Formed through a Craigslist ad targeting fans of proto-punk legends like the Stooges and New York Dolls, Santa Fe’s Glitz Biarritz isn't just a rock band—they're a support group disguised as a band; a perfect summary of a group of aging rockers trying to escape suburban mundanity through three-chord progressions and a refusal to let their musical dreams fade into quiet desperation.
Glitz Biarritz’s debut album In Poor Taste drops on Friday, Jan. 31, and it's exactly what the title suggests—a musical experience that prioritizes fervor over brilliance. From the opening crack of a beer can in "Shut Up, I'm Classy" to the party anthem "Dim Lights" and post-party reflection of "Cans of Beer," they're documenting the entire “punk” ethos through the most basic and reductive expressions of the genre. The passionate side hustle thus feels like a collective musical mid-life crisis with distortion—a defiant statement: We might have mortgages and kids in college, but we're still here, still loud, still refusing to be quiet!
Still, no matter what gets advertised, Glitz Biarritz’s sound isn’t really punk, let alone glam. Wearing sunglasses and a scarf doesn’t give you glam cred, and listing proto-punk influences doesn’t throw wide the gates of punk utopia. This is pub rock, or maybe hard rock for those who don’t want the true messiness of punk.
However, there really is something endearingly earnest about Glitz Biarritz’s live show. If rock n’ roll truly is ageless, Glitz Biarritz could be its mascot. After all, rocking isn’t necessarily about youth, but often about attitude; turning the amplifier up to 11 and refusing to apologize.
For those seeking a glimpse of this musical anomaly, catch their album release party at As Above, So Below Distillery this week. Witness a band that proves rock isn't about perfection—it's about enthusiasm and absolutely refusing to take yourself too seriously. ’90s grunge/rock tribute act Faded Flannel opens.
Glitz Biarritz Album Release Show: 7 pm Friday, Jan. 31. Free. As Above So Below Distillery, 545 Camino de la Familia, (505) 916-8596