Four bands set to visit Baltimore this October

Baltimore is home to a vibrant music scene, yet many students rarely make it off campus. But as the routine of class and extracurriculars begins to get redundant, consider taking the time to explore some of the music venues near campus. There are many bands planning on touring in Baltimore this October, from smaller independent artists to those signed by impressive record labels. These are only a handful of the music groups that will be coming to Baltimore in the first few weeks of October.

Ab-Soul

Hip hop artist Ab-Soul, who has worked with artists including Kendrick Lamar, Danny Brown and Jhene Aiko, will perform at Baltimore Soundstage on Saturday, Oct. 4. Ab-Soul released his most recent album, These Days..., this past June. When asked about the album in an interview with CRWN, he said his album takes some understanding.

“These Days... represents me following the control system... It’s an example of how the control system works,” Ab-Soul said to CRWN. “So you’re either going to understand that, or you might get upset with me and think I sold out... Those are the risks I like to take. No risk, no reward.”

Ed Schrader’s Music Beat

For those looking for a slightly more eccentric concert experience, Ed Schrader is a local artist not to miss. The band, composed of Ed Schrader and Devlin Rice, has quickly garnered popularity.

Their music can be described as empowering, intense and trancelike. Strong drums and bass accompany Schrader as he sings in a low, cool voice. The band will perform at the Ottobar on Saturday, Oct. 4.

The Kooks

The Kooks will be playing in Baltimore on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at Rams Head Live. While the Kooks are a British boy band, they are very different from One Direction and the like. Instead of producing bubblegum pop, their songs have a folkier and more sincere quality to them. Songs like “Naïve” and “She Moves In Her Own Way” become immediate classics. Their sound has been noted to be slightly reminiscent of Bob Dylan, although the band only formed in 2004.

Phantogram

On Friday, Oct. 17, Phantogram will grace Rams Head Live’s stage with their synthetic pop. While their music is fun to dance to and their lyrics are catchy, Phantogram’s sound also has a dark side.  In an interview with NBHAP, singer Sara Barthel admitted to having a less-than-peppy sound.

“We also like to keep our lyrics quite open, so people can have their own ideas about them. We don’t really write happy songs,” Barthel said to NBHAP.

The band’s most recent album, Voices, was released this past February and includes hits “Black out Days” and “Fall in Love.” The other songs on the album are also worth listening to; while there is consistency in the music, each composition offers a new auditory experience.