On @RockCreekSocial v. Sharevari, and the lasting impact of DC’s present

Another week has come and passed, and DC’s Rock Creek Social Club’s “Good Life Tuesdays” party continues to establish a new standard for cross-cultural partying in the Nation’s Capital. However, is that enough, and is the party really successful? History, as always, shows that the intrepid, year-plus old loosely aligned group and/or it’s legion of overzealous revelers can be doing more.

Celebrating a veneer of economic largess was the way and rule of Northwest Detroit suburbanites in 1981. The largely nouveau riche bouregois black community revolted against the crime and blight of the city’s downtown area by creating a party scene fueled by readily available and phenomenally popular European electro. Later to be blended with American funk and be called techno by the likes of early Detroit scenesters Juan Atkins and Derrick May, a group of denizens of the Chiarivari (named for a boutique Italian fashion label of the period) party promoting group beat them to the punch on 1981’s “Sharevari.” Calling themselves A Number of Names, the moody electro body jacker sings the praises of Porsche 928s, L’Uomo Vogue, GQ and car cassettes, a period piece set to dance floor motivations.

“Good Life Tuesdays” has a similar feel. Mere blocks from the outpost of DC’s 99 percenters, young, nouveau riche urban partiers ascribe their notions of upward mobility to indie and European sounds with hip hop appeal, but unlike historical Detroiters, have yet to create a permanent memory of the motivational energy of the period. Websites, fashion brands and a multitude of other parties are cool. But what of the powerful essence of Rock Creek Social Club? Techno still exists and thrives today. Does DC’s aspirational class have the ability to create a new school techno, or is the mighty blip we’re hearing just another party passing on the radar like so many ships in the night?