Our Spotlight on the Arts for July 2026 shines brightly on Cloud Harsha and Thomas D’Arista of the new event production company, SoMD LIVE!
>What were your inspirations for starting an event production company?
Cloud: As a former theatre kid, I’ve always loved being involved in a production. My friend Kreea also recently started her own company, Steel Lab Productions which will be providing the lighting for us, she really inspired me. I also believe that art and music are a fundamental human need, one that is being disenfranchised right now all over the place, when we need it more than ever.
Thomas: I’ve been passionate about music just about all my life. I think that the world can be a lonely place sometimes, so I wanted to cultivate a space where other passionate musicians and music appreciators can find each other, and further their participation in the craft.
>The SoMD LIVE Variety Concert event is coming soon on July 25th with a great mix of artists! Why did you select the variety format?
Cloud: We want this event to bridge communities in order to strengthen the whole music community of the local area. Inviting a variety of genres seemed the best way to do that. It also seemed like a great way to show people that there’s all kinds of different talent around here.
Thomas: My personal tastes are wide, so on some level I was organizing the kind of event I would want to attend. But also, of course, any concert at a place like Historic Sotterley should be about bringing people together. We thought it best not to play favorites with genres or scenes.
>How did you decide on which artists to feature?
Cloud: Primarily we wanted musicians local to southern Maryland, keeping with the SoMD live mission.
Thomas: Where we could, we aimed to platform the next generation of musicians. This is a tremendous opportunity that Sotterley is giving us, and we wanted to bring that opportunity to ambitious up and comers. I strongly believe that the best experience with music you can have is from the proverbial underground. Other than that, it was just a matter of finding “a little something for everyone.”
>What were you looking for in a venue and why did you select Historic Sotterley?
Cloud: We needed a place that was willing to take a chance on something new. Historic Sotterley was willing to give us that chance, and they had all the right infrastructure. Their mission right now is to reconcile with the past, and part of continuing that is reaching out to young people to build a better future. There’s a symbiotic interest there.
Thomas: Historic Sotterley is also looking to connect with the next generation of SoMD. It really is a gorgeous piece of ground, but it’s also a sensitive place that deserves a lot of respect. It is preserved and maintained for its heavy historical significance, but I think if the space and its beauty can also be used to help foster community and culture, that would be a good thing.
>What can the audience expect?
Cloud: Besides a great atmosphere, we’re going to host a vendor alley, bar service, and the Blue Wind gourmet food truck! We’re also going to have unique football and basketball inspired lawn games, designed and built by Joe from Historic Sotterley.
Thomas: The musicians will be playing inside a rather nice barn to escape the July sun. It has large sliding doors that should help keep the air moving and the temperature down. Outside there is a tiled plaza, and another barn next door where the vendors will set up shop.
>Tell us more about the vendors!
Local vendors will be selling a variety of goods, including delicious treats, hand-crafted goods, as well as vinyls and CDs. Check out our website re: current vendor space availability!
>The tickets are reasonably priced at only $20 in advance and $25 at the door. What is included?
Tickets give you free parking, access to the vendor alley, lawn games, and of course the concert experience!
>Is this an event for all ages?
Yes, all ages are welcome at this event.
>What are your other interests outside of SOMD Live?
Cloud: I’m a visual artist, mainly focused on landscape painting and fine collage. I’m also a hobbyist musician; Thomas has taught me so much about music over the years.
Thomas: I’m an avid musician, but I haven’t played with other people much since covid. I’m hoping SoMD Live will change that by giving me the chance to meet lots of new people.
>How do artists contact you to be part of future SOMD Live events?
It’s easy! Just go to the “perform” page of our website and fill out the submission form. We always reply within a few days.
>Do you have any future events/ideas in the works?
We are planning two more concerts to be held at Sotterley. One near Halloween, which is more focused on hardcore genres, and another show in spring 2027.
>Is there anything else that you would like to share with us?
Cloud: I’d just like to say that with a little love and a lot of hard work, this county could be a place where no one says “there’s nothing to do around here” anymore. Growing up hearing that all the time gave me some serious wanderlust, but as I get older the more I’d rather try to make this place better than to leave, after all it is home.
Thomas: I’ve lived much of my life split in half between the city and the country. What I’ve found is that there are talented, passionate, and creative people everywhere you go, hiding under every nook and cranny, wondering if and how they can share their art with their community. I want to do my part to bring out the best in this place.
Thank you, Cloud & Thomas, for being a valued part of our artistic community!
Links of Interest
- Website: somdlive.com
- Facebook: SoMD LIVE
- Instagram : @somd_live
- Historic Sotterley: https://sotterley.org/
