Weekly Alibi editor August March told a reporter at the newspaper that the past seven days were “a premier week for the old alter ego.” Folks just couldn’t put their phones down, and the aging critic had to field calls from just about everyone, from a homeless guitarist dwelling on the outskirts of Anton Chico to several concerned citizens convinced that March was wrong.“That’s fine,” he continued, “even if it sometimes means taking a few lumps.” Because he was in such an ebullient mood on the day we spoke, March was presently singing an old dance hall number as he thought about what shows might rise to the top over the coming week.In case you are interested, here are the lyrics to the song March was half-singing as he sat down at his computer to compose another installment of Show Up!“You know my name/ Look, look, look up the number/ You know my name/ That’s right, look up the number/ You, you know, you know my name/ You, you know, you know my name/ You know my name, look up the number/ You know my name/ That’s right, look up the number.”“One would have thought the whole lot to have been pure nonsense,” he said about the novelty tune written by Johnny Rhythm and Macca, “until the part when Brian Jones comes in on the saxophone and saves the day,” March intoned gravely as he buckled down and started typing.
Show Up!: Thursday
Local live rocanrol is living luxuriously these days at Moonlight Lounge (120 Central Ave. SW). While one could ostensibly dig on a decent EDM show, a spectacular hip-hop event or even a loungy, dance-y evening among the hip and happening on Thursday, Jan. 23, it’s also possible to see and hear from the scene via a concert happening at this small but potent bar on the corner of Central Avenue and Second Street. Good Green provides all the smoky reggae necessary to get things jumping, while the legendary Manhigh joins in on a party that also features Today’s Weather, Bubblegum Love Crush and the crunchy and cray antics of Katarak Attack (we reviewed their EP last week and it zooms!) Be there, rockers. 9pm • $5 • 21+.
Show Up!: Friday
Cheese, the Burqueño drummer who’s a mainstay in local jam band Pherkad, is so full of fragrantly phat musical ideas that it’s hard to keep up with him. This time around the sun, Cheese continues his madcap musical ways, sponsoring, promoting and starring in a live tribute to ultimate Southern rock band The Black Crowes at Launchpad (618 Central Ave. SW) on Friday, Jan. 24. Cheese and his all-star ensemble—including players from Pherkad, Pink Freud and Dirty Brown Jug Band—will present tunes from the Crowes’ classic debut album Shake Your Money Maker. Asked about this rad show, Cheese told Weekly Alibi, “I hope what people get out of this show is that we’ve got some real musicians here in Burque and our scene is full of special people. My goal is to expand horizons by playing music with everyone from friends to cats we haven’t played with before.” Damn good on you, Cheese. 9pm • $7 advance, $12 door • 21+.
Show Up!: Saturday
Robert “Bucket” Hingley’s second generation ska-punk project The Toasters—hey, dude was opening for Bad Brains in the early ’80s—arrives at Albuquerque’s Launchpad (618 Central Ave. SW) just in time for Saturday night, Jan. 25. Hingley’s band is on their 4 Decades in Ska tour, and frankly, if you haven’t seen this version of how various musical influences from calypso to hardcore to R&B came together to create one of American music’s most persistently popular genres, then this is a message to you: Stop your messing around and go see this show. If The Toasters perform “Spooky Graveyard” or “Two-Tone Army,” you’ll be doubly blessed. Lucky local support provided by The Casual Fridays, Shadow Creeps and SharkSuit. Time to think of your future! 9pm • $10 • 21+.
Show Up!: Tuesday
…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. Which is to say that Austex demiurges Jason Reece and Conrad Keely have a band that’s still making with a brand of rocanrol that’s legitimately concerned with high art. Though their definitively epic indie record Source Tags & Codes is nearly 20 years old, the work produced by the duo and their revolving group of collaborators is still as furious and fecund—as demonstrated on their latest release. X: The Godless Void and Other Stories just dropped and the supporting tour stops in Burque on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at, where else, Launchpad (618 Central Ave. SW). Noted for their consistently free-wheeling yet compellingly rocked-out live shows, Trail of Dead presents a must-see show filled with wonder, dread and deadly chops. 9pm • $13 • 21+.
