Looking out over the dusty desert that is Albuquerque it’s hard to believe that deep inside this city beats the heart of the blues. But, sometimes looks can be deceiving. Albuquerque is not really known has a music town sometimes it can be difficult to find live music any where in town, but there is one band that has been playing here for over 20 years, Memphis P-Tails. Founded in 1993 they are easily one of the longest running local bands still on the scene here. Darin Goldston the founder of the Memphis P-Tails has the blues flowing through his veins and back in the 90’s he decided to do something about it. The band has gone through a few line-up changes over the years, with the latest and greatest being the best. The Memphis P-Tails can be spotted playing all over Albuquerque, with a standing Wednesday night at The Monte Vista Fire Station. This isn’t even a regular show for the band this is a jam session where anyone who knows the words or the chords can get up on stage and jam with the band. Some nights they set up in the back of the bar and other summer nights they will be out playing on the patio. “It’s a great time that our extend blue family can join in on” Darin. The P-tails use to be a traveling band but now they keep it to a minimum playing blues festivals in Silver City and Arizona. They love the scene they have created here locally. With families and kids at home Albuquerque is more then just a home base, it’s the place they want to stay. “I’m really proud of the band for playing as much and for as long as we have” Darin. When pressed on how to turn someone onto the Blues, Darin says start with the King, BB King that is. At some point in everyone’s life they can relate to the Blues. When looking for inspiration to write the next great Blue’s song Darin says it’s like anything else the mood has to hit. In case it’s not hitting put on some music the sound will never fail to inspire. A good drink and a good friend is all you need to enjoy singing the Blues .Checkout the Memphis P-tails on Facebook and find out where they are playing next, there is nothing like hearing the blues live. check out more at New Mexico Entertainment Magazine
Kansas Bleeds
New Mexico native Melody Groves has a deep love for anything cowboy and Old West. Winner of six first-place writing awards, Melody is a member of Western Writers of America, SouthWest Writers and New Mexico Press Women. She writes for Wild West, American Cowboy, True West, New Mexico Magazine and other regional publications. When not writing, she’s busy playing rhythm guitar with the Jammy Time Band. Kansas Bleeds is a coming of age story everyone can relate to. Hotheaded teenager, overbearing father, big brothers putting in their two cents and negative outside influences, except this story is set in the old west where shootouts replace arguments and teenagers are considered grown-ups. Luke, our hotheaded teenage antagonist, is married and himself a parent who is trying to break free of his father’s views. But, it’s not easy when your family is living in your parents’ house. The language and feel of the book transports the reader to 1862 Kansas, a place and time of hard living, and the polarizing effect of the war even in the territories trying to stay out of it. Through out the story you will spend as much time cheering for Luke as you do wanted to shake some sense into him. A reader, like myself, with limited interest in the Wild West the story kept me turning the page well after bedtime. The hard choices a family has to make and the tragedies that spur them on, will make you grateful and sad when you reach the end. The Wild West holds a special place in Melody’s heart and she invites you to show you what a wonderful and mysterious world it could be. Leave yourself plenty of time for reading because sleep won’t be coming any time soon. Checkout more at New Mexico Entertainment Magazine
Filed under Albuquerque, Art, Entertainment, writing
Royal Wood III
Introducing Royal Wood III, ex-Air Force, ex-class clown, ex-resident of Michigan (and no, it wasn’t Detroit), current comedian breaking out on the Albuquerque scene. Royal started off with normal careers goals, like most people, but his life took a funny turn instead. It all started when he switch assignments with an airforce buddy and came out to NM. The rest, as they say, is history in the making.
Royal’s first on-stage experience was at the Effing Bar on Albuquerque’s Westside. He would go up on stage and make up stuff to make people laugh. Kevin Kennedy saw his performance one night and invited him to an open MIC night. If you don’t know who Kevin is he promotes comedy shows around Albuquerque and particularly at Low Spirits. Royal had been thinking about doing comedy prior to meeting Kevin so he decided to go. Luckily there weren’t very many people there the first time Royal went out. “It’s good to know you can get up on the stage and try and get the words out.”-Royal.
Royal started making friends in the comedy scene and hitting different open MIC nights. He’s now proud to say he has been doing comedy for over a year now and has preformed all over town. He only makes the shows in the first half of the week because his day job is technically a graveyards shift working with children in the mental health field. “Comedians are the best people for that job working with kids we can make them laugh no matter what is going on.”
The schedule is great because Royal is back in school to finish his liberal arts degree. It gives him time to practice his art at the open MIC nights and now he lives and breathes comedy with his new room in the Comedy Mansion. Royal admits “I was homeless for a hot second, but the stars aligned and a room open up here.”
The best part about he scene he in town is that everyone tends to click with each other. They all work with each other and they try to make themselves and the others better every time they go out. It’s a great place to find out what you are made out of and if being a stand up is for you. “This is a hard business you need to respect the work you do but you have to fun while you do it.”
Filed under Albuquerque, Comedy, Entertainment
Satine Ramblers
Many years ago in a sleepy little suburb of Albuquerque called Bosque Farms, four children grew up with seemingly normal lives, until ten years ago. During college at UNM Valencia campus, these four youths got together and formed The Saltine Ramblers. They are not your standard college band. These guys didn’t get into music for the babes or the status, they just wanted to have fun and play some music. They never set out to be an actual band, but their fans saw it differently.
Cory, Dave, Kevin, and Dave all came from different musical backgrounds and styles, but can all agree that their major influences are Ween and The Grateful Dead. Some of you may be thinking, ‘I would never go see them’, but they are much more then their influences. In ten years, they have become adapt when it coming to playing for their crowds. At the drop of the hat they will go from six-minute covers of The Cure to a bluegrass tune to keep the audience on their feet. “I just wanted our fans to come out to have fun,” says Cory.
All the members take turns singing and writing music for the band. “We come up with ideas, bring into practice, and we all sit down and work on them,” shares Kevin, the band’s comic relief and rhythm guitar player. I personally am not sure how they can tell who the comic relief is in this band. If these guys have half as much fun on-stage, (which they do) as they have off-stage, you will always leave their show with a smile on your face.
The band has recently released their second CD, produced in Santa Fe, at Frogville Studios. The first album they were able to record in a matter of hours, and the new one in two days. “We started out limited on time because we were limited on funds,” Cory says, “But since we are such a well-practiced band, it took less time then we thought” Frogville does the entire recording live with the whole band playing at the same time, which suits The Ramblers just fine.
You can find The Saltine Ramblers playing all over the state of New Mexico, including local brewpubs. They have no solid plans to tour outside of New Mexico at this time, as they are still in it for fun, not fame. Check out http://www.thesaltineramblers.bandcamp.com to hear their latest tracks and see where they are playing next or their Facebook page for the latest dates.
Filed under Albuquerque, Comedy, Entertainment, Music
Lou Ferrigno
Lou Ferrigno was a young boy with an introverted personality and a speech impediment. He would read comic books from cover to cover, hoping some day to find a way to feel as good about himself as he did about the superheroes he adored. He life began to change in his early teen years and he went on to be the one of the people he admired the most.
At the early age of thirteen, Lou was looking for a someway to more confident in his own skin. One day at a friend’s house he saw some weights in the corner and tried to lift them. They were so large he couldn’t do it, yet. But, he knew then that someday he was going. “ One of them (his friends) flex their arm and he had a bicep, a small bicep like a baseball, I was like ‘Dang! I want be like that,’ and that is how it begun.”
Reading The Hulk® comics books for most of his life, he was ready when the audition opportunity came up. “I had been the Hulk my whole life,” said Ferrigno. He went in without preparing – knowing they would give him the role. After a short time of doing some pantomiming for the camera, he was given the role and began to film the next day. The Hulk was a great role that helped Lou break into the Hollywood scene.
Ferrigno stayed in the limelight of film for almost ten years before going back to weight-lifting. At forty-two, he went back to the competition circuit to finish the sport. At his age, with a wife and three kids, weight-lifting bought new challenges. “It’s a very narcissistic sport,” says Ferrigno. “You have no social life, your dieting and training, and you have to conserve all your energy for competing.” With his family’s support, he competed again, placing respectively at Mr. Olympia and Masters Oympia, and closed the book on his competitive weight-lifting career.
The movie role that stands out most to Lou was a documentary of a documentary he worked on called David and Goliath. The actor who was playing David kept trying to antagonizing Lou on set, which made him uncomfortable. It took him everything he had not to squeeze the life out of the actor. On the Celebrity Apprentice, the other members of the cast truly underestimated Lou. “They expected the Hulk to show up,” shared Ferrigno. When he got to the boardroom he was very outspoken and surprised everyone. “Luckily I learned a lot about branding and raised a hundred thousand dollars for my charity ALS”. No matter what role Lou has played in his life, he has taken a lesson from it.
One of Ferrigno’s newest ventures, Ferrigno Fit, by no surprise, is a fitness company that the whole family is involved with. “I don’t believe in dieting,” says Ferrigno. He wants to teach people how to adjust their eating habits for a lifestyle change. Lifestyle changes are the only way to really improve your life and health. Ferrigno’s latest project is presenting a body building show, FerringoFit.com, that he hopes one day will turn into a health expo, including fitness chiropractors and others. His kids all started out over-weight and they each made their own decision to get into shape and become personal trainers. With his whole family backing him, he has already proved he can do anything he puts his mind to. With his sons in mind, when it came to asking what his advice would be for the youth of today, those who look up to him, Ferrigno says, “Be passionate about what you do, and don’t compete or compare yourself to other people. Everyone has a different genetic make-up. Stay away from drugs, alcohol and negative people.”
Ferrigno is a lover of comic convention. They are a great way for people to come and meet their favorite characters, and be themselves for a day, without fear. It’s great to be able to emerge yourself in pop-culture. He hopes to leave a legacy behind of him of being in good shape and being healthy.
From introverted child to the Incredible Hulk, Ferrigno has proved to himself and the world that he has a lot to offer society as a whole. Expanding every year with new ideas and new endeavors, he will be in our hearts and mind for years to come as a hero in so many different ways.
Filed under Albuquerque, Art, Entertainment, Movies, Television
New Mexico Film Conference
New Mexico Film Conference, held over two days at the Albuquerque Hotel, was not at all what I was expecting. Walking in, the Breaking Bad Tour RV is sitting out front, enticing people to go for a ride. You have a sales pitch to the visitors on why to film in New Mexico. Once inside, vendors line the wall for any production assistance you may need, and the ones you haven’t thought of. Panel discussion are separated from the masses in smaller comfortable rooms. Being a novice to films, I might just learn something here, and learn I did.
I sat in on the taxation panel to start with. I learned the ins and outs from how to set up your production company to what qualifies and what doesn’t. The most important thing I took away from this panel was if you even have an idea that you might want to make a film here in New Mexico, contact the New Mexico Film Office and they will be a great resource for you.
Back out on the floor, I talk to people set up at different tables from schools to equipment rentals. With a warm smile, I am told about the Media Arts Collaborative Charter School in Albuquerque dedicate to digital development. From films to video games, they teach children the regular academics and more, with small class sizes. Another table gives me price list for renting a soundstage at Nob Hill Studios. Yet another table gives me a price list and details on how to rent camera equipment in New Mexico. You can plan your budget right here in the hotel, and if you’re still not sure, there will be a panel on budget planning happening as well.
The final key to why this conference should be a must for anyone interested in film is the social groups that attend. I met some lovely ladies from Women in Film New Mexico. The name may be misleading since you can be a member as a male also. This group helps writers, actors, and many others, find a community network of people to help you hone your craft and maneuver the sea that is film. They have monthly meetings in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. There were also groups from Roswell Film Festival and a Dark Matters horror film festival coming up here in Albuquerque.
The conference answered questions I didn’t previously even know to ask. The panels were made up of well-educated people, dedicated to helping us all understand the laws and the hurdles of filming in New Mexico. We will be following up in later articles with some of the key speakers from this year’s conference, so for those who thought making a movie or being a part of one was out of reach, will find out that you can make it happen right here at home.
Filed under Albuquerque, Entertainment, Movies, Television
Kevin Baca and the Comedy Mansion
Today will be my first trip to the Comedy Mansion here in Downtown Albuquerque to sit down and talk with Kevin Baca. You may not have heard of him, or the Comedy Mansion – yet, but if you enjoy a good laugh, then you should get to know them. But, before you run off to look for listings about the Comedy Mansion, I should tell you, it’s just an unassuming house that happens to house multiple comedians at any given point in time. It’s hard to keep a straight face talking to any of the residents, or visitors, in the house. They also try to house any traveling stand-up comics that are swing through Albuquerque on a low budget tour.
Kevin Baca, original from Albuquerque, got sucked into the stand-up comic lifestyle a few years back, by an acquaintance at the time, Ann Gora. She suggested that he try stand-up at an open MIC night to see he had what it took to be in front of a live audience – microphone in hand. He hasn’t put down the microphone since. He tries to make it to at least one Open MIC a week, if not more, and encourages audience members to have a good time.
When he moved back to Albuquerque after college, Kevin said he was shocked at the change in his city. “I brought some friends with me from Oklahoma and told them Albuquerque is a rough town avoid down town and be prepared to fight. Then, I got here, and it was all gentrified and friendly. Now I live Downtown.” The change in Albuquerque also bought changes to the underground scenes.
Kevin and the other comics in The Comedy Mansion try to produce as many shows and events together as possible to help promote comedy in a town without a club. “It can be difficult walking into a place and asking them to let you have comics come in and do their thing, because nobody really knows what is going to happen.” Kevin shares MC duty with Drew at the Monday Open MIC Night at the Back Alley Draft House off Central Avenue. It was interesting trying to get a hold of the owner to let them do an Open MIC Night. The pitch – “It’s a slow night (Monday), comics drink, they bring friends who drink, that’s at least 15 additional people. We were given two weeks to prove what we could do. At the end of two weeks we were in.”
In a town with no comedy club, the comedians have to be really committed to their craft and willing to work hard to find venues and make performances happen. This is why the Albuquerque community is so much like a tight knit family. They are friendly and helpful to stand-up wannabees. Talking to Kevin, you can hear how he includes everybody in the scene when he speaks. A piece of advice for people who want to try stand-up, be prepared. Take the time to write something up. Understand you may not be funny the first or second time. Know it may not be for you, but if you enjoy it, keep working on it.
Kevin Baca is a funny guy living in a funny house in a surprisingly funny town. Don’t discount the local comic scene here in Albuquerque until you have tried it. Check out the crew at the Back Alley Draft House on Mondays Open MIC Nights.
Check out more at NMentertains.com
Filed under Albuquerque, Comedy, Entertainment
Vans Warped Tour Takes ABQ by Storm
Over night, Albuquerque population increased by a thousand people, rolling into town tucked away on tour buses with tinted windows. The small army set up their base camp just south of town, in front of Isleta Amphitheater. A black twisting path leads into the theater with open seating to six different stages. Tents lined the walkways and the grassy hill, as anxious patrons wait to clamor in the gates. Music, fashion, Buddhist, and non-profits collide in this all-day event. The masses arrive early to line up at the tent of their favorite band for the signing events that would be going on throughout the day. There is also plenty of shopping to be done in-between and at the band tents. Kids and adults alike burst through the gate scattering across the massive sprawl that is the Theater. Two Write on Her Arm is the first tent we make a pit stop at. This nonprofit operates solely off your donations to help people of any age who are contemplating suicide or other destructive behaviors. They work with connecting people to crisis prevention lines in the area and are actively trying to change the preconceptions of mental illness in this country. Heart Support, who has a booth further down the way, is also a non-profit who is reaching out to people and trying to help them through tough times. Both of these organizations provide people a safe place where they can speak with others who are going through the same trials. “It’s pretty awesome for us to be out here this year it’s our 20th birthday as well as Warped Tours 20th birthday. So we are all getting old together, it’s nice, it’s lovely. It’s a good vibe out here haven’t down the whole tour since 2004 so it’s good to be back.” (Jeff – Bowling for Soup). The wind begins to really pick up in Albuquerque, which is no surprise to the locals. The road crews manning the tents are hanging from them to keep them from blowing away, while making the tents shorter and shorter. The rain is coming, because it only rains in the desert during large outdoor concerts and Balloon Fiesta. “This is only the fourth day of Warped Tour, so I’m still trying to meet everybody, but it’s a great chance for us tour with our friends and with bands we normally wouldn’t go out with for a tour.” (Less Than Jake). Even with the storm threatening, people are still filing in through the gates of the park. There are signs taped to the black top telling you what band will come on what stage at what time. Food and drink vendors open their windows to dish out hot dogs and hamburgers. There is little shade to be had and no misters, but they are giving away free water in all corners of the theater to combat the heat of the day. “I started tour at 15. I finished high school on the road while touring.” (Nathan Young – Anberlin) Music blares from every corner of the theater now that the show is in full swing. Six stages – three running at a time with metal bands, punk bands, and DJ. There is a little something for everyone. A light rain falls for a few moments, but blows over quickly restoring sunshine. The rain has done nothing to dampen the spirit of the day. “We respect our fans and won’t change our sound. It is who we are and we are comfortable with that,” (Nick – Bayside). The Warped Tour has steadily grown in size over the last 20 years, adding more events and bands. Even on the hot asphalt, it was worth coming out and checking out the latest and greatest bands for a day long adventure. Check out more at New Mexico Entertainment Magazine
Filed under Albuquerque, Entertainment, Music
Near Death in the Neon City
The thing about Vegas is that it’s not just one night; an eternity can pass between sunset and sunrise. I cannot tell say certainty that what I’m about to tell you is fact. I can only affirm it happened and let it serve as a warning to others who are foolish enough to venture into the night.
Seductive shimmering stars of neon light, up and down the boulevard drawing people into the boisterous opened mouthed casinos. Play Here, Win Big. Bewitching girls hint at untold hedonism to all who enter. The song of the slots a siren’s call, the scintillating color attracts the eye, a paradise or hell dependent on the roll of a single dice. Once inside, one of the menagerie of sensory stimulation a path twists through the vastness, never does it pass an exit.
Stale cigarette smoke permeates the low coin tables while the sweet cherry aroma of pipe tobacco separates the high limit tables. Angels in heels without wings rush by with plastic smiles, bringing nectars from the Gods to the brave seated at the tables. Large enforcers in suits watch over the room handpicking the visitors that will elevate to heaven or plunge down into the rings of hell.
Time does not pass here once you enter. No clocks to tick, no digital display, no windows to let you know the sun has risen to burn away your sins. Time passes differently in these walls than in the real world.
The masses that come here begging to have their everyday lives suspended for a few meager hours, will risk everything for the smallest of wins. Where else do people come and pay for the privilege of experiencing death, night after night, in all its stages. After the first big loss there is denial, the feeling of being alone and taken advantage of. Another roll of the dice brings on the anger at one’s self and the casino for tricking them into playing and losing. Another inferior hand and its time to make a deal with the Powers That Be. Another bad beat leads to depression and misery. Another pathetic hand and acceptance sinks in, with the idea to acquire more capital. But, in Vegas the final stage of death does not come, only the sun returns to save you from yourself.
In the night anything can happen, rising to the status of a God or sinking down to hell or falling further down where even the gut snakes and degenerates can no longer find you. If you’re lucky enough for the sun to rise and you are given a second chance, flee. Pack your bags and run because if night falls again you will never escape.
Filed under Art, Entertainment, writing
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