Welcome my son, welcome to the machine/ What did you dream?/ It’s alright we told you what to dream/ You dreamed of a big star/ He played a mean guitar/ He always ate in the Steak Bar/ He loved to drive in his Jaguar/ So welcome to the machine— “Welcome to the Machine,” a song written by Roger Waters about former bandmate Syd Barrett and recorded on the Pink Floyd album, Wish You Were Here.Welcome to this year’s Best of Burque issue. You already know about the best in local music from last month’s celebration; I urge you to check out the best of the rest in lively local businesses, politics, diversions and delights, available for your perusal, in this week’s issue.When you’re done with that awesome task, return your attention to a week full of concerts that have the word and the idea Burque written all over them. You can hit the steak bar, cruise your XKE and dream of the big stars you encountered after the jams go down, sabes?
Show Up!: Thursday
Testament
Via Instagram
I could go on and on about how Burque is a metal town; you’ve heard it here before and you’ll hear it again. But this week, instead of listening to me rant while “Tornado of Souls” or “Caught in a Mosh” plays in the background, you can get a feel for the facts for yourself by taking a trip down to Sunshine Theater (120 Central SW) for the concert being given by thrash legends Testament, Sepultura and Prong on Thursday, April 6. The Convalescence will provide support for the local iteration of a tour whose media depiction is festooned with poisonous snakes, blood red tongues and suffering, blindfolded humans hellbent on serving their Satanic master. Or something like that. Anywho, Testament has been around for, like, almost 35 years. Early work like 1990’s Souls of Black still resonates resolutely; the new stuff—which includes the most excellent return of guitarist Alex Skolnick—like last year’s critically aclaimed Brotherhood of the Snake are also thrashy and masterful. Sepultura on the other hand has had a more experimental metal history, but a less than stable line-up that has still seen notable nastiness emerge. And what about Prong, you ask? Well, that band, mostly the project of guitarist Tommy Victor, is worth hearing live too; especially if they perform anything from Force Fed or Power of the Damager. And guess what? Your opportunity to sell your soul for rocanrol will only cost between $25-118, a small price to pay for the immortality bestowed by perpetual headbanging and giving the sign of the horns to your loved ones and co-workers over the course of the following week. The gates of Hell open at 6pm for those who are at least 13 years old and sincerely appreciate palm-muted guitars.
Show Up!: Friday
REIGHNBEAU
Courtesy of the artist
Nothing says Burque and music scene together in beautiful and harmonious tones like a performance of Bryce Fletcher Hample’s experimental electro project REIGHNBEAU. Hample and company will get it on at Sister (407 Central NW) on Friday, April 7. Hample’s work is both complex and simple. The central conceit of REIGHNBEAU—that what is danceable is also a meditation on what danceability contains within its sonic set—is an affective, alluring introduction to soundscapes that can assault listeners before lovingly caressing them as they’re urged from their seats and into the abyss of knowing that comprises the dance floor. With a show that is both noisy, nuanced and totally now, concert-goers are likely to encounter an elusively entertaining experience. The shoes fly off the feet of this fantastic 21+ fete beginning at 10pm.
Show Up!: Saturday
Def-i
Courtesy of the artist
If you wanna grok the local hip-hop scene in all its blingy, bright and bemused brilliance, then enter or invoke your personal transport device, activate the damn thing and arrive at Launchpad (618 Central SW) in time to get a load of the whole enchilada on Saturday, April 8, for the Def-i album release party. Hosted by Wake Self and additionally featuring just about everyone who is anyone in the Burque version of hip-hop nation—e.g. Soul Soup, Raashan Ahmad, Akword Actwrite, Dirt Villins, Soy the Organic Hispanic and Joe BZ—this may very well be the definitive gathering of practitioners of the art and their acolytes that Burqueños waited for through the long winter to materialize. And man, will it become rock solid. Def-i has a style that incorporates the dude’s background as a spoken word artist with his keen knowledge of recorded music (important for building tuneage from tasty samples) and rhythmic wisdom to create a sound that ably transgresses aural boundaries. This 21+ gig goes off at 9pm and will cost entrants $5 in advance and $10 at the door. See you there, honeybear.
Show Up!: Wednesday
DJ Shadow
Courtesy of the artist
And then there’s DJ Shadow, who was born Joshua Paul Davis. Davis, or Shadow if you prefer, has been incredibly important in the development and evolution of electronica … not to mention rocanrol, jazz and just about every other form of popular music made since the middle of the ‘90s. I daresay that without DJ Shadow’s vision creeping through the system, their would be no Moby, no Radiohead, no such thing as experimental hip-hop. Period. And now the citizens of Albuquerque have a chance to witness the phenomenon in person. DJ Shadow will be performing live at Sunshine Theater (120 Central SW) on Wednesday, April 12, as part of The Mountain Will Fall Tour. Last year’s recording is deep, roaring with insane beats and quirky tangents in a way that seems otherworldly and definitely worth a live look. For only $25, this all-ages (13+) extravaganza might be the perfect thing to propel listeners from the humdrum of midweek and toward the redemption of the coming weekend. It all begins at 7pm, in case you want to go.
