With a blast-off-into-outer-space theme that becomes more and more like a gracefully-aging-as everyone-who-is-anyone-eventually-wanders-through-here time travel theme as the years pass by, Launchpad continues to dominate this city’s and our readers’ choice for Best Venue for live music. The joint’s a for realz glimpse into the messy, beautiful, noisy, nocturnal world that is Albuquerque’s music scene. Owner Joe Anderson should be thanked by every citizen in the city for bringing some of the best, most badass acts through town while also maintaining honest and forward-looking relationships with local musicians, producers and back stage personnel.2) Sister3) Sunshine Theater
Best Of Burque Music 2017 Best Recording Studio
With a music scene that’s as vibrant and lively as the one we’ve been exploring here, it almost goes without saying that all the artists, bands, ensembles and groups represented on these pages absolutely need cool facilities to record their lives’ work, to make their cultural expression and cross-fertilization efforts into reality. At the forefront of this practical end of our beloved scene is Central Root Studios, the number one vote-getter in our latest Best of Burque music poll. This full-service production and recording facility specializes in aurally documenting the work of local hip-hop and roots visionaries like Hakim Bellamy, Asilani, Def-i, ¡Revíva! and Diles.2) Empty House Studio3) Frogville Studios
Best Of Burque Music 2017 Best Music Store
Here is a local business with a global reach. Independently owned and staffed with professional musicians, technicians and engineers, Grandma’s Music has been a part of Burque’s musical landscape since 1982, when local guitarist Micky Patten opened a small shop in the Northeast Heights that was meant to cater to his fellow axe-handlers. As Patten expanded the business to include other instruments and interests, he also developed a reputation for hiring and keeping an excellent and knowledgeable staff, including guitar maven Ryan Clement and drummer/engineer Baird Banner. The store also moved from a small space to a large one near the mountains before exploding into its current completist location on the Westside of town.2) Charley’s 33s & CDs3) Music Go Round
Best Of Burque Music 2017 Best Instrument Store
Grandma’s was also the number one choice for our readers with regards to instrumentation. An authorized Fender dealer since 1989, the shop also features products by Godin, Focusrite, Roland and Marshall. If you can’t find the gear you want at Grandma’s then you aren’t looking for musical equipment. Serio.2) Music Go Round3) Guitar Center
