Big Tony & Trouble Funk: Celebrating 50 Years of Go-Go

Go-Go's 50th anniversary gets the kind of celebration it deserves at 9:30 Club, with Big Tony and Trouble Funk leading a night centered on the Washington-born sound's deep rhythmic pull. Big Tony helped shape the genre from its early days, and Trouble Funk's live approach remains rooted in the percussion-heavy, groove-first style that made go-go such a distinct part of D.C. culture. The bill also includes the Kim Michelle Experience and DJ Big John, adding more local flavor without taking attention away from the main event. Scheduled for the Thursday before Labor Day weekend, the September 3 show is a good excuse to spend an evening with a musical tradition that still feels tied to its hometown rather than preserved as nostalgia. For anyone who knows go-go mainly through its influence on funk, hip-hop and dance music, hearing the source material played by musicians who helped define it is reason enough to make the trip.