Jesse Riggins
P hiladelphia singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield comes out with the goods again on Out in the Storm, her fourth full-length under the name Waxahatchee. It’s her strongest and most polished effort to date and another stroke of excellence for the relative newcomer. Storm is emo, pop-punk, synth-pop and Sleater-Kinney-esque rock rock all in one—a nonstop confessional tale of anguish and pain born from a doomed relationship and put on tape (so to speak) for the world to hear. Crutchfield, however, keeps the songwriting tight, sidestepping woe-is-me whining for genuinely relatable introspection; the listener winds up on her side through it all and, in the process, we exorcise some of our own demons.
Devoted fans might be more aware of Crutchfield as a member of sadly defunct indie/pop-punk trio PS Eliot, a band she shared with her twin sister, Allison (who also appears on Out in the Storm), and an aesthetic she maintains in her new material while still branching out into synthy sounds as well.
Yes, the songs of Waxahatchee have got a certain style that may not speak to the masses (remember how everyone made fun of us fans of emo?), but with garage-fuzz guitars that melt around her sugary-sweet voice and the seeming proclamation that no personal pain is off-limits when it comes to her lyricism, that certain style may have just jump-started a glorious return to an era when bands had feelings, and lots of 'em.
This has earned Crutchfield support slots with heavy-hitters like Kurt Vile and the aforementioned Sleater-Kinney, but nonstop touring and a backing band to rival the best of the best means she can stand tall on her own.
Waxahatchee's upcoming show at Meow Wolf, in fact, puts her in the spotlight to perform songs old and new. To think that just a few short years ago we never would've had access to a band like this; to think that it's time to bust out our old Get Up Kids records (like we ever put them away); to think that the time is perfect for pop-punk and that we'll probably get a cool T-shirt while we're there. Life is sweet sometimes. (Alex De Vore)
7:30 pm Wednesday Aug. 2. $15-$17.
Meow Wolf,
1352 Rufina Circle,
395-6369
The Hits
Hannah McCaughey
The Santa Fe Bandstand series continues its reign of … well, not terror … goodness? Yeah, goodness—particularly in the form of singer-songwriter/fiction crafter David Berkeley and everyone's favorite Grateful Dead cover act, Detroit Lightning. We've always loved Berkeley's Nick Drake-but-y'know-fun sound, and even people who don't much care for the Dead can find something to like about Detroit Lightning, even if it's just getting stoned beforehand. Actually, you should totally do that. No ciggies, though. (ADV)
Santa Fe Bandstand: David Berkeley and Detroit Lightning:
6 pm Thursday Aug. 3. Free.
Santa Fe Plaza Bandstand,
100 Old Santa Fe Trail
A Slice of Greatness
Courtesy Vida Loca Gallery
Back in May of last year when the town was obsessed with lowriders during that dual-museum exhibition and the totally awesome Lowrider Day in Santa Fe, one car aficionado told us that he’d sent his ride to Albuquerque artist Rob Vanderslice for a paintjob, but that he had very little input into how it would turn out. Vanderslice is just that good—a stalwart contributor to the culture and a stunning example of how a car can become a visual work of art. For this show, however, Vanderslice takes his skills to the canvas, thereby blurring the gap between custom cars and fine art. (ADV)
Rob Vanderslice: The Journey Opening Reception:
5 pm Saturday Aug. 5. Free.
Vida Loca Gallery,
203 W San Francisco St.,
988-7410
Opera Drama
Courtesy Center for Contermporary Art
In 1957, college student and mezzo-soprano Barbara Smith Conrad was cast as Dido in a University of Texas production of
Dido and Aeneas
. The problem, however, was that Conrad is a black woman, and the political climate of the day found absurd controversy in her taking on the role. The case made its way to the Texas legislature and pressure mounted from all sides, but Conrad stayed in the role, ultimately paving the way for non-white performers. See the tumultuous story in
When I Rise
, a documentary presentation from the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. (ADV)
4 pm Monday Aug. 7. $15.
Center for Contemporary Arts,
1050 Old Pecos Trail,
982-1338
