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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Small Sur is yet another testament to the talent that resides in our fair charmed city. Beyond the bizarre and the novelty, there is a massive well of traditional folk/Americana that rarely gets the attention it deserves (thanks to the focus on the more spastic and brightly-colored portions of our music scene).

Bob Keal, Small Sur’s front-man and driving creative force, creates just this type of music. He was kind enough to share with us some tracks off Small Sur’s upcoming full-length We Live in Houses Made of Wood, out in August on Portland-based label Tender Loving Empire.

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Small Sur – Ohhhhh Pt. 1

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