Go-go: places and spaces, then and now

Go-go did its hardest work during The District’s drug war/ “Murder Capital” days. Washingtonians gathered in communion and fellowship over that signature conga go-go beat as they mourned the holocost of lives cut short by bullets and mass incarceration. Among citizens of Chocolate City, the culture entered a dialouge as sacred as the halls of Congress. - Natalie Hopkinson

5 Seconds

00:00

Submission Band, a gospel go-go band, performing for teenagers at The Complex in Temple Hills.

MARVIN JOSEPH / THE WASHINGTON POST

Fatal Attraction, a go-go group consisting of local teenagers dances on stage at Marlow Heights Shopping Center. (Far Right) is vocalist Wayne Mills, 18.

MARVIN JOSEPH / THE WASHINGTON POST

Godfather Chuck Brown performs at the 9:30 Club along with George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars in 2004.

Dudley M. Brooks / TWP

Little Benny (Benny Harley), go-go legend.

Photo by Thomas Sayers Ellis / PHOTO BY THOMAS SAYERS ELLIS

Terri Ricigliano of Baltimore listens to the DC go-go band Mambo Sauce perform at the Bed Rock.

Leah L. Jones / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

Nikki Brown, left, and Chi-Ali, right, both vocalists in the Go-go band Suttle Thoughts, perform at the Zanzibar in SW Washington in 2010.

Ricky Carioti / WASHINGTON POST

Daren Johnson sets up Rare Essence lights at the Crystal City Hyatt in 2010.

TRACY A WOODWARD / TWP

Chuck Brown shined shoes outside the Howard Theatre as a kid, and played go-go here until the dilapidated 1910 structure was shuttered in the early 1980s. Chuck played his final show at the newly renovated theater on May 29, 2012 when his wake drew thousands of mourners.

Lavanya Ramanathan / The Washington Post

The legendary Ibex Nightclub building (tallest pictured) on Georgia Ave. and Missouri Ave.

Dudley M. Brooks / THE WASHINGTON POST

Exterior of The Madness Connection clothing store, at 3119 Georgia Ave. NW. In the early 1980s this pioneering clothing store created the blueprint for a multimillion dollar network of D.C. fashion storefronts across the city that sell go-go P.A.s (mixtapes) and concert tickets and sponsored boxing, basketball and other amateur sports leagues

Dudley M. Brooks / THE WASHINGTON POST

The exterior of Chapter III Club in Southeast Washington in 1988. Razed to make room for National’s Park, this go-go hosted an epic battle between rappers Fat Rodney and DC Scorpio in the mid-1980s whose lyrics paralleled the War on Drugs.

James A. Parcell / THE WASHINGTON POST

The old home of the 9:30 Club was at 930 F Street, NW. pictured front door. Now demolished, go-go band EU performed for filmmaker Spike Lee at the iconic club’s original location in 1986. Lee later featured the band in School Daze, spawning a 1988 national hit, “Da Butt.”

Charles K. Crockett / THE WASHINGTON POST

Chuck Brown shined shoes outside the Howard Theatre as a kid, and played go-go here until the dilapidated 1910 structure was shuttered in the early 1980s. Brown played his final show at the newly renovated theater on May 29, 2012 when his wake drew thousands of mourners. Here's a picture of the structure from 1975.

Ellsworth J. Davis / THE WASHINGTON POST

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

A police forensics officer investigates a crime scene where one man was killed in Woolwich, southeast London May 22, 2013. British Prime Minister David Cameron has called a meeting of his government's emergency Cobra security committee after the killing of a man in south London, his office said on Wednesday. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth (BRITAIN - Tags: CRIME LAW POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Terrorism cited in London cleaver attack

Two assailants hacked to death a man reported to be a British soldier on a busy East London street Wednesday afternoon before delivering an apparent...

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 21: Statues on display on the Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden in The Great Pavilion at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on May 21, 2013 in London, England. The Chelsea Flower Show run by the RHS celebrates its 100th birthday this year. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

Photos of the day

Chelsea Flower Show, face transplant in Poland, Oklahoma residents cope with tornado aftermath and more.

ANNAPOLIS, MD - MAY 20: The Herndon Monument Climb is the traditional culmination of plebe year at the United States Naval Academy. The plebes climb to the top of the lard-covered 21 foot high monument and remove the 'dixie cup' hat at the top replacing it with an upperclassman's hat. After completing this, the freshmen are called 'fourth class midshipmen.' This class completed the task in 1 hour 32 minutes and 43 seconds. The hat was placed by Patrick Lien from Orlando. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

The Herndon Climb

The Herndon Monument climb is the traditional culmination of plebe year at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Lea Bessinger salvages a picture of Jesus as she and her son Josh Bessinger sort through the rubble of the elder Bessinger's tornado-ravaged home Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Moore, Okla. A huge tornado roared through the Oklahoma City suburb Monday, flattening an entire neighborhoods and destroying an elementary school with a direct blow as children and teachers huddled against winds. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Tornado near Oklahoma City causes more damage

Rescue workers are searching for survivors after a twister carved a long path of destruction in a suburb of Oklahoma City. It was part of the...

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 21: Ken Marino, Erica Oyama, Ben Stiller, Chris Harrison, and Mike Rosenstein aceept the Webby Award for 'Burning Love' at the 17th Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on May 21, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for The Webby Awards)

Eye on entertainment

Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Emma Stone, 2 Chainz, Tyrese Gibson, Susan Boyle and more.

This combination of Associated Press photos shows left, a neighborhood in Moore, Okla., in ruins on Tuesday, May 4, 1999, after a tornado flattened many houses and buildings in central Oklahoma, and right, flattened houses in Moore on Monday, May 20, 2013. Monday's powerful tornado in suburban Oklahoma City loosely followed the path of a killer twister that slammed the region in May 1999. (AP Photo)

Okla. tornado loosely followed path of 1999 twister

Monday’s powerful tornado in suburban Oklahoma City loosely followed the path of a killer twister that slammed the area in May 1999.

A Burrowing owl tries to perch on a protective rope in a public park in Cooper City, Fla. Monday, May 20, 2013 as rain falls. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

Animal views

Fun and fascinating creatures around the world.

A man walks on sulphur and mineral salt formations near Dallol in the Danakil Depression, northern Ethiopia April 22, 2013. The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest and harshest environments on earth, with an average annual temperature of 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34.4 Celsius). For centuries, merchants have travelled there with caravans of camels to collect salt from the surface of the vast desert basin. The mineral is extracted and shaped into slabs, then loaded onto the animals before being transported back across the desert so that it can be sold around the country. Picture taken April 22, 2013. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola (ETHIOPIA - Tags: BUSINESS SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

ATTENTION EDITORS: PICTURE 2 OF 30 FOR PACKAGE 'ETHIOPIA'S ANCIENT SALT TRAIL'
SEARCH 'DANAKIL DEPRESSION' FOR ALL

Ethiopia’s salt trail

For centuries, merchants have traveled to Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression with caravans of camels to collect salt from the surface of the vast desert basin. The mineral is extracted...

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Comments

Add your comment

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Contributor Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.