An evening with Crack the Sky

Active on and off since the early '70s, long-running progressive rock group Crack the Sky built a loyal following in the Baltimore area that stuck with them as they rode the tides of the music industry over the next several decades. Characterized by tightly wound playing, quickly shifting song structures, and high-concept lyrics from vocalist John Palumbo, the band's early albums on the Lifesong label approached hard rock with complex technical prowess. The band would break up and reunite frequently over the years, with different phases of activity resulting in albums like 1978's Safety in Numbers, 2004's Dog from Japan, and a plethora of live albums and compilations.