“If I Had $1,000,000 and a Good Parking Spot”: Barenaked Ladies Light Up Baltimore’s Pier Six
Words and Photos by Michael Sprouse/ Odd Rocker Photography
There’s something oddly reassuring about the smell of brackish harbor water and Old Bay and overpriced craft beer. That’s Baltimore for you. And that was the backdrop recently down at Pier Six, where the Barenaked Ladies rolled into town. The night was cool and gray and even a little rainy off and on.
And Pier Six, man… if you haven’t been, let me paint it for you: a large tent on a pier tucked up against the water, half-surrounded by boats and tourists pretending not to be tourists. You can hear gulls heckling from the marina and the occasional police siren slipping in from Pratt Street. But when the lights go down and the music hits, it all blends into this oddly specific type of magic. You’re not just at a concert — you’re in some chaotic harmony of memories and noise and maybe a little bit of salt air-induced euphoria.
So when the Barenaked Ladies came out on June 8, they didn’t walk — they sort of emerged, like they’d been summoned. Ed Robertson, grinning like a man who knows every joke before he tells it, took his place front and center with a wave that was half “hello” and half “brace yourself.” Kevin Hearn looked comfortably out of step with the universe (as always), wearing a shirt that could’ve been designed by a sleep-deprived raccoon with a Crayola fetish. Jim Creeggan cradled his upright bass like a sleeping dragon, and Tyler Stewart was already tossing a drumstick in the air like he was daring gravity to misbehave.
They kicked it off with “Gonna Walk,” which felt like cracking open a cold one you forgot you had. A slow start maybe, but it stretched the muscles. “Lookin’ Up” had folks swaying with hopeful little grins. Then came “The Old Apartment,” and that’s when the crowd really started to shift — heads tilted, eyes softened, people mouthing the lyrics like they were translating a past version of themselves.
Watch the official music video for “The Old Apartment” by Barenaked Ladies on YouTube:
“Hello City” followed and got the Baltimore callout treatment, with Ed swapping in lyrics about crab cakes and Orioles scores. He was in full chaos mode by “Just Wait” — a newer track, but it landed. The fans were dialed in. Tyler gave it this kind of smirking urgency on the drums like he was keeping a secret from the rest of us.
And when they hit “Pinch Me,” it was like someone shook loose the nostalgia valve. You could hear people gasp — then cheer — at the first few notes. Right after, “Big Back Yard” and “Clearly Lost” gave Kevin some room to stretch out on the keys. That guy’s playing is like a sideways conversation with the universe — goofy and poignant all at once.
Then came “Brian Wilson.” And look, I don’t care how many times you’ve heard it — there’s just something about that song live that cracks you open a little. The whole pavilion went quiet in that eerie, almost holy way.
“One Night” was buttery smooth, like a late-night radio slow jam. Ed’s voice hit this sweet spot that felt more confessional than performative. Then they dropped into “Blame It on Me,” and it was Tyler’s time to shine. He plays like he’s chewing scenery at a Broadway audition — in the best way.
“Crazy,” “Keepin’ It Real,” and “Odds Are” followed with a kind of cheerful aggression. The band knows exactly when to ease off and when to hammer down. The “Big Bang Theory Theme” got a cheeky cheer, but it was the mashup after that, that really lit the place up.
So get this: “The Muppet Show Theme” into “Mahna Mahna,” then straight into “One Week.” The transitions were ridiculous. The crowd ate it up. Grown adults doing muppet voices in public — no shame, just vibes.
Then came the combo platter. Ed called it their “jukebox fever dream.” We got a mishmash of covers and teases: “Pink Pony Club,” “Texas Hold ‘Em,” “The Gambler,” “Abracadabra,” “Hot to Go!” and even “Sometimes When We Touch,” which felt like a dare. It was chaotic in the most deliberate, wonderful way. Kevin sang part of it like he was auditioning for a lounge act on a cruise ship trapped in the ’80s.
Ed still tosses out lyrics like he’s playfully arguing with gravity. Every syllable landed with a smirk, with the whole front section singing like they were back in dorm rooms with mini fridges and futons that smelled like spilled Miller Lite.
“If I Had $1,000,000” was practically an exorcism. Everyone screamed every line like it was gospel, especially the Kraft Dinner part. A lady near me yelled “TOO MUCH KETCHUP” with such conviction I kind of want her to run for mayor.
Watch Barenaked Ladies perform “If I Had a Million Dollars” live at Farm Aid on YouTube:
Then they hit us with a little theatrical flair — “So Long, Farewell” from The Sound of Music. Yeah, they went there. And right when we were all laughing and thinking that was it, they detonated “Highway to Hell.” Tyler came out from behind his drum kit for the vocals, and he nailed it. It was loud, sloppy, perfect. A musical punch in the face.
For the encore, they came back with “Lovin’ Life” and then “Summer of ’69,” which is somehow still a banger despite every cover band within 200 miles wearing it out. But with these guys, it felt less like a cover and more like a high-five to the crowd.
It was beautiful chaos. That’s what a Barenaked Ladies show is. Controlled nonsense wrapped around real musical chops and sincere moments that sneak up on you when your guard’s down. One second you’re laughing at a joke, the next you’re thinking about your college roommate and where he ended up, and then you’re back to yelling “Chickity China the Chinese chicken” like it’s the gospel.
And look, you can’t fake joy like that. Not for two hours. Not through 20+ songs and a sea of strangers who somehow all knew when to shout the line about Dijon ketchup. That’s the magic. That’s what made Sunday night something else entirely. Something you don’t just remember — you feel it again, even when you’re back in your car, stuck behind a water taxi in reverse, trying to figure out how to get back to I-95 without Waze crashing.
It was chaotic, it was emotional, it was weird in all the right ways. Just like the band. Just like Baltimore. Just like life, if you squint a little and sing along loud enough.
Setlist
Gonna Walk
Lookin’ Up
The Old Apartment
Hello City
Just Wait
Pinch Me
Big Back Yard
Clearly Lost
Brian Wilson
One Night
Blame It on Me
Crazy
Keepin’ It Real
Odds Are
Big Bang Theory Theme
The Muppet Show Theme / Mahna Mahna
One Week
If I Had $1000000
Pink Pony Club / TEXAS HOLD ‘EM / The Gambler / Abracadabra / HOT TO GO! / Forever Young / Sometimes When We Touch
So Long, Farewell
Highway to Hell
Encore:
Lovin’ Life
Summer of ’69
Barenaked Ladies perform live at Wolf Trap on Wednesday, July 16!
Check out the rest of the Barenaked Ladies’ Last Summer on Earth Tour 2025.
Here are some photos of Barenaked Ladies performing live at Pier Six Pavilion on June 8, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse/ Odd Rocker Photography.
