“Kung fu/ That was one of my good ones/ Well what’s a few broken bones/ When we all know it’s good clean fun/ Skateboards/ I’ve almost made them respectable/ You see I can’t always get through to you/ So I go for your son/ I had a giant rubber shark/ And it really made a mark/ Didja looka looka lookit alla blood/ Give me all your money/ Cause I know you think I’m funny/ Can’t you hear me laughing/ Can’t you see me smile?”—“I’m the Man” as performed by Joe Jackson.I almost forgot about this gem; that is until I realized I still had Sirius XM satellite radio in my new, Postmodern, this-is what-we-think-the-future-will-look-like ride, carnales! It turns out the record it came from—the record that has the same title as the song laid out here—was one of the first British pop-punk records I got behind as a young communist back in the day. I recall being seriously intrigued by the song’s grip of references to the cardinal sin of consumption; capitalism co-opts everything in it’s path, devouring ideas, products and ultimately souls before regurgitating the whole lot for your pleasure and satisfaction. That’s what I thought when I was 15 and that’s what I think today.I mention this because it’s something I keep in mind whilst on the lookout for more groovy shows to tell you about here at Alibi music central. I’m not sure it matters what you are listening to, as long as you are listening. Music has at least one magical aspect: It can give you the strength to power through any sort of nonsense, capitalism included.
Show Up!: Friday
Sun Dog
courtesy of the artist
Sun Dog at Sister (407 Central Ave. NW)! What could be a more pleasant path to empowerment and and post-capitalist enlightenment? Well, one of Burque’s best, beloved and most authentic psychedelic rock bands releasing a new recorded work entitled Parnassus is surely grounds for celebration here or in any Marxist enclave. The quartet—Colin Roxford, John Deyhle, Maxwell Graves and Luz Allison—have a sound that is based on their adventures flying through space and time in vividly defined prayer capsules that flash in rainbow colors when prompted. Just kidding, although the term psychedelia does imply knowledge of Ott’s Hallucinogenic Plants of North America, which I’m sure any member of this storied ensemble will want to tell you about after dishing out some of the most badass riffage of all time. Fad Vandals, Vasillus and DJ Caterwaul open. For realz, homies, for realz. 9pm • $5 • 21+.
Show Up!: Saturday/Sunday
Stephanie Hatfield
courtesy of the artist
For those of you who care to remember (Carl? Anyone?), there was an episode of the Beverly Hillbillies where the Clampett family (famous communists, when you think about it) set up camp at Griffith Park in El Lay. Granny tells folks she’s smoking crawdads. Everyone thinks she means that she’s hooting la grifa. Hijinks ensue. Now that you have a frame of reference, let me tell you all about the 12th Annual Crawdaddy Blues Festival, happening in Madrid on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20, as well. They’ll be smoking crawdads there, too, in case you want to know. The bands playing are the main thing though, in this family-friendly, camp-out environment that includes performances by the likes of local legends Rudy Boy Jaramillo, Stephanie Hatfield, Felix Y Los Gatos, Whiskey Diablo and ChillHouse with Hillary Smith. They’ll be playing a whole bunch of pentatonic scales with a minor 5th added, so you ought to head out of the hot city and cruise up to the mountains for bluesy blue blue weekend, sabes? It all happens at the Mine Shaft Tavern (2846 Highway N 14, Madrid, N.M.) Gates open at noon • $25 per day • All-ages.
Show Up!: Sunday
Soulfly
courtesy of the artist
If you like your metal sinfully groovy—and who doesn’t: I just listened to La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One, and man did it leave an unwholesomely alluring taste in my mouth—then you owe to yourself and your comrades to visit the historic El Rey Theater (622 Central Ave. SW) on Sunday, May 20 to check out those other purveyors of thrashable groove metal, Soulfly. I know: Max Cavalera, his bro Zyon, lead shredder Marc Rizzo and newbie bassist Mike Leon don’t carry around the same sort of gravitas they did, say when Primitive dropped, post-millenium, but they do rock hard when urged on by residents of a certain metal town in the high desert, when those acolytes come out to a show, devil horns blazing. Find out for yourself when the band launches renditions of “Carved Inside” or “Riotstarter” right before your eyes. Greenville, S.C., death metal maniacs Nile open this febrile feast on the river. 6pm • $25 • 21+.
