Music & Concerts
Let there be light
Inaugural Baltimore extravaganza features art, music and more
‘Digital Skin’ by Atelier Mateo M, one of the installations at Light City Baltimore. (Photo by the artist, courtesy Finn Partners)
Light City Baltimore
A Festival of Light, Music and Innovation
March 28-April 3
Locations vary at the Inner Harbor and beyond
Full details at lightcity.org
Baltimore may not look like it now, but in a few days it will be transformed into a wonderland of light, creativity and innovation that could put Alice’s Wonderland to shame. Light City is Baltimore’s first multi-genre spectacular that incorporates art, music and education. It runs from Monday, March 28-Sunday, April 3.
Light City was the brain child of couple Justin Allen and Brooke Hall from What Works Studio, a Baltimore creative agency. Hall is CEO and founder and Allen is CMO and creative strategist. The two were inspired by Vivid Sydney, a similar light extravaganza that has been running since 2009 in Sydney, Australia. Wanting to bring the concept to Maryland, the couple reached out to the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts whose members agreed to get on board.
The new team then set out to prod creative minds to figure out how to recreate the idea while making it distinctly Baltimore.
Bill Gilmore, executive director at the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, says the project began from scratch with meetings involving neighbor associations, arts communities and technology communities.
“We did about 17 of these just sort of bringing people into the fold because we thought it was a good idea but we didn’t really know how it was going to manifest itself here,” Gilmore says. “Because we wanted the festival to be about Baltimore, for Baltimore.”
After engaging with numerous groups, these organizations sent in proposals for ideas; 240 proposals wound up coming in from all over the world for the event, which runs from 7-11 p.m. each night except, April 1-2 when it runs from 7 p.m.-midnight.
Now in its completed phase, the festival has become a three-layered artistic haven.
The light installation component will be a one-and-a-half mile BGE Light Art Walk, from the south shore of the Inner Harbor to Harbor East, featuring 50 attractions including lit up visual artworks, street theater and musical performances. A few pieces on display will be “Digital Skin” by Atelier Mateo M, which lets guests paint on their friends to digitally map their faces and bodies and watch them come to life; “Blur Hour” by New American Public Art, which uses light towers and seating that responds to people’s movement in the space; and “Dear Baltimore” by Thick Air Studios, a collection of letters floating seven feet about the ground propelled by bicycles placed throughout the Light City location.
Out magician David London will add to the street theater element. London is curating Circus of Wonders at Waterfront Garden at Pier 5 (711 Eastern Ave., Baltimore). There will be juggling, escapes, fire spinning and comedy performances throughout the week.
Music is another highlight of the festival. Bands, dancers and major DJs will be performing on stage throughout Light City’s run. Baltimore-based lesbian rapper TT The Artist performs on Tuesday, March 29 from 10-11 p.m. DJ Jazzy Jeff, best known for his work with Will Smith, will perform on Thursday, March 31 from 10-11 p.m. Electronic musician Dan Deacon performs on Saturday, April 2 from 10-11 p.m.
Festival-goers can take time to reflect on important issues with the Social Innovation Conference on March 28-29, the Health Innovation Conference and Sustainability Innovation Conference on March 30-31 and the Creative Innovation Conference on April 1-2. Topics at the conferences all focus on social change. Conference tickets are $99.
Gilmore expects 10,000 or more attendees at the various events.
“It’s not a new idea worldwide, but its the first really large international light festival in the United States,” Gilmore says. “I think that people are just really excited to see light art installations and the fact that it’s free has a lot to do with it. I think we’ve built something that is unique to the genre of festivals just in general.”
Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue brings her acclaimed “Tension” world tour to D.C. next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital One Arena. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.
The show features songs spanning her long career, from 1987 debut single, “The Loco-Motion,” to “Padam, Padam” from her album, “Tension.”
Music & Concerts
Busy season for live music in D.C.
Erivo, Kylie, Sivan, and more headed our way this spring
One sure sign of spring’s arrival is the fresh wave of live music coming to Washington. With more than 10 venues and a diverse lineup of artists, the city offers no shortage of live performances for the new season.
In addition to this impressive list, don’t forget the many artists coming to town for WorldPride, May 17-June 8. In addition to headliner Cynthia Erivo performing on Saturday, June 7 at the two-day street festival and concert, many other performers will be in town. Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, and RuPaul are among the featured performers at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds, June 6-7. Visit WorldPrideDC.org for a list of other performers.
MARCH
Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Mary J. Blige will take the stage at Capital One Arena on March 26 for her For My Fans tour. Two days later, on March 28, J Balvin will also perform at Capital One Arena for his Back to the Rayo tour.
The Lincoln Theatre will host the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington for three performances—one on March 15 and two on March 16.
If dance parties are more your vibe, you’re in luck. DC9 is hosting a series of themed dance parties this month, starting with Poker Face: 2000s + Dance Party on March 14, the ever-popular Peach Pit ’90s dance party on March 15, H.O.T.S.: A Sapphic Dance Party on March 22, and RageRiot!—a burlesque and drag revue featuring a lineup of local drag kings, queens, and everything in between on March 29.
APRIL
Australian queen of pop Kylie Minogue will bring her Tension tour to Capital One Arena on April 8, with British dance artist Romy as her special guest.
Indie singer-songwriter mxmtoon will stop in D.C. for their Liminal Space tour on April 4 at the 9:30 club, followed by indie rock band Gossip on April 5. The 9:30 club will also host two dance parties in April: Gimme Gimme Disco – a dance party inspired by ABBA on April 11 and Broadway Rave on April 18.
The Atlantis will feature Brooklyn-based indie rock band Pom Pom Squad on April 2.
Comedy duo Two Dykes and a Mic will bring their Going Hog Wild tour to the Howard Theatre on April 19.
DC9 has two dance parties lined up this month: Bimbo Night on April 4, hosted by Baltimore’s “premier red-tattooed Filipina diva” Beth Amphetamine, and Aqua Girls: A QTBIPOC Dance Party on April 5, celebrating “queer transcendence through music, movement, and community.”
The Anthem will welcome a lineup of big names in April, starting with Alessia Cara on April 8. Lucy Dacus will take the stage on April 18 and 19 for her Forever Is a Feeling tour, while funky pop artist Remi Wolf will headline on April 27, joined by special guests Dana and Alden.
MAY
Indie-pop artist Miya Folick will bring her Erotica Veronica tour to The Atlantis on May 1, followed by multi-genre musician SASAMI on May 2. Pop artist Snow Wife will close out the month at The Atlantis on May 31 as part of an official WorldPride 2025 event.
Queer rock band Lambrini Girls will perform at the Howard Theatre on May 4, while rock trio L.A. Witch will take the stage at DC9 on May 12.
Union Stage will feature Rachel Platten on May 3 for her Set Me Free tour, followed by Femme Fatale: A Queer Dance Party later that night.
The popular DJ festival Project Glow will return to RFK Stadium grounds on May 31 and June 1.
JUNE
Pride month kicks off with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Trixie Mattel, who will perform at Echostage on June 3 as part of a series of official WorldPride 2025 events.
Queer icons Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe will take over The Anthem on June 5 for a WorldPride 2025 event performance.
Perfume Genius will bring his signature sound to the 9:30 club on June 7 as part of WorldPride 2025 festivities. Later in the month, Blondshell will hit the 9:30 club for her If You Asked for a Tour on June 24.
Music & Concerts
Pride concert to take place at Strathmore after Kennedy Center rescinds invitation
International Pride Orchestra ‘heartbroken’ event ‘would no longer be welcome’ at DC venue
The International Pride Orchestra has announced its Pride concert will take place at the Strathmore Music Center on June 5 after the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts disinvited the group.
Since President Donald Trump took over the Kennedy Center during his first month in office, LGBTQ events and performances have been banned with community allies withdrawing in solidarity.
The Kennedy Center has cancelled “A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride,” a May 21 concert that was to feature the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. The International Pride Orchestra on Monday said its concert will now take place at the Strathmore.
“We were heartbroken when we learned that our concert would no longer be welcome at the Kennedy Center,” said International Pride Orchestra Founding Artistic Director Michael Roest in a statement released by the orchestra’s media page. “The Kennedy Center has long been a symbol of artistic excellence, inclusivity, and freedom of expression. However, we are profoundly grateful to the Strathmore Music Center for opening their doors to us. Their willingness to host our Pride Celebration Concert ensures that our message of love, pride, and resilience will be heard on the doorstep of the nation’s capital.”
The Pride concert is among the events that have faced uncertainty since the Trump-Vance administration took office on Jan. 20. Many, however, are fighting back and looking for ways to push back against the bans and cancellations.
“We aim to create a powerful and positive representation of the queer community through music,” said Roest. “We want to show the world who we are, celebrate our queer identities, and amplify the work of organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community.”
WorldPride is scheduled to take place in D.C. from May 17-June 8.
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