Local dream-pop duo Beach House is the first artist in residence with Towson-based alternative music station WTMD, the station announced today.
So what does that mean exactly? It means vocalist/keyboardist Victoria Legrand and guitarist Alex Scally will offer a series of radio specials in the lead-up to the duo’s June 11 homecoming show at the Hippodrome Theatre.
That includes an hour-long playlist of songs curated by the band, which “have become touchstones in their lives and careers,” airing on Thursday, May 24 at 8 p.m., and an interview with the station’s Baltimore music coordinator, Sam Sessa, on June 4 at 9 p.m.
A few tickets for the Hippodrome concert remain.
WTMD’s program director, Scott Mullins, said the station had been toying with the idea of getting an artist to host a regular show, but it was difficult to secure a long-term commitment with the work and touring schedules required of most musicians.
His wife, Amy, came up with the residency idea. Mullins said the station is taking an open-ended approach to the concept, making it adaptable to each artist and more like a pop-up show than a regular feature.
“We’re really treating this as each artist, each show will be a one-off, sort of its own entity,” he said.
While there are no future editions ready to announce, Mullins said he expects many familiar names in the Baltimore music scene will eventually take part.
More than a regular interview series, the artist in residency program will allow musicians and fans to bond over the shared experience of loving music, he said, and give the listener a chance to find out what makes a particular songwriter tick.
“We’re going to basically get a peek into their record collection.”
