At a time when corporate giants like Live Nation and AEG are expanding their reach across the live music industry, building mid-sized venues from the ground up to feed vertically integrated businesses that handle everything from ticketing to tour promotion, one of Baltimore’s most storied independent rock clubs has beaten the odds. After coming within weeks of closing for good this summer, The 8×10 has reopened its doors under new ownership.
The 300-capacity Federal Hill club, which has hosted live music since 1983, had been set to shut its doors on June 30th. Longtime owners Abigail Janssens and Brian Shupe, who spent 21 years running the venue, announced earlier this year that they were retiring and had no luck finding someone to carry the club forward. With about two weeks left, Philadelphia-based Rising Sun Presents, local guitar legend Cris Jacobs, formerly of jam band The Bridge, and building owner Dave Rather stepped in to save it.
After a summer of renovations overseen by local craftsman and longtime 8×10 regular Jeremy Rusen, now the club’s general manager, the room reopened in October with upgraded sound and visual systems, improved sightlines, and a refreshed bar…