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Rising Sun Presents Takes Over Baltimore Venue
June30
US-based concert promoter Rising Sun Presents has announced that it is assuming ownership and management of The 8×10, a 300-capacity independent live music venue in Baltimore, Maryland.
The venue will close during the summer to undergo a series of improvements, with a grand reopening planned for October.
Headquartered in Philadelphia, Rising Sun Presents provides booking, marketing, production, ticketing and venue management services across clubs, theatres, outdoor concert series and festivals.
The company was founded in 2022 by the team behind Ardmore Music Hall, a 600-capacity independent venue in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. According to the company, it produced approximately 1,700 live music events across 25 stages in 2025.
Located in Baltimore`s historic Federal Hill neighbourhood, The 8×10 has hosted live performances since 1983 and has welcomed artists including Billy Joel, Phish, Chuck Berry, Dave Matthews Band, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lenny Kravitz, Jimmy Cliff, Bo Diddley, Widespread Panic and Robert Cray.
As part of the transition, Rising Sun Presents will work with Baltimore musician Cris Jacobs and longtime building owner Dave Rather, while continuing the legacy established by outgoing owners Abigail Janssens and Brian Shupe, who have operated the venue for the past 21 years.
The planned upgrades include venue improvements, expanded national touring bookings, new signage, the introduction of a membership programme, and enhancements to the food and beverage offering.
Jeremy Rusen has been appointed general manager. A regular visitor to the venue and local tradesman, Rusen will oversee renovation work during the summer before taking on the role full time when the venue reopens.
RSP Managing Partner Chris Perella said the company will focus on continuing the legacy built by Janssens and Shupe, while introducing additional fan-focused improvements.
“We’ll focus on continuing the legacy that Abigail and Brian have fostered for the last two-plus decades, while adding the fine details and fan-focused touches that have become signature features of the RSP live music experience,” Perella said.
“The intention is to make the programming be more eclectic than it has been,” he said. “We can provide a home for jam fans without it being a thirds of the base of shows.”
Doing so leaves room for indie rock, reggae, metal, New Orleans jazz, and more, all serving the goal of attaining a broader audience.
“There will be no problem filling The 8×10 with fans,” Perella said. “There are really lively, loyal, and engaging live music audiences in Baltimore. Local music fans aren’t going to Washington DC weekly to see artists; there’s a huge music community in Baltimore looking for hometown entertainment.”
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