At last, we have completed the Mount Rushmore of go-go music: E.U. (aka Experience Unlimited) has blessed the Desk. And the timing couldn't be more perfect! In 2026, the official music of Washington, D.C. celebrates 50 years of heavily syncopated funk.
Go-go features a slow and simple groove, but hidden within are dense polyrhythms and interwoven harmonies. On stage, where go-go thrives, songs bleed into one another and the crowd engages in high-energy call and response, a technique with origins in the Black church. Though many other notable bands deserve recognition, the vanguard four — Chuck Brown, Trouble Funk, Rare Essence and E.U. — are an exemplar of this party music.
At the Tiny Desk, each band has brought its own distinct approach to go-go and, here, E.U. plays up its rock and roll edge. You might recognize the last song "Da Butt," which was released as a single from the soundtrack to Spike Lee's 1988 film School Daze.
After a raucously funky set, we asked E.U. founder, bassist and lead vocalist Gregory "Sugar Bear" Elliott what this music means to him. "Go-go is my life," he says. "It's the best music in the world. It's an instant party. You can't stay still. You are part of it as soon as you hear because you move — you can't stay still. It's heavy percussion based. Its call and response. A big, giant party. That's what go-go is to me and to the world."
SET LIST
- "Shake Your Thang"
- "Oo La La La"
- "Go Ju Ju Go"
- "Taste of Your Love"
- "Bounce!"
- "E.U. Freeze"
- "Um Bop Bop"
- "Da Butt"
MUSICIANS
- Gregory "Sugar Bear" Elliott: vocals, bass
- Tony Cothran: guitar
- V. Higgz: keys
- William "JuJu" House: drums
- Maurice "Mighty Mo" Hagans: percussion
- Archie Knuckles: trumpet, background vocals
- Anthony Shields: sax, background vocals
- Kal-El Gross: background vocals
- LaWanda: background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Director/Editor: Maia Stern
- Audio Engineer/Mix: Neil Tevault
- Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Maia Stern, Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Mitra I. Arthur
- Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
- Audio Mix: Josh Newell
- Production Assistant: Dora Levite
- Photographer: Vanessa Castillo
- Tiny Desk Team: Ashley Pointer, Felix Contreras
- Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
- Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
Copyright 2026 NPR
