
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
simulated sex with a potted palm tree." Before The Sun, he was a reporter at the Miami New Times. He's also written for Miami magazine, the Orlando Sentinel, the Sarasota Herald Tribune and the Gainesville Sun. Got tips? Gripes? Pitches? He's reachable at
erik.maza@baltsun.com. Click
here to keep up with the dumb music he's listening to.
Midnight Sun covers Baltimore music, live entertainment, and nightlife news. On the blog, you'll find, among other things, concert announcements, breaking news, bars closings and openings, up-to-date coverage of crime in nightlife, new music, round-the-clock coverage of Virgin Mobile FreeFest, handy guides on bars staying open past 2 a.m. on New Year's Eve and those that carry Natty Boh on draft. Recurring features include seven-day nightlife guides, Concert News, guest reviews of bars and concerts, Wednesday Corkboard, and photo galleries, as well as reader-submitted photos. Thanks for reading.
Comments
Fewer people.
Don't fail to consider that you are a year older than you were last time we celebrated the new year. Your choice of entertainment may be drifting toward adult activities.
Posted by: Chris Vandemore | December 31, 2008 5:24 PM
We left my friends Federal Hill rowhouse around 8-9 and Cross St, seemed a little dead. Maybe it was the severe cold, I don't know. We didn't make it to a bar until 3 AM and it wasn't crowded.
Posted by: bryaninimonium | January 1, 2009 10:32 AM
Well.... there was only one person on my couch last night. I hate working when nobody else is! humbug...
Posted by: duffster | January 1, 2009 12:16 PM
I was at Red Maple last night. It was kind of busy at first then died off around 2 AM. To me it seemed that Baltimore was not as busy this NYE and the cab drivers seemed to notice that fact as well.
Posted by: Calvin Garner | January 1, 2009 5:12 PM
I for one was at a bar party which was packed right up until about 2am, I ended up running into people to hang out with right up until about 6am. It's to be expected that things would die down around the same time that bars normally close I guess. I can't speak for every other bar in the city but in years past I've had pretty much the exact same experience elsewhere - you just gotta keep moving until you find the right people and place - and after 5 in the morning you can have some really... interesting experiences.
Posted by: Evan | January 2, 2009 10:46 AM
we sold out early at Mosaic, Mex and Luckie's in Power Plant Live...Howl at the Moon was really busy early as well. it was a really good night for us
Posted by: Chris | January 2, 2009 11:46 AM
I will second what Evan said about seeing some interesting people. At 430 when I was venturing back to the safe and boring suburbs - we saw a dude taking a leak off his front porch in Federal Hill. Not just relieving himself but standing on his porch turned to the side, thus giving all passersby a nice profile shot.
No Shame Award of 2009 goes to the Federal Hill Porch Peeing Dude.
Posted by: bryaninimonium | January 2, 2009 1:49 PM
Sam,
Went to 3 canton bars on New years eve. All were dead, even at midnight. Very surprising.
Posted by: Drew from Greektown | January 3, 2009 3:58 PM
Hey everybody, thanks for reporting. Julie B. and Stephen K. did a really nice piece which ran a couple days ago.
Check it out:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.eve02jan02,0,419617.story
Posted by: Sam Sessa | January 6, 2009 9:58 AM