Play that funky music, white boy - From Baltimore to D.C., check out these various venues for your concert going needs

Sick of your roommate's constant half-assed guitar playing and horribly off-key singing? Get away from campus for the night and check out one of Baltimore's many concert venues. There may not be many big-name bands playing here often, but there's a ton of shows featuring up-and-coming bands at reasonable prices.

The closest venue to Hopkins -- and arguably one of the best in the city -- is the Ottobar. Located at 25th and Howard, it's within shuttle or walking distance of campus.

A lot of lesser-known bands play here, spanning a wide range of music genres that includes punk, indie rock, jazz, reggae, ska, techno and more. The Ottobar has shows almost every night, and tickets tend to be only $10 to $12.

There are several other venues that are hipster hotspots like the Ottobar. Fletcher's, located in Fell's Point, is one such venue. The Sidebar is another popular bar-oriented venue. The Talking Head, which recently opened in Mount Vernon, is also similar. But these three venues are all very small, so expect a cramped show, especially if the band is decent.

The Recher Theatre in Towson is perhaps the classiest venue in the area. The decor and atmosphere in this place are great; it was originally a dazzling single-screen movie theatre in decades past. It's now a 700-capacity concert venue featuring national and regional talent, with several concerts per week.

The largest concert spots in the city are the Baltimore Arena and the Pier Six Concert Pavilion. If a major national tour is hitting Baltimore, it will be in one of these two places. Recent bands playing at these venues include Incubus, Tool, Coldplay and Live. Unfortunately, most national tours skip Baltimore, opting instead to play in nearby Washington, D.C.

But if you're willing to travel to D.C., the 9:30 Club is well worth the trip. This mid-sized concert venue boasts an excellent sound system and a double-level balcony, plus consistently great headlining bands. But getting back to Baltimore after a show is nearly impossible without a car, since the D.C. subway and MARC trains both shut down around midnight.

Going to D.C. is also a must for clubbers and ravers, since D.C. spots like Nations and The Edge regularly feature international superstar DJs. Sadly, you won't find many of these renowned DJs spinning anywhere in Baltimore though. But nonetheless, if your clubbing is confined to Baltimore, check out places like Redwood Trust, Sonar Lounge, Paradox and Club Fusion for great music with decent atmospheres. You won't find any spectacular superclubs like in Miami or New York, but going clubbing in Baltimore still beats sitting around listening to your roommate.