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It’s been awhile since Denver-based metal band IAMTHESHOTGUN has played a show in Santa Fe. In fact, it’s been so long that the only remaining member is guitarist Bryan Pelle (the show was in 2009). “Albuquerque’s been getting all of our love,” Pelle says abashedly. But with a re-emerging metal scene and a new crop of young talent, Santa Fe may be getting some of that love back.
And despite his absence, Pelle remembers the area fondly. "I'm really pumped because of how awesome [the show] was last time I played here," says Pelle. "I hope nothing has changed." Contrary to this hope, a few things have changed—but for the better. None of the three bands playing alongside IAMTHESHOTGUN existed last time Pelle came through Santa Fe. And these younger bands have been a huge reason why the scene has picked up momentum in the past few years.
"We feel lucky to be a part of such a rapidly growing scene of bands and fans alike," says Sleeptaker bassist Noah Trainor, who also reminds me that this show is the first all-ages metal show Santa Fe has hosted in a while. This kind of all-ages involvement may be a reason why the scene continues to grow. "The age of our fan base is all over the place," says Pelle, "so it's important to me to play all-ages shows." It's also more than a respect for one's fan base that makes all-ages shows so important: These shows get younger fans into venues and allow them to experience the sense of community that a strong scene, like Santa Fe's rising metal one, meets. Warehouse 21 has long understood this. That being said, the show will be metal as fuck.
IAMTHESHOTGUN
w/Sleeptaker, Choking On Air
and Awakening the Dragon
6:30 pm Friday, July 31. $5.
Warehouse 21
614 Paseo de Peralta,
989-4423
Santa Fe Reporter