Year End Issue • Dec. 26, 2014

2014

THE YEAR IN

FILM

5

MUSIC

16

ARTS

20

ARTS

INside F E AT UR E Self-help author Jen Sincero takes life by the horns at every step. Here are five, taken from her book How to Be a Badass

PUBLISHER

Francine Maher Hopper fran@local-iQ.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ART DIRECTOR

Kevin Hopper 505.247.1343 x220 kevin@local-iQ.com

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ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Laura Marrich laura@local-iQ.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Chela Gurnee 505.264.6350 chela@local-iQ.com

FI L M

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Local iQ’s resident film critic Jordan Mahoney counts down his favorite flicks from 2014

andrea@local-iQ.com

Andrea Blan

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Cara Tolino cara@local-iQ.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER/ ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Ben Q. Adams 505.247.1343 x250 ben@local-iQ.com PHOTOGRAPHER

Wes Naman wes@local-iQ.com PHOTO ASSISTANT

Joy Godfrey

F OOD

joy@local-iQ.com

Midwestern classics and English tradition mix with local twists at Downtown eatery Soul and Vine

DESIGN INTERN INTERNS

Jazmen Bradford Vallejos CALENDARS

505.247.1343 x250 calendar@local-iQ.com

ON THE COVER

8 DRINK Cocktail columnist Randy Kolesky has a sure fire way to get a New Year's Eve midnight kiss: a few champagne cocktails

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M USI C Music in 2014 pushed boundaries, eras and styles. 10 innovative artists wound up on critic Ronnie Reynolds 'best of' playlist

16 A R TS Former Nine Muses columnist reflects on a few of Burque’s creative luminaries making waves in 2014

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CA LE N DA R S

FE AT U R E S

Arts Events.....................21 Community Events.....24 Live Music.......................16

Places To Be.....................4 Book Reviews................ 19 Smart Music.................... 18 Smart Arts...................... 22 Crossword...................... 23 Horoscope..................... 23

COLUM N S 1+1=3.................................. 11 Backyard Plot............... 15 In Need? Call Weed...... 7 Playing with Fire ..........9 Stir it Up..........................10 The Curious Townie......6 The Gaffer...................... 19

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LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

This issue's cover models proudly pose with loyal Local iQ mascot, Dylan, for the equally loyal photographer and photo assistant Wes Naman and Joy Godfrey, respectfully.

CONTRIBUTORS EDITORIAL Dave DeWitt Dan Gutierrez Marissa Higdon Randy Kolesky Jordan Mahoney Sam Melada Katixia Mercier Bill Nevins Shavone Otero Tish Resnik Ronnie Reynolds Sergio Salvador Jen Sincero David Steinberg L. Darlene Weed Steven J Westman Margaret Wright Jim & Linda Maher DISTRIBUTION Ben Adams Kristina De Santiago Kurt Laffan David Leeder Alan Romero Distributech

Local iQ

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BY MICHAEL ALLISON

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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PLACES TO BE

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JAN

SUN

BENEFIT

CELEBRATION

CONCERT

Howlin’ Holiday Jam 2014

Manhattan on the Mesa

New Mexico Philharmonic Orchestra

7p, Sat., Dec. 27

Anderson Abruzzo International Balloon Museum 9201 Balloon Museum NE, 505.880.0500

6-11p, Wed., Dec. 31

ndnm.org kimotickets.com

$13-$19, ALL AGES

$99 single/$185 couple, 21+

balloonmuseum.com

very night, about 6,000 young people don’t have a place to stay in Albuquerque. Before you get too down thinking of shivering-cold kids, I’ll let you in on a secret: There’s a way to help end juvenile homelessness in Albuquerque AND have a rockin’ good time. I’m talking about the 3rd annual Howlin’ Holiday Jam, which raises money for New Day Youth & Family Services. With 13 musical acts covering everything from the soulful sounds of Hillary Smith to the up-tempo flamenco of Vicente Griego, the Howlin’ Holiday Jam caters to a wide spectrum of discerning tastes.

KiMo Theatre hosts this impressive concert benefiting New Day, a nonprofit focused on supporting our city’s homeless youths.

—Marissa Higdon

E

National Hispanic Cultural Center 1701 4th SW, 505.724.4771

$24-$68, ALL AGES nmphil.org nhccnm.org

T

COMEDY New Year’s Eve Comedy Gala feat.

Bruce Baum 8:30p, Wed., Dec. 31 Embassy Suites 1000 Woodward NE, 505.245.7100

$35-$120, 21+ xtremekomedy.com holdmyticket.com

B

ruce Baum, football player turned stand-up comic turned Simpsons character (OK, he only did one guest appearance, but still), is coming to Albuquerque to start off our 2015 with plenty of laughs. With his iconic mustache and flowing locks, Baum has toured the country for decades entertaining audiences with wild and unpredictable prop-based stand-up routines. He’ll be joined by local comics Keith Brekenridge and Michael Jordan on Dec. 31. Get the full New Year’s Eve experience with DJ’ed dancing until the wee hours, and don’t be shy about springing for VIP seating; 25 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Special Spaces, a local charity for kids facing life-threatening illnesses. —Marissa Higdon

The Anderson Abruzzo International Balloon Museum gala, held from 6-11p, includes dinner, live music, dancing, a balloon glow and signature cocktails (Sandia Manhattans, of course) in a souvenir glass.

Welcome the new year with style, class and an early bedtime. — Marissa Higdon

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JAN

ove the sparkle of New Year’s Eve, but hate staying up late? Love the balloon glow, but hate waking up early? Do you sometimes wish you were in both New Mexico and New York at the same time? You can enjoy the sophistication and time zone of New York this New Year’s Eve by watching the ball drop at Manhattan on the Mesa.

FRI

31

DEC

WED

L

4

2p, Sun., Jan. 11

ART Works by Matrix Artists OPENING RECEPTION:

5-8p, Fri., Jan. 2 Matrix Fine Art 3812 Central SE, 505.268.8952

FREE, ALL AGES matrixfineart.com

M

atrix’s devotion to discovering and promoting New Mexico artists is not just commendable, it’s consistently fruitful. For 2015’s first citywide ARTScrawl, the gallery will premiere new work from a strong lineup of local talents. Some, like Laura Wacha and Pat Barrett, tend toward the pop end of the spectrum. (Although their renderings of humanity are quite dissimilar; Wacha’s scenes are slyly humorous while Barrett’s precisely lined figures exude darker mystery.) Others, like Albuquerque’s Marilyn Dillard and Lamy-based Alexander Eulert — his shimmering, urgently taut forms have been influenced by the experience of losing years of work in a raging summer wildfire — stress color, movement, raw emotion, abstraction. All are worthy of careful attention.

—Margaret Wright

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

he New Mexico Philharmonic performs Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, one of the most popular works in the classical repertoire, at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. The work is comprised of four violin concertos named for each season. (The four are, in turn, part of a set of 12 concertos called The Contest Between Harmony and Invention.)

On the same program is Samuel Barber’s dramatic and passionate Adagio for Strings. The adagio was originally the second movement of the American composer’s String Quartet, but it has gained fame in its orchestral adaptation. The third piece on the program is Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite, a set of five dances paying tribute to DanishNorwegian playwright Ludvig Holberg on the 200th anniversary of his birth. David Felberg conducts the philharmonic and is the violin soloist in the Vivaldi.

Tickets are available in advance at nmphil.org and the NHCC box office, or at the door.

—David Steinberg

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JAN

KiMo Theatre 421 Central NW, 505.768.3544

TUE

31

DEC

WED

27

DEC

S AT

The where to go and what to do from December 26-January 14

FESTIVAL Revolutions Kick-Off Party 7:30p, Tue., Jan. 13 Tricklock Performance Laboratory 110 Gold SW, 505.254.8393

FREE, 21+ tricklock.com/revolutions

E

very January, the Revolutions International Theatre Festival opens Albuquerque’s floodgates to visceral and astounding theater from all corners of the globe.

(This year’s program includes performances direct from Mexico, the UK, Austria, Ukraine, Armenia, Iran and Israel.) But before we get too hot and heavy with the pathos, there are a few matters of tradition to attend to. As decorum dictates, the most innovative contemporary theater festival in the great Southwest always commences with an international dance party. The organizers invite you to shake that thang with stage artists from near and far at Tricklock Performance Laboratory (Downtown at 2nd and Gold).

Goddess of Arno will perform Balkan-inspired music, Tractor Brewing is pouring and snacks will abound. Best of all, you’ll be getting an extremely intimate view into what makes Revolutions so wonderfully, well, revolutionary.

Visit tricklock.com/revolutions and stay tuned. — Laura Marrich

FILM

Best in (picture) show Local iQ’s resident film critic counts down his favorite flicks of 2014

BY JORDAN MAHONEY

I

t’s about that time when film lovers compile their best-of lists, grant nods, shake heads and speculate. And while there’s bound to be a few constants, 2014 is a year curiously devoid of sure-fire Oscar noms (like yesteryear’s heavy Dallas Buyers Club or 12 Years a Slave).

We’ve had a typical dose of blockbusters and CGI space trippers, but the best features of 2014 offer different kinds of spectacle — pastel pastry towers, foggy Glasgow grays and blood-soaked wastelands. Films that carry little weight, socially, but are substantive nonetheless, telling stories of familial ties and finding meaning in humanity. Here are 10 of those films (and, by the time you’re reading this, Foxcatcher and Inherent Vice will be in theaters, seemingly tonal opposites, but both garnering much praise).

novel into a haunting neo-noir, full of twists and murky alibis. Both Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, as the lead couple, give performances as chilling and collected as the film itself.

6. Boyhood The story of Mason Jr. is a chronicle of adolescence and a personal odyssey, fluid and plotless, allowing the character room to change, and to assume himself. Filmed over a 12-year period, Boyhood isn’t good because of the gimmick, but what the gimmick allows the film to achieve.

Like some of Richard Linklater’s other films, it doesn’t feel very cinematic. Take Dazed and Confused: by the end of the film, we feel like we’ve just spent an all-nighter with our

10. Only Lovers Left Alive Be it the slacker minimalism of Stranger Than Paradise or the Elvis-inspired Mystery Train, everything Jim Jarmusch does is just plain cool. It’s hardly a surprise that his take on the vampire film is no different. Adam (Tom Hiddleston) has spent centuries fiddling with his electric guitars, becoming a sort of bloodsucking Tesla, while his wife, Eve (Tilda Swinton), has read lifetimes’ of books. The only thing they have to fear is the boredom of immortality (and tainted blood). Full of ennui-tinged performances, music and musings.

9. Jodorowsky’s Dune Before Star Wars, there was Dune, a classic sci-fi novel set on a bone-dry planet. Alejandro Jodorowsky (in his 1970s, surrealist prime) was set to take it to the screen. Everything seemed to fall into place — designs by H.R. Giger, a Pink Floyd score, even Salvador Dalí agreeing to play a role. A film for the ages, until Hollywood said “no.”

At a glance, the documentary is about business squashing art, and perhaps the biggest “What if” in cinematic history. But it’s also about ambition, reaching beyond the stars, and what can follow — even if you fail — just as long as you give it a shot. Never has a snuffed candle seemed so inspiring.

8. Frank Frank (shot mostly in Albuquerque) is like a lost episode of Behind the Music. Our naive, creatively vacant narrator (Domhnall Gleeson) falls into an experimental band fronted by the enigmatic Frank (Michael Fassbender), who refuses to remove his unsettling papier-mâché head.

The film straddles goofy and tragic, and makes a bold, nature-over-nurture stance about what it takes to be an artist. Watch it for Fassbender alone, and his cryptic performance as an unstable virtuoso.

7. Gone Girl You can’t go wrong with David Fincher, who’s been sharpening his dark, sleek style for a long while. With Gone Girl, he turns a pulpy airport

Some of Local iQ's critic picks for best films of 2014 include (clockwise from top right) Under the Skin, starring Scarlett Johansson as an extraterrestrial who preys on men, and The Rover with Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson. Topping film critic Jordan Mahoney's list is Wes Anderson's star-studded The Grand Budapest Hotel, which he calls "pure cinematic dessert."

buds. With Boyhood, it’s as if we’ve grown up alongside Mason Jr. An intimate, captivating sensation.

5. Force Majeure Set at a French Alps ski resort, Force Majeure is all stunning shots and fresh powder — at first. But when Tomas abandons his wife, Ebba, and their two kids after a brush with a billowy avalanche, the family getaway gets a little prickly.

With a wonderfully engaging premise, this Swedish drama is full of touchy couple dynamics, as well as a dissection of masculinity and heroics. The film operates on thin ice, laughs are tense and the fights are often.

(Warning: may cause a potential argument with your significant other.)

4. Birdman A sweeping flourish of a film, both claustrophobic and wide-scoped. Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton, hilarious and screwy) is a former movie star/superhero desperate to leave a better taste, artistically. In that, it’s almost anti-blockbuster but manages

to be just as much of a spectacle, as Riggan’s former feathered persona forces illusions of grandeur upon him. Self-important, maybe, but that’s only detrimental when a film doesn’t work — not the case here.

3. Under the Skin A nightmarish, haunting work. It’s being called Lynchian and Kubrickian, but there’s nothing quite like it. Under the Skin is art-house sci-fi, opaque and chilling like the Glasgow locales it inhabits. We see, in part, an alien’s transition to Earth, taking the form of Scarlett Johansson (nice choice, alien), and preying on various men who are lustful enough to enter her home.

It’s at first predatory, and then profoundly human in its sadness. Johansson’s best work, in this reviewer’s opinion. Several scenes throughout will stick with you, like bad dreams from your childhood.

2. The Rover This little slice of despair went more-or-less unnoticed this year. The plot is thin; a scruffy drifter named Eric (Guy Pearce) tries to retrieve

his stolen car, and goes to violent lengths to do so (the why is withheld until the bitter end).

Pearce is a capable, unflinching anti-hero, but what makes The Rover so worthwhile is Robert Pattinson. The farthest cry from Edward Cullen is his role as Rey, a simple man with puppy-dog loyalty in a world of godless wanderers. The Of Mice and Men dynamic at play is a spoonful of sugar in a niche, nihilistic and captivating film.

1. The Grand Budapest Hotel In the colorful canon of Wes Anderson, between World Wars, lives the scandalous hotel concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes, an outrageous delight), who becomes involved in the theft of an invaluable painting. The result is a mad caper of whimsy and peril and intrigue.

It may or may not be his best or most intimate work, but The Grand Budapest Hotel is Anderson’s most beautiful film. And it’s funny, too, supplementing the usual deadpan dialogue with what can only be described as tasteful slapstick. Rarely has watching a movie been such a delight. Pure cinematic dessert. Film of the year, one might say.

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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CULTURE

A splendid year fueled by remarkable people

A

s I type out this last Townie column of 2014, I want to point out the good things that have made me smile a lot this year. Time with friends. Hugs from friends at far too many memorial services. A month-long journey crisscrossing the state of New Mexico, with Wes Naman and Joy Godfrey, wherein we met folks from all walks of life and gathered nuggets and gems about who they are and why they love New Mexico as much as we do. Cheering the opening of new business ventures, and attending worthwhile events. Just loving this city more and more. I warned y’all — sentimental, kitschy and sappy!

At the very end of 2013, a man named Bob Gerding passed away. He was a well-known outdoorsman — do you recall Bob Gerding’s Outdoor Adventures Hunting & Fishing Show at Expo New Mexico? Gerding was also a Sigma Chi fraternity brother to my dad, and the Gerding family was close to mine as I grew up here. Bob was also a patient Little League coach to me, as I was not the best player. On June 7, the city dedicated the Bob Gerding Catch and Release Pond, in memory of him. Every time I drive past this place, I get a grin on my face.

I spent a good amount of time in 2014 lauding those neighborhood and corridors that are thriving and reinventing themselves all around.

One in particular that we should all be watching is that stretch of road in between Carlisle and Washington, on Cutler (next to I-40). My old pal Roy Solomon is in the midst of a project called Green Jeans Farmery (greenjeansfarmery. com). “An indoor/outdoor community courtyard surrounded by local businesses in a relaxed and social environment,” is how Roy described it to the Albuquerque Journal. I’ve see the gorgeous plans — the latest in shipping-container construction. Good looking AND eco-friendly.

And Roy’s got a good start, as our buddy Brian Lock with Santa Fe Brewing is already set to open a taproom there. I have popped by a few times to watch this place take shape, in awe of how it will all turn out. You bet I will be talking about this more as it develops. Roy talks about growers’ markets and a wine-and-chocolate shop among possible tenants. If one of you has an itch to begin something fun and new, you ought to contact him now.

At the Haute Honors awards breakfast (hautepreneurs.com) this month, I sat at a table

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LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

and applauded as ladies I know were praised for making this community a better place. They were recognized in categories like “Innovator” and “Rising Star,” but I was most mesmerized by was what was saved for last — the "Trail Blazers." Four women were acknowledged, each for her own powerful presence in this town. The recipients were Penny Rembe (Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm), Debbie Johnson (director, Office of Education, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at CNM), Kyla Thompson (Kyla Thompson Consulting) and Dr. Cheryl Willman (director and CEO, UNM Cancer Center). All of us have benefitted from their presence here. Jessica Eaves Mathews is one of the wonder-women who put this deal together, honoring, as she said, “the women who have pioneered the New Mexico entrepreneurial landscape for the rest of us. They were entrepreneurs before it was something that was done regularly by women. It took courage, guts and tenacity to launch, grow and survive when they all started. And each of them has changed New Mexico in a significant way.” She added, “Those of us younger women are standing on their shoulders, and we owe them our gratitude and respect for what they have accomplished.” We smiled that some of them were not in attendance, as they already had commitments to their ventures. “They are all still doing amazing things and clearly have no plans to slow down," she said. This stuff warms my heart. The women in MY life — in this city — all deserve an award.

The new year is upon us, but as I type I’m preparing for the rest of this holiday. So, alright everyone, let your heart be light. I’ll be spending some quality time with Mom and Grandma’s turkey dressing. Toasting faithful friends who are dear to us. Smiling and grateful to have a mother who is my true Trail Blazer. Love you.

Steven J. Westman writes about the goings-on of Albuquerque. He can be reached at steven@local-iQ.com.

LAW

A sugary resolution to help avoid lawsuits in 2015

H

ow did you handle the trials and tribulations of 2014? Maybe it was one smooth ride for you, but many of us had a few angry dragons to

slay.

A simple “I’m sorry” can oftentimes take the air right out of a heated situation. If you can possibly extend yourself to take it one step further and ask, “What can I do to make this right?” you may possibly never be involved in a lawsuit. Many of the legal battles I am helping my clients fight could have been settled so easily, soon after the event occurred, if someone would have simply followed the above suggestion.

Now don’t get me wrong. There is a time and place for anger, and a time when you should fight to the fullest extent the law allows.

Those unfortunate situations often best lend themselves to professional legal counseling and advice. Time limitations, prior bad acts and future calculated acts, among other things, will often add to the success or failure of your resolution. When in doubt, always seek legal advice from someone you can trust. (DO NOT start with the lawyer jokes … there are lawyers out there who can be trusted!)

Protect yourself and educate yourself before you explode over a situation that may best be solved with candy kisses. Sugar-coat it, don’t explode it. Try a little kindness in 2015. After all, we are all just trying to get by. Listed below are four little sugary thoughts to help avoid the explosion of a lawsuit in 2015.

• At the first sign of conflict, STOP. Take a moment, perhaps several, to step back and replay the total situation.

• After the playback, LOOK at both sides (a very difficult thing to do in the heat of the moment, so take your time). Pretend you are the other person.

• After this pretend roll play, LISTEN to your rational thoughts. Hidden in that dark crevasse of your mind may be thoughts you

had when you were on the other side of the fence, so to speak.

• RESPOND with syrupy sugar-coated words.

This turns an angry boil down to a simmer, while allowing you to appear unbreakable but not unbendable.

Instead of: “I’m going to take you to court and sue you for every penny you have!”

Try: “Ok Rudolph, we agree you owe me $600.

I realize you do not have the $600 and you realize I need my 600 bucks. If we get the law involved it will cost us both more money. How about you give me $100 on Friday, and we work out a payment plan for the rest?”

Rudolph’s nose gets all shiny and wet, and he says, “I am so sorry Prancer, I can probably have $200 by Friday.” Sweetness ... sugar-coated.

“But WHY?” you ask, “Why should I have to sugar-coat anything?”

• Because lawsuits are stressful.

• Because there is NEVER a guaranteed outcome.

• Because lawsuits age you.

• Because Santa will be back before you know it, and he’s watching to see how good you really are!

Happy holidays, friends. May 2015 bring us all a simpler, less stressful year. Cheers!

L. Darlene Weed is a lawyer in practice in Bernalillo. She can be reached at weedlawfirmllc@hotmail.com, 505.273.0875.

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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FOOD

G OOD E ATS

By Katixia Mercier

T O P P L AT E S

Tuna Tartare $13

Fresh new look, menu for Downtown restaurant space

Music to the ears as much as the palate, this tuna tartare is sustainably farmed and wonderfully balanced. A bright citrus acidity is met with the richness of avocado in uniformly cut pieces, assuring a perfect bite every time. Like a little kick with your tartare? The Sriracha-like garnish is multifunctional, providing both a colorful accent and (optional) flavor enhancer.

R

estaurateur Kathy Punya closed the doors on Thai Saweiy (previously Thai Crystal) this summer. By late September, she had reopened the space with a fresh face and menu concept.

Soul and Vine features a playful retrospective of Head

Soul and Vine HOURS: 11:30a-9p, Tue.-Thu.; 11:30a-10:30p, Fri. & Sat. 109 GOLD SW, 505.244.3344

soulandvine.com

Chef David Ruiz’ favorites — from his training in the Bay Area to Midwestern classics to English traditions with a local twist.

Tomato-Basil Bisque, Aged Cheddar Grilled Cheese $7 Everyone has a soup from childhood that feeds the sensation of comfort. I didn’t grow up with tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, but after a few sips, I wish I had. This tomato bisque gives justice to the tomato in its ripe, sweet notes and its acidic undertones.

Sourcing produce from the urban community garden and growers’ market Downtown, with aspirations of completing a rooftop garden on 3rd Street by spring, will infuse the menu with more local ingredients.

Order an entrée, or better yet, order a few plates to share in the spirit of American-style tapas. Parking need not be a stress (or excuse), as the staff at Soul and Vine will happily validate your card from the parking structure next door.

Unwind and dine and Soul and Vine.

—Katixa Mercier NOTE: Soul and Vine is offering a prix fixe menu for New Year’s Eve (see the details at facebook.com/soulandvine). Reservations are encouraged.

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Gravy a sleek throwback of the American diner

T

he former Milton’s diner, located just west of I-25 on Central, has finally revealed its new incarnation. After two years of renovation and conquering a number of hiccups along the way, restaurateurs Chris Medina, David Boyd and Michael Wewerka — partners in neighboring burger joint Holy Cow — are giving Albuquerque’s comfort-food seekers a new place to get their fix.

Gravy (725 Central NE, 505.242.4299) serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in the heart of Edo. With modern lights fixtures and intricate ceiling accents, Gravy introduces itself with a contemporary atmosphere honoring diner-style seating: counter or booth.

Scarborough Salad $11 A signature salad at Soul and Vine, featuring Scarborough Farms mixed greens, candied pecans, goat cheese and balsamic grilled onions. Do not omit the onions on this salad, as you will be missing the best part!

PHOTO BY KATIXA MERCIER

After two years of renovations to the old Milton's diner location, new owners have rebranded the diner as Gravy. The menu features updated takes on American comfort food and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Crab Fritter Po’boy $12 Just how a fritter should be: crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.

Three generously sized crab fritters nest atop avocado slices, fresh tomato and romaine in a hoagie bun. Although the sliced avocado acts as a kind of sauce component, my personal taste seeks an indulgent amount of aioli or remoulade with fried foods. Traditionally served with chips or french fries, a lightly dressed mixed greens salad was a pleasant surprise to what can otherwise be a heavy dish.

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

Indulge in classics like pancakes and French toast for breakfast, or chicken-fried steak (smothered in gravy, of course) for lunch and dinner. Make a meal of appetizers with mac ’n’ cheese balls and Cajun-style barbecue shrimp, or try a fresh take on a classic: fried green tomatoes topped with pork belly.

You can’t say that doesn’t pique your interest. More thirsty than hungry? Gravy offers a selection of libations, including local brews, wine and even a couple of winebased cocktails. If you should find yourself hungry in the off-hours between lunch and dinner, worry not! Gravy is open nonstop every day from 7a to 10p. Expect the classics while taking in a sleek, updated rendition of an all-American diner.

DRINK

Two unique chili recipes to ring in the New Year

W

ell, the calendar says it’s officially winter, so let’s start it off right with the perfect chili dish for the chilly weather. These two spicy and meaty concoctions will solve problems about what dish is the best to serve while we still have a bit of football left in the season.

2 fresh jalapeños, stems and seeds removed, chopped fine 2-1/2 pounds sirloin, cut in 1-inch cubes 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine 2 Tbs. fresh oregano, chopped fine 2 Tbs. fresh marjoram

50-Clove Garlic Festival Chili

Method:

Caryl Simpson and Tom Reed of Gilroy, Calif., wrote me when I was editor of Chile Pepper magazine: “Down there in chileland you think chiles make the world go round, but out here in the Garlic Capital of the World, we know better.

After all, what would chili be without garlic?

So, for all you chile wimps laboring under the delusion that the chiles make the chili, we’ve got one to share with you in honor of garlic festivals everywhere and people who think anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.”

This tastes best when refrigerated overnight and served the next day — it's great with garlic bread!

Ingredients: 50 (yes, fifty) medium garlic cloves, peeled 4 to 5 pounds pork loin, 2 inches thick, trimmed of fat Garli Garni seasoning (available online) to taste, plus 2 Tbs. 3 onions, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup paprika 3 Tbs. chili powder 1 jalapeño chile, seeds and stem removed, chopped 1-1/2 Tbs. filé powder 5 cups chicken or pork stock 2 cups pureed fresh tomatoes 2 poblano chiles, seeds and stems removed, chopped Method: Blanch the garlic cloves in boiling water until tender, 7 to 10 minutes, then drain. Prepare hot coals for grilling. Season the pork with the Garli Garni seasoning and brush the pork and onion slices with some of the vegetable oil.

Grill the pork until it is brown on the outside

and rare on the inside, and grill the onions until they are charred. Allow both to cool. Dice the pork and onions to 1/2-inch pieces and set aside. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat until very hot.

Reduce the heat and whisk in the flour until the roux is deep brown. Allow to cool. Combine the paprika, chili powder, jalapeño and filé powder in a bowl. Bring the stock, tomatoes and poblanos to a simmer in a saucepan. Over low heat, whisk the paprika mixture into the roux and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the hot stock, a cup at a time. Add the grilled onions and bring to a boil. Add 1-2 tablespoons of Garli Garni, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the blanched garlic and simmer until thickened, about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pork and simmer until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Rinse the black beans in cold running water and place them in a heavy 5-quart casserole or Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and boil the beans for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the beans soak for 2 hours at room temperature. Meanwhile, heat a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat and cook the cumin, cayenne and paprika until lightly toasted and fragrant, taking care not to let the mixture burn. Remove the spices from the heat and set aside in a small bowl. In the same skillet, toast the anchos. Grind the anchos in a grinder to a smooth powder. Add the ancho powder to

the reserved spices and set aside. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onion until transparent and soft, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté an additional 3 minutes. Add the reserved spice mixture, tomatoes and jalapeños, and sauté over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.

Add this mixture to the casserole containing the black beans along with more water to cover by 4 inches. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 2-1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender. While the bean mixture is simmering, heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet and sauté the sirloin cubes until lightly browned. Add the browned meat to the beans during the last hour of cooking. Add the cilantro, oregano and marjoram to the chili 20 minutes before the end of the simmering time. Yield: 6 servings Chile pepper expert Dave DeWitt is the author of 50 books, many on chile peppers and spicy foods. His latest book is the forthcoming ‘Microfarming for Profit’ from Torrey House Press.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Heat Scale: medium

Chef Rosa’s Black Bean Sirloin Chili Here is a delicious chili con carne from Rosa Rajkovic, former chef of the Monte Vista Fire Station in Albuquerque. It is one of the most unique chilis ever and amazingly tasty.

Ingredients: 1 pound black turtle beans 1 Tbs. cumin 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 2 tsp. paprika 2 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed 4 Tbs. olive oil, divided 1 large red onion, chopped medium-fine 2 tsp. garlic, minced fine 2 cups plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced and drained

PHOTO BY SERGIO SALVADOR

50-Clove Garlic Festival Chili extols the virtues of garlic over the importance of peppers.

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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DRINK

Sparkling wine cocktails ensure midnight kisses

W

e all know that the holiday season starts way too early and is replete with so many suggestions and stimuli on how to spend our time, money and spiritual energy that the last five or six weeks of each year are commonly viewed as some sort of Death March.

This is punctuated with that bittersweet celebration known as New Year’s Eve, a night of revelry most often appreciated only by those who have yet to reach their 25th birthday, and truly do see the upcoming year as an entity full of rainbows and unicorns and pots full of gold.

For a long time I couldn’t understand why so many people distanced themselves from New Year’s Eve and its festive debauchery. Then one day, I woke up and realized the past was becoming a larger part of my existence than my future could possibly be — and that New Year’s Eve and its supposed heralding in of a bright and shiny new year more often signaled another 365 days gone by with nothing to show for it. Another year gone by without my starting Randy K’s Barbeque Sauce company. Another year gone by without charitable donations from Randy K’s Barbecue Sauce providing funding to cure at least two or three types of cancer. I only

have one thing on my bucket list right now: Make a bucket list.

And if one does get all fancied up, paints on a face of optimistic joy to gather with others before counting down 10 … 9 … 8 and watching a tape-delayed presentation 7 … 6 … 5 of a shiny ball dropping out of the sky in a faraway locale 4 … 3 …

2, then finds one’s self looking around the room to see who may or may not be kissable when the final second ticks down … 1 … Happy New Year! ... I at least have advice on how to avoid that midnight kiss dilemma. You could simply find yourself having to use the restroom at midnight.

Or, do what I do: Mix up some colorful and effervescent sparkling wine cocktails that will ensure I have a crowd of giggly girls at arm’s length when I hand them out as the countdown begins. Here are three simple yet elegantly appealing quickies to mix up for the midnight hour … or any other time this holiday season.

1. CLASSIC CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL: In the

bottom of a Champagne flute, drop a sugar cube doused with a few drops of your favorite bitters. I like to use a few drops of Peychaud’s Bitters and a couple drops of Bittermens Orange Cream Citrate.

Slowly pour in a decent sparkling wine (cava or Prosecco) — no need for an expensive bottle of Champagne.

When the sparkling wine contacts the sugar cube, it will froth up and begin to rise out of the flute. To stop the froth from rising, squeeze in the zest from a lemon twist and then hang the twist on the rim of the flute. Slowly add more sparkling wine, being sure to pour the wine over the twist to keep the frothing action down.

2. THE BUBBLY VIOLET: Pour

5 ounces of decent sparkling wine into a Champagne flute. Slowly add 1 ounce of Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette liqueur.

Garnish with a lemon twist and/ or berries and/or a real violet.

3. BYRRH SPRITZ: Pour 5 ounces of Moscato d’Asti into a

white wine glass. Slowly add 1 ounce of Byrrh Grand Quinquina wine-based aperitif. Hold a fresh orange over the glass, and use a citrus twist tool to peel off a large twist of orange rind. Be sure to spray the zest over and into the glass while carving out your twist.

Now drop your twist into the glass. Raise your glass, cheers the new year and pray that Ray Liotta doesn’t arrive at your party with his glass of tequila and glare at you until you soil your pants.

PHOTO BY WES NAMAN

Randy Kolesky tends bar at Artichoke Cafe, and is always full of holiday cheer.

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LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

FOOD

New Year's resolution: drink more bubbly

C

hristmas and Hanukkah have come and gone, and a new year is right around the corner. Though I’m not much for resolutions, and I try to avoid being preachy about wine, I have a strong recommendation this month: Get bubbly, not just for New Year’s Eve, but carry it on into 2015.

Of course, I will always recommend that you drink Gruet (any time of year). The Gruet family consistently produces a variety of sparkling wines that we in New Mexico deserve to be proud of. From the brut, blanc de noir, demi sec and extra dry to their remarkable rosé and sauvage, you cannot go wrong for under $20/ bottle.

This month, however, I want to also introduce you to other unique sparkling wines easily found around town. Let’s look at Spain, Italy and France, and I hope you will be willing to set aside your fear that “sparkling wine gives me a headache.” If that happened to you, it’s probably because you drank Freixenet or Cold Duck. In 2015, get back on the bubbly horse and ride …

Go pro (secco) Look on the shelves around town, from Quarters, Jubilation, Stone Face or Whole Foods, and you will see bottles of Prosecco staring back at you. It’s on the lighter end of the spectrum, not quite as bubbly as Champagne and with more crisp, citrusy flavors. For under $20 you can find real quality, because the way Prosecco is made allows the price to stay lower without sacrificing quality. While you will find Zardetto just about anywhere in town (and it is a great example of everything Prosecco should be), look for my perennial favorite: Adami. The Garbel is a fine entry point, but if you a want a little more structure and minerals, pick up the Bosco di Gica. You can find these at Whole Foods, Jubilation or Quarters Wyoming, and they won’t break your post-holiday bank.

French dip Everyone knows the word “Champagne,” even if they don’t know that it has a very specific meaning. Sparkling wine cannot be called Champagne if it’s not from the Champagne region of France, which borders Belgium in northeast France. Another French sparkler is “crémant,” whose name remains from a period where it was made less effervescent and therefore had a “creamier” texture on the palate. A few weeks ago, I discovered a gem on the shelves of Jubilation. For $16, the Gérard Bertrand Cremant de Limoux is a Frenchy that’s

no beauty-school dropout. It comes from the far south of France in the Languedoc region. Made from chardonnay and chenin blanc grapes, it has a brighter, livelier flavor than sparkling wine made solely from chardonnay. It’s a great introduction to other French takes on sparkling.

If you head to Quarters on Wyoming, you might also want to try La Dilettante from the Loire Valley, made by Catherine & Pierre Breton out of 100 percent chenin blanc grapes. It’s a citrus explosion.

Head for the cave, Chaka!

Last but by no means least on our bubbly journey is Spain. They call their sparkling wine “cava,” from the word for cave. I found the Mont Paral Reserva Selection Brut for $16 at Jubilation. It has Granny Smith apple flavors and is a refreshing treat on its own. If you want something that tastes more like Champagne, with a fuller body and a little more aroma of something fresh-baked (that’s the magical yeast cultures you are perceiving), try the Vara Silverhead Brut available at Stone Face Tavern’s package store up on Paseo del Norte. My friend Trent recommended it to me, and I had to re-share here. At $12.99, it has more character than you find in some $18 to $25 cava. More widely available throughout the city is the Juvé y Camps, and I would be remiss if I didn’t let you know that it’s a great quality cava at a good price. It too has that early-morning, backof-the-bakery aroma when first poured, and it’s followed up with flavors of minerals, flowers and golden delicious apple.

I hope that I have pointed you in the right direction for 2015. Bubbly makes everything better.

You may have to try a few first, but you will find one that suits you for sure. As always, I encourage you to follow your instincts and drink what you like. I welcome your questions or comments.

Sam Melada is a nurse at UNMH by night (and day) and a wine lover by day (and night). He can be reached at sam@local-iQ.com.

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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Former Burqueño musician and author Jen Sincero’s newest book has a very good chance of changing your life.

Introduction by KEVIN HOPPER — Photography by WES NAMAN ike pretty much everyone else on the planet, Jen Sincero had been searching for years to find her true purpose in life. Her path took a few iterations since heading West to Colorado from “the ’boybs” of New York City. When she was in her twenties, her plan was to “become a world-famous rock star,” Sincero told Local iQ over a recent lunch in Downtown Albuquerque.

“That was the whole plan,” she stated flatly.

When that didn’t work out as expected, she turned to writing, and quickly cranked out a manuscript called Don’t Sleep With Your Drummer that actually got published. She left Albuquerque for Los Angeles, where Drummer got optioned by HBO. How’s this for an L.A. story? The HBO thing “only happened because my neighbor was giving me a haircut, and I had just published Don’t Sleep With Your Drummer,” Sincero said. “Somebody called him while he was giving me a haircut. So he said, ‘I’ve got to get another pair of scissors. Talk to this guy.’ So I talk to the guy, who turned to be a big producer. The next day I was in the development office at HBO. That’s how it happens out there.”

Sincero went on to get a second book published — The Straight Girl’s Guide to Sleeping with Chicks — but ultimately the Land of Enchantment reeled her back in. She recently relocated from L.A. to Santa Fe. “I’m very attracted to Earth, which is why I love New Mexico so much,” Sincero said, adding that “the Earth in L.A. was not my Earth.”

Most of us would assume that after two books, a writer would be on easy street. But Sincero said she began to go a little crazy from picking up freelance work and being rewarded with little or no pay.

“Sitting in a room writing all day by yourself tends to lead to certain levels of unhappiness and loneliness,” she said.

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LOCAL iQ | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

It was at that point that Sincero’s path to “badassness” started to take shape. After attending an entrepreneurial seminar, she began leading the seminars herself. Then she started reading books about how to make money, and she hired a life coach (a fairly new thing at the time). She tripled her income. That’s how Sincero settled on becoming a life coach herself. Turns out, she’s really good at it. This led her to write her latest book, with the coolest title of any self-help book ever written: You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life.

It’s the kind of book that goes viral. The kind that, if it works for you, you want to tell everyone you know, or run out and buy 10 copies for you best friends. In fact, Sincero noted that the book is winding up in university classrooms, and groups are forming to read and discuss the topics the author touches on.

Most likely, this is the result of the book actually working for people. Sincero’s plain-spokenness and direct language is extremely refreshing, particularly in the self-help genre. In fact, her entertaining, vivid prose and engaging, real-life analogies will have you so enthralled, you’ll forget it’s self-help entirely.

“My hope is that it is the kind of book that just keeps selling itself,” Sincero said, “because people like to share that kind of thing if it works for them.”

Sincero’s next challenge? Getting on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

“I’m on a massive campaign. I’m getting on,” she said confidently. “I’m not stopping until I’m on that show.”

The following five steps to achieving “badassery” are excerpts taken from Sincero’s book, published by Running Press and available everywhere. It’s for anyone who needs to take a good look in the mirror and say, You. Are. A. Badass!

TRUST YOUR INTUITION

Birds use their intuition to navigate their way to breeding grounds halfway around the world. Deer and rabbits and other prey-type beasts use their intuition to avoid running into predators. The average human, on the other hand, will take the advice of their drunkbefore-noon neighbor across the street instead of doing what deep down we know is best. How many times have you thought in hindsight, “I knew I should have listened to my gut!”?

You have an incredible inner-guidance tool that you can use whenever you need it. Tell everyone to shut up and go away, get quiet, give yourself room to feel and think. You have all the answers inside of you.

Practice sharpening your intuition, take the time to meditate and strengthen your connection to Source Energy, and trust that you know what’s best for you. The more centered and tuned-in you are, the mightier you will be.

Written by JEN SINCERO Excerpted from YOU ARE A BADASS: HOW TO STOP DOUBTING YOUR GREATNESS AND START LIVING AN AWESOME LIFE Published by Running Press

BE THE ALIEN

Imagine that you’re an alien floating around in outer space and you suddenly swoop down to Earth and inhabit your own body.

As the alien, everything about this life is new to you. You look around — what do you see? What is this person who you’ve inhabited so obviously awesome at? What do they have the most fun doing? What connections do they have? What resources and opportunities are available to them? As the alien, to whom everything is new and exciting and there’s nothing at risk and no past to lug around, what are you going to do with this incredible new life you’ve stepped into? How are you going to use this new body and this existence to create something fabulous and awesome starting right now?

This exercise is hugely helpful for getting a new perspective and stepping outside our boring-ass ruts of tired-old excuses and lame habits. It can also be very useful in making you aware of all the staggering possibilities and resources that you have at your fingertips and take for granted or do not see. Sometimes it’s as simple as looking at things with new eyes to see how astoundingly fortunate we are. Be the alien for 24 hours and see what you come up with.

ACT AS IF

If you want something badly, even if you don’t have any evidence that it’s possible for you to attain, believe it is anyway. Fake it until you make it. Do it in spite of yourself. Act as if. If you have an intense, undying desire to hang poolside with the president of the United States of America, think about the things that a person hanging poolside with the leader of the free world would do. Go pick out the bathing suit you’re going to wear. Think of what you’re going to talk about. Get your photos of your trip to the Grand Canyon together to show the commander in chief. Get ready for the event. Tell yourself it’s happening. Act like it’s happening. Put yourself in situations where you will meet people who can make this happen. Stay wide-open to opportunities that can lead you to your goal. Live, eat, sleep and breathe your vision. You may feel like a crazy person, but you won’t when you’re playing Marco Polo with the prez.

JUST SEE WHAT YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO THINK THE WAY YOU WANT TO THINK

When you hang out with whiners, pessimists, tweakers, bleakers, freaker-outers and life-is-so-unfairers, it’s an uphill climb to keep yourself in a positive headspace. Stay away from people with tiny minds and tiny thoughts, and start hanging out with people who see limitless possibility as the reality. Surround yourself with people who act on their big ideas, who take action on making positive change in the world and who see nothing as out of their reach.

Make a conscious choice to do this. And if you don’t know anyone who’s got a big, fat mind, go out and make some new friends. If you stop at, “There’s no one like that around here,” that will be the truth and will set the wimpy tone for how you go about trying to manifest everything else into your life. How you do one thing is how you do everything. Get out there and find some people who make you feel like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Demand of The Universe to connect you with them, think of places where they might hang out or things they would do, and insert yourself there. Being around inspired, visionary, enthusiastic people who are living their truths is one of the fastest ways to massively transform your life.

Life is r-i-d-i-c-u-l-o-u-s. It so seriously is — we have no freakin’ idea what we’re even doing here spinning around on this globe in the middle of this solar system with who-the-hell-knows-what out there beyond it. Making a big, fat deal out of anything is absurd. It makes much more sense to go after life with a sense of, “Why not?” instead of a furrowed brow. One of the best things I ever did was make my motto “I just wanna see what I can get away with.”

It takes all the pressure off, puts the punk rock attitude in and reminds me that life is but a game.

I guarantee you there are countless people with waaaaaaaay more to whine about out there than you who are totally kicking ass because they decided to go for it instead of sitting around in the wet pant-load of their own excuses. Take a new approach to what you’re doing and try this on: “I just wanna see if I can start my own successful business; I just wanna see if I can get myself out of debt and make $100,000 more this year; I just wanna see if I can lose 100 pounds; I just wanna see if I can sell one of my paintings for 50 grand; I just wanna see if I can meet my soul mate.”

Take the pressure off and get back in on the adventure.

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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Take chill out of hibernation

P

ast Backyard Plot articles have mentioned that I am a voyeur of gardens and addicted to succulents. Now I will also admit that I am obsessed with Pinterest. This social website/app has millions of bulletin boards that visually organize people’s collections of photos, hobbies and personal interests. These boards have “pins” from hundreds of sources, to be shared by anyone who chooses to pin them to their board.

The amount of information that gets pinned keeps me craving more, hence the obsession. Skimming this website begins a virtual exploration into hundreds of blogs, websites and online publications.

With my admission out in the open, it’s time to share some great gardening topics from this source of my newest compulsion.

Although I have 25 or more boards I pin to, my favorites are Gardener’s Helpful Hints, Landscaping Ideas and Succulents. Spending time indoors during these dark, cold days means there’s ample time to discover labor-saving tricks and hard-won secrets. Here are a few of my favorite helpful hints for gardeners, all unearthed online via Pinterest.

Eggshells as organic pest control can fend off flea beetles, Japanese beetles, slugs and snails (getbusygardening. com).

Wash eggshells and let them dry. Grind eggshells finely in a food chopper or a coffee grinder. The coffee grinder produces a smaller powder, which sticks better to the insects.

Sprinkle the ground shells onto the insects or on the area of the plant that has the most damage. The powder can be spread on the soil around the base of the plant for snail and slug protection.

It is always more beneficial to spread directly on the insects when possible.

Store the excess powder in an airtight container.

Next up: natural weed control that actually works (thegardeningcook.com)!

Try combining horticultural or organic vinegar with dishwashing detergent as a safe alternative to chemically enhanced weed killers. Use 20 percent acidic vinegar

for effective and fast results.

Spray weeds on a calm, sunny day for better control. Be sure to spray the solution on weeds only; the high acidity in the vinegar can kill garden plants as well. Because this solution lowers the pH level in the soil, it is suggested to water the soil well before planting where the solution was sprayed.

Guidelines for treating plants for pests and diseases come from Fine Gardening (finegardening.com), a consistent and reputable source of gardening information frequently shared on Pinterest. Sharon Lovejoy, a writer for Fine Gardening, suggests the following tips.

• Test homemade sprays on a small portion of the plant before applying it to the whole plant.

• Add a few drops of liquid soap to homemade foliar (leaf) sprays. It helps to emulsify the ingredients and acts as a wetting agent, which will ensure uniform coverage on leaf surfaces or insect bodies.

• Apply sprays early in the morning and never when the temperature is above 85 degrees to prevent sunburned leaves.

• Wear rubber gloves when using any sprays containing peppers, alcohol, citrus concentrates, mint oils or anything else that could irritate your skin. Under breezy conditions, wear eye and nose protection. Keeping rabbits away can be a frustrating situation for gardeners. These diversions may be helpful, although nothing is 100-percent rabbit-proof.

• Shake baby powder or flour on

newly planted seedlings. Garlic powder applied to mature plants will make the menu less appetizing to rabbits.

• Planting garlic and wormwood around herbaceous plants will offend a rabbit’s sense of smell.

• Encircle plants with small branches of spiny holly leaves or the large dried prickly seed pod of the sweet gum tree. Evergreen holly is available yearround and the sweet gum pods can be purchased online.

The evidence is clear that I could lose myself this winter by spending too much time searching and pinning on Pinterest. It can seem overwhelming with the number of places to go and things to see. My advice is to have fun and enjoy what is at your fingertips, but be cautious: It’s addictive!

Tish Resnik is the owner of Great Outdoors Nursery. She is a native New Mexican who enjoys the beauty of the garden and is happy to share garden lore with others.

MORE ARTS MUSIC FOOD FILM COLUMNS RECIPES TIPS ADVICE EVENTS + CULTURE LOCAL-iQ.COM LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

15

MUSIC

Critic’s choice awards

L I V E MUS I C

SUBMIT

The year’s best sounds emanating from the Local iQ music desk

TO LOCAL iQ

The next deadline is Jan. 7 for the Jan. 15 issue. calendar@local-iQ.com

f: 888.520.9711 a: PO Box 7490, 87194 PLEASE USE THIS FORMAT:

Venue Band GENRE TIME, COST

T

10. FKA Twigs LP1 British artist Tahliah Barnett, aka FKA Twigs, made serious waves in 2014 with her debut full-length release, sultry and bizarre videos, and mind-numbing talk-showcircuit performances. LP1 takes Björk’s turn-of-the-millennium abstractions and transforms them into a slightly more accessible idea.

9. Damien Jurado Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son The Seattle stalwart has been at it since the mid-1990s, slowly building steam in the music industry with his self-produced, lo-fi brand of singer-songwriter tunes. On Brothers and Sisters, his goal is seemingly to expand the listener’s mind and soul with a much more psychedelic approach, while still keeping true to his gloomy, rainy self.

8. Rodrigo Amarante Cavalo Most music enthusiasts will easily recognize Brazilian music with its danceable, distinctive rhythms and smooth, jazz-influenced undertones. Brazilian-born Rodrigo Amarante has travelled the world cultivating his own sound. The Brazilian influences are subtle, the songwriting tight, and the overall vibe dark and emotional.

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Al DeMarco Trio 7:30p, FREE

SAT

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SEND CALENDAR ITEMS TO:

BY RONNIE REYNOLDS

his has proven to be a prolific year for music.

Deciding on a top 10 any year is a daunting task, and 2014 especially so.

The further we get from the turn of the 21st century, the more difficult it can be to categorize music. Artists are reaching deeper to include sounds from varying influences, genres and eras.

Across the board these top 10 artists have found a way to push boundaries and to stay fresh and innovative. That’s the mark of true musicianship and artistry.

Vernon’s Black Diamond Lounge

List events any time for free at local-iQ.com *All events subject to change. Check with individual venues before heading out ** CALENDAR LISTINGS ARE A FREE SERVICE AND MAY BE CUT DUE TO SPACE. PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO FREE EVENTS.

Adobe Bar, Taos

The 14ers 6:30-9:30p, FREE

ABQ Square Dance Club Los Radiators 7-10p, $10-$15

Bien Shur Lounge Sandia Casino

Kari Simmons Group 9p-1a, FREE

Burt’s Tiki Lounge

Nether Friends, Chipper Jones 9p, FREE

Corrales Bistro Brewery Claudia Burmister Fundraiser 6p, FREE

Cowgirl, Santa Fe Bill Hearne COUNTRY 2-5p Sean Healan Band 8:30p, FREE

Dirty Bourbon

FRI

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Adobe Bar, Taos

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: FKA Twigs, Young Fathers, Rodrigo Amarante, Thom Yorke's Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, and iQ critic pick for number one release of 2014, You're Dead! by Flying Lotus

7. Papercuts Life Among the Savages San Francisco musician/producer/ composer Jason Quever’s project, Papercuts, is a one-man melancholic, psychedelic, pop creative outlet for one of today’s most prolific and talented artists.

Life Among the Savages floats on a cloud of San Francisco haze.

It’s as much Ocean Beach as it is Lower Haight, with the city’s history swimming throughout.

6. Caribou Our Love Dan Snaith is chameleonic. For Caribou, one of Snaith’s many projects, he takes on the role of electro-pop-psych-dance composer. The sound on Our Love is generated more from traditional rock instruments like drums, bass and guitars rather than simply relying on DJ equipment and synthesizers. Subsequently, the tracks take on a more pop song structure interlaced with Snaith’s signature samples and cold, dark lyrics.

5. Thom Yorke Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes Few artists in music today are as prolific as Radiohead’s front man. Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes is Yorke’s take on millennial dystopia. It’s sparse, slow and depressing, tempered by the artist’s unusual click beats and understated wailing. Yorke continues to reject corporategiant record labels, and released Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes via

BitTorrent for $6. It’s a bit of an experiment, as BitTorrent eliminates any middlemen and gives the artist all of the proceeds.

Bien Shur Lounge, Sandia Casino

Imbibe

Ryan Shea 10p, FREE

Blackbird Buvette

Low Life w/ DJ Caterwaul 6p, FREE

Howlin’ Holiday Jam 2014 FUNK JAZZ ROCK 7-11p, $13-$19

Burt’s Tiki Lounge

Launchpad

Music Is the Enemy, Beard 9p, FREE

Reviva, Concepto Tambor, Mondo Vibrations 9p, $8

Casa Esencia

Marble Brewery, Westside

1. Flying Lotus

Dead

You’re Dead!

Sanctuary 9p, $10

The Scots are known for their inventiveness, spurred throughout their history by gloomy weather, wry intelligence and a thirst for new ideas. It’s no surprise, then, that Young Fathers has proven so adept at incorporating African tribal music with 21st-century urban thought and struggle. Rap and hip hop do not suffice in describing the sound. Dead is pounding, intense and catchy.

These Scots have people’s attention: The group took home the prestigious Barclaycard Mercury Prize for 2014.

LA artist Steven Ellison began You’re Dead as a jazz project — and there are plenty of jazz elements, but it’s not a jazz album. Collaborating with rappers Snoop Dog and Kendrick Lamar would seemingly make it a hip-hop album, but it’s not that, either. With all of the electronic elements, you might think it’s a dance album — it’s not. What Ellison has created is not genre specific. You’re Dead! challenges the listener to approach music in a different way, and that is what sets it apart from all other releases in 2014. It is a complete piece. It is an homage to the past and lives lost, including Ellison’s great aunt, Alice Coltrane. Above all, You’re Dead! is not commercial, it is not ordinary, and it is not music that you have heard before.

Odd Dog 7-10p, FREE

Revelation Anton Newcombe is a musical savant. His songs are so pure and steeped in history that he makes

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

Fat City 9p-1a, FREE

Kari Simmons Group 9p-1a, FREE

3. Young Fathers

2. Brian Jonestown Massacre

Flamenco Dinner 6:30p, $25 Tiho ROCK 9p, $5

First Turn Lounge, The Downs Casino

Liz Harris’ songs are deeply inspired by her Oregon roots. On her previous nine releases, Harris used a variety of devices including guitars, sampled noises, distortion and delay pedals to record her soft-voiced version of ambient music. Ruins is a new approach for the artist. Sitting down at a piano, her tracks are haunting in their simplistic beauty.

Ruins

El Farol, Santa Fe

Kodama Trio JAZZ 6:30-9:30p, FREE

it seem easy — and effortless songwriting is an innate talent that is shared by only a select few. Since being portrayed rather negatively in the documentary Dig! Newcombe has moved from San Francisco to Berlin, built a new studio and found renewed focus in his music. Revelation is a one-hour psychedelic music lesson from an artist who has mastered his craft. Subtle drum tracks, driving bass lines, swirling guitars, and Newcombe’s beautifully sad and intelligent songwriting make Revelation a recording that will certainly stand the test of the next several decades.

4. Grouper

Bob Farrell 9p, $5

DJ 9p-1:30a, $10-$20

KiMo Theatre

Corrales Bistro Brewery

Next 2 The Tracks Duo 6-9p, FREE

County Line

Marcello’s Chophouse

Ancient Bones 6p, FREE Los Radiators Duo ACOUSTIC FOLK ROCK

6-9p, FREE

Tony Rodriguez Duo LOUNGE 6:30-9:30p, FREE

Mineshaft Tavern, Madrid

Brent Berry AFROAMERICANA 5-7:30p D.K. & the Affordables 8:30p, FREE

The Dandelion Liberation Front BLUEGRASS 3p Shriner’s Club JAZZ 7p, FREE

Dirty Bourbon Bob Farrell 9p, $5 El Farol, Santa Fe

Rock Bottom 1:30-5p Steve Maase Project 6-10p, FREE

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

The Gruve 9p, $5

Embers Steakhouse, Isleta Casino Desert Soul 6p, FREE

First Turn Lounge, The Downs Casino

Fat City 9p-1a, FREE

Imbibe

DJ 10p, FREE

Launchpad

Lazy Lizard, Sandia Park Low Spirits

Eric McFadden 9p, $10

Marble Brewery Westside

Leftover Soul DJ Leftovers RARE GROOVE 6-9p, FREE

Marcello’s Chophouse

Karl Richardson Duo LOUNGE 6:30-9:30p, FREE

Mineshaft Tavern, Madrid Danny the Harp 5p Connie Long & Fast Patsy 7p, FREE

Molly’s Bar, Tijeras

Cowboy Scott 1:30-5p Memphis P-tails 6-10p, FREE

Monte Vista Fire Station Chris Dracup SOLO ACOUSTIC 7p, FREE

Molly’s Bar, Tijeras

Monte Vista Fire Station Chris Dracup 7p, FREE

Q Bar

DJ TOP 40 9p-1:30a, $10

Scalo Il Bar Alex Maryol Trio ACOUSTIC BLUES 8:30p, FREE

Tlur Pa Lounge, Sandia Casino

Groove City 9:30p-1:30a, FREE

Vernon’s Black Diamond Lounge

Amy Faithe 7:30p, FREE

Zinc Cellar Bar

Raven Rutherford & Her Sweet Potato Pie Band BLUES 9:30p, FREE

SUN

28

Adobe Bar, Taos

Audrey Davis & John Archuleta NM RANCHERAS 6:30-9:30p, FREE

Blackbird Buvette

Sexy Sunday w/ Wae Fonky 7p, FREE

Canteen Brewhouse

Keith Sanchez 3-6p, FREE

Corrales Bistro Brewery The Clik 6p, FREE

Q Bar

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Tlur Pa Lounge, Sandia Casino

El Farol, Santa Fe

Old School Fri. DJ Mike T, Big Phill 9p-1:30a, FREE

Groove City 9:30p-1:30a, FREE

Broomdust Gospel Quartet 12-3p Daniel Murphy FOLK ROCK 8p, FREE Flamenco Dinner 6:30p, $25 Nacha Mendez 7-10p, FREE

MUSIC

LIV E MUSIC

THU

8

REVIEWS

By Bill Nevins

Burt’s Tiki Lounge Canteen Brewhouse

Keith Sanchez 3-6p, FREE

The Kosmos

Chatter Sunday: Christmas Concerto 10:30a, $5-$15

Launchpad

Albuquerque Takeover 5p, TBD

WED

The Universal: DJ Baño NEW WAVE SOUL 9p, FREE

31

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Black 47

Bryan Hayes 4:30-6:30p Rudy Boy Experiment BLUESROCK 6:30-9:30p, FREE

Embers Steakhouse, Isleta Casino

Black 47 Records

ABQ Journal Theatre

Snuff Legacy 6p, $10

The Bus Tapes 8p, FREE

Adobe Bar Taos

Last Call 6p, FREE

The Jam Spot

Opera Southwest: New Year’s with the Opera 7:30p, $42-$62

Launchpad

Monte Vista Fire Station

Bien Shur Lounge, Sandia Casino

Q Bar

O’Niell’s Heights

Burt’s Tiki Lounge

Zoltan Orkestar SWING JAZZ 9:30p,FREE

Mineshaft Tavern, Madrid Trey Corkern ACOUSTIC 3p, FREE

Katie P & the Business 7p, FREE Losd Radiators ACOUSTIC FOLK BLUES 4-7p, FREE

O’Niell’s Nob Hill

Watermelon Jug Band 4-7p, FREE

St. Francis Auditorium, Santa Fe Santa Fe Pro Musica

MUSIC FOR ROYAL FIREWORKS 3p, $20-$65

Vernon’s Black Diamond Lounge Bob Tate PIANIST 6p, FREE

MON

29

Adobe Bar, Taos

Kate & Billy’s Medicine Show OLD TYMEY OPEN MIC 6:30-9:30p, FREE

Blackbird Buvette

Whiskey Business Karaoke 9p, FREE

Cowgirl,Santa Fe

Cowgirl Karaoke w/ Michele Leidig 9p, FREE

El Farol, Santa Fe

Robert Mirabel 6:30p, $25 Hillary Smith 8p, FREE

Marcello’s Chophouse Open Piano Night 6:309:30p, FREE

St. Francis Auditorium, Santa Fe Santa Fe Pro Musica

MUSIC FOR ROYAL FIREWORKS 6p, $20-$65

Vernon’s Black Diamond Lounge

Bob Tate PIANIST 6p, FREE

TUE

30

Adobe Bar, Taos

The Universal DJ Baño ROCK SOUL INDIE 9p, FREE

Cooperage Son Como Son SALSA 9:30p, $10-$15

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Broomdust Caravan 8:30p, FREE

Flamenco Dinner 6:30p, $25 Tone & Co. 9p, $25

Hotel Cascada

Waterpark Event DJ 7p, $20 Altitude LIVE MUSIC 7p, FREE

Hyatt Regency

Bittersweet Highway PROG FOLK 8p,FREE

El Farol, Santa Fe

Robert Mirabel 6:30p, $25 Canyon Road BLUES 8:30p, FREE

Imbibe

DJ Automatic & Drummer Camilio Quiñones 9p, FREE

Launchpad

Loathe, Stoic, Annihilate 9:30p, $5

Mineshaft Tavern, Madrid Timbo JAM SESSION 7p, FREE

Molly’s Bar, Tijeras

Steve Kinabrew 6-10p, FREE

St. Clair Winery

No Exit 6-9p,FREE

Vernon’s Black Diamond Lounge

Bob Tate PIANIST 6p, FREE

Zinc Cellar Bar

Eryn Bent 8p, FREE

Brushfire 9:30p, FREE

Milo & Co. 6p, FREE

Zinc Cellar Bar

The Jam Spot

Blu Sol 10p, TBD

Launchpad

Casa Esencia

Canteen Brewhouse

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Wildewood INDIE AMERICANA 3-6p, FREE

2

DJ 9p-1:30a, $10-$20

Legends Theater, Rt. 66 Casino

Brent Berry AFROAMERICANA 5-7:30p Hello Dollface 8p, FREE

Rat Pack Revue TRIBUTE 8p, $9

Embers Steakhouse, Isleta Casino

New Year’s Eve w/Karl Richardson LOUNGE 6:30-9:30p, FREE

Mineshaft Tavern, Madrid Connie Long, Paige Barton, Anthony Leon 9p-1a, FREE Badfish 6-10p, FREE The DCN Project 9p, FREE

Sheraton ABQ Uptown Swag 7p-12:30a, $70 Sister Bar

New Year’s Eve: Gusher, James Whiton 9p-1:30a, $5

The Stage Santa Ana Casino

Rouge New Year’s Ball DJ Automatic 9p, $35-$100

Tlur Pa Lounge, Sandia Casino Groove City 9:30p-1:30a, $20 Vernon’s Black Diamond Lounge

Bob Tate PIANIST 6p, FREE

Zinc Cellar Bar

The Lost Mesa Swing Kings BLUES SWING 6:30, 9p, TBD

THU

1

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Bryan Hayes 8p, FREE

Launchpad

Doperunner, Econarchy, Laughing Dog 9p, $5

Molly’s Bar, Tijeras

The Keys 4p-Close, FREE

Q Bar

Latin Gold: DJ Quico 9p1:30a, TBD

Duane Smith Auditorium, Santa Fe Embers Steakhouse, Isleta Casino

The Deltaz AMERICANA 8-11p, FREE

SUN

Marcello’s Chophouse

DJ 9p-1:30a, $10-$20

Triple Sevens Saloon Isleta Casino

Youngsville, Dukecity Riots 9p, FREE

Ryan McGarvey 8p, $15

Casa Esencia

Zinc Cellar Bar

Carlos The Tall 8p, FREE

Le Chat Lunatique 8:30-11:30p, FREE

Burt’s Tiki Lounge

Low Spirits

THMPR, Somebody Famous 9p

Scalo Il Bar

Isleta Resort & Casino The Showroom

New Year’s Eve Family Concert 2, 5p, $10-$25

Burt’s Tiki Lounge

Tractor Brewing Wells Park

FRI

Lensic PAC

9

The John Kurzweg Band 8:30p, FREE

New Year’s Ball DJ Hump, Soul Divine, Nosotros 7:30p, $10-$34

Countdown! Don’t Blink Burlesque, Matt Finish, Scarlotta 9p, $15

FRI

Cowgirl, Santa fe

El Farol, Santa Fe

Pueblo Harvest Café

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

SoCal punk heavyweight Pennywise is touring in support of its latest recording, Yesterdays.

The band will perform at Sunshine Theater on Tue., Jan. 6 at 7:30p with supporting acts Anti-Flag and A Wilhelm Scream. Tickets are $20, available at holdmyticket.com.

Nathan Dean 9p, $5

Brickyard Pizza

The Tumbleweeds INDIE AMERICANA 3-6p, FREE

Zinc Cellar Bar

Dirty Bourbon

Molly’s Bar, Tijeras

Canteen Brewhouse

Latin Gold: DJ Quico 9p1:30a, TBD

Kari Simmons Group 9p-1a, FREE

Bryan Hayes 6:30-9:30p, FREE Open Mic Night w/ Chris Dracup 8p, FREE

Crttrz, The Howl, Soccer Babes 9:30p, $5

Desert Soul 6p, FREE

Launchpad

Hello Dollface INDIE SOUL 9:30p, FREE

4

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Boris & the Salt Licks 123p Gary Gorence 8p, FREE The Kosmos

Chatter Sunday: Mozart & Scelsi 10:30a, $5-$15

5

Pilot to Bombardier, Starsky, Award Tour 9:30p, $5

MON

Lemoni Lounge

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Le Chat Lunatique 7:30-11:30p,FREE

Los Cuates, Sandia Park

Cowgirl Karaoke w/ Michele Leidig 9p, FREE

6

Los Radiators ACOUSTIC FOLK ROCK 6-9p, FREE

TUE

Marble Brewery Westside

Brickyard Pizza

Monte Vista Fire Station

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Joanie & Darin 6-9p, FREE

Alex Maryol SOLO ACOUSTIC 7p, FREE

Q Bar

Vanilla Pop 9p-1:30a, FREE

Triple Sevens Saloon Isleta Casino Brushfire 9:30p, FREE

SAT

3

Cowgirl, Santa Fe Bill Hearne Trio COUNTRY

8:30p, FREE Draft Station Swag ACOUSTIC SOUL JAZZ 7-10p, FREE

Isleta Casino Resort & Casino The Showroom Justin ShandoR ELVIS TRIBUTE 7p, $10-$20

Launchpad

Beard, Black Maria, Tenderizor 9:30p, $5

Low Spirits

Sam Miller, Marty Crandall, AJ Woods 9:30p, $5

Marble Brewery Westside

Matt Jones 6-9p, FREE

Monte Vista Fire Station Raven & Her SPP Band 7p, FREE

Q Bar

DJ Top 40 9p-1:30a, $10

Open Mic Night w/ Chris Dracup 8p, FREE Eryn Bent 8p, FREE

Ned’s Bar & Grill Picosso 6p, FREE

Sunshine Theater

Pennywise, Anti-Flag, A Wilhelm Scream 7:30p, $20

LACA: Red Priest 7p, $30

Snuff Legacy Tour 6:30p, $10

Launchpad

Diabolic, Swave Sevah, Ill Methods 9p, $5

Marble Brewery Westside

Temporary Tattoos 6-9p, FREE

Q Bar

Old School House Party DJ Mike T,Big Phill 9p1:30a,FREE

Triple Sevens Saloon Brahma 9:30p, FREE

SAT

10

Burt’s Tiki Lounge

Cowboys & Indian 9p, FREE

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Chris Chickering 2-5p Drastic Andrew 8p, FREE

Launchpad

Chicks That Rock! MLC, Red Light Cameras, Hounds Low 9:24p, TBD

Last Call & Rise Up

T

hese two 2014 albums by Black 47 consist of the band’s final studio release, Last Call, and Rise Up, a selection of the hard-edged political songs that have defined this raucous Irish-themed ensemble for its two and a half decades of existence.

Together, these recordings are a most fitting closing bow and, in a way, an encore. Fans know that — despite leader/songwriter/ playwright Larry Kirwan’s declaration that the band’s Nov. 15 extravaganza at the B.B. King Blues Club on Times Square was its last ever collective show — the boys will be back in one formation or another.

This Local iQ reporter attended that Last Call performance and can report it was Black 47’s most spirited show. The ensemble was augmented by co-founder Chris Byrne (proprietor of Rocky Sullivan’s Pub in Red Hook, Brooklyn, which boasts the best pint of Guinness in New York) and other performers who have lit up Black 47 albums and shows. There was even a surprise guest rapping spot by Kirwan’s son, Rory — “a chip off the old block,” his proud dad declared while blasting away on his trademark Stratocaster.

The craic was mighty, as they say, and there wasn’t a dry eye — nor a dry throat — in the house. (Nor at the after-parties, which were rumored to have lasted well into the following week!)

If you love Black 47, you will treasure these two albums.

Last Call includes some of Larry

Low Spirits

Women of the World Poetry Slam: Le Chat Lunatique, DJ Buddhafunk 8p, $10

MON

12

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Q Bar

Zinc Cellar Bar

DJ TOP 40 9p-1:30a, $10

Cowgirl Karaoke w/ Michele Leidig 9p, FREE

Amy Faithe JAZZ/SOUL 8p, FREE

Sister Bar

TUE

Triple Sevens Saloon Isleta Casino

Brickyard Pizza

WED

7

Cowboys & indian,Ex Knife City 8p-12a, $5

13

Open Mic Night w/ Chris Dracup 8p, FREE

Burt’s Tiki Lounge

Brahma 9:30p, FREE

Zinc Cellar Bar

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Jackie Zamora Band BRAZIL JAZZ 9:30p, FREE

Zinc Cellar Bar

Modern Explorations 9p, FREE Daniel Lindsey 8p, FREE

Embers Steakhouse, Isleta Casino

Acoustic Essence 6p, FREE

First United Methodist Church

Bach’s Lunch Concert 12:05p, FREE

Marble Brewery Westside

Gabriel 6-9p, FREE

Sister Bar

Hanta 9p-1:30a, $5

Tractor Brewing Nob Hill Solos On The Hill w/ Carlos The Tall 8:3010:30p, FREE

SUN

11

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

Boris & the Salt Licks 12-3p Don Curry & Pete Springer 8p, FREE

Disney Center for the Performing Arts

The Seasons: NM Philharmonic 2-4p, $24-$68

First Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe

Serenata of Santa Fe Zephyrs WOODWINDS 3p, $1-$10

Kirwan’s finest writing yet — he saved the best for last — including tales of Irish slaves in the Caribbean, rebel unionists, soldiers, lovers, proud women and unrepentant poets. And more. Rise Up will have you on your feet, fist in the sky, ready for the next revolution — be it political, spiritual, economic or a combination of all three. The Brendan Behan tribute song is lovely and revealing, and worth the price of this album all by itself.

Black 47 is named for the horrid starvation of 1847 that drove so many Irish survivors to America and other lands. As such, this band has always stood defiantly for human rights and in defense of immigrants and all oppressed peoples. The group’s bold attack on the disastrous American war policies in its album Iraq was both courageous and prophetic.

Audiences caught up with Black 47’s attitude, but it wasn’t always that way. Kirwan had the guts to let our troops speak angrily and sadly through his songs long before most of us woke up to what was happening overseas.

Of course, we still need Black 47. As in Kirwan’s lyrics about martyred Irish rebel chief Michael Collins, “Where the hell are they now when we need them the most?” Ah, they are still here, in these albums, in our memories.

And, truth be told, I would bet you a case of Jamesons the boys of Black 47 will back on our stages again — under whatever nom de guerre — not in the far future.

In the meantime, get these albums and enjoy. Slainte!

Art & Lisa 8p, FREE Brandon Hagen 8p, FREE

WED

14

Burt’sTiki Lounge

Grayson Erhard 9p, FREE

Cowgirl, Santa Fe

The Railyard Reunion Bluegrass Band 8p, FREE

Embers Steakhouse, Isleta Casino Eryn Bent 6p, FREE

Launchpad

Aesop Rock w/DJ Rob Sonic, Homeboy, Sandman 8p, $18

Tractor Brewing Nob Hill

Solos On The Hill Cali Shaw 8:30-10:30p, FREE

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

17

smart MUSIC S

Find more music previews, CD reviews, performance previews and videos at Local-iQ.com/MUSIC

teer your browser over to pilottobombardier.com, and crawl inside a tender, turnof-the-millennium time capsule still adrift in cyberspace. Amid the scanned-in tour photos and show posters, embedded MP3 players and animated-GIF nautical stars, there is an innocuous little bulletin stamped April 8, 2004. It reads, “Other news in pilot land: Miguel is going to go to grad school in Chapel Hill, Travis is going to be a dad and I am playing with the Oktober People.” And that was the end of that. Pilot to Bombardier was done.

Pilot to Bombardier The space-rock trio consisting of Miguel Villarreal, Travis Reunion Show Williams and Sean McCullough had been a favorite WITH STARSKY AND AWARD TOUR local opener for circa-2000 headliners like Mates of 9:30p, Fri., Jan. 2 State and the Appleseed Cast. Song structure and guitar Launchpad sound were paramount to this band, yielding the sorts 618 Central SW, 505.764.8887 of musical groundswells found in the best ’90s-era emo. $5, 21+ (Not screamo, mind you. Emo.) Pilot to Bombardier’s launchpadrocks.com dynamic was the product of musicians studiously paying holdmyticket.com attention to their instruments, and to each other. It’s not an easy thing to throw together — much less 10 years after the fact. But that’s exactly what P2B will do when it reunites on Jan. 2. “The songs are, at least for me, slowly coming back,” McCullough recently told Local iQ. McCullough, Williams and sometimes-P2B bassist Rhian Batson are diligently rehearsing. … And where’s Villarreal, you ask? Still in Texas. “The plan is that Miguel gets into town the day of the show, we practice for a bit and then go rock out,” McCullough says.

Also reconvening is Starsky (super-powered by Joe Anderson, Jason Ward and Chris Partain).

Award Tour is a new act from old hands (Jose Weber, Marty Crandall, Dave Jordan and Tyrone Begay) that would have fit right in 15 years ago. The stars are aligning. Climb aboard the time capsule. —Laura Marrich

18

G

rammy-nominated songwriter John Fullbright’s John Fullbright sophomore LP is titled Songs. It is about as simple of an 7p, Sun., Dec. 28 approach to music as it gets, and one that would likely Skylight put a wry smile on one of his songwriting heroes: Townes Van 139 West San Francisco, Santa Fe, 505.982.0775 Zandt. The spirit of Van Zandt (a Texan) is eerily evoked on a $15, ALL AGES song from the acclaimed new record by Fullbright (an Okie), holdmyticket.com with the immensely simple title “Write a Song,” and equally johnfullbrightmusic.com simple lyrics — “Write a song about the very song you sing/ Pen a line about a line within a line/Write a song about a song.” The song’s languid nature leaves room for silent moments that keep the listener hanging on and tense with expectation. And therein lies the magic.

Fullbright, who still lives in tiny Bearden, Okla., (pop.

140) received a Grammy nomination and was a featured performer at the 2013 Grammy ceremonies.

All this after the release of his debut studio recording, From the Ground Up. His music was immediately lauded by critics and Fullbright was called one of the year’s best new artists. But for a songwriter with such a straightforward outlook, accolades and awards don’t cut to the bone.

“It’s about writing a song that somebody else is going to connect with,” Fullbright says. “And really, that’s what keeps you alive.”

Wanna give a late Christmas gift to yourself? Then go see Fullbright’s Dec. 28 Santa Fe performance (or his Taos gig one day prior), and bask in the earnest simplicity of what may end up being your new favorite songwriter. —Kevin Hopper

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

FILM/BOOKS FILM

BO O K REVIEWS

T Say “hello” to ‘LOW/FI’

A

few months ago I got the chance to shadow Alejandro Montoya Marin’s team during the 48 Hour Film Project, and to report on the highs and lows of making a movie in less time than it takes for the human body to digest food (approximately 50 hours, from feast to goo).

The result of their efforts was a wonderfully charismatic short film called The Joneses.

It’s a must see. When I was shadowing the production, I was impressed by how quickly and cohesively their team was able to manifest a movie out of thin air. The Joneses is not just a weekend project; it’s a clever and funny film, with amazing energy from start to finish. Now that the 48 Hour Film Fest has come and gone, the buzz for The Joneses continues. The movie has been traveling the country, touring several film festivals.

Montoya Marin plans on turning The Joneses into a feature-length picture that will begin filming in the summer of 2015.

I wanted to check in with Montoya Marin just to see what he and his team have been up to lately. (If you want to hear the unedited ramblings of our interview, visit DirectorsCutRadio.com.) His latest project is LOW/FI, a short film starring the alwaystalented and absolutely hilarious Kristen Rakes. Rakes plays Lea, a pop-culture junkie who abandons music and film after realizing her expectations in relationships have been misled by the very pop culture she worships. Lea decides to take an artless look at the world, in hopes of finding love that can transcend clichés. Montoya Martin’s premise echoes my favorite line from one of my all-time top-five favorite movies, High Fidelity: “Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?”

Beyond Rakes and a small role played by Montoya Marin, LOW/FI is chock full of great local talent such as Jocelyn Montoya, Jodi Lynn Thomas, Alex Knight, Matt Page and Rebekah Wiggins. Montoya Marin absolutely loves his team, and wanted to make sure that I included his special thanks to his cast and crew here. “It is a pleasure to work with some of the most talented actors in the state,” he told me. He specifically mentioned his “partner in crime” Ariel Rakes, “who keeps me leveled, calm and who is always there doing some of the best cinematography I have ever seen.” And he expressed deep gratitude to the LOW/FI crew for their hard work, patience and determination, and for “believing in the project.” (Oh, and a quick shout out of Rosa V. Montoya, Alejandro’s mom. I promised him that I’d get her name into this article.)

LOW/FI will hold its world premiere at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on Sat., Jan. 10, at 8:15p. Tickets are just $1. Visit facebook.com/lowfishortfilm for more on the film.

aken together, these two beautifully chosen and packaged anthologies serve as perhaps the best newEdited by Billy Brown year introduction to our Mercury Heartlink, fantabulous New Mexico 382 pp. poetry scene that you $15 will find.

ISBN-13: 978-1940769257 Fixed and Free is the second collection of work by the grand collection of poets who gather each month to Edited by Gary L. Brower read their poems and and Dale Harris enjoy one another's malpaisreview.com, bravery and good 274 pp. company in the Fixed and Free Albuquerque $12 open mics. The poems ISBN-13: 978-1503397996 here are tasty and just spicy enough, ranging from the surreal wit of Rich Boucher to the keen, observant wise eyes of Theresa Gallion, with many another fine voices also in these pages.

Malpais Review, published in Placitas, also brings us some of the best of New Mexico's poetic voices, but also ranges afield into the worlds of literary review and criticism, and takes a worldwide view of poetry and sometimes prose. Each issue is a keeper, and this is one of the best yet.

Pick these volumes up, and give them as gifts.

You and your friends and loved ones will all be glad you did.

By Bill Nevins

Fixed and Free: Poetry Anthology 2015

Malpais Review (Autumn 2014)

M

anuel Gonzalez personifies the best of Burque culture.

By Manuel Gonzalez Gonzales is a streetSwimming with Elephants poet, who performs Publications, 80 pp. on sidewalks and in $10.95 cafés with flute and ISBN-13: 978-0692281512 drum accompaniments provided by himself. He is a nationally known slam poet, film personality and now a beloved educator. He is also a loving dad and spouse. His poems are honed to a sharp but always smile-inducing edge.

This book is a collection of dramatic monologues and lyrics, most of which in some way celebrate this city Gonzalez so loves. Aztec dancers, B-boys and B-girls and the pious sanctuary monks who pray for them, all join in

...but my friends call me Burque

the whirl of his poetry, along with wandering souls and the makers of fresh tortillas. Atrisco traffic light corners and Downtown night-scenes alternate with Sandia Mountains sunset glories.

And through it all glows the warm soul of a poet who loves and enjoys every morsel of life, holding the best-tasting bits up for us to share and enjoy anew.

When the books open up again for Poet Laureate, Manuel Gonzalez’s name should be there. It is there in all our hearts already. This is a treasure of a volume of poesia.

T

Carla’s Rivet

his first novel by Albuquerque film

By Nicole A. Gramlich and stage actress Secluded Fairy Publishing, Nicole Gramlich offers 238 pp. readers an intriguing take on our city's current $11.99 linked crisis of police ISBN-13: 978-0692220764 killings, homelessness and mental illness, with an aside look at the plight of abandoned pets. The novel's heroine, Carla Flores, is an APD officer who is battered by the dual traumas of having mistakenly shot and killed an innocent disabled citizen and having witnessed the murder of her cop partner by thugs. Disgraced, deranged and in untreated shock, poor Carla plunges into severe mental illness, poverty and homelessness, wandering the streets of Barelas and Downtown Albuquerque.

Carla's only real friend in her hallucinatory, desperate wanderings is an abandoned dog whom she names Rivet, and who takes on many characteristics of a guardian angel, at least in Carla's confused and anguished mind.

Readers view the story alternatively from Carla's and Rivet's perspectives, interspersed with

relevant excerpts from articles on homelessness and mental illness.

Clearly a fantasy, this novel somehow has the heft of a realistic tale, and it is the mark of Gramlich's skill that we want to believe her story, and even believe in Carla's hallucinatory perception of Rivet as a benevolent angel.

Lord knows, the homeless in the streets of Albuquerque need guardian angels these days.

This is a novel with plenty of grit. The streets of Albuquerque, especially the back alleys at night, are a grim place, and clearly Gramlich has done her research well. You'll have to read this book to find out what happens to both Carla and Rivet — there are plenty of surprises.

R

Reaching for Air

anging from detailed, realistic

By Gayle Lauradunn evocations of her Mercury Heartlink, Kentucky and Texas 116 pp. childhood, to poems that touch on her $18 anti-war activism, to ISBN-13: 978-1940769172 visions of her life here in New Mexico for the past two decades, these lyric poems touch the mind and the heart. I especially like the Christmastime memoir titled "Doll," wherein each year the girl takes down and replaces a beloved doll, then treads her way to sit on rock piles/Sheltering sleeping snakes in the mid-day sun." A Southwest holiday evoked in spare but accurate words.

Dan Gutierrez is executive producer of Good Day New Mexico at KOB-TV 4.

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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ARTS

During 2014, arts columnist Shavone Otero had her keen eye focused on the work of numerous emerging artists in the state, including Jacque Fragua (left), Felica Gabaldon ("Crossroads" is the title of the above piece) and Jodie Herrera's striking images (below). Though Otero's column is on hold while she attends graduate studies in Austin, Texas, she remains a steadfast supporter of local art. "The great souls that are the essence of the true Burque art scene," Otero writes, "are distinct threads intertwined in the social fabric of what makes this city great."

Local art on fire Former ‘Nine Muses’ columnist reflects on the diversity of Burque art, circa 2014

BY SHAVONE OTERO

Y

ou know, people talk about the fine art scenes of the Bay Area or NYC or our beloved Santa Fe — and while I agree that each place has its own unique flair, I gotta say, Burque is downright funky, fantastic legit, right? Why? Because you have to really melt into the scene, look twice and spark up genuine conversations to know where it glows.

The great souls that are the essence of the true Burque art scene are distinct threads intertwined in the social fabric of what makes this city great. Look once, you see a passionate teacher with ink-stained fingers. Look twice, you might find her representing Duke City on the global level for international poetry festivals abroad. Look once, you see a gem managing a pawnshop. Look twice, he’s hosting some of the biggest names in hip hop at our local venues. Look once, you see a food and drink slinger in the service industry. Look twice, he’s slingin’ beats and B-boy moves, and promoting youth education. Look once, you see a tattooed lady selling burritos out of her car in the South Valley. Look twice, she’s running a food joint made famous on the Food Network channel and delivering organic, local cuisine to change the system with nutritious school lunches for our developing future. Look once, you see a soft-spoken, petite woman with paintbrushes. Look twice, she’s starting a revolution for organic seed preservation through art against GMO infiltration. Existence is art, from painting, writing, dancing, DJ’ing, cooking, gardening, teaching, living. That’s how we do.

Our city bleeds paint and poetry with stories dripped on canvas and alleyways. Real talk is slammed from page to stage, and if you listen with open ears, you’ll hear the truth from ancient sages. And as if I didn’t already know, 2014 rocked the house. As your humble and honored former Local iQ arts columnist, thank you Dukes and Duchesses of Burque for a great year of love and art. I grew up admiring

20 LOCAL iQ

the scene, and it was a pleasure sharing with others what makes these threads weave.

To highlight the art moments of 2014 would have me saying, “’Member this?” or “’Member that?” until 2015, but I do ’member some of these admirable artists who were once strangers and are now my collaborating comrades. ’Member when my first arts column included an interview with Jodie Herrera for her Pop-Up Synthesis? Herrera and her collective of artists have continued to pop up around town, debuting marvelous pieces and creating unexpected spaces for emerging artists. ’Member when the B-boys and B-girls joined us on the Morning Brew and we busted some moves on live television?

The UHF Krew continues to pop’n’lock it up, touring the nation with New Mexico youths and entertaining local crowds. ’Member when I interviewed Len Romano on his Ripe Inc. designs and love for groovy music? Romano and his mighty team continue to brand the hotspots in Burque, designing logos for Gravy, the Rail Yards Market and Marble Brewery, to

| ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

Our city bleeds paint and poetry with stories dripped on canvas and alleyways.

Real talk is slammed from page to stage, and if you listen with open ears, you’ll hear the truth from ancient sages.

name a few. ’Member when I interviewed Jemez Pueblo multimedia artist Jaque Fragua on his Honor the Treaties mural? Fragua continues to tour the world, living the dream of art as a lifestyle and sacred experience because, as he put it, “there is no other way for me to live than wake up, create, enjoy and go to bed, and do the same thing the next day.” ’Member when I went on an adventure to the Bay Area and talked with our very own New Mexican native Felicia Gabaldon?

Gabaldon said exploring outside her stomping grounds has tapped into a place of inspiration that’s reflected in her New Mexican art.

This last one is something I can relate to. Now that I am living in Austin pursuing a master’s in Community & Regional Planning, I’ve untapped a place of deeper gratitude for Albuquerque’s unmatched arts scene and people. I have yet to explore Austin’s “weird” art realm, and you know I want to get down to the very fibers of the underground version. But let me tell you, Burque, you glow from here, and I feel like I know one of the best-kept secrets of the Southwest. Heck, of the world! Call me sentimental, but as the New Year would have it, “Auld Lang Syne.” These threads run deep, and I know we shall vibe again. Keep rockin’ the enchanted art scene, Albuquerque. Happy 2015.

ARTS

A R TS E V E NTS

SUBMIT TO LOCAL iQ The next deadline is Jan. 7 for the Jan. 15 issue.

SEND CALENDAR ITEMS TO:

calendar@local-iQ.com

f: 888.520.9711 a: PO Box 7490, ABQ., N.M. 87194

List events any time FOR FREE at local-iQ.com *All events subject to change. Check with individual venues before heading out ** CALENDAR LISTINGS ARE A FREE SERVICE AND MAY BE CUT DUE TO SPACE. PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO FREE EVENTS.

SAT

27

Holiday Open House Local artists will be present for this event.

2-5p, FREE

CHIARSCURRO CONTEMPORARY ART 702-1/2 CANYON, SANTA FE, 505.992.0711

chiaroscurrosantafe.com

FRI

2

RECEPTION

A Winter Gathering This holiday show will include all gallery artists with works in painting, photography, mixed media and more.

5-8p, FREE

THE GALLERY ABQ 8210 MENAUL NE, 505.292.9333

thegalleryabq.com RECEPTION/EXHIBIT

Contemporary Artifacts Artists Chris Meyer and Jenn Noel will display their works in mixed media and ceramics.

5-8:30p, FREE

WEYRICH GALLERY 2935 D LOUISIANA NE, 505.883.7410

weyrichgallery.com RECEPTION

Group Show Help kick off the new year with new art.

Photographer David Schneider and others share their works.

5-8p, FREE

SE-OC RIGHT BRAIN GALLERY, 3100 MENAUL NE, 505.816.0214

se-oc-rightbraingallery. com RECEPTION/EXHIBIT

RECEPTION/EXHIBIT

NEW

Frantisek Vizner

Works by gallery artists will give you a sneak preview into what 2015 will bring. 5-8p, FREE

This artist will share his art glass sculpture, including bowls, vases and more. 5-8p, FREE

PALETTE CONTEMPORARY ART & CRAFT 7400 MONTGOMERY NE, SUITE 22, 505.855.7777

palettecontemporary. com

MATRIX FINE ART 3812 CENTRAL SE, STE 100A, 505.268.8952

matrixfineart.com

RECEPTION/EXHIBIT

Group Show Newest members of the gallery will share their art and works. 5-8p, FREE NEW GROUNDS PRINT WORKSHOP & GALLERY 3812 CENTRAL SE, 505.268.8952

newgroundsgallery.com RECEPTION

Nathan Perry This wildlife artist will share his works, inspired by his mother and father.

5p, FREE

OT CIRCUS, 709 CENTRAL NW, 505.249.2231

otcircus.com RECEPTION/EXHIBIT

Annual New Year New Work Frank McCulloch, Angus Macpherson, Phil Hulebak and others will participate with new art on display. 5-8p, FREE SUMNER & DENE 517 CENTRAL NW, 505.842.1400

sumnerdene.com OPEN HOUSE

Group Show Farrell Cockrum, Matthew Yellowman, Fred Cleveland and others will share their landscape paintings, sculptures and more.

5-8p, FREE

BLACKBIRD GALLERY 323 ROMERO NW, STE 16, 505.243.9525

blackbirdgallery.biz RECEPTION/EXHIBIT

Mini Month This group show will focus on miniature original paintings and collage work. 5-9p, FREE ESSENCE GALLERY & BOUTIQUE 323 ROMERO STE 1, 505.843.7367

essencegallery boutique.com

SAT

3

OPENING AND RECEPTION/EXHIBIT

Featured Artists Pastelist Glenda Jensen, jeweler Liz Huffman and ceramist Cherrymae Golston are the features artists at this opening.

2-4p, FREE

YUCCA ART GALLERY 206-1/2 SAN FELIPE NW, 505.247.8931

yuccaartgallery.com THROUGH JAN. 14: CALL FOR ARTISTS

Homebound: The Art of Isolation

FRI

9

RECEPTION/EXHIBIT

We Are New Mexico: Portraits & Profiles

by Wes Naman This photographer and a team of writers visited 20 cities in NM in 20 days to tell the stories of the people who make up our beloved state.

WORKSHOP

Environmental Reflections This weekly art and dialogue group is a great way to get creative.

6p, FREE

OFFCENTER COMMUNITY ARTS PROJECT 808 PARK SW, 505.247.1172

offcenterarts.org

SUN

11

DISCUSSION

HARWOOD ART CENTER 1114 7TH NW, 505.242.6367

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THROUGH FEB. 7: PERFORMANCE

The Wonders of India: Art & Architecture This lecture will be led

by Dr. Ned O’Malia who teaches at the Honors College of UNM.

3p, $15-$20

ABQ INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION 2000 MOUNTAIN NW, 505.856.7277

6-8p, FREE

abqinternational.org

Revolutions International Theatre Festival Presenting new and inspiring theatre performances and workshops. Times vary,

check website. $17-$22 TRICKLOCK PERFORMANCE LABORATORY 110 GOLD SW, 505.254.8393

tricklock.com

harwoodartcenter.org

This exhibition will feature art from NM artists who cannot or do not leave their homes due to illness, disability and other reasons.

Artists welcomed to submit up to four works of art and a small bio or artist statement. FREE

TUE

Art/Space

OFFCENTER COMMUNITY ARTS PROJECT 808 PARK SW, 505.247.1172

offcenterarts.org RECEPTION/EXHIBIT

Abstracted Truth This solo show will include paintings by Peggy McGivern.

3-5p, FREE

Weyrich Gallery

ACT I GALLERY & SCULPTURE GARDEN 218 PASEO DEL PUEBLO NORTE, TAOS, 575.758.7831

actonegallery.com aqsshows.com

THU

8

DRAWING CLASS All levels open drawing class with Dave Blecha.

1-3p, FREE

OFFCENTER COMMUNITY ARTS PROJECT 808 PARK SW, 505.247.1172

offcenterarts.org

Jill Christian • “Lumen” 43 x 43” • Oil on panel

Matrix Fine Art & New Grounds Gallery Two Galleries, one convenient Nob Hill location, large selection of contemporary art!

OPEN: Wed.- Sun., 10am-6pm; Tue., 10am-4pm.

3812 CENTRAL AVE SE 505-268-8952 newgroundsgallery.com matrixfineart.com

CONTEMPORARY ARTIFACTS January 2-30, 2015 FIRST FRIDAY ARTSCRAWL: January 2, 5-8:30 pm Chris Meyer-Mixed Media Chris combines modern photography and printing with traditional collage and assemblage to create

Phil Hulebak • “Santa Fe Garden” 48” x 36” • Oil on canvas

Sumner & Dene

Jenn Noel-Ceramics Jenn is a ceramic artist who truly creates functional pieces that evoke beauty of this world.

specializing in the unique 75 artists in 7,000 square feet

2935 D. LOUISIANA BLVD 505.883.7410 weyrichgallery.com

DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE sumnerdene.com

OPEN EVERYDAY 517 CENTRAL NW 505-842-1400

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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smart ARTS T

he 2014 World Cup and approaching Summer Olympics have incited examinations of Brazil’s economic and physical infrastructure, but the international gaze doesn’t linger on deep social-cultural complexities that define the country and its colonial past. This ambitious exhibit, on display through mid-August 2015, aims to correct some measure of that dearth. NHCC visitors embark on four discrete but mutually informing paths winding through under-explored territories of AfroBrazilian art, history and experience.

Much of the content, ranging through photography, contemporary printmaking and folk-pop literature, AfroBrasil: is drawn from collaborations and Art and Identities collections at the University of New 10a-5p, Tue.-Sun. Mexico, touching on themes as National Hispanic Cultural diverse as Brazil itself. One curation Center 1701 4th SW, 505.246.2261 element centers on cordeles, small$2-$3; FREE on Sun. run chapbooks combining verse and nationalhispaniccenter.org journalism from marginalized rural and urban communities. The little books serve a large purpose, illuminating literary virtuosity and (also marginalized) histories of the communities they stem from. Paulo Lima, an academic and photographer who has documented ecstatic devotees of the Afro-Brazilian Candomblé religion, contributes work to the exhibit. Lima told Afropunk.com that the images allow him to be “intimately related to my sense of beauty exploring aspects of ‘decay’ in relation to space and bodies.” Intimate relation to beauty — the words offer one possible summation of this show as a whole.

—Margaret Wright

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Find more artist profiles, exhibits and performance previews at Local-iQ.com/ARTS

I

f your New Year’s resolutions tend toward tepid generalizations (“to become more cultured/sophisticated/ learned/spiritual”), there is still hope for finding betterment 10:30a, Sun., through more precise means.

Jan. 4 The Chatter series at The The Kosmos Kosmos offers a distinct 1715 5th NW, 505.463.5824 sense of self-improvement. $5-$15 Thoughtfully selected classical chatterabq.org music pieces performed by top local musicians (and some visiting ones) are paired with recitations from a different high-level poet every Sunday.

The results are bracing — varied and thought-provoking and uplifting. Accessible, too; this is high culture delivered down to earth, and Jan. 4’s event is no exception. A string trio presents a Mozart piece referred to by Alfred Einstein (the musicologist, not Matthew Brown the physics master) as one of Mozart’s “noblest works.” And for fascinating contrast, Chatter musicians will take on a short composition by Italian surrealist Giacinto Scelsi, whose examinations of a single-pitched sound quietly revolutionized 20thcentury experimentations. Albuquerque poet Matthew Brown rounds out the morning. His verse is urgent, impassioned, unabashedly political. As Brown relayed to Duke City Fix blogger DitchRider last year, these qualities are inextricable from our city’s character and cultural interfusion, which he says have “proved invaluable to my identity as a writer.” —Margaret Wright

Chatter: Mozart and Scelsi, with poet Matthew Brown

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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hotographer Wes Naman is not a New Mexico native.

Yet, there are few people as enthralled about living and working in New Mexico as the world-renowned photographer.

His wildly viral Scotch Tape Series was viewed across the globe and even made it into a book published by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! But like any artist, the most interesting project is the next project. For Naman, his focus has shifted from ghoulish faces to the faces of his adopted home.

For the past year, Naman, his able assistant, Joy Godfrey, and a crew of local writers have been capturing the stories of normal, Wes Naman’s We everyday New Mexicans and shooting Are New Mexico: black-and-white photos for a yet-toPortraits & Profiles be-released book project. A preview OPENING RECEPTION: exhibit, titled We Are New Mexico: 6p, Fri., Jan. 9 Portraits & Profiles, will be held Jan. Harwood Art Center 1114 7th NW, 505.242.6367 5-29 at Harwood Art Center. The harwoodartcenter.org exhibit will feature a selection of 17 wesnamanphotography.com portraits (whittled down from close to 500), alongside essays penned by Hakim Bellamy, Gwyneth Doland, Dan Mayfield, Steven J. Westman and Justin De La Rosa.

The images and stories were captured over 20 days in 20 New Mexico locales, a coordinated effort that Naman has called his “love letter to New Mexico.” After viewing an early rendition of the book, this writer can attest that images are stark, stunning, amusing, serious … and some, downright fascinating. —Kevin Hopper

P L A N E T WAVES ARIES (MAR. 20-APR. 19)

though leave the work of supporting Keep your focus on what you’re going heaven to the gods. You have plenty to accomplish. Aspects for the next few of ordinary human work to get done, weeks strongly favor productivity, career though you would benefit by applying and achievement. You might feel some various techniques of coordination, tension between these two aspects of cooperation and delegation. Yet you life. I suggest you apply the concept of need to be the organizing principle, structure and boundaries to resolve that supplying the core intelligence that will tension. Devote specific times to spend get the job done. Think of the delegation with friends and family, and then focus of authority as something you give to on the great strides you can make, and someone, and then take back when the are indeed making, in this rare moment. task is complete. As long as the task is Keep your focus and you can ride this delegated and not complete, you’re still energy quite a long way to some unusual on the hook. Hence follow-through is success. One word of caution: alcohol essential to that ‘core intelligence’ role. will not help you right now. Keep your So too is structure, and the conscious drinking moderate to not at all. If you use of time. Just don’t make the error of are going to drink, please follow the feeling like you’re in this alone. There is suggestion of a politician I worked for: plenty of support around you; you just stay three drinks behind the crowd. need to ask.

TAURUS (APR. 19-MAY 20)

Keep a balance between your outer life and your inner life. This may be just a bit tricky, because there is so much happening in your internal world while the seemingly outer world is inviting you to take action in some bold way. The two are not at odds. Your relationship with the people and events around you is driven by your inner reality. To some extent this is true for everyone, but it’s especially true for you now. I suggest you focus inwardly and make sure you know your priorities. Make sure you’re at peace with yourself, which may mean finding harmony with feeling so driven and passionate. When you express that outwardly, cool it off just a little. Strive for cooperation. Set the example of working with others and distributing the workload. But be the keeper of your vision, and then relate that vision to others in a way they can clearly understand and help you develop.

GEMINI (MAY 20-JUN. 21)

Concern yourself with one thing only — clear agreements. Watch your tendency to be self-sacrificing, which is probably an outgrowth of feeling like you’re the less powerful person in business or joint financial situations. You may notice a tendency to respond to those in power in a rebellious way — I strongly suggest you keep a lid on that. If someone proposes something that makes no sense, ask them for clarification. If something you’re expected to do or to go along with explicitly contradicts your values, then state that in a respectful way. Remember that every person has their own customs, as does every culture. Some of them make absolutely no sense, but are harmless enough.

Some are toxic. You must have the maturity to know the difference. And remember never to sign any agreement that you’re not absolutely certain you can fulfill. People sometimes put some crazy things into contracts. Read carefully. Be alert at all times.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEP. 22)

You seem to be in a titanic struggle with your own boundaries. It’s as if some force inside you is trying to break free of every inner constraint you’ve ever lived with, and some outer shell is trying to hold you together, fearing what might happen if you really let go. This is a head-trip. The thing you’re experiencing is a self-concept; an idea about who you are rather than the actual thing you truly are. These ideas can be powerful. We live in the age of self-identification; the whole “I identify as” trip is running at full throttle, and of course, there is an ocean of difference between self-concept and self. It may be an ocean that you’re trying to protect yourself from, because if you open up, you’re going to set sail on the vast sea of experience. This will indeed reveal that any narrow self-identity cannot withstand the uncontainable truth of who you are. If you’re tempted to cling, and notice that it hurts, then feel — and experience.

LIBRA (SEP. 22-OCT. 23)

Gee, it looks like you’re expecting company. Or like you’re headed to a family reunion. Or like the family reunion is headed to you. That symbolic picture looks like a collection of every relative and ancestor you ever had is sitting at your kitchen table. Not the formal dining room — I mean stuffed into the kitchen, up against the stove, with bread in the oven. It looks like a collection of characters of wit or at least wisdom, including Uncle Ralph with his dirty jokes, cousin Martha who still after all these decades wears a mini skirt in December, and the presence of many people who have sat around that table in years past who are now memories.

Even if that gathering does not come to you, then go to it — and bring someone who’s never been among your tribe before. They will notice many things invisible to you.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 22)

“Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.” “It was love at first Plenty is confronting you right now. sight.” “I have never begun a novel with Unless you find this much action to more misgiving.” “In my younger and be totally thrilling, you might just want more vulnerable years my father gave me to crawl into the closet. The thing is, some advice that I’ve been turning over you’re in control. You are in command in my mind ever since.” “You better not of your life. I know there’s a long list never tell nobody but God.” Every story of gurus who would disagree with that begins with a single line, a statement statement. It is of course relative to of the truth as it is in that moment. No your circumstances. Suffice it to say matter how complex the scenario, nor you have the power of decision in your how many people are involved, nor how hands. Everything coming at you, each ordinary or strange, to tell the story, one thing, is an opportunity. You don’t need must begin — and you surely have a to accept all of them or any of them. story to tell. It seems to be bursting from The important thing is that you actively your mind and aching to be expressed. decide what you want, from among There is so much that it may seem the options that you have. While you’re impossible. Yet I would encourage you doing this, I suggest you maintain a high to begin. You might find this better level of self-respect. You are worthy of done with an older kind of writing — a any opportunity that comes your way. pen or pencil on the page rather than You have the experience and the natural an electronic device. This will foster a talent to handle it. This is why you must sense of seclusion rather than the idea choose carefully. that everything is public the moment you write it.

LEO (JUL. 22-AUG. 23) You may feel like you have to hold up the SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 22) sky in a partnership or marriage. Your The Sun is about to leave your sign role is indeed integral to the situation, and Saturn is about to arrive. This is CANCER (JUN. 21-JUL. 22)

by Eric Francis • planetwaves.net like your Bar Mitzvah, only it’s the real thing. You are being reminded that you are an actual woman or man, someone who is capable of taking your destiny into your hands. That capability, that capacity or potential, is now ready to express itself through you. Be prepared to take life more seriously, which will require you to keep your sense of humor on at all times. Prepare to leave the swirling chaos of past years behind you.

Get ready to draw some lines, and to work within those lines, which will help you concentrate your energy. Don’t be fooled by the idea that boundaries and timeframes are in some way limiting. For you in particular, they are the assurance of surpassing your limitations. You are someone for whom anything is possible — that is a core self-concept you possess. Now you’re about to demonstrate that it’s true.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 20)

All of this and many other things shall be revealed. Like, now. I would say you’re approaching the single most interesting moment of self-discovery of your life, but you’ve had a few of those lately. Still, one builds on the next. And it helps if you’ve cleared some debris out of the way, which you have done. One of the most intriguing things about your current chart is the blend of chaste purity and unfettered lust. You may be thinking you’re having some kind of identity crisis. Like, how can both of these things be true? It’s not that they can be true; rather, it’s essential that they be true at the same time. They are opposites that support and affirm one another’s existence. They are options that you can choose from at any time, and live in for extended periods of time. The White path and the Red path are simultaneous realities and they both lead to the same place — to yourself.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 19)

Don’t let the pressure get to you. Rather, have fun with it. I know that’s easier said than done, sometimes. I know you may not like to admit that you can thrive under pressure and you do appreciate some serenity. Now, however, is the time to flourish as the psychic barometer rises. Using some tools will help. One of them will be structuring your time.

Another will be setting priorities. Another will be getting enough sleep every night. This may be the most important resource you have, because you’re going to be processing a lot of events and developments in your sleep, some of which will come through boldly. Others will come through as impressions. Then I suggest you set specific, attainable goals. Leave extra time, like a 20% fudge factor, so that you apply time structure in a way that supports you rather than in a way that overwhelms you. A deadline is not the due date — it’s a container for how much time you have to get something done, plus or minus 20%.

THE AMERICAN VALUES CLUB CROSSWORD “Serial Numbers” By Ben Tausig. Difficulty 4/5 ACROSS 1 Fashion magazine prohibitions (and, after burrowing, a 37-Down/43-Across from Journey) 6 Needing to go back to the library 9 Pale (and, after burrowing, a 37-Down/ 43‑Across from the Spice Girls) 12 Frees, as from the shackles of the bourgeoisie 14 Karl Marx’s subj.

16 Hodgepodge, as the etymology of a word 17 Northwest merger partner 18 Turn red on the vine, say 19 Killer 20 Arthur of “Maude” (and, after burrowing, a 37Down/ 43‑Across from Michael Jackson) 21 Disprove 23 Vigorish, e.g.

24 Bordeaux wine 27 Airing 29 Rabbinical interjections 30 Day to beware of, since Roman times 33 Org. that clashed with the Church of Scientology 36 ___-dieu (prayer bench)

38 Like one who’s done lots of cleaning and pressing?

40 Christmas 42 Obamacare, by its real name: Abbr.

43 See 37-Down 44 Stinging buzzer 45 Pitchers-helping-themselves stats 48 Former child actress Pia 51 “Conan” channel 54 Ordered food 57 Concealer target 58 Jerry’s sitcom ex 60 Noted cartoon tank engine, in Spanish‑language editions 62 Ultimate destination, as it were 63 Hype about a drama, say 67 Cut the skin from 68 Thins 69 Big name in modern bloviation 70 Room with a view of the television 71 Place for some dated rock DOWN 1 Twice, a lollipop brand 2 ___ budget (being thrifty) 3 Giants’ domain, briefly 4 Ticket-taker, at times

5 Stretch marks, for example (sorry, tough grid) 6 Brightest star in Cygnus 7 It may be submitted for a test 8 NSFW key-at-theready 9 Respond to the end of “Titanic,” I suppose 10 Roman ____ (“The Devil Wears Prada,” e.g.)

11 Dame leader?

13 Foremost 15 ’hood 17 Karaoke option 19 Means to excommunication 20 Conformist, in slang 22 Beck single of 1993 24 One wielding tear gas or driving a tank, perhaps, alas (and, after burrowing, a 37-Down/43Across from Barry Manilow) 25 Constellation between Cygnus and Hercules 26 Boob 28 “The Fast and the Furious” actor/ producer Diesel 31 Use a divining rod 32 Brian who composed the Microsoft startup sound

34 Unfavorable comparison for Al Gore 35 Ball handler?

37 With 43-Across, word for a song stuck in one’s head 39 Korean no-man’s-land 41 Grazing ground 46 Eric who played Nero in the first “Star Trek” reboot 47 Meteor trail?

49 Voice of Chalmers and Nahasapeemapetilon, among many others 50 Kick out of practice 51 Seasonal worker, say (and, after burrowing, a 37‑Down/ 43‑Across from Squeeze) 52 Sound pathetic 53 “___ bleu!”

55 Self-referential words at the door 56 “___ do!” (“Sorry, Charlie”) 59 Kept cold 61 “Mike Tyson’s Punch‑Out!!” protagonist (and, after burrowing, a 37Down/ 43‑Across from Los del Rio ) 63 Ref. that’s gone through two editions in 125 years 64 Shoshone Indian 65 Chill, as it were 66 Twice, an ex of Conrad Hilton

PISCES (FEB. 19-MAR. 20)

The theme of your charts continues to shift to the achievement and recognition areas, in a big way. Saturn is making contact with the professional angle of your chart, your 10th house. While there is no automatic success, this at least is saying that your efforts will add up to some solid accomplishments, beginning now and over the next three years. There is a role in your community, and the important role of collaborators. What is interesting about the supposedly spacey and pleasure-seeking sign Pisces is the way that your solar chart describes your investment in organizations, culture and society. Indeed, the placement of Capricorn suggests that you’re a practical visionary, and this factor is coming through like thunder right now. Yes, there is work to do— though every day you will know that work is making a difference and adding up to something much larger than is obvious.

SOLUTION ON PAGE 24 LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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CO M M U N IT Y EVEN TS FRI

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Rockin’ Nights at River of Lights Enjoy live music and holiday appetizers and cocktails after visiting River of Lights. 7p, call for res. and rates SHARK REEF CAFE, BIOPARK, 2601 CENTRAL NW, 505.848.7182

cabq.gov SCREENING

pizza and more. 6-9:30p, $10 PUEBLO HARVEST CAFE 2401 12TH NW, 505.724.3510

SUN

OFFCENTER COMMUNITY ARTS PROJECT 808 PARK SW, 505.247.1172

offcenterarts.org

SAT

27

MATINEE

Peter and the Wolf Come warm up with cider and a matinee. 1:30p, FREE OPEN SPACE VISITOR CENTER, 6500 COORS NW, 505.897.8831

cabq.gov

Party on the Patio Enjoy live music under the stars and all you can eat horno-baked

TRACTOR BREWERY WELLS PARK 1800 4TH SW

Creating Credible Characters

getplowed.com

Hosted by Chingo Bling, this show will include the comedy of Anthony A. 7p, $20

southwestwriters.com

KIMO THEATRE 421 CENTRAL NW, 505.768.3522

WED

All levels open drawing class with Dave Blecha. 1-3p, FREE

Two touring poets will be featured.

7p, FREE

Steve Brewer hosts this workshop for writers. 10a, $5-$10

Marty McFly, Doc Brown and a DeLorean take a few trips into the future and past. 11:30a, $6-$8 per show

Drawing Class

3

Antzms: A Night of Comedy

Back to the Future Trilogy

kimotickets.com

SAT

NEW LIFE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 5540 EUBANK NE, 505. 830.6034

KNITTING

ANDERSON-ABRUZZO INTERNATIONAL BALLOON MUSEUM 9201 BALLOON MUSEUM NE, 505.880.0500

WED

Bring your device down to learn all the tricks and try new ones. 12:301:30p, by appt., FREE LOMA COLORADO LIBRARY 755 LOMA COLORADO NE, 505.891.5013

New Year’s Eve Dinner

BOOK READING

This menu will showcase a special menu and traditional Pueblo hospitality. 4-10p, $30

The Unfolding Universe

PUEBLO HARVEST CAFE 2401 12TH NW, 505.724.3510

THU

All books are 25% off, including holiday cards as well. 9a-6p, FREE

Author Paula Amar Schwartz will read from and sign her book. 7p, FREE

BOOKWORKS 4022 RIO GRANDE NW, 505.344.8139 bkwrks.com

Karen’s Card Committee Create cards for yourself or as gifts. 3p, FREE

FRI

KESHET IDEAS AND INNOVATIONS CENTER 4121 CUTLER NE, 505.224.9808

WED

14

THROUGH JAN. 17

bkwrks.com

Annual New Year’s Day Sale

Learn how to create your marketing plan - and make it work!. 1:30p, $25

keshetdance.org

BOOKWORKS 4022 RIO GRANDE NW, 505.344.8139

1

OFFCENTER ARTS 808 PARK SW, 505.247.1172

Entrepreneurship in Arts and Culture

Technology Toolbox

riorancholibraires.org

13

WORKSHOP

7

balloonmuseum.com

NM author Lynne Hinton reads and signs her new mystery book.

3p, FREE

TUE

offcenterarts.org

Couples, singles and groups are welcomed to ring in the New Year (on NY time) with food, dancing and more. 6-11p, $99-$185

Sister Eye, Private Eye

bkwrks.com

OFFCENTER ARTS 808 PARK SW, 505.247.1172

Manhattan on the Mesa

BOOK READING

BOOKWORKS 4022 RIO GRANDE NW, 505.344.8139

Hands On! Join in this group of needle craft enthusiasts. 11:30a-1:30p, FREE

31

11

Poetry and Beer Open Mic and Slam

WORKSHOP

28

kimotickets.com

KIMO THEATRE 421 CENTRAL NW, 505.768.3522

SUN

9

Albuquerque AQS QuiltWeek This fiber show with more than 500 quilts is a great spot to learn, shop and more. Times vary, $11$14 ABQ CONVENTION CENTER 401 2ND NW, 505.898.7903

THROUGH JAN. 11

Writer’s Working Group

ABQ Comic Con

This creative writing group is for anyone interested in writing.

3p, FREE

FACT: Lovers of all things comic related should be here. 4-9p, Fri., 10a-9p, Sat.; 10a-6p, Sun. $15-$30 ALBUQUERQUE COMIC CON 401 2ND NW, 505.768.4575

albuquerquecomiccon.com

OFFCENTER COMMUNITY ARTS PROJECT 808 PARK SW, 505.247.1172

offcenterarts.org

offcenterarts.org

24

Adoptions

JAMES 37452

LIONEL MESSI

Learn more about these and other great pets at AnimalHumaneNM.org Find us: facebook.com/ animalhumanenm

James is a four-year-old Boxer Cross with medium energy. He's located at the main campus.

Are you looking for an active companion? He may be the right choice for you. He's waiting in my playful pose for your visit.

Lionel Messi a five-year-old (approx) orange tabby. He located at the Main Campus. Won’t you come by and see him? He'd love a forever home by Christmas!

LOCAL iQ | ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | DECEMBER 26, 2014-JANUARY 14, 2015

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