Peabody Heights Brewery in Baltimore will fill with music, DJ sets and a cause rooted in personal loss this Saturday, as Bands for Brains returns from 6 to 10 p.m. to raise money and awareness for people living with traumatic brain injuries. The all-ages fundraiser benefits the Brain Injury Association of Maryland and features performances across two stages, one inside and one in the brewery's outdoor beer garden.
Bands for Brains was created by Riley Granek, who was in high school when her mother suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in an ATV accident in Costa Rica in 2015. Her mother remained in a minimally conscious state for six and a half years and died in April 2022, per Baltimore Positive. Granek has said she grew up without her mother from age 11 and lost her at 18; she wants to help others affected by traumatic brain injuries, according to WBAL-TV. Fox Baltimore also reported on Granek’s role in starting the fundraiser.
Granek organized the first Bands for Brains as a virtual concert in 2021 while attending The Park School, then staged a live concert as a senior project. She revived the fundraiser after graduating college, and BIAMD later took it on after a staff member was inspired by her work, according to Baltimore Positive. Granek now serves as a spokesperson for the group, and the concert is part of BIAMD’s annual Bands for Brains tradition.
A Case Manager Takes the Stage
Ruth Carlock, a support services case manager at BIAMD, will perform with her band, Medusa Stage. Carlock survived a traumatic brain injury as a child and has experienced symptoms associated with mild traumatic brain injuries. WBAL-TV noted that mild TBI can affect memory, mood and coordination, among other areas. Carlock now helps people connect with BIAMD resources, including information and support groups.
The lineup will include three bands and two DJs performing across the brewery's two stages, one indoors and one in the outdoor beer garden, according to Peabody Heights Brewery. Peabody Heights General Manager Ian Cahoon said events like Bands for Brains raise awareness and funding for traumatic brain injuries and mental health, per WBAL-TV.
What to Expect at the Venue
Peabody Heights Brewery offers a bar, an arcade, a food truck and house-brewed mead, seltzer and beer, along with non-alcoholic options for the all-ages crowd. Concertgoers can also play pinball and other retro games at The Dugout arcade bar and the Bullpen adjacent to the main taproom, according to Visit Baltimore. Admission costs $15 in advance and $20 at the door, with children under 12 admitted free, and tickets are available online.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will help the Brain Injury Association of Maryland provide education, advocacy, support groups, care coordination, resource navigation and community programs for survivors, caregivers and families across the state, the tourism group notes. The brewery is located at 401 E. 30th St. in Baltimore, according to a Patch calendar listing.
Finding Support and Community Programs
For survivors and caregivers seeking peer support, the Brain Injury Association of Maryland lists online support groups and advises prospective participants to contact group leaders for details. Its support-group directory organizes listings by location, including Baltimore and central, southern, northern, western and eastern Maryland.
For longer-term community support, BIAMD’s description of Maryland’s Home and Community Based Waiver for Adults with Brain Injury says eligibility includes being ages 22 to 64 and having sustained an acquired brain injury after age 17. These are among the criteria listed by the Brain Injury Association of Maryland.
Beyond the Sports-Injury Narrative
Organizers have emphasized that brain injuries can happen in settings beyond sports, a point discussed in a recent conversation covered by Baltimore Positive. The annual concert brings together performers, the brewery and BIAMD to raise funds and awareness for people affected by brain injuries and their families.
