Unsung Pieces
Baltimore has been served its slice of attention pie as the 2008's Best Scene, according to Rolling Stone Magazine. From the "backyards" of rowhomes, some of its locals have taken to touring the world with their music and art.
Breaking it Down
As a multi-faceted organization, this project tries to examine as much of the D.I.Y. scene of Baltimore as it can.
First, I approached life in the scene after Baltimore's initial wave of attention and how its been affected. What makes Baltimore so special and does it have what it takes to stay in the spotlight? DJs, reporters, and venue owners all have similar insights and enthusiasm towards their home city and from the reactions they've heard, it doesn't seem to be much of a question at all.
What is Wham City? Aside from being a key player in the allure of Baltimore City as a musical hot spot, what is it and why is it so alluring? Rolling Stone made it a point to mention them, and I spent some time at "Wham City" events. With its grassroots air and word of mouth advertisement, it stays true to the idea of a D.I.Y. scene. But it's beginning to fade into the same face as Baltimore community. That's okay, because that's kind of the idea.
With an ever-growing scene, comes a need for a multitude of performance spaces. Baltimore's venues come in a sort of "tiered" system, but it's becoming a bit of a challenge to keep them running or to even open them up. They face a variety of issues. From the heavily-trafficked venues to the "holes-in-the-wall", they are all becoming more threatened by the potential deletion of Live Entertainment zoning by City Council Bill 08-0163 and the number of condominiums being built in the area.
Baltimore is a big fan of supporting everyone - from the schools of new and old thought, to the ones of Transmodern. On the evenings from April 2 to April 5, 2009, the Transmodern Festival took place in the H&H Building and showcased artists of the musical, performance, visual, fashion and architectural variety. Many were interactive pieces and genres were indescribable at best.
With the wave-like history of attention Baltimore's recieved, it's not a definite that the city will stay on top. But the concensus is that Baltimore has the power to do so. With its community atmosphere and bright-eyed artists who see a light in areas that have been long abandoned, Baltimore's current rise doesn't look like it's going to plateau any time soon.