It’s a treasured local band that’s been performing in clubs and gymnasiums across D.C., Maryland and Virginia for decades. It’s not a buzz band with a recent Soundcloud hit or a nationally known group hitting the summer festival circuit. Now nearly 40 years old, Rare Essence could seem like a strange fit for SXSW. “We’re trying to expand Rare Essence and go-go music beyond the beltway,” Johnson says. The showcase is technically part of the Washington, DC Economic Partnership’s technology campaign during the festival, but Rare Essence is paying for the trip itself with a combination of private donations and money it raised at a recent fundraiser concert.īandleader Andre “Whiteboy” Johnson, the group’s only remaining original member, says Rare Essence has been looking to play SXSW for several years to meet with industry representatives and get its sound in front of new audiences. Local legends Rare Essence are scheduled to perform at the festival Tuesday, sharing a bill with other D.C.-area artists including Prinze George, Oddisee, Paperhaus, Black Alley, Kokayi and Asheru. This month, thousands of bands, industry execs and people with the word “guru” in their Twitter bios are descending upon Austin, Texas, for the annual South By Southwest music, film and technology festival - and for the first time, D.C.’s homegrown go-go music will be there alongside them.
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