First Tracks XL VI: City Under Siege

Another broad look at the Santa Fe music sphere

Ironically, Rebecca Black comes to Santa Fe on a Sunday. (Courtesy rebeccablackonline.com)

By Alex De Vore

Summer's going, which we know because it was so hot the other night we lay awake weeping (with respect to places that actually get hot)—and because the musical offerings are many and, like, pretty good. Let's take a look, shall we?

Seminal punk rock weirdos X return to Santa Fe this very night (7:30 pm Wednesday July 3. $30-$35. The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Co., 37 Fire Place, 557-6182), and the aging punk rock set (in which I include myself) has taken notice. We've heard disturbing rumors about frontwoman Exene Cervenka's love of conspiracy theories, but an independent study kind of had us thinking the mainstream media tried their best to latch on to a thin story. We'll investigate more, but we'd caution that those driving cars are already kicked out of Punk Club

The following day is the Fourth of July, and if you're not too busy protecting your animals from the terrors of fireworks shot off in the streets by a bunch of geniuses (not a joke—I really am sorry your pets are going to spend the day scared), there are a few Independence Day music options around town. Our best advice, and because space here is limited, pick something out at sfreporter.com/cal.

Come Friday July 5 and the weekend, find lots more in the music realm from the Hail, Hail Rock 'n' Roll: Happy 50th, Woodstock! event at Edition One Gallery (5 pm. Free. Through Aug. 9. 728 Canyon Road, 570-5385), which is a showcase of photos having to do with the mother of all music festivals—all the way to David Berkeley going solo and smooth at sunset in the Santa Fe Botanical Garden (5:30 pm. $3-$10. 715 Camino Lejo, 471-9103). We've heard Berkeley's kinda-indie, kinda-Americana, kinda-sexy jamz before, and he's pretty, pretty, pretty good. The Pearl Fishers is also going that night up at the Santa Fe Opera (8:30 pm. $32-$320. 301 Opera Drive, 986-5900) and, as you can read here, it's a damn fine show.

Come Saturday July 6, you'll find soooooo maaaaaaany jaaaaaaamz, but let us first start with a mention of a visual arts event that is linked to music: Eliza Lutz's How We Are Harrowed (1-6 pm. Free. Show Pony Gallery, 50 Franklin Ave.), an exhibit of the artwork that goes with the upcoming July 7 release of her band Future Scars' newest, Harrow. Note also the return of Hot Honey, a band with members who've scattered to the far reaches of other cities, at the Mine Shaft Tavern (3 pm. Free. 2846 Hwy. 14, Madrid, 473-0743) and, if nighttime shows are more your thing, former Heartless Bastards fronthuman Erika Wennerstrom hits Meow Wolf (8 pm. $18-$22. 1352 RufinaCircle, 395-6369) with her new (and presumably improved) solo tunes.

If you're not too Madrid-ed out on Sunday July 7, formerly local country-rock-outlaw-hat enthusiast Anthony Leon makes a return to the Mine Shaft as well (3 pm. Free. 2846 Hwy. 14, Madrid, 473-0743). We've always liked how Leon lays out his feelings both good and bad, and how some of those songs fucking RAWK. Elsewhere, find Rebecca Black—who will NEVER live down her peak YouTube song "Friday"—at Meow Wolf along with LA art rocker Man Man (8 pm. $16-$18. 1352 Rufina Circle, 395-6369). We kid about Black, but the truth is, she probably made some serious bucks off that truly awful song and also has a new-ish song called "Anyway" out now—and don't you just kind of want to check it out because of how weird it might be? Yeah, you do.

This brings us to Monday July 8,and a day wherein your only options are hotels and casinos. I'd get into all the shows here, but I already done told you about that calendar before, plus—most of them have been going down in the same rooms for decades. OK, fine, I'll tell you about one, but only because I'm a fan: Consummate country badass Bill Hearne returns to the La Fiesta Lounge at the La Fonda (7:30 pm. Free. 100 E San Francisco St., 982-5511) with his signature blend of feel-good and feel-bad country tunes. Did you catch the gigantic story I wrote on Hearne earlier this year? If not, it's easy to find: just hit Google and type "Bill Hearne's Excellent Adventure."

 Finally, Tuesday rolls around again, and if you’re reading this on that day, I’d like you to picture me at my desk freaking the eff out over deadline day and the many mean calls and emails I get that say things like “I play a nonstop barrage of cover songs, Alex, and I know you technically stopped writing the music column nearly a year ago, but I’m mad at you that I’m not getting a good review!” And then in my head, the review is like, “Some goob played a bunch of songs we already know, and it was pretty boring.” And then I laugh, and then you feel me thinking those thoughts through the cosmos and get all choked up for some reason. Anyway, the “big” show, as it were, would be the whole Chango (ohmygod, Chango plays covers and is probably coming to kill me, or at least composing a truly brilliant Facebook rebuttal) and Billy D and the Hoodoos thing that’s part of the Santa Fe Bandstand. Find that starting at 6 pm on the Plaza for no dollars at all.

Ah, free music. Summer. Friendship. Jokes. Laughing. Hurt feelings. Face punches. Life's alright, y'know?

See y'all next time!

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