Last night I attended the soft opening of Johnny Rad's, a new bar and pizzeria in the former Kelly's location on Eastern Avenue. For a soft opening, the place was doing great business. Something tells me their grand opening (on Friday, August 13) will be even more successful.

From the outset, it's obvious that the owners of Johnny Rad's are big Black Flag fans—the bar's sign uses the band's logo. Once you walk in, the edgy vibe continues, as the place is decked out with show fliers and skateboarding memorabilia (posters and boards line the wall, skate videos are on the TV, and skateboarding wheels act as doorknobs).

It's also quite apparent that the owners put a lot of work into the place, making the once shabby Kelly's a much more polished space. The long bar is a shiny, vibrant red. There's mod-style furniture in the back. There's even an arcade game and a jukebox that plays 7" records (and can also, apparently, be connected to an iPod). Also the staff plans to maintain the karaoke nights that Kelly's was known for.

Last night the staff was a little bit overwhelmed, but still remained extremely friendly and laid back. Our waiter kindly informed us that they had $3 drafts during happy hour. The draft selection was impressive: Oliver's Blonde Ale, Victory Prima Pils, Flying Dog In-Heat Wheat, Guinness, and others. They also had a nice selection of canned beer, including Natty Boh, Dale's Pale Ale, Goslings Ginger Beer, and Negro Modelo. Considering the heat, I also tried their version of an orange crush, made with grapefruit vodka and, it seemed like, a splash of pineapple juice. Delicious!

The menu was just as thoughtful, with bar munchies like hush puppies, a foot-long corn dog, edamame, and pitas with hummus. Of course, there's also the pizza, which comes in 11" or 15" sizes and features fresh ingredients, as well as vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. We also had a fresh salad with phenomenal horseradish dressing.

For a space that's come about quickly (the owners just took over in April), Johnny Rad's is quite put-together already. With its alt-style and thoughtful food and drink menu, Johnny Rad's is on pace to become the Joe Squared of Southeast Baltimore. Can't wait to see how it evolves.

[Image: courtesy of Kimi Aghevli]

This year’s Artscape, starting Friday and running through Sunday, is sure to be another great event filled with local artisans and crafters selling their labors of love, as well as some big-name musicians taking the stage. This year’s festival features artists like Gov’t Mule, Cold War Kids, Jackie Greene, and Wale.

But, a lot of times, the beauty is in the lesser-known local acts. Damn Right! is an electronica three-piece with members hailing from Baltimore (keyboardist Blake Mobley), Annapolis (drummer Tommy Bradel), and Philadelphia (bassist Johnny Fissinger). The band’s been on the scene for the past three years and I got a chance to chat with Fissinger about what it will be like to play the main stage at this year’s Artscape.

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Can you describe the sound of Damn Right! to our readers?
We started out as an improv band. I actually met Tommy on stage at our first show and I went to college with Blake at St. Mary’s. We just started playing songs on the spot. That got a little bit boring, and I’m a producer so I would send out email tracks that I produced. We would load them onto a drum machine and sample stuff and play on top of stuff live. We’re refining this live electronic production performance, so you get kind of a studio performance with more live elements.

It seems like you guys kind of blew up in the past year or so. How does a band today do a lot of its marketing?
I think we mainly rely on our keyboardist, Blake, who’s worked for various production companies in Baltimore, like Walther Productions. He’s booked a lot of gigs and then the rest is really word-of-mouth. We have a lot of musician friends and they offer us a lot of high-profile gigs. It’s been kind of an organic process, we don’t market ourselves—we don’t have an album out yet. It’s more about playing gigs that are highly publicized through different promoters. This is the first time I’ve ever been able to have that with a band.

You guys must be psyched be playing the main stage at Artscape.
We’re really happy to be a part of the biggest free arts and culture festival in the country. The fact that we’re playing just a few hours before Gov’t Mule is crazy. I saw them when I was a teenager in high school. And I’ve been following the Cold War Kids for years. Shook from Baltimore is, I think, a great young band coming up. Other than that, I’m just excited to be hanging out and listening to new bands out there.

Do you take a different approach to your set list when you’re playing on a big stage?
Our approach is mainly to create a set that’s a little more crowd-friendly at first. We’ll probably start a little more accessible, just bass, piano, and drums. And then we’ll work our way into more progressive stuff using synthesizers and sampling. We’re used to playing hour-long sets, which we like because we can put our best stuff out there.

How do you like the Baltimore arts scene compared to your hometown of Philadelphia?
I think the scene in Baltimore is really communal. There’s the whole Wham City production with Dan Deacon and they have a really tight group. I think the fans really support the artists in Baltimore. And they’re willing to go see a band on Tuesday night. In Philly and New York, it’s tougher to get people to come out. Baltimore seems to have people who really like music and really let loose after a hard day’s work. We always want to thank all of our fans who have supported us in the Baltimore area. I consider it to be my second home because of Damn Right! I love everyone in Baltimore.

What’s next for the band?
That is an interesting question because Blake, our piano player, is moving to Denver in September. So we might be moving to Denver. Tommy and I are definitely going to be working on some sort of project in my studio in Philadelphia. We’re going to come out with some kind of release—whether it’s under Damn Right! or not—hopefully by the end of the year.

Check out Damn Right! at Artscape on the Wachovia Stage at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

[Image (left to right) Johnny, Blake, Tommy: courtesy of Damn Right!]

There's no way to argue with this: This weekend (like past holiday weekends) the mayor, State Highway Administration, AAA, and Yellow Cab Co. are providing free taxi rides, up to $50, for those 21 and older who choose to drink this holiday weekend. The service—aptly called Tipsy? Taxi!—is available from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. tonight, Saturday, and Sunday. Just call 1-877-963-TAXI.

The service has proved successful in the past, though there are usually significant waits for a cab ride (especially towards the later hours). The best bet is to call early and be patient. So whether you're going to an outdoor festival, a local show, or taking in the beautiful fireworks, you'll be able to do it safely (and cheaply!) this holiday weekend.

[Image: courtesy of robertmcclintock.com]

On July 3, Luckie's Tavern (in Power Plant) will be hosting a city-wide scavenger hunt called the Baltimore Challenge. Baltimore is one of 10 cities to take part in these scavenger hunts, put on by Challenge Nation. The one-day urban scavenger race starts at 3 p.m., but you can show up to Luckie's as early as 1 p.m. to pick up your pre-race packet (with clues, race-number bib, and a t-shirt).

Teams of two or more individuals run around the city and try to determine the next destination by solving puzzles and deducing clues. There are a total of 12 clues in the Amazing Race-style challenge that all lead to the finish line, back at Luckie's. The first-place team is awarded with $200.

After the race, all participants are invited to an after party and awards ceremony at Luckie's, which will have food and drink specials and a chance to win additional prizes (like best costume). Proceeds from the race benefit CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Baltimore, a nonprofit agency that advocates for troubled children in the juvenile court system.

Perhaps the best part? Today, there is a Groupon available for the race—which normally costs $70 to participate—for a mere $25. (For those that don't know, Groupon is a website that offers a deal-a-day for everything, including local restaurants, bars, spas, golf courses, and, apparently, scavenger hunts. Sign up if you haven't already). Sounds like a fun way to explore the city and kick off Fourth of July weekend.

[Image from D.C.'s Challenge: courtesy of challengenation.com]

Full disclosure: I am an unabashed Conan O'Brien fan. It's difficult to overstate how large he and his old Late Night show loomed during my adolescence. At the zenith of my fandom, I rarely missed an episode. I attending  tapings in New York, including the 5th Anniversary show. He had a country house near where I grew up in Connecticut. He was sometimes seen on weekends. My friends were under strict orders to call me IMMEDIATELY if they spotted him and tell me EVERYTHING. Once, my father, in a misguided attempt do something nice for me, wrote Conan a letter inviting him to our house for dinner. (Conan declined, but, class act that he is, replied to my dad saying he'd be happy to chat with me on the phone sometime. I, being absolutely mortified about the entire situation, never took him up on that offer.) Point is: Conan and I have a history—even though he is completely unaware of it—so it wasn't really a question of whether or not I was going to like his Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On Television Tour, it was merely a question of how much I was going to like it. And I liked it a lot, with one caveat: the audience was . . . weird.

The tour is part comedy show/part rock show/part witty therapy session, and it works surprisingly well, mostly due to the fact that Conan is a pretty convincing rock star. Yes, I'm serious. He's an able guitarist and singer and the beard goes a long way toward making him look like a suitably rugged and weary road dog, who has, you know, "seen a thing or two." He's not, of course. He's a nice Irish Catholic boy from Brookline, Massachusetts and he mined the discrepancy between his real and assumed identities in a version of Elvis Presley's "Pork Salad." For Elvis, the song described growing up dirt-poor in the rural South. For Conan, it described growing up upper-middle class in a Boston streetcar suburb with a lawyer mom and microbiologist dad.

Conan and his band (essentially the Max Weinberg 7 minus Max Weinberg but plus two backup singers), also breezed through chestnuts by Willie Nelson ("On the Road Again") and Gloria Gaynor/Cake ("I Will Survive"). Both these songs were reworked for comedic effect. For example, "On the Road Again" became "My Own Show Again." "I Will Survive" became about his breakup with NBC. My favorite moment was the end though, when Conan and the band encored with The Band's "The Weight," something he's been doing sporadically throughout the tour as a thank you to fans for their support during this year of professional upheaval. There were no clever lyric changes, no visual gags. It was just Conan, playing it straight, and doing a damn fine job of it.

Music comprised about half the show, the rest was filled with familiar faces (Andy! The Masturbating Bear!) and new gimmicks (The giant inflatable bat from Meatloaf's Bat out of Hell Tour was a stage prop. I can't really explain. You kinda had to be there). There was also a stand-up set by former Tonight Show writer Deon Cole and a taped segment with Triumph the Insult Comic Dog where the foul-mouthed puppet made fun of D.C. (Like shooting fish in a barrel, really.)

And this was my only complaint about the show. The D.C. crowd was weird. They seemed simultaneously listless and restless. People kept yelling things out, surely hoping to catch Conan's ear and eye and dazzle him with their witty rejoinder. Although one guy who yelled "F— Jay Leno" earned some hearty applause and laughter from the crowd and band, the yells were mostly distracting and obnoxious. And, apparently, Conan and crew noticed. Poor form, D.C.

Next time, Conan should come to Baltimore.

I have always wanted to go to one of The Stoop storytelling shows and when I heard this month's theme was "high school," I couldn't resist. Debuting in February 2006, The Stoop is a series that features seven story-tellers, who each get seven minutes to tell a true, personal story that revolves around that night's specific theme.

Past speakers have included writers, actors, musicians, teachers, and everyone in between. In addition to the seven stories, there are musical performances, comedic skits, and the entire show is put on for a live audience, as well as broadcast on WYPR. The variety-show style is reminiscent of Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion.

This past weekend Center Stage hosted three Stoop shows on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening, all revolving around the theme that tempted me so much: high school. I attended Saturday night's show and was blown away by the talent and creativity that took place on stage. Featured musicians included the keyboard-heavy cover band Egg Babies Orchestra, the ukulele-strumming Victoria Vox, and spoken-word/hip-hop duo The 5th L. All three groups provided a captivating soundtrack throughout the night. The show itself was hosted by Aaron Henkin, co-producer of WYPR's "The Signal," as well as The Stoop's two co-creators, Jessica Henkin (Aaron's wife) and Laura Wexler.

The high school theme was played up in every aspect, from the wardrobe (heavily '80s) to the music (Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" was a highlight). And of course, there were the stories. An English teacher from Friends School talked about polka dancing with a curmudgeonly physics teacher. A former Bryn Mawr School student discussed celebrating the first Earth Day.

A particularly hilarious tale came from a former high school football manager (read: water boy) who decided to stick a bee in his mouth during football practice. An experienced educator talked about his own high school experience of grieving while at boarding school. And a current performing artist talked about figuring out her identity in the school cafeteria. Three members of the audience were also picked at random to share their stories from high school—some scandalous, others profound.

Not only was the entire show entertaining as hell, but it made me, and I suspect the rest of the audience, realize that everybody has a story. And the ones about high school are particularly charming.

If you want to hear these stories for yourselves, the show will be broadcast on WYPR (88.1 FM) on June 11 and 18 at noon and 7 p.m. And you can always tune into Henkin's "Stories From the Stoop" Saturdays at 8 p.m. on WYPR. The next Stoop show will actually be free, as it's a part of Artscape, and will take place July 17, from 4-6 p.m., in MICA's Brown Center.

[Image: courtesy of stoopstorytelling.com]

Food editor Suzanne Loudermilk already wrote about the menu and decor at Fells Point's newest restaurant/bar, aptly named The Point in Fells, which opened last Wednesday. This morning on my way to work, I got to take a sneak peek at some of the specials offered at the new place (formerly Poe Boys, which was formerly Miss Irene's).

According to its specials board, The Point offers 18 beers on tap. Plus, they have a Wednesday night special featuring half-off a bottle of wine with a purchase of any entree. Its Friday night happy hour (from 5-7 p.m.) features $4 drafts, $4 cocktails, and $2 shooters. Fairly decent deals.

I hope this place does well. It seems that there are certain spaces in the city that are just cursed—this building, on the corner of Thames and Ann, being one of them. Offering upscale cuisine (The Point has $18-24 entrees) is a challenge in a nightlife-haven like Fells Point, though the Kali's Restaurant Group has seemed to pull it off. But, the chef is experienced and the space remains beautiful and modern, so time will tell.

A good starting point could be its Friday happy hour scene, which can be a pretty solid indicator of a new place's longevity.

[Image: courtesy of me]

Today's weather makes you long for refreshing summer drinks. Luckily I can share with you some of the new spring cocktails at B&O American Brasserie. On Wednesday night, I attended a media event at the restaurant, where bar manager Brendan Dorr and staff showcased their newest creations.

Also in attendance were Style magazine's Brian Lawrence, MIX 106.5's Reagan Warfield, Visit Baltimore's Sara Hisamoto, Baltimore Drinks Examiner Mark Burlet, and Baltimore Bars Examiner Cindy Plackmeyer, among others.

Together we sampled a generous menu of nine cocktails, all with creative twists on classic summer drinks. (They also provided us with flatbread pizzas, ensuring that we'd all walk out of there upright). Dorr is known for his creative drink experimentation, and this menu was no exception.

Some highlights for me included the Chamomile Fizz, pictured, with chamomile-infused orange vodka, Domaine Canton, lemon honey syrup, lemon juice, egg white, and soda water ($12). The flavors were very light and airy—barely there—like drinking alcoholic tea. The egg white gave the cocktail its classic foamy head, making it look straight out of a 1950's malt shop.

I also enjoyed Boxcar Beer #2 with Hoegarden, J.K. Skrumpy's cider, and Caribbean liqueur Velvet Falerum ($9). The drink is the sequel to B&O's original Boxcar Beer, which included a much darker ale. This drink hit the same notes as a classic Dark and Stormy, sweet with a spicy kick.

One of the most interesting drinks was the Remedy Cocktail, with vodka, Chartreuse, ginger syrup, orange juice, and orange flower water ($10). For those who haven't had Chartreuse, it's an intensely flavored liqueur made by Carthusian Monks using 132 different herbs and spices. This drink is designed as a cure-all: herbs and spices, ginger, and vitamin C.

Ixia fans will be happy to know that the famous Queen Bee cocktail (which I wrote about here) has made a triumphant return ($13). The menu also includes the peppercorn-flavored Platform ($10), tequila-heavy Santa Fe Railway ($11), basil-infused Modena Market Cocktail ($12), fruity A-Train ($9), and the dessert-like Coconut Milk Punch ($9).

All of these drinks are ideal in the warm weather months. Plus, you'll be hard-pressed to find a place that puts more thought, time, and energy into their drinks than B&O American Brasserie.

[Image: courtesy of Profiles PR]

Last night I attended the grand opening of new Harbor East wine bar Vino Rosina—an offshoot of the popular sandwich shop Rosina Gourmet. The space is gorgeous, which is no surprise, considering the architect behind it also designed Woodberry Kitchen. In that same vein, the restaurant (housed in the old Bagby Furniture Building) has a very industrial feel, with exposed brick, visible ceiling ducts, and an open kitchen. The front third of the space houses a large squared-shaped bar and the back has various dining tables and a private dining area. The front and back are separated by tall, wooden wine racks.

Attendees got to sample some appetizers and sparkling white wine as they took in the feel of the new wine bar. The wait staff, each donning a pair of black chucks, was very attentive in handing out starters like bacon-wrapped asparagus, basil-covered strawberries, and tuna tartare salads. They were also charcuterie platters on each of the dining tables in the back. Rosina Gourmet style mini-sandwiches (like roast beef and roasted red pepper) were also being served.

I got to peek at the beer and wine lists, which were very impressive. There were four beers on tap (including Mama's Little Yella Pils for $5.95) and two-dozen bottles to choose from (everything from White Hitachino Ale to Abita Light). The two-page long wine list was even more impressive, offering wine in 3 ounces, 6 ounces, or bottles. The bottles ranged from $16-55 and were organized by region. There was also a list of six $12 martinis on the menu, with curious names like "Strawberry Basil Rhubarb" and "The Dirtiest."

Last night, executive chef Jesse Sandlin, pictured, (of Abacrombie and Top Chef fame) was running in and out of the kitchen serving food, always with a smile on her face. Part of that could have been that fellow Top Chef contestant Mike Isabella (executive chef at Zaytinya in D.C.) was in attendance giving his support. Isabella and his friends were sitting at one of the back tables, as Sandlin brought them plate after plate of food. They seemed happy to get the chance to catch up.

I see no reason why a wine bar in Harbor East (in a great Bagby Building location) with a remarkably talented chef won't do well. The staff was overly attentive, the food was excellent, and the drink selections were anything but run-of-the-mill.

[Image: courtesy of bravotv.com]

Pretty much everyone in the Baltimore area knows about a drink called the Southside—a popular country club cocktail commonly made with rum, lemon and lime juice, mint, and crushed ice. But what about the Westside?

Since fresh mint is now in season, Woodberry Kitchen has decided to roll out some summer drinks. On their menu is the ever-popular mint julep (101 proof Kentucky bourbon, mint, crushed iced) available for $12. But they're also introducing the Westside, which I'm assuming is named after the fact that the restaurant is located in Northwest Baltimore.

According to their Facebook page, the drink is Woodberry Kitchen's "version of a Southside. It's basically organic vodka, hand-squeezed lemonade, and mint." They go on to describe it as "pretty darn good." We'll have to try it out and see.

For more information about the Southside (and who makes the best one), check out our story in the upcoming June issue.

[Image: courtesy of nytimes.com]