COURTESY OF BALTIMORE X BALTIMORE

LIVE MUSIC SERIES

BALTIMORE BY BALTIMORE

FOR THIS RECURRING CONCERT SERIES, crowds let the thumping bassline guide them toward the Inner Harbor Amphitheater, where live performances prompt some of the most hype dance circles in town. True to its name, each installment (next up is October 3) is curated by local arts leaders, with lineups ranging from all-female DJs to indie-punk powerhouses. The BxB brain trust expanded even further this summer with the debut of a Thursday-night “Unplugged” series that pops up at other waterfront venues. Weekly residencies curated by Love Groove festival founder John Tyler and singer-songwriter Black Assets will bring live house and soul concerts to Harbor Point Park and Rash Field Park in September and October, respectively.

COURTESY OF THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES

ORIOLE

PETE ALONSO

DID “POLAR BEAR PETE,” one of the most coveted free agents on the market, choose Baltimore because of his love of hardcore band Turnstile? Consider the evidence. His walk-up song is their 2025 hit “Birds,” and one of the first interviews he did as an Oriole was not with the likes of Bob Costas, but with lead singer Pat McCrory. Okay, that five-year, $155-million contract may have also had something to do with it. But the fact that he’s a fan likely sweetened the deal. Since arriving, the power-hitting first baseman has lived up to the hype. He’s the kind of hardworking, fired-up, ride-or-die teammate everyone wants. Oh, and he and his wife, Haley, recently donated $10,000 to BARCS. Rock on, Pete.

The Fun Never Stops

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT ROTH

SIDEWALK JOY

THE BALTIMORE TRINKET LIBRARY

IN THE YEAR SINCE HAMPDEN resident Rachel Warren set up this bright pink stand on the 3500 block of Elm Avenue—filled with small toys, keychains, stickers, zines, and other objects meant for trading—it has ignited an entire wave of community connection. From the beginning, Warren encouraged those interested in her library to consider donating to more urgent collections like the Bmore Community Fridge Network. And her project has paved the way for even more give-one, take-one boxes (like the Hampden Blockbuster on Chestnut Avenue and The Note Nest stationary exchange on Powers Street) that are sparking smiles across the entire neighborhood and lifting the city at large.