D.C.’s State of the Arts
You might think that after three years I’d be bored with our biannual arts guides. Haven’t we seen and done it all, you might ask? After all this time steeped in the arts in D.C., am I not immune to her charms? The reality is that each and every time I start sifting through events, assigning shows to preview and artists to profile, I fall in love with this city all over again. What our arts scene offers is vast, welcoming, born of countless cultures, a little (or a lot) queer, and it’s constantly spinning out new ideas, new talents, new icons, new legends, and new ways of seeing the world.
When I interviewed Sleater–Kinney’s Corin Tucker for this guide, I was chuffed but not surprised that D.C. remains one of their favorite cities to play. When editing Hannah Grieco’s piece on Kathleen Hanna’s upcoming D.C. event, I was reminded that Bikini Kill once considered D.C. a second home. It’s no wonder up-and-coming local bands such as Birthday Girl and Argo and the Violet Queens (also featured in this guide) are inspired to make music here.
And that’s just one faction of our thriving arts scene. This spring will also see the introduction of Lovail Long’s latest go-go musical, Chocolate City Records, and the 50th birthday celebration for Ms. Kim, the “Queen of Go-Go.” Duke Ellington’s music will once again reign courtesy of jazz pianist Ellington Carthan, while a new concert production of Fire Shut Up In My Bones offers a new take on the consequential Black opera.
When I talk about new legends, I can point to Dance Place’s Anastasia Johnson, Filipino collective the WRIZZARDS, and theater-maker Shanara Gabrielle. Honestly I could talk ad nauseam about everyone and everything included in this guide, but I’ll stop myself here. Instead I invite you to dive in and then head out. —Sarah Marloff
