The festival season started in April with the Baltimore Maritime Festival, celebrating Baltimore's nautical history. Several stages were spread throughout the inner harbor. We were able to catch Baltimore's favorite band Crack The Sky. They played their distinctive style of rock for two hours, mixing their standards with newer material. The stage area was jam packed, but we were able to elbow our way to the side of the stage long enough to obtain a few pictures.

Next was the Towsontown Spring Festival, a street festival in the suburbs. Three stages are set up, guaranteeing that the music doesn't stop. While the headbangers were crammed into the 98 Rock beer garden stage, we opted for the relative calm of the Tavern In The Park. There the music is more eclectic; acoustic, jazz and classic rock. We caught an excellent performance by Joanne Juskus, actually an acoustic duo. Here are the photos.

In conjunction with the Preakness week festivities, the Baltimore Blues Festival was held in Patterson Park. This two day event presented local, regional, and national acts on two stages, once again providing continuous music. There was plenty of food and drink as well as vendors selling t-shirts, CDs, and other related items, complementing the festival atmosphere. On the tent stage we found a band with whom we were not familiar, T.T. Tucker and the Bum Rush Band. They kept the crowd going in between shows on the main stage with a gritty set, driven by some excellent harp playing. This is not your father's blues band.

Catfish Hodge, who has a considerable local following, having come to town for decades performing both as a solo artist, and with bands such as Catfish and Chicken Legs, played an impressive acoustic set on the main stage.

Big Jesse Yawn was once a vocalist with the Ohio Players. He now resides in the area and brought his band The Music Men to the park for one of the festival's most anticipated sets. Although the weather was threatening througout their performance, they did not disappoint, providing the attendees with a soulful set which ended shortly before the rains came.

The biggest surprise of the festival was the Darrell Nulisch Band. Nulisch is a veteran blues singer, having fronted many well known blues bands, including those of Ronnie Earl and Anson Funderburgh to name a few. Arguably the most energetic set of the two day event, their high powered blues was greeted by a thunderous audience response.

Although Laurel is technically not in the metro area, it is a very short drive down I-95. There are five stages spread out over the mile or so of Main Street that is closed for the festival, so there is plenty of music being played, making it worth the trip. We couldn't find a program, so we don't know the names of these bands. We can tell you that a wide variety of musical styles were available as this gallery of bass players attests.

During Spring and Summer, there is a free concert held at the Harborplace Amphitheater every Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. On the Sunday that we ventured downtown, local favorites the Crawdaddies were rocking the harbor with their Zydeco flavored R&B. Here are some pics.

The Charles Village Festival is one of the smaller ones that are held around town, situated in the corner of Wyman Park at Charles and 28th Streets. Good things come in small packages however, as Carey Ziegler's Expensive Hobby put on an impressive show on a pleasant Sunday afternoon. Ziegler, the bassist for Crack The Sky, and his band performed a mixture of originals and a variety of covers by the likes of the Beatles, Frank Zappa, and even a CTS tune, much to the delight of the enthusuastic crowd that had gathered.

Although there is a nominal fee to gain entrance to the Dundalk Heritage Fair, we include it here because the cost is negligible and the heritage association is non-profit. Once you get inside, there are three stages to provide non-stop music throughout the three day event. For the most part the entertainment is steeped in nostalgia, although some contemporary acts do perform, particularly in the beer garden.

A perennial performer at the Heritage Fair is Baltimore's favorite crooner...Ronnie Dove. Ronnie had several national hits in the sixites, most notably "Right Or Wrong". He makes his home and frequently performs in Baltimore and is a true local icon.

You can't have a music festival in Dundalk without Elvis! During a performance by Glen and the Gemtones, "Treasured Memories Of Elvis" strolled onto the stage and belted out a well received set. He is a regular performer at the "Night of 100 Elvises", and one of the better tribute artists in the region.

Every year the heritage fair brings in a well known act as the main event. It is usually a singer or band from the sixties, well past their prime. This year Peter Noone brought his current version of Herman's Hermits to Dundalk. Part standup comedy, part oldies review, Herman had the assembled crowd eating out of his hand.