While the rest of the nation may remember 1980s Washington, D.C., for its corrupt mayor, crack epidemic, and Ronald Reagan's lapses in memory, for locals it was also a unique moment in time, as the city gave birth to two musical forms and a vibrant underground art and culture scene.
That scene will be on full display this weekend as the Corcoran Museum opens its Pump Me Up exhibit, celebrating go-go, D.C. hardcore, and street artists like Cool "Disco" Dan who helped define Washington for decades.
Go-go and D.C. hardcore have had a deep, long-lasting impact on popular music, even though neither genre ever saw much commercial success on the national stage. On Sunday, the legendary 9:30 Club is hosting a mini-festival celebrating both genres.
Here's our beginner's guide to the music of Washington.