I keep forgetting to congratulate the winners of this year's State Fair Talent Showcase, which was announced a few weeks ago by the New Mexico Music Commission. That makes me a hot dog. But it's our Best of Burque Restaurants issue, so now seems like as good a time as any to sound the trumpets—with relish! (Sorry.) More than $7,000 in prizes, including band merchandise, gear and recording time, was awarded to the local winners. Why wasn't your band competing, again? (Looks like I'm not the only hot dog here.) Without further ado, here are the victorious bands of 2007. Cheers to them all!
We're not yet at the point in history when I can stop asking this question: What's it like to be a woman in [insert musical genre/profession here]? Penelope Houston, frontwoman of the punk ’77 band The Avengers, says in the early days, there were plenty of women on the scene. "A lot of the bands around Los Angeles and San Francisco had female performers, female musicians and singers. I wasn't the only one around." Still, she says, she would like The Avengers to be compared to other punk rock bands without any reference to gender—period. Houston can't escape an awareness of her sex, but it's not without payoff. "Women starting bands and performing because of The Avengers is always really gratifying to me."
I’m not saying there’s going to be illicit drug use or anything, but Sic Alps, Death Valley Days and Mei Long will get you stoned off your ass. Take that as you will. Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Burt’s Tiki Lounge (free, 21+). [LM]
As he and his band, Luca, traveled the country, Nick Luca found himself with a case of the touring blues. Unfortunately, things were about to get much worse.
