This year’s John Donald Robb Composers' Symposium presents 55 contemporary composers with meaningful connections to New Mexico. Themed with the state's centennial celebration in mind, all the featured artists live here, studied at UNM or lived in New Mexico for at least a year.
Vocalist and songwriter Susan Abod has been working hard on her upcoming Anita O’Day tribute concert, but her commitment goes only so far. She’s immersed herself in O’Day’s recordings and videos, read her autobiography, been rehearsing the material night and day, and even gone in search of a wide-brimmed hat and white gloves to recall the singer’s iconic appearance at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. She has, however, steadfastly refused to tour the country in dance marathons, marry her drummer, have her uvula excised by a sloppy surgeon, or explore heroine and alcohol addiction—all of which marked the life of O’Day.
A trio of underground hip-hop artists— Sole, Ceschi and Bleubird—stops in Albuquerque to play at Synchro Studios (512 B Yale SE) on Saturday, March 24. Locals Summon and Sapience Christ & Omen20012 open the show starting at 8 p.m. Admission is $7. (Jessica Cassyle Carr)
Ameripolitan—or juke joint-swing as the genre is known by some Tejanos—advocate extraordinaire Wayne Hancock descends loudly and lovingly onto the stage at Inside Out on Tuesday, March 26. Wayne “The Train” Hancock has been startling audiences, beating up boots and brandishing a guitar since he was a young one; his affinity for finding, deconstructing and then delivering honestly raw and rambunctious roots music is without equal in the land of hillbilly-backed, Grand Ole Opry-certified swinging sounds. As the artist himself puts it, “Man, I'm like a stab wound in the fabric of country music in Nashville. See that bloodstain slowly spreading? That's me.” Entrance to this rodeo-like environment of sights and sounds will run typical 21+ listeners $12 in advance and $15 at the door; the curtain rises on America's representative at 9pm. It'll be better than season one of “Hee-Haw!”
Weekly Alibi's Best of Burque Music Showcase • Pope Yesyesyall • Prism Bitch • Sweet Nothin • Shitty and the Terribles • garage, punk • Black Unicorn • surf rock, heavy metal
By Mayo Lua de Frenchie
The scene has spoken and Weekly Alibi has winners and favorites for yet another year. The Best of Burque Music Showcase descends on downtown Albuquerque at all the raucous spots the city is known for, including Sister, Side Effex, KiMo Theatre, The Jam Spot, Corpus Arts and Launchpad. The free pre-party kicks off from 2 to 6pm at Inside Out, formerly Mezcal. The official launch of the showcase at all the other venues begins with doors at 7pm and music at 8pm. Jam out to bands and musical artists for every taste from Prism B*tch to Sweet Nothin, Pope Yesyesyall to Baracutanga and Tylor Brandon to The Riddims. Pre-sale wristbands and the cost for individual venues is $10 and wristbands are $15 on the night of the show. These events are 21+ only.
