The D.C. Public Library (DCPL) is honoring the District’s signature sound with Keep the Beat Week, also known as Go-Go Preservation Week, Nov. 10-15.
The celebration opens today with Keep the Beat Week at District E, a free, live performance at 701 7th Street NW, featuring celebrated bands like Junkyard Band and Black Alley from 7-11 p.m. As part of the event, attendees are encouraged to bring go-go-related photos and other memorabilia to be scanned and added to DCPL’s official Go-Go Archive.
Founded in 2012 in memory of Chuck Brown, the archive documents the evolution of the go-go through recordings, posters, video footage and more.
Eight years after the archive was founded, Mayor Muriel Bowser enshrined the genre as the official music genre of D.C.
“Go-go music is a creative force that has inspired generations of Washingtonians socially, culturally, and artistically, and this legislation will empower us to preserve and celebrate our native sound,” said Bowser after signing the bill in 2020.
Throughout the week, the DCPL will host exhibits showcasing historical materials, books and rare recordings that trace back to go-go’s roots to the present day. The celebration will conclude with 40 years of Universal Madness, an interactive event full of storytelling, fashion and performances to celebrate the evolution of go-go, at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15.
“D.C. is go-go, it’s the heartbeat of this city [and] the sound that brings us all together,” DCPL said in a video highlighting the archive and celebrating Keep the Beat Week.
For more information, go to their website.
Source: Washington Informer
