The Novo Festival will return for a second time this March, it was announced Monday.
The festival, which focuses on instrumental music, will take place March 1 - 5 at Windup Space, and will feature, among other musicians, Baltimore's Big in Japan, and a side project of recently profiled upstarts Lands & Peoples.
Like last year, Mobtown Studios will also sponsor the festival and will record performances to be streamed online for free.
Wednesday March 1, the first day of the festival, will be an anniversary party for the Out of Your Head collective, which performs Tuesday nights at Windup. The second night will feature Of the West, Deaf Scene and Star FK Radium.
On the third night, experimental pedal steel guitarist Susan Alcorn will perform, along with Decapitated Hed and drummer Chris Farmer. Baltimore's Big in Japan will kick off the Friday show, which will also feature Do you need the Service? and Caverns.
On Saturday, Lands & Peoples offshoot Dead Drums will perform, as well as Omoo Omoo and Teenage Souls.
Five-day passes for the festival are $20 and sold at Windup.
In other concert news, Bourbon Street and Merriweather Post Pavilion both announced new upcoming shows.
Homecoming dance favorites Boys II Men will perform March 14 at the Bourbon Street Ballroom. Current members Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris are touring behind a new album of Japanese song covers.
Tickets, at $25, go on sale Friday.
Merriweather Post Pavilion announced last week it would host a heavy metal festival that would feature veterans Whitesnake, among other performers.
The M3 Rock Festival, as it is called, is now in its third year, and will take place May 13 and May 14.
Among the other performers: Tesla, Lita Ford, Mr. Big, Slaughter, Great White. Tickets, starting at $45 for the two-day passes, go on sale February 4.
Photo: Ami Dang performing at Novo last year. (Mobtown Studios)