Go-Go Music Scene in Washington D.C. is Alive and Well

If you are ever in the Washington, DC area, you have to check out the go-go music scene. Go-go music is a continuous groove. It relies heavily on the percussion section, with drums and congas, while there is a call and response from the crowd. Go-go music started in Washington, DC in the mid to late 1970s. Chuck Brown is credited with starting the genre of music. He is known as The Godfather of Go-Go.

For the most part go-go music has remain popular in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and has not really spread to other areas in the USA. There have been a few go-go songs that have been crossover hits. Chuck Brown hit it big in 1978 with the single Bustin’ Loose. In 1988, EU climbed both the r&b and pop charts with the song Da Butt, which was featured on Spike Lee’s School Daze soundtrack. In the 1980s songs such as Shake Your Thang by Salt-N-Pepa and Rollin’ With Kid ‘N Play by Kid ‘N Play were influenced by go-go music. Also songs like Crazy in Love by Beyonce and 1 Thing by Amerie were influenced by go-go music. The latter two songs were produced by DC native Rich Harrison. Besides Chuck Brown and EU other popular go-go bands include Rare Essence, Junk Yard Band, Northeast Groovers, Backyard Band, TCB, Familiar Faces, Lissen Band, and Suttle Thoughts just to name a few.

Though the best way to really enjoy go-go music is to hear it live, most of the bands have Cd’s with their music on it. Some Cd’s to check out are Chuck Brown Greatest Hits and The Beat: Go-Go’s Fusion of Funk and Hip Hop. The latter Cd is a compilation of go-go artist that include Rare Essence, Backyard Band, Junk Yard Band, EU, and other top go-go acts.

The Legend Nightclub is a place in the Washington Metropolitan area you can go to see and hear go-go music. On Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights the nightclub plays go-go music and also has go-go bands perform live. On Sunday nights you can check out Rare Essence at the CFE Event Center in Forestville, MD. Rare Essence also performs at The Tradewinds Nightclub in Camp Springs, MD on Tuesday nights. Also the local radio stations WPGC 95.5 and WKYS 93.9 will play some go-go music, usually from 9:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The next time you come through the Washington, DC area, check out the music and sounds that has define a city for almost three decades.