What’s in a name? Who knows, according to four guys sitting around a room temperature case of Natty Boh, it’s the road that takes you home. In 2012, three days before their first performance at Honfest in Baltimore, they needed a name. Idling at the traffic light just outside of the practice space, contemplating pages of proposed names with a fateful glance up to the glowing sign above, “Old Eastern” was born.
There is a point on google maps where the road stops (it’s actually right outside State College, PA). As you make your way down the washed out gravel roads you can see the green tin roof through a clearing. Set up your gear on the deck outside by the river and you can write an album in three days. Fill the album with a series of stories about overcoming the challenges life puts in your way and that is what became the debut album “On the Rocks.” The heart of the band solidified on that trip in 2018 around a basic philosophy: work insanely hard and make fun music.
After that trip, Old Eastern set out to become a household name in Maryland. They’ve been featured on 89.7 WTMD as well as appearing on the same bill as “The Black Pumas” and “Soccer Mommy” at WTMD’s First Thursday Concert Series. They can be found annually at Artscape, Honfest, Main Street Music Fest, and other various regional festivals. They have played many local venues like Soundstage and The Recher, selling out Metro Gallery and The 8x10. Grabbing a beer with friends? You can find them at your favorite brewery toward the end of the bar bringing their breed of Whiskey Rock to Baltimore’s faithful.
In July of 2021, they released their debut album “On the Rocks” to a sold out crowd at Mobtown Brewing Co. Taking over the tap room wouldn’t be complete without taking over some of the taps, would it? This is what gave rise to Old Eastern’s first beer — “Old Eastern’s Old Fashioned All Purpose Miracle Elixir.”
With the release of the album (and beer), Old Eastern has started to branch out of their hometown. New York City, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey have all started to build a home for this friendly neighborhood Baltimore band. With these newfound “hometowns” just a bit down the road, Old Eastern is poised to spread Whiskey Rock far beyond the confines of Baltimore’s Charm City.
