On a Saturday evening in mid November, a green glowstick hangs off a chain-link fence outside a warehouse in Hampden. To a passerby, it’s barely noticeable, but for a group of dedicated ravers in Baltimore, it’s a sign of a long night of fun ahead. The small stick signals the entrance of Syndicate Screenprinting Company, where privy partygoers follow a winding hallway past paint cans and splattered tarps to the back of the industrial building. A final pass through clear plastic curtains reveals a makeshift nightclub–the latest site of the Beatitude DIY event series. DJ Babypufff, the performing name of Kat Sherr, shares the decks alongside her partner Matt Papich (DJ Nosho) for the first set of the night. Beatitude is the brainchild of DJ Babypufff, who started the event series two years ago after years of attending parties in the DMV. Inspired by the rush back to clubs after quarantine, Sherr noticed a lack of electronic music events in Baltimore and wanted to create space for local DJs to shine.DJ Babypufff threw her first party at a warehouse in Station North and discovered her instincts were right. Washington D.C. DJ Soso Tharpa performs in front of a printing press at a Beatitude DIY rave at Syndicate Screenprinting Company in November 2024. Photo by Maria Eberhart.“It really ended up exceeding my expectations with turnout and made me realize there was a demand for it…. I saw a gap that needed to be filled,” she said. The next five Beatitude parties, spanning over a year and a half, remained at the same location with over 300 attendees. Kyle Tribble (DJ Kade Young) has performed twice at Beatitude and said the series is part of a strong revival of the underground rave scene in Baltimore.“Lockdown was a massive reset button for everyone and suddenly there’s just so many people who are throwing DIY parties and taking a bigger interest in DJing dance music again,” Tribble said. Baltimore was once a mainstay for ravers along the East Coast throughout the 90s and early 2000s. But the scene slowly sputtered out over the last two decades as popular clubs like Paradox closed and the city cracked down on DIY spaces. While finding a home for the series can be challenging, DJ Babypufff said it’s part of the process.A screen on filming equipment for Softshell Studios shows a DJ performing. Photo by Maria Eberhart.“I’ve seen so many spots close for one reason or another, and it can be really disheartening at times,” she said. “But that’s why I like DIY, because then we don’t really have to rely on all these institutions.” To supplement the party series, DJ Babypufff launched a label to continue promoting the work of DMV DJs. She released Beatitude’s first compilation tape in September, featuring artists from past lineups. Sherr said with venue spaces hard to come by, a label is another way to keep eyes on the scene. Beatitude is harkening back to the golden era of rave culture in the UK, waiting to reveal locations and finding venues outside the norm. DJ Babypufff also typically books DJs that play dance music genres like drum and bass and jungle since those styles are less prominent at other events in Baltimore. But Beatitude isn’t exclusive to one sound. The slogan for the series is something for everyone. DJ zi! performs at a Beatitude rave event at Syndicate Screenprinting Company in November 2024. Photo by Maria Eberhart.When curating the lineup, DJ Babypufff is very intentional– featuring local DJs alongside more established acts from out of town to bring more exposure. She also started Softshell Studios with close collaborator Kirk Higgins (DJ Black Grealish), a YouTube channel that archives Beatitude events and films other Baltimore DJ sets. “There’s so much talent here that gets overlooked…. We’re trying to put Baltimore on the map again and have a place to showcase the talent,” Higgins said. The underground dance scene is close-knit with DJs and promoters often attending each other’s events to show support. There’s a sense of unity in uplifting the history of Baltimore club and house music and platforming newer DJs experimenting in the city. “We don’t just have artists that use Baltimore, step on it, and say ‘see you later I’m going to New York City’…. They’ll go to New York City to perform, but they always represent Baltimore,” said Zach Fowler, a frequent Beatitude attendee and longtime Baltimore raver. A screenprinting board is illuminated at a Beatitude rave event at Syndicate Screenprinting Company in November 2024. Photo by Maria Eberhart.The DJ booth at the Syndicate x Beatitude event is positioned in front of a large circular printing press. At first, it’s just another interesting detail of the gritty shop-turned-party space, but halfway through the event, it starts moving. The machine glows orange while rotating behind DC DJ Soso Tharpa, adding a de facto strobe to the club. But turning on the press wasn’t only for show. Syndicate owner Navid Sarfaraz begins pulling tees off the spinning prongs with the Beatitude logo printed on each of them. Sarfaraz attended past Beatitude events and appreciated DJ Babypufff’s dedication to the old-school rave energy. Sarfaraz grew up going to raves in Baltimore and remembers when friends threw parties to help pay rent at their warehouse homes. Many of Syndicate’s clients are local musicians, so Sarfaraz thought hosting a party would be a fun, full-circle moment. “We’re often listening to DJs while we’re printing anyway, and the rhythm of the press sometimes goes with the beats…it all ties together in a weird, but cool way,” Sarfaraz said. DJ Babypufff doesn’t have plans for the next event yet, but she’s not slowing down. “The nature of DIY, so much is out of my control, but I’ll keep looking for opportunities as they come,” she said.