Lake Street Dive Brings Their Groove Back to Baltimore at Pier Six Concert Pavilion - 8/4/26

Memorial Day weekend at DelFest eleven years ago, I heard a funky groove drifting across the campground, something so unexpected it stopped me in my tracks. It wasn’t bluegrass, Americana, or even newgrass, but a soulful rhythm and blues. I sprinted toward the stage and landed in the grassy field just in time to catch a Lake Street Dive set that instantly put them on my “must see again” list.

This summer after a seven-year Baltimore hiatus, Lake Street Dive brought their groove back to town for a night that felt long overdue. On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, the band returned to play at Pier Six Pavilion. The air was muggy and heavy a classic Baltimore summer night, but it didn’t stop fans from packing shoulder-to-shoulder under the massive tent and covering the lawn.

The Dip Sets the Tone
The evening opened with The Dip, a perfectly chosen opener. The Seattle group shares Lake Street Dive’s lively, retro sensibility, but their three-piece horn section pushes them toward a jazz-leaning R&B bop. Over a tight 50-minute set, they pulled from all four of their full-length albums, weaving through favorites like “Atlas” and “Slow Sipper” before landing on “Love Direction,” the title track from their newest album.

The horns and rhythm section stayed locked in, and frontman Tom Eddy’s smooth, emotive vocals drew the crowd in immediately. Their biggest surprise came with a cover of Bobby Caldwell’s 1978 hit “What You Won’t Do for Love,” giving Eddy room to show off his vocal range, guitar chops, and the band’s versatility. They closed with “Sure Don’t Miss You,” earning themselves a standing ovation from the crowd.

Lake Street Dive Takes Over
Before Lake Street Dive even stepped on stage, the crowd was already on its feet, applause drowning out the intro music. The first note of “Bad Self Portrait” sliced through the hazy air, and the seven-year wait was officially over.

The band wasted no time mixing old favorites with new material, dropping “Dance with a Stranger” — from their latest album, You’re Never Around — just three songs in. Its upbeat tempo and bright energy set the tone for the rest of the night. The audience stayed standing, dancing, singing, and smiling. The band fed off that energy, sending it right back out with every song.

Chemistry on Full Display
The chemistry among the band members was unmistakable. Rachael Price moved freely across the stage, her voice shifting effortlessly from soft soprano highs to rich alto lows. Beside her, Bridget Kearney anchored the groove on both electric and upright bass, locked in step with drummer Mike Calabrese. Akie Bermiss added harmonic depth with a warm, retro keyboard sound, and James Cornelison filled the air with smooth R&B rhythm guitar and energizing lead.

Stories, Magic, and Intimate Moments
At one point Price shared an amusing story behind Vegas, written by Calabrese. The tale of his sleepless night at a B&B on a horrific mattress. In the morning prior to having the opportunity to express his displeasure, the owner proudly revealed he loved the mattress and had it shipped from Las Vegas after an excellent night’s sleep. The laughter spread across the crowd. It was the kind of song that only comes from a band still writing on the road, finding material from lived stories.

Watch the official video for “You’re Never Around” by Lake Street Dive below:

Gertrude gave Bermiss the spotlight, a reminder that the band has more than one vocalist. “Same Old News” brought back the crunch, and longtime fans cheered when Kearney switched back to upright bass, shifting the entire center of gravity of the sound. “Better Not Tell You” and “You’re Never Around” followed, the latter turning into a playful guitar conversation between Cornelison and Price, both grinning like they’d forgotten 5,000 people were watching.

Then came a nostalgic shift: The band traded their amps and gathered around a single microphone with upright bass, acoustic guitar, tambourine, and a handheld keyboard, a nod to the streetcorner busking video that first put them on the map. Under the tent, it felt like a frontporch session. Their folkstyled version of the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” played like a reenactment of their origin story. The crowd carried the chorus, and Kearney’s bass solo drew a roar. And the band stayed acoustic for The Cranberries’ “Linger,” with voices rising from the lawn as loudly
as from the stage. For a band playing to thousands under a tent on the harbor, it somehow felt like an intimate front-porch session instead of at an amphitheater. Tom Eddy also returned to the stage for How Good It Feels, trading lines with Price in a polished, joyful duet.

Full Circle
Eleven years after that accidental discovery at a campsite in Western Maryland, Lake Street Dive is still doing exactly what pulled me in the first place, playing a sound that doesn’t belong anywhere in particular, yet somehow fits everywhere. Baltimore may not have needed to wait seven years for their return, but the night proved it was worth every minute.

Don’t miss this amazing band as they continue the US leg of their tour through September before heading to Europe.

The setlist included:

Bad Self Portraits
Far Gone
Dance With a Stranger
Better Than
Baby, Don’t Leave Me Alone With My Thoughts
Vegas Mattress
Gertrude
Same Old News
Better Not Tell You
You’re Never Around
I Want You Back (The Jackson 5 cover) (Acoustic)
Linger (The Cranberries cover) (Acoustic)
How Good It Feels (with Tom Eddy) (Acoustic)
Hypotheticals
Good Together
You’re Still the One (Shania Twain cover)
Twenty-Five
Seventeen
You Go Down Smooth