Sir Richard Branson kicked off the inaugural broadcast of his company's brand new Internet music stream this morning with the much-anticipated reveal of the lineup for this year's Virgin Mobile Festival, slated to be held at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday, September 25. more ›

Is this the end of the Silver Spring Fillmore saga? About a week after withholding funds for Live Nation's Fillmore music hall in downtown Silver Spring, Montgomery County Council members voted yesterday to approve $2 million more for the project. A week ago, we wrote that the Council voted to hold back the money to wait for some answers to questions about the project, but worried that their delay could cost them some or all of the $4 million the state was set to spend. Now the Council has gone ahead and approved their full share. more ›

We wrote last week that a deal was signed between Montgomery County and Live Nation for a Fillmore club in Silver Spring, and how Seth Hurwitz, head of local concert venue company I.M.P. vowed to keep fighting. Yesterday, Montgomery County Council members had their say, with some lambasting county officials over the deal. more ›

Despite continued opposition, Montgomery County finalized a deal with Live Nation for a Fillmore music hall in Silver Spring earlier this week. The deal, opposed by some local businesses, non-profits, residents, and a few Montgomery County legislators, will give the company $8 million in city county and state funds for the 2000-seat venue, which will pay a discounted rent of about $90,000 a year to the county. The county expects the venue to bring in $1.1 million in state and local tax revenue per year, for a profit on about $700,000 after bond payments. more ›

The plot thickens for the Montgomery County-Live Nation concert hall deal. In September the county signed a non-binding letter of intent with concert promoter Live Nation for a Fillmore concert hall in Silver Spring, which would give the company $8 million in state and county funds, rent well below the market rate, and other perks. But now, county council members, groups of residents, and even the Howard County executive are questioning the county's deal and backing the proposal by I.M.P., Seth Hurwitz's Montgomery-based company that runs the 9:30 Club and Merriweather Post Pavilion. I.M.P.'s proposal for a club would be cheaper for the county and would pay more rent. more ›

It looks like I.M.P., the Montgomery County-based company that runs the 9:30 Club and Merriweather Post Pavilion, hasn't given up on opening a Silver Spring music hall. In September, we wrote that concert producer and venue owner Live Nation had signed a non-binding letter of intent to put a Fillmore music hall in the old J.C. Penney store at Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road in Silver Spring, across from the AFI Silver Theater. Both the... more ›