Ronnie Dunn sings about the "Cost of Livin'" on the second single from his self-titled solo debut.
Given the cost of tickets for his Aug. 15 show at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, it's a good thing you've got nearly six weeks to save up for one.
Dunn, one half of the popular former country duo Brooks & Dunn, has been touring on his own since the release of his solo album last summer.
His show at 8 p.m. at the Mescalero showroom will be his first appearance in the area since B&D sold out the Pan Am Center on May 23, 2010, part of their "Last Rodeo" farewell tour.
Tickets range from $30 to $150 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 8 at the box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and 800.745.3000.
A presale will be from 10 a.m. Feb. 7 to 9:59 a.m. Feb. 8.
In other concert news:
• Former Frontera Bugalu singer Amalia Castro has organized an interactive music festival called "Let's Do This!" to encourage kids to stay in school.
The free festival will be from 1-5:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at the El Paso Public Library's main branch at 501 N. Oregon St.
It will include performances by Castro, UTEP's Arabic music ensemble Layali Al Sham, jazz singer Candice Reyes, Capoeira Quinto Sol, Hope Wright, the Hamsa dance troupe and more.
Children who attend will have an opportunity to perform, too.
Castro, who is majoring in history and minoring in clarinet and commercial music at UTEP, said she was inspired by her own experience in high school watching friends drop out while she pursued a love of music.
"I did not drop out because of my relationship with sound was much more important," she said in a release announcing the show. "I just wanted to play music. Music motivated me to do well in school."
She's hoping the music that day will have the same effect on younger children.
The event will include seminars by some of the musicians and live painting by Claudia Hare.
• Dance Gavin Dance will re-emerge from a self-imposed hiatus for a string of dates including an 8 p.m. Feb. 22 show at Tricky Falls.
The band's fate had been in doubt as singer Jonny Craig, who returned to the band in 2010, has dealt with legal issues related to a recent drug arrest. He was ordered into rehab by the state of California and has a court appearance in April, according to Alternative Press.
The band's new album, "Downtown Battle Mountain II," is due March 8. The group also will be on the Warped Tour, though it's uncertain if they'll play the Las Cruces show on June 29.
A Lot Like Birds, Decoder and Just Like Vinyl will open the Tricky Falls show.
Tickets are $15, on sale at Bowie Feathers inside the club, Maria's Closet and holdmyticket.com.
Pony Productions, which booked the show, also has lined up the Ataris for a Jan. 25 show at M's Lips Lounge.
DB and the Catastrophe, An Endless Fight and Gentlemen open the show, the first stop on the Ataris winter tour.
Doors are at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance.
Pony co-owner Phil Candelaria also has booked Upon a Burning Body for a Feb. 6 show at M's Lips Lounge.
The San Antonio metalists will be joined by Errours and Alive + More.
Tickets are $10 in advance.
Ataris and UABB tickets will go on sale Jan. 2 at All That Music & Video and the Headstand. Candelaria also is working on an online outlet.
• Hard rockers Burn Halo, Hell or Highwater and Girl on Fire are listing a Jan. 28 Tricky Falls stop on their tour itineraries.
The show originally was listed at House of Rock Live, but apparently has moved.
No ticket info yet.
• SMG Events has booked DJ Morgan Page's "In the Air" tour for 9 p.m. Feb. 10 at Buchanan's Event Center (whose website is down, btw).
Tickets are $11, plus fees, on sale at All That Music & Video, the Headstand and groovetickets.com.
SMG also has booked Sebastian Ingrosso for a Feb. 3 show there. Tickets aren't on sale yet.
• Juarez-born, UTEP-graduated DJ Jaime Narvaez, who's now working his way up the LA club scene, will do double-duty in the hometown this weekend.
He's DJing with DJ Tommy at 9 p.m. Dec. 30 at The Garden, 511 Western.
Then he'll headline a New Year's Eve party at 8 p.m. Dec. 31 at Rockstar Fusion, Sushi, Lounge, 1699 N. Zaragoza.
The NYE party, which includes a cash balloon drop, is $10 GA, $25 VIP (which includes sushi, drinks and champagne), on sale at the venue and Ticketbully.
• Doug Adamz and his band Light Rain will return for "Belly Dance Extravaganza 2012," the annual belly dance show put on by dancer and instructor Lorraine Portilla and her Dance Alive studio.
This year's concert is at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Chamizal National Memorial Theater.
Adamz is the former El Paso musician and band leader, now based in the San Francisco area, and a pioneer of modern belly dance music.
Another veteran group, El Paso's Jitano and the Desert Prophets (which includes artist Hal Marcus on drums) will perform, as will Sadaqah.
Tickets are $10 and are on sale at Dance Alive, 2120 Montana. They also will be for sale at the door.
Portilla will offer free workshops on various belly dance moves and yoga at 10 a.m. Jan. 28 and 29.
Some of the dancers who will be performing will give workshops for a fee.
They are: "Zils," with Ginnina, 11:15 a.m. Jan. 28; "Ooey-Gooey Chifti," with Anala, 1:30 p.m. Jan. 28; "Veil Combinations," with Selena Kareena, 1:45 p.m. Jan. 28; "Accents & Rhythms in Drum Solo," with Nisreen, 11:15 a.m. Jan. 29; "Funky Fusion," with Nancy, 1:30 p.m. Jan. 29; and "Total Requests Live," with Kareesha, 1:45 p.m. Jan. 29.
Cost is $10 per workshop or $50 for all six.
All workshops will be at the theater.
Call 566.1742 or 544.0364 for more info.
Comments