Clusterfuck: Scapescape, Dope Body, Autograph Playhouse, Death Set, more

With the recent closure of the Hexagon, and the close call at Sonar, Baltimore should revel in any announcement of a new space for art to inhabit. The Showtime Theatre on 25th street is re-opening as the Autograph Playhouse this weekend.

The same B.R.O.S. that presented us with Grundlehammer are back with two new rock operas scheduled for the next three weekends, titled Amphion and The Terrible Secret of Lunastus. More details are here, and tickets are here.



Dope Body celebrates the release of Nupping Friday night at Floristree with a Baltimore heavy sound dream team that includes Double Dagger, Ed Schrader's Music Beat, and an all-too-rare appearance by Butt Stomach (Dan Deacon and Kevin O'Meara's noise outfit).




The big event this weekend is Scapescape, a festival that goes down all day Sunday at the G Spot and Ruintown. Festival organizer Dave Underhill was originally asked to have his band play the G Spot for what could be a final farewell to the space, but he ended up booking over 20 other bands to play as well. The result is a wide offering of some of Baltimore's best sounds with Dan Deacon, Celebration, Arbouretum, and Microkingdom all headlining the affair. RSVP and get more details right here.


And if all that weren't already enough, Approximate Infinite Daydream begins this Sunday at the Baltimore Museum of Art. This show includes Comeback Ranch, Jared Paolini, and Vlond. The event is free and takes places during regular hours at the museum.


Lastly, the Death Set is back in town for the first time since dropping their new record. They play the Windup Space on Saturday night with Win Win and Future People.

Video: Shark Tank - "Don't Shoot"

Shark Tank is Height, Lord Grunge (Grand Buffet), Mickey Free, and Brendan Richmond. Their debut album comes out today, with a short tour that hits Philly tonight and Baltimore tomorrow night at the Windup Space with Moss of Aura and Ed Schrader. The first video from the project recently surfaced, and it's definitely one of the more traditional rap shorts we've seen Height involved with. Check it out:



The video is for the track "Don't Shoot", one of the many bangers from the new Shark Tank record. This one deals with the demons that are bad habits and over-indulgence, all while maintaining that 90s-era hip hop video party atmosphere.



I highly recommend you go and check out tomorrow night's show at the Windup, and even more so I suggest snagging the new LP from this indie-rap super group. If you dig Mickey Free's new record, and Height with Friends' Bed of Seeds, then chances are Shark Tank's new one will be thrown into heavy rotation as well. The show tomorrow starts at 10 PM.

Shows: Lucky Dragons, Lichens, Mickey Free, INEVERYROOM, Teenage Souls, Beyond Say, NARC

Happy year's end, folks. Hope its been a good one. We are pretty stoked for 2011.

Heading into the new year tonight, the Annex sports Beyond Say, Omoo Omoo, The Sneaks, INEVERYROOM, Teenage Souls, Whoar Frost, Mr.Moccasin, NARC, The Flying Eyes, and Future Peoples for NYE. It is BYOB and costs $8. Downtown at Rams Head you'll find our friend Mickey Free lighting up the stage with J Roddy Walston and the Business.


LICHENS @ North End Studio // Burlington VT 08/13/09 [via]

The kind folks at the Soft House passed along the flyer (above) for a an evening they are hosting this Sunday night. Lucky Dragons will be in town, and they'll be joined by the equally incredible Lichens. Also performing will be The Urxed (Rob from High Places) and Sft Stps, with John Jones (Each Others) DJing the affair.

Show: Mickey Free Record Release Party @ Golden West

This Friday night at the Golden West Mickey Free celebrates the release of his new album with AK Slaughter, Nuclear Power Pants, and Secret Weapon Dave on the 1s and 2s.

Mickey Free has had a banner year, churning out a killer remix of Wye Oak's "That I Do", producing the latest Height with Friends LP, and capping it all off with a solo full length that's chock full of the antics and beats we've come to know and love from Mr. Free.



While the LP has a handful of standouts - from "Never Enough" which features Wye Oak and Dave from Arbouretum, to more humorous takes like "The Unnies" - my personal favorite has to be "They Don't Know How To Act" which features a verse from Height. Any hip hop track that can come off this serious but still use the phrase "schlepped" is ace in my book, and this epic banger defines everything Mickey is capable of.



I highly recommend hitting up the show this Friday night, and even more so, I urge you to pick up a copy of Mickey Free's Last of the Tight Wiggers. Mickey is offering admission to the show and a copy of the album for just $10, so get on that.

Hampdenfest 2010: Double Dagger, Arbouretum, Sick Weapons, Witch Hat, Mickey Free, and more

This year's Hampdenfest goes down next Saturday, September 11. The festivities take place from 10 AM to 7 PM on the avenue, with three stages for music.



Expect sets from Double Dagger, Arbouretum, Sick Weapons, Mickey Free, Witch Hat, Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez, Surroundings, Rapdragons, and plenty more. The event is totally free, and this year also includes a "Toilet Race" and the "Charm City Beard & Mustache Championship". Better start grooming those 'staches now.



Get the full schedule for Hampdenfest 2010 after the jump.

ATOMIC BOOKS STAGE (36th & Falls Rd)
11AM - The Stents
12PM - Yeveto
1PM - Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez
2PM - The Snowmen
3PM - Witch Hat
4PM - Red Weasel
5PM - Sick Weapons
6PM- Double Dagger

MONSTER STAGE (36th & Chestnut Ave)
11AM - The Matrimonials
11:50 - The Slow Jerks
12:40 - The Convocation
1:30 - Dead Mechanical
2:30 - Deep Sleep
3:10 - Surroundings
4:00 - The Pilgrim
4:50 - Desert Boys
5:50 - Arbouretum
6:30 - Mickey FreePARTY STAGE (36th & Elm Ave.)
11AM - ex-Replicas
11:30 - Sister Ex
12PM -The Remingtones
12:30 - June Star
1PM - Sal Bando
1:30 - Bad Liquor Pond
2PM - Garage Sale
2:30 - The Mill Billies
3PM - The Go-Pills
3:30 - The Jennifers
4PM - 5PM - The Charm City Beard & Mustache Championships
5:15 - Rapdragons
6PM - Landspeedrecord
6:30PM - Slow Jets

DJ TENT (36th & Roland Ave.)
11 - Ryan Nation & Patrick Brander
1 - Dan Wylie
2 - King Gilbert
3 - Djeneral Mayhem
4 - Craig Sopo
5 - DJ Exclaime & DJ Fleg

Rap Round Robin Video Flyer No. 2

Sarah Milinksi and Jared Paolini just dropped their second video flyer for this Saturday's Rap Round Robin, and this one's got Height With Friends. The event is this weekend at Floristree, and will sport a lineup that includes Food For Animals, AK Slaughter, Rap Dragons, Mickey Free, King Rhythm, The Plural MC, PT Burnem, and Jones.



Peep the poster after the jump, and look our for the third installment soon.

Rap Round Robin Video Flyer No. 1

The Baltimore Rap Round Robin is this Saturday at Floristree, and features Food For Animals, AK Slaughter, Rap Dragons, Height With Friends, Mickey Free, King Rhythm, The Plural MC, PT Burnem, and Jones. The above video flyer is the first in a series of three put together by Jared Paolini and Sara Milinski of Small Snake Productions.



The video features PT Burnem underneath a bridge in Baltimore, doing his thing acapella style. The other two videos will feature other rappers involved in similar scenarios around town. Look for those to come soon.

Fourth Annual Baltimore Rap Round Robin

The fourth annual Baltimore Rap Round Robin has been announced, and it will take place at Floristree on August 7th. This has been super fun over the past several years.



In case you're not familiar - all performers will be setting up around the space, and will participate in a traditional round robin set. Just like year's past, 2010's lineup heavily spotlights some of our favorite local wordsmiths and beat-makers.



Food For Animals, AK Slaughter, Rap Dragons, Height With Friends, Mickey Free, King Rhythm, The Plural MC, PT Burnem, and Jones will all be performing. Peep a video of Height with Friends from the event three years ago after the jump.

Mickey Free ft. Wye Oak - "Never Enough"

One of Baltimore's favorite indie beat-makers and producers is back in action, and is on the heels of releasing a brand new full length. Mickey Free is offering his new jams under the title, Last of the Tight Wiggers. I've been spending some time with this LP over the past few weeks, and I'm happy to report that Mickey's crafted something pretty rad.



Above is the fourth track on the album, "Never Enough", which features Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack of Wye Oak. If you're not familiar with Baltimore, or you haven't heard the last track on Wye Oak's newest EP, then you might be a little surprised to see Wye Oak appearing on an indie hip hop album. However, Andy and Jenn were both on last year's Height with Friends LP, and Mickey played a role in production on the duos latest EP.

I for one am never typically a fan of the standard hip hop chorus, but throw Jenn Wasner's vocals over top of one of Mickey's slickest beats, and I'm sold. This jam is a slow burner, full of heartbreak and stacked with soul. Dave Heumann's guitar caps the song off, and is paired with a dose of vibed-out saxophone compliments of Andy Stack.



The LP also features Baltimore indie rap mainstays Emily Slaugher and Height, who you can hear in the track above. Mickey is currently offering the whole album as a stream on his bandcamp page, and you can also indulge in the full thing here and after the jump.

Bed of Seeds Album Release Party

The fourth release in the Friends Records catalog will be Bed of Seeds, the new LP from Height with Friends. It will be limited to 500 copies on vinyl, and available in the coming weeks. Height with Friends is currently out on the second leg of their national tour, but will be coming back to Baltimore to celebrate the release of their finest record to date on Friday, May 28th.



Last year's Baltimore Highlands via Wham City Records turned many heads in Height's direction, but Bed of Seeds is a whole new look and the first to truly represent the full group feel. After many spins of the test press copies last week, it's become clear that Mickey Free's production on this record might be the best thing Mickey has ever been apart of... and that dude's cooked up some fine tunes in his day.

To help celebrate, Height has put together a "mega show" lineup that features an all-star cast of cronies. Performing on stage as Height with Friends will be Mickey Free, Emily Slaughter, Gavin Riley, PT Burnem, Travis Allen, Brendan Richmond, Liz Aeby, Pam Kurowski and Rob Dowler of Nuclear Power Pants. Yes.



In addition, Weekends will be in attendance and their new record MIGHT be ready on vinyl by the time of this show. If not, we're also cooking up cassette tapes of Strange Cultures that are sure to be raddest sounds to grace your Walkman's presence ever. We'll also have the Friends and Friends of Friends tapes ready for the taking as well.

To cap it all off, Lord Grunge of Grand Buffet will be performing. The show is Friday, May 28th at the Hexagon. Look for more surprises to be announced in the coming weeks.

Wye Oak - "I Hope You Die"

For a song called "I Hope You Die" by a band that often bellows themes from the darker sides of things, one might not tend to expect textures of luminance and feelings of hope. Yes, the lyrics provide us with the angst and heartbreak that we've come to expect from Wye Oak, but this kind of feels like one of the brighter jams to come from this young local duo. Hear for yourself.



"I Hope You Die" is powered by Andy's keys, which add a depth unseen with any prior tracks from the duo. While previous songs found texture in bursts of noise, this one provides nooks and crannies throughout that give it a different feel. This track may hint at new directions for Wye Oak, but at it's core the same slow-building ups and downs scream with beauty and thought. Oh, and there's a saxophone too!

The new EP is called My Neighbor/My Creator, and was recorded by Chris Freeland along with brother Mickey Freeland in their basement studio outside of Baltimore. Mickey Free's remix of "That I Do", which originally appeared on Splice Today's Baltimore Does Baltimore, is the fifth track while the other four tracks are all brand new songs.

Andy and Jenn digitally released their new EP via Merge Records last week, and you can get the CD at any of their Spring tour dates or in stores June 8. Wye Oak is currently on tour with Jana Hunter's new band Lower Dens, and then head out on a massive North American journey with Shearwater. Get all the dates after the jump.

03.15.2010 Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone Cafe
03.24.2010 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
03.25.2010 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
03.26.2010 Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
03.27.2010 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03.28.2010 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's
03.30.2010 Cambridge, MA @ TT The Bear's
03.31.2010 Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
04.01.2010 Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
04.02.2010 Ithaca, NY @ Castaways
04.03.2010 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
04.04.2010 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
04.05.2010 Milwaukee, WI @ Mad Planet
04.06.2010 Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar
04.07.2010 Grinnell, IA @ Gardner Lounge - Grinnell College
04.08.2010 Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck
04.09.2010 Norman, OK @ The Opolis
04.10.2010 Dallas, TX @ The Loft
04.22.2010 Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
04.23.2010 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
04.24.2010 Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
04.25.2010 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
04.27.2010 Portland, OR Doug @ Fir Lounge
04.28.2010 Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret
04.29.2010 Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
04.30.2010 Pullman, WA @ The Bell Tower
05.01.2010 Boise, ID @ Neurolux
05.02.2010 Salt Lake City, UT @ the State Room
05.04.2010 Denver, CO @ Walnut Room
05.05.2010 Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
05.07.2010 Austin, TX @ The Parish

Playlist: Blogtimore Pwns Weekend

There are about 30 acts playing this weekend on Friday at the G Spot, Saturday at Sonar, and Sunday at the Ottobar. Listen to 17 above. Get tickets here and here.

Photos: Height with Friends @ Hexagon

Saturday night the Hexagon hosted a pretty rad lineup as Height with Friends, Moss of Aura, Food For Animals, Mickey Free, and American Folklore all performed. You can find a handful of these fine artists at upcoming Baltimore shows, starting with Moss of Aura who plays this Friday night at The Good Son with Lonnie Walker and more.

Mickey Free plays our show at the Ottobar on January 31st, with Get 'em Mamis, AK Slaughter, Rapdragons, PT Burnem, Jones, and Cullen Stalin DJing the affair. Height and all of his Friends play the night before, and is one of the 19 acts performing at Aural States Fest. We'll soon have some news regarding the follow-up album to Height with Friends' Baltimore Highlands, and some music to share.

Valerie's photos of all of Saturday's acts are after the jump.

Height with Friends




Food For Animals




Moss of Aura




Mickey Free




American Folklore





Photos by Valerie

Clusterf*ck: Shows in Baltimore this Weekend

This weekend is the first clusterf*ck of 2010, and likely to be the first of many here in Baltimore. While there are a hefty amount of musical things to choose from, schedules don't get really cluttered until Saturday night.

Saturday night also plays host to a football game, as the Ravens battle a team that stole football from Baltimore just a month after I was born. Man, was I one pissed off little dude.

Find out what else is up in the city that reads this weekend after the click.

The highlight of Friday night is in Hampden, where the Golden West is offering "Freak Rock on the Cheap". For just three dollars you get three great rock bands, including Vincent Black Shadow, Hollywood, and Pilgrim. Not a bad way to spend three bucks on a Friday, and all three bands should be sure to get your ears nice and blasted.

Another option Friday night is at the Ottobar. Psych rock is bountiful with Bad Liquor Pond, The Flying Eyes, Whoarfrost, and Deaf Scene all sharing the bill. This one starts at 9 PM and is all ages.

Height with Friends is at the Hexagon Saturday night, and as if his supporting cast wasn't already strong enough the bill also includes Moss of Aura, Food for Animals, Mickey Free, and American Folklore. Look for some super exciting things to come from Height with Friends in 2010, as I'll have some info on this for you in the coming months.

Also Saturday, you can catch Dope Body and Sick Weapons at the Penthouse Gallery. Both acts are quickly becoming among some of our favorite live bands in Baltimore, and this show should prove to be a good time. If you need your eardrums damaged at an even higher level on Saturday, hit up the Zodiac to catch the dark metal Brooklyn band Liturgy.

Sunday night also has a good one at the Penthouse Gallery, as Jason Urick and Ecstatic Sunshine help you wind down after a fun weekend. This is their tour send-off show, before they head up to NYC and onward to tour Europe together.

Bmore Musically Informed Presents: Get 'em Mamis, AK Slaughter, Rapdragons, PT Burnem, Mickey Free @ Ottobar 1/31/10

With rock and roll fully represented Friday, January 29 at the G Spot, we at Bmore Musically Informed wanted to add a night to a weekend that is already jam-packed to exemplify another full flowing genre of music in Baltimore

Sunday night January 31st, we added a show at the Ottobar that right now includes the Get 'em Mamis, AK Slaughter, Rapdragons, PT Burnem, and Mickey Free.

Listen to all of the performers and get all the details after the click.

The Get 'em Mamis



AK Slaughter



Rapdragons



PT Burnem



Mickey Free


We noticed that there was a dimly spotlighted genre of music for Blogtimore Pwns weekend, and decided to help represent some more sounds that are happening in the community of Baltimore. This will be night three, and the finale of a series presented by Bmore Musically Informed and Aural States.

Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 the day of, and $6 with a special flyer given out at Friday night’s Bmore Musically Informed show which is January 29 at the G Spot with Arbouretum, Wye Oak, Sri Aurobindo, Weekends, and the Violet Hour. Fliers that will grant you the discount will also be distributed at Aural States Fest.

This is a showcase for some of the area’s finest hip hop, and will cap off Blogtimore Pwns weekend. Keep posted right here in the coming weeks for exclusive premieres from some of the weekend’s performers, and more details.

Track Premiere: P.T. Burnem - "Oh, Love!" featuring Height

As the off-the-beaten-path hip hop choices in Baltimore continue to grow, here comes P.T. Burnem's first solo LP. This full length will be dubbed Paper Cranes, and will hit us December 5. There will be an album release show at the Zodiac on the 5th, with Mickey Free and Rapdragons (more to come here on them soon) running strong support.

P.T. Burnem tossed three of the tracks my way the other day, along with an actual origami paper crane. Read on to find out more about these paper cranes, and to hear the first taste off the LP, a promising love jam with local favorite Height.

The beat to "Oh, Love!" is one of those infectious types. Burnem credits his beats to utilizing the "beautiful and infinite potential of simplicity". This one, which concludes with yet another ace verse by Height, is a happy summer jam. Burnem has been part of Height's friends, and sports vocals that are an ideal contrast to this light and airy collection of samples. Get a first look at this joint below:

The production on all three tracks I've been rocking is quite clean, and really stood out on the off kiltered cadence of "Cops + Robbers". This LP looks to be a win, and you will certainly find me at the album release show in early December.

Back to the actual origami paper cranes, P.T. Burnem is crafting 1000 of them of which 300 he will place around the city in hidden locations. 200 of the cranes will come with the limited edition LP, which will be made available December 5th at the Zodiac.

Photos: Height with Friends / AK Slaughter

Height w/Friends stormed the Windup Space last Friday, joined by the likes of Ak Slaughter, Lizz King, and Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez. We made it in time for the final three acts, along with Valerie who snapped some excellent photos that are all below.

This was the album release party for Height w/Friends' Baltimore Highlands remix album, but AK Slaughter also just dropped some love. Aran and Emily's mixtape, which you can grab here for free, is pretty stacked with all kinds of fun cuts from the duo. They killed it yet again live on Friday, and appeared to be having a grand old time doing it. They've got another show this Friday at Sonar.

Height w/Friends featured Mickey Free and Emily Slaughter backing up Height vocally, and they did a damn fine job doing so. The beats hit loud, Height was as amped as always, and Mickey and Emily were essential in weaving it all together. Look for more to come from all three MCs, including a new full length on the way soon from Emily's AK Slaugter. Peep the rest of the photo set below, or click here for the set on our Flikr.


Photos by Valerie

Golden Westival Lineup

Everyone's favorite avenue watering hole is hosting quite the event next week. The Golden West presents Golden Westival and/or Golden Fest. Call it what you will, this a four night local music extravaganza of varying sorts.

The Golden West has been a popular workplace for artists, and this gathering aims to serve as a pretty bad ass employee talent show. A mere 20 bucks gets you in all four nights, or 6 dollars for each night. In addition to music, Braegen promises a theatrical performance and a science experiment.

Check out each night's lineup below:

Thursday 8/20/09
Crazy Dreams Band , Jana Hunter, Jones, Young & Rusty presents his Cocaine Sex Jams, Brian Adam Ant

Friday 8/21/09
Lo Moda, Ed schrader, Matrimonials, Necklace

Saturday 8/22/09
Mishaps , Cex, Old THUNDER HEART, Midnight Society, Zach Kaufman

Sunday 8/23/09
Pilgrim, Mickey Free, Child Bride, Macgregor Burns, Boner Jamz

Third Annual Baltimore Rap Round Robin

What better way to start celebrating your country's independence than being bombarded by the entirety of Baltimore's most interesting rap acts.

The third annual All Rap Round Robin goes down this Friday at Load of Fun. The event features nine acts of the most unique left field blends of hip hop our fair city has to offer. This year's lineup, which will come at you rapid-fire round robin style, includes:

Food For Animals
Height
AK Slaughter
King Rhythym
Jones
Mickey Free
The Plural MC
PT Burn 'Em
Rap Dragons

Jones just dropped his debut solo full length, titled Jones Jones Jones. You can snag the MP3s for free right here, or go grab the limited vinyl copy that boasts custom spray paint art unique to each sleeve. Jone's slow delivered flow and minimalistic psych-soaked beats can also be caught at this year's Whartscape.

Tickets for the round robin this friday at LOF are only 5 bucks, show starts at 10.

With much thanks to Jeff, take a gander at the audio from 2007's event below!