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When seminal Baltimore funk rock favorites The Bridge called it quits with a final gig on Thanksgiving eve 2011, a hole was burned into the collective makeup of Baltimore's sometimes spotty local live music scene. Helping to fill that void and doing so in a cyclical manner, The 14th Circuit continue to make themselves at home in The Bridge's old stomping ground of the 8x10, all the while attracting a growing audience. 14th Circuit guitarist Ethan Rosenberg cites the recently departed group as one of his biggest influences.
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“They're one of reasons that we started the band, growing up in Baltimore and watching them play at the 8x10”, he said.
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After opening for The Bridge during their final residency, Rosenberg feels honored that the 14th Circuit's gig on the 15th will be opened by Kenny Liner and Friends, a project put together by The Bridge's former mandolin player and vocalist.
Initially formed in October 2010, The 14th Circuit experienced a major shift when then bass player Jeremy Schon left to pursue a full time stake as a guitarist in burgeoning local funk/jam band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. Replacing the departed Schon with Dave Frieman added an additional element to the group, with Frieman's skills on the upright bass only serving to further solidify their uniquely jazzy approach to funk and rock riffs.
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Aside from the can't-miss opening set of Liner and Friends at this week's installment of their June residency, the 14th Circuit will welcome keyboardist Nigel Hall to the stage during their set. Having played in the past with the likes of Warren Haynes Band, Soullive and Lettuce, Hall is certain to inject a new angle into the 14th Circuit's already poignant craft. Expect to hear plenty about this group going forward as they continue to endear themselves to a city hungry for consistent local talent.
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Photo Credit: Jordan August
