Mikaela Lefrak
The godfather of go-go, Chuck Brown, was known for energetic and joyful live performances—something many people have been missing in today’s coronavirus reality.
Since 2015, D.C. has honored Brown, who passed away in 2012, on his birthday, Aug. 22. This year’s Chuck Brown Day will be, like most events this summer, virtual. Instead of the traditional outdoor music festival in a D.C. park, the city will stream a tribute concert from 8-10 p.m. on Saturday night.
The virtual festival will feature performances by the go-go bands Suttle Thoughts, Experience Unlimited (EU) featuring Sugar Bear, and the Chuck Brown Band. DJ Kool will host.
2020 was a big year for go-go music, despite most live music events being cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. In February, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed legislation making go-go the official music of the District. The law also requires the mayor’s office to implement programs to support and archive the homegrown music genre and its history.
In April 2019, a music and anti-gentrification activism movement sprouted up after the owner of a MetroPCS store in Shaw was forced to stop playing go-go music from speakers outside his store. Many residents rallied around the store and organized concerts and protests under the hashtag #DontMuteDC.
Saturday’s Chuck Brown Day concert will air on Channel 16 on D.C.’s livestream network, DCN, and on the Department of Public Recreation’s social media channels. The city is also encouraging attendees to host their own virtual watch parties and share their experiences with the hashtag #ChuckBrownDay.
And if you want to jam out to the godfather himself, here are some of our favorite performances:
