SocorroFest
Country, oldies, rock, Spanish, bluegrass – a wide variety of singers, instrumentalists, and bands will take the stage Friday and Saturday Sept. 13-14 for SocorroFest. The annual free two-day music festival will host performances on three stages – the historic Socorro Plaza, the Capitol Bar and Box Canyon Brewing Company. The City of Socorro, New Mexico Tech and its Performing Arts Series (NMTPAS) sponsor SocorroFest to entertain and delight residents, students, tourists, and music enthusiasts of all ages.
Everyone is invited to attend the free all-ages festival, which will include a kids’ corner, an obstacle course, jump balloons, mining for minerals, and basketball hoops. Food trucks selling burritos, burgers, ice cream, sandwiches and more will be available as well as arts vendors selling leather works, cards, photos, paintings, jewelry, pottery, specialty food items, and more, including many from the Socorro Farmers Market.
Three music stages – at the historic plaza, the Capitol Bar and Box Canyon Brewing Company — will feature performers from 6 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, and noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14. Three breweries — Capitol Bar and Brewery, Box Canyon Brewing Company and Baca House Brewery– and one winery – Black’s Smuggler Winery – will provide spirits in the Beer and Wine Tent. The entry fee for the Beer and Wine Tent is $10 for one day or $15 for both Friday and Saturday and includes a commemorative beer glass.
The headliner for this year’s SocorroFest is “512: The Selena Experience,” a tribute to Selena, known as the Queen of Tejano Music and one of the most celebrated and influential Latino artists of all time. Performing from 8 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Plaza Stage, the show will feature the late singer’s hits, such as “Como La Flor,” “Amor Prohibido,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.”
“I think it will be a lot of fun for everyone,” said Dana Chavez-Baca, NMTPAS director. “Both old and new fans of Selena will be delighted with the tribute show.”
In addition to the Selena tribute, which comes to Socorro from Los Angeles, many of Socorro’s local bands will be featured at the music festival. Two of Socorro’s favorite bands you can catch twice: Full(ish) Professors featuring NMT professors (and students) performing 10pm-12am, Friday at the Capitol Bar, and 6:30-7:30pm on the Plaza on Saturday; and Mesa Blue (formerly Suavecito) performing 8-9:30pm Friday on the Plaza and 5-6pm Saturday on the Plaza. Midnight Run, led by Shayne Van Landingham, who grew up in Socorro and now lives in Grants, will perform from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Capitol Bar. The band Technical Differences, made up of New Mexico Tech recent alumni, performs from 9 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, at the Capitol Bar.
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New this year is a SocorroFest T-shirt contest. The winning design will be featured on this year’s T-shirt. The official shirt will be available for sale at SocorroFest.
A full schedule of performers is listed online at nmt.edu/pas.
FRIDAY, SEPT 13, SOCORRO PLAZA STAGE
- Fretwork Fables, 6-7:30pm– Roots Americana featuring excellent vocal harmonies and great instrumentals by Val Thomas vocals, Ben Thomas guitar and vocals, Mariah Frances Carter fiddle, mandolin, vocals, and Jim Ruff bass, mandolin and vocals
- Mesa Blue, 8-9:30pm– Spanish, country, and oldies with Lorenzo Valenzuela vocals, Moises Castillo vocals, Carl Lukesh bass, Ronny Silva guitar and James Trujillo drummer.
FRIDAY, SEPT 13, CAPITOL BAR & BREWERY
- Johnny Dean, 5-6pm– Classic rock, country, folk covers and originals
- Tyler Lam, 6:15-7:15pm– Country, rock and folk
- Wredemppshun 7:30-8:30pm– Pronounced “redemption,” a multi-generation band, featuring alumni and locals, playing rock, folk and bluegrass. Members include Steve Senn vocals, bass and guitar, Dave Thomas vocals bass and guitar, Rooster Ryder mandolin and guitar, Matt Thomas vocals and guitar, Gretchen Van Houten fiddle, Brad Billings drums, Susie Welch percussion
- Technical Differences, 9-10pm– Featuring former NMT students, playing pop rock from every decade, contemporary to oldies. The band: Andrew Wagg guitar, Seth Sisneros vocals and guitar, Keith Lucero vocals and bass, and Kody Gray vocals and drums
- Fullish Professors, 10:15-12am– Rock/pop/country variety band covering hits from today’s charts as well as prior decades. Members include Steve Simpson guitar and vocals, Julie Ford vocals and percussive accents, Ephraim Ford bass, Andrew Wagg drums, and Paul Demorest on saxophone. Joining them for SocorroFest will be special guest “Guitar Bill” Patridge on lead guitar
FRIDAY, SEPT 13, BOX CANYON BREWING COMPANY
- Jazz Action, 4-4:45pm– Jazz standards
- Tom Fenton, 5-5:45– Rock, reggae, blues and originals
- Hello Darlin’, 6-7:45pm– Mostly original Americana
- Rita Bliss, 8-10pm –Austin, Texas-based folk artist, performing original songs accompanied by banjo
SATURDAY, SEPT 14, SOCORRO PLAZA STAGE:
- Et Alia Belly Dance Troupe, Noon-12:30pm
- Terri Sunflower, 12:45-1:30pm –Writing and singing original songs from the heart. Terri is recording a full-length album of her songs. Follow her journey at https://open.substack.com/pub/terrisunflower
- Fuzzy Logic, 2-3pm– Rock, pop and original songs with Val Thomas vocals, Ben Thomas guitar and vocals, Jay Blanchard keyboard, Clifton Murray bass, Andrew Wagg drums.
- Rio Grand Vodoo Band with Tom Fenton, 3:30-4:30pm– Cajun rock from New Orleans with Tom Fenton vocals and guitar, Jim Ruff bass, Ben Thomas guitar, Martha Cather accordion, Tom Hunt saxophone, Pierce Mayadag drums
Mesa Blue, 5-6pm – Formerly Suavecito, playing Spanish, country and oldies
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- Fullish Professors,6:30-7:30pm– Rock/pop/country variety band covering hits from today’s charts as well as prior decades.
- 512: The Selena Experience, 8-10pm– Tribute concert to the Queen of Tejano Music, plus salsa favorites
SATURDAY, SEPT 14, CAPITOL BAR
- Roon, 1-1:45pm –Good timin’ folk rock and originals with Ronna Kalish vocals, keyboard, guitar and harmonica, Johnny Dean guitar and bass, Jim Ruff mandolin, bass and ukelele
- Why Knot?, 2-2:45pm– Folk and oldies with Steve Cather vocals and guitar, Martha Cather vocals, guitar, keyboard and accordion, Jim Ruff bass
- Pete Gonzales and Carl Lukesh, 3-3:45 –Fun hits through the decades
- The Out Cats, 4-5pm– Blues, rock and jazz with Neil Haverstick guitar and vocals, Carlos Marrero guitar and vocals
- The 835s, 5:15-6:15pm –Bluegrass, roots American and folk with Francie Deters vocals, guitar and bass, Mariah Frances Carter vocals, fiddle and mandolin, Jim Ruff, vocals, bass and mandolin
- Midnight Run, 6:30-8:30pm– Rock, country and oldies with Shayne Van Landingham vocals and guitar, Nick Tenorio guitar, Jared Van Landingham guitar
- Moon Dogs, 9-12am– This group is a five-piece jam band from Albuquerque, offering a blend of lively originals and multi-genre interpretive covers of artists from Al Green and Tom Petty to Alabama Shakes and Joss Stone.
SATURDAY, SEPT 14, BOX CANYON BREWING COMPANY
- Argyle Cowgirl, 2-3:15pm– Pop, rock and originals with Julie and Ephraim Ford
- Matt and Mitch, 3:30-4:45 –Rock, jazz and oldies
- Acme Oil and Gas Co., 5-6:15pm– Indy folk, rock and originals with David Chavez vocals and guitar, Tana Hudson bass and guitar, Martha Cather accordion
- Shelbi Etscorn, 6:30-7:45pm– Eclectic mix of contemporary and classic favorites
- Socorro Synth Society, 8-9:45pm– Groovy electronic and ambient music
