Leave it to the Creative Alliance to use these strange times to get, well, creative.

For more than 20 years, the local arts organization and venue has been a hub for artistic performances of every stripe, with its Highlandtown stage host to a diverse medley of talent from Baltimore and beyond. That is until the end of last week, when its Patterson Theater went dark as social distancing measures were put into place across the city and country, first barring groups of more than 250, followed shortly after by those of more than 50, and now 10. These restrictions had an immediate impact on artistic communities, many of which have long made their living by performing in front of crowds.

But in an effort to support local musicians, Creative Alliance has found a way to still bring live music to the local masses with its brand-new series, Sidewalk Serenades.

For a donation, these “close (but not too close)” personal concerts will offer city residents the opportunity to have a short musical performance delivered to their homes or sent as a gift to friends and family, with musicians performing several songs outside while keeping a safe distance from the sidewalk or street. Think of it as a singing telegram for these strange times.

“One of the magical things about Creative Alliance is, when we got together to figure out our messaging around closing down the building, we immediately started thinking, ‘Well, what if we . . . !’ How do we stay relevant as an arts organization and how we keep the artists and contractors that are really the lifeblood of this organization working?,” says performance director Josh Kohn.

Beginning this weekend, concerts will start with Americana veteran Caleb Stine on Saturday, March 21, followed by Old-Time folk quartet Homestead Street Band, as well as trumpeter Brandon Woody with percussionist Allen Bernard Branch, all on Sunday, March 22, with several time slots throughout each day and more artists to be announced shortly.

Donations from each performance will be split between the artists and Creative Alliance, while gratis concerts will also be coordinated for families or organizations in need.

“We have more in the works [and] lots of interested musicians,” says communications director Heather Keating. “We will continue for as long as we can—the more support, the more musicians we can include.”

In an effort to keep their hourly staff employed, the organization will also be releasing a number of other creative events and activities in the coming days.

With next weekend’s second annual Big Baltimore Kite Festival cancelled, families can now bring the festival home with kids’ activity kits, including one kite, an arts and craft project, a dance ribbon, coloring book pages, and more, available for both indoor and outdoor use for $30 via delivery or pickup.

And with K-12 schools temporarily closed throughout the state, Creative Alliance will also present free Drag Storytime on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m. via Facebook Live, with a live reading of family-friendly books, with both children and parents encouraged to dress up in their fanciest attire. Tips will be accepted through each drag queen’s personal Venmo account.

“It’s been a tough couple of days, for sure,” says Josh Kohn. “We’re trying to come up with fun ways that are creative and engage the community while also keeping the people we love and who are a part of our family working and employed.”

Letitia VanSant

Circadian

There’s a movement afoot in the Americana music world, and Baltimore songwriter Letitia VanSant has been ready for it for years. From Brandi Carlile to Kacey Musgraves and Margo Price, female musicians are singing truth to power, telling authentic stories from an underrepresented perspective across their respective country-tinged genres. VanSant has long fused the personal and the political, but on her sophomore album, she steps confidently forward as an artist to watch, armed with plenty of her own tales, all worth listening to (see “You Can’t Put My Fire Out” and “Tin Man,” for starters). In fact, she’s recently caught the attention of national outlets like Paste, American Songwriter, and Rolling Stone. Across nine songs, she emerges with a rich new depth to her mighty vocals, magnetic melodies, and mindful lyrics. Even in her quiet moments, she packs a powerful punch. Definitely keep an eye out for her in days and years to come.

Caleb Stine
& The Revelations

Mystic Country

For nearly two decades, Caleb Stine has been a shepherd of the Baltimore music scene, leading listeners toward an appreciation of genuine Americana music long before his genre found itself in the midst of a major revival. It’s no surprise, then, that the singer-songwriter and his latest band, The Revelations (an expansion of his original Brakemen), have made a concept album that encourages us to follow along. We do, willingly, instantly captivated by this soundtrack to a dreamed-up road trip across America. It’s a rambling, rapturous work, fusing the likes of folk, rock, jazz, and psychedelia across both sparse interludes that sprawl out like open country roads and bursts of colorful energy that evoke the characters you meet and towns and cities you stop in along the way. In the end, Stine captures, and celebrates, the spirited diversity that can be found across this great nation, an undeniable response to its current state of deep division. Snippets of GPS and radio fuzz (featuring WYPR’s own Aaron Henkin) make it feel like you’re riding shotgun.

EAT

Nov. 22-24: Roll Up at R. House

R. House, 301 W. 29th St. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Free.

The rotating space at R. House has been a launchpad for several local food concepts (Urban Oyster and The Big Softy, to name a few), and now Roll Up, an Americanized eggroll pop-up, is taking its turn at the helm. Created earlier this year by Baltimore food industry veteran Whitney Johnson, the concept’s handmade eggrolls are packed with experimental fillings, such as crab dip and baked mac and cheese, and best paired with a pile of Roll Up’s beer-battered onion rings. Stop by the Remington food hall to sample one of each roll, including the “That’s Bananas” dessert roll, before the pop-up ends on Sunday.

DRINK

Nov. 23: Baltimore Whiskey Festival

The Assembly Room, 316 Guilford Ave. 12-4 p.m. $69.

Spend the evening sipping whiskeys from around the world during this fine spirits festival. Choose from 100-plus craft-distilled whiskeys, stop by the Founder’s Finds table to browse a curated selection of rare products, or learn about the art of distillation from experts during a series of free seminars. If the entry price makes you pause, keep in mind that a portion of the event’s proceeds will directly benefit the Spirit of Hope Children’s Foundation.

SEE

Nov. 24: Opening of Mickalene Thomas: A Moment’s Pleasure

The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free.

Starting this weekend, the lobby at The Baltimore Museum of Art will be transformed into a homey living room, thanks to the linoleum floors, picture frames, and mixed-pattern furniture of artist Mickalene Thomas’ latest installation. Best known for her jewel-encrusted portraits of African-American women and high-profile clients such as Michelle Obama, Thomas is using this two-year exhibition to showcase works by Baltimore-based artists. Among them will be music videos by the likes of TT the Artist, Abdu Ali, and Hunter Hooligan—which will play on a loop as part of the installation. Be one of the first to see this immersive work during its opening reception on Sunday, and stick around for a signature cocktail, beats by DJ Trillnatured, and custom nail art by Power Decals.

HEAR

Nov. 23: Caleb Stine & The Revelations

Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St. Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m. $15-50.

To say that singer-songwriter Caleb Stine is a longtime mainstay of the Baltimore folk scene may be an understatement at this point. His Americana sound has drawn comparisons to artists from Townes Van Zandt to Neil Young, and this month, he will return to Creative Alliance to premiere a new batch of songs. Stine will bring his thoughtful and poetic lyricism to the stage and invite The Revelations band and a few other special guests to share it with him. Come out to support this local troubadour and revel in the good vibes he brings to every show.

DO

Nov. 23: Greedy Reads Grand Opening

Greedy Reads, 320 W. 29th St. 11 a.m. Free.

It’s been less than two years since the independent bookshop Greedy Reads brought new life to the corner of Aliceanna and South Ann streets with its curated selection of titles, author talks, and monthly book club. Now, owner Julia Fleischaker is opening a second location of the fan-favorite store in Remington. On Saturday, stop by to see the new digs—located just a stone’s throw away from R. House—before spending the afternoon browsing for a new winter read, participating in opening-day giveaways and games, and petting Audie, Fleischaker’s Labrador-greyhound mix and the official Greedy Reads mascot.

Visual Art

Grace Hartigan: Works on Paper

Track the evolution of 20th-century artist Grace Hartigan through decades-worth of watercolors, collages, and paintings at C. Grimaldis Gallery starting this month. The local gallery has represented Hartigan’s estate since 1979, and this new exhibition covering 50 years of her works will offer visitors the chance to experience her early contributions to Abstract Expressionism all the way through the vibrant, representative pieces that marked her later career. Nov. 14 through Jan. 11, 2020. Opening reception Nov. 14, 6-8 p.m. C. Grimaldis Gallery, 523 N. Charles St.

Literature

Brown Lecture Series: Colson Whitehead, The Nickel Boys

Colson Whitehead is a literary force, and his latest offering, The Nickel Boys, based on a true story of a Florida reform school and the lives it affected over a century, is a must-read. Pick up your copy of Whitehead’s hard-to-put-down novel, and then stop by the Central Library to hear from the award-winning MacArthur Genius himself. 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 14. Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St.

Jubilee: A Celebration of Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking with Toni Tipton-Martin

Welcome author and recent Baltimore transplant Toni Tipton-Martin to her new home by attending this lunch and discussion toasting Jubilee: A Celebration of Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking, hosted by the D.C. chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier. Tipton-Martin’s new cookbook is a lesson in both great meals and underrepresented history, and the luncheon is sure to include wonderful discussions of both. 12-2 p.m. Nov. 23. Gunther & Co., 3650 Toone St.

Music

WTMD First Thursday Festival

Did you skip the rainy WTMD First Thursday Festival at Canton Waterfront Park in September? If so, you missed out on a doozy of a lineup and an incredible night out. Whether you’re looking to get your chance to listen to those sets or relive the magic, Maryland Public TV and WTMD are here to help. The two local stalwarts have partnered to turn the concert into a 1-hour special set to premiere on MPT Nov. 7, with a simulcast of the performances by Robert Randolph, Super City, and Emily Wolfe on WTMD. 10-11 p.m. Nov. 7 on MPT and WTMD.

Caleb Stine & The Revelations Album Release Party

It’s a known fact that Caleb Stine is a Baltimore treasure. Join the celebrated songsmith and friends for an evening of good vibes and new tunes at the Creative Alliance to welcome his latest album into the world. Also on hand will be Arty Hill, the Honey Dewdrops, Ben Frock, and other local favorites. 8 p.m. Nov. 23. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave.

Theatre

Freedom: An Evening of LGBTQ Storytelling

Gather your people and settle in to listen to eight LGBTQ storytellers present their personal interpretations of the theme “freedom.” Come early to mingle and listen to live music at the cocktail hour, then sit back and enjoy these sometimes heartfelt, sometimes humorous, tales. 7-10 p.m. Nov. 16. Baltimore Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St.

Fluid Movement’s 20th Birthday Galapalooza

Grab some glitter and head over AVAM to help Fluid Movement cap off their 20th birthday festivities with what’s sure to be an unforgettable night of quirky company, good eats, and joyous dance and musical acts from the quintessential Baltimore performers. Get a VIP ticket to enjoy an extra hour of signature cocktails and snacks, as well as a bonus performance before the dance party gets started. 7-11 p.m. Nov. 23. American Visionary Art Museum, Jim Rouse Visionary Center, 800 Key Hwy.

Film

The Chesapeake Bay: A Look Back in Film

Sail back to days gone by with this presentation of ‘70s and ‘80s 16mm films celebrating Baltimore and the Chesapeake at the Heron Room. Local film presenter Bob Wagner will screen the archive footage that covers everything from growing environmental concerns in the bay to a crab race and Ms. Crustacean 1985. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 18. The Heron Room, 3000 Falls Rd.

The hottest concerts of the summer are once again upon us, and that’s not just because they always coincide with the season’s warmest temperatures. With the mercury climbing to the high nineties, the 38th annual Artscape festival returns to Mt. Vernon, Bolton Hill, and Station North this weekend with three full days of free art. Every year, we wait on the edge of our seats for the musical lineup, and this year’s headliners don’t disappoint. Each one offers a throwback to different decades—from the local James Brown Dance Party featuring Fred Thomas of the Godfather of Soul’s own 1970s band on Saturday night, to the 1980s British ska-punk of the English Beat on Sunday, to the groundbreaking 1990s R&B trio of SWV on Friday.

But for us, the main event really lies in the festival’s trove of Baltimore talent, with dozens of homegrown acts playing on various stages throughout the weekend. From promising up-and-comers to local scene veterans, we’ve rounded up eight sets not to miss.

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Astronaut Symphony
Afro House is one of the most inventive arts groups in the city these days, with their unlikely musical experiences breaking down any preconceived notions of what concerts can and should be. See for yourself with this futuristic fusion of beat box, opera, punk, and funk, led by AH co-founder, pianist, and composer Scott Patterson. Saturday, Lyric Opera House, 6 p.m.

Caleb Stine & Friends
There might be few better ways to spend a warm summer night than listening to the hearty folk sounds of the city’s Americana spirit guide, Caleb Stine. With more than 10 records under his belt and more than two decades on the local scene, the poetic songwriter draws a loyal crowd and puts on a powerful show, full of heartfelt ballads, toe-tapping ditties, and rolling-thunder road songs driven by acoustic instruments. Saturday, Johns Hopkins University Stage, 8 p.m.

Eze Jackson
From his role as frontman of alternative hip-hop collective Soul Cannon, to emceeing the recurring Bmore Beat Club, to regular solo and collaborative sets across all pockets of the city, Eze Jackson has undoubtedly been one of the most steadfast and hardworking musicians on the Baltimore scene over the last decade. And every third weekend of July, he has hosted an Artscape after-party in Station North, which he’s doing again this Saturday with a release party for his upcoming album, Fool. Tickets start at $8—a surefire steal for what will be a raw, red-blooded set. Saturday, Metro Gallery, 8 p.m.

Kotic Couture
With rapid-fire flows, honey-coated vocals, and a fierce stage presence as seen during the monthly Version queer dance party at The Crown, Kotic Couture has quickly become a rising star of the local rap scene. Escape the heat in the air-conditioned University of Baltimore Student Center for an infectious set as part of the Worlds In Collusion lineup by the High Zero Foundation. One verse in, and we promise: you’ll be hooked. Saturday, University of Baltimore Student Center, Wright Theater, 8 p.m.

MovaKween
This sultry soul singer’s songs are fit for the extreme heat and humidity expected to hit Baltimore this Sunday. Her earthy vocals flit and flutter, snaking around slow, smoldering melodies rooted in R&B, jazz, and soul. Just pay attention to her lyrics, which speak to the cosmos, creative freedom, and feminine energy and empowerment. Sunday, Johns Hopkins University Stage, 1:30 p.m.

Ratscape
Last summer, this DIY music festival returned to Station North after a three-year hiatus, and this weekend, it’s back for another three days of local bands at The Ynot Lot and The Crown. Among dozens of acts, be sure to check on punk quartet Baklavaa and rapper Toyomansi on Friday, hip-hop artists Josh Stokes and DYYO on Saturday, and soul singer Randi, R&B singer Bobbi Rush, and indie bands Shinji and Romantic States on Sunday. Times & locations vary.

Rufus Roundtree & Da B’More Brass Factory
Push off the Sunday scaries with an afternoon powerhouse performance by Baltimore institution Rufus Roundtree & Da B’More Brass Factory on the Main Stage. This high-energy music collective is one of the most fun, feel-good shows in town, fusing funk, hip-hop, soul, and jazz into a Charm City-meets-New Orleans get-down that should incite a second line. Also catch trumpeter Clarence Ward III’s skillful Sunday set on the Morgan State University stage at 6 p.m. Sunday, Main Stage, 1 p.m.

Super City
We regularly rave about the need to see this Baltimore indie-pop band live, and now is your chance, as the well-clad quintet finally takes to the festival’s Main Stage on Saturday afternoon. Stand in awe of their choreographed moves, but also bring your own dancing shoes and prepare to bop, if not outright mosh, along. They’re likely to bring both old favorites, like catchy slow-jam “Artificial Sin,” and new hits, like “High,” to this don’t-miss show. Saturday, Main Stage, 4:30 p.m.

This was a big year for Baltimore music. A decade after Rolling Stone dubbed our city the best music scene in the country, local artists continued to make great music—in some ways better than ever—and they got recognized for it, both through local listeners and on the national stage.

Locally, Baltimore artists released a record number of highly anticipated albums over the course of the last 12 months, and in doing so, also treated us to a heap of had-to-be-there concerts on our hometown stages, from Snail Mail making her debut at The Parkway to DDm transforming the Soundstage into a fashion runway to one very memorable night starring TT The Artist at Union Collective during our first-ever Baltimore magazine Music Festival. (Be on the lookout for its return in 2019.) Nationally, it seemed as if every time we went online, another local musician was being recognized by a top tastemaker, from The Fader and Vice (both thanks in no small part to True Laurels’ Lawrence Burney) to, yes, Rolling Stone, plus NPR, Billboard, and The New York Times, with one especially deserved piece on local artists of color. Hearing this music, seeing these concerts, and reading these headlines amidst the chaos of 2018 gave us a glimmer of hope.

Picking favorites from this past year has felt nearly impossible—we simply didn’t know where to begin, or end—so to help narrow our focus, we’ve chosen 20 songs off those aforementioned new albums, which includes everything from fresh-faced folk and up-and-coming hip-hop to the rebirth of indie veterans and the solidification of new rock stars. Hear for yourself, via our Spotify playlist below, but in this age of quick consumption, we encourage you to listen to these records in full, and to find your own favorites. And to continue to follow the local music scene, these artists and others, into 2019 and beyond.

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“Dive” by Beach House
We’ve learned to no longer sit on the edge of our seats for a Beach House album as over the last few years the duo has continued to drop a sudden new song here or full-blown record release there without so much as a whiff of Internet buzz. But their seventh record, aptly titled 7, did serve as a solid reminder of the band’s ability to surprise us. It’s a hazy, haunting evolution in their decade-long perfection of shimmering, fuzzed-out dream-pop, with the new songs bringing a fresh sense of urgency and innovation, as heard in this second single. It builds in Beach House’s signature slow-burning way before erupting in a potent moment of thunderous live drums and lustrous guitar. This newfound clarity only further cements Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally as indie rock royalty, in Baltimore and beyond.
Honorable Mentions: “Lemon Glow,” “Drunk In LA,” “L’Inconnue.”

“Feel Nobody” by Butch Dawson

One of the biggest breakthroughs of the year might belong to Butch Dawson (and one of the biggest oversights of the year likely belongs to leaving him out of our Music Issue’s list of top 50 bands to watch). This mosh-ready single off the West Baltimore rapper’s autumn debut, Swamp Boy, was undoubtedly one of the most beloved songs in 2018, bringing his punkish, smoke-swirled brand of hip-hop to the forefront of the local music scene. Dawson’s unbridled fire was also recognized by The Fader and that aforementioned article in The New York Times.
Honorable Mentions: “Division St. Blues,” “Liberation,” “Distances.”

“Hollow Imitation” by Caleb Stine
Long before the birth of the Charm City Bluegrass Festival and the region’s recent folk music renaissance, there was Caleb Stine, stoking the flames of his genre and its deep ties to Maryland through Americana tales over the course of the last two decades. But Moon, the rustic raconteur’s first new solo record in some time, turns its attention away from the road and religion, toward the ground-shaking, all-consuming power of love. This reverential ballad is Stine’s storytelling at its very best, with saturated imagery unfolding like an old film.
Honorable Mentions: “Higher Ground,” “Garden,” “Bodhi Tree.”

“Rude” by DDm
Okay, so we know this record hasn’t officially dropped, but anyone who’s seen DDm perform over the last several months has already fallen for the new tracks off his upcoming Soundtrack To A Shopping Mall, due out in the new year. DDm, aka Emmanuel Williams, aka Unkle Lulu, aka the Secretary of Shade, is the master of bona fide swagger, side-splitting braggadocio, and Beyoncé-worthy production, as showcased on this track. We can’t think of many (or any) other local artists who put on a performance quite like DDm; he brings it to everything he touches.
Honorable Mentions: “Ready To Wear,” “Try Me On,” “Forever 21.”

“Riddles” by Ed Schrader’s Music Beat
After a decade of cutting their chops and gaining a loyal following on the local scene, Ed Schrader and Devlin Rice finally got their national due this year, with the post-punk duo’s spring album, Riddles, via Car Park Records, lauded by the likes of NPR, Spin, and Rolling Stone. We could say it’s about time, but those years allowed ESMB to find new footing in this cathartic triumph, produced by friend and fellow local institution Dan Deacon. Out of 10 bold songs, this twinkling title track is the unrivaled star—swelling in synth-fueled emotion and ’80s-pop euphoria—speaking to facing your fears and, in turn, yourself. Just be sure to watch its Best of Baltimore-winning music video as well.
Honorable Mentions: “Kid Radium,” “Dunce,” “Tom.”

“Knock the Man Down” by The High & Wides
Yes, the city’s bluegrass scene has been growing like kudzu over the last few years, but few new bands have caught our eye—and ear—quite like this Baltimore-by-way-of-Eastern Shore string quartet. Their spring debut, Lifted, was met with critical acclaim for its reverence to, revolution from, and revival of the Americana genre; thought rooted in tradition, the band reimagines bluegrass for the 21st century. This track is all grit and gumption, from its jangly melody to its howling vocals and expert instrumentation—a back-woods boot-stomper for modern day.
Honorable Mentions: “Rake Out The Nails,” “Ballad of Caulk’s Field,” “Dark Blues.”

“Water” by Joy Postell
Diaspora, the full-length debut by Joy Postell, only affirmed what we already knew: the twenty-something soul powerhouse is a forerunner of the local music scene and a force to be reckoned with. Drawing inspiration from legends of the past (Nina Simone, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughn), Postell looks toward the future as a black woman in America in 2018, and each of the album’s tracks tackle the African-American experience, from freedom to love. With a rippling jazz melody and the singer’s mighty vox, this second single is an especially poignant portrait, presenting young black minds as the seeds of future change. Indeed Postell, also featured in the summer New York Times feature, is one herself.
Honorable Mentions: “Consciousness,” “North Star,” “Free Black.”

“1539 N. Calvert” by JPEGMAFIA
Heading into 2019, JPEGMAFIA is definitely one of the city’s—and country’s—top wavemakers, thanks to a record year riding on the success of his boundary-pushing spring Veteran, with fiery live performances at the likes of Afropunk and spots in a slew of end-of-year best-of lists from Stereogum to Pitchfork sold. Though he now lives in L.A., we continue to claim the rap provocateur as our own. After all, this first track off the sophomore record is an ode to the former Bell Foundry art space in Greenmount West that abruptly closed after the Ghost Ship fire in California. The murky melody is a no-holds-barred stream-of-consciousness, best listened to alongside its dystopian Last Supper music video featuring other fellow Bell regulars.
Honorable Mentions: “Baby I’m Bleeding,” “Rock N Roll Is Dead,” “Macaulay Culkin.”

“Assume The Position” by Lafayette Gilchrist & The New Volcanoes
There are few living legends left in Baltimore quite like Lafayette Gilchrist. The Baltimore-by-way-of-D.C. jazz and 2018 Baker Artist Award winner is revered by critics and listeners alike for his dynamic domination of the keys, easily recognized on his iconic scores in David Simon’s HBO series, from The Wire to The Deuce, but the. On his latest EP, Deep Dancing Suite, Gilchrist and his 10-piece New Volcanoes bring back the uncontainable energy of jazz-era improvisation with a dose of modern danceability. Notably, this long-held hit gets new life at nearly double its original length, where keys, brass, and percussion take part in a lively jive. The reinvention stands testament to the artist’s freestyle fluency and finesse.
Honorable Mentions: “Deep Dancing Suite,” “Ping Pong,” “Return of the Inchworm.”

“Where I’m Bound” by Letitia VanSant
In her spring album and follow-up to 2015’s Parts & Labor, Gut It To The Studs, folk singer-songwriter Letitia VanSant crafts a thoughtful opus on new chapters and change, with this first melody being a love letter to that of personal growth. On it, VanSant’s mellifluent voice rolls bright and clear along a hearty river of acoustic guitar, upright bass, and old-school fiddle, setting the stage for the rest of the record and embracing the yet-to-be-seen discovery that still lies ahead of her. In the end of both this song and the entire record, she emerges newly powerful and perceptive. We’ll be anxious to see how she channels that newfound purpose on her next release.
Honorable Mentions: “Gut It To The Studs,” “Wild Heart Roam,” “Sundown Town.”

“Winning” by Peso Da Mafia
Last summer, Northeast Baltimore rap group Peso Da Mafia launched onto the local airwaves and, shortly thereafter, national stage with their come-up single turned viral dance video “Money Man.” It would be a tough act to follow, but by early 2018, the trio would drop this sneak peek off their debut Never A Drought via Warner Music subsidiary Asylum Records. With more than a million Spotify listens and YouTube music video views for this track, it’s safe to say that their slow-burn beats, confident rhymes, and catchy hooks are in anything but short supply. And with slots at SXSW and the BET Awards preshow, plus shout outs in Complex and XXL, it seems the big-wigs are watching, too.
Honorable Mentions: “Money Man,” “TSAY,” “About Us.”

“Homeward Bound” by Sean K. Preston & The Loaded Pistols
We’ve heard this ballad around the Fells Point dive bars for a few years, but newly produced on the fall full-length, Forgive, by Sean K. Preston and his band The Loaded Pistols, the country blues number has taken on new meaning. This song details the heartache, hard luck, and hungry dreams that it takes to be a full-time musician, and in term, captures the essence of one of Baltimore’s most dogged performers and true-blue, truth-speaking storytellers. After more than a decade on the local scene, this ballad and its accompanying record not only document but put on full display the hard-earned talents of Preston and his bandmates.
Honorable Mentions: “Last Call,” “Barnburner,” “Life’s a Bitch.”

“cherubim” by serpentwithfeet
This spring, the unexpected sound of serpentwithfeet, aka Baltimore native Josiah Wise, brought the country’s top music critics to their knees. The avant-R&B artist’s debut soil was considered a singular tour de force—absorbing in its theatricality, moving in its occult spirituality, liberating in its effusive emotion—transcendent of all boundaries. In short, it’s unlike anything anyone had heard, as showcased in this devastatingly intimate devotional. The holy roller brings the multitudes of love, specifically queer black love, to light, melodically marching uphill to the pedestal upon which we humans put our lovers, chanting a declaration of dedication through an intricately layered chorus of Wise’s vibrato vocals and soaring tenor with every step along the way.
Honorable Mentions: “whisper,” “bless ur heart,” “mourning song.”

“Play Hard” by Soul Cannon
Seven years is a long time for any band to not release new music but still maintain its relevancy in the music business. But rules don’t apply to the hip-hop collective of Soul Cannon, which remains a vital force on the local scene for its explosive experimentation and fiery live shows. And MC Eze Jackson and his three classically trained comrades have only solidified that status through this winter’s self-titled record on which the quartet continues to break new ground through old tracks and new. Exhibit A: this agile sprint of a song that we can’t get enough of, founded in the tight tango of Jackson’s urgent, poetic vocals and his bandmates’ wily, propulsive instrumentation. The band is a well-oiled machine that inspires any listener—music, writer, whoever you are—to play harder, too.
Honorable Mentions: “Hospital Records,” “F Sharp,” “Talk Less.”

“Pristine” by Snail Mail
We wish Snail Mail had been around when we were in high school. Has there ever been a band that so perfectly bottles the essence of the teenage heart? Have there every been any lyrics—“Don’t you like me for me?” or “I know myself and I’ll never love anyone else”—that so captured and catapulted out into the world the hidden thoughts and emotions of that tumultuous time of life? Maybe that’s why this has been the year of Lindsey Jordan, with the Ellicott City 18-year-old, her debut Lush, via Matador Records, and this first single featured in nearly every noteworthy publication and best-of end-of-year list on record. And rightfully so—Jordan is the brooding, heart-on-her-sleeve rock star we needed in 2018. And next year, too.
Honorable Mentions: “Heat Wave,” “Golden Dream,” “Full Control.”

“Vulture” by Super City
To get a dose of the infectious energy and undeniable chemistry of Super City, pick any song off their fall Sanctuary—the indie (or “freakwave,” as they’ve been called) quintet’s new fall record. Though not one of the band’s first singles, we find this breakneck anthem to be a good starting point. Co-frontman Greg Wellham commands the mic on this pop-punk-go-go melody, riddled with livewire guitar, punchy drums, and one epic buildup starting at the 2:25 mark as they swat away negative energy. For the full effect, see it live for their fancy, fame-worthy footwork. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: these are the local rock gods you need to know now.
Honorable Mentions: “Sanctuary,” “Artificial Sin,” “Ghosts of Love.”

“I Lost You” by Surf Harp
Eighties kids will feel instantly drawn to Surf Harp’s Mr. Big Picture. Maybe it’s because of the indie quintet’s visuals, reminiscent of the early Macintosh computers and MTV music videos of our youth. Likely it’s their post-punk-meets-new-wave sound, as creative and off-kilter as a Talking Heads hit. This band finds their own lane, though, with each of this spring record’s 10 songs keeping their own unruly pace. For us, this shadowy ballad felt like the album’s diamond in the rough, building from windswept melancholia into a swirl of momentum, spinning out before the story ends, leaving you wanting more.
Honorable Mentions: “D.I. Cig,” “Catholic Glass,” “Homework Program.”

“Payroll” by TT The Artist
We’d like to put it on record: Baltimore Club queen TT The Artist is one of the hardest working musicians in the business. In 2018 alone, she premiered the trailer for her upcoming directorial debut, Dark City: Beneath the Beat, a full-length documentary on the city’s music and dance genre of Bmore Club; she moved to L.A. and launched her all-women Club Queen Records, still with frequent stints back east for filming and fiery performances; and she dropped the label’s first Club Queens EP with New Jersey’s UNIIQU3. But one listen to her label’s first single—full of unabashed bravado, electric beats, playful creativity, and featured on heavy rotation this summer on 92Q—and you’ll see that TT is just getting started.
Honorable Mentions: “Off The Chain,” “Freaking in the Club,” “Fall Back.”

“It’s Okay” by Wume
We knew we couldn’t wait for new music from experimental duo Wume after their mesmerizing 2015 EP, Maintain, but this fall, their new full-length record left us completely dazzled. In a quest for deeper truths, Toward the Shadow, via Northern Spy, offers a moment of reflection and introspection. Combining sparkling electronics by keyboardist Albert Schatz and newly prominent vocals in the form of philosophical incantations by drummer April Camlin, the band takes listeners on a trip into even more immersive soundscapes, urging them to dig deeper, to push further, to shift and breakthrough, just like the band has. This track is a rejuvenating listen in the chaos of our modern times.
Honorable Mentions: “Shadow,” “Walled Garden,” “Ravel.”

“The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs” by Wye Oak
We could feel something stirring in Wye Oak’s 2016 release of Tween. A transition. A simultaneous closure and commencement. A reawakening. And now, with this gorgeous spring record, it all makes sense, as the band has emerged as a stunning new version of itself—and yet after 12 years, we’ve maybe never felt more in tune with music by Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack. Out of a dozen deeply human songs, this title track is an illuminating crescendo, revealing the beauty of the journey toward yourself. We still find ourselves pouring over its lyrics for answers, ultimately finding some sort of solace in the song’s—and life’s—elusions. As Wasner concludes, “Sometimes it takes a long, long, long time,” and if Wye Oak’s long game is any indication, the wait is certainly worth it.
Honorable Mentions: “The Instrument,” “It Was Not Natural,” “Lifer.”

EAT

Nov. 9: Pop Up Night Market

Baltimore Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St. 6 p.m.-12 a.m. $8-85.

On the heels of the first-ever Charm City Night Market that brought thousands of people downtown for authentic Asian-American eats, crafts, and performances, a pop-up version of the successful block party will take over Center Stage on Friday night. Stop by the Mt. Vernon theater to browse wares by local makers and samples snacks from local vendors like Ekiben, Pinch Dumplings, and Wight Tea Co. For an all-night affair, snag VIP tickets for the chance to see Center Stage’s latest production, King of the Yees, along with post-show perks in the theater’s Deering Lounge.

DRINK

Nov. 10: Proof: Maryland Spirits and Cocktails

College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr. 6-9 p.m. $35.

Since the number of businesses producing spirits in the Old Line State has jumped 425 percent in the past five years (from 7 to 30 distilleries), it comes as no surprise the state has dedicated a month to the historic and booming industry. To celebrate the inaugural Maryland Spirits Month, make the quick trip to College Park to sip crafted cocktails by Lyon Distilling, Blackwater Distilling, and Baltimore-based favorites like The Baltimore Spirits Company and Old Line Spirits. In between pours, take in a small-batch seminar to learn about the art of mixers and creating the pucker-perfect sour cocktail.

SEE

Nov. 11-March 9, 2019: Romare Bearden

Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E Pratt St. Times vary. Free-$8

Starting Sunday, a collection of pieces by the prolific visual artist Romare Bearden, best known for his collages and other works depicting the realities of African-American life during the 1960s, will be on view at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in dedication to the artist’s tremendous impact on the community. Take advantage of this weekend’s “pay what you can” rate and see more than 70 of the late artist’s collages, watercolors, and drawings at this downtown museum and honor his depiction of African-American religion and spirituality.

HEAR

Nov. 4: Caleb Stine’s ’Round the Mountain

Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. 8 p.m. $22-28.

Known around town as one of the key players in Baltimore’s folk music scene, Caleb Stine and his rustic, Americana sound will lead this year’s edition of ’Round the Mountain. During this annual show, long revered for its tradition of connecting musicians from around the world through country music, hear the singer-songwriter play alongside steel guitarist Dave Hadley of The Bumper Jacksons, Baltimore-based fiddle player Audrey Hamilton, and West African-inspired group Jess Sah Bi & Peter One. Catch this one-of-a-kind jam session and get ready to hear songs from Stine’s latest album, Moon, played in a whole new way.

DO

Nov. 10: Harvest Festival

R. House, 301 W. 29th St. 12-5 p.m. Free.

Thanks to R. House’s annual fall extravaganza, you don’t have to leave the city to revel in classic autumn activities. Bring the kiddos to the Remington food hall’s harvest festival for pony rides, a petting zoo, and face painting while the grown-ups sip on fall libations from Charm City Meadworks, Monument City, and punch made with Le Monade’s pumpkin cider. During this afternoon affair, learn how to plant succulents inside pumpkins and gourds, peruse vintage and craft wares, and celebrate these final days of fall in style.

 EAT

May 19: The BMI’s Farmers’ Market

The Baltimore Museum of Industry, 1415 Key Hwy. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. 410-727-4808.

Although this weekend’s forecast looks dreary, don’t let that deter you from spending Saturday morning filling your tote bag with fresh produce and locally-made goods at this annual farmers’ market. Shop for spring flowers, fresh-from-the-oven breads and sweets, and handmade crafts from local artisans at this 10-year-old South Baltimore tradition. If there’s a break in the rain, enjoy breakfast on the picnic tables that overlook the Inner Harbor.

 DRINK

May 20: Brewscape

Birroteca, 1520 Clipper Mill Rd. 12-5 p.m. Free-$5. 443-708-1934.

There’s a special place in our hearts (and stomachs) for hair-of-the-dog brunches filled with beermosas and avocado toast, but this weekend, skip the usual Sunday routine and head to Hampden for its first-ever spring festival to celebrate the art, music, and culture of the neighborhood. At this inaugural event, browse works by local artists, snack on eats from Hampden staples like Birroteca, The Nickel Taphouse, and Encantada, and hear back-to-back sets by bands like Slow Chasm and Polar Opposites. Team up with one of the participating breweries (Union Craft, RaR, Evolution, and more) and compete in the Birrolympics, a series of drinking games and feats of endurance, to win bragging rights and brewery-themed swag.

 SEE

May 17-June 23: Waving and Wavering

The Maryland Art Place, 218 W. Saratoga St. Tues.-Sat. 12-4 p.m. Free. 410-962-8565.

In a time when many of our visible public symbols, like statues and monuments, are under scrutiny, The Maryland Art Place’s latest exhibition contributes to the conversation by presenting an alternative view of flags and how artists’ interpretations of them can be used to address social issues. During its opening weekend, examine the three perspectives set forth by contributing local artists: new flags for the city of Baltimore, new models of artists examining the American flag, and samples of how artists have worked with flags in contemporary ways.

 HEAR

May 18-19: Caleb Stine Moon CD Release

Stages Music Arts, 10 Stenerson Lane, Cockeysville. 7:30-10:30 p.m. $30. 443-353-5300.

When we think about Baltimore’s folk music scene and the local musicians whose country-tinged songs have stood the test of time, we think of Caleb Stine. Make the quick trip up I-83 to hear this celebrated singer-songwriter perform eight original songs from his new album, Moon, in its intimate entirety. Grab a copy at the door, accompanied by a hand-crafted coloring book with illustrations to match each song, and jam out with one of the city’s best musical storytellers.

 DO

May 19: Preakness Stakes

Pimlico Race Course, 5201 Park Heights Ave. 8 a.m. $40-720. 410-542-9400.

After 143 years, the Preakness Stakes is ingrained in Baltimore’s past, present, and (hopefully) future, and with the country’s finest thoroughbred horses competing for the second jewel of the Triple Crown, this weekend’s race is sure to be one for the history books. Before heading to your seat for this all-day event, partake in pre-race festivities throughout the city, and then watch chart-toppers ODESZA, Post Malone, and 21 Savage take over the raucous Infield Fest.

Beach House

7 (Sub Pop Records)

For more than a decade, we’ve turned to Beach House for its moody, bewitching sound. Over the course of six evocative albums, the indie duo has perfected the hazy genre of dream-pop, featuring songs so full of shimmering synth and fuzzed-out guitar that they might just burst, like some faraway supernova. But all that has changed on the band’s aptly named seventh record. In some ways, the evolution is subtle—old trappings still linger, like Victoria Legrand’s hauntingly lush vocals and Alex Scally’s searing, slide-studded guitar. But as a whole, these 11 tracks are a seismic, shape-shifting rebirth for the veteran Baltimore band. Layers of glitchy electronic beats and thunderous live drums fuel a fiery new urgency, born in part out of the societal discord of 2016 and ’17, with some verses acutely ruminating on the roles and pressures put on women by society—to be perfect, to be loved. (See “L’Inconnue.”) There’s a push and pull to these melodies, but out of that tension, Beach House finds clarity. Long shrouded in a sort of melancholic mystery, their music steps out of the shadows and into the luminous possibilities that lie ahead.

Caleb Stine

Moon (Self Released)

With nearly two decades and more than 10 albums under his belt in Baltimore, Caleb Stine has become a sort of spirit guide for the local folk scene. A rustic raconteur, this Americana musician has spun yarns on religion, the road, and quests for truth, but this is his first record on the ground-shaking, all-consuming power of love. The eight-song ode explores the affection in all its forms, achieving an arc that spans from the dewy, infatuated days of adolescence (“My Oh My”) to the quiet, peaceful evenings of adulthood (“Garden”). His pure vocals and poetic verses act as the heartbeat, pushing forward sweet and simplistic arrangements that are fueled by the aching pang of acoustic guitar, plus a new infusion of female harmonies and soul-baring strings. But in seeking to unravel this multitudinous emotion, Stine’s mix of pretty ditties and almost devotional ballads reveals the ways in which love teaches us not just about love, but about ourselves: that it’s okay to need other people. That that is what makes us human. “Hollow,” with its saturated imagery unfolding like an old, burned-out film, might be Stine’s storytelling at its best. Grab a copy of this new album—in part for its accompanying coloring book.

Read our interview with musician Caleb Stine.

You’ve been referred to as the linchpin of the Baltimore folk scene, but you’re originally from Colorado. How did you end up here?
It was sort of destiny. I truly believe that Baltimore is the greatest American city. There are only a couple I would even put in the same category—New Orleans, maybe Portland. I was just lucky enough to come here in 2000 when there were just enough of the old smells left to let me hunt them down. Growing up in Colorado, I was obsessed with novels and music of old, weird America, always imagining some place other than this very monochromatic, religious, military culture.

When I went on a road trip and looked around, this city had that feeling. I remember the first night I came to Baltimore. I was staying with my cousin and we ended up at the H&H Building where this anarchic punk band was playing, then we went to this after-hours party in what is now the Velocipede Bike Project at like 3 in the morning with fried chicken and strippers getting off work and people hanging out and somebody playing a guitar in the corner. All of those details spoke to the fact that there was a freedom here. People are just themselves and they’re allowed to explore their passions and hobbies and crafts. You’re not going to come here for fame or fortune, but if you’re a craftsperson, Baltimore is a great place to be.  

There’s a willingness to give people—and their art—a chance here.
Despite all the clichés about Baltimore, it’s one of the holiest American cities. There’s definitely a quest for the depth of human experience. Not fame, not fortune, but spirit. That’s the thing we need more than anything right now. In the U.S., we’re a country without a narrative. The stories being told are not great, and we’re going to need to generate new ones. Baltimore is doing a good job of that—any night of the week, you can go hear incredibly well-crafted music. Jazz, hip-hop, rock, country. There might only be 10 to 15 other people there listening to it with you, but you’re going to be illuminated.
 

Did you grow up around folk music?
My dad would play old folk songs on the guitar for me and my sister before we’d go to bed at night. He was always listening to songwriters like Bob Dylan and Neil Young—but also a lot of classical music. Those acoustic sounds were something I was always fascinated with early on. Even on a Beatles album, I was drawn most to “If I Fell” or “Blackbird.” I picked up the acoustic guitar when I was 12 and that became my thing. I started making albums when I was 16 after buying a 4-track cassette recorder with the money I had saved up from working at McDonald’s.  

Was folk the genre you started with?
As a kid, I was into the ’60s, and from The Byrds, I started discovering country music, then blues, and then everything on back from there. By the time I moved here, I was already on the time machine back, in terms of my musical taste, but I didn’t perform any shows of my own for about three years. I was just playing and writing a ton at home and going to see a bunch of live music by other musicians. I was blown away by people like Walker & Jay, who were tapping into that primitive Old-Time American tradition—but bringing a whole new thing to it.  

That was 18 years ago. How would you describe the local folk scene at the time?
It was sort of like this underground community that had always been there. The heart of folk music is people just sitting in their homes, playing, alone and together, rehearsing for a show or just throwing a house party. When I first arrived here, the community was super humbling and eye-opening. It was like this is what I’ve been looking for—a place that takes art and music seriously. At the time, I had been working on a huge movie, Ladder 49, with Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta.

It was an amazing, intense experience, but also one of those turning points. I realized I can’t not play music every day. When the film was done, I got in my car and took a massive road trip. I remember getting to the Grand Canyon and writing a song and just knowing that music was the path forward. That resulted in an album, a whole new band, and this focus on the American country folk sound. The music I make is soul music. It’s basically reflections and prayers.  

Your music has long had religious undertones.

Music is a communion. That’s what we’re doing. It is an incredibly important part of human interaction. With Moon, I wanted to do an album where I was not the producer. I wanted someone else involved with a vision so I could really focus on the singing and the songs themselves. My friend Kenny Liner [of Believe in Music] said he’d do it, and it started this whole journey. He brought in all these other musicians I didn’t know, and all these arrangements I wouldn’t have come up with on my own, and it spiraled and blossomed into its own community.  

You call Moon, which comes out in early May, a “modern love story.” What inspired it?
“Hollow” was the genesis. I’d worked on that song for years, and when I finally finished it, I realized the whole short story. That song is about the richness of love, and the multiple layers that exist within it. We really need to be like the Greeks and have multiple words for love, because we mean a lot of things. It’s that world of emotions and feelings that is beyond language. It’s that feeling you have so acutely when you’re a teenager, or when a new neighbor moves in two doors down and you see her and just fall in love instantly, and the air around you is magnetic, like the first time you heard “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys. Or even when you pause at the end, and the sun is setting, and the whole sky is a painting, and you look around and no one else is looking at it, and it’s just for you.

It’s a journey in realizing that everyone else is going through the same thing—that fundamental human existential loneliness that we all start from and end at. But then this whole other bright world opens up. Suddenly, there are vivid colors, and it’s not just about your own internal struggle. We can struggle together. That’s really the story of love—that it’s not just me.
 

What comes next?

As an artist, I want to keep pace with at least an album a year. I’m going to a studio this afternoon to work on a new one. It’s already almost recorded. But I also want to try other forms of music, because there are just certain emotions and feelings I can’t quite get across that way. Which is why I’m releasing a coloring book with Moon. I just feel like I won the lottery or something. It’s taken me so long—just in the last couple of years I’ve gotten to a place where I can play my guitar every day and work on my art all the time. I feel so lucky, and I just want more time.  
 

Animal Collective
Painting With (Domino)

Part of us isn’t sure we can call Animal Collective a Baltimore band anymore, but part of us says we always will. (Merriweather Post Pavilion forever.) Regardless, we plan to claim them now, thanks to the local trio’s awesome new album, their first full-length venture since 2012. It’s also their most accessible (and just plain fun) since we first fell in love with “My Girls” in 2009. Maybe you’ve already heard it on a surprise loop at BWI last fall, but if you didn’t, get on it quick—once again, these indie stars are crafting a funky, fresh, spin art-colorful kind of sound. “FloriDada,” in particular, is pure sunshine.

See our interview with Animal Collective’s Brian Weitz.

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Caleb Stine & The Brakemen
Time I Let It Go (self-released)

For over 10 years, Caleb Stine and his Brakemen (an homage to rail workers of eras past) have been putting out the kind of traveling music fit for any road trip you might find yourself embarking on. After a few solo records from Stine, the quartet recently released its first new album since 2008, with all the Americana stories and backwoods confidence we’ve come to love. With toe-tapping giddy-ups like “Hey There Mister”; slow, sweet anthems like “Spirit”; and the lovely, dust-covered instrumental “You Bet He Was My Friend”, the album’s got us itching for the windows-down weather of spring.

Graceland

December 5, 2015
Hollins Street

The walls in the upstairs Jungle Room are draped in velvet leopard print, matching the snug dresses on a few of the bouffant-sporting women hitting the dance floor as Rob Kilgore belts out a cover of “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” one of the King of Rock and Roll’s early hits:

“Well lawdy, lawdy, lawdy
Miss Clawdy Girl,
you sure look good to me . . .”

There are all kinds of bands inside the packed Lithuanian Hall, covering nearly the entirety of Elvis Presley’s blues/country/rockabilly catalog on three floors. There are also enough Elvis impersonators—this is the 22nd annual Night of 100 Elvises, after all—to match every incarnation (Young Elvis, Comeback Elvis, U.S. Army Private Elvis, Bloated Elvis, etc.) of the singer several times over. Although, sometimes it’s difficult to tell the fans dressed up in homage to their idol apart from the professional tribute artists.

All through the night—which benefits Johns Hopkins Children’s Center—there are hula girls performing on the main theater stage, a nod to the icon’s Blue Hawaii period. Downstairs, near the Viva Las Vegas Lounge, the King’s Kitchen Menu features Elvis-inspired favorites, including, naturally, fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches.

“I have older sisters; I was weaned on Elvis,” says Kilgore. “In fact, in 1972, I visited a girlfriend in Memphis and went to Graceland with her. Elvis was asleep—it was 2:30 in the afternoon—so we couldn’t go in the house. His uncle Vester gave us a tour of the grounds in Elvis’s Ford Bronco instead.”

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Ola Belle

December 2, 2015
Falls Road

Caleb Stine, dressed in work boots and a plaid shirt, puts down his guitar for a moment, picks up a fiddle, and begins tapping his toes. “I learned how to play this tune from a recording by a Kentucky fiddler named Art Stamper,” Stine tells the three-dozen bluegrass fans squeezed into The Ivy Bookshop for his informal performance and a reading by Tim Newby from his new book, Bluegrass in Baltimore: The Hard Drivin’ Sound and Its Legacy.

Newby recounts the story of legendary singer and banjo player Ola Belle Reed, the Ashe County, NC, transplant who helped introduce Southern mountain music, first to rural Maryland and then to Baltimore. Ola, brother Alex Campbell, and husband “Bud” Reed built a stage at their New River Ranch in Rising Sun that would eventually host Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe, Hank Williams, the Carter Family, and Johnny Cash.

In fact, as Newby says, the term “bluegrass”—to distinguish the new, faster, more intricate musical genre from traditional country or simpler “hillbilly” music—is first found in print in 1957 on the liner notes to American Banjo: Three-Finger and Scruggs Style, recorded by Mike Seeger in Baltimore. “The music changed some when it moved to the city,” says Newby. “It’s great today to see the Charm City Folk & Bluegrass Festival, which keeps growing, and a new generation of musicians picking up on that legacy.”

“I knew Baltimore was the birthplace of painted screens and Formstone, I didn’t know it was the home of bluegrass,” laughs store co-owner Ed Berlin as he hands commemorative mugs to Newby and Stine. “I do know something, however, about the family-owned company, Homer Laughlin, over 100 years old, that makes these pottery cups: Their clay comes from the Ohio River area—same place that music comes from.”

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Points of Light

December 1, 2015
Riverside Drive

Driving past jersey barriers and heavy rail tracks, dozens of families—many including a member who spent his or her working life down here—eventually reach a warehouse terminal at the southeast end of Sparrows Point. The property is largely desolate now, and certainly it is compared to Bethlehem Steel’s glory days on “the Point.” But one tradition of the shuttered plant continues—the lighting of the “Star of Bethlehem.”

Handcrafted in 1978 by local steelworkers, the 1.5-ton star spans some 28 feet. It shone from atop the mill’s massive, 320-foot-high “L” blast furnace until the huge steel plant was demolished in January 2015, but was saved by the site’s new owners, Tradepoint Atlantic. Its placement high on a warehouse this evening is temporary until a permanent home is found, Tradepoint Atlantic CEO Michael Moore explains to the crowd, who are reminiscing over coffee and donuts before the countdown.

“I thought I’d come down and see a few friends,” says Virgil Hare, watching the lighting of the star, which is visible from the Key Bridge, with his friend and sister. “I started working for Bethlehem Steel after graduating from Dundalk High School in 1965—45 years—probably 55, if you count all the overtime,” he laughs.

Moore talks about the star, created when hope still remained for an already declining steel industry, symbolizing his company’s hopes for attracting new businesses to the 3,100-acre grounds.

Hare would like to see that, too, of course. He also acknowledges lingering frustration over the steel industry’s demise, in part, at least, from foreign competition. “I remember when that star was made,” Hare says. “From angled iron—‘Canada’—stamped right on it.”