We might be slightly embarrassed to admit it, but there are many of us out there who crank up the volume on the car radio when "Follow You Down" comes on The Peak. Yes, friends, the Blossoms we call Gin are coming to Albuquerque.Music is a common tool used to lure people into joining a cause. Live Aid helped raise funds for starving Ethiopians in the ’80s. The Tibetan Freedom Concert brought attention to the independence movement. And nearly every U2 concert has some sort of social agenda attached to it. In this tradition, the city of Albuquerque plans to get people to become more eco-friendly via a free rock show.The Q Jam on Civic Plaza stars the lovelorn alt-rock foursome Gin Blossoms, fiddle phenom Carrie Rodriguez and the piano backed falsetto of Andy Davis.And representatives from the Solid Waste Department will give audiences the 411 on why recycling is the bomb. Local businesses will erect several green exhibits, and the city promises clowns, jugglers and dancers as well. But the Q Jam’s ace in the hole is the Gin Blossoms. After the band enjoyed a successful string of chart-topping singles in the mid ’90s, the Gin Blossoms took a 10-year hiatus beginning in 1996. The newer stuff found on 2006’s Major Lodge Victory follows a similar formula to the one that brought major-label stardom during alt-rock’s heyday. The Mesa, Ariz. four-piece lays on the harmonies, keeps its electric guitar clean and writes songs about the heart. It’s safe to say most folks that show up to the Gin Blossoms show will be there to hear some ’90s jams, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Feel free to join me in my ceaseless chants of "play ‘Hey Jealousy’!" on Saturday, May 23, at Q Jam. The Gin Blossoms go on at 6 p.m., Carrie Rodriguez fidles around at 4 p.m. and Andy Davis puts on his pensive stare at 2 p.m.
Music To Your Ears Support Our Troops
Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer. Barbecues, beer and poolside shenanigans are staples of this much-looked-forward-to federal holiday. But let’s not forget who this day is designed to honor: those who have served.The Moose Lodge in Albuquerque is hosting a Memorial Day Revival to help hospitalized vets on Sunday, May 24. Harvey and the Prowlers, Tom and Jerry, The Tone Daddys, Thomas, JoJo and Friends, and Triple XXX show their appreciation for the troops by plugging in and pumping out the jams. Raffles and food are promised, and tickets are $3 for individuals and $5 for couples. The fundraising begins at noon.
