Times Two
Looking for kickass concerts? Look no further!
As summer gives way to autumn and the denizens of our fair city have no choice but to adopt ass-shaking as a means to beat the chill, dancers of all ilks might want to pop by Tiny’s this week for a performance from Santa Fe’s Half Broke Horses. A mainstay in our annual Best of Santa Fe poll, HBH might be the only full honky-tonk band in town; or, at least, they’re about the most dedicated to getting folks two-stepping that we can claim. Constant pedal steel riffs? Check. Soulful vocals and mid-tempo dance bait? Also check. If nothing else, here’s your reminder that country used to be about heartache and smooching and trains and stuff—classic!
Meanwhile, down Agua Fría Street—how do you contend with a band like Boston’s Pile? On the one hand, comparisons to Steve Albini’s Shellac seem inevitable in the borderline art-rock-meets-indie-sadsies style. But rather than stick to the low, mournful wail of intense emotion, vocalist Rick Maguire finds common ground between post hardcore screamers like Aaron Bedard and an indie-ish hero like Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo at his most Pinkerton-y vulnerable. This year’s Sunshine and Balance Beams is the lads’ ninth full-length record, too, and one that shows growth since 2019’s Green and Gray while still holding onto the things that make Pile Pile—melodic beauty that gives way to chaotic bursts of distortion-heavy chuggery. The magic might be in the buildup, however (EDM folks call it “the drop”); the feeling that something is coming and we’re all about to nod our heads ferociously with arms crossed and frown firmly in place. That’s not to say Pile doesn’t find moments of quiet introspection, but they’re taking their time with this one, especially on songs like “A Loosened Knot” and “Born at Night,” both of which bring guitar harmonies to the fore just before the triumphant indie breakdowns kick up the tempo and delve into straight-up fun. What can you say but it rocks? Chicago singer-songwriter Nnamdï opens. (Alex De Vore)
Half Broke Horses: 7 pm Thursday, Sept. 18. Free. Tiny’s Restaurant & Lounge, 1005 St. Francis Drive, (505) 983-9817
Pile: 7:30 pm Saturday, Sept. 20. $20-$25. Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery, 2791 Auga Fría St., (505) 303-3808
Feliz Cumpleaños, Mexico!
Courtesy Teatro Paraguas
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and Fiestas Patrias (Mexico’s Independence Day), Teatro Paraguas has put together quite the colorful three-day celebration. The Midtown theater’s performance includes everything one would hope for in a celebration of Mexican culture, including traditional music, dance, art and poetry. Performers taking the stage include the Xóchitl Ballet Folklórico and the spirited Los Niños de Santa Fe, plus many more talented locals behind the scenes. The night starts off with an ancient Aztec blessing to set the mood before the vibrant journey through pre-Columbian times to the modern-era Mexico commences. (Adam Ferguson)
¡Viva México! The Music, Dance, and Poetry of México: 2 pm, 7 pm Fri-Sun. Sept. 19-21. $25-$60, Teatro Paraguas, 3205 Calle Marie, (505) 424-1601
Suds ’n’ Buds
Courtesy Sky Railway
We love our beer in New Mexico, which is pretty apparent when we take a look around our not-so-densely-poulated state and realize you can’t chuck a stone without hitting a brewery. What to do with all that goodness? Throw a freaking festival, of course. At this week’s Second Annual Lamy Beer Fest, the folks who brought you Sky Railway and Nuckolls Brewing Co. preside over a veritable cornucopia of New Mexico brews from the likes of Beer Creek, Bosque, Marble. Sierra Blanca, Black Mesa Winery and Nuckolls itself. The event also includes food, live music and the first 100 folks to get tickets will pick up a souvenir pint glass. Please note there are ticketing options for traveling to the event by train, too. (ADV)
Second Annual Lamy Beer Fest: 10 am-5 pm Saturday, Sept. 20. $25-$125. Lamy Station, Lamy, skyrailway.com
Kelly Kills
Courtesy Chris Mullins
Though it would be easy to call New Orleans-based multi-instrumentalist Kelly Hunt a folk/bluegrass singer and player, there’s a bit more going on under the hood to the point it would be reductive. Hunt’s style embraces aesthetics from the worlds of roots music, sure, but she delves into pop-rock a bit in the grandiose nature of songs like “Top of the World,” even if there’s plenty of banjo to be found. Perhaps most impressive is her ability to phase from a whisper-quiet Vashti Bunyan-esque croon to a room-filling wail akin to, oh, say, Dolores O’Riordan. Hunt’s prowess is unmistakable, really, but even more than her technique and knack for ear-pleasing melody is her ability to sell the feels. Sometimes they’re up, sometimes they’re down—every time they’re all-encompassing. (ADV)
Kelly Hunt w/Sara Morgan: 7:30 pm Tuesday, Sept. 23. $25. GiG Performance Space, 1808 Second St., gigsantafe.com
