Well, we did it! Another BASSMODE event in the books, and another post-show takeaway review. Honestly with all of the pre-logistical stress I was having in May during the promotion of this event, I was almost close to cancelling it…almost. Thank God I didn’t, because just like the debut event from this past March, the first ‘Beatz+Gamez’ brand event of BASSMODE was a big success! Right after the debut, I decided to divide BASSMODE’s events into two different brands; BASSMODE Beatz+Gamez (Green & Yellow brand), and BASSMODE Primetime (Purple & Blue brand). The ‘Beatz+Gamez’ brand operates in the Spring and Summer, while the ‘Primetime’ brand operates in the Fall and Winter. The DJ lineup is different for each brand, as well as the seasons that accompany it.

So, how did this event fair out compared to March’s debut event? Looking back I can compare both the Baltimore and Columbia BASSMODE events, through the Pros and Cons of the venue that I’ve held these events at; GameOn Bar+Arcade. So without further ado, lets look at Fed Hill.

GAMEON BAR+ARCADE FED HILL (Baltimore, MD)

(+) Better Chances of Weekend Booking

One of the things I like about the Federal Hill location of GameOn, is the fact that I can book a BASSMODE event on a Friday or Saturday. Having events on those days does increase ticket sales, due to the fact that there’s a greater percentage of attendees who are off of Fridays, and Saturdays.

(-) Less Venue Space

Fed Hill’s GameOn venue space has more of a chillout/speakeasy vibe. While it has a lot of arcade games to play, the second floor area where we held our event back in March, has slightly smaller venue space compared to Columbia’s GameOn. It might have to do with the arcade games that take up a good portion of the venue’s second floor space. However we made it work for the debut, and we’ll do it again in March of 2025.

(+) Great Staff and Customer Service

When it comes to booking venues for shows and events, this is a MUST have for event curators and promoters. You can have a great venue, but if the staff has terrible customer service, it can be damaging to not just the venue, but the promoter who booked it. Needless to say, the customer service I’ve gotten from Fed Hill was top-notch, and there will be more BASSMODE events there soon!

(-) Parking Not Ideal

Unless you live several blocks from Fed Hill’s GameOn, parking can be a bit of a pain. You have a better chance if you come early, but if you come during dinner/primetime hours, you’ll be up the creek.

GAMEON BAR+ARCADE COLUMBIA (Merriweather District, Columbia, MD)

(+) Better Parking

With Columbia’s GameOn being in the Merriweather District, the parking is a LOT better compared to Fed Hill. This reduces the chances of not finding a parking space astronomically, but during crowded nights its best to come early.

(-) Less Chances of Weekend Booking

The Merriweather District is a popular destination in Columbia. Throw in the fact that it’s not far from the Merriweather Post Pavilion, and you’re sure to find that weekends will ALWAYS be crowded. Such is the case for BASSMODE, as we’ve had to move our event from a Saturday night, to a Thursday night. I lucked out this time around, as a lot of the attendees just happened to be off, so they bought a ticket and pulled up. Still, booking a weekend event will be tough or impossible.

(+) More Venue Space

Fed Hill’s venue space was a tad bit tight, but Columbia’s venue space left us with a little more breathing room. Also add the fact that the overall square footing of Columbia’s GameOn, is actually larger than Fed Hill’s or Annapolis’.

(+) Great Staff and Customer Service

Just like Fed Hill, Columbia’s customer service was top-notch.

Both locations will be home to BASSMODE’s seasonal events, as both locations accommodate these events in different ways. Columbia gives us a tad more breathing room with mini strobe lights to give us that party vibe. Fed Hill gives us that authentic old school bar vibe, and also has a Nintendo 64 (with Mario Kart 64). (If they get a Switch and Smash Ultimate alongside Dragon Ball FighterZ, I may do more events at Fed Hill than Columbia.)

Overall this event was a success, and I plan on returning with brand new ‘Beatz+Gamez’ events.

Until next post, keep spinnin’!