EAT

April 26: Big Softy Pop-Up at Wet City

223 W Chase St. 3-9 p.m.

Helping Wet City kick off its new Sunday service (the bar will now be closed on Tuesdays and open on Sundays) is none other than Big Softy himself. This Sunday, chef Craig Falk’s crab-themed pop-up is taking over the kitchen at the Mount Vernon craft beer bar with mouthwatering favorites like cheesy crab dip, Maryland lump crab cakes, and, of course, the signature soft shell crab sandwiches while supplies last. To wash it all down, grab a boozy (bottled to-go) concoction from Wet City’s drink menu, like the Mercury in Retrograde cocktail or Strawberry Mezcalita Slushie. Place pre-orders by emailing craig@thelunchboxlady.com and head to Wet City’s Facebook page to choose from six pick-up time slots.

DRINK

April 25: DuClaw Brewing Co. Sour Me Three’s Company Virtual Launch

Zoom. 6-8 p.m. $12.99

This weekend’s virtual happy hour just got sweeter with the launch of DuClaw Brewing’s “Sour Me Three’s Company” sour ale. Whitey’s Liquors and local beer blog Slightly Sour collaborated with DuClaw to bring fans this refreshing kettle sour brewed with plum, passionfruit, and pomegranate. The best part? There’s a Zoom Meeting ID printed on the bottom of each six pack, available starting this Friday at Whitey’s and curbside at DuClaw. Once you have the code, hop on to Zoom on Saturday at 6 p.m. for a virtual toast with the brewers to celebrate the launch and show your support for Maryland beer.

SEE

April 25: Baltimore Improv Group Virtual Taco Night

bigimprov.org. 8-11 p.m. Free

This Saturday, let Baltimore Improv Group (BIG) supply the laughs that we all need to survive the prolonged cabin fever. This live-streamed smorgasbord of comedy and hot takes from the performers with Taco Night, BIG’s spiciest improv team, is guaranteed to serve up some much-needed quarantine fun.

HEAR

April 26: Charm City Bluegrass Digi-Fest

Facebook Live. 12-5 p.m. Free

Crack a cold one, fold open a lawn chair, and tune in to Facebook Live for an afternoon of foot-stompin fun. Presented by WTMD, The Hamilton, and Union Craft Brewing, this digital version of one of the city’s favorite music festivals, typically held at Druid Hill Park, features a lineup of local favorites including Caleb Stine, The Honey Dewdrops, Ken & Brad Kolodner, The High and Wides, and the 19th Street Band. All will be performing live from the Gordon Center at the Owings Mills JCC, where bands will, of course, be social distancing with different sets of microphones and separate dressing rooms.

DO

April 24: Heal Yourself: Yin & Your Chakras (Online Edition)

Zoom. 7-9 p.m. $20-25

After a long week at home, we all deserve a breather. This Friday, join The Movement Lab on a two-hour healing journey through your seven main energy centers (the chakras) and emerge ready to start the weekend refreshed. Although you’ll need your own props (yoga blocks, blanket, and bolster) no prior yoga experience is required. Once you’ve pre-registered, check for a Zoom link, which will be sent 30 minutes prior to class.

As steps are put into place to limit the spread of coronavirus, the music industry, at home and across the country, is being hit with an onslaught of postponed or cancelled concerts, festivals, and tours, as, without crowds, much of its livelihood to a screeching halt. In the past week, SXSW called off its annual gathering in Austin, Coachella rescheduled for October, and stages at the likes of the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall went temporarily dark.

At SXSW, Baltimore’s own TT The Artist was set to premiere her upcoming music documentary, Dark City: Beneath The Beat, while rapper/educator MC Bravado and the Lineup Room’s Brandon Lackey were set to lead a panel on music education. And back at home, musicians are seeing the ripple effects on their own turf.

“Traditional methods of supporting one’s favorite bands, like attendance, are out the window right now, as we also need to physically socially distance ourselves to contain this virus,” says Corynne Ostermann, frontwoman of local post-punk band Natural Velvet. “But when you remove the public sphere, suddenly artists’ work becomes invisible.”

This week, Baltimore musicians such as Dan Deacon, Ed Schrader’s Music Beat, Lower Dens, Horse Lords, Super City, Cris Jacobs, and Butch Dawson (who also released a rap song—and much-needed dose of good humor—on hand-washing), to name a few, all postponed upcoming or ongoing tour dates. Others, such as Abdu Ali, Joy Postell, Outcalls, and Romantic States, have had to postpone or cancel their shows. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, which has already been in the midst of a period of dire economic uncertainty, is on hiatus until the end of the month.

“It’s really heartbreaking because we’ve been booking and planning [our] tour since September,” says Greg Wellham of indie-pop group Super City. “It’s sad but the responsible thing to do. We all have to keep moving forward and try to stay optimistic.”

This Saturday’s beloved Version dance party by DJ Trillnatured and rapper Kotic Couture has also been cancelled at The Crown, while the Baltimore Old Time Music Festival at Creative Alliance and the Charm City Bluegrass Festival’s Battle of the Bands finals at The 8×10 have been postponed until further notice.

Local venues, from Rams Head Live! to the Metro Gallery, have closed their doors until at least late March. At press time, venues such as the Ottobar and An Die Musik planned to remain open for certain upcoming events, with both citing enhanced cleaning and sanitation efforts.

Big and small, “All arts organizations are taking a major hit at this point,” says Josh Kohn, performance director of Creative Alliance, which, like many others, instituted a new refund and exchange policy for previously purchased tickets, and is currently brainstorming ways to support artists, such as donation-fueled front-porch concerts. “If people have disposable income and want to make a donation, by all means. If you want to support artists directly, you can always buy their product on Bandcamp. We do understand that ticket buyers are susceptible in this economy, too.”

Purchasing a musician’s music and merchandise online, through individual websites and platforms like the aforementioned Bandcamp and iTunes, is one way to help. Fans can also subscribe to their crowdfunding pages like Patreon, or donate directly. Meanwhile, Maryland Citizens for the Arts has created a list of resources for these independent artists.

“Artists, service industry professionals, venues, promoters, small-to-medium businesses and workers, and more are getting financially hit really hard right now,” wrote Charm City Bluegrass organizers on social media. “Buy merch, send some tips, ask them how you can support. It helps.”

Also check out our The Big Baltimore Playlist, where we showcase must-hear songs by local musicians.

About halfway through summer, many of us, especially with temperatures steadily in the nineties for a few weeks now, are readily looking toward fall. And with that, this week, comes the announcement of the hottest Halloween party in Baltimore, when Believe in Music teams up with the Maryland Science Center for its annual October bash.

For one evening, the exhibits—kid-friendly learning experiences on the likes of dinosaurs, space, and physics—transform into a full-on music festival on the Inner Harbor, featuring more than a dozen bands, a wild costume contest, and overflowing craft beer, all to benefit the educational center and local arts nonprofit.

The event, now in its eighth year, has just announced its 2019 lineup, featuring familiar faces who have performed at past parties, as well as exciting new acts. On Saturday October 26, some two dozen Baltimore artists will perform across multiples stages, from the planetarium to the rooftop to beneath a gigantic Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The main stage will feature big-name headliners: head-banging rock band J. Roddy Walston and The Business, beloved rap star DDm, and Talking Heads tribute group, Psycho Killers. Meanwhile, the Friends of Friends [Records] Stage will highlight rising DIY acts—post-punk duo Ed Schrader’s Music Beat, alt-hip-hop collective Soul Cannon, indie-pop singer Eyas, and electro-femme pair HexGirlfriends—while the planetarium will host a handful of techno and house, and dance music artists. As in years past, the Charm City Bluegrass Stage will be dedicated to Americana musicians, such as bluegrass rebels The Dirty Grass Players and folk-pop septet Haint Blue. And both DJs Rob Macy of Save Your Soul and James Nasty will be back on the ones and twos into the wee hours of the nights.

Exhibits will be open throughout the evening, as will the IMAX theater, where Future Islands bassist William Cashion and psychedelic electronic artist DeltaNine will curate immersive experiences.
Tickets usually sell out and are now on sale for general admission ($42) and VIP ($80).

Every October, the Maryland Science Center transforms into what might be the biggest Halloween party to pop up in Baltimore City. By day, its dinosaur, space, and electricity-themed exhibits entice tots to learn about all things science, but by night, the institution turns into a full-on music festival in the Inner Harbor, featuring more than a dozen bands, a wild costume contest, and overflowing craft beer, all to benefit the center and youth education nonprofit Believe In Music.

While its only July, the event, now in its seventh year, has just announced its 2018 lineup, featuring familiar faces who have performed at past parties and exciting new acts. On Saturday October 27, some 22 Baltimore bands will perform across seven stages, from the planetarium to the rooftop to beneath a gigantic Tyrannosaurus Rex.

“In the same night, you can see a bluegrass band, an electronic band, and dance to James Nasty on the roof,” says Kenny Liner, founder and director of Believe In Music. “There will be so much to do and there will be so many talented, different people from Baltimore who deserve to be highlighted. I just wish we could include more.”

The main stage will feature big-name headliners: soulful sextet J Pope and the HearNow, funky jam band Electric Love Machine, and the main event, mad-scientist electronic artist Dan Deacon. “Dan is the perfect fit,” says Liner. “His shows are so fun and interactive. He makes the crowd feel special and allows them to have a really good time.”

Meanwhile, the Friends of Friends (Records) Stage will highlight rising DIY acts such as soulful R&B singer Joy Postell, experimental duo Wume, post-punk rockers Natural Velvet, and indie trio Outer Spaces, while the planetarium will host a handful of techno artists. As in years past, the Charm City Bluegrass Stage will be dedicated to Americana musicians, such as CCBG Battle of the Bands winner The Dirty Grass Players and folk bellwether Caleb Stine, and both DJs Rob Macy of Save Your Soul and James Nasty will be back on the ones and twos for an epic dance party into the wee hours of the nights.

Exhibits will be open throughout the evening, as will the IMAX theater, where electronic group Deltanine will perform a live score to an immersive film. Tickets usually sell out and are now on sale for general admission ($35) and VIP ($75).

“The best thing about this party is that we’re coming together to support Baltimore,” says Liner. “As much as the city needs to support organizations like Believe in Music, it needs to support institutions like the Science Center. Without it, there would be a huge void in Baltimore for kids to learn and experience cool science stuff. My daughter is only eight months old and she already absolutely loves it. In Baltimore, we’re all in it together.”

Light City
April 6-21. Locations & times vary. Free. 410-752-8632. Since the inaugural event in 2016, this bright and bold arts festival has become a cherished citywide tradition. Now, Light City’s organizers are taking this year’s theme of “More Love! More Lights!” to heart by expanding the festival to include as many people and installations as possible. Head to the Inner Harbor or one of 14 participating neighborhoods to see awe-inspiring illuminations that are sure to elicit ooohs, ahhhs, and about a million Instagrams.

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Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival
April 6-7. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd., Timonium. Fri. 6-10 p.m., Sat. 12-6 p.m. $29-99. 410-252-0200. Picture this: two days of unlimited sampling of more than 40 bourbons, 60 beers, and all-you-can-eat barbecue with all the fixins. In between local brews from Flying Dog, Jailbreak, and Heavy Seas, or Maryland-distilled whiskey from Sagamore Spirit, enjoy live rock and bluegrass music, participate in bacon-eating or stein-holding contests, or take in a tasting seminar. If that doesn’t describe your dream weekend, then we can’t help you.

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Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar
April 8-Dec. 23. Underneath the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday & Saratoga Sts. Sun. 7 a.m.-12 p.m. Free. 410-752-8632. For more than 40 years, locals have dragged themselves out of bed on Sundays to fill their stomachs and totes with the best locally grown and handmade products that Maryland has to offer. From typical farmers’ market fare like fresh produce and flowers to made-to-order eats such as mushroom fritters and falafel, this is an event worth setting an alarm for. Reward yourself for getting up early with a breakfast sandwich from Blacksauce Kitchen.

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Motown The Musical
April 13-15. Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 N. Eutaw St. Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 & 8 p.m., Sun. 1 & 6:30 p.m. $49-117. 410-837-7400. For one weekend only, flashback to the groovy glory days of 1960s and ’70s Detroit with this behind-the-scenes look at the iconic record company that launched the star careers of Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, and many more. From Broadway, the story of Motown Records comes alive on the Hippodrome stage in this smash-hit jukebox musical, featuring hit songs such as “ABC” and “Dancing in the Street.”

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CityLit Festival
April 14. University of Baltimore, William H. Thumel Sr. Business Center, 11 W. Mount Royal Avenue. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 410-271-8793. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the CityLit Festival, the signature event from CityLit Project that celebrates reading, writing, and creativity. To tie into this year’s focus on poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, The New Yorker writer Philip Gourevitch will keynote the event with conversations about his book We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda. Make time in between editorial and speaker sessions to participate in guided discussions about motherhood, the #MeToo movement, and local funding for literary artists.

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Under Armour Sole of the City 10K
April 14. Charm City Run, 1713 Whetstone Way. 9 a.m. $50-75. 410-645-8266. Spring has officially sprung, so lace up your sneakers, breathe in some fresh air, and get moving during this annual 10K. Start your Saturday early and dash through the streets with more than 4,500 other runners at this race that starts and ends in Locust Point. While the mileage might sound intimidating (10K = 6.2 miles), it’s a prime opportunity to embrace our city, especially with the route’s stellar views of the city skyline and the Inner Harbor.

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Peter Max Retrospective
April 20-29. Y:ART Gallery & Fine Gifts, 3402 Gough St. Wed.-Thurs. 12-5 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. 443-928-2272. Peter Max was practically born to be an artist. He was raised in Germany, China, Tibet, Israel, and France, gaining inspiration from vibrant societies and shifting art movements along the way. As a young art student in Manhattan during the late 1950s, he worked diligently under the American painter Frank Reilly before being swept up in the counter-cultural revolution of the ’60s. The budding artist would go on to create bright, radical posters and psychedelic art—the style he’s mostly recognized for today. The abstract expressionist has been called the United States’ “Painter Laureate,” painted portraits of six presidents, and crafted posters for major events like the Grammys, the Super Bowl, and the Olympics. Despite his global fame, his art remains immediate and accessible. This month, catch his remarkable collection of major works in Highlandtown, carefully curated to include pieces that span his five-decade career. View never-before-seen celebrity portraits, iconic pop art like the above “Cosmic Runner,” and even a special tribute to Charm City.

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Charm City Bluegrass Festival
April 27-28. Druid Hill Park, 3100 Swann Dr. 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Free-$55. This year’s two-day party is slated to be bigger and better than ever with three stages, 21 bands, plenty of local food, and homegrown brews from Union Craft Brewing. With national acts like The Devil Makes Three and The Travelin’ McCourys and local talent such as Caleb Stine and The Honey Dewdrops, the dynamic lineup promises to be a little slice of Americana heaven for all music lovers.

Women of the World Festival
April 28. Notre Dame of Maryland University, 4701 N. Charles St. 9 a.m. $20. 410-435-0100. The past year was defined by female voices—from speaking out against sexual harassment to becoming a tenacious political force. In April, the Women of the World Festival returns just in timeto explore women’s issues through panels, performances, and activities. Get inspired by keynote speakers Tarana Burke, the #MeToo founder who was named a Time magazine “Person of the Year,” and Roxane Gay, cultural critic and The New York Times best-selling author of Bad Feminist and Hunger.

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

 EAT

Jan. 14: Little Italy Meatball Fest

Pandola Learning Center, 914 Stiles St. 3-6 p.m. $30. 410-866-8494.

Last year, more than 200 people gathered inside the Little Italy Lodge for Joe Benny’s inaugural celebration of meatballs—aka the cornerstone of Italian cooking. If you missed it, attend this year’s festival for a buffet of pasta, salad, and dessert, with samplings from heated meatball competition to help crown the next winner of the “Best Balls in Baltimore.” If you’d rather win a trophy and secure bragging rights, submit your own killer recipe or participate in the meatball-eating contest. Try to beat Margaret Miller’s original veal and pork recipe, or Phil “the Fury” Fiore’s 60-second record time of downing 31 meatballs. Proceeds benefit the Pandola Learning Center, a local organization that offers Italian language and culture classes.

 DRINK

Jan. 13: Nobo Can Release

Monument City Brewing Company, 1 N. Haven St. 12-5 p.m. Free. 443-529-8131.

The Appalachian Trail is near and dear to the heart of brothers Ken and Matt Praay of Monument City Brewing. After all, it was on an annual hike along the historic trail that they initiated a conversation about launching the family brewery. So it’s no surprise that one of their most recent beers has been named NOBO, a term for hikers who move northbound on the AT, starting from Springer Mountain in Georgia. Although this brew debuted last September, they’re officially pumping out canned versions this weekend. On Saturday, swing into Highlandtown to sip this hazy New England-style IPA featuring double-dry hops. If you end up loving the citrus and tropical notes of this limited-edition beer, you can finally take it home with you in a six-pack.

 SEE

Jan. 13: The Art of Skateboarding

Bustin Boards at City Garage, 101 W. Dickman St. 6-10 p.m. $11.53-17.80.

When he was only 14 years old, Joey Jett discovered his passion for street skating, videography, and photography. Since then, he’s been touring the globe with fellow boarder Mike Vallely as a professional skater. On Saturday, catch the world premiere of The Art of Skateboarding, a film showcasing Jett’s original skate tricks shot around the world, followed by a meet-and-greet with the star himself, as well as Vallely, plus local food and beer. The silent auction is also a must for all skaters—with a Vallely hand-painted and autographed board, a sold-out first-run Joey Jett board, and a custom-designed Bustin board. Most importantly, all proceeds will go to Jake’s Skatepark, a new section of the redesigned Rash Field Park in tribute to local boarder Jake Owen, a 5-year-old South Baltimore skater tragically killed in a distracted driving accident.

 HEAR

Jan. 12: Charm City Bluegrass Festival’s Battle of the Bands

Union Craft Brewing, 1700 Union Ave. 6-11 p.m. $12-15. 410-467-0290. 

Each winter, local and regional musicians duke it out for a chance to grace the stage at Druid Hill Park’s Charm City Bluegrass Festival in the spring. This year is no different as the first round of the festival’s Battle of the Bands starts this month. On Friday, enjoy a night of Americana music as you sip on local brews by Union Craft and nosh on eats by BricknFire Pizza and The Local Oyster. Listen to performances by four bands—The Plate Scrapers, Hurricane Hoss, Gold Top County Ramblers, and 19th Street Band—as they go head to head with their fiddles, banjos, and harmonicas to see who will advance to the next round. 

 DO

Jan. 13: Version with Trillnatured  One Year Anniversary

The Crown, 1910 N. Charles St. 10 p.m. Free. 410-625-4848. 

Jessica Hyman accidentally stumbled into DJing out of a simple curiosity. Within a few years, that curiosity evolved into a full-blown passion, transforming Hyman into Trillnatured, a DJ spreading her eclectic style at local dance parties and curated shows throughout the East Coast, even earning her the title of Baltimore magazine’s Best DJ of 2017. This weekend, come celebrate the one-year anniversary of Version, her monthly turnup at The Crown. Though Trillnatured will be serving up her usual R&B and jazz-influenced club mixes, the event gained a renewed importance after she announced that it is now an explicitly queer function, providing a safe space for the city’s LGBTQ community to embrace who they are and just be.

Events

Toward Equity in the Arts
April 13, The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St.  This talk will examine how race and class have impacted access and inclusion practices for funding, promotion, and exhibition opportunities in the arts, and will look at efforts to improve equity in these areas. The conversation includes Jess Solomon of Art in Praxis, Sheila Gaskings, and Darryl Ratcliff. Jonothan Gray and Chelsea Gilmer will open the evening with performances of their spoken word poetry. The annual lecture is held in honor of the Walters’ founding Director of Education, Ted Low, and focuses on an important current topic in the museum field.

Starts Here Reading Series
April 15, Bird in Hand Coffee Shop, 11 E. 33rd St.  This latest reading in the series hosted by Best of Baltimore winner Jen Michalski features Elise Levin, the director of the MA in Writing program at Johns Hopkins University, and Meghan Kenny, who held the Tickner Writing Fellowship in Baltimore and now lives and teaches in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.     

Bromo Spectacular
April 22, 29, various locations in the Bromo Arts District
These free, 90-minute walking tours of the arts district that includes downtown and the Howard Street corridor will invite people into invisible public spaces and storied buildings while learning about the speculative and spectacular efforts shaping the neighborhood. This free, 90 minute New Public Sites walking tour will feature little known histories, urban design successes and challenges, and current artist-led redevelopment projects, including Le Mondo and Current Space.

Exhibits

Thought Forms
April 20-May 27, C. Grimaldis Gallery, 523 N. Charles St.  This exhibition of paintings by Lisa Beck, Lydia Dona and Joan Waltemath stages the work of these New York artists who have simultaneously developed distinct practices in conceptual abstract painting. They are united by their strategic approach, in which a painting operates as a structural field that animates the subject’s relationship to architecture, machinery, and the universe surrounding it. 

Sacrifice
April 13-May 14, Motor House, 120 W. North Ave.  About this exhibit, artist Rene Trevino writes: “History is subjective; there are many blurred lines and so much distortion.  Context and point of view are very important. One person’s hero is another person’s villain…it depends on who tells the story.  As a gay Mexican-American I have always felt excluded and under-represented by history.  By using a historical context as a backdrop for my work, I can reweave these “lessons” of the past.”

Performances

David London’s Weekend of Magic
April 13-15, Theater Project, 45 W. Preston St.  Magician David London combines magic with storytelling, comedy, puppetry, philosophy, surrealism, and that which cannot be defined, to create original shows of magic unlike anything you have experienced before.

Rise Bmore
April 19, Union Baptist Church, 1219 Druid Hill Ave.  This free evening of words and music, of and for Baltimore, is in honor of Freddie Gray, who died on April 19, 2015. The event starts with a conversation featuring writers Sharea Harris, LOVE the poet, Brittani McNeill, and Hannah V. Sawyerr. The concert that follows features music by Peabody Conservatory professor Judah Adashi, Tariq Al-Sabir, Ruby Fulton, Lafayette Gilchrist, Brooks Long, and Martina Lynch, as well as poetry by Tariq Touré and images by Joseph M. Giordano.  

A Short Reunion
April 20-30, Single Carrot Theatre, 2600 N. Howard St.  For its latest play, Single Carrot is breaking out of its theatre space and onto the streets of Remington. Local businesses have partnered with Single Carrot to help transform this sprawling piece – a Frankenstein hybrid of never-before-seen shorts – into a short walking tour of the neighborhood. Charmington’s, Miller’s Court, Parts & Labor, Sweet 27, B. Willow, and Brick and Board will all be stops on the journey, along with neighborhood landmarks like the Remington ‘R’. In addition to creating new foot traffic and introducing potential customers to the businesses, A Short Reunion will give audience a taste of the complex and changing flavor of the neighborhood as a whole.

Spectral Lines
April 23, Maryland Science Center, 601 Light St.  Digital art, science, and music meet on and under the Planetarium dome. Local artist, Kevin Blackistone, inspired by extrasolar planets, manipulates computer software to create digital art for the Planetarium dome. The immersive visual art is enhanced by live music performed by Baltimore band Wume. 

Charm City Bluegrass Festival
April 29, Druid Hill Park, 900 Druid Park Lake Dr.  This fifth iteration of this celebration of all things bluegrass (and in a stunning setting) has a heck of a lineup, including Supergroup, which blends members of Yonder Mountain String Band and Leftover Salmon, The Lone Bellow, and local boy Cris Jacobs.

News

The Enoch Pratt Free Library announced this week that Heidi Daniel would be taking over as president and chief executive officer. Daniel has served as the executive director of The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County in Ohio since 2012. Daniel called the Pratt “one of the crown jewels of public libraries in the country, and I believe it is an integral part of the future success of Baltimore.”

You might remember that a few months ago we brought you the story of Throw, a documentary that told the story of East Baltimore resident Coffin Nachtmahr, who found acceptance among a subculture of yo-yo “throwers” and it turns out, he’s a virtuoso. He now helps others find a creative and social outlet by sharing what inspired him. Earlier this week, Throw was named as a nominee in the 21st Annual Webby Awards by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences. The nomination for the Internet’s highest honor is in the category of Documentary – Branded, where it will be judged against four other films. Other Webby nominees include the Netflix series Stranger Things, Pokemon Go and Beyonce.

The students who are a part of the iRhyme program at  Lakeland Elementary Middle School have done something most of their peers have not—they’ve created and starred in a music video, Guns Weak. And that video won the grand prize earlier this month at an art contest sponsored by Shock Trauma’s Violence Prevention Program. Take a look at it here: