If hip-hop was on the ballot, would you vote? On Tuesday, Oct. 21, this partisan party raises the blue and rides the donkey all night. Hip-Hop 4 Barack is a free, all-ages show at STOVE (114 Morningside NE) with a bill of politically active artists across the board: Bukue One is flying from California to get in on the rally, with local support from Mantis Fist, Zoology, DJ Ohm, Saint Sinner Suns and more. For the love of America, Brian Hargrove, bassist for Public Enemy and a New Mexico resident, will be a keynote speaker. There’ll be live mural paintings of Obama, and Hip-Hop 4 Barack is even organizing shuttles to deliver voters from the show to early polling sites. The doors of STOVE open at 4 p.m. Visit the New Mexico Hip-Hop Congress’ MySpace page at myspace.com/nmhhc for more hip-hop-centric organizing opportunities.—Justin Hood
Music To Your Ears Pinups That Pay
The New Mexico Rocks! Pinup Calendar just sent APS Music Programs a big, fat check. So far, more than $5,600 has been raised by the independently produced 2008 calendar of hard-rocking local ladies. "We’re ecstatic about two years of success," says co-organizer Eva Blaylock (who also divides her time between fronting pop-punk trio Pan!c and co-producing "LadyFingers," a short film about an air guitar competition). "The local community is insanely supportive, and we have friends internationally—it’s been brilliant!"The calendar is taking a break in 2009, but it’s scheduled to return in 2010. New Mexico music champions who’d like to help organize the next batch for 2010 should shoot the calendar girls a message at myspace.com/nmrockspinupcalendar. Blaylock says she’s hoping more people will "make it their baby."Until then, souvenir calendar-and-compilation CD combos are available through the website for just $5, which still goes to the music-loving kids at APS.—Laura Marrich
Music To Your Ears Lend Us Your Earwigs
We’ve been telling you for a few weeks to join the Earwig mixtape community at alibi.com/earwig. You can still win $10 in free stuff from Charley’s 33s and CDs by designing the best mixtape of them all. But if sonic competition doesn’t release your endorphins, you can always leaf through the playlists others have crafted and hear samples of most of the tracks.—Simon McCormack
