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Let’s get the bad news out of the way: Following the Starfucker show on Jan. 11—which bordered on a scaled-down Altamont with VFW members acting as Hells Angels-esque security—local arts collective Meow Wolf put an end to its shows at the VFW. Sounds like a drag, but as it turns out, it was a blessing in disguise for the artsy weirdos.
“We had some kids show up plastered and totally screw our whole situation over there,” MW co-founding member Vince Kadlubek says. “But we’d actually been eyeing other spaces for some time, so in the end, it was a very good thing.”
Kadlubek emphasizes his appreciation of the VFW, which helped MW hold shows when no other venue would, but the level of work required for successful event production outweighed any benefits, financial or otherwise.
Now, the good news: In case you haven’t noticed, the beloved local arts collective has been kicking ass! In the wake of its jaw-dropping installations and parties—The Due Return, Glitteropolis, New Year’s Eve—Meow Wolf has entered an exciting and unprecedented era of artistic and musical productivity. And now, as it continues to gain momentum and elevated community support, MW has formed a budding relationship with Sol Santa Fe Stage & Grill for a series of concerts that are going to—forgive the language—fucking rule your fucking face.
Starting this March, an impressive list of bands comes through Santa Fe, including indie acts Sleepy Sun and The Velvet Teen, up-and-coming experimentalists Crystal Antlers, electro-pop quartet Gardens and Villa, and many more.
“From that point on, any event happening that’s a Meow Wolf show will
happen at Sol,” Kadlubek says. Many of the events are collaborations with T-Cubed Productions. “Since we were going after a lot of the same bands as [T-Cubed founder Tim Franke], we figured it was time to just start working together,” Kadlubek says.
MW’s penetration into a more established concert space is a definite boon for the music-loving community. Run by longtime New Mexico promoter Joe Anderson, Sol Santa Fe has grown to be one of Santa Fe’s most noteworthy venues since it changed hands nearly a year ago. Yeah, it’s a bit of a drive, but Sol can boast one of the better sound systems in town (in that it actually has one), and has hosted some of the more memorable shows of the last couple of years (Dr. Dog, El Ten Eleven and Melvins to name but a few).
Kadlubek says he’s excited by this new opportunity, but he’s proceeding cautiously. After all, Santa Fe has often shown that it is unwilling or unable to support the very things it claims to wish for. Furthermore, touring act successes have always been hit or miss around here, as proven when the incredible Corazón was forced to shut its doors.
“We will see if the chemistry works, but the main problem we’re facing is that Santa Fe obviously doesn’t cater to a younger demographic, and a lot of the acts that would be aimed toward youth culture are skipping us for other markets,” Kadlubek says. “There are only so many people here that have the energy to come out and party, and we’ve learned that it’s hard to ask people to do so even just once a week…we’re up against a numbers game.”
Sol Santa Fe Stage & Grill is a fantastic space and is now equipped with a full bar for all those concertgoers who simply must get drunk (please drive safely!) to enjoy themselves. Try to imagine a lovely summer night on the patio. A band rocks out as the sun slowly sets behind the stage. Have we ever had it this good?
First, I try not to judge a book by it's cover. However, I, personally, do not find intriguing a band called Starfucker.
Second, after having the experience of listening to Starfucker, I would venture that one would probably be more entertained at a muphet show.
Finally, I am to the opinion that a word of caution should be extended to Sol Santa Fe Stage & Grill because the risk that MeowWolf (what a name) will bring to your venue may not be worth the reward.
The above is the most pointless comment I could imagine reading, and if that is the attitude Santa Fe is up against, I sympathize for y'all. That sounds like a tough road, but I'm rooting for you. If I was a touring musician, I'd really want to play there.