RPM—Cheryl Hooks (of “Ear to the Ground” on KUNM and many other musical pies across our fair state) says that our own "little boy blues," Ryan Patrick McGarvey, will step into the studio for the first time this March to record his debut album. Cheryl says the as-yet-untitled work should be ready for release by the spring. Ryan will also be the featured performer on Channel 27's "It's Tobyriffic" this Tuesday, Feb. 28, and then record an in-studio session on KUNM's “Afternoon Freeform” show with Travis Parkin, which will air on March 2. To top it all off, Ryan has been invited to play legendary Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy's after-party that evening at the Eldorado Hotel in Santa Fe. Way to go, Ryan!

Mustache Rides, One Dollar

Toddy T. Bones' Second Annual Mustache Party is like a fancy cotillion for facial hair. See Feb. 25 "Lucky 7" for more details. (LM)

with Six Gun Overload

Thursday, Feb. 23, The District (21-and-over): To say that the boys in Axson are metal influenced is like saying Scott Weiland dabbles in heroin. "I can appreciate all music," lead singer/guitarist Sergio Gutierrez says. "But as far as what we listen to, it's a lot of '80s metal stuff. Hair metal, power ballads, thrash metal and some blues. That's basically all we listen to." These KISS-, Mötley Crüe-, Megadeth- and AC/DC-inspired 18- to 20-year-olds from Los Lunas are on a mission to create what they call, "the metal you remember." "That phrase has two meanings for us," Gutierrez explains. "First, when you go to see us play a show, you're going to definitely remember us. Second, we play the '80s old-school metal that people remember." The flashbulb recollections Axson creates on stage come by way of their technically solid play that features classic distortion-soaked guitar and the band's stage presence which is, to say the least, unflinching. "People want to go to a show and be entertained," Gutierrez theorizes. "They want to hear good music and they want to see an actual show." Axson's showmanship can take the form of anything from playing meandering guitar leads on top of their speakers to inviting the girls in the crowd to come up on stage and sing along. "We aren't too concerned with money or anything like that right now," Gutierrez says. "Our interests are in playing wherever and whenever we possibly can to build up our fan base. We just want people to come to our show and have a good old time."

One-man wonder brings legal advice and "it" to Albuquerque

The Get Up Kids keyboardist James DeWees is the primary and founding member of Reggie and the Full Effect, a similarly emo act that tows around an extra bag of tricks (and a louder keyboard). While the musical content is comprised of the sappy love songs you'd expect, when mixed with tracks like "Drunk Girl at The Get Up Kids Show," "Your Girlfriends Hate Me (Free Moustache Rides Remix)," and "Canadians Switching the Letter P for the Letter V, Eh?," Reggie's act is entirely less serious than his other band, and possibly the entire genre altogether.

Emily Nash

with Three Quarter Brown

Friday, Feb. 24, Lobo Theater (all-ages), 9 p.m.; $5: The Rudy "Boy" Experiment has spent the last three years turning up the volume in every bar, club and barbecue pit they can play in Bernalillo County. I'm not kidding; they've cranked their amps to silly levels. Maybe it's because Ms. Monicalyn (bass), "Juke Joint" Jim Beyer (skins), and of course, Rudy "Boy" Jaramillo (guitar and lead vocals) want to spread their signature style of feel-good blues-based rock to as many listeners as they can.

Issac Baruch

A musical marriage in the New Mexico desert

Although 50 percent of Mystery School's members were born outside our state's boundaries, the six-piece "desert rock" ensemble is madly in love with New Mexico's unique landscape. "Our music is very much aware of how the environment we're in evokes inspiration," says colead vocalist, keyboard player and percussionist Diana Good. "Where we live plays a major role in determining who we are and the relationships we form with other people. Our music definitely reflects that."