After what has seemed to be a ridiculously long winter, springtime seems to finally be setting in. As things warm up, Hampden goings-on also pick up.
Listener's to WYPR's (88.1FM) local arts show The Signal may have heard the story on the Geo Poe project. For those unfamiliar with it, the idea was pretty simple: 14 writers wrote short-short stories about or inspired by the death of Edgar Allan Poe. They then hid the writings around Baltimore and posted clues on social media as to where they could be found, to instigate a city-wide literary scavenger hunt.
On Thursday, March 12 at Atomic Books, 3620 Falls Road, there's a release party from 7-9 p.m., for the publication that resulted from the project. William P. Tandy, Gregg Wilhelm, Fitz Fitzgerald, Rahne Alexander and Dean Smith with present their stories and discuss the project.
A good way to warm up to the event would be to stop by The Wine Source, 3601 Elm Ave., from 5-7 p.m., for the Arehucas Rum Tasting.
Due to bad weather, The Jackets & Sleeves art opening at Eightbar in Atomic Books has been postponed until Friday, March 13 from 7-10 p.m. This is a group art show where artists lincluding Alex Fine, Gary Kachadourian, Kate Haberer and Ben Claassen III recreate iconic book jackets and record sleeves. The show runs through March.
And speaking of art shows, Golden West Cafe, 1105 W. 36th St., hosts Fine Lines Lie throughout March in the Long Bar. This show features illustrations and graffiti work from local artists David Spelce and Kyle Washburn. There is also a closing night party from 10:30 p.m. March 30 to 12:30 a.m.March 31, featuring music by DJ Jem.
On Friday, March 20, there is a Ride For The Feast benefit hosted by Team Atomic at Atomic Book. It's PowerPoint Karaoke. Maybe this concept, while popular in Berlin, needs a little explaining in Hampden.
Presenters including Rahne Alexander, Kathy Flann, Steve Freeland, John Henderson, Chris LaMartina and Gregg Wilhelm will be forced to give five-minute presentations based on unknown topics using PowerPoint presentations with which they are completely unfamiliar. So you get to watch people fake their way through PowerPoint presentations, just like you were at an office meeting or a class, except this is for a good cause.
And you can pregame this by stopping by The Wince Source between 4:30-7 p.m., for the Monument City Beer Tasting. They brew Monument City right over in Waverly.