Neal Augenstein, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – With the turn of the calendar comes the realization that the D.C. area’s vibrant spring and summer outdoor concert series are within sight.

“It’s as vital to our internal clocks as baseball and barbecue,” says Seth Hurwitz, co-owner of I.M.P. Productions, which owns 9:30 Club and books and operates the outdoor series at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Concert lineups at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Wolf Trap and Jiffy Lube Live are starting to take shape, with all three venues selling tickets online.

“Bands like to tour in the summer because people like to see bands in the summer,” says Hurwitz. “Some bands will wait for the summer to tour because they know people can’t wait to get outside.”

Hurwitz says most bands enjoy playing shows on large outdoor stages.

“But, there are certainly bands that want to play when there’s less traffic,” says Hurwitz.

Hurwitz says the phenomenon of multi-band festivals continues to flourish.

“The tickets are probably slightly higher than a normal concert ticket, but for that you get a whole day’s worth of bands.”

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