18 episodes

The Noir and Bizarre explores the dark and strange stories we tell ourselves about human existence - occult history, ghosts, haunted houses, and secret crimes - with a special emphasis on stories that draw on the rich history and culture of Baltimore. Additionally, the show philosophically asks big questions about spiritual narratives and rituals surrounding life and death.

The Noir and Bizarre WYPR Baltimore

    • Arts
    • 4.8 • 27 Ratings

The Noir and Bizarre explores the dark and strange stories we tell ourselves about human existence - occult history, ghosts, haunted houses, and secret crimes - with a special emphasis on stories that draw on the rich history and culture of Baltimore. Additionally, the show philosophically asks big questions about spiritual narratives and rituals surrounding life and death.

    Monsters and Myth, Dreams and Nightmares: Surrealism at the Baltimore Museum of Art

    Monsters and Myth, Dreams and Nightmares: Surrealism at the Baltimore Museum of Art

    There's a new exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art - ----Monsters and Myths: Surrealism and War in the 1930s and 1940s----. On this episode, Katie goes behind the scenes with co-curator Oliver Shell to explore some key works and ask big questions about absurdity, dreams, nightmares, demons, and monsters. ----Monsters and Myths: Surrealism and War in the 1930s and 1940s---- exhibits at the Baltimore Museum of Art through May 26, 2019.

    • 23 min
    ----Out There----: Alien Invasions and Unexplained UFO Sightings in Maryland

    ----Out There----: Alien Invasions and Unexplained UFO Sightings in Maryland

    Sixty years ago - on the night of October 26 1958, around midnight, two men were driving by Loch Raven Reservoir in Towson. Suddenly, they saw a huge egg-shaped object appear above a bridge. As they got closer, their car stopped dead.They watched the object hover for a while and then there was a flash of light – some strange noise – and a burst of heat – it then rose into the sky and disappeared. The event remains unexplained.Today, this history has been rediscovered and embraced by residents of the Knollwood neighborhood of Towson, Maryland, who are hoping to launch an Alien Invasion festival in the future. What's behind the continued allure of space?

    • 14 min
    A Ghost Hunt at the Lord Baltimore Hotel

    A Ghost Hunt at the Lord Baltimore Hotel

    Guest host Rachel Baye takes listeners behind the scenes on a ghost hunt at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, one of the most haunted places in Maryland. The hunt took place on September 29, 2018, this year's ----National Ghost Hunting Day.---- There are more than a few spine-tingling moments on this eerie tour!

    • 33 min
    From Celtic Ghosts to Trick-Or-Treating: The Evolution of Halloween

    From Celtic Ghosts to Trick-Or-Treating: The Evolution of Halloween

    From Ancient Celtic harvest rites warding off ghosts and spirits... to Roman rites honoring the dead... To All Soul's Day masses... On this episode, Katie is exploring the origins and evolution of modern Halloween celebrations. We also feature a reading of T.S. Eliot's haunting poem, ----The Hollow Men.---- Happy Halloween!

    • 11 min
    All the Saints You Should Know

    All the Saints You Should Know

    Elizabeth Harper is an author, photographer, and academic, as well as the creator of the popular online blog: All the Saints You Should Know: Bones, Relics, Lore, and Oddities from the Catholic Church.On this episode, Katie and Elizabeth talk about the confusion over incorruptability of saints' bodies, the strange allure of ossuaries (bone churches), folk Catholicism and veneration, and how churches can act as memory theaters for forgotten history.

    • 32 min
    A Tale of Poes and Beer

    A Tale of Poes and Beer

    On this episode, Katie takes listeners on an audio tour of the First Annual International Edgar Allan Poe Festival and then meets up with Stephen Demczuk, founder and CEO, of Raven Brewing Company, to learn about the origins of this iconic Poe-inspired beer.

    • 24 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
27 Ratings

27 Ratings

Mr. Sundays ,

Great show!

I love this show it picks awesome topics and really explore it in ways that most don’t expect.

TheZekestLink ,

Interesting Stories from the Baltimore Area

I really appreciate the dive into the strange, creepy, and sometimes downright terrifying history & stories surrounding Baltimore. There are a lot of fun & interesting interviews and stories to be found in the archives of The Noir & The Bizarre. That being said, the audio quality is often mediocre and the show often feels like an afterthought with no clear release schedule (sometimes monthly, sometimes biweekly, sometimes no episodes for months, etc.).

Postage45 ,

A different Baltimore

Stories which have a different mostly unknown look at Baltimore.

Top Podcasts In Arts

Fresh Air
NPR
The Moth
The Moth
99% Invisible
Roman Mars
Fashion People
Audacy | Puck
Fantasy Fangirls
Fantasy Fangirls
McCartney: A Life in Lyrics
iHeartPodcasts and Pushkin Industries