indie rock KARAOKE (labor day weekend)

Celebrating the Labor Day weekend in a distinctly indie-rock way, this special edition of DC9’s beloved karaoke night puts the spotlight squarely on the venue’s main stage. Host Kit welcomes singers and spectators alike to a free evening where the words are provided and the audience provides the voices. The event draws on an ever-growing library of curated, locally sourced and proudly artisanal tracks, spanning decades of indie, punk, post-punk, and alternative favorites, so attendees can expect a playful, inclusive, and music-loving atmosphere.

The song list for this installment is especially deep, featuring artists such as Beat Happening, Belle and Sebastian, Built to Spill, Car Seat Headrest, the Drums, Elliott Smith, Gang of Four, Guided by Voices, Hüsker Dü, Japandroids, Johnny Thunders, Ladytron, Le Tigre, Liz Phair, Los Campesinos!, Mission of Burma, Modest Mouse, Mudhoney, The National, New Pornographers, New York Dolls, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Of Montreal, Pavement, Pixies, PJ Harvey, Pretty Girls Make Graves, R.E.M., The Replacements, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, Rilo Kiley, Rufus Wainwright, The Shins, Sleater-Kinney, Sonic Youth, Spoon, Stereolab, Superchunk, Tame Impala, Wilco, Wire, and more.

When: Sunday, September 6, 2026, during the Labor Day weekend.

Showtimes: Doors open at 7:30pm, and the show begins at 8pm.

Tickets: Free general admission; no pricing is listed, and the event is described as free.

Lineup: Host Kit welcomes participants to the DC9 Main Stage; the performance lineup consists entirely of audience members singing karaoke.

Music: Curated indie-rock karaoke tracks from a broad artist list, including Beat Happening, Belle and Sebastian, Built to Spill, Elliott Smith, Gang of Four, Guided by Voices, Hüsker Dü, Japandroids, Le Tigre, Liz Phair, Modest Mouse, Mudhoney, The National, Pavement, Pixies, PJ Harvey, R.E.M., The Replacements, Rilo Kiley, Sleater-Kinney, Sonic Youth, Spoon, Stereolab, Superchunk, Tame Impala, Wilco, Wire, and more.

Run time: Not specified, though the event starts at 8pm with doors at 7:30pm.

Ages: Not specified on the page.

Venue: DC9 Nightclub, a bar, music venue, and dance space in Washington, DC.

Accessibility and logistics: No specific accessibility or logistics details are provided in the event listing; attendees should arrive at the main stage area by the stated door time to participate or watch.