… Sort of. The gospel according to Joe Anderson is the Launchpad will re-open in July, but he seemed hesitant (understandably) to make anything official at press time. A cursory glance at Anderson’s website lists a Launchpad concert by Rooney, Locksley and The Bridges scheduled for Monday, July 7—but that’s still as good as speculation at this point. If the show proceeds as planned, it’ll be the first time the Launchpad’s opened its doors to the public since the Golden West fire shut the venue down on Feb. 28 of this year. Until then, keep your eyes here, on RockSquawk.com and on alibi.com for the first word on the Launchpad’s relaunch. You know we’re good for it.
Baby Love
Indie-poppers The Giranimals, which paired down to a husband-wife nucleus of Maury and Connie Crandall within the last year, are preparing to welcome another baby into the world. That’s three babies in three years. I mean, damn! "I think it’s cool that we’ve managed to keep the band going, play some cool shows and not turn into completely uncreative people," Maury told me in a characteristically understated RockSquawk message. This Saturday, June 21, the expectant couple will perform a "baby shower/farewell-til-after-the-baby show" at Stove. Bring $5 for the cover and any other appropriate offerings to Connie, who now takes the title of New Mexico’s MRM (Most Rockingest Mother). Also on the fecund bill are the Cherry Tempo, A Man About a Horse, Small Flightless Birds and The Dead Last Sprinter. The show is all-ages and starts at 7:30 p.m.Congratulations, Giranimals. And I’d like to add two more words to that: family band. You know you want to, Crandalls. Gretsch is bound to come out with a toddler-sized Falcon any day now. Just putting it out there.
Dancing Eagle
Casa Blanca, N.M., is where you’ll want to be this weekend for the hardest-working up-and-coming Spanish-language, country, blues and rock ’n’ roll bands in the region. Heavily represented by Native American musicians, Dancing Eagle Casino’s second annual Music Fest has two full, free days of music planned for Saturday, June 21, and Sunday, June 22. On Saturday, you’ll hear Hopi Clansmen, Night Breeze, Pueblo Country, Over the Limit, Silver Concho Band, Village Express, The Wranglers and The Outlaws from noon to 5 p.m. Albuquerque’s Native Roots headlines with reggae at 5:30 p.m. Then on Sunday, also from noon to 5 p.m., there’s Amigos West, Levi and the Plateros, Native Outlaw Band, Blue Voodoo, Silver Country Band, State Line Band, Travis Dadds and Southern Wind Band. Singer-songwriter and humorist Vincent Craig caps things off at 5:30 p.m. Log on to dancingeaglecasino.com for directions.
