It’s been a long year and change for Baltimore musicians, who’ve dealt with cancelled gigs and lost income since the pandemic hit. Some adapted their performances to suit the times, including Ed Hrybyk of the Charm City Porch Concert series.
Pre-pandemic, Hrybyk, who plays upright bass, had a steady string of gigs at restaurants and bars. Last spring, those income streams faded fast.
So, he decided to start hosting duets with different city musicians on the porch of his former Charles Village home. On the porch railing, he hung a bedsheet that displayed his Venmo username, hoping for tips from passersby and people watching via livestream.
In a matter of weeks, the Charles Village Porch Concerts took off. They allowed people to spread out, unwind, close their eyes and take their minds off the pandemic, which was then in its early days. But then, Hrybyk moved.
Read (and listen) more at WYPR.
