Oh yeah, I used to work downtown back in the day when I was still going to college. Night job so I was down there after dark (ooo...scary!)
Used to go to shows at the old 930 club and DC Space, couple other hole in the wall joints that didn't even have names at least that I remember. Only people who say stuff like "it's a 3rd world country" are ones who don't live around here. Baltimore is worse than DC imho.