What the f**k is going on in: Baltimore, MD

This is not a post about politics or 'reality' but the title is nonetheless fitting, as a recent spate of discoveries of artists' whereabouts has led us to wonder: "what the f**k is going on in Baltimore?". The place just seems to be a madhouse. The music and the characters emanating from here that are appearing on the international stage are noticeable for their idiosyncratic, trippy, off-the-wall nature. Not coincidentally, a number of the mentioned artists are appearing in Dublin in the coming weeks. The experimental obscure nature of the city's artists means it is surely not for all tastes, but it at least keeps you guessing and never leaves you stuck for food for thought.

Our first taste of Baltimore came in the form of Dan Deacon. Deacon is well-known for his quirky psychedelic style and for his mesmerising live shows, which see him perform in the middle of the crowd on a table. Fun is the name of the game with Deacon. As a guy from Videohippos put it"I think people like Dan Deacon because he really lets them feel like infants."
A big influence on the artistic activity coming from Baltimore seems to be Wham City. It was voted 'best creative hive' by City Paper in 2006. It runs a festival called Whartscape, each year, at the same time as Artscape, as city-run festival. Artists associating themselves with Wham City include Dan Deacon, Missoula Oblongata, Santa Dads, Videohippos, along with an array of visual artists.

The discovery that Animal Collective were also from Baltimore, after over a year of presuming they were part of the 'Canadian bands with funny names' set, only furthered our interest. Although now based in New York, all members of the band hail from Baltimore. Among these is Panda Bear, whose album Person Pitch received PitchFork's 2007 record of the year. The 'psych-folk' combination espoused by this lot, along with the bizarre style of the Wham City crew, certainly lead us to believe there is something in the water in this east-coast haven.

The work of the city is as likely to irritate and confuse as to delight. I for one however must say I relish the idea that scenes with such "no holds barred" attitudes to artistic output still exist. It seems like a real throwback to a freer age in the States when "anything goes" was the order of the day. And long may it last.
Check out Dan Deacon's Crystal Cat for a taste of the acid-laced nature of this city.