For those of you who have returned to the District (or never left) and have some time on your hands, there’s a great chance Monday night to experience some homegrown DC music. GODISHEUS are indie rock products of DC’s go-go scene, exhibiting a potent combination of rock, funk, soul, hip-hop, and social conscience. Monday night at the Black Cat they headline “Chocolate City Rocks,” along with other DC groups Violet Says 5 and The Farafina Kan Experience.

Yesterday AWOL caught up with GODISHEUS lead singer Om V–better known in DC music circles as Head-Roc–for a peek at what this show has to offer the college crowd:

“Come to a great rock show, man. If they know about Jimi Hendrix, they need to come to this Chocolate City rock show. If they know about Fats Domino, they need to come to this rock show. If they know about Little Richard, they need to come to this rock show. Folks don’t know about the history of rock music. There’s a social message in rock that’s really devoid today. We’re a band in town that’s still following in those footsteps. That’s who we are.”

“DC is an indie rock town,” Om V says, and he invites listeners to experience another side of that scene. “We have a song called ‘Boot Liquor,’ and when we tear into that song, folks get a-jumpin’ and the floor gets a-bendin’, it’s ridiculous,” he says. “It’s not what you’d expect from the indie rock of today, which is much too melancholy. They’re just droning on, everyone’s doing the same thing…”

The cover for “Chocolate City Rocks” is $10, and doors open at 8:30. You can find GODISHEUS’s music at their homepage, or check out this video for a taste: