Live Review

Snapshots: Annapolis Songwriters Festival @ Annapolis, MD — 9/11-9/14/25

September 25, 2025

Sam Ashworth and Ruby Amanfu perform live at Annapolis Songwriters Festival on Sept. 14, 2025. (Photo by Steve Satzberg)

The fourth annual Annapolis Songwriters Festival, held Sept. 11–14, turned the city into a living, breathing celebration of songwriting. Over four days, more than 130 performers appeared across 15 venues — from Maryland Hall and Rams Head On Stage to Calvert Street’s open-air stage, intimate taverns, and even concert boats on the Severn.

Steve Satzberg went around town to capture some of the songwriters in performance.

ChatGPT produced this article to accompany original photographs by Steve Satzberg.

From the opening night through the closing curtain, the festival embodied what organizers called a “haimish” (warm, homey, unpretentious) vibe: the kind of event where artists feel like family and where the audience leans in to listen.

Headline moments included performances by big names across genres: the bluegrass‐Americana energy of Steep Canyon Rangers opened the fest at Maryland Hall. On Sept. 13, Al Jardine & The Pet Sounds Band brought Beach Boys lore to Annapolis. And 10,000 Maniacs took center stage with two nights of sold-out shows at Rams Head On Stage (Sept. 13 and 14), anchoring the festival’s rock edge.

Watch 10,000 Maniacs perform “These Are Days” live on YouTube:

Yet the beauty of this festival lies in the weaving of national names with local and emerging talent. The lineup included Dirty Heads, whose reggae-rock grooves lit up the Calvert Street Stage on Sept. 12. Simultaneously, Annapolis and regional favorites were sprinkled throughout: Kristen McNamara appeared early in the weekend’s schedule, sharing the stage with others on Sept. 11. Ruby Amanfu brought soulful songwriting to multiple sets (e.g. on Sept. 12 and 13) and even appeared in the closing ceremonies. Throughout the weekend, emerging songwriters, up-and-comers, and local heroes filled “in the round” showcases, delivering new songs, stories, and moments that stuck.

Standout moments included guests pausing mid-set to check travel logistics (a reminder of life on the road), emotional ballads about heartbreak, social conscience songs, and frequent winking humor in the storytelling. The spirit of listening was palpable — in a songwriter festival, silence is as much a part of the art as the music itself.

In the end, the 2025 Annapolis Songwriters Festival reaffirmed its promise: a gathering where songcraft is king, where new voices meet legacy acts, and where the city — from docks to bars — becomes one big listening room. The result: lasting songs, fresh discoveries, and memories that echo long after the final chord.

Here are some photos of musicians performing live at the 2025 Annapolis Songwriters Festival. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Steve Satzberg.

Pacifico Rik Ferrell