Going down to Baltimore…Going in an off white Honda
OK, so my Honda is silver, never the less, Soul Coughing’s El Oso is the perfect companion for putting the pedal down along any open stretch of highway. Unfortunately, this is a sunny summer Saturday with the masses struggling like slugs to the Jersey Shore and/or Six Flags. So, the NJ Turnpike was far from open.
I arrived at the Antifest 2001 in Baltimore later than I had wanted and was a bit overwhelmed by what I found when I got there. Two outdoor stages, one in the lot next to the Sidebar, the other on Davis outside of the Ottobar. Both with bands flailing and pumping out their craft. I did my best to keep up, going back and forth between the 2, until I decided the time had come for some whiskey. I made my way into the Ottobar and, much to my surprise, there were more bands playing. It wasn’t long before I found out that bands were playing inside the Sidebar as well.
Despite the insanity of so many bands playing simultaneously in such close proximity to each other, or maybe because of it, the whole event had an air of fun and ease. The fact that none of the spirit was washed away even when the rain shut the outdoor portion of the show down for a couple of hours, says a lot to me about the people who ran it and the people who attended it.
Oh yes, they are very particular about their music in this town. That which is loud, fast, passionate or any combination thereof tend to be the favorites. I’ve been told that Baltimore is the very belly of the underground punk scene in America. Although I was only there for a short time, I could see the truth in that statement. The bands absolutely rock the shit out of the day and, even with such a focused music scene, there was no discernible feeling of clique arrogance floating about like I’ve felt in other scenes, especially in NY. Everyone smiled, said hello and went about enjoying the day.
I do have two important points of criticism. First is with the Antifest website. There was just not enough information to help me prepare for the day’s events. Second, as is the case with many performances, the bands rarely introduced themselves. It is vital to understand that, no matter how popular you may be, not every one in the crowd knows who you are. This is especially true when working within the boundaries of a chaotic schedule such as this.
On another note, it was nice to see some friends like WE Fest veterans James and Caroline up from sunny North Carolina. Amy and Alex of NJ’s Prosolar Mechanics who also suffered through the NJ Turnpike nightmare. Mike Hilton of Baltimore’s Scott Farkus Affair who introduced me to a cool new restaurant. If you’re ever in town, check out Paper Moon and give your brain some time to soak in every inch of brilliant kitsch on the walls and in the garden. Then there was Boston’s rock goddess Kristen Forbes who got the party started right when she danced her head right into a mini van. She is a girl who will always shed blood for the scene! Rock on sister!!
I wish I could say more but it was a day of musical excitement that was cut way too short both by NJ’s piss poor highway system and my own ever-hectic schedule. If they do this again next year, I will make it a point to leave home earlier and stay longer.
