By Andrea Menzies 10/28/2026
I made it to the Rasputina reunion show at the Ottobar venue in Baltimore, MD. A more amazing fact is I made it home in one piece. Many thanks to my friends and family that helped me make it to a band reunion for a group I have collected albums on for over ten years. It was not just something fun to do for Halloween. I have now seen Depeche Mode play in Baltimore, Sisters of Mercy play in Baltimore, and Rasputina also play in Baltimore so it is officially a far better music town than the pathetic music of Virginia. I saw them play in many venues on the west coast as I have relatives that lived in San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle I visited. I saw them play shows in Austin, TX. I liked seeing them play in Baltimore, MD as it reminded me that fun things I did in the past can still be done in-modern day with work and planning. Rasputina has been amazing on the soundtracks to many great TV shows and movies for years. I am glad I bought tickets for the show online as the venue was packed like sardines. They played many great songs that were new as well as great songs from older albums they almost never play. My review is that they are amazing I give them five out of five stars. My review of the Ottobar is that the place is far better than many places I have been to for sound quality and decorating. Unfortunately, parking and traffic are a nightmare around the club, but that is not the fault of the staff. I give them 5 out of 5 stars.
In the future I will get a hotel and take a cab or a rented bike in Baltimore when I can. If I was a wealthy lottery winner or retired wealthy movie star it would have been a far longer and better trip with more museum tours and hotel stays. I had to do the penny-pinching teacher salary version of a road trip. Baltimore, MD made the National Geographic list of the top places to visit in 2027 here: https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/baltimore-best-places-2027-nat-geo-list/
A word of warning is all hotels in the Baltimore area now charge 100 dollars in deposits per night on top of the room price and fees charged. A 50 dollar room listed for that price on discount travel websites is 100 dollars after you are charged fees, and then a 100 dollars in deposits is required on top of that price not refunded for two days afterwards. 200 dollars for a 50 dollar room is the secret price not listed on discount websites. You are expected to just have 200 dollars sitting around to not fall asleep at the wheel with a motel rest spot I discovered with horror on other travel visits. This is why RV sales are up which are also expensive and break. There are super markets with lots nearby the venue viewable on Google maps, but no parking tow away signs cover the lots.
Ottobar should warn people about that on their website. Not everyone can afford 50 dollars for overnight parking at the lots. Owners do not post signs saying they will lock in your car inside the lot late at night. Luckily I asked in advance and found they totally lock cars in the lots late at night in DC and Baltimore.
If you are near one of the next stops on the Rasputina tour buy tickets online for certain. It is an amazing show! However, remember to check out prices for all things online and do not depend on the discount travel websites being honest at all. They lure people to travel, and then drain them dry with double prices everywhere.
I was happy to get out and about wearing dress up clothes and makeup. I do own fancy dresses with puffy sleeves I wear with Halloween gypsy witch costumes for many years.
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