Founded in 2018, Virtuosos has been entertaining the faithful with events to break up the monotony of the last year and have emerged under a new name: 9pm Presents. The announcement was made back on May 4th and since then, the team of avid event throwers and music aficionados have strived to further promote their core values of compassion, expression, and inclusiveness.
When asked why the name 9pm Presents was chosen, I was told that it came down to Virtuosos being hard to pronounce and 9pm making for a better association with clubbing. Amidst a clubland littered with names like Decadence and Delirium, it stands out and makes good marketing sense. The name brings to mind the time most events would start and denotes that there will be a real show with every ticket purchase. Christopher Ciborowski, a co-owner of 9pm Presents, contributes a wealth of event hosting experience, having constructed Stereo Live Houston’s production rig and worked production for the likes of Tritonal and Troyboi. Ciborowski has also thrown underground raves with Johnny Bund, one of the principal owners, and brought his A+ game to provide whole body visual experiences.
The venue, also named 9pm Presents, sits off Richmond in a sizable parking lot. Inside you will find a stage about 60 feet across. You can stand just about anywhere near the stage and be immersed in production. 9pm Presents boasts an L-acoustic sound system that delivers shivers and bass tingles. The next few months is going to be a very active one for 9pm Presents and the company shows no signs of slowing down. So where did it all begin? For that answer, I spoke with Johnny Bund about his background and his plans for future endeavors.
“I thought it would have been amazing if an artist was to breach out of Houston. And then it would be kind of like building a ladder to get out of the scene and make something of yourself. Homegrown talent from the smallest stage to the biggest stage all over the world.”
Johnny Bund
“I always had a fascination with underground raves and like, rave culture in the early 2000s. One of my favorite djs was S3Rl. It’s a happy hrdcore dj. And He produces tracks that are kind of like love letters to early rave culture and kandi culture.”
Johnny Bund
A chance meeting with Bart Black would lead Johnny to set up a workshop that would go by the name of Sharespace. Sharespace grew to become a place for people to commune and bond over shared interests. That event would evolve into a steady stream of indoor and outdoor events that would defy expectations. Central to Virtuosos’s growth was discovery: discovery of self, fellowship, and good music. Ghost Data would rise out of the ashes of obscurity and become one of those discoveries. Johnny and his team have more in store for the scene and those who want to do more than just pass through it.
“The next phase would be more Ghost Datas, you know, like more kids that I can help.”
Johnny Bund
“I guess I will build an environment for them to be able to prosper, build an environment for all the kids to prosper.”
Johnny Bund
“The new goal is to give more opportunities to kids that want to continue to be involved in the rave scene beyond more than being a participant.”
Johnny Bund
Curious to see what 9pm Presents has to offer? You can find out for yourself at 9371 Richmond Avenue in Houston, Texas. For more information, check the links below.
https://www.9pmpresents.com/
https://www.9pmmusicvenue.com/
I was listening to electronic dance music without even knowing it when I was listening to Jock Jams in the 90s. Fast forward to my senior year in high school and I had discovered Fatboy Slim. I have been listening to edm ever since and love writing about new sounds, good sounds, and the music that makes us move.
