Mid-Atlantic Music Scene
Encyclopedia
The Mid-Atlantic music scene consists of mostly unsigned bands from Delaware
, Maryland
, New Jersey
, Pennsylvania
, Virginia
, Washington, D.C.
, North Carolina
, South Carolina
, and West Virginia
. However, there have been some success stories of bands that worked hard over the years to achieve commercial success such as Jimmie's Chicken Shack
, Good Charlotte
, SR-71
, and Nothingface
.
Every year at the HFStival
, the concert features a local music stage which was started and initially run by the influential, but now defunct, regional indie label Fowl Records
. Many of the artists from the Mid-Atlantic Music Scene have showcased their talents on this stage.
area of Baltimore
, and Fletchers in the Fells Point part of town; also Radio DJ Matt Davis of 98 Rock's (97.9 FM – WIYY)
hosts Noise in the Basement. It is a night of networking for bands to perform and see others perform on Monday nights. The capacity of the club is about 250 persons upstairs for concerts.
In Towson
, a suburb of Baltimore, the Recher Theatre plays host to a larger crowd of 800 persons. National, regional and local bands perform here, but generally the venue is for bands that have a larger fanbase.
A much newer member of the music venue family for this scene is the former warehouse space that is now Sonar Lounge, or just "Sonar" to the club goers. Most local acts perform on the small concert side stage which has hosted larger named talent, such as former members of the Wu-Tang Clan
.
In Pennsylvania, Tuesday night is home to a local music showcase at the Grape Street Pub in Manayunk
. To the west outside of the town of Hershey
, Shakey's has been known to showcase local music, especially during the Millennium Music Conference
and the Chameleon
http://www.chameleonclub.net in Lancaster, PA is a staple of the national and regional touring circuit.
In Virginia, another venue that contributes to the music scene as well as played host to controversial artist Vanilla Ice
as a regular is Jaxx, in Springfield
. A slight distance down the road is the Fairfax
bar TT Reynold's. Crossing back over the Potomac river
into Washington D.C., is the historic 9:30 Club
.
In North Carolina, there is an annual event that highlights the talent throughout the whole region usually held during the fall season, October / November entitled the Midatlantic Music Conference
http://www.midatlanticmusic.com. There have been over 550 performers throughout the years and many big name producers, labels and artists have graced the stages.
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. However, there have been some success stories of bands that worked hard over the years to achieve commercial success such as Jimmie's Chicken Shack
Jimmie's Chicken Shack
Jimmie's Chicken Shack is an American alternative rock band from Annapolis, Maryland. They emerged through MTV as one of the first Post-Grunge bands of the era...
, Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
, SR-71
SR-71 (band)
SR-71 is an American rock band that was formed in Baltimore, Maryland. They are best known for their 2000 single "Right Now", their 2002 single "Tomorrow", and as the authors of Bowling for Soup's 2004 hit "1985" . The name of the band came from SR-71 Blackbird, a supersonic surveillance aircraft...
, and Nothingface
Nothingface
Nothingface was a four-piece metal band from Washington, D.C. noted for having graphic lyrics and occasionally using political themes in their later works, as well as polyrhythmic songs.-First Run:...
.
Every year at the HFStival
HFStival
The HFStival is an annual Washington, D.C. / Baltimore, Maryland rock festival. Held every summer from 1990 through 2006 by radio station WHFS, and annually since 2010 in commemoration of the now-defunct station's legacy, the HFStival was at its peak the largest yearly music festival on the East...
, the concert features a local music stage which was started and initially run by the influential, but now defunct, regional indie label Fowl Records
Fowl Records
Fowl Records was co-founded in 1994 by Jimi Haha from Jimmie's Chicken Shack, Richard James Burgess, the band's manager and Chris Keith, the band's agent as a means to release Jimmie's Chicken Shack's first two independent CDs...
. Many of the artists from the Mid-Atlantic Music Scene have showcased their talents on this stage.
Clubs and venues
As the Mid-Atlantic music scene is vast for the amount of land and genres of music covered, the venues that support the unsigned bands on their road to fame do their part by opening their doors and giving them the opportunity. All the while, the venues still make their quotas by bringing in the bigger names to pay the bills. Some of the more notable venues are the Bottle & Cork in Delaware, the recently revamped 8 by 10 in the Federal HillFederal Hill
Federal Hill may refer to:in Malaysia* Federal Hill, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysiain the United States :** Federal Hill, a mansion featured on Kentucky's State Quarter and the centerpiece of My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Bardstown, Kentucky...
area of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, and Fletchers in the Fells Point part of town; also Radio DJ Matt Davis of 98 Rock's (97.9 FM – WIYY)
WIYY
WIYY is a radio station in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, owned by the Hearst Corporation. WIYY broadcasts an Mainstream Rock format that mixes music popular in the modern rock, heavy metal and classic rock genres...
hosts Noise in the Basement. It is a night of networking for bands to perform and see others perform on Monday nights. The capacity of the club is about 250 persons upstairs for concerts.
In Towson
Towson, Maryland
Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 at the 2010 census...
, a suburb of Baltimore, the Recher Theatre plays host to a larger crowd of 800 persons. National, regional and local bands perform here, but generally the venue is for bands that have a larger fanbase.
A much newer member of the music venue family for this scene is the former warehouse space that is now Sonar Lounge, or just "Sonar" to the club goers. Most local acts perform on the small concert side stage which has hosted larger named talent, such as former members of the Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
.
In Pennsylvania, Tuesday night is home to a local music showcase at the Grape Street Pub in Manayunk
Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Manayunk is a neighborhood in the northwestern section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. Located on the banks of the Schuylkill River, it contains the first canal begun in the United States . The area's name comes from the language of the Lenape Indians...
. To the west outside of the town of Hershey
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey is a census-designated place in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The community is located 14 miles east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
, Shakey's has been known to showcase local music, especially during the Millennium Music Conference
Millennium Music Conference
The Millennium Music Conference is an annual event that features 3 days of panels, clinics, workshops, mentoring, demo listening sessions, and a music business trade show, held in and around the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The event celebrates new music and emerging talent with 3 nights of...
and the Chameleon
Chameleon
Chameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
http://www.chameleonclub.net in Lancaster, PA is a staple of the national and regional touring circuit.
In Virginia, another venue that contributes to the music scene as well as played host to controversial artist Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice
Robert Matthew Van Winkle , best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, extreme athlete and home improvement television personality...
as a regular is Jaxx, in Springfield
Springfield, Virginia
Springfield is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States and a suburb of Washington, D.C. The Springfield CDP is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 30,484 as of the 2010 census. Homes and businesses in bordering CDPs including North Springfield,...
. A slight distance down the road is the Fairfax
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
bar TT Reynold's. Crossing back over the Potomac river
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
into Washington D.C., is the historic 9:30 Club
9:30 Club
Foo Fighters Promise to come back to D.C. and play the 9:30 ClubNightclub 9:30 is a nightclub and concert venue in Washington, D.C. Originally located at 930 F Street, NW, Washington, D.C., in the 1970s it was called the "Atlantis Club", and hosted primarily rock, New Wave, and punk bands...
.
In North Carolina, there is an annual event that highlights the talent throughout the whole region usually held during the fall season, October / November entitled the Midatlantic Music Conference
Midatlantic Music Conference
The Midatlantic Music Conference is an annual event started in 2001 in Charlotte, North Carolina that aims at providing the national and international scene a noteworthy view of the Music of the Mid-Atlantic United States and its unsigned talent and music industry professionals.The three day...
http://www.midatlanticmusic.com. There have been over 550 performers throughout the years and many big name producers, labels and artists have graced the stages.
Maryland
- All Time LowAll Time LowAll Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...
- Alternate Seduction - Baltimore
- Circle of Fire - Bel Air/Baltimore
- Clutch (band)Clutch (band)Clutch is an American rock band from Germantown, Maryland, formed in 1990. The band's first release was an EP entitled Pitchfork, which debuted in October 1990. Their first studio album, Transnational Speedway League, was released three years later in 1993. To date, Clutch has released nine studio...
- Germantown - The Cheaters - Annapolis
- The Dance PartyThe Dance PartyThe Dance Party is an American pop rock band from Washington, DC.-Formation, EP, Friction! Friction Friction!:The Dance Party formed in 2005 in College Park, Maryland by singer Mick Coogan, guitarist Kevin Bayly, drummer Jeff David, and bassist Danny Hoag, and soon released their first EP, "The...
- College Park - The Dangerous SummerThe Dangerous Summer (band)The Dangerous Summer is an Indie / Rock band from Ellicott City, Maryland. The band formed in the summer of 2006 to write their first EP, There Is No Such Thing as Science, which drew the attention of Hopeless Records and other labels in 2007. They signed with Hopeless Records within 8 months of...
- Dog Fashion DiscoDog Fashion DiscoDog Fashion Disco was an experimental metal band, from Rockville, Maryland, that was active from 1996 to 2007.- Biography :Combining many different music styles Dog Fashion Disco was primarily considered an avant-garde metal band...
- Good CharlotteGood CharlotteGood Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
- Annapolis/Waldorf - Jarflys - Annapolis
- JepettoJepettoJepetto was a popular band from 1994 to 2004 from Annapolis, Maryland. The band was managed by Adam Wheatley of Funkstarr Entertainment. They got their "Big Break" when they won the HFStival Big Break contest in 1999. Disbanded in 2004, Jepetto had a reunion show in March 2006...
- Jimmie's Chicken ShackJimmie's Chicken ShackJimmie's Chicken Shack is an American alternative rock band from Annapolis, Maryland. They emerged through MTV as one of the first Post-Grunge bands of the era...
- Annapolis - Lake TroutLake Trout (band)Lake Trout are a rock band based in Baltimore. Their music is a combination of rock, ambient, jazz, and many other styles, including influences from post-rock and post-punk. The band has released six albums since its inception, four in-studio and two live...
- Baltimore - Live Alien BroadcastLive Alien BroadcastLive Alien Broadcast is a Baltimore-based rock band that began between the Washington D.C. suburb of Gaithersburg, Maryland and Baltimore City, as a straight up heavy band and later incorporated a DJ and samples to their sound.-Biography:...
- Baltimore/Annapolis - Laughing ColorsLaughing ColorsLaughing Colors is a rock band from Baltimore/Washington DC.-Members:*Dave Tieff *Will Dorsey, Jr. *Dan Welsh *Corey Hall -Band history:...
- Baltimore/Washington D.C. - Lennex - Lead singer Phil RitchiePhil RitchiePhil Ritchie was the lead singer of the band Lennex, who has also performed on the North American Television show Rock Star: Supernova on CBS in the summer of 2006...
's band from Ocean CityOcean City, MarylandOcean City, sometimes known as OC, or OCMD, is an Atlantic Ocean resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Ocean City is widely known in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is a frequent destination for vacationers in that area...
. Phil was seen on CBS's Rock Star: Supernova. - Niki BarrNiki BarrNiki Barr is an American musician from Denton, Maryland. Niki began writing, performing, and recording at age 15 and soon after, began working with Mike Marucci of Marucci Artist Management, Inc. He introduced Niki to producer, Jim Ebert . Jim and Niki worked together on her records The Other...
- Denton - Margret HeaterMargret Heater-Biography:Margret Heater formed in 1997 Fayetteville, North Carolina and later relocated to Baltimore, Maryland. The group had experimented with many styles in the metal and heavy metal genre. In 2000, the band toured both the East and West Coasts extensively without major label support, all...
- Baltimore - Mary PranksterMary PranksterMary Prankster was the moniker for a U.S. singer-songwriter primarily associated with Baltimore who played a blend of alternative/indie music with extremely frank lyrics. The name is a reference to Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters...
- Baltimore - MDHC - Ocean City
- NothingfaceNothingfaceNothingface was a four-piece metal band from Washington, D.C. noted for having graphic lyrics and occasionally using political themes in their later works, as well as polyrhythmic songs.-First Run:...
- Baltimore - Of a RevolutionOf a RevolutionO.A.R. is an American rock band composed of Marc Roberge , Chris Culos , Richard On , Benj Gershman , and Jerry DePizzo...
(O.A.R.) - Rockville - The Seldon PlanThe Seldon PlanThe Seldon Plan is a post-rock pop band from Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It consists of Michael Nestor on guitars, keyboards and vocals and David Hirner on bass. Since 2008, Nestor and Hirner have used a rotating core of fill-in musicians to put out records...
- Baltimore - The Skunks (ska band)The Skunks (ska band)The Skunks were a third wave ska band formed in 1988 by a group of high school friends from suburban Maryland. They recorded three albums, performed extensively in the Washington, DC/Baltimore, Maryland area, and toured the United States.-History:...
- Hyattsville/Washington D.C. - SR-71SR-71 (band)SR-71 is an American rock band that was formed in Baltimore, Maryland. They are best known for their 2000 single "Right Now", their 2002 single "Tomorrow", and as the authors of Bowling for Soup's 2004 hit "1985" . The name of the band came from SR-71 Blackbird, a supersonic surveillance aircraft...
Virginia
- The Friday Night BoysThe Friday Night BoysThe Friday Night Boys were a pop punk band from Fairfax, that formed in 2006. The band consists of Andrew Goldstein, Mike Toohey, Robby Reidera, and Chris Barrett....
- Northern Virginia - SevSevSev is a rock band from the Northern Virginia area who appeared in a national advertising campaign for Pepsi Blue. Sev also appeared on the website come-alive show Farmclub and the summer festival in the Washington D.C. area that typically sets off the summer concert season, the...
- Fairfax - Lamb of GodLamb of GodThe title Lamb of God appears in the Gospel of John, with the exclamation of John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" in John 1:29 when he sees Jesus....
- Richmond
Washington, D.C.
- 51 Peg51 Peg (band)51 Peg is an electronic/industrial rock band from the Washington D.C. area, named for a star in the Pegasus constellation. The band's unique blend of electronic, industrial, metal, and synthpop has brought it some success and a loyal fanbase in the DC/Baltimore/Northern Virginia region as well as...
- gODHEADGodhead (band)Godhead, occasionally typeset as gODHEAD, is an American alternative rock/metal band from Washington, D.C.. They are most often credited with being the only band signed to musician Marilyn Manson's short-lived vanity label, Posthuman Records.-History:...
- The PietastersThe PietastersThe Pietasters are a seven-piece ska/soul band hailing from Washington, D.C., with additional members from Maryland and Virginia.- History :In 1990, a group of friends were attending college at Virginia Tech in the mountains of Virginia...
- You, Me, and Everyone We KnowYou, Me, and Everyone We KnowYou, Me, and Everyone We Know was a pop rock band from Washington, D.C., fronted by singer-songwriter Ben Liebsch. They released their debut EP Party for the Grown and Sexy in 2006...