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MP3: Videohippos – Narwhals

Photo credit: Josh Sisk (Whartscape 2007)

It’s surprising to me how few people know of Videohippos. I mean, they’ve been around the block more than a few times; they’ve been doing the Wham City thing since anyone can remember, not to mention their thumbs up from Pitchfork. And from Stereogum. And Oh My Rockness. Even so, if you ask your typical college-age trendy-type who’s hip to what’s indie, they probably haven’t a clue about the Hippos. Which is a big shame. Want to benefit your community for once? Tell your favorite music fan about Videohippos.

1. Do you have any particularly fond memories of Whartscape past?

- 2006: having to cancel the videohippos performance because it was so hot in the copycat bldg that my projector (mounted on the ceiling) was starting to melt. the first time jeremy and I performed Ultimate Reality- it was kind of a train wreck, but everyone was still freaking out, particularly Rjyan kidwell on top of the giant subwoofer that guy werner had let us borrow. somehow i thought i could handle playing with blood baby during a psilocybin experience. pete cut his finger in the industrial fan and it freaked me out real bad. getting to see the coughs and matt and kim play in my living room.

- 2007: videohippos set had a symetrical three screen video installation at Floristree- the videos we normally use were flanked by two mirrored screens of amazing footage that jim shot from the car window in Idaho. a temporarily crippled lizz king playing her set with a cane in the alley behind load of fun. impromptu butt stomach set on borrowed instruments when one of the bands didnt show up on time.

- 2008: funny clown crowd surfing. sewn leather starting his set by announcing “I gotta shart”, michael petruzzo performing topless, lizz dancing behind the creepers wearing only a life-size white tiger head.

2. Chances of Videohippos reforming as a bubblegum pop band?
– Not on my watch.

3. Any predictions for this year’s festival?

- Lots of personal space being invaded in the best way possible.

4. You guys have done your fair share of collaborating with other Wham City artists. Anything due to be released soon?

- We have a 10″ record coming out soon on vicious pop records that has three new songs. Each one is a collaboration with different friends: “firefoot” features Ed Schrader on vocals, Kate and Andrew of Teeth Mountain added percussion and strings to “bottles,” and DJ dog dick put the icing on “High Dive” with thoughtful lyrics and his trademark layered electronic sonics.

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MP3: The Art Department – Censor

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MP3: The Art Department – Second Nature

The Art Department has graciously provided us with 2 previously unreleased, unmixed tracks from their forthcoming and as-of-yet untitled album that looks to feature more of their signature quirky sound, replete with high-pitch quaver-vox and delicately picked lines.  While conceptually forged from random bits of Ehrens’ aural fixation on high-neck capos, the Art Department’s sound often bears eerie similarity to work from DC’s Q and Not U.  Jon Ehrens also took time out to answer our questions!

1. What is your most vivid memory of Whartscapes past? If this is your first time playing/attending, explain yourself/selves!

At last years Whartscape, when Oxes took the stage, they began their set with a tense guitar build-up. They hadn’t played in years and it was the first time that I – or anyone there – had seen them in several years. As the guitars chugged, drumless, and the anticipation built up, a police helicopter flew overhead, shining it’s spotlight on the band, and then the audience. The place went crazy, the band kicked-in and the set ruled harder than I could have ever imagined.

2. Who are you most excited to see this year?

JANITOR!

3. Choose one word to describe Whartscape, and what it means to you.

Lunacy – I’ve recently come to realize that Baltimore is making me insane, and I either have to indulge this and resign myself to lunacy, or move away and become a normal productive member of society. Of course I’ll choose the former, and participating in a festival in which over 130 bands play in 3 days for 20 minutes a piece will only encourage me do descend into madness.

4. When Wham City came calling and asked you to play, why did you say yes?

Why would I say no?

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MP3: Sick Weapons – Orgy on the China Train Live @ the Talking Head, taped by the Baltimore Taper

Photo Credit: Shawn Breen

Sick Weapons rock.  Flat out, no question.  Just listen to “Orgy On the China Train.”  Lead vocalist Ellie Beziat takes time to humor our line of questioning:

1. What is your most vivid memory of Whartscapes past? If this is your first time playing/attending, explain yourself/selves!

I ate a handful of mushrooms during Wzt Hearts last year. I remember drinking a strawberry daiquiri out of a pineapple. It is our first year playing Whartscape. We are super excited. Bring pineapples. Or mushrooms.

2. Who are you most excited to see this year?

Vincent Black Shadow are playing at 4:20 and that’ll be cool. We are using their equipment so we are stoked that they are playing!

3. Choose one word to describe Whartscape, and what it means to you.

Nerds. Look around man.

4. When Wham City came calling and asked you to play, why did you say yes?

One of our guitar players is Wham City. But I don’t know if ‘they’ came calling or if Peter O’Connell got drunk and put Dan Deacon’s head in a toilet.

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MP3: Height With Friends – One Enemy

Baltimore rapper Height recently dropped the hot, highly recommended full-length Baltimore Highlands and is certainly no stranger to the world of Wham.

1. What is your most vivid memory of Whartscapes past? If this is your first time playing/attending, explain yourself/selves!

My most vivid memory is seeing Enjoy Your Canary in the alley behind Load Of Fun in 2007. They did an early afternoon set for very few people, and they killed it. It was my first time hearing them, and it made me wonder how many other tight Baltimore bands I didn’t know about.

2. Who are you most excited to see this year?

It’s a three-way tie.

The Plural MC

He’s an amazing rhyme-writer. He gets clowned for not looking or acting like a hipster, which sucks. The wit of his songs is subtle, and you have to keep an open mind to catch it. I’m excited that he’ll get to perform for a different crowd at Whartscape. Perhaps people who have dismissed him in the past will be able to see his music in a different light.

Nuclear Power Pants

We did a mini-tour with these guys in January, and it was hard to not look like Amateur Hour next to them. They have great songs, and have put more thought into their live show than any other band I know.

Wye Oak

People already know the deal.

3. Choose one word to describe Whartscape, and what it means to you.

Localized.

It’s great that this year’s Whartscape focuses even more on local acts, instead of national acts that can play big shows here anytime. To me, Wham City did an excellent job of reaching outside their circle of friends to include other kinds of music. They could have easily used this event as a way to rub elbows with famous people. They did the right thing.

4. When Wham City came calling and asked you to play, why did you say yes?

I said yes because I wanted to play an tight festival with all my favorite Baltimore bands.

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MP3: Human Host – Taqaristan

Human Host is a bit infamous, and hopefully even moreso now that we’ve dropped some knowledge on you about their role in shaping MT6 Records’ direction.  Frontman Mike Apichella steps up to the plate:

1. What is your most vivid memory of Whartscapes past? If this is your first time playing/attending, explain yourself/selves!

Well, last year Human Host opened the saturday night show at Whartscape; that was at Sonar, and we played a decent set to our biggest crowd ever (about 400-500 heads!) and both the staff of the club and our always awesome laid back friends from Wham City made us feel right at home. Everything was completely professional, the sound was great, Wham City had people running a merch table for ALL the acts that night, and no matter what kind of stupid question or mistake was made as we were trying to figure out the logistics of the soundcheck/pre show set up, everyone treated every question or query we had as if it were seriously worth their consideration.

I can honestly say Whartscape ’08 was the nicest “behind the scenes” experience i have EVER had at any show I’ve ever played in my entire 18 years of working as a performing artist.

2. Who are you most excited to see this year?

Everyone, literally, because this year will be the first year i’ll be able to potentially stay and watch every single act; all other years Human Host’s summer time work schedule interfered with my ability to see the whole fest, but not this year. I’m really looking forward to taking in the totality of the event’s power particularly in regards the extreme diversity of this year’s line up, which seems to be what Wham City probably wants people to really focus on in terms of how to have fun with this thing

3. Choose one word to describe Whartscape, and what it means to you.

Whartscape is mystic – I see it as a single convergence of many events all rolled into one gigantic explosion of catharsis. Every emotion is there, expressed from every angle imaginable. What does that mean? It feels good for sure, but the feeling is not the answer, the answer to that question is irrelevant and eternally redefining itself in the form of a million more questions, and that’s why I love Whartscape/Wham City.

4. When Wham City came calling and asked you to play, why did you say yes?

Funny you should ask that.

We’ve played Whartscape every year it has existed, but i think that maybe the first year was the only one where we were actually asked to play, and we were more than happy to say ‘yes!’ since we knew some of the members of Wham City pretty well already, plus they had already been setting up non-fest shows for us off and on for about 6 months or so prior to the first Whartscape in 2006.

It was such an exciting fun event that ever since then I’ve looked forward to it so much every year I usually ask them if we can play it like 3 months in advance sometimes. It’s the best arts festival on the east coast, and really the only one suitable for showcasing Human Host’s work within the context of a big line up of acts, so as usual it’s a total honor to be able to join in the fun again.

Once again, to celebrate all things Wham and Whartscape, we asked some of the artists performing to answer a mini questionnaire. Future Islands’ William Cashion was our first subject.

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MP3: Future Islands – Little Dreamer

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MP3: Future Islands – Pinnochio

Yeah? So what if last year’s Wave Like Home was fully kickass? Who cares if Future Islands are totally Wham City vets? I mean, they only played Round Robin and toured around with Dan Deacon on his last outing. Most of them were in the ensemble, but that doesn’t even count. They’ve been in like, what? Two Whartscapes before? Whatever. Here’s what bassist William Cashion, 1/3 of these synth-poppers, thinks about all of this jazz. </sarcasm>

1. If there’s one single thing, say an essence, that embodies all that Wham City has to offer, what would it be?

- Whartscape is pretty much the embodiment of what Wham City has to offer. Lots of friends, cool bands from all over, performances, jokes, and tons of emails.

2. What’s the best reason to live in Baltimore?

- The music and arts community / Cheap rent.

3. What do you think the chances are of Dan Deacon enlisting every artist performing at Whartscape for his next project?

- Probably won’t happen, too many dudes.

4. What’s your favorite part about Whartscape?

- A year’s worth of bands coming together for one special weekend.

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MP3: Abe Vigoda – Don’t Lie from Reviver EP (2009)

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MP3: Cats In Paris – Get Out Of Jail Free Card

Dave again. I’ll handle the account of our trip up to the Midlands since I spent a good many months nestled in Central England a few years ago. First off–our Saturday night support slot in Nottingham:

Wallpaper eating Nathan in Brighton

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All photos and words courtesy of our in-house photog Caleb Moore!

Dear Baltimore,

Love of my life. Dastardly deamon of colors, body odor, and DIY artstuffs. Shitstorm of creativity and inspiration. A mistress after my own heart, and many many others.

I want you to know I will be bringing many friends to share your scarred, beautiful body. We will feast on it.

You’ve taught me so many things in my one short year as your humble resident. I don’t know where to begin. This was a truly epic, exhausting weekend for all; Whartscape being a most inspiring cavalcade of electronic wizardry, acoustical sublimation, and performance arting.

This is an event that makes dealing with your less attractive qualities ALL WORTH IT. This is why you are being seen (for better or worse) as a mecca of art and music, right under NYC! A cheap, dirty, violent, spastic mutation of your aforementioned big brother.

Whartscape is a culmination of the spirit, energy and honest artistic effort that you are becoming known for.

I just wanted to say thanks for everything, and fuck the police.

From,
Me

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TO THE READER:

Miscellaneous Items of Interest (in no particular order):

• Where did all of these attractive people come from? Where are you all hiding? (I’m talking to you, girl with the red patent leather fanny pack and checkered ray bans)
• Greg Gillis’ side project– Why, Why, Why is that girl in the band? What did she do exactly? Play off beat on purpose and “sing”? Whose girlfriend is this? Am I supposed to be asking these questions? Is that all a part of the master plan?
• Ray bans are getting a bit out of control in this town. For that reason, I will cry a single tear.
• EAR PWR will save the free world.
• Beach House has saved my soul. And they are the cutest band alive.
• That kid with the rash on his arms and the crazy eyes. I don’t want to say anything else because he might actually be special.
• Double Dagger– while throwing a tom into the crowd might seem like a good in the heat of the moment, the kid that got hit in the head with it will likely disagree. Control the rage, or instantly lose the respect of potential fans. Ed. Note: Actually, I am pretty sure I saw the big guy after the set and he seemed damn happy to meet Double Dagger. The bleeding head just seemed to irritate him. I could be wrong though…
• Ed Schrader should always wear a leotard.
• Narwhalz (of sound). The hater that we loved to hate love. Please come back and talk more shit about our town, you kicked so much ass.
• There’s NOTHING gay about interpretive dancing.
• Why is White Williams such an ambivalent hard ass (see below)? And since when does he play droney electronic ambiance?
• Baltimore is SMALL. I mean SMALL. Don’t make enemies here.
• Chruches get really dank and sticky when you cram 300+ hipsters into them.
• Lizz King, props to you for being neck-down-naked and melting your own face off almost.
• Creepers.

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ON TO THE PHOTOS!
These are in no order whatsoever (kind of). Please enjoy, and buy me a detachable flash for xmas. Read the rest…

So Whartscape is here. If you were smart, you saw Matmos last night. If you are smart, you’ll be seeing Arbouretum and Beach house headline tonight’s lush 2640 bill.

For those of you who might have missed it, we did a series of small interviews (min-terviews) with notable ne’er-do-wells who are performng Whartscape, asking the same 5 questions and seeing who tolerated us enough to get themd one; it was called Countdown to Whartscape.  Here they are, rounded up for your enjoyment and edification:

T-7 Andy Abelow

T-6 Arbouretum

T-5 WZT Hearts

T-4 Parts & Labor

T-3 Ponytail

T-2 Thank You

T-1 Jana Hunter, DD/MM/YYYY, the Creepers

T-0 Cex and Dan Deacon, Matmos

So, who did you like best?  Find anything interesting and informative, or maybe downright shocking?

This is it. It’s here. Whartscape 2008 kicks off tonight at the Charles Theater with a spectacular, Matmos- headlined line-up and we hope everyone makes it out.

For the last day of our Countdown min-terviews, we’ve got some heavy-hitters including Mr Green-skull himself, one of Wham City’s patriarchs, Dan Deacon, homegrown electronic music royalty Cex.

Read on!

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MP3: Dan Deacon – Wham City

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We’re winding down here and it’s time for the deluge of min-terviews and more. Today we’ve got Jana Hunter, DD/MM/YYYY and the Creepers featured.

Jana Hunter

First up is Jana Hunter, fairly recent Texan transplant to Baltimore, serving up some delicious, jangling, startlingly transparent and moving music. She was also the first bold soul to call us out on our slightly sarcastic costume question #5. Listen to some tunes and read on, intrepid web surfer!

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MP3: Jana Hunter – Valkyries
1. Describe your feelings on Wham City and what it means to you?

my boyfriend is in wham city and my roommates are in wham city and wham city was the first place i came to (almost) when i stayed in baltimore so i know nothing else of your town.

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To celebrate all things Wham and Whartscape, we asked some of the artists performing to answer five questions. Andy was our first test subject. Stay tuned for tons more in the week to come.

Andy Abelow is all the fuck over the Baltimore scene, loosely dubbed “the Greatest Scene in the World” or “the Scene that Reads” by Rolling Stone. Like many in the musical circles of Charm City, he is an artistically polygynous multi-instrumentalist…going it solo as well as performing with many other acts including Jana Hunter and Bob Keal-fronted Small Sur (whose delightful debut album drops later this year).

If all this wasn’t enough, he clearly counts Elvis Perkins (one of my favorite artists to emerge in the past 10 years) as a source of inspiration.

Andy performs his fractured oft haunting take on folk rock at the 2640-situated Friday night show during Whartscape. A slew of other folk-influenced rockers fill out the bill including Jana Hunter, Beach House and Arbouretum. A show that likely shouldn’t be missed, sure to be filled with transcendent moments of beauty and clarity. Plus 2640 Space is sweet.

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MP3: Andy Abelow – Not of this world

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MP3: Andy Abelow – Waking up with easy eyes

Enjoy this music from Mr Abelow and read on to his answers!

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Wham City has unquestionably changed the landscape of Baltimore music forever. So in anticipation of Whartscape 2008, we sat down with one of WC’s original members, Adam Endres (of Blood Baby & the Creepers) to get a little history lesson and peek into what exactly is driving the Wham City train, and where they are heading.

Aural States: I wasn’t quite sure if we should start with Whartscape history or Wham City history first.

Adam Endres: It probably makes sense if I do a modified, abbreviated history of Wham City. We all moved here in that first summer (2004) from Purchase College where we met.

AS: Who were the core members that formed Wham City at Purchase? You and Dan (Deacon)?

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