With warm, sunny weather and the soul stirring sounds of Experience Band and Show keeping people on their feet all evening, July 23 was truly a magical Wednesday evening at Sycamore & Oak in Southeast D.C.
Every week, people flock to the Ward 8 space for Majic Wednesdays, a free summer series that welcomes people of all ages to unite in the name of great music and good vibes, hosted by Urban One’s Majic 102.3/92.7, District Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Office of Cable, Television, Film, Media and Entertainment (OCTFME).
“It’s peaceful, it’s loving, it’s unity — quite the opposite of what a lot of people think it means to be in Southeast and listen to go-go,” said media mogul Cathy Hughes, founder of Urban One.
Attendees never know who might be among the crowd jamming, as Hughes, the District’s “First Lady for Life” Cora Masters Barry, gospel great Kirk Franklin and D.C.’s own Johnny Gill have been spotted rocking to the tunes during the weekly musical celebration.
Hughes said hosting Majic Wednesdays at Sycamore & Oak was very intentional.
“Forty-five years this year I’ve been in business. I’ve built my first base in Southeast D.C.,” said Hughes. “[Now], we’re the largest Black home media company in America.”
An Iconic Place for Our Community to Come Together
One of the truly magical parts of the weekly Wednesday music event is that it allows attendees to jam with family and strangers alike, see old friends and make new ones, network and raise awareness about local businesses and happenings, and celebrate District-based artists.
As a Southeast D.C. native, Urban One’s Vic Jagger, the event host, appreciates being able to connect with listeners and supporters in person.
“It just feels like a big family reunion,” she told The Informer. “It’s good to have the hometown behind you and ride for you.”
Having previously attended radio station-sponsored events in Silver Spring, Maryland in the past, Michael E. Johnson said he was happy to be able to check out Majic Wednesdays at Sycamore & Oak, a location closer to home and where he could reconnect with former Turner Elementary classmates.
“I like it because you can bring the whole family,” Johnson told The Informer. “It’s laid back, it’s good people.”
With people coming together in the name of music, Jerome Jones, founder of the clothing line Related by Love, attended Majic Wednesdays to spread his message of connectivity.
“My brand is preaching to everyone, we are all related somehow, right? Whether it’s friendship, marriage or by blood,” Jones said. “We have nothing else but love. I want them to keep that in mind before acting in violence because they could be somebody’s love without even knowing.”
Masters Barry, founder of Southeast Tennis and Learning Center (SETLC), emphasized the power of Majic Wednesdays in unifying the community and highlighting local artists.
“This is my neighborhood,” said Masters Barry, who is also a member of the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities. “Sycamore has become an iconic place for our community to come together. We’ve had some of our best bands, our go-go bands, and some of our best talent come every Wednesday, rain, sunshine, and sometimes thunderstorms. It’s wonderful.”
