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Los Cenzontles explore tradition, attract big names

Eugene Rodriguez, guitarist and leader of Los Cenzontles, said he "didn't know anything" about Dia de los Muertos as a kid growing up in LA. "It's one of the traditions I discovered through my work," Rodriguez said from San Pablo, CA.

The tradition and his work come together on Halloween Sunday when Rodriguez's group performs at Mercado Mayapan, the second day of its free Dia de Los Muertos celebration. It's from 3-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Los Cenzontles, or the Mockingbirds, have been around for a long time, formed after classically trained guitarist Rodriguez started a nonprofit cultural center in the working class town of San Pablo about 20 years ago.

The six-member group, which includes three of the center's student musicians, has been attracting a growing list of musical collaborators, including Taj Mahal, Linda Ronstadt and Los Tigres del Norte. Los Lobos' David Hidalgo and musical sojourner Ry Cooder appear on their new album, "Raza de Oro (Golden People)," and the band toured this year with the Chieftains (they appeared on the Irish group's recent "San Patricio") and Jaguares.

Not bad for a group musicians and singers who blend traditional Mexican music and instruments with modern elements. Rodriguez calls the cultural center "a very humble space for kids to be comfortable. For some reason famous musicians like to be there."

Rodriguez wanted something more from music than the training he'd received. He'd developed a curiosity about the music that informs his own third generation Mexican-American roots. The center and band grew out of that.

""We just took it one style at a time. We tried to find the most authentic features to work with maybe music that's popular in the streets in San Pablo," he said. "It's just a real journey that assumed all these different dimensions."

"Raza de Oro" features a couple of songs, sung in Spanish, that address the hot-button issue of immigration. "Estado de Verguenza" attacks Arizona's tough new immigration law, while "Regresa Ya" addresses remuneration and men who leave their families behind to find work on this side of the border.

The songs try to put a human face on a somewhat anonymous issue. "I try to avoid politics," Rodriguez said, but he felt "the whole issue of immigration reached a crisis point. It's the most important civil rights issue of our time, but it's not perceived that way by a majority of Americans or even Mexicans to some degree. We're kind of in denial about it."

 

Alyssa Milano at Freedom Crossing fest; Bliss movie theater opens Nov. 5

"Charmed" star Alyssa Milano will be on hand to greet fans from 5-7 p.m. Nov. 5 at Fort Bliss East's new Freedom Crossing mall, the same day the post's new 10-screen movie theater, The Grand at Fort Bliss, will open.

Milano's appearance is part of a two-day "Celebrate What's New at Freedom Crossing" festival to promote several openings at the new open-air shopping and lifestyle center, the first of its kind on a U.S. military installation, on the expanded post.

The 35,000-square foot theater, which has digital projection systems in all 10 of its auditoriums, will have a number of promotions and giveaways to mark its Nov. 5 debut.

Titles haven't been confirmed, but some of the giveaways may provide clues, including free "Due Date" (filmed partially in Las Cruces) hats to the first 100 ticket holders on Nov. 5, "Megamind" t-shirts to the first 100 ticketholders on Nov. 6 (plus fake tattoos and other stuff from 1-3 p.m.).

The theater is operated by Southern Theatres of New Orleans, which has 278 screens in nine states. It features high-back, stadium-style rockers, Coke products, Orville Redenbacher popcorn.

The theater, which can seat up to 1,600, will employ 70 people, according to Jodi Pine, Southern's marketing director.

It also will be accessible to civilians, who must get a day pass to get on the post. To do so, you have to take a valid driver's license, proof of insurance and registration to the Robert E. Lee gate office, or you can go to bliss.army.mil, click on "e-passes," and fill out the required information. If you are approved for a pass, it will be e-mailed to you.

Pine said that $1 from the sales of concession combos sold between Nov. 5-18 will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Milano, who got her big break on TV's "Who's the Boss?," will pose for pictures and sign autographs at the new mall.

Her appearance follows a 9 a.m. ribbon-cutting to mark the opening of the theater as well as several other new businesses there, including the Smashburger (which opened Oct. 25), Buffalo Wild Wings (opened Oct. 27), Arby's, Val Verde and Sarku Japan restaurants, GameStop, the Exchange, Junga Juice and Einstein Bros. Bagels.

She'll be followed by a concert at 7 p.m. by the band Overton Road.

The children's play area will be dedicated at 11 a.m. Nov. 6, with a family fair from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. that day.

All of those events are free.

Freedom Crossing's website lists a TBA appearance by DJ Pauly D of "Jersey Shore" notoriety for Nov. 6, but doesn't mention any other details.

The theater is located at 1619 Pleasonton, on the east side of the road, across from the Exchange and near the intersection with Pike Road.

Its website is thegrandtheatres.com.

The mall's site is freedomcrossingatfortbliss.com. Its number is 720.529.2811.

 

 

Concert update: ?uestlove, Wu-Tang, 'Singin',' Fuerza Bruta, 'Grinch,' Alfresco, Los Lonely Boys and more

Most people know the afroed ?uestlove as the drummer for the Roots, the versatile hip-hop-soul group that's currently the house band for NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."

But they might not know that he's also a DJ, with a record collection  of more than 50,000 titles. He's DJed at the Winter Music Conference, NBA All-Star Parties and a Sundance Film Festival after-party.

Now he'll be DJing here at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at Wet Ultra Lounge, 524 San Francisco in the Union Plaza entertainment district.

It's part of the one-year anniversary celebration of LNSC, or Late Night Social Club, a local DJ collective and promotion group that's been doing shows and theme nights all over town. Some of their DJs will perform that night, as will Austin's Noveltone.

Tickets for ?uestlove's set are $25, on sale now at All That Music & Video, El Pisto, Hommework, the Headstand and Ticketbully.com.

The LNSC crew is keeping busy, hosting its "The Terror" Halloween costume party at 8 p.m. Oct. 29 at Republic, 200 Anthony in the Union Plaza.

It will include DJ sets by Holy Ghost!, Peanut Butter Wolf, Nosaj Thing, JT Donaldson, El Paso's the D.A. and others.

It's an 18-and-older show. Tickets are $20 and $25 in advance, on sale at All That Music, El Pisto, Hommework, Republic and Ticketbully.

Details: 999.9696, myspace.com/latenightsocialclub.

That's not all. Wu-Tang Clan's Inspectah Deck and Masta Killa bring their "Wu-Nited States of America" tour to Republic at 9 p.m. Nov. 12.

They'll be joined by Casual of Hieroglyphics.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $50 VIP, on sale at All That Music, the Headstand, Wet Ultra Lounge, Club Peoria and Republic.

It's an 18-and-older show, with admission $20 and $55 (VIP) at the door for those 18-20.

In other show news:

• The LNSC DJs aren't the only ones celebrating. UTEP Dinner Theatre has extended its run of "Singin' in the Rain" through Nov. 14. It originally was scheduled to play through Nov. 7. Added performances will be Nov. 10-13 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 14 at 2:30 p.m. (no meal will be served for that performance).

Tickets range from $24-$40 and are on sale at the UTEP Ticket Center, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com or by calling 800.745.3000.

• Fuerza Bruta, the Argentinian acrobatic and percussion troupe, won't be performing here Nov. 4-20 after all, though promoter Ricardo Fernandez expects to bring them here in the spring. You may recall the group originally was slated to be here in late September, with performances at the Union Depot. Then it was pushed back to November.

But Fernandez said he had to work out a few things locally, including the parking situation, and with the performers, whose tagline is "Look up!," and predicts they'll be here to perform their Amor Por Juarez fund-raising concerts around March.

• How would you like to see "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," one of the greatest TV Christmas specials of all time, on the big screen? You'll get that chance when it joins another TV classic, "It's a Wonderful Life," among the holiday movies Dec. 4-5 at the Plaza Theatre. More titles should be announced soon.

• In case you're just dying to get tickets to see "Wicked" at the Plaza in 2012, you should know that your best shot at tickets right now is to buy season tickets for the theater's 2010-2011 Broadway series, which opens Nov. 29 with "Disney's Beauty and the Beast." Season tickets will give you first crack at season tickets next season.

This year's season tickets come in two packages. The "premiere" subscription includes tickets to all five shows ("Beauty and the Beast," "Monty Python's Spamalot," "All Shook Up," "Legally Blonde" and Blue Man Group) and cost $145, $215 and $275. The four-event "Classic" package, which doesn't include "Beauty," ranges from $115 to $215.

Call the Plaza hotline at 231.1111 for more info.

• Tickets for the El Paso Youth Ballet's second annual "The Nutcracker" are on sale now. Performances will be Dec. 17-19 at UTEP's Magoffin Auditorium (it was at El Paso High School last year).

Tickets are $15, $20 and $25, plus service fees, with 20 percent discounts for groups of 10 or more. They're on sale at the University Ticket Center, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and 800.745.3000.

• Gregg Carthy will celebrate 25 years of co-hosting KTEP's "Folk Fury" show with couple of special editions. The Oct. 30 broadcast will include performances by Zoomer Roberts and Buddy Winston, Kat Tyler and Russ Kallman and Tim Green. The Nov. 13 show will feature singer Robin Russell and Bob Banta, one of the most talented guitarists in town, of Effie Munro, plus Celtic Lie, Carthy's group.

The show, which airs from 7-10 p.m. Saturdays, has been hosted by Dan Alloway, an Eastwood grad, for 30 years.

• The ever-friendly Ashley Tantimonaco, who does marketing for the Convention and Visitors Bureau's Plaza and Chavez theaters, says that 31,000 people attended the 23 free shows by local bands in this year's Alfresco! Fridays series at the Arts Festival Plaza.

About 16,500 watched the free movies, known as Movies in the Canyon, that were shown over a six-week period in August and September at the McKelligon Canyon Amphitheater.

Not bad, huh?

The deadline for applying to play Alfresco in 2011, which will feature at least 20 weeks, is Jan. 7. Go to alfrescofridays.com or call 534.0615 for more info.

Deadline for the city's Music Under the Stars free concerts series is Nov. 11. Call 541.4280 or go to elpasoartsandculture.org for more information.

You can click this link for an application: ci.el-paso.tx.us/mcad/summerprograms.asp.

Here's hoping Jim Ward and Sleepercar, who got rained out last summer, apply again!

• Melodic Australian pop-rockers the Jefferson, touting debut album "Safe Return to Earth," headline a free show at 9 p.m. Nov. 2 at Soho Cocktail Lounge, 500 N. Oregon.

They'll be joined by local bands Cigarettes After Sex and the Musicianers. It's a 21-and-older show.

• The Low Brow, 112 E. Robinson, one of the new kids on the local club block, hosts the return of Chalk the Block standouts Peelander-Z, the goofy Japanese punk rockers, and Japanese punk band TsuShiMaMiRa at 8 p.m. Nov. 3. Tickets are $6 for 21 and older, $8 for 18-20.

The club will have Hawaiian reggae-rock band Iration in at 7 p.m. Nov. 7. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, on sale at All That Music, Black Market and the Headstand.

• Austin blues-rocker Jeff Strahan will be in town for a couple of shows. The singer-guitarist, who walked away from a law career to pursue music, is doing a free, 21-and-older show Nov. 5 at King's X, 4119 N. Mesa, followed by another freebie at 9:30 p.m. Nov. 6 at Ardovino's Desert Crossing, which has a cool room for shows.

• Carlos Flores, the guy who gave you Elektro Bash 1 and 2 is at it again. Elektro Bash 3 will be at 8 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Reyn Theatre, 209 El Paso. It's being billed as an "After Halloween DJ and Gogo Party," and will feature more than 20 DJ sets on two stages, including jams by Charlie Star, Teen Wolf, Party Sex and Bull---- and 104.3's Johnny Cage.

It also will include a costume contest, candy and go-go dancers.

Admission is $11 in advance, on sale at All That Music and the Headstand, and $17 at the door.

• Two Ton Live is bringing L.A. Music Award-winning reggae group the Mystic Roots Band to 6 Strings, 1160 Airway, at 9:30 p.m. Nov. 9. It's a 21-and-older show, $5 at the door.

• Last but not least, Texas' own Los Lonely Boys will play the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Fiesta Celebration and Pinata Bash on Nov. 19 at the Judson L. Williams Convention Center.

It's billed as a tribute to heroes, especially the military, and will include awards and a speech by Major Gen. Dana Pittard, Fort Bliss' new commanding general and another Eastwood High School grad (hey, I went to high school with that guy).

Doors open at 6 p.m. The band goes on at 9:30 p.m.

Tickets are $75, with tables of 10 going for a cool $1,000.

Details: 566.4066, ephcc.org/2010fiestacelebration.aspx.

 

 

 

 

 

Concert update: Speaking Rock adds Buckcherry for the Fourth

A windy day in October may seem like the wrong time to be thinking about the Fourth of July.

Not so for Karl A. Maahs, the general manager of Speaking Rock Entertainment Center.

He's working hot and heavy on Saturday's free outdoor concert by Korn, but in the meantime, he's booked another local favorite, Buckcherry, to headline a free July 4th show in the parking lot.

It will be followed by a big fireworks show, which Maahs said will move next year from the Tigua tribe's property in Socorro to the former casino.

That's not the only show he's added to next year's schedule. Hard rockers Slaughter will play the club at 10 p.m. Feb. 25.

And George Thorogood will move it on over from the club to the parking lot for an April 28 show.

They'll be free. All shows there are 18-and-older, though Maahs said the Buckcherry show will be all-ages, since Speaking Rock intends to make that a family event.

The Korn show is a freebie, too, and is expected to draw up to 30,000 people, Maahs said, noting that he's gotten calls and emails from fans as far away as Alaska and New York who say they're coming in for this one-time kind of event.

Gates will open at 3 p.m. Extra security, portable bathrooms and beer stands will be set up for the show, he said.

Korn is expect to go on around 9 or 10 p.m., he said, with Erase the Virus and Saturate opening. The plan is for those two Houston metal bands to play inside at the club, though it's possible they'll perform on the outdoor stage, too.

The weather will be a factor, Maahs said, though Korn is set to play outside.

That show will take place in the parking lot across Old Pueblo from the venue. The stage will be set up in front of the tribal office on the north side of the lot, which has been renovated to accommodate more people, Maahs said.

Argentinian rockers Enanitos Verdes drew a total of 24,000 people there Oct. 6-7, he said, with 15,000 of them coming out for the second show, including, he added, a number of fans from Juarez and Mexico.

 

 

Concert review: EPSO has a night of contrasts in uneven performance

    If there's a pattern to the way Sarah Ioannides programs an El Paso Symphony Orchestra concert, it's that she tries to alternate crowd-pleasing, tried-and-true warhorses with either newer, more daring pieces, or at least classics with a little more edge than the stuff traditionalists like.

    She turned to three familiar, and alliterated, names on this weekend's concerts at the Plaza Theatre — Mozart, Mendelssohn and Mahler — part of EPSO's 80th anniversary season, and the maestra's sixth and last with it.

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the 18th century boy genius, was represented by the varied "Overture to Don Giovanni," from his opera, which opened the program. 19th century composer Felix Mendelssohn's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E Minor closed out the first half of the program and showcased the precision and tonal purity of the guest soloist, violinist Joan Kwuon.

    The third "M" in this bit of classical music calculus was late 19th/early 20th century composer Gustav Mahler, whose Adagietto, from his fifth symphony, and "Totenfier," an early version of the first movement from his second symphony, comprised the second half of this evening of contrasts.

    The good news is that program did offer some interesting variety, from Mozart's alternately light and heavy overture to Mendelssohn's sweetly romantic concerto to the lovely yet hushed melancholy of Mahler's "Adagietto" to the to the heavier, more dynamic "Totenfier," the funeral march from his "Resurrection" symphony.

    In soloist Kwuon, Ioannides has identified a spirited young talent who is both a masterful technician and a musician with soul. Kwuon, who last performed here at Pro-Musica's El Paso Chamber Music Festival in 2005, played her 276-year-old Guarneri violin with a focused intensity that balanced technical superiority with a spirited and lyrical musicality.

   The bad news is that Friday's concert had a listless quality to it. The Mozart and Mendelssohn weren't bad, but, save Kwuon's intense performance (especially the solo), they were a bit lifeless. The "Adagietto" was my favorite piece of music on the program, and it was performed well with a light touch. But the orchestra seemed to have a little trouble with the demanding "Totenfier," pulling off its rumbling, cello-driven opening and mastering some of its dynamic flourishes, but its performance seemed tentative at times.

  This novice classical music/chamber music/opera listener doesn't fault the conductor for mixing things up or the orchestra for trying to master such constrasting music. Friday's performance just felt like one of those nights where things didn't quite fall into place. 

 

 

 

Movie review: Societal pressures drive impressive, but uneven 'Engine Slayer'

Barlam is confused. 

He’s a man-child, a 20-something homebody who works in a grocery store, obsessively build models of 1967 Mercury Cougars, has an unnatural attraction to his drugged-out sister and an unusual curiosity about a kid who may be his better looking doppelganger.

He’s a virgin. Judging from his perilous outbursts, he probably has a mental illness. Bipolar disorder comes to mind.

The pressure to make sense of all this — and the dissolution of his parents' marriage — drives “The Sentimental Engine Slayer,” which made its commercial movie theater debut Friday at Premiere Cinemas at Bassett Place after a summer run of film festivals in Europe, Australia and the United States, including New York’s Tribeca Film Festival and two sold-out shows at the Plaza Classic Film Festival last August.

It’s an odd but inspired bit of filmmaking from former El Pasoan Omar Rodriguez Lopez, best known as the prolific guitarist and writer of psyched-out rockers the Mars Volta. 

Make no mistake. “Engine Slayer” is not a commercial film. There are no car chases, shootouts or big-name stars. It’s a small, low-budget film (supposedly financed in part by his parents, who appear in it); one that comes from the heart. 

The issues it raises, including incest and other sexual ambiguities, are unsettling. It’s also a little frustrating in its inability or unwillingness to delve deeper into them.

But it’s also an impressive debut for the wildly imaginative southpaw guitarist, whose prolific output rivals that of another music talent who’s dabbled in movies — Prince.

“Engine Slayer,” which was shot entirely in El Paso in the summer of 2007 (the Mesa Inn, the Tap, the mountains, the star are all there), marks Rodriguez Lopez’s directorial debut. He wrote the script, composed the music (which plays a key role), produced and stars as Barlam, the dangerously mixed up kid trying to find his way through a world of noisy conflicts and anxious expectation.

It’s a confusing world to be sure, and “Engine Slayer” is an occasionally confusing movie, probably because its creator is just learning the vocabulary of filmmaking.

The action centers around Barlam’s sexual inexperience, opening with Barlam’s uneasy and nearly fatal encounter with a hooker at the Mesa Inn. That sets the tone for this movie, where you’re pulling for the guy, yet can’t help but feel like he’s one bad experience away from doing something really wrong. 

A couple of well-meaning friends — his beer-swilling, womanizing boss, Oscar (played by Nomar Rizo, also known as Frontera Bugalu bassist Ramon Villa, who also plays a pimp), and his sister's dopey boyfriend Zack (Kim Stodel) — make the ill-advised move of hiring the hooker. His doped up sister (Tatiana Velazquez) is oblivious.

Barlam has other misadventures, including one with a transvestite (played by one of his real-life brothers), but you’re never sure what’s real and what’s fantasy. Which is the point. As if adolescence isn’t hard enough, mental illness can blur lines the rest of us see and feel.

Rodriguez Lopez, who has a natural, boyish charm on screen (despite being in his 30s), illustrates this effectively, not just visually, but with his inventive use of sound. From the TV static in the hotel room to the white guitar noise in his head, Rodriguez Lopez gets you right inside Barlam’s muddled brain.

“Engine Slayer” isn’t accomplished filmmaking, but it speaks volumes about Rodriguez Lopez’s potential as a filmmaker.

Just like his music, it sure makes me want to see what he comes up with next. 

 

Tumbledown's EP arrest song; Koz's No. 1 CD; Disturbed's game

"El Paso!," shouts Tumbledown frontman (and MxPx singer-guitarist) Mike Herrera at the outset of "Arrested in El Paso," the band's first single and video from its new "Empty Bottle" CD.

The punky country-rock band from Washington recounts an allegedly true story in the song and video, which was just posted on their website.

There's an account posted in the news section of their site, tumbledownhq.com:

"As most can envision from the title, and in true outlaw fashion, Tumbledown’s brush with the law is now on record. What started as a simple trip through El Paso on tour, instead turned convoluted a little over a year ago. Each band member, frontman and guitarist Mike Herrera (MxPx, Arthur), guitarist Jack Parker, standup bassist Marshall Trotland and drummer Harley Trotland, were arrested and questioned, with the band barely making it to Dallas, their next tour stop."

"Got the arrested in El Paso blues, throw out the drugs and the booze, we've only got our rights and our freedoms to lose .... don't you mess with Texas, from experience I know," Herrera crows in the song.

The album comes out Oct. 26.

Though their original itinerary listed a Nov. 4 EP show as TBD, their publicist now tells me that said show won't be happening, but the band hopes to swing through here next year.

Hmmm. Wonder what they're afraid of!

Actually, they probably couldn't find a suitable promoter or venue to fit their itinerary. But they may be wise to drive around the Sun City on their way from gigs in Pueblo, CO to San Antonio!

In other local interest music news:

• Sax man Dave Koz, who'll bring his latest Christmas tour here Dec. 9 at the Plaza Theatre, topped the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Chart and the iTunes jazz album chart with his new CD, "Hello Tomorrow."

Local fans may recall from his interview with the Times last year that Koz wanted to go in a new direction on this one, his first for Concord Records. It's his fourth straight album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard jazz chart.

Koz will appear on PBS' "The Tavis Smiley Show" on Oct. 22 and will guest star on ABC's "Desperate Housewives" on Oct. 24, performing one of the new songs, "Start All Over Again," with singer Dana Glover.

You can check a video of Koz discussing and recording the song at youtube.com/watch?v=vLOB50AoTGA

Tickets for Koz's show — which will include Jonathan Butler, Candy Dulfer and Brian Culbertson —will go on sale Nov. 6, not Nov. 1 as originally announced.

• The final stop on our multi-media, locally-connected music tour is Disturbed's new album, "Asylum," which has been turned into an interactive video game that will debut Oct. 28 on the metal band's website, disturbedasylum.com.

The band, of course, includes former El Pasoan John Moyer on bass.

No word on when they''ll play here in support of the new album, but you can check out the trailer for the game at youtube.com/watch?v=sdoae1EOT_4. 

 

 

Concert update: Caja Muerto Social, Cruces mariachi fest, Los Cenzontles and more

Ribo Flavin', the Royalty, the D.A. and DJ Bless1 will perform at the first Caja Muerto Social at Ricky's Paintball, 1773 Pali (off N. Zaragoza).

It's a Halloween event at 8 p.m.  Oct. 30 that will include short films, including Elvira Carrizal-Dukes' "Mariposa" and a snippet of her new "Ochoa" and Free Fish's "Ladies Love Zombies" and Ronnie Dukes' "The Old Diner."

Food by Senor Elote and K&B Barbecue will be available, and Psychic Lynn will be on hand to, well, read your hand.

Admission is $4 for 21 and over, $6 for 18-20, with $1 from each ticket going to the United Way's HIPPY program.

In other news:

• Shaila Durcal, Mariachi Cobre and Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez will headline the 17th annual Las Cruces International Mariachi Conference Spectacular Concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at NMSU's Pan Am Center.

More than 7,000 people are expected for the concert, which also will feature more than 750 students from the workshops that will be conduced during the conference. 

Other events in the three-day conference including a student showcase at 7:45 p.m. Nov. 12 and a fiesta from noon-6 p.m. Nov. 14 in the Old Mesilla Plaza.

Tickets for the Durcal concert, a tribute to her mother Rocio Durcal, range from $18-$48, $15-$45 for military and $16-$46 for NMSU students, faculty and staff.

They're on sale at the box office and Ticketmaster.

• Speaking of mariachis, EPCC is hosting Noche de Mariachi at 4 p.m. Oct. 23 at the EPCC Administrative Services Center (Building A) at 9050 Viscount.

Mariachi Gala de El Paso and EPCC's Mariachi Real de El Paso will perform.

Cost is $10, with proceeds going to pay for the EPCC group's participation in the Las Cruces mariachi conference.

Doors open at 4, with dinner at 4:30 and music at 5.

• Los Cenzontles, a group from San Pablo, CA that adds modern touches to various Mexican folk musics, will perform at the Dia de los Muertos festivities Oct. 31 at Mercado Mayapan. The group, which runs its own community center in the working class town, has some pretty heady company.

Among the artists appearing on its new, politically-tinged album, "Raza de Oro," are Los Lobos' David Hidalgo and musical journeyman Ry Cooder, who teamed the Chieftains with Los Cenzentonles and Los Tigres del Norte for the Irish group's "San Patricio" album.

• Oct. 26 is doubly special for fans of Texas country singer Bleu Edmondson. He's not only performing at Las Cruces' Hurricane Alley that night, but it's the same day his new album, "The Future Ain't What It Used to Be," comes out the same day.

• Conjunto Primavera headlines a multi-act concert and dance at 8 p.m. Nov. 24 — Thanksgiving weekend — at the Coliseum.

Tickets are $37.50, on sale now at the box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and 800.745.3000.

• Phat Soul will play the funk and a Michael Jackson imitator will do the moonwalk for a Motown-themed Halloween dinner and dance at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino's Signature Ballroom.

It's $30 per person, which includes a buffet dinner ($5 cheaper for military).

Tickets will be on sale through Oct. 27 at All That Music & Video and Capshaw-Olivas Music stores at 1320 N. Zaragoza and 125 Thunderbird.