When Steve Lambert heard about the opening of U Street Music Hall, he knew that the popular Nouveau Riche dance night was not long for his club.

He was right: WaPo‘s GOG Blog reports today that the DJs behind Nouveau Riche are moving from DC9 to the new U Street Street Music Hall, a 300-capacity space that local DJs Will Eastman and Jesse Tittsworth are inaugurating this month. (The Brussels-based Balearic duo Aeroplane is performing on March 17, opening night.) Unsurprisingly, Eastman’s Bliss dance night will also move to the music hall, from the Black Cat.

“We knew we were going to lose them,” says Lambert, adding that he’ll have no problem filling Nouveau Riche’s slot, either with live music or another dance night. “Do you know how many DJs there are in this town? I mean, we didn’t want to lose them. We wish them all the best.”

Vicki Savoula, who books the Black Cat, says she bares no ill will toward Eastman. “It totally makes sense that he’s moving his successful DJ night to his own bar.”

The larger issue is what a new, medium-sized space means for D.C.’s nightlife status quo. Eastman told the Post that the music hall, whose ownership team also includes Thievery Corporation‘s Eric Hilton and others, will be tapping other local DJs to spin.

For clubs that book mostly live acts, Lambert (who also books Rock & Roll Hotel and the Red and the Black) is still feeling out the implications. “I’m assuming [U Street Music Hall is] going to be more DJ and electronic-oriented, but I really do not know,” he says. Although the music hall is opening next week, it hasn’t announced bookings beyond Aeroplane, or even launched a Web site. “In all honestly I’ve really not heard too much about it. I can’t even really say.”