crank

In D.C. go-go culture, 'crank' refers to the harder, faster, more aggressive evolution of the music that emerged in the 1990s, and to a song or moment that is especially energetic. A band that 'cranks up' has hit its high-energy stretch with pounding rototoms and call-and-response. The term is closely tied to bands like Backyard Band and Northeast Groovers.