First Tracks XL VII: New Nightmare

OK, so we're transitioning to fall, which is cool because it was hot and also because people apparently like snow, but not to be undone by the dying of the light, the music scene is engaging in what we might call a last gasp. That is to say, all the venues out there are cramming as many shows together as they can before people start immediately throwing on sweatpants and hunkering down to watch television right after work. Here are some highlights:

Sun Blood Stories Tells Tales

SFR's Aedra Burke had a brief but interesting Q&A last week with Sun Blood Stories' Amber Pollard and Ben Kirby wherein we learned the band has no time for jibber-jabber while playing live and how their writing process is sort of like dumping all their trauma into one big pot then pulling out bits and pieces as needed. Others at SFR have now listened to the Boise, Idaho-based band and we can confirm they're super cool.

7 pm Wednesday Oct. 16. $5-$10.
Ghost,
2889 Trades West Road

Nacha Mendez Returns

If you're friends with cantadora Nacha Mendez on Facebook like some of us at SFR are, you know she's been traipsing around Europe playing shows and taking cool photos and stuff. Mendez returns this week, however, to the La Fiesta Lounge at Hotel La Fonda with her jammy jamz and super-sweet vocal pipes. PS, Nacha, we were pretty jealous of your time in Greece.

8 pm Wednesday Oct. 16 and Thursday Oct. 17. Free.
La Fiesta Lounge,
100 E San Francisco St.,
982-5511

A-Rip-Rap-Rippity-Roo

Santa Fe art and hip-hop collective Outstanding Citizens Collective continues its reign at Second Street Brewery's Rufina Taproom with the BrewTapBoomBap, a brilliantly named series of shows showcasing the best in hip-hop from around the Southwest. This week's edition includes BlesInfinite, Mr. Riot, Ivy, Spiffy Davis and others and, we hear, a pop-up market of art and craft. Santa Fe street art champion Wonky is part of the Outstanding Citizens, so we hope he has some of his killer stuff for sale forall you graf fans out there.

8 pm Thursday Oct. 17. Free.
Second Street Brewery (Rufina Taproom),
2920 Rufina St., 954-1068

Please God, Don’t Let Me End Up Like Jonathan Richman

Pysch! You could do a lot worse than the former Modern Lovers leader and one of the most notable names in feelings-based rock jams. Richman goes acoustic for this one and, if we're being honest, we had to double-check that it was actually the same guy. It is, and we bet there's a lot of you out there who just thought, "Oh, shit! Jonathan Richman?!" Yup. Jonathan Richman.

7:30 pm Friday Oct. 18. $27-$30.
Paradiso,
903 Early St.,
tickets through holdmyticket.com

Them Strokes

Beloved internationally, house DJ Claude VonStroke (about whom our friends who dig house jams lost their shit) comes to Meow Wolf this week, probably to play house jams. VonStroke is the mind behind DirtyBird Records, a label that sets the DJ set alight with all kinds of talented deck masters. In case you didn't know, this is a big deal.

9 pm Friday Oct. 18. $25-$30.
Meow Wolf,
1352 Rufina Cirlce,
395-6369

Hometown Hero

If you're looking for something a little more local-centric come Friday, Albuquerque-based (but often-in-Santa-Fe-er) DJ Dmonic takes over Boxcar with dance jams, hip-hop, Top 40 and other assorted gems.

10 pm Friday Oct. 18. Free.
Boxcar,
530 S Guadalupe St.,
988-7222

Death Jam

Not specifically music, though helmed by a musician, Joe West's Theater of Death: Freakatorium takes over Madrid's Engine House Theater. It's like Gran Guignol meets West's goofball antics (though bear in mind that he's an accomplished musician. He just has a great sense of humor). So, boiled down, it's a little creepy, a little funny, it was done on a shoestring budget—it's based on the horrifying aspects of carnival sideshows this year.

7 pm Saturday Oct. 19 and 2 pm Sunday Oct. 20. $20.
Engine House Theater,
2846 Hwy. 14, Madrid,
473-0743

From Across the Pond

Not to turn this into some kind of Meow Wolf-centric thing (but they get a lot of great shows, so what do you want?), England's Temples come to town with their particular brand of indie rock. Seeing as how most rock bands that come out of Britain are at least pretty good (with respect to … I dunno, Creed? Actually, what rock bands formed in America? Greta Van Fleet? Aw, fuck that!), this one should, in fact, be pretty good. Better than Greta Van Fleet, anyway (which isn't hard).

8:30 pm Saturday Oct. 19. $27-$30.
Meow Wolf,
1352 Rufina Cirlce,
395-6369

The Bloooooooooze

In case you hadn't heard about up-and-coming blues guitarist and singer Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, pretty much all the music press people out there are in love with his debut album Kingfish, and people are saying he's one of the freshest voices in blues since … well, in a long time. Ingram comes to Tumbleroot, which we must point out has become a really great place for live music … stage and everything.

7:30 pm Sunday Oct. 20. $22-$25.
Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery.
2791 Agua Fria St.,
303-3808

Two For Tuesday

Come Tuesday, we can recommend both Golden General and the Clash Tribute Night at The Matador. Golden General comes to us from songwriter Talia Kosh and merges indie rock with a slight new wave touch and energetic vocals.

6:30 pm Tuesday Oct. 22. Free.
Fenix@Vanessie,
427 W Water St.,
982-9966

Meanwhile, The Clash is just a band you should know, and if not, we've got to let you know … you should go and you should stay (na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na). Congrats to the three people who read those "na's" right. Everyone else? Have fun.

9 pm Tuesday Oct. 22. Free.
The Matador,
116 W San Francisco St.,
984-5050