Thursday, July 15
Jazz Hands
Outpost Performance Space’s Summer Thursday Jazz Nights returns July 15 with a 75-minute concert by the Long Shot Trio. Long Shot Trio—featuring Alex Murzyn on saxophone, Terry Burns on bass and and Cal Haines on drums—came together in Albuquerque in February 2020. They recorded their debut album, Llano, at the Outpost with no audience in August of 2020. Now you’ve got a chance to see them live on stage. Audience size is limited and face masks are required. For all concerts, doors will be left open and Outpost’s new UV-emitting ceiling fans with evaporative coolers will bring fresh air in from the outside and maximize air flow. Admission is free, but but due to limited seating, reservations must be made in advance at outpostspace.org. Outpost Performance Space is located at 210 Yale Blvd. SE. The show starts at 8pm. (Devin D. O’Leary)
Thursday, July 15
Tulips and Tunes
The Garden Sounds series at the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden (2601 Central Ave. NW) kicks into gear with a concert featuring local alt.country band The Real Matt Jones. Doors open at 6pm on July 15. Bring the family and enjoy some nature with a live soundtrack. Order food from the Shark Reef Cafe’s menu and spread out picnic-style in the grass under the summer sky. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5.50 for seniors and children. Kids 2 and under are free. To nab those tickets, go to abqbiopark.holdmyticket.com. (Devin D. O’Leary)
Saturday, July 17
Who Wants Beans?
The Cowboy Sunset Chuckwagon Barbeques and Western Music Concerts are back this summer at Wildlife West Nature Park (87 North Frontage Rd. in Edgewood). The next stage show, featuring the legendary Watermelon Mountain Jug Band, is on July 17 at 6pm. The night starts off with a free-flight raptor demonstration presented by world-renowned falconer Tom Smylie. Dinner is served at 7pm. Music from the Watermelon Mountain Jug Band, which has been entertaining New Mexico audiences since 1975, starts up at 8pm. Come early to enjoy a hayride with the family and walk around the wildlife zoo to get close to wildlife in their natural habitat. Wildlife West is home to 20 species of native wildlife, including four tree-climbing grey foxes, a black bear, a bobcat and two curious cougars that can be seen eye to eye through a Plexiglas window next to their favorite people-viewing perch. Chuckwagon dinner shows are $28 for adults, $26 for seniors and $15 for children 5 to 11 years. Kids 4 years and younger are free. To get your tickets, go to wildlifewest.org. (Devin D. O’Leary)
Saturday, July 17
Feel It Taste It Touch It Luv It
In case you hadn’t heard, Beefcake in Chains is back! Albuquerque’s nastiest punk rawk band has returned to the stage after a nearly two-year sabbatical. A night of “vice and mayhem” is promised as the mighty Beefcake in Chains heads to Launchpad (618 Central Ave. SE) to perform “horrific acts of debauchery and stage-soiling gratification!” It’s all in celebration of Launchpad’s 24th Birthday. Other local bands (24 of ’em in 12 hours!) showing up to salute the much-loved venue include (but are not limited to): Russian Girlfriends, Manhigh, Coma Recovery, The Big Spank, Get Action, Black Maria, Abort Abort, The Riddims, Crime Lab, The Ordinary Things and Ashes of Jupiter. Doors open at noon on July 17. Admission is free to this 21+ concert. (Devin D. O’Leary)
Saturday, July 17
A Veggie Good Time
Plant Powered Events, The ABQ Collective and Root 66 Food Truck present a Plant Powered Pop Up Market: Food Edition on July 17 from 6 to 10pm. This event is concentrated around food vendors. So show up hungry and expect lots of tasty, healthy, vegetarian/vegan food items. It all goes down at The ABQ Collective, a grouping of funky-cool local shops, artisans and small business owners located in the NE Heights (1321 Eubank Blvd. NE). For more details check out facebook.com/events/233528565258279. (Devin D. O’Leary)