This past Labor Day weekend, Baltimore’s Arts & Music festival, ScapeScape took over the Station North Arts District. Spanning several blocks. What started as a tribute to Hampden’s The G-Spot, grew immensely since the festival’s first year.
While maintaining the original mission to shed light on Baltimore music, arts, and theatre, this year ScapeScape expanded to incorporate acts from out of state like L.A. and North Carolina.
“I think that we’re just taking it a step further by expanding it a little bit by adding street performances and other guests. We still want to showcase Baltimore, but be able to feature other excellent artists,” says Dave Underhill, founder of ScapeScape. Along with organizers Jimmy MacMillan, Adam Smith, Kevin Blackistone, and Kris Hanrahan, Underhill set up this year’s ScapeScape to consist of six music venues, two theatre stages, and seven galleries selling local art.
From acts like Classical Revolution Baltimore, Wendel Patrick, Soul Cannon, to the Baltimore Boom Bap Society ScapeScape’s eclectic lineup of over 100 bands left nothing to be desired.
Starting on the evening of August 29th, ScapeScape opened with the premiere of The Annex Theatre’s “Argonne,” at the Chicken Box. Friday, the 30th, was followed by a whirlwind of acts that continued through Sunday.
With awesome beer prices, the Boh and Snakedog were flowing to the point that even those walking past the festival were jamming in the street (a few Baltimore City Cops included).
All who attended were greeted with local vendors like Tanner’s Pickles, Mobtown Meatsnacks, and former Top Chef Contestant Jesse Sandlin’s restaurant Oliver Speck’s Eats & Drinks dished out barbeque to festivalgoers.
Supplied with a map and program of all four days’ events, the ease of traveling between venues was simple (if you didn’t mind a bit of a walk in 90 degree humidity). Security was helpful, and the mood was relaxed. Minus the jagged ground of the North Ave lot, that all attendants were warned about, the fluidity and cohesiveness of the entirety of Station North during ScapeScape was impressive. The vastness of the festival was only realized once you got home and realized how tired you actually were. But not only was each day worth it, they kept you coming back for more.
While the festival has grown, and is more than likely to continue to do so, the vibes of ScapeScape’s inception have not been lost.
“It really did start there as a send-off for The Spot, but at the same time as showcase for Baltimore, and I think it’s become more about that, as The G Spot is so far in the past, but we are keeping the DIY aesthetic of The G Spot alive,” says Underhill. “We’re still maintaining the spirit of The G Spot and always will.”
Scroll down for pictures from scapescape.
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