Artscape

The organizers of this weekend's Artscape seem to be fascinated by 1982, the year the outdoor festival made its debut. Let's consider 1982 Baltimore. A double feature of "Poltergeist" and "Star Trek" was playing at the Hippodrome ; Barry Levinson's "Diner" was at the Senator and later at the Pikes. The first Artscape was held in June along Mount Royal Avenue, signaling a momentous year for the neighborhood. The Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall would open that September. The Lyric simultaneously underwent a dramatic renovation that gave it an enlarged lobby and a rearranged orchestra seating.

Matisyahu, G. Love and Fantasia will headline Artscape this year. They are just a few of the tons of singers who will perform over the weekend on three different stages. The music side of the festival starts on Friday July 15 and ends July 17; performances take place throughout the day, with some starting as early as noon on some days. The festival is divided into three stages named after their sponsors. Fantasia will close the first night on the Wells Fargo stage. And Matisyahu, out with new live album "Live at Stubbs," will perform there as well as the last performer on Sunday night.

Today, it's hard to imagine Baltimore without Artscape, the city's annual outdoor festival of the arts that begins Friday. In the three decades since its founding, the great gathering in the heart of midtown's arts district has become part of the warp and woof of this city's cultural fabric, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year with a multicultural mix of big-name musical acts, cutting-edge artworks and spicy foods. It's been billed as the one time each year when people from every part of the city converge to enjoy themselves and each others' company, and it's altogether fitting that music and art are what make such a celebration possible.

It may not be part of Artscape, but it's still art, says Joe Giordano, who spent Friday morning hanging 12-foot-tall provocative photographs of nude and clothed models from buildings along North Avenue. "I doubt that Baltimore has ever seen pictures displayed this big," said Giordano, who started his morning hanging two photographs from the roof of the Load of Fun studio at 120 W. North Ave. Giordano said he wanted to get in the spirit of Artscape, which will be going on all weekend just south of where his photographs were being hung.

The annual Artscape festival will mark its 30th year come Friday-Sunday, July 15-17, in Baltimore City's Mount Royal Avenue corridor. Among this year's highlights will be a performance by rapper Matisyahu on July 17, 6:30 p.m. Also on tap will be everything from opera to visual arts to ethnic food. Hours are Friday-Saturday, noon-9 p.m., and Sunday, noon-8 p.m. Admission is free. Go to http://www.artsscape.org. Musical benefit Four local bands will participate in a musical benefit, A Family Affair — Lending Hands for Dan, Friday, July 15, 7 p.m., at the Recher Theatre, 512 York Road.

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When G. Love started tossing around ideas for his new album, he found himself revisiting his roots as a young blues lover kicking around Philadelphia. The album, "Fixin' to Die," pays tribute to the raw sound of Delta bluesmen while turning up the volume a bit. The title track, a cover of the Bukka White tune, is recast as a righteous acoustic stomper. Ditto for the cover of the Paul Simon song, "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover. " It sounds like a stretch, but G. Love settles into a comfortable groove and rides it for most of the album.

Ronald Reagan was president. People were fighting to save whales. The first CD player came out. "Come on, Eileen" was all over the radio while "Rocky III" beat up the box office. Time Magazine named "the computer" man of the year. It was 1982, and here in Baltimore that summer, a festival called Artscape debuted. This year the event, now a city tradition, is paying an irreverent tribute to its roots by sending a bit of the festival back in time. Throughout the three-day festival, the stretch along Charles Street near Pennsylvania Station will be known as "1982 on the Charles Street Bridge.

When I hear the words “The lockout is over.” That will be my favorite event this summer. james blondell via facebook ARTSCAPE! Great food, beautiful art, awesome entertainment ... It’s always a must every year! p00kums via twitter Not an event per se, but it isn’t summer without a concert [at Merriweather Post Pavilion] kittykate19 via twitter Otakon and Artscape Neko Konnichiwa via facebook I would say going to O’s games but damn they suck!

1. Sum up Artscape? That’s one of the best things about it — you can’t. Especially since this is the free arts festival blowout’s 30th year (celebrating everything 1980s, which we assume you love). And, of course, there’s the usual greatness: street performers, the cooler-than-cool alt-Midway, the unique vendors. Oh, and Matisyahu and Fantasia. We haven’t even scratched the surface. Noon-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday; centered on Mount Royal Avenue and North Charles Street.