As is true in many American cities, black artists are the heartbeat of Baltimore, and perhaps nowhere is that pulse louder than in our world-renowned music scene. Across myriad genres, musicians of color turn out the type of songs, albums, and live events that could only be born in this city. They’re bold, they’re ground-breaking, they’re rich in experimentation, exploration, and vivid storytelling about the black experience. Five years after the death of Freddie Gray, as the nation breaks out in protest and unrest over the death of George Floyd, there’s never been a better time to listen to and learn from what these vital creatives have to say. Here are 25 of the many talented local acts to get you started.

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Abdu Ali
From their all-inclusive Kahlon dance parties at The Crown to their latest album, FIYA!!!, Abdu Ali is without a doubt a leading voice of the music community, as well as for queer artists and creatives of color in Baltimore and beyond. With a backbone of their hometown genre, Baltimore Club, with brushstrokes of fervent jazz, their music is an idiosyncratic amalgam of futuristic punk-rap poetry that packs a powerful message about oppression and identity. Kudos are also due for their As They Lay arts initiative, whose recent fundraiser helped raised mini grants for artists of color impacted by COVID-19.
Listen Now: “I’m Here Now (Fiyah!!!),” “Did Dat,” “Chastity”

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Al Rogers Jr.
When it comes to spreading positivity, Al Rogers. Jr makes it his mission, even creating his own expression—“swooz”—for the good stuff: joy, happiness, and love. The trendsetting hip-hop artist imbues that optimism into every song—be it a heart-on-his-sleeve ballad or a funky, feel-good experimental rap track—using smart wordplay, infectious beats, and messages of inspiration. That said, he doesn’t shy away from hardships and hurdles either. Combining jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, the beloved rapper is a go-to for exploring emotions, digging deep, and finding a silver lining.
Listen Now: “Crystal Geyser,” “Bright Hard,” “Sayno”

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Brandon Woody
The past of Pennsylvania Avenue’s rich and revered jazz history is being shepherded into the future thanks to local musicians like Brandon Woody, a rising twenty-something trumpeter in the city’s resurgent jazz scene. He’s performed brass with local legends of the genre like Eric Kennedy and Jeff Reed, as well as DIY rappers like Abdu Ali and Al Rogers Jr., led open-mic nights at the Motor House, and performed regularly with his ensembles at An Die Musik. An alum of Peabody Preparatory’s Tuned-In program and the Brubeck Institute in California, he’s a highly talented, expressive instrumentalist who brings a fiery flare to every set.
Listen Now: “Woodallou,” “Miking Trumpet to Whammy Pedal,” “Real Love Snippet”

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Brooks Long & the Mad Dog No Good
When you first hear the songs of Brooks Long, you will simultaneously think you’ve known them forever and that you’ve been waiting for them all your life. The local singer-songwriter pays homage to the old-school sounds of eras past—particularly mid-20th century soul, funk, blues, and R&B—while adding his own flair, humor, and heart to every mellifluous lyric and smooth melody. Long is also a strong advocate for documenting Baltimore music history, from the present and past, with his Creative Alliance “Songster Series” highlighting both beloved and underdog artists.
Listen Now: “Got Soul,” “Heavy Petting,” “Have You Been Getting Too High?”

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Butch Dawson
It’s no secret that Butch Dawson is a name to know now in Baltimore. Over the past few years, the local rapper has emerged from underground rap staple to a front-of-the-pack headliner, carving out his own lane through a formidable fusion of hip-hop, chill wave, and punk with the potent spirit of DIY. Many of his tracks are about surviving the “swamps,” as he calls the West Baltimore streets where he grew up, and the fortitude that comes with it.

Listen Now: “Feel Nobody,” “Trigger,” “Division Street Blues”

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Dapper Dan Midas
There might be no greater Baltimore cheerleader than Dapper Dan Midas, aka DDm. From his days on the local rap battle circuit to his role as frontman of beloved hip-hip duo Bond St. District to his star-power solo career, the charismatic, dynamic rapper has carried Baltimore on his shoulders and imbued the city, in all of its beauty and struggle, into all of his buoyant and hard-hitting verses. Most notably in his latest The Ballad of Omar, DDm critically examines the black experience of growing up in Baltimore and along the way bares his own soul. It’s a must listen for everyone who calls this city their home.

Listen Now: “The Ballad of Omar,” “Swivel, “Hooray”

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Deetranada
When you finally discover Deetranada, you, too, will ask yourself: “Under what rock have I been living?” This 18-year-old wordsmith and one-time star of Lifetime’s The Rap Game (she placed second) has already garnered a serious fanbase in Baltimore and beyond (think hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of views). And for good reason: as shown on her first two albums, Deetranada has some of the most impressive, bravado-filled flows and sharpest, hardest-hitting rhymes about coming up in Baltimore around.
Listen Now: “Attitude!,” Box,” “Know Me”

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Dyyo
In the endless quest to find the next great artist, Baltimore music fans can look no further than the force to be reckoned with that is Dyyo. This alternative rap artist has a singular, shapeshifting sound founded in potent energy, explosive experimentation, and hearty nods to influences like punk rock and improvisational jazz. His latest Live! record bottles that exploratory sound with the clashing drums, driving guitar, and serpentine brass of a full band with Dyyo’s own kinetic vocals at the forefront. As he continues to evolve as an artist, make sure you’re there to follow, and headbang, along.
Listen Now: “Raspberry,” “Checks in the Mail,” “Fight or Flight?”

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:3ION

We hope that in the distant future, there will always be love songs, and we imagine that they will probably sound something like the avant-garde R&B of Elon Battle, or :3ION. Come for the dark, romantic melodies and digital dance beats, but stay for the singer-songwriter’s luminously moody falsetto vocals that float like a feather—swinging low, soaring high, and always speaking to the deepest desires of the heart. :3LON has become a stalwart of the local scene, appearing on many a genre-crossing lineup in Station North, and recently touring nationally with acclaimed Baltimore indie duo Lower Dens.
Listen Now: “Haven,” “Aria of Resilience,” “Many Moons”

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Eze Jackson
One of the most iconic, indispensable voices in Baltimore music is undoubtedly that of Eze Jackson. Over the last decade, the hip-hop frontman has been a dogged creative force for the local arts scene—putting on powerful performances as an MC through solo projects and his powder-keg alt-hip-hop group Soul Cannon, uplifting up-and-coming artists through the Bmore Beat Club rap series, constantly collaborating, and always speaking honestly about black inequality and empowerment. His recent “Be Great” was played over a loud speaker as marchers knelt in unity on Monday’s youth-led protest.
Listen Now: “Unapologetically Black,” “Be Great,” “You Need Some”

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J. Pope

Listen to Jasmine Pope and hear her roar. From her bands the Funk Friday to the HearNow, the alt-soul singer-songwriter’s compellingspoken-word delivery and captivating stage presence has become a stalwart of the local scene over the last decade, capturing the attentions of diverse audiences, beloved by all corners of the city’s scene. Riding on the up-tempo funk and blues-infused, jam-band-style melodies of her bandmates, Pope is a modern-day poet at the core, delivering vigorous verses with rapid-fire flow, honeyed vocals, and powerful messages of truth and positivity.

Listen Now: “Soul Searching,” “Confusion,” “Check Your Soul”

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James Nasty
When considering any of the city’s local concert, festival, and event lineups, one thing is for certain: If James Nasty is on the bill, it’s going to be a good time. This veteran DJ and Bmore Club producer has become a household name in Baltimore for his high-energy mixes that master the genre’s rapid pace and patchwork sound but with a nod to the greats who came before him. Even those who think they haven’t heard of him likely have, as his hits have been regularly spun on local radio stations. Over the last nearly two decades, he’s incited instant dance parties at places such as Paradox, Ottobar, Light City, and most recently The Crown, and been a prolific musician performing hundreds if not thousands of sets across the city.
Listen Now: “Them Do It Horns,” “Pop,” “Dynamite”

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Josh Stokes
Over the last few years, Josh Stokes has been a quiet pillar of the Baltimore music scene. The drummer-singer dynamo has performed in live bands, recorded backup and feature vocals, and been an opening act for other beloved names across the city—all while working on his own exceptional, experimental tunes, making him undoubtedly one of the most hardworking musicians in the city. But his trippy new-age take on funk is worthy of its own consideration for a textured, throwback sound and Stokes’ own ethereal, gospel-tinged croons.
Listen Now: “Focus,” “Thank You,” “14 Daze”

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Joy Postell
Singer-songwriter Joy Postell broke onto the scene with her heart-wrenching recording of “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” in the aftermath of the death of Freddie Gray and the subsequent Baltimore Uprising, asserting herself as a mighty voice to be reckoned with. Her follow-ups, “Consciousness” and “Water,” and the entire album Diaspora, would continue her socially minded music, in which she speaks to injustices faced by the African-American community and incorporates influences of jazz and soul into her hip-hop and R&B. On her latest EP, more personal than political, Postell continues to showcase her ability to speak truth to power.

Listen Now: “Consciousness,” “Water, “Back and Forth”

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JPEGMAFIA
He might have moved to the West Coast a few years back, but JPEGMAFIA continues to rep Baltimore, writing songs about his local days, collaborating with local artists, and showing up to perform shows at local venues where the crowds came out in droves. The bicoastal artist’s avant-rap, rooted in dystopian soundscapes and provocative rhymes, is an act of artistic defiance. He refuses to stay inside the lines, to appeal to mainstream audiences, to be bound by genre. For that, from sets at Coachella to rave reviews in indie music publications, all eyes are on JPEG to see what comes next.
Listen Now: “Free the Frail,” “1539 N. Calvert,” “Cutie Pie!”

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Kotic Couture

It’s hard to straddle both the poignant and the party, but up-and-coming rapper Kotic Couture excels at both, approaching their music with confidence and vulnerability, tipping a hat to their journey from a small-town upbringing to being a new leader on the Baltimore music scene. Whether it’s an outright club banger, bare-bones ballad, magnetic live solo performance, or their much-loved Version queer dance party with DJ Trillnatured at The Crown, Couture showcases a creative, colorful versatility that’s all their own—speaking honestly to dreams, doubts, and staying true to yourself.
Listen Now: “Grammy Speech,” “Growing Pains, “Drippin’”

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Lafayette Gilchrist

Over the last 25 years, Gilchrist has earned legend status in the Baltimore arts community. A winner of the prestigious Baker Artist Award, this Washington, D.C. native, longtime Baltimore resident, and piano guru has cemented himself in the city’s artistic history through his jubilant jazz compositions. They’re fueled by propulsive rhythms and seamless improvisations that effortlessly capture the essence of Baltimore—its energy, its joy, its struggle—as well as serve as iconic scores to David Simon’s HBO series The Wire, Treme, and The Deuce. Be sure to catch one of his upcoming livestreams through An Die Musik.

Listen Now: “Assume the Position,” “Bmore Careful,” “Deep Dancing Suite”

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Mighty Mark
Baltimore truly has a soundtrack to the city with the homegrown genre Baltimore or Bmore Club, born here in the 1980s by the likes of Miss Tony and Scottie B with a breakbeat sound that fuses hip-hop, house music, and staccato samples to create a pulsating, frenetic dance party. In recent years, Cherry Hill’s Mighty Mark has been the torchbearer, producing bass-fueled beats for his own tracks, collaborating with other club-minded creatives like TT The Artist, and appearing on national TV, all to assure that the genre continues to make its mark on history.

Listen Now: “Be More,” “Payroll,” “Don’t Want None”

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QueenEarth
The music of QueenEarth is like a salve for the soul. With faint touches of influences like India Arie and Lauryn Hill, the acoustic vocalist makes melodies all her own, using expressive beats and soulful vocals across tracks that range from textured, meditative instrumentals to jazz-infused R&B melodies. Through both her mindful tunes and her community education efforts, QueenEarth has made it her life’s work to share a message of empowerment for women of color, LGBTQ pride, social justice, and spiritual uplift.
Listen Now: “Dear Love,” “Quarantined Sax,” “Game”

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RoVo Monty
Modern love is complicated, but putting it into song seems effortless for RoVo Monty. The electronic R&B songwriter celebrates black queer romance in his effervescent music, asserting his desires, unpacking his fears, ultimately creating a lush musical environment for self-expression and self-empowerment. Inspired by fashion, dance, and disco, rife with irresistible hooks, bouncy beats, and velvety vocals, each track is club-ready and impossible not to bop along to. Monty is also a choreographer; be sure to check out his accompanying videos to learn a thing or two from his knock-out dance moves.
Listen Now: “Pretty in Pink,” “Pretn’d,” “Fix It”

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Rufus Roundtree and Da B’more Brass Factory
A Baltimore institution and high-energy music collective, Rufus Roundtree & Da B’More Brass Factory is hands down one of the most fun, feel-good shows in town, fusing funk, hip-hop, blues, and jazz into a Baltimore-meets-New Orleans get-down that could spark a second line. As the name implies, it’s a brass-heavy sound performed by some of the city’s most talented instrumentalists and led by the smoky, spirited vocals of bandleader Roundtree in his signature chapeau (said to have been a surprise gift from George Clinton).
Listen Now: “Me Think Me Love You,” “In Dem Streets,” “Get Up Live”

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Trillnatured
The lack of safe spaces for people of color and the LGBTQ community has long been a point of contention in Baltimore City, but each month, upstairs at The Crown, Jessica Hyman, aka DJ Trillnatured, creates a welcome, feel-good environment in her monthly Version dance party. Since 2017, these events have been a free, feel-good, second-Saturday night ritual full of Hyman’s dynamic mixes, Kotic Couture’s charismatic emcee, and all-out, sweat-drenched dance-offs into the wee hours of the morning. She’s also lent a hand in teaching the next generation of black Baltimore DJs as a former instructor at Baltimore Youth Arts.
Listen Now: “Use a Damn Coaster,” “True Laurels Show Live,” “This Side Up”

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TT The Artist

She may have relocated to Los Angeles last year, but it goes without saying that TT The Artist will always be Baltimore. The MICA grad has played a pivotal role in bringing Bmore Club onto the big stage, performing at Coachella, collaborating with Diplo, landing tracks on TV shows like HBO’s Insecure and Comedy Central’s Broad City, starting her own woman-of-color-forward Club Queen Records, and now releasing her debut documentary film on the city’s homegrown genre, Dark City: Beneath the Beat, which should have premiered at SXSW this spring. With vivacious energy, fierce lyrics, and undeniable beats, we hail the club queen that is TT.

Listen Now: “Thug It Out,” “Diamonds,” “Off the Chain”

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Warren Wolf

From the Baltimore School for the Arts through Peabody Preparatory to recording and performing with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, Cyrus Chestnut, and Robert Glasper, Warren Wolf has made a name for himself, at home and abroad, as a young great of the modern jazz scene­—all while keeping Baltimore’s rich history with the genre alive and well. The West Baltimore native is an in-demand virtuoso on the vibraphones, performing at local concert halls like An Die Musik and prestigious venues around the globe. It’s the sound of another era, made, with groove and gusto that is positively contemporary.
Listen Now: “Montara,” “Soul Sister,” “For Ma”

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Wendel Patrick
Wendel Patrick is a man of many hats: rapper, composer, producer, co-founder of the Baltimore Boom Bap Society improvised concert series, co-creator of WYPR’s esteemed Out of the Blocks radio show, and Peabody Conservatory professor of hip-hop, to name a few. The multi-talented, classically trained artist has a gifted ear and is a master at collaboration, winning the 2015 Baker Artist Award and being referred to as “David Foster Wallace reincarnated as a sound engineer” by the former Urbanite magazine. Simply put, everything he touches turns to sonic gold.
Listen Now: “A Tale of Two Producers,” “Time,” “Producer”

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Each month, we’re amazed by the musical talent of this city’s artistic community, but never has it been more apparent than in the age of coronavirus, acting as both a salve and a source of hope. Even from quarantine, artists are continuing to hone their craft, and their fans can still show their support by purchasing music and and merch. In this month’s The Big Baltimore Playlist, we showcase 10 local songs to listen to right now, ranging from pandemic jingles to iconic cover songs and uplifting original hip hop. Check back each month for new top songs of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist for a soundtrack to the city.

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“No To Corona” by Butch Dawson

Leave it to Butch Dawson to drop the city’s first coronavirus anthem. Over a murky, moody beat, the punk-infused rapper and tongue-in-cheek wordsmith turns a hand-washing jingle into hard-knocking hip-hop. Along the way, he covers all the bases: personal hygiene, social distancing, disinfectant products, protective equipment, and more. It’s a touch of levity—and legitimate advice—in the strange times of COVID.

“Haven” by :3ION*

Few musicians know how to pull our heartstrings quite like Elon Battle, or :3ION, whose electronic R&B melodies continually evolve the modern love song. On this ethereal new single, the singer-songwriter’s falsetto vocals float light as a feather, lilting over a twinkling melody that glitches in and out like the state between sleep and wake. The repeated decrescendo lyrics reassure romantic loyalty, even or especially through hardship, which could likely be related to by many a listener these days.

“Now I Live in Truth” by Greg Hatem*

Local musician and Natural Velvet drummer Greg Hatem has released a new solo album, Springlight, that loosely recollects a psychedelic journey, with this final song marking the trip’s end. Swirling in effusive synth and technicolor soundscapes, it’s a futuristic pop melody, shedding the deep, dystopian tones of the record’s previous tracks, arriving with spring-like newness at a place of buoyant clarity. It seems to remind us: there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.

“Quarantined Sax” by QueenEarth*

One of the cures for coronavirus anxiety? We don’t have a medical degree, but we think it’s safe to say: Jazz. And thanks to acoustic singer-songwriter QueenEarth, we now have a whole album of instrumental, jazz-influenced tracks from her new Queer Core: Songs for Isolation. We found this fifth track particularly soothing, fueled by serpentine saxophone and sprightly keys, allowing us to finally unwind in its instrumental interplay. Be sure to check out “Piano Lesson” while you’re at it, too.

“Back the Hale Up” by Landis Expandis*

And just like that, another quarantine track we never knew we needed until now, thanks to musical dynamo Landis Expandis, or rather, LHL—aka Landis-Harry-Larry—with the beloved DJ/singer’s two alter egos also in tow. The music video for this funky, infectious tune is half the fun, with Landis’s doppelgängers performing bubbly synth over a steady drum machine beat in matching outfits in the middle of a grocery store aisle. Meanwhile, the lead singer’s playful lyrics recount a trek to the store and the interactions had there with those folks who just don’t get social distancing. You know who you are.

“Everything” by Mateyo, Al Rogers Jr., and Josh Stokes

This winter track by a trifecta of Baltimore talent is, indeed, everything we need to get us through moments of quarantine doldrums and remind us that summer is still yet to come. A boppy, effervescent beat by local producer Matthew Lampart, aka Mateyo, serves as the undulating backdrop for the honeyed chorus croons of singer-drummer extraordinaire Josh Stokes and the feel-good, free-flowing verses of rapper Al Rogers Jr., both speaking to the simple necessity of love.

“Quite Some Time” by Modern Nomad

Modern Nomad has become one of our go-to bands for the sort of sun-soaked nostalgic dream-pop that transports us to brighter, warmer, carefree days. Possessing a meditative quality, the local quintet’s ’70s-tinged tunes can sound like swimming in the mesmerizing flow of a lava lamp or walking in a smoke-swirled haze down a California beach. Lose yourself in this new track, featuring reverberating guitar, peppy keys, and Tom McLean’s soft, sleepy vocals, bringing his most intimate truth to light.

“Angel from Montgomery” by Outer Spaces*

In the age of home concerts, our favorites might just be those of the incredible mounting collection of old folk and Americana cover songs by singer-songwriter Cara Beth Satalino. This heartbreaking acoustic rendition of John Prine’s 1971 classic arrived at the end of March as news broke that the legendary musician was in critical condition with the coronavirus. He would pass a week later, but his influence remains, as does this ode, with the Outer Space’s frontwoman’s raw, slow-burning vocals making it all her own.

“Glue” by Shinji*

This shimmering new single from indie-pop quartet Shinji is a perfect soundtrack for the continual daydream that is quarantine. With jangling drums, aching guitar strings, and hazy New Wave synth, it evokes the best of the 1980s and the youthful ennui of other lifetimes. “Alone, on my phone, is where I will be,” sings frontman Josh Frazier in distant reverie. Us, too, listening to this tune.

“My Year” by T.Ali

Consider T.Ali a Baltimore artist to watch, with this spring single showing the pure-hearted promise of the rising rapper. A comeback anthem imbued with old-school influence and founded in both hardship and hope, his earnest verses feature smart rhymes and measured flow, with assists from fellow city artists Miss Kam and Chris Cassius. Be sure to also dig into his just released debut album, Since We’re Being Honest.

*Not on Spotify. We’ll add it to the playlist if it comes online.

In the latest iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we found five local songs to listen to now, ranging from rising experimental rap and rollicking garage rock to operatic R&B. Check back each month for new top tracks of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist as we continue to build a soundtrack for our city.

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“Aria of Resilience” by :3ION*
It’s been three long years since we’ve had new music from this electronic R&B artist, pronounced elon. But if this futuristic take on an ancient musical form is any indication, it’s all been worth the wait. It transcends historical time and employs fantasy, with the lyrics’ protagonist being a character from a medieval realm, while the lilting harp sample, studded with digital beats, is inspired by the classic 15th-century painting Garden of Earthly Delights. Whatever the era, :3ION reemerges with newfound power to his already otherworldly voice—his falsetto flitting and fluttering to new depths and peaks. Keep your ears perked for his upcoming sophomore record and follow-up to 2016’s debut, Ronin.

“Free The Frail” by JPEGMAFIA
It’s been a big year for JPEGMAFIA, the experimental California-by-way-of-Baltimore rapper whose merry-prankster approach and punk-fueled, no-holds-barred, oftentimes NSFW music has turned him into a Pitchfork favorite and whose raw performances have put him on the lineups of the likes of Coachella (where his set was considered one of this year’s best by Rolling Stone). But keeping critics and fans on their toes in the name of his unofficial slogan—“you think you know me”—this new song, off his just-released All My Heroes Are Cornballs, might be the most outright pretty and poignant he’s made yet. The 13th track on a record that on quick listen plays like an iPod shuffle acid trip, it’s also the most intimate we’ve seen JPEG, using this dreamy beat and both strong verses and supple chorus vocals to speak candidly to the wavering uncertainty that comes with success.

“Rides Through The Morning” by Michael Nau
There’s something about this summer track by prolific Cumberland singer-songwriter Michael Nau that makes our hearts just want to burst. Perhaps it’s the pure nostalgic soul of the thing—from the frontman’s from-the-belly, growling vocals, to the golden, end-of-day harmonies, to the ratatat drums that cut through the ache of the organ’s swirl. Then again, maybe it’s just the simple sentiment of the chorus that we should all take home with us: “Put down your sorrows and dance with me.” Whatever it might be, one thing’s for certain: Nau is the master of bittersweet, capturing both the shadow and the sunshine, the happiness and sadness of both the past and the future. In the present, put this song on repeat.

“Landmine” by Spooled Up
The 1990s are alive and well in Baltimore thanks to the wily garage rock of this two-year-old indie quartet. They possess a raw, explosive sound that’s bottled in this aptly named lead track off their sophomore EP, Strange World. On it, the cool, calm vocals of Naomi Davidoff command the mic, which she shares with bandmate Luke Spicknall on other tracks, while a thick tangle of fuzzed-out guitar fills the air and a rollicking surf sound spins out in every direction. Full of inertia, consider this young band one to watch.

“Exquisite Pain” by Vosh
It’s easy to be enchanted by the haunting vocals of Josephine Olivia. We found ourselves hooked back when she was half of electro-R&B duo Blacksage, where her limber coos wove like a snake around the band’s talented trap-forward beats. Now, years later, after moving back to Baltimore and going solo, her new project, Vosh, carries many of the same qualities that lured in local listeners in the first place, but this time, she digs even deeper, and goes darker, both in shadowy themes and the serpentine sound of her self-proclaimed “death pop.” Off her forthcoming EP, produced by former Baltimore producer Owen Ross, this first single is propelled by a heavy bouncing bass, monastic hums, and her still ethereal vox, touching on pain, pleasure, and desire. We’ll be eagerly awaiting more.

*Not on Spotify. We’ll add it to the playlist when it becomes available.

Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.

 EAT

March 11: Pig Parts & Pancakes

Foraged Eatery, 3520 Chestnut Ave. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. 410-235-0035.

For many of us, Sunday brunch is a must-do weekend ritual, so naturally we were excited to hear that this new farm-to-table eatery would be debuting its inaugural service this weekend. On Sunday, head to the tiny, trendy Hampden spot for a hyper-seasonal brunch menu featuring chef  Chris Amendola’s trademark pig parts and made-to-order mimosas (and beermosas!). While it sounds like an unconventional pairing, let your adventurous weekend self be pleasantly surprised by crispy pig ears and fluffy pancake stacks drizzled with a local delicacy—black walnut and red maple syrup, harvested from Whistle Pig Hollow and Third Way Farms.

 DRINK

March 9: End of Prohibition Party

Chuck’s Trading Post, 1506 W. 36th St. 3-11 p.m. Free. 410-366-0178.

Baltimore has a long, storied history with Prohibition, with speakeasies and hidden stashes of booze fueling the city’s best parties in the 1920s. Now, almost a century later, this Hampden hideaway will break in its new liquor license and celebrate its own end to Prohibition with free-flowing Union Craft brews and an all-afternoon party. For the first time ever, pair Double Duckpins and Old Pros with Best of Baltimore-winning skillet dishes and cured meat sandwiches as you raise a glass to our country’s hooch-filled future.

 SEE

March 10: Adam Davies ‘Reroutings’ Exhibition

Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. 6-9 p.m. Free. 410-276-1651. 

This month, Creative Alliance resident artist Adam Davies will transform the Highlandtown gallery into Reroutings, a brand-new exhibit featuring his large-format photographs of ordinary public structures, such as overlooked bridges or tunnels, that have served another purpose as accidental civic forums. During the opening reception on Saturday, LA-based musician Alex Zhang Hungtai, known largely for his lo-fi electronic project Dirty Beaches, will perform the soundscapes that helped influence the artist’s photos. Listen as the waves of sound fill the room and immerse yourself in Davies’ monumental photographs of graffiti-covered walls in this dark, intimate space. 

 HEAR

March 9: March 9: Super City/:3ION/Raw Silk

Metro Gallery, 1700 N. Charles St. 8 p.m. $10. 410-244-0899. 

If you weren’t hiding under a rock last year, you probably caught wind of Super City’s infectious music video for its even more addictive single, “Artificial Sin.” If you didn’t, Google it now and you’ll instantly know why you need to be at The Metro Gallery this Friday night. Watch the indie-pop-rock group perform their choreographed dance moves and hear new music off their upcoming 2018 album. Local electronic R&B singer (and Best of Baltimore winner) :3ION will be opening the show with his bewitching pop music, as will New York City’s dance band Raw Silk.

 DO

March 9: Intercambio

The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. 7-10 p.m. $25-30. 443-573-1700.

With the U.S. immigration debate at the forefront of national news, there’s never been a more important time to come together and hear stories from Baltimoreans about their experiences with exchange and inspiration across the U.S.-Mexico Border. As part of Stoop Storytelling’s “Stoop Special Engagement” series that coincides with The Baltimore Museum of Art’s Crossing Borders: Mexican Modernist Prints exhibit, listen to seven storytellers share their personal, deeply human anecdotes, including local artist Alfonso Fernandez on re-discovering his Mexican heritage through art and Clavel’s chef Carlos Raba on his father’s murder and growing up in Culiacán, Sinaloa. While you’re there, take advantage of after-hours access to the modernist print exhibit before it closes on Sunday.

In this fourth iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we feature five local songs we can’t get enough of, ranging from glittery pop remixes and chill-wave raps to experimental electronica and lauded indie-rock. Check back each month for new top songs of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist as we continue to build a soundtrack for our city. 

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“Sightsee” by Blacksage ft. :3ION (Moss Of Aura remix)*

Talk about a quadfecta. Blacksage’s Josephine Olivia and Drew Scott produced a pretty stellar album last fall, with its debut Shivers, featuring this sexy snaking number and a handful of other lovely, dark ballads. But in this just released remix, 2016’s “Sight See” gets a euphoric, orchestral new look in 2017. The original melody floats through the luminous mist of Moss Of Aura (aka Gerritt Welmers of Future Islands), bringing the angelic vocals of futuristic R&B singer :3ION to the forefront, wrapping the warbling coos of Olivia into a featherbed of synth, and infusing Scott’s initial, deep beat with a hefty dose of light. By the end, it transforms from a lust song into a sort of love one. 

“Dead Man Draggin’” by Butch Dawson

If you dig Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, or Tyler The Creator, you’ll want to follow Butch Dawson. The local producer and frontman for Basement Rap Records is a reservoir of smart, sophisticated, slow burn rhymes, and he stands on his own as one of Baltimore’s sharpest rappers. The beauty of his beats lies in their contrast, as his tranquil melodies are studded with hard-hitting ruminations. On this number (featuring some NSFW lyrics), the jangling chill-wave beat and shimmering timber of hi-hat drums meets lyrics that are listless in their delivery yet complex and contemplative in their content. Through verse and chorus, Dawson seems to address the struggles of our city (“Something ain’t right right now, nothing can save my town”) and the predicament of being a young black man in Baltimore (“Gotta give it up, I’m just a dead man . . . Can’t do much when you’re a dead man”). In short, don’t sleep on his upcoming album, Swamp Boy.

“Wham City” by Dan Deacon

When this song first came out 10 years ago, Dan Deacon was a quasi-known experimental musician, best known for his Wham City arts collective at the Copycat Building in Station North, still years away from becoming a local household name. Now, Deacon is wedged somewhere between Beach House and Future Islands as one of the biggest and brightest acts to come out of Baltimore. At nearly 12 minutes, this recently re-released track takes you on a journey, from its exuberant bookend melodies through its race-pace electronic heart. In the end, we wind up where we are now: standing in awe of Deacon’s musical mastery. Back then, as in today, he turns the unexpected into a beautiful cacophonous symphony.

“Without You” by Micah E. Wood

Last year, we fell for Micah E. Wood’s infectious song “Go Away,” featuring the aforementioned Butch Dawson. We also adored his prolific portraits of Baltimore musicians bathed in afternoon light, like Joy Postell, Abdu Ali, and Al Rogers Jr., which seemed to be popping up everywhere. Naturally, we were extra excited to hear about Wood’s upcoming album, See Me, out September 22, and this new single, featuring a brighter brand of his trademark talk-sing electro-pop. This catchy, bass-heavy beat builds and blossoms into an anthemic chorus that pretty much sums up that jubilant moment of finally getting over a break-up: “I feel alive without you,” he sings, drawing that five-letter adjective out into eternity. Even if you’re in a relationship, this song makes you feel like you are full of life.

“Thinning” by Snail Mail

This song has been around for a year, but we’re adding it to the list anyway in celebration of Snail Mail’s badass inclusion in last week’s New York Times. In a rad roundtable titled “Rock’s Not Dead, It’s Ruled by Women,” frontwoman Lindsey Jordan keeps it real and, as in her music, comes across as well beyond her 18 years. Over the past few months, this breakout single has caught the attention of everyone from Pitchfork to SXSW to, now, the Gray Lady. It’s potent and pure, and its lush, lo-fi melody is laying forth the groundwork for a new era of indie-garage rock. It’s everything you felt at that coming-of-age moment before your twenties—her openhearted lyrics read like your internal diary, those gritty guitar chords pull at your heartstrings—and yet it continues to resonate, whatever your age might be today. 

*Not available on Spotify yet. We’ll add it when it comes online.

:3ION
Ronin (Nina Pop)

We think we’ve found our favorite new artist of 2016. Pronounced like Elon, :3ION sounds like nothing we’ve heard from the Baltimore music scene thus far. In fact, we expect his futuristic R&B to hit the national platform before long. Pairing electronic dance beats with ethereal melodies and vocal swoons, the 24-year-old artist creates a dreamy sound that pulls at your heartstrings and presses your deepest desires. On his solo debut, he hooks you with sexy slow jams, like “Floatin,” and up-tempo tracks that blossom like a time-lapsed flower, as in “Many Moons.” In the coming year, expect to find his name on a bounty of genre-crossing bills.

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Surf Harp
Peel (Friends Records)

As you open the windows, shorten your shirtsleeves, and make plans for summer, this is the Baltimore band to dig on. The garage-pop five-piece just debuted its first full-length album, full of fuzzy beach guitar, driving percussion, and an overflowing, sun-drenched sound. It’s an accomplished feat for a 4-year-old band. Each song is a ball of energy, raw and rambunctious yet densely layered and vibrant, like the first single, “Leather,” or the rolling wheel of “Rubber Dad.” But there’s not one second-rate song. The band even brings it on the slow ones, like in the swelling clash of “Rubylith” or gentle jangle of “University.”