MY BODY MY FESTIVAL hits 9:30 Club on Thursday, May 28, with Yaya Bey headlining alongside Nourished By Time and more. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET — and with a lineup this stacked in a room this intimate, arriving on time is non-negotiable.
Yaya Bey’s genre-blurring mix of R&B, neo-soul, and hip-hop has earned her one of the most devoted fanbases in independent music right now. Catching her in a venue the size of 9:30 Club — one of Washington’s most celebrated stages — is the kind of experience that doesn’t come around often.
Getting There
Thursday’s forecast calls for partly sunny skies with a high near 80°F and a 30% chance of rain showers. It’s not a soaker, but there’s enough of a chance of a passing shower to make the walk from your car or the Metro a little wet.
The 9:30 Club sits on V Street NW, and street parking in the surrounding neighborhood fills up fast on show nights — give yourself an extra 15 minutes. Your best bet is Metro: the U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo station on the Green and Yellow lines drops you a short walk from the door. If it’s sprinkling when you arrive, you’ll be inside and dry in minutes.
Once you’re in, the weather is irrelevant. That said, the venue’s air conditioning can run on the cool side during a packed show — tuck a light layer in your bag for comfort once the crowd thins out after the opener.
Merch
Rep your fandom with a Yaya Bey t-shirt — 9:30 Club usually has merch tables up and running early in the evening. Hit the table before the first act if you want your size; popular items tend to disappear by headliner time.
Practical Tips
- Arrive by 6:30 p.m. ET. With multiple acts on the bill, including Nourished By Time, you don’t want to walk in mid-set.
- Check the bag policy. 9:30 Club typically restricts bag size and prohibits professional cameras — verify their current policy before you leave home.
- The venue is cashless. Leave the bills in your wallet.
- Grab water before you head in. A warm, humid May evening plus a walk from the Metro adds up — drinks inside cost more and the lines get long fast.
This is a night built for music fans. Get there early, grab your merch, and settle in.