The Paradox was a

South Baltimore South Baltimore is a neighborhood in the Southern District of Baltimore, located to the west of the neighborhood of Riverside and south of Federal Hill. Its boundaries are marked by East Ostend Street (north), Light Street (east), Race Street (w ...

dance club from 1991 to 2016. It was originally a home to

house music House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's underground club culture in the late 1970s, as DJs began altering ...

, but later on got more of a hip hop feel. The club was founded by Wayne Davis.

History

The Paradox was an important gathering place for Baltimore's DJs, producers, and dance music fans. The sound system was developed, designed, and installed by Richard Long of Richard Long & Associates (RLA) and Dave Soto. The club marked important events in the careers of many notable

Djs A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile D ...

and Promoters in the Baltimore Club Music scene such as

K-Swift Khia Danielle Edgerton (October 19, 1978 – July 21, 2008), better known by the stage name K-Swift, was an American DJ, MC, radio personality and entrepreneur. Early years Born to Joseph and Juanita Edgerton, K-Swift was raised in Randallstow ...

, Scott Henry, Leroy Burgess Jr.,

Scottie B Baltimore club, also called Bmore club, Bmore house or simply Bmore, is a fusion of breakbeat and house genres. It is often referred to as a blend of hip hop and chopped, staccato house music. It was created in Baltimore, Maryland, United States ...

and

Charles Feelgood Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "f ...

. The Paradox closed its doors permanently in 2016, following a social media announcement by club owner Wayne Davis in October 2015. This news came less than five years after a full renovation of the club, which aimed to draw larger crowds. Despite its apparent success and popularity within the community, the Paradox struggled to make a profit in its later years, particularly due to dwindling alcohol sales. The location which the Paradox occupied will be taken over by

Hammerjack's Hammerjacks was a music venue in downtown Baltimore which operated from 1977 to 2006. It was founded by Louis J. Principio III. The club attracted many big-name national acts, but also showcased many rising stars in the music world. The bands range ...

, another long-standing hallmark of

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

's music scene—although notably less focused on the club music the city is known for. As of 2020, the new Hammerjacks incarnation has yet to open.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paradox (club) Nightclubs in Baltimore 2016 disestablishments in Maryland 1991 establishments in Maryland