General Info
Baltimore's music scene deserves some celebration. Over the past decade, it has evolved into a dynamic, diverse, and potent melting pot of musical talent, sealing Charm City's status as a music city to watch. And we couldn't agree more. That's why we dedicated our May issue entirely to covering some of the Baltimore’s most exceptional musicians who create the soundtrack of this city. And since you can't have a Music issue without a party, why not throw a big one?
Join Baltimore magazine and Union Craft Brewing at the brand-new Union Collective on September 22 for our first-ever Music Festival, featuring a lineup you won't want to miss.
Event Details
- The main stage will be inside, but fingers crossed for a beautiful day to allow for jamming to live tunes and sipping on brews in Union Craft Brewing’s outdoor beer garden.
- Enjoy eats and drinks from Union Craft Brewing, Well Crafted Kitchen, The Local Oyster, Farm to Charm, The Charmery, and Vent Coffee.
- Light it up with iFly and your friends in our light painting photo booth.
- Take a load off in the Mixolo community lounge and connect with other festival-goers coming out on their own.
- Parking at Union Collective is limited. We highly suggest rideshare (especially when there’s brews involved).
Giving Back
Baltimore is proud to partner with Believe In Music as the event beneficiary of the Music Festival. A portion of event proceeds will be donated towards the nonprofit’s vision to transform Baltimore's children into advocates for their community by providing a platform for them to tell their own stories.
THE LINEUP
TT The Artist
As the queen of Baltimore Club music, TT The Artist has crafted her own vibrant brand of dance music, fusing Charm City's hometown genre of Bmore Club with Miami Bass, hip-hop, and electronica. In recent years, the MICA grad has performed at Coachella and SXSW, collaborated with national influencers like Diplo and Baauer, and had her music appear in the acclaimed HBO acclaimed series, Insecure. With the launch of her own female-driven label, Club Queen Records, and the upcoming release of her first documentary film, Dark City: Beneath the Beat, TT is more than just a local party-starting dynamo. Her fiery fusion of dance music has all the trappings to take over the national stage.
Cris Jacobs
Whether alone with his guitar or surrounded by a full band, Cris Jacobs wins over listeners with his authentic songwriting, soulful voice, and gifted guitar playing. After 10 years as the frontman of beloved Baltimore band The Bridge, Jacobs set off on his own, evolved his sound, and released his solo debut in 2012. His versatile talents have since garnered praise from fans and fellow musicians alike, as Jacobs has embarked on recent tours with rock legend Steve Winwood and alt-country trailblazer Sturgill Simpson. Known for mixing rock with country, folk, and blues, Jacobs' newest project, due out in the not-too-distant future, is sure to be another impressive melding of his old-school roots.
DDm
DDm is a force to be reckoned with. Whether fronting the beloved hip-hop duo Bond St. District or rapping on the local battle circuit, this up-and-coming hip-hop artist is one of the city's most charismatic performers. With a spirited stage presence and swift, witty rhymes, DDm, aka Manny Williams, got his start as a solo artist and now returns with his highly anticipated summer album, Soundtrack To A Shopping Mall, featuring high-energy beats, hater-slaying verses, and boisterous swagger that could only be born and raised in Baltimore. Also featured in TT The Artist's Dark City: Beneath the Beat, this pop culture vulture will make his big screen debut when the documentary is released next spring.
Natural Velvet
Don't let their killer outfits fool you. Natural Velvet is a badass, head-banging post-punk band, harnessing the raw energy of that hardcore genre into a powerful tour de force all its own. Led by fearless frontwoman Corynne Ostermann, the rocking quartet approaches each song with equal intensity, be it a broody shoegaze ballad or aggressive heavy metal anthem, fueled by Greg Hatem's thunderous drums and Kim Te and Spike Arreaga's searing guitars. Last summer, Natural Velvet released a reverberating new record, Mirror To Make You, focusing on feminine rage and female empowerment via Friends Records. After returning home from their biggest tour to date, the band is currently at work on their next album.
Outcalls
Led by classically trained Peabody graduates Britt Olsen-Ecker and Melissa Wimbish, Outcalls combines operatic harmonies with electronic melodies to create an unexpected genre of Baroque-infused indie-pop. Last fall, their second EP, No King, was released to critical acclaim, with the title track being named WTMD's best vocal performance of the year and landing on The Sun's list of 30 songs that defined 2017. With onstage chemistry and dance-inducing beats, the duo brings topical storytelling into the mainstream. Be on the lookout for their upcoming follow-up, which plans to shine a light on women who inspire Wimbish and Olsen-Ecker.
DJ James Nasty
Veteran DJ and Baltimore Club producer James Nasty has been a stalwart of the local music scene for years. Wherever he goes, a party follows as he combines percussive beats, staccato samples, and locally inspired arrangements into raw, rambunctious bangers. Nasty's music and mixes have been featured on heavy rotation on 92Q, awarded numerous "Best of Baltimore" awards by the City Paper, and lauded by national outlets such as Complex and Vice. Though globally respected, Nasty's sets always pay homage to Baltimore and have been known to include hometown talents such as Abdu Ali, Blaqstarr, The Death Set, Future Islands, Lor Scoota, and TT The Artist.
TICKETS
Tickets will be available on-site for $25 at the door.
Thinking of flying solo for this epic music event? We’ve partnered with Mixolo, the solo-friendly social network, to bring you a fun way to connect with other festival-goers coming out on their own. Stop by the Mixolo Community Lounge and hang out with like-minded music fans at the festival. All guests are welcome!
Music Festival Sponsorship Opportunities
Reach our engaged and affluent audience in a meaningful and memorable way by aligning your brand with Baltimore. Through robust multi-platform pre-event marketing campaigns to in-person interactions at our events, our sponsorship packages combine your message with our mission to create relevant and lasting value that resonates well beyond the event date.
We recognize that every company has a unique set of marketing goals and objectives. Following conversations to better understand what those are for you, we’d love to put together a custom package that meets your needs.
Our first-ever music festival is one you won't want to miss out on.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities, contact our director of marketing and audience development Amanda Brown at [email protected].
Partners
