Well, that was different. Pretty cool, too.

The debut of Mobtown Modern's concert series at the Contemporary Museum last night signaled a welcome addition to Baltimore's new music scene. Actually, this particular program, titled "State of the Union," wasn't all that modern. Other than a 2005 DJ/turntable/visual work by Erik Spangler called Iraq Mix, the pieces were decades old. But nothing sounded dated. Part of the freshness came from videography by Art Jones, applied to most of the selections and incorporating footage from CNN's coverage of President Bush's State of the Union Address the night before. That imagery, manipulated in various ways, put a decided political slant on the evening, although even Bill O'Reilly might have had trouble spotting anything truly inflammatory. In a way, the sights from the Capitol served to represent the concept of Establishment, providing a new context and contrast to pieces steeped in anti-Establishment sentiment, such as Frederic Rzewski's Coming Together (1971). That work incorporates words written by a bomb-setting activist incarcerated in Attica State Prison, including a much-repeated line: "I am in excellent physical and emotional health," which put a distinctly personal spin on the state-of-the-union idea. For Louis Andriessen's Workers Union (1975), stock market tickers aptly scrolled across part of the screen. 

A hard-working, dynamic ensemble of instrumentalists, including concert organizer/sax man Brian Sacawa, sounded particularly impressive in the kinetic, hypnotic Rzewski offering. Workers Union, a masterful fusion of intricate, strictly observed rhythms and free-will pitches, found the players a rehearsal or so shy of a totally tight groove, but the group conveyed the urgency and controlled spontaneity of the creation effectively.

In terms of sheer edginess, Vinko Globokar's ?Corporel took top honors. The instrument called for in this 1985 example of performance art is a single human body. In virtuosic style, Tim Feeney beat his own head with his hands, pummeled his bare chest and emitted all manner of guttural noises. Alternately intriguing and boring, not to mention a little creepy.

The location of the concert wasn't exactly artistic. More like a faceless office, complete with drop ceiling. It did nothing for atmosphere or acoustics, but the performers managed to make it an agreeably intimate, informal space.

The next program in the series, May 9, will focus on minimalism and "minimalish" works. Terry Tiley's In C, the original spring from which all minimalist currents flow, will be included. For more info: www.mobtownmodern.com