WEDNESDAY: John Rose and Ron Sexton
play jazz at Joe Squared. California folk singer
Brett Dennen
headlines the 9:30 Club in Washington.
THURSDAY:
Virginia band of brothers
Pontiak
, previously based in Baltimore, plays the Ottobar in support of its latest Thrill Jockey album,
INNOCENCE
, with
Dead Monks
,
Et Al
, and Short List friends
Soft Peaks
. Local alt-rock quartet the
Old Line State
plays the Sidebar with
Stars and the Sea
and
Decades
. Washington, D.C. instrumental prog-metal band
Animals as Leaders
headline Rams Head Live with
After the Burial
and
Navene K
.
FRIDAY:
Baltimore's
Roomrunner
plays at Stem Graphics in Harford County.
Food Will Win the War
provides an evening of accordion, violin, and glockenspiel at Dangerously Delicious Pies in Canton. Club Orpheus presents sexy goth-gazers
Natural Velvet
and punishing digi-noise master
Jeff Carey
. Chicago's the
Damn Choir
and
Nate Van Allen
play Club K with local support from
ilyAIMY
and Short List pals
Minimus the Poet
.
Orchester Prazevica
and
Black Masala
throw a gypsy dance party at Metro Gallery. Indiana alt-country quintet
Murder by Death
plays the Ottobar with
Samantha Crain
.
Cassandra Syndrome
plays symphonic goth metal at the Sidebar. Los Angeles rapper/producer
Hopsin
headlines the Baltimore Soundstage (instead of the 8x10, where his Baltimore tour stop was originally announced). The Creative Alliance at the Patterson hosts a night of guy-gal harmonies with the
Honey Dewdrops
and
Letitia Van Sant and the Bonafides
. Virginia band
Harlen Simple
plays rock, funk, blues, and soul at Rams Head Live.
Don't miss:
American Idol
alumnus
Fantasia
belts out songs from her fantastic 2013 album,
Side Effects of You
, at the Meyerhoff.
SATURDAY:
Fuwa Hina Maid Café, a Japanese pop culture-themed event at Club K, features special performances from
Orchester Prazevica
and
Warm and Comfy
. Singer-songwriter
Ernie Halter
, also known as the "Cuboslavian," performs at Eutaw Place. Jazz singer
Teri Roiger
pays tribute to Abbey Lincoln at An die Musik. The second annual Nolafunk Mardi Gras Ball Tour with
Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers
comes to Baltimore Soundstage. Rising star
ZZ Ward
headlines Rams Head Live. Pittsburgh grindcore band
Dendritic Arbor
plays the Sidebar with
Tombs
and
Ravn
.
Brad Kolodner
leads a beginner banjo workshop at the Creative Alliance at the Patterson. MAGFest presents Game Over Baltimore at Metro Gallery, with performances by
Rare Candy
,
X-Hunters
, and
Triforce Quartet
, plus arcade games.
SUNDAY:
The
Chieftains
, still spreading traditional Irish music around the world after more than 50 years, headline the Lyric Opera House. NBC a cappella reality competition
The Sing-Off
brings its live tour to Baltimore Soundstage, with Season 4 winners
Home Free
along with the
Filharmonic
and
VoicePlay
. Disbanded local emo band
Teen Suicide
plays a reunion show at the Ottobar with
Sorority Noise
and
Special Explosion
.
Mobile Deathcamp
, featuring Gwar's erstwhile Todd Evans out of his "Beefcake the Mighty" costume, performs at the House of Rock in White Marsh.
Don't miss:
The Crown hosts an eclectic night including New York nu-metal priestesses
Dark Sister
and Baltimore Club/rap rebel
TT the Artist
.
MONDAY:
Retro-soul cornball
Mayer Hawthorne
headlines the 9:30 Club.
TUESDAY:
Evolution Contemporary Music Series at An die Musik explores music and politics with a performances of works by
Ted Hearne
and
David T. Little
and a pre-concert conversation.
Rufus Roundtree and Da B'more Brass Factory
get horn-y at Club 347. Extreme R&B band the
Idle Gossip
plays the Sidebar with
Against the Grain
and, yeesh, a band called
Copstabber
. The
Out of Your Head
collective throws a big party to celebrate the five-year anniversary of its residency at the Windup Space.
Don't miss:
Juicy J
, the Southern rap veteran who recently scored an unlikely No. 1 pop hit with Katy Perry, headlines Rams Head Live on his "Never Sober" tour, with
Travis Scott
and
Project Pat
.
WEDNESDAY:
Canadian experimental group
Doomsquad
stops at Club K on its current tour. The
Randy Rogers Band
plays country music, Texas-style, at Rams Head Live.
Don't miss:
Baltimore punk quartet
Ravagers
play songs from their recent debut EP,
Livin in Oblivion
, at Metro Gallery with
Dirty Fences
.
IN THE WINGS:
The infamous
Mobb Deep
will celebrate a new album and 20 years as a group at Baltimore Soundstage on March 30. (For more information, visit baltimoresoundstage.com or call [410] 244-0057.) Acclaimed Nashville singer-songwriter
Nora Jane Struthers
performs at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick on April 3. (For more information, visit weinbergcenter.org or call [301] 600-2828.) The Sweetlife Food and Music Festival returns to Merriweather Post Pavilion on May 10 with the incongruous lineup of
Foster the People
,
Lana Del Rey
, and
2 Chainz
. (For more information, visit merriweathermusic.com or call [410] 715-5550.)