June is Pride Month and Black Music Month, and what better way to celebrate than a free outdoor concert? 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of house music, which originated in Chicago but has deep roots here in Baltimore.
Saturday, June 1, marked the return of Baltimore by Baltimore, a summer festival series that gives the city’s creative community a platform to showcase their talent. The event occurs throughout six all-day festivals through the summer months at the Inner Harbor. A different creative powerhouse or tastemaker curates each event, which is sponsored by the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore
These photos were taken at Baltimore’s in the House, where Maya Gilmore and Charm TV curated a showcase of Baltimore (and global) house music legends. Gilmore is a multimedia producer, filmmaker and entrepreneur, and the executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Cable and Communications for Baltimore City.
“Baltimore’s in the House” celebrated Baltimore’s forty years of house music history. The event invited participants to experience the heartbeat of the city which started in basements, garages, and underground clubs and spread into a global phenomenon. Headliners included DJ Biskit, DJ Oji, DJ Pope, Sheri Booker, Ultra Naté, and Fatal Attraction Step Squad.
Two members of The Basement Boys — DJs Teddy Douglas and Thommy Davis — also made an appearance. House music’s stronghold in Baltimore can be traced to the group’s basement studio and the production that started on a 4-track recorder in 1986. The original group, which included Douglas, Davis, and Jay Steinhour, produced dance music hits for Crystal Waters and Ultra Naté, many of which still play out in clubs worldwide.
Ultra Naté brought the house down with a live performance. Wayne Davis, the former owner of the legendary Paradox nightclub, joined her on stage. The Paradox, known for its phenomenal sound, was an incubator and respite for Baltimore dance music culture and one of the homes of Ultra Naté’s Deep Sugar party.
Baltimore’s impact on the house music genre can never be understated or erased, and events like this and AFRAM are honoring the legacies of these DJs, producers and performers. (Teri Henderson)
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