If you’ve seen a big-name show—Indigo Girls, Dr. Dog and Al Green, to name a few—in Santa Fe in the past 20 years, chances are it was put on by Fan Man Productions. But the company is no more. As the Fan Man himself, Jamie Lenfestey, announced in a mass email Jan. 31, he has given up his for-profit venture to accept a position as director of concerts at local nonprofit Linda Heath Foundation.

Tiny’s is upping its jazz game, and most of the credit belongs to Mark Sanchez and his band Round Trip Ticket. With that in mind, I put the incident in which it cost my girlfriend and me 11 bucks for two cans of Tecate (not kidding) behind me and returned to Tiny’s to check out the jazz scene.

A Sharp interviews Los Angeles indie-punk duo No Age before the band's first appearance in Santa Fe. Guitarist Randy Randall and drummer Dean Spunt layer atmospheric electronics and ambient sound-scapes over a solid punk foundation for staggeringly interesting results

Though Catamount Bar & Grille can be a jock jam at times, weekend nights find the upstairs transformed for fans of hip-hop, funk and dancing. And even amid uncertainty, Friday Night Funk with DJ A’ight and Sole Food with Your Boy Re-Flex are growing in popularity.

With the recent closing of The Pub & Grill at Santa Fe Brewing Company, Cowgirl’s scaled-back hours, the criminal underuse of Warehouse 21, the absence of venues that accommodate both drinkers and underage fans, and a population that has a hell of a time getting out of its homes, Santa Fe’s nightlife is heading in a dangerous direction. Too many events are geared at tourists and the 40-plus set, while the 20-somethings are lucky to get one decent show a week.

If you’ve tuned in to local radio station Blu 102.9 over the past 10 months or so, you may have been surprised. Maynard Del Mar, Yon Hudson and Ira Gordon have been switching formats to a special emphasis on dance music and local talent.

As 2010 comes to a close (thank fucking God) and as I wait for hoverboards (they’re only four short years away), I thought I’d hand out some special mentions to sum up the year.

Europe loves Americana almost as much as Santa Fe does. Case in point: Boris McCutcheon & the Salt Licks’ new album, Wheel of Life, was, as of press time, in the top 10 on the Euro Americana Chart, which is compiled by music industry types in Europe (apparently those who aren’t too busy listening to Falco).

I’ve known plenty of people who have started indie record labels, and it always sounds so easy: Find some acts, press some discs and watch the money roll in. In reality, a ridiculous amount of effort goes into a startup label.

As apparently the only classical music fan with tattooed hands, I recently freaked everyone out at a Nov. 21 performance of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah. As part of its 27th season, the Santa Fe Symphony & Chorus performed the piece at the Lensic Performing Arts Center.