Dr. Dog – Baltimore Magazine

Baltimore Boom Bap Society to perform with BSO, Dr. Dog

Gabriella Souza — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:47:00 +0000

Pulsating hip hop beats may not be the sounds you expect to hear at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. But in a concert series full of surprises, we’ve learned not to expect anything predictable.

On March 24, the modern dissonance of symphonic composer Igor Stravinsky as performed by Baltimore Symphony Orchestra musicians will meld with the rocking sounds of Dr. Dog and the rhythms of hip hop collective the Baltimore Boom Bap Society. It’s all part of the latest concert in Pulse, a series collaboration between the BSO and local radio station WTMD that blends BSO members with indie bands.

“Each show in the Pulse series is a new opportunity to delve into a wholly unique sound world,” says Nicholas Hersh, BSO associate conductor who is leading the show.

So far, in concerts featuring Dawes and local favorite Wye Oak, the results have been musically astounding, which made this latest announcement particularly intriguing.

According to a news release, during the concert, the Boom Bap Society will play with the BSO musicians during a suite from Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, which tells the story of a military man who trades his violin to the devil. Traditionally, the music is woven with a spoken narrative, and that’s where the Boom Bap Society comes in, reinventing the story and remixing Stravinsky’s music.

Next up will be a set by Dr. Dog, and then the Pennsylvania band will perform some of its own songs arranged by Hersh to include BSO musicians.

And before the show, local hip hop duo Bond St. District will perform in the lobby, where you can also grab local brews and eats. That combination is sure to get you in the mood for a night of musical genre bending.

Tickets are $35, and available at BSOPulse.org or by calling 410-783-8000. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

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The Launch: March 2016

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 08:30:00 +0000

Light City Baltimore
Mar. 28-April 3. Various locations. Free.
To celebrate the vibrancy of Baltimore’s arts scene, the city will host Light City Baltimore. The weeklong festival will combine art installations, music and theater performances, and tech and innovation conferences in an eclectic, electric experience unlike anything ever staged in the U.S. Highlights will include a 1.5-mile Inner Harbor promenade past 51 large-scale, luminous installations, and four innovation conferences with speakers ranging from AOL founder Steve Case to Radiolab host Jad Abumrad. All events are free, except for the conferences, but organizers are reserving a quarter of all conference tickets for community members, free of charge.—AM

Leon Bridges
Mar. 4. Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 N. Eutaw St. 8 p.m. $48-58. 410-837-7400. Man, Leon Bridges. The 26-year-old Southern soul singer did a number on our hearts last spring when he dropped his swoon-worthy single, “Coming Home.” By summer, he was a radio sensation, reminding us of such seminal songwriters as Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, and by winter, he had become a likely contender for “Best R&B Album” at the 2016 Grammy Awards. Quick shot to stardom or not, he’s one of the best young voices out there, and his retro sound is here to stay.

Kurt Vile & The Violators
Mar. 4. Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St. 8 p.m. $20. 410-662-0069. We love the opening of Kurt Vile’s “Wakin on a Pretty Day.” You can feel every swipe of fret in each guitar twang; every ounce of suburban ennui in each lusty lyric; every inch of warmth in the song’s slow, heart-tugging prettiness. This former War on Drugs bandmate makes you feel as if you’re in on his internal monologue, like you’re riding in a car together, lazily staring out the window at the sun. Go out of your way to hear his gentle indie-rock in Remington at the beginning of the month.

Motown
Mar. 8-13. Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 N. Eutaw St. Times vary. $48.50-213.50. 410-837-7400. It all started in Detroit, in a little white house with blue windows, and the words “Hitsville U.S.A.” above the door. There, Berry Gordy created an iconic record label that would go on to launch legends like Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, and The Temptations. This month, hear their hits at the Hippodrome, like “My Girl” and “ABC.”

Baltimore Jewish Film Festival
Mar. 12-Apr. 17. Gordon Center for Performing Arts, 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave., Owings Mills. Times vary. $5-15. 410-356-5200. Now in its 28th year, the Baltimore Jewish Film Festival returns with more than a month of cinema, featuring 13 films steeped in Jewish culture, tradition, and life. Each travels across the globe to show different perspectives of Jewish history, ranging from Paris in 1944 and Israel in 1985 to Argentina in 1994 and Texas in 2014. Through comedy, drama, documentary, and animation, the films tell tales of food and family, tragedy and triumph, with director presentations, Q&A sessions, and special guests.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Mar. 13. Washington Monument, 699 N. Washington Pl. 2 p.m. Free. During the month of March, Charm City turns into an Emerald Isle outpost as windows are riddled with shamrocks and taps overfloweth with green beer. On the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day, celebrate Irish culture and heritage with the city’s 61st annual parade, featuring bagpipes, marching bands, floats, and antique cars as they make their way to Market Place.

Ira Glass
Mar. 13. Goucher College, 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd., Towson. 7 p.m. $45-135. 410-235-1660. You know his voice. It comes to you in your car, at work, before bedtime, telling you stories of average and extraordinary people, from 9/11 survivors to long-lost friends. As the creator and host of This American Life, Baltimore native Ira Glass can be heard on his 20-year-old show via more than 500 stations across the country. This month, put a face to the name when he comes to town to talk about the future of radio. (See our recent interview with Glass.)

National Cherry Blossom Festival
Mar. 20-Apr. 17: Washington, D.C. Locations, times, prices vary. 877-44-BLOOM. Washington, D.C., dusts off its red and blue colors and turns a special shade of pink this month, during the 104th Cherry Blossom Festival. For more than three full weeks, celebrate the arrival of spring with over 3,000 beautiful, budding cherry trees, 1.5 million spectators, and countless international cultural performances and events, including a blowout party, kite festival, and parade down Constitution Avenue. While you’re there, be sure to swing through some of the city’s spectacular national landmarks and free museums.

BSO Pulse: Dr. Dog
Mar. 24. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St. 8:30 p.m. $35. 410-783-8000. When it launched last fall, we praised Pulse for its innovative concept of creating concerts that paired indie-rock bands with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. But we didn’t fully appreciate its importance until we saw Baltimore’s beloved Wye Oak perform in November. Chills, is all we can say, so now we’re extra excited for the next one, with outside-the-box alt-rockers Dr. Dog.

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BSO, Indie Bands Perform Together In New Concert Series

Gabriella Souza — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 12:58:00 +0000

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and WTMD want you to expand your musical horizons starting this fall.

The symphony and the local radio station are banding together to produce a new concert series called Pulse, a one-of-a-kind experience where BSO musicians and indie bands will perform both together and separately, featuring music with common thematic elements. It’s an experiment in crossing musical genres and introducing audiences to music they might not otherwise hear.

“It’s a real opportunity for BSO audiences to hear indie bands, and for fans of that music to be exposed to the symphony,” said Scott Mullins, WTMD’s program director. “It’s another way to connect audiences and music, which is what we do.”

Symphony musicians will play the first set, so to speak, with classical pieces including works by Baltimore native Philip Glass, John Luther Adams, Igor Stravinsky, and Aaron Copland. Next up, the bands Dawes, the Charm City’s own Wye Oak, Dr. Dog, and The Lone Bellow will play their tunes.

The concerts, which begin Sept. 24 and run through April, will conclude with the symphony musicians and bands playing together. Tickets are now on sale on the symphony’s website, and WTMD will broadcast all the shows live.

The idea is a unique one—Mullins said he’s not aware of this type of concert occurring anywhere else—and the product of a year’s worth of study and collaboration. He said at first it was a bit of a challenge to find bands who would take the plunge, as many were not used to performing in a concert halls or with large ensembles. But the ones who have signed on are excited—several of Wye Oak’s songs are even being orchestrated.

“It’s one of our most ambitious undertakings,” he said.

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Hot August Music Festival Boasts Stellar Lineup

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:30:00 +0000

Brad Selko has been deciding Hot August Music Festival‘s lineup for the past 22 years.

“It’s not easy,” says the 64-year-old Baltimore native, who founded the festival. “I study everything and listen to everything, talk to family and friends both young and old.”

This year’s festival—August 16 at Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville—features bluegrass-folk band Old Crow Medicine Show, Americana band Nickel Creek, and indie rockers Dr. Dog. There will also be local acts like electronica quartet ELM, soul band Bosley, rock trio Jordan August Band and blues rockers The Solicitors.

The one-day event focuses primarily on bluegrass and country music, genres that Selko holds near and dear. That being said, he doesn’t shy away from bringing in different genres to diversify the musical offerings, inviting bands such as Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Gov’t Mule, and Trombone Shorty to play in past years.

“People like [Nickel Creek and Dr. Dog] down here,” says Selko. “I think they’re great rock and roll bands. I don’t choose straight down the line of bluegrass and country—I like to go left and right a bit.”

That kind of go-with-the-flow attitude has defined Hot August Music Festival since the days it was held in Selko’s barn. But the festival still remains largely intimate and revolves around what Selko prefers as a music fan, first and foremost.

“One thing that I don’t like about festivals are the short sets,” says Selko. “At festivals with hour-long sets and shorter, sometimes the bands take 15-minutes just to warm up. I make sure that Old Crow is the last band and that they have a full two-hour set.”

His fan-first philosophy also spills over into the other areas of the festival, as well.

“I hate lines,” he says. “That’s why I’ve hired extra beer staff, got more bathrooms, and brought in more food vendors. You’ve gotta keep people happy.”

This year, concession options include organic falafel wraps, pit beef, and beer offerings like Natty Boh and Magic Hat.

And, although the festival has grown in size and brings in bigger, more nationally recognized acts, one thing that hasn’t changed is Selko’s pre-show ritual.

“Every year, my sister or my wife picks me up a box of Berger Cookies,” he says. “It’s the only thing I can eat during the festival. I even turned [blues musician] Susan Tedeschi and [Gov’t Mule drummer] Matt Abts onto them. And, the funny thing is, I never want to eat them any other time of the year.”

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August Concerts in the Region

Jess Mayhugh — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Now Playing

2014 Summer Spirit Festival
Aug 2: Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy.,
Columbia. 3 p.m. $46-125.

merriweathermusic.com

David Gray
Aug 7: Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy.,
Columbia. 3 p.m. $46-125.
merriweathermusic.com

Heart
Aug 9: Pier Six Pavilion,
731 Eastern Ave.

6:30 p.m. $35-75.

piersixpavilion.com

Silopanna Music Festival
Aug 16: Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, 1450 General’s Hwy., Annapolis.
11 a.m. $59.50-175.
silopannafestival.com

Hot August Music Festival
Aug 16: Oregon Ridge Park, 13401 Beaver Dam Rd., Cockeysville.

11 a.m. $59-169.

hotaugustmusicfestival.com

Boston
Aug 26: Pier Six Pavilion,
731 Eastern Ave.

6:30 p.m. $35-350.

piersixpavilion.com

Liner Notes & Key Tracks

Ms. Lauryn Hill, Janelle Monáe, and Talib Kweli are billed to play this festival of hip-hop and R&B heavyweights.
Key Tracks: “Doo Wop (That Thing)” (Lauryn Hill) and “Tightrope” (Janelle Monáe).

Multi-platinum British songsmith David Gray burst onto the scene with his album
White Ladder, and continues his tradition of thoughtful songwriting on his new album Mutineers. Key Tracks: “This Year’s Love” and “Babylon.”

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson deliver hard-rock hits spanning their four-decade career. Key Tracks: “Barracuda” and “Crazy On You.”

Alt-rock greats The Flaming Lips, Dashboard Confessional, Matt and Kim, and more gather at this Annapolis summertime show. Key Tracks: “Do You Realize??” (The Flaming Lips) and “Hands Down” (Dashboard Confessional).

Join Old Crow Medicine Show, Nickel Creek, Dr. Dog, and other Americana, funk, soul, and blues bands at this eclectic Baltimore County festival. Key Tracks: “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show) and “Shadow People” (Dr. Dog).

These classic rock legends have earned their stripes with their multi-platinum albums and slew of sing-along hits. Key Tracks: “More Than A Feeling” and “Foreplay/Longtime.”

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