By DCist Music Contributor Willie May.

On Friday night, a long line of people of all ages stretched down 14th St. for the final performance by one of Washington, D.C.’s most beloved bands in recent memory. The familiar call of “Black Cat Black Cat!” welcomed locals and the long-traveled alike to bid a rocking goodbye. There was definitely something in the air at the farewell performance of Q And Not U.

The Black Cat was packed to the brim. The show was, indeed, sold out, the second such show of two back-to-back Black Cat appearances, clear evidence of the band's dedicated hometown following. Several activist groups had set up tables in the back of the club, reflecting the political action that had always been an important facet of Q And Not U's message (a fitting presence for a band from a very political town).

Thumping dance music filled the room prior to an equally dance-y and highly energetic set from Supersystem, long-time friends of Q And Not U from their days as El Guapo on Dischord. The set was all fun, no filler, spazzy, world-beat inflected dance music. Their bassist doubled as a bad-ass MC/dancer. It was ecstatically delivered, energizing and entertaining.

Once again, bass thumps pounded as the DJ practiced his cut-and-paste spinning skills. The members of Q And Not U executed a subtle, swift sound check, then once again disappeared backstage. After about 15 minutes, the band re-emerged in different clothing, singer/guitarist Chris Richards in Q And Not U anti-war paint, and fellow frontman Harris Klahr clad in a Captain Beefheart t-shirt. The crowd roared as the band played the first notes of "Wonderful People." The final show was in effect.

In a show of emotion that D.C. concert goers usually fancy themselves too reserved for, what once was an audience of appreciative toe-tappers became a pulsing sea of dancing machines. The band's set was nearly seamless, characterized by clever segues from song to song, backed by continuous rhythm from John Davis, the band's rock-solid drummer, keeping everything afloat. When the band did pause to tune or switch instruments, there was never a moment of dead air. Chris Richards' witty, heartfelt speeches between songs hit every single point on the band's moral map, discussing opportunities for fans to take political action, such as the rally on the following day, and the generational nature of Washington's music scene, encouraging fans not to worry too much about what ended in the past, but to look toward what was to come in the future. He even invited fans from all over to come to Washington and join with others to make that future happen, expressing his own genuine excitement about political action, music and his favorite city, Washington, D.C. We couldn't help but smile and feel welcomed by his enthusiasm.

Of the seemingly endless exciting moments throughout the evening, the highlights were the passionate, ferociously infectious "X-Polynation," which hit even harder live than on record, along with "Book of Flags" and "Tag-Tag," also both from the Power album, that seemed to be written for apt placement in the band’s exhilarating live show. The songs are propelled by relentless, primal dance beats, and are packed with purpose. Other highlights were the enflamed "Black Plastic Bag," a two minute killer, the pounding "This Are Flashes," that begs for foot-stomping hard dancing, and the anthemic "When The Lines Go Down." (Both from Different Damage.) The band also played updated and equally amazing versions of songs from No Kill No Beep Beep, their debut on which the band was a quartet. The standouts were the classic "End the Washington Monument (Blinks) Goodnight," which they performed brilliantly with guitar, keyboard and drums, as well as a rollicking, extended version of "A Line In The Sand," which starts at a galloping punk pace, shifts to an angular punch, then breaks into the powerful finish. This song, the first track from their debut, saw the surprise appearance from of Hugh McElroy, former lead singer for the now defunct Black Eyes and now in his new group Hand Fed Babies, along with plenty of other drum-pounding friends. It was incredible.

After the show ended, many hit the pavement pretty quickly, but for those who stuck around, they may have caught a glimpse of Chris Richards and Guy Picciotto, lead singer for D.C. legends Fugazi, in a brotherly embrace. It was just another sign of why D.C. has transcended the archetypal underground snobbery we’ve all grown far too accustomed to. Washington is different. Washington is warm with pride, while still being welcoming to all who wish to be a part of the whole and make their own waves, thanks in no small part to Q And Not U.