“The social power of music”—this phrase means a lot of things. For some, it is political power in the form of a protest song. For others, it is the act of gathering, coming together to share in the experience of live music.

This summer, the Folklife Festival program D.C.: The Social Power of Music partnered with the DowntownDC Business Improvement District to present a series of lunchtime concerts in Franklin Park. The very public nature of playing music in a city park speaks to the power of music outside of traditional club venues.

TK Echo, a D.C. post-punk band, is made up of members who are longtime veterans of the D.C. punk scene, playing in bands such as Et At It, Protect U, and Q and Not U since the 1990s. In this video, hear singer and guitarist Chris Richards speak about his relationship to the D.C. music community.

Nichole Procopenko is a program curator for D.C.: The Social Power of Music.