SFR Picks—Week of August 28

Weeks On Weeks On Weeks

The second year of Santa Fe's Music Week is just the beginning

In case you haven't been checking out SFR's bursting culture calendar
recently, there's a lot of music going on in town on a daily basis, but since the city's tourism office wanted to put together a li'l thang to help promote those shows while activating artists to get more involved, we figured you'd want to know.

"The whole idea is to put some spotlights on what Santa Fe does every day," Randy Randall, executive director of Tourism Santa Fe tells SFR.

Thus, 27 venues scattered across the city and county—from the Santa Fe Opera in the north to Madrid's Mine Shaft Tavern in the south—are featured in the second-ever Santa Fe Music Week. Most venues include acts already scheduled, but the city has also put together special events to round out the festivities.

"During the week, there will be mariachi [on the Plaza] from 3-4 pm," Randall says. "We're also bringing back the Bandstand concept for the week. From 5:30-7 pm, there'll be different entertainment each night."

That's right, Santa Fe—just when you thought those summer nights of dance and camaraderie on the Plaza were done, the city puts together an encore. For free.

Other noteworthy events include a screening at the Lensic of the Bill and Bonnie Hearne tribute film New Mexico Rain on Wednesday August 28 and a performance by the gentle, folksy Bill Callahan (of Smog) at Meow Wolf on Tuesday September 3.

Special event lanyards are available at any of the downtown visitor's centers and participating venues. Besides being a cool souvenir, these come with perks like discounted drinks and waived cover charges at various locations.

Finally, as if this week weren't enough, it's just one of many the city hopes to organize in the coming years.

"Restaurant, film, art, literature week—the city is embarking on a series of weeks, if you will," Randall adds.

So if, for some outlandish reason, music just isn't your thing—stay tuned. You're sure to find something to enjoy. (Cole Rehbein)

Santa Fe Music Week:
Wednesday through Monday at various locations, times and prices. santafe.org/Santa_Fe_Music_Week

So, So Zozo

This one's for any potential out-of-towners who picked up the paper looking for things to do—so hear us well, new best friends, and we'll impart the tale of Zozobra. Y'see, way back in 1924, a local artist named Will Shuster created Zozobra, a li'l old paper doll meant to signify the doom and gloom we experience all year. With some buds, he burned that fool to death to relinquish the sadsies and, since then, that tiny thing has grown to the massive monster us Santa Feans know and love today. You'll have to visit thw website burnzozobra.com for deeper details, but know also that Zozo's fashion sense has been time warping through decades in recent years, and this year finds him in '70s duds.
(Alex De Vore)

95th Annual Burning of Zozobra: 
4:30-9:30 pm Friday August 30. $10-$250.
Fort Marcy Park,
490 Bishop's Lodge Road,
855-ZOZOBRA

¡Fantastico!

OK, so technically this one falls under the header of Santa Fe Music Week, about which we've already raved, but the upcoming (and fully free) Fantastic Negrito show is worth mentioning all on its own. We're talking a winner of NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series and a musician raised Muslim on the East Coast whose move to California's Bay Area just before his teenage years left an indelible mark on his creativity. A car crash and disastrous major label deal later, Fantastic Negrito is now the celebrated multi-instrumentalist you know and love. Yeah, it's been a long road for Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, but with a little bit of rock and a whole lot of throwbacky blues and funk influence, it's no wonder he's remained in the hearts and minds of music fans. (ADV)

Fantastic Negrito: 
7 pm Saturday August 31. Free.
Railyard Plaza,
Market and Alcaldesa Streets,
982-3373

Monsters of Metal

We know, we know—the Picks page is music heavy this issue, but this is, after all, Santa Fe Music Week, and we just want everyone to know that that's so for real. But for those who exist on the fringes, or who just want something heavy as fuck, head to the Southside on a Monday night to find a trio of metal acts so ferocious, we'll be surprised if y'all make it home with your faces un-melted. Find Northern California's Aethere leading the pack with emotionally-charged melodic death compositions so brutal it hurts in the best way, plus Española superstars Desmadre and Santa Fe's own Marrow Monger—whose recent album Verses kicked our asses so hard we're still feeling it. (ADV)

Aethere, Marrow Monger and Desmadre: 
8 pm Monday Sept. 2. Free.
Zephyr Community Art Studio,
1520 Center Drive #2.