The Baltimore Afrobeat Society, rehearsing the music of Fela Kuti

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• A visit to a rehearsal of the Children’s Chorus of Maryland, where a group of talented young singers are learning to master the universal language of music
• An encounter with Emily CD, an artist whose rambling walks through the alleys and vacant lots of Baltimore provide inspiration and raw materials for her work
• A profile of The Baltimore Afro-Beat Society, a local super-group of twenty-plus musicians who get together to channel the spirit of Nigerian Afro-pop legend Fela Kuti (Don’t miss them this Saturday night, 04.28, at The Floristree Space: 405 W. Franklin St. in Baltimore. The doors open at ten o’clock!)
• A conversation about ‘The Three B’s that guarantee success for a low-budget horror flick, with John Kinhart and Dan Pittore… their documentary Blood, Boobs, and Beast follows the life and career of Baltimore B horror film maker Don Dohler (Blood, Boobs, and Beast will be screening at the Maryland Film Festival next weekend… details are here.)
• And a meditation on the randomness of human memory, from poet (and neurosurgeon) Dr. Michael Salcman

You can’t have a Fela Kuti tribute band with out a Fela Kuti… This is the man: singer and keyboard player Tom Boram (with band-leader Chris Pumphrey on the sax)

‘The Queens’ of the Baltimore Afrobeat Society…they’re niether afraid to shimmy nor to shake.

Friday night (04.27.07) the 14 Karat Cabaret presents a night of “text-based performance toward an aesthetic of grotesque lo-brow transcendentalism.” And while we still aren’t quite sure just what that means, we do know that you will get to see work by local literary luminaries including Megan McShea, John Berndt, David Franks, Ric Royer, and Rupert Wondolowski. The show starts at 9pm, and the 14 Karat Cabaret is located at 218 West Saratoga Street.
www.normals.com/14k.html

Also on Friday (04.27.07), the Egyptian Sun belly dancers present their annual spring show Hipnotize at Shriver Hall at the Johns Hopkins University.
The festivities begin at 6:30pm with a Silk Road Bazaar, followed by the performance at 7:30 and a reception catered by Cazbar.
www.egyptiansun.net

On Saturday night (04.28.07) The Creative Alliance hosts Signs of the Times 3.0, an evening of spoken word, hip-hop, R&B, soul, social consciousness and live entertainment from some of Baltimore’s finest performers. Best of all, Abrock and the Rockmics Band will be premiering songs from their highly anticipated sophomore album The Mid Midlife Crisis. Doors open at 7:30 pm at the Patterson Theatre, located at 3134 Eastern Avenue in Highlandtown.
www.creativealliance.org

Also on Saturday (04.28.07), Glitterama, takes over the Load of Fun Studios for a comedic variety show, featuring circus talent such as juggling, trick hula hoping, clowns from outerspace, and stand up comedy. Shows are at 7pm and 9pm, and Load of Fun is at 120 W. North Avenue.
www.loadoffun.net

Sunday evening (04.29.07) the Charm City Roller Girls don their knee pads and skates for the Opening Bout of the 2007 season. It’s the Junkyard Dolls vs. Speed Regime and 2006 champions the Night Terrors vs. The Mobtown Mods as roller derby returns to Putty Hill Skateland. Doors open at 6pm and advanced tickets are recommended and available at Atomic Books and Dangerously Delicious Pies. Putty Hill Skateland is located at 8025 Belair Road.
www.charmcityrollergirls.com