Today is our birthday proper, and we’ll celebrate our 20th anniversary with a free party at Effex Nightclub (Fifth Street and Central).

The Alibi teamed up with local event promoters Foundation Industries, so the DJ line-up includes Digital Fusion (Mike Lowinske v. Jennifer Chafey), Amy Lopez, Joe Savage, The Rev (Timm Reynolds), Tempo (Erik Runion) and Dave Decibel.

Plus, there’s free food from Buffet King and a great big birthday cake from Cake Fetish. So come down to Effex and show Albuquerque's weekly newspaper your support.

Q: What’s in it for me?

A: Attractive friends and a general feeling of belonging. Plus, free hot dogs from Chicago Dog starting at 8 p.m. First come, first served. Free frozen yogurt from Olo starting at 10 p.m. while supplies last. Candy buffet all night long. Photo Booth Rentals of New Mexico will snap your picture and give you a strip for free. Kayla will paint your skin.

Q: What if I just want to dance?

A: Hedonic revelry is essential. To aid in your pleasure, we present to you: The glimmering math rock of Roo, space voyager Hyperland, the dreamy country of Tall Boys (girls on stilts) and the lo-fi beach synth of Tropical Girls. Not to mention DJ Mello and her soulful psychedelia.

Q: What is a spring social?

A: We think it’s like a garden party in Anne of Green Gables times, but we’re not totally sure. It conjures images of hats with ribbons in them, though we’ve never owned such a thing. We prefer a brighter, more sparkly interpretation. Frozen treats are mandatory. As is dance music. Warm climes preferred.

Q: What will the weather be like on Friday?

A: The triple-dubs predict a balmy º78 during the day with a clear and mellow º50 in the latter part of the evening.

Friday, March 30, Launchpad. Doors at 8 p.m., $5, 21+

I just spent a lovely weekend in Taos for a wedding. As the sun sets there, the evening air grows chilly—as opposed to slightly less boiling hot, like in Burque.

Last year, Taos celebrated its first ever Pride weekend, though its founder died a few weeks before the event. The fest was held in Robert Quintana’s honor. Friends described him as an energetic organizer who pulled people together and created community. He loved a good soiree, they said. There was a touch of seriousness to the first Taos Pride, but volunteers still predicted “a screaming big party.”

And they’re at it again. Taos Pride will paint the town in rainbows this weekend on Aug. 19, 20 and 21. Festivities include a cabaret, a drag show, music and a recovery brunch, among other fabulous things.

Feeling lucky? Lots of grocery stores, grills and bars are offering St. Paddy's Day specials—and even free samples—that wink at the Emerald Isle. At O’Niell’s, for example, they’re doing their usual thing with Celtic specials like corned beef and cabbage, plus live music all day and night. (No minors allowed after 4 p.m.) Call your favorite pub to see what's brewing.

Were you at the Alibi’s Mardi Gras party on Saturday? These people were! And so was Photo Booth Rentals of New Mexico. As part of the deal, they give customers a post-party DVD with all the photos their friends took. Here are some of my favorites.

Why, you ask, did we call this party Heart Strings? Well, we thought it was funny at the time. It’s sort of a riff on the old K-Tel TV commercials for record albums of all your favorite contemporary hits “performed by the original artists.” It got less funny as time marched on, but that’s ok because it will still be awesome fun, even if we wince every time we say or type… the name of the event.

Here are ten great reasons to come out and see us tonight:

1) It’s only $5 at the door.

2) There will be four of Albuquerque’s best bands playing: Sandia Man, Sabertooth Cavity, Ghost Circles and Ya Ya Boom (who were accepted to play at SXSW 2011.)

3) There will be free food from El Norteño while it lasts: chips and salsa, chicken and beef flautas, green chile stew, posole, rice, beans, tortillas and quesadillas.

5) Grand Prize is a Samsung Blu-Ray Player from Paradise Village - Netflix ready for your instant viewing pleasure.

6) There are also a bunch of gift bag prizes from Jack’s Smoke Shop and…

7) A bunch of prizes and t-shirts from All Seasons Gardening.

8) You can see and help judge the submissions to our Valentine’s Day Card Contest.

9) Between bands we’ll have an Open Luv Mic, so you can get on stage and profess your undying love.

10) Love.

Aw. Ew. See you there.

Saturday marked what we’re pretty sure was the Eighth Annual Observance of Brother’s Day, though it’s sadly only the third (after 2010 and 2009) to be documented on Alibi.com. The theme this year was fried foods. We powered up two deep fat fryers and kept them cranking all night long with two types of batter and every food thing known to man. From Oreos to oysters, sardines to sandwiches, pickles to pot stickers we fried it all. Everyone was forced to listen to the same four Lynyrd Skynyrd songs looped together for the entire evening, and we set off one (only one!) massive firework that was visible throughout Northern New Mexico. Until next year, Happy Brother’s Day to all my brothers.

Create a Love Bird profile today and get a free beer tonight at Alibi’s Cinco de Mayo Frito de Pie-o Fiesta. Just print out your profile, take it to the Blackbird tonight and hand it to an Alibi person. That’s what I’m going to do, and I’ll take that free beer, by gum!