South by New MexicoThere’s usually a pretty extensive set of South by Southwest-routed shows in Santa Fe, but the primary organizer of those shows, art collective Meow Wolf, wasn’t breaking even and undertook a hosting hiatus. The Land of Enchantment will still see its fair share of South by traffic, but the absence of Meow Wolf’s participation will definitely be felt. There aren’t as many New Mexican acts heading to SXSW in 2013 as in years past. As the business of being a musician drifts away from the get-signed modality, the national/international music showcase still holds promising opportunities for exposure and collaboration, but one wonders if the vaunted fest feels the impact of new media, too. Whatever the future may hold, SXSW continues to hold its own, and there will be a Nuevo Mexicano contingent repping us in Texas’ capital city. As far as official SXSW showcases go, shoegaze fivesome Sad Baby Wolf scored a prime midnight slot on Friday, March 15, at the Audible Treats/The Vinyl District showcase at The Parish. The Wolf pack will likely play songs from their forthcoming full-length debut, Electric Sounds, which is slated for an April release. Santa Fe-based singer/songwriter Max Gomez also plays The Parish, at the New West Records showcase on Friday at 8 p.m.When I called Austin home, I always preferred the unofficial showcases. Perhaps my preference for badgeless entry stemmed from my spiritually rich but less financially rewarding work at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. … Or maybe I just have weird taste in music. Whatever the reason, there are tons of terrific unofficial SXSW concerts every year. And a couple of New Mexico bands are taking advantage of that fact. Alt.soul/new-school funk sextet The James Douglas Show take The After After Show with Steven Michael Quezada house band spirit to Rusty’s and HandleBar. The City Different-based Bill Palmer’s TV Killers plays Guero’s Taco Bar on Tuesday, March 12. If you’re not heading into the belly of the Lone Star State this year, clip out this handy-dandy list of SXABQ gigs.• Indulge your penchant for My Bloody Valentine-esque riffs with Sad Baby Wolf before their SXSW adventure on Friday, March 8, at Launchpad (618 Central SW). Cherry Tempo, Church Camp and Bellemah open the 21-and-over gig. The music starts at 9:30 p.m., and admission is $5.• Athens, Ga.-based post-rock/psych instrumental act Maserati stop at Sister (509 Central NW) on Friday, March 8. Admission to the 21-and-over show is $7-$10, and the guitar/drums/bass rev up at 10 p.m. • See The James Douglas Show before they head off to Austin on Saturday, March 9, at Low Spirits (2823 Second Street NW). Lovers & Madmen, Christopher Leyva’s Falling Doves, A House for Lions and Jack Littman also soundtrack this SXSW sendoff party. The funk and soul begins to flow at 8 p.m., and $10 gets you in. • On Sunday, March 10, Low Spirits hosts another SXABQ show featuring Parenthetical Girls, Decker, Field Tripp, PALMS, Jared & the Mill and locals Red Light Cameras. The 21-and-over showcase begins at 6 p.m., and tickets are $7.• Push-punk outfit Fort Hobo and crust/sludge trio Ronoso host moody, bearded Seattle power violence duo Iron Lung at Synchro Studio (512-B Yale SE) on Wednesday, March 13. This raucous all-ages gig starts at 8 p.m., and admission is $7.
South By New Mexico
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