Rooted in the punk rock scene, the trailblazing all-female Los Angeles, California-based new wave band The Go-Go’s have recently announced eleven North American tour dates this summer. The announcement was made just this past Wednesday, January 24 and coincides with the release of a new comprehensive Showtime documentary. According to a press release, “With full access to The Go-Go’s, both past and present, the candid archive-rich documentary THE GO GO’S assesses the group’s place in music history and examines the personalities and dynamics behind their rise, fall and numerous reincarnations. Until this definitive film, there has never been a serious appraisal of and showcase for The Go-Go’s’ talents or achievements – as musicians, groundbreakers, but even more so, as survivors.”

The dynamic all female band The Go-Go’s bursted on the scene in the early 1980s. The rise to fame for The Go Go’s started with the success of their breakthrough 1981 debut album, Beauty and The Beat.  As previously noted in the aforementioned press release, “…. Locked at No. 1 on the Billboard charts for six consecutive weeks, Beauty and the Beat was one of the most successful debut albums of all time, featuring the hits ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’ (one of Rolling Stone’s ‘Top 100 Pop Singles’) and ‘We Got the Beat’ and resulted in a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.” As of present day, The Go-Go’s members are comprised of Belinda Carlisle (lead vocals), Charlotte Caffey (lead guitar/keyboards/vocals), Gina Schock (drums/vocals), Kathy Valentine (bass/vocals) and Jane Wiedlin (guitar/vocals).

The Go-Go’s paved the way for a slew of female contemporaries that followed. Some of the hottest acts that dominate the music industry today, mirror their musicianship and talent that set the iconic precedent. The aforementioned press release furthers that, “As the first multi-platinum-selling, all-female band to play their own instruments, write their own songs and soar to No. 1 on the album charts, The Go-Go’s are the most successful female rock band of all time.”