The Alibi’s Group Hug Events presents live music, beer, food, vendors and art at Expo New Mexico’s Spanish Village. Pace yourselves—there’s a lot to do at this all-day, all-ages affair tomorrow. Let the sun worship begin! You can buy your tickets in advance for only $10 up until noon tomorrow when the gates open. They’re $15 at the door. (Kids 10 and under get in free.)Check out this lineup:
Pullout Nosotros, 1 P.m.
Percussive cumbias, soaring horns and driving Latin rhythms—this, friends, is Nosotros. This Latin-fusion powerhouse gets the party started wherever it may land across the southwest. Not new to the scene, yet always dynamic and fresh, Nosotros began as a guitar trio in 1994, and then joined forces with the Quantum jazz trio in 2001. This alliance of jazz and Latin flavor creates a richly layered sound. When members aren’t playing at festivals or laying down tracks in the studio, you can hear them on Thursday nights at Corazón in Santa Fe. They’re also in the running for a spot at the 35th Annual Telluride Blues and Brews festival in September, so stop by their Facebook page, give ’em a vote and show ’em some love. With their notoriety growing by the hour, now is the time to catch Nosotros on the local scene, because before you know it, the band will be joining the ranks of Los Lonely Boys and Grupo Fantasma. And you’ll be able to brag you heard ’em way back when.
Pullout Ryan Mcgarvey, 2 P.m.
He’s young, tall, good-looking and seriously talented. McGarvey can play a hard-rock-blues guitar so hot, the guitar deities must get jealous. It may be sacrilegious to compare someone to Jimi Hendrix, but that’s the first link that will come to mind. The 25-year-old is homegrown talent (he even went to El Dorado High). Alibi readers love him and voted him their favorite blues man in several Best of Burque polls. McGarvey’s also been recognized as one of few guitarists to impress the editors of Guitar Player Magazine at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin. He’s opened for Blue Oyster Cult, Shemekia Copeland, Shannon Curfman, Chris Duarte, Ian Moore, John Hammond Jr., Joe Bonamassa, Back Door Slam, Gov’t Mule, the Fabulous Thunderbirds. You should definitely fight the swarms of fans and see McGarvey now, while you can still afford a ticket.
Pullout Three String Bale, 3 P.m.
The members of Three String Bale give an apt description of their music: They’re Americana and old-time country (not to be confused with radio pop-country). The three Albuquerque transplants who make the band—Bard Edrington, Sarah Ferrell and Tom Studer—combine their talents and perspectives for a style that harkens back to another time. This is for both the New Mexican who yearns for the past or the modern Burqueño who enjoys music fresh and simple as a summer’s day. Their bluegrass incorporates the banjo, upright bass and redneck cajón (if you do not know what that is you will have to catch a show and see). But they’ll pluck your heartstrings with the sincerity of their lyrics and vocals. Three String Bale writes songs about chickens, trains, lost love and terrible drivers. Two crowd favorites are "Don’t Cry for Me" and "Drunk on the Borderline."The Bale-ers are producing their first album over the next few months, but find their brand of foot-stomping, hand-clapping music on stage at SOS.
Pullout Felix Y Los Gatos, 4 P.m.
Southern-fried , green chile-infused Felix y Los Gatos, stirs up zydeco, ranchera and rockabilly country. Think: Mexican-swamp-funk explosion. The band’s sound has forced the invention of new labels, such as Zydejano and Burqueño Blues. Frontman Felix Peralta says, "We just play whatever we want and don’t really think about what it’s called when we’re playing it.”First they were giggin’ at the Cowgirl in Santa Fe, and now they are laying down tracks with harmonica legend, John Popper. Los Gatos are top session players from around the state. With an extended family of talented musicians, you never know who might be stopping by to add some more funk to the gumbo. They’ll be touring all summer. Pick up the 2010 release, Green Chili Gumbo , over at cdbaby.com.
Pullout The Real Matt Jones, 5 P.m.
Two-time nominee for the New Mexico Music Awards, Matt Jones is an Albuquerque native who writes pop songs that focus on the peculiarities and details of life. The singer-songwriter who has toured much of the United States and Canada. His lighthearted music centers on soulful arrangements and superb vocals. His songs go down easy. Jones says he wants his music to rest well in a person’s ear, while still challenging the listener to think about the words he is singing. All of The Real Matt Jones’ music is available on iTunes and therealmattjones.com. Jones has opened for artists such as Brett Dennen, Rod Stewart and Blue October. The hardworking musician has made five albums since he began recording and played at nationally known venues like the House of Blues in Las Vegas, but you can find him in all the comfy Albuquerque watering holes, too.
Pullout The Porter Draw, 6 P.m.
If you like banjos, country guitars, three-part guy harmonies, and unexpected irreverence, this is the perfect group for you. We’d wager that if you’ve always sworn you hate country music, The Porter Draw is surely capable of changing your mind. Gritty front vocals, bluesy harmonica and a few "salty words" bring the band out of O Brother, Where Art Thou territory and onto the Marble Brewery patio where they perform from time to time. The Porter Draw—named for the worst train wreck in America—has taken a sound out of history and owned it without pandering to old-timey sensibilities. Masterful picking on the guitar and banjo proves that these guys aren’t just trying on a style for size. They’ve found a genre that showcases their talents better than any other, and they’re flaunting it.
Pullout Mondo Vibrations, 7 P.m.
Taking Albuquerque by storm with its reggae-rock hybrid, Mondo Vibrations does more than simply perform. Their songs are a call to enjoy life, and they leave audiences feeling good. Tasty jams that originated in a Belen garage have flowed out into the broader 505. Find their first music video—for the song “Slow Moving”—on YouTube. Bassist Mike Gerdes promises a studio album will hit shelves this summer. Live, Mondo Vibrations rocks the fiesta, as their legions of fans will testify. They’ll always like the way you shake it. “We are just doing it to have a good time,” Gerdes says. “That’s what people like most about our band. They know we’re having fun on stage, so they have fun. We just try to bring a party everywhere we go.”
Pullout Lost Lingo, 8 P.m.
A laid back, hip hop, soul-funk jam band, Lost Lingo’s tripped out, laser-tacular shows are a concert—and a psychedelic adventure. These young dudes seek to promote world peace and sexy happiness, all through dancing. They bring together hip-hop and jam rock in unconventional ways with every live performance. Rumor has it they’ll be featured on the new “Live at the El Rey” series. Their discography includes a self-titled debut LP from 2009 and an EP Yip, Yah! from 2010. The studio recordings are great, but as is usually the case, it’s the live show where Lost Lingo soars. This band is on a Bonnaroo kind of groove, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them jamming out the festival circuit one summer very soon.
