Bigger Shows, Bigger Opportunities For Southern Maryland Bands At Toot’s

HOLLYWOOD, Md. — For Southern Maryland bands, getting on stage is one thing. Getting in front of a bigger crowd, opening for a national act and walking away with new fans is something else.

That is the kind of opportunity Toot’s Bar is working to create as its live music lineup grows.

The Hollywood venue is bringing more national touring acts to Southern Maryland while making sure local musicians grow right alongside that momentum — giving area bands chances to open bigger shows, reach new audiences and step onto stages that can lead to even more opportunities.

And Toot’s already has plenty of Southern Maryland talent in the mix. Recent lineups have featured Smoke Signals, a Southern Maryland band formed in 2024; Social, a Hollywood-based party rock band; Back Stage Pass, a longtime Calvert County rock band; and Red Skies Dawning, a Southern Maryland alt-metal band, along with other local and regional performers.

That gives Toot’s something solid to build on. As bigger acts come through Hollywood, the venue can create more chances for those local bands to open the night, meet new audiences and be part of shows that reach beyond a typical weekend set.

Local Bands Meet Bigger Names

That started taking shape this summer.

When Awake at Last came to Toot’s on July 31, Citizen X and Southern Maryland-based Red Skies Dawning opened the show.

Red Skies Dawning brought the Southern Maryland sound to the stage, while national act Awake at Last brought a bigger touring presence to Hollywood — exactly the kind of pairing Toot’s wants to create more often.

Instead of letting the national act have the whole spotlight, Toot’s used the night to bring local musicians into the mix, giving them a bigger crowd to play for and a chance to make new connections along the way.

That is the kind of momentum the venue wants to keep building — bigger shows, more eyes on Southern Maryland talent and more chances for local bands to turn one night on stage into something more.

Citizen X got another turn in the spotlight Aug. 22, opening for Fade to Black, a Baltimore-based Metallica tribute band. It was another example of Toot’s pairing familiar local talent with a bigger draw and giving that opening band a chance to reach a different crowd.

Growing Together

The idea is not to trade local bands for bigger names. It is to grow both.

Southern Maryland musicians already make up an important part of the live music scene at Toot’s, and the venue wants those bands to benefit as its concert calendar grows.

Toot’s is also exploring ways to expand the stage and performance space itself, creating more room for larger productions and more possibilities for the bands that play there.

As the lineup continues to grow, fans can expect a mix of familiar local favorites, new discoveries and bigger acts making their way to Hollywood.

See who is playing next on the Toot’s Bar website for show announcements, lineup updates and more of what’s coming to the stage.

Follow Toot’s Bar on social media:
Facebook | Instagram

Toot’s Bar is located at 23971 Mervell Dean Road in Hollywood.

---