club and Cafe in Arlington (Clarendon Metro – Orange Line).

Show @ 8p / $10 cover.