Project Description
BUY A PRINT OR THE BOOK
Show you care and get a unique memento of Eighteenth Street Lounge that perfectly fits your space, or purchase something unique for a friend — a gift that gives back.
Prints are available in 4 sizes ranging (in inches) from 8×10 to 20×30, with the exact dimensions depending on the photograph. Prices start at $14.95. More info >>
Prints can be ordered ready-to-hang, which uses the “standout” format: mounted on 3/4″ deep lightweight foam with black edging, with pre-created holes on the backside for hanging. Prices start at $39.95. More info >>
Along with other exhibit catalogs in the bookstore, the exhibit catalog is available as an 85 page, hardcover, 10″x8″ coffee-table book with all 74 photos from the exhibit. The price is $134.95. More info >>
ABOUT EIGHTEENTH STREET LOUNGE
Opened in 1995 by partners who bonded through music, Eighteenth Street Lounge drew legions of fans to its quirky vibe, retro décor, and the feeling of having stumbled onto the city’s best kept secret night spot. No sign outside advertised ESL, and doormen were known for their idiosyncratic admissions “policies.”
Partners Farid Nouri, Thievery Corporation’s Eric Hilton, and Yama Jewayni’s unique vision featured diverse genres from jazz to reggae, with renowned DJs and live bands on multiple stages scattered throughout the building’s two levels. The vintage velveteen couches and fin de siècle chandeliers contrasted with the high-quality sound systems that permeated the club.
And it wasn’t just a club; it was the recording studio where Eric Hilton and Rob Garza recorded internationally-known Thievery Corporation’s first album shortly after ESL opened.
Over the twenty-five years of its existence, Eighteenth Street Lounge was popular with diplomats, community leaders, celebrities, and two generations of local regulars. It was a landmark venue that transformed DC nightlife.
“I’m honored that Fund by Photo selected Eighteenth Street Lounge for its first online show. Many of these photos are published here for the first time. Currently, live performances are not allowed across the country as a result of the pandemic; looking at the pictures reminds me how much joy live music brings to our lives, and how important it is to #saveourstages.”
“Sometimes it seems as if everyone who has ever lived in Washington has found themselves on the vintage sofas at ESL at least once.”
“Dear God, Eighteenth Street Lounge is Closing after 25 Years.”
“When Eighteenth Street Lounge closed permanently in June 2020, Washingtonians mourned the ‘end of an era.'”
PHOTOGRAPHER’S STATEMENT
“This exhibit comprises 217 photos from Fund by Photo’s inaugural exhibit, Farewell Eighteenth Street Lounge,” which opened on 14 August, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Permanent closings because of COVID-19 were already becoming part of our lives, but I remember being stunned to hear that ESL had closed. It drove home that the pandemic isn’t just a daunting speed bump, for many of us it marks the end of an era. ESL’s closing hit me hard, not just because that’s where I’ve shot live music more often than at any other venue, but also – and mainly – because ESL is where I came to love shooting live music, where I learned a lot about shooting live music, and along the way where I made new friends and had a ton of fun.
I got hooked while shooting See-I regularly on Wednesday nights; hence the show’s spotlight on See-I. Once hooked, however, I shot throughout the club, albeit less thoroughly. Doing an online show or book about ESL never crossed my mind, let alone one about ESL’s closing. So what’s here doesn’t do justice to Eighteenth Street Lounge, which somehow packed six different mini-venues and vibes together tightly in a way that fit comfortably and felt intimate. But in showing what it looked like from my viewpoint, I hope it reminds you of yours.”
— John Shore
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Mostly self-taught, John Shore began photographing live music seriously in 2009, shooting local bands in small local venues. Some of the internationally-known bands he’s shot regularly include Thievery Corporation, Gogol Bordello, and SOJA. When The Anthem opened in 2017, he became a principal house photographer, shooting over 100 artists there until COVID-19 hit. Visit John’s portfolio to see more of his live-music and other work.
John Shore photographing SOJA, Wolf Trap, 2019 / Photo by Jes Vegas
THANK YOU
Many individuals and organizations helped to make this show possible. For their generous contributions to the show, thanks to Jon Bowen (ESL Posters), and Rob Myers (original home page graphics). And thanks to Çinar Akçin, Susan Bachurski, Gail Griffith, Brian Liu, Rob Myers, Joseph Rucker, Hilary Shore, and many others for advice, portfolio reviews, and general encouragement. Special thanks to Farid Nouri (ESL), and PhotoShelter (website tech support).
MISS LIVE MUSIC? LOVE GIVING BACK?
Buy a book or an archival-quality, mounted or unmounted print and we donate 100% of the net proceeds to charity. You’ll help support people who have been disproportionately hurt by the same pandemic that decimated the music scene.