GET RELIJUN
Bummer that this year's College of Santa Fe's music series is coming to a temporary end for summer break, though I suppose it would be pert near impossible to convince those who run it, namely CSF student Paul Collins, to keep it going when his audience has emigrated back home to mom and dad for three months.
Bummer, though, because although FanMan Productions has titillating and entertaining plans for the season (to be officially announced soon), they are large-scale, outdoor, summer-timey type shows. Which, of course, are great. But while summer replaces the sweet heaviness of winter's piñon smoke with the scent of mesquite and grilling steaks, summer also means a loss of the intimacy that comes with an indoor college show, the type more associated with escaping from the cold into a warm embrace of synth-pop.
Whatever the case, good thing Collins' final show will be just as hot as the weather is outside. Old Time Relijun is coming to blow the deconstructionist roof off the mutha with a combination of Erase-Errata-esque mathy dance drums, plucky upright bass, wirey guitars and "free-form" jazz noodlings (9 pm Thursday, April 27. $5. CSF SUB, 1600 St. Michael's Ave., 473-6011). Singer Arrington de Dionyso's vocals list about like a drunken sailor, simultaneously senseless and compelling, whispery and loud, what Frank Black would sound like were he thrown into a giant industrial drier, while minimalist slivers of guitar and keys punctuate and ground each song.
It's not for the feint of heart, but once you get into it, it's fun.
Let's not forget Santa Fe's own Noceros (disclosure: SFR classified ad rep David Hevener is the guitarist), a psychedelic metal band that somehow remains heavy, jammy and fun will be there too. But the secret sleeper treat on the bill is Rachmaninoff's Secret Radio, also from Santa Fe, a group that combine strange, jazzy (and sometimes even bluesy) guitar with the stutter-step, experimental cadence that's so popular with the kids these days.
All three bands comprise a fitting end to what was a stunningly edgy, ambitious several months worth of programing-there's an exuberance and novelty all three share, a feeling of hope, like the one that comes naturally when the seasons change.
TRILO BITS
Perhaps diametrically opposite to Old Time Relijun is the upcoming show at the Cowgirl (9 pm Friday, April 28. $4. The Cowgirl, 319 St. Guadalupe St., 982-2565) by Trilobite. Comprised of quiet, soulful, modern throwback-I hate in this case to use that vague "roots" term-songs, Trilobite's self-titled disc kicks off with a heartbreaker, "Pumpkin Farmer," a minimal, slow-tempoed ballad anchored by a lilting, mournful fiddle (played by Hilary Schacht, formerly of Standing Wave). The song is, on the surface, about tilling the earth and losing money: "Vines dried and left bright orange fruit to see/The public came but they left over half for me." But with Michelle Collins' raw vocals, it takes on a spiritual quality; there's no doubt this song is also about God, or lost love, or both.
So goes the rest of the disc-thoughtful, dark and striking. Is this the type of stuff that will catch attention amidst the usual Cowgirl hooha? It's tough to say, but hopefully everyone will put down their beers and pay attention for a song or two.
JONI MITCHELL, WHERE ARE YOU?
Finally, at the risk of incurring death threats and burning crosses on my front lawn (if I had one), shall we reopen the whole smoking thing?
I'm impressed, and excited, about the public's interest in this issue, whether it's opinions with which I agree or not. What sticks in my craw is the lack of compromise inherent in the proposals put forth by anti-smoking proponents. The problem is bigger than just a smoking one. The past year has sadly proven that whatever "vision" the City of Santa Fe has for the City Different involves:
1) Sitting idly by while the county destroys a viable, interesting, creative,
locally owned
business-Blue Monkey Salon-by taking it over via eminent domain, by seizing it the way a bratty child snatches a toy. All in the name of building a monolithic county compound in what was once a fairly vital and creative part of town.
2) Sitting idly by while the state takes over one of the most beloved spots in Santa Fe-the Jean Cocteau Theater. Of course, the Jean Cocteau was having money problems to start, but its decision to close now-and subsequently be purchased by the state-also was influenced by the soon-to-arrive monolithic 7,000-screen movie theater that will be built as part of the city's plan to "improve" the Railyard, also in that same once fairly vital and creative part of town.
So now, the proposal to "improve" Santa Fe involves a ban on smoking. As in, "Dear Local Business: Here's something else you can't do. We here at City Hall are aware that it is a struggle for you to stay open. And clearly, many of your patrons are smokers-otherwise, why is it so damn smoky in the first place?! We know you might be more comfortable with, say, compromising by designating certain smoking areas, or having smoke-free nights, or whathaveyou. But, we regretfully inform you, we don't compromise. That is, we are concerned about second-hand smoke affecting workers at local establishments, but not so concerned about the wishes of the owners of those establishments. Deal with it. Sincerely, the City of Santa Fe. PS: You owe $40,000 for your liquor license, and your $5,000 rent is due. Cheers!"
