Youth Go-Go Band Pock3t Onstage At Maryland Hall

Pock3t, a youth go-go band, will bring its high-energy, percussion-heavy sound to Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts on Saturday, May 16, at 6:00pm, in an all-ages performance titled “Put It in the Pock3t.” Blending raw talent with a deep respect for a uniquely regional genre, this band is quickly emerging as a powerful force in keeping go-go music alive.

Formed in 2022 by percussionists Troy “TJ” Sellman Jr. and Derrin Brown Jr., Pock3t features six musicians whose versatility and chemistry drive their shows. Four members are students in the Apex Arts magnet program in Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

The group’s rapid rise has already earned notable recognition. In 2025, Pock3t won the prestigious Annie Award for performing arts, honoring their significant and inspiring contributions to an art form in Anne Arundel County. In January 2026, they were nominated for Breakout Band of the Year at the Go-Go Awards in Washington, D.C., marking the genre’s 50th anniversary. Pock3t has performed at notable venues including the CareFirst Arena and the Howard Theatre.

Go-go music, born in the D.C. area in the early 1970s, fuses funk, blues, soul and Latin rhythms. Pioneered by bandleader Chuck Brown, known as “the godfather of Go-Go,” the genre’s free-flowing style keeps people “going and going” on the dance floor — thus the origin of its name. In 2020, the District of Columbia passed a law designating go-go the city’s official music.

Pock3t’s name reflects the genre’s defining “pocket” — a deep, locked-in rhythmic groove. For the band, that groove is also a mission.

“We’re a youth band, and we want people our age to care about go-go and about live music in general,” Sellman said. “We’re carrying this music forward. We’re the next generation of go-go and we want others to keep go-go alive after us.”

Band members play multiple instruments, many of them self-taught, contributing to a layered, resonant sound. Their simple goal is to build community through music.

“We love playing together, and we want people to feel that,” said keyboardist and vocalist Makenzee Adams. “If we can lift people’s spirits, get them dancing and having fun, that’s success.”

The May 16 show will open with Got My Own Sound, a genre-blending group performing R&B, hip-hop, jazz fusion and funk.

Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts is located at 801 Chase Street in Annapolis.

Tickets are $30 in advance, $40 at the door and $25 for students, plus a $6 service fee per ticket. Buy tickets here: tinyurl.com/Pock3t.