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Charm City Art Space reviewed by Stephen Thomas

1729 Maryland Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21201
http://www.ccspace.org

Yes, it smells like cat piss in the basement. Yes, the bathrooms barely work, and the sink is more of a pipe sticking out of the wall. But to leave it at that is to completely disregard the accomplishments the Charm City Art Space has realized over its 7-year existence. CCAS remains as the longest-running DIY space in Baltimore City, with more than 500 shows to its credit. All this, without any paid employees, and having a strict “no-drugs, no-alcohol” policy in effect.

The performance area (the basement of the Baltimore rowhouse in which CCAS is located) is relatively small; while a four-member band should have no problem, it may be difficult to fit larger bands in there and the low ceiling prevents HorsePower from standing at full height. Before you go on, you store your gear in the basement’s back room, next to the sump pump and gas meter. The sound system, though small when compared to typical clubs, is adequate for the space’s size. You steady your equipment with the spare cinder blocks sitting around in the basement. Combine the cat urine smell with the lack of air conditioning and/or heat, and it can become rather uncomfortable for those who are environmentally demanding.  It’s generally a low- to no-frills kind of performance space, and most gigs tend to be “nasty, brutish, and short,” as the man says regarding comparatively uncivilized spaces.

That said, there are a lot of things going for the CCAS. Nikc mentioned to me that they’ve always been straight when dealing with bands and the cash they’ve earned for the night. Sometimes the staff will buy dinner (pizzas from around the corner), and share with everyone, and STILL give you your door take. And the street-level space is comfortable, and serves as the home to one of the most comprehensive zine libraries I’ve ever seen. Although there’s no drinking in the CCAS, there are plenty of watering holes in the nearby blocks (such as “The Gallery” and “Club Charles”), and technically there’s no rule against rolling into the club already inebriated.

We’ve played there a couple of times, with varying levels of success. I personally love their space, and enjoyed our gigs there (though I’m more partial to old-skool screaming punk and DIY venues than pretty much anyone else in the band). It seems more like a house party than an official gig.  I’ve been there a handful of times when the entire basement is literally packed with people and there’s barely room for space between the performers and the audience. If you’re just starting out, if you appreciate the DIY aesthetic, or happen to be on tour and need an odd weekday slot filled at last minute, CCAS is the place to be.