The Brew’s Top 12 Artscape picks
Hot weather tip: know where the good performances in comfy-chaired, air-conditioned venues are in advance.
Above: Rapper Wale, appearing Sunday at Artscape.
Renowned as America’s largest free arts festival, but reviled at times by those who find its hipness-quotient low and its fried-dough quotient high, Baltimore’s annual Artscape (starting tomorrow July 16th and running through Sunday July 18th) aims to prove the cynics wrong.
They’ve booked some cooler-than-usual music (Wale, Musiq Soulchild) and assembled some new and innovative features, so we’ve collected them (along with some always-great perennials) into this list of 12.
1. “Super Art Fight”: On Saturday at 7 p.m., at the Metro Gallery, they’ll put artists in front of a blank canvas, start the clock ticking, and see if they can make art in front of a live audience. (The Metro Gallery will also have live music by Electric Junkyard Gamelan on Sunday at 3 p.m.)
Graham II is the performing arm of the N.Y.-based Martha Graham School, founded in the tradition of the famous dancer.
2. Graham II: Founded by Yuriko in 1983 as the Martha Graham Ensemble, Graham II brings fresh energy, passion and forward vision to the brilliant tradition of Martha Graham. (Sunday performance @ 1p.m. and 3p.m. in the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (1212 Cathedral Street.)
3. Betascape 2010 Robotfest: The Robotfest exhibit will feature all sorts of robots, from those that produce art to those used by the military to defuse explosives. They’ll be in the Betascape main tent near the MICA Brown Center at 1301 Mount Royal Avenue, all day Friday-Sunday. While you’re there, check out Betascape’s other demonstrations, exhibits, workshops and social events focusing on cutting edge and experimental technology. (Betascape will be in both the main tent and in an indoor gaming parlor located in Cafe Doris within The Brown Center).
4. Billie Holiday Tribute Concert: For 20 years, Artscape has sponsored a Billie Holiday Vocal Competition that draws some of the most soulful, vocally astonishing singers in the region. Smart Artscape-goers know that this Saturday afternoon tradition – in the comfy and wonderfully air-conditioned confines of the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall – is the place to be when the day gets too toasty. This year, they’re bringing together a group of previous winners to the stage to perform from 4 to 6 p.m. (Reserve your tickets in advance at the Guest Services Tent in front of the Lyric Opera House.)
5. LOL@Artscape: Hosted by comedian Jason Weems on Saturday July 17 from 8-10 at The Loft (120 West North Avenue Baltimore), come laugh at some of the region’s funniest comedians.
6. The rapper Wale: The DC-born hip hop artist first made it big in 2006 with the song “Dig Dug (Shake It)” and released his debut album Attention Deficit in 2009. Wale will be performing on Sunday @ 6:30 p.m. on the Wachovia Stage (1400 Cathedral Street at Mt. Royal Avenue).
The short films of legendary underground filmmart Mike Kuchar will be shown at the Charles as part of Artscape.
7. Maryland Film Festival Shorts: The Charles Theater, 1711 North Charles Street, will show screenings of a series of short films from July 16 through July 18. Visiting filmmakers will be on hand for question and answer sessions. Films will run between 30 and 40 minutes and will start on the hour. A complete list of the films to be screened can be found here.
8. Get in touch with your Inner Folkie, with Renee McCullough: Folk Rock/Americana singer Renee McCullough recently released her debut album this past January but has been making music for over 20 years. She will be performing on the Charm City Stage (Mount Royal Ave. and St. Paul St.) Saturday July 17 at 1:30 p.m.. McCullough is just one of the many local artists performing throughout the weekend on the Charm City Stage.
9. Get “Socked” by the Black Cherry Puppet Theatre: The SoBo-based mobile puppet theater, which has toured the mid-Atlantic Baltimore area for over 20 years, the Black Cherry Puppet Theatre will be performing “Maestro Sensational” at the Theatre Project, 45 West Preston Street on Friday July 16 at 5:30 pm. “Maestro Sensational” is a puppet show for adults featuring a giant sock puppet host and music by Walker and Jay.
10. Check out the 17th Annual Art Car and Other-Wheeled Vehicle Show: Walk by Charles and Preston Streets to see a collection featuring new cars and old favorites. A new twist this year is Crazy Ray’s Art Car Lounge where artists have designed unique seating and lighting from old car parts donated by Crazy Ray’s.
One of the Art Cars from Artscape 2009. (Photo by Fern Shen.)
11. Try Bookmaking and Altered Books: Part of the Do It Yourself section of Artscape, visitors will learn the basic techniques of bookmaking and experiment with various hand-made papers and binding processes while making their own one-of-a-kind book to take home, on Sunday July 18 on Charles Street near Penn Station.
12. Road-test the Controversial Charm City Circulator: The city’s new free, air conditioned bus system will be adding a special route dedicated to the festival, making six stops and running every fifteen minutes. The idea is to allow people to zip from one end of Artscape to the other. But the Sun’s transportation columnist tried it and found it to be all screwed up. In The Brew, writers and commenters passionately debate the overall merits of this nifty new bus for “choice” riders. In June, three suspects in a Harborplace shooting used the Circulator as a getaway vehicle. So try it for yourself and see if you can add a little transit-flavored cinema verite to your Artscape experience.