EAT

May 22-24: Sporty Dog Creations Memorial Day Pop-Up at Hotel Revival

101 W. Monument St. 12-9 p.m. Prices vary.

Nothing says Memorial Day Weekend like hot dogs. We know, we know. The all-American barbecue food isn’t for everyone. But LaShauna Jones and Daejonne Bennett, the mother-daughter duo behind Sporty Dog Creations, craft franks to satisfy all palates. This weekend, they’re setting up a grill in the valet lane at Hotel Revival in Mt. Vernon to offer curbside pickup and delivery of their signature vegan, hot honey chicken, jerk chicken, and classic beef hot dogs. There will also be crudos, grilled oysters, burgers, and to-go cocktails from the hotel’s rooftop bar, Topside. Through Sunday, customers who spend $20 ordering online will receive a 20 percent-off coupon to spend on any of The Sporty Dog’s pre-packaged hot dogs to grill at home.

DRINK

May 23: Whiskey Among Friends: A Fundraiser and Tasting

Zoom. 8:30 p.m.

If you’re looking for a way to show some love to the city’s hard-hit hospitality industry, donating to the Baltimore Bartenders’ Guild is a great option. And this weekend, the guild is offering a special virtual whiskey tasting for the folks who generously donate $100 or more. Funders can pick up a tasting kit, which contains selections from Bardstown Bourbon Company’s latest lineup, from either Dutch Courage in Old Goucher or Mr. Nice Guy Cocktails in Canton. Then, log on to Zoom to taste the spirits, learn about the whiskey-making process with the team from the Kentucky distillery, and raise a glass to Baltimore’s beverage community.

SEE

May 22: Tea with Myrtis: Artistically Speaking

Instagram & YouTube. 2 p.m. Free.

Gallery owner Myrtis Bedolla has been hosting recurring one-on-one salon-style conversations with artists featured in the Women Heal Through Rite and Ritual exhibit at the Mount Vernon gallery. Up next this Saturday is a virtual chat with painter Shanequa Gay. Brew your favorite tea and listen in as the two discuss Gay’s work in the exhibition, which features imaginative narratives that explore women’s roles.

HEAR

May 22: A Tribute to Bill Withers With Cris Jacobs

Facebook Live. 8 p.m. Donations encouraged.

In celebration of Union Craft Brewing’s latest release, the “Somebody to Lean On” double IPA, its brewers have organized a virtual tribute to the late musical legend whose lyrics inspired the beer’s name. Charm City’s own Cris Jacobs will perform his renditions of Bill Withers’ greatest hits on Facebook Live beginning at 8 p.m. Along with 100 percent of the profits from the new beer, a portion of Jacobs’ virtual tip jar will be donated to the Baltimore Restaurant Relief Fund. Be sure to stock up on six packs before the show starts by placing orders for delivery or curbside pickup.

DO

May 22-24: Drive-Thru Strawberry Festival at Weber’s Cider Mill Farm

2526 Proctor Lane, Parkville. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

The farmers at Weber’s in Parkville have come up with a way to enjoy the sweetness of their fourth-annual strawberry festival while maintaining social distancing measures. Kicking off this weekend from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., visitors will be able to drive through the property and safely order from a selection of the farm’s treats that make use of the current harvest, including strawberry donuts, sundaes, slushes, quarts of fresh berries, and even strawberry pancake breakfast boxes to assemble at home.

Additional reporting by Lydia Woolever.

Micah E. Wood

Micah E. Wood (self-released)

In a world of bravado and swagger, Micah E. Wood’s unapologetically heart-on-his-sleeve music is a breath of fresh air. As with his past two releases, the local musician and photographer bares it all on this third record, examining and embracing his feelings—the highs and lows and everything in-between. In fact, this album, fittingly self-titled, as it might be his most soul-baring yet, is a cathartic rollercoaster of emotion. In contrast
to his bright, pop-fueled See Me from 2017, these tracks are more mercurial, meticulous, and effectively mighty. He asks hard questions, of himself, mostly, and others. He pushes past comfort zones. He gets pissed off. In the end, he finds a clearing, full of newfound confidence and inner peace. That same sense of discovery imbues his sound as well, with electronic beats mingling with bold instrumentation, plus lush harmonies and lofty backup vocals that we especially loved. Come for “Summertime,” perhaps our favorite song by the artist yet. Stay for the Beatles-esque crescendo of “New Dude” and the poignant piano ballad of “The Truth.”

Cris Jacobs

Color Where You Are (Blue Rose Music)

The King of Baltimore rock ‘n’ roll is back, but he’s not the same man he used to be. In fact, in the three years since the release of his last record, Dust
To Gold, Cris Jacobs has become a father, as well
as a road warrior, touring and performing extensively as his star rises, even alongside some of
his idols. All that change
is reflected in this new record—a triumphant feat that fulfills our hunger,
in these heavy times, for hope and authenticity.
It’s tried-and-true Jacobs to the core, but these 10 songs also rip his soulful sound wide open and lay down fresh terrain. They’re an unbridled amalgam of his many influences—blues, roots, country, soul, bluegrass, funk—fueled
by flurries of piano, virile guitar, and powerful vocals. Wavering between big, bright ballads and downright grooves, the veteran musician digs deep and looks ahead. Through thoughtful songwriting, he wrestles with themes of family, fame, and growing older, finding solace in these strange times and success on his own terms.

See our full interview with musician Cris Jacobs.

We think we could safely say that Cris Jacobs is the man responsible for inspiring the acoustic music revival that’s taken over Baltimore.

First, there was his bluegrass group Smooth Kentucky, in the early aughts, sparking a rebirth of that old-time sound. Then, there was the jam band, The Bridge, which garnered a loyal local and national following. Eventually, Jacobs struck out on his own and became a rising star as a solo act, revered by the likes of NPR, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone.

But back here in Baltimore, he’d helped inspire other Americana musicians to grab their instruments and make their mark, and today, a growing brood of roots-based artists are forging their own community. To this day, among this sect of the city’s music scene, you could say he plays lead guitar.

But all of that to say, Jacobs is no longer the man he used to be. In fact, in the years since his last record, Dust To Gold, he’s gone on to tour all over the country, perform with idols like Willie Nelson and Phil Lesh, and most recently, become a father. All of those changes appear in his accomplished new album, Color Where You Are, which is about finding success on his own terms, becoming a family man, and fighting for a better world.

Before his release show at the Union Craft Brewing on April 12, we talked to the artist about his growing clan, being a second-generation Grateful Dead fan, and feeling at home in Baltimore.

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Tell us about the title.

It’s a lyric from the song “Painted Roads.” It struck me as an overarching theme or common thread, about accepting the moment and trying to create beauty in whatever circumstance that you’re in, with whatever you’re working with.

You’ve been a working musician for years now. When you’re writing albums and performing and touring, is it difficult to be present like that?

The challenges grow all the time and change and evolve. This record was my first experience trying to write a record while being a parent and touring musician at the same time. Both of those activities are quite time consuming, you know. But it was a good exercise in really sharpening my focus and paying attention to what it was that I was trying to do and not taking the moment or words or songs for granted. In years past, it was easier for me to say, ‘Oh, I’ll get back to this one later,’ and then I end up with 50 unfinished songs or half-baked ideas because the initial inspiration wasn’t there when I got back to it. This time around, I really forced myself to stay in the chair and focus on what it is what I was trying to say.

How did being a new parent play into that as well?

The weight of everything is different now, compared to years past, when it was really just me. There was a lot of heavy emotion coming into this process, thinking about the current sociopolitical climate and how it might affect my family in the future. I wasn’t trying to write a political album by any means. But it was fueled by all that and how it affected me, and made me feel about the world, and the world for my daughter.

At the same time, there seems to be a certain brightness to several of these songs.

I realized that after the fact. It wasn’t intentional. I think it was just generally the direction that I was headed toward. What felt naturally right was a brighter, uplifting sound. Maybe it was because I needed it, or because people needed it. Maybe there’s too much darkness in the world and I was trying to go the other way.

That being said, do you feel like you delved deeper with your songwriting on this record?

I would say so. I’m evolving as a writer all the time, and on this record, I went some places I hadn’t gone before lyrically. I feel like I dug down another level in my own lyrics and was more intentional. When lyrics don’t matter as much, there’s a lot more leeway. When you’re writing about things that matter, it’s important to really try to focus on the nuance of what you’re trying to say. It all goes back to the gravity of life. There’s more at stake in my world these days, having a family and seeing everything that’s going on around me. I want to protect my family and provide a good life for my daughter and stay sane myself in this crazy world. It all matters more.

In addition to starting a family, you’ve also shared the stage with some major legends and influences over the last few years. What was that like, besides awesome?

There’s been a lot of awesome stuff. Most recently in the awesomeness was playing the Hollywood Bowl with Phil Lesh. That was just a totally surreal experience. The Grateful Dead is probably the band that set me off in the direction of being a musician. I picked up a guitar when I was 15 years old and went to my first Grateful Dead concert and sort of went down the rabbit hole from there. And then to get a call as I’m mowing the lawn one day, literally, and it’s him asking me if I wanted to come out and be a part of this festival with Willie Nelson and Sturgill Simpson. It was definitely one of those moments and what made it even cooler was that both of my parents have always been huge Dead Heads like my whole life. My dad came out with me and got to experience it and see me play with Phil. It’s just one of those full-circle life experiences where you kind of feel like everything is aligned.

What’s it like coming back to Baltimore after all that?

Baltimore is home. It always has been. I’ve moved away and visited lots of other places, but there’s no place like it for me. I have so many roots here. And it’s been the fuel that’s kept me going a lot of times throughout my career. I just love Baltimore. I love the people. They are who they are. It’s not a place anyone goes to be discovered or to climb any industry ladder and be something they’re not. I’ve always taken pride in being the “Baltimore guy.” I meet people and tell them where I’m from and always get like an, “Oh, wow, really, you still live there? ” You’re damn right I do. I take pride in this city. I take pride in that I’m not a “Nashville guy” or an “L.A. guy.” I’m just me. And that’s how people are around here.

Speaking of homes, you’ll be releasing your album at another second home, Union Craft Brewing. What can you tell us about the show?

It’s just such a cool Baltimore moment for me because the Union guys are some of my closest buddies. I went to college and lived together with [Union co-owner] Jon Zerivitz and we have remained super tight. I remember him sitting on his couch, having a beer, and saying, “You know, I think I wanna open a brewery with these guys,” and here they are. What they’ve done is just incredible. So, to be able to have a sold-out show there for the new record with all my friends in a brewery started by my friends, it’s a very prideful Baltimore moment for me.

In the latest iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we found five local songs, ranging from roots-fueled funk and electronic instrumentals to country western ballads, for you to listen to right now. 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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“Painted Roads” by Cris Jacobs

The King of Baltimore rock-and-roll is back and he’s bringing the funk. Where 2016’s Dust To Gold was full of Southern trimmings—roadhouse blues, twangy ballads, thunderous stomps—this new tune off of Jacobs’ upcoming Color Where You Are is a downright groove, fueled by a flurry of piano, undulating bass, and spunky drums, speaking to the strange chase of stardom, and finding success on your own terms, wherever you are. The soulful sound is tried-and-true Jacobs to the core, but it’s also fresh territory for the veteran musician. It adds an instant pep to your step, and leaves you hungry, in these heavy times, for the lightness that the rest of the record could bring.

“Dis Ting” by Funsho

By now, there’s a good chance that you’ve seen or heard of Funsho. Be it on your television set—where the Nigeria-born, Maryland-raised musician first garnered national attention last year on NBC’s The Voice—or around the Baltimore region, where he’s been performing seemingly nonstop ever since. As the second single of his upcoming NUMB3RZ EP, this track is an early song of summer, featuring a swaggering Afrobeat melody, Funsho’s silky smooth vocals, and guest flows by fellow DMV artist King Kanja. Combining pop, soul, hip-hop, and R&B, he creates instant feel-good vibes. See for yourself when he performs before Harbor East’s FashionEASTa fashion show in late April.

“Ecola” by The Honey Dewdrops

The first day of spring is officially upon us and few songs feel more fitting than those off of the new album, Anyone Can See, by local folk duo The Honey Dewdrops. This light-as-air instrumental features hearty acoustic strings and a lilting melody. But don’t let its simplicity fool you; it’s a deeply intimate tune propelled forward by the authentic chemistry of bandmates Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish. With each plink of banjo and strum of guitar, it builds and beams outward, rising like the sun at dawn.

“Requiem for Yaya” by Infinity Knives

It’s hard to pick a favorite track off the new full-length debut from DIY artist and Station North stalwart Infinity Knives. On In the Mouth of Sadness (Ugly Nigga from Heaven), each experimental number is a short snippet into another world—one you’ll want to explore for hours, be it a twinkling cosmos, a chaotic underworld, or a glitchy technicolor other dimension. Wavering between minimalistic melodies and complex compositions, this collection is a masterful collage of sound, some six years in the making, featuring special guests such as local rappers DYYO, Josh Stokes, and Giddeon Gallows. We found this heart-tugging fourth track especially transformative.

“Long Gone” by Jesse Hanlon

Out of obscurity, we stumbled upon this new two-song EP from Towson High grad, fledgling musician, and apparent old soul Jesse Hanlon. He makes the sort of hypnotic outlaw country music that’s making a comeback on the national stage, thanks in part to other young backwoods musicians like Tyler Childers and Colter Wall. If these two debut tracks are any indication, Hanlon should keep it up; they’re tall tales of hard luck and heart break—the sort of jangly, guitar-busting blues of a dusty spaghetti western (or the Coen Brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)—and they’re persuasive. This title track, featuring a hint of psychedelic and surf inspiration, sounds as if it was written from another lifetime.

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

 EAT

April 28: Baltimore Bike Party’s 5th Birthday

Mount Vernon Marketplace, 520 Park Ave. 6:30 p.m.-12 a.m. Free.

This weekend, everyone’s favorite party on wheels turns five years old, and its birthday celebration is going to be epic. Kick it all off with a killer route through Mount Vernon and Bolton Hill—starting at St. Mary’s Park with a rest stop at Whitelock Park—followed by food, live music, and drinks at the Mount Vernon Marketplace. Get post-ride fuel with bites from The Local Oyster, Pinch Dumplings, and the new Cholitas Tacos, then “rehydrate” with cold, local brews from Taps Fill Station and Between2Buns. With themed and oftentimes costumed events, the monthly bike ride has become a must-attend happening and a creative incubator for the city’s cycling community. As always, party hats, noisemakers, and balloons are encouraged. 

 DRINK

April 29: Baltimore Cocktail Week Wellness & Rejuvenation

YogaWorks Midtown, 107 East Preston St. 12-3 p.m. $15. 

We know it’s hard to decide between brunch cocktails or a morning workout, but luckily this weekend, you don’t have to choose. On Saturday, join Yogaworks for a restorative yoga class, followed by fruity, bubbly, spring cocktails as part of the annual Baltimore Cocktail Week. With tipples like blood orange cocktails and prosecco-studded sips, we can’t think of a better reward after sweating it out. All proceeds also benefit House of Ruth Maryland. Namaste, indeed! 

 SEE

April 29: CityLit Festival

University of Baltimore, William H. Thumel Sr. Business Center, 11 W. Mount Royal Ave. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

For the 14th year, Baltimore’s CityLit Festival returns with an exciting lineup of acclaimed writers. With a focus on poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, award-winning author and TED Talk celebrity Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will headline with conversations on feminism, poetry, and prose. Adichie—whose 2010 The Danger of A Single Story is one of the top 10 most-viewed TED Talks of all time and inspired her 2014 book We Should All Be Feminists—will chat with WYPR’s Tom Hall about writing, raising our voices, and activism. With a full day of sessions, also sit in on discussions about writing as political resistance, editing tips and tricks, and character building through the written word.

 HEAR

April 29: Fifth Annual Charm City Bluegrass Festival

Druid Hill Park, 900 Druid Park Lake Dr. 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. $55. 

Now in its fifth year, this once small parking lot jam session has grown into Baltimore’s biggest bluegrass festival, known for its stellar lineups, local food, and festival-only beer by Union Craft (we love the cleverly named When I Say Charm You Saison). Rain or shine, prepare to move and groove at two stages with local talents like Cris Jacobs and Seldom Scene, as well as big-name national acts such as The Lone Bellow and Dustbowl Revival.

 DO

April 29: The Society of Excellent Women Dance Party

Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St. 9 p.m.-1:40 a.m. $7. 

This weekend, the “Excellent Women” of Baltimore are bringing you the ultimate girls night. In the spirit of making new friends and celebrating girl power, the new Society of Excellent Women meet-up group is hosting a Saturday night dance party at the Ottobar with DJ Pancakes spinning the best girl-power jams all night long. If the event is anything like the girl groups’ previous get-togethers—full of fun like cotton candy, tie-dye—we expect a full-on fete with hits like Pat Benatar’s  “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” TLC’s “No Scrubs,” and Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls).” Because, let’s be honest . . .

Peals

Honey (Friends Records)

This album is made for dreamers. On this sophomore project by local instrumental pop duo Peals (William Cashion of Future Islands and Bruce Willen of Double Dagger), the band layers tempo and tone into a million tiny images, sending the listener’s imagination into auto-drive. Ethereal and lush, these nine songs dance between solitary soundscapes that stretch out like the horizon, and bright, brilliant symphonies that slowly build and bloom. In a textured crescendo of new wave guitar, static electronics, and the occasional twinkle of bells, each melody takes us on an unexpected journey, conjuring up emotions and memories unique to the individual listener. No two people will hear these songs the same.

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Cris Jacobs

Dust to Gold (American Showplace Music)

After 10 years, five records, and hundreds of shows, Cris Jacobs has become a fixture of the Baltimore music scene. As frontman of The Bridge, he gained a loyal following, eventually releasing his first solo album in 2012 and establishing himself as a hometown artist here to stay. He now returns with his second solo work, a soulful collection of songwriting that runs the gamut of Southern sound—a dusty suitcase filled with traveling stomps, heartbroken blues, and porch-sitting love songs, in which his earthy vocals meld with fearless finger-picking, thunderous drums, and a few quivers of slide guitar. In the brightest moments, Jacobs reaches new heights, but it’s in the dark, desperado corners of the album that he truly shines.