The Punks of Albuquerque

Albuquerque is home to a flourishing music scene. Within the DIY scene, acts with countless unique genres are to be found. From emoviolence, to grindcore and twinkle, it’s hard for someone to not find a band that they’ll enjoy. With new venues (which are usually just somebody’s backyard) sprouting up quicker than ever, the scene is blossoming at a massive pace. People of all backgrounds come to shows; from young high-schoolers, to aging millennials, and even a handful of oldheads, they all bash one another in the mosh pit. In interviews with band members, venue hosts, and show goers, you’ll get a first-hand glimpse at the passion behind the punks of Albuquerque.

I myself am a showgoer; I’d say that I evenly enjoy all aspects and genres of music within our community, even the ones that scare me! Being someone with a broad appreciation of music, I find myself going to shows of all sizes and notoriety rather evenly. I value headlining music festivals such as EDC as much as I love going to a stranger’s living room to watch two people bang together some sounds as music. As cool as it is, going to grand music festivals and raves that feature popular artists, there’s a great charm in going to a grassroots show, optionally donating $10 to the venue and bands, and seeing my own friends dancing, screaming, and blasting music on the many stages throughout Albuquerque.

 Not long after I had my first experience raving, I came home to Albuquerque and went a show with one of my best friend Seth’s band, “on my deathbed.” I went along with another friend, who wasn’t in a band but was rather familiar with the scene, as we were both connected to Seth. It was a strange contrast to me at first, but once I got into that mosh pit, I felt the same connection, passion, and safety as I did from my first rave. A community where people look out for one another, where you can feel safe knowing that you’ll get picked up when you fall, and that bad actors are promptly dealt with, these shows became my escape to where I could truly feel like I am myself.

I believe that a major factor as to why the punk community values respect, vigilance, and unity is because many of us come from marginalized communities. Many people in the scene are queer, POC, or both! DIY scenes across the world are very tightly knit, and are a safe haven for those who experience discrimination and hatred in today’s society. There have been incidents where individuals and even entire bands become blacklisted from the city due to their actions involving sexual misconduct, discriminatory rhetoric and ideology, and acts of intentional violence where someone is targeted for their identity or presentation.

Ryder is one of my friends that I've recently met during my time at UNM. While not in a band, they're close friends with the local band Thursday Marks Fall, and often go to support them at the many shows they play around town. One of the first times we hung out, we went to a show and they introduced me to their friends in the scene. As time has passed, I've been warmly welcomed into their circles and come into shows with TMF. 

• How long have you been apart of the DIY scene, and how has it changed over time?

  • I've been in the scene for a few years now. It's grown a lot over the past couple of years and the culture has definitely strayed a little from the traditional punk and anarchist culture. The community still holds some important values that started from the punk movement but there have been more "bad" people coming to shows. Though, they get dealt with pretty quickly.

• What is your favorite aspects of the community, and what do you dislike about it?

  • I really love how interconnected everybody is—everyone's always on the lookout for one another and people protect each-other. An issue that's emanated throughout the genre as a whole has been a lot of bad actors who abuse their positions and harass, solicit, and abuse people. As a community, we definitely crack down on it, and we're pretty quick to shun people who harm others.

• What do you see in future of the ABQ Punk/DIY scene?

  • It's definitely going to grow a lot over the next few years. Around town there's a bunch of new venues popping up, and also a lot of new bands are forming and playing their first shows. I think that core values like anti-authority and other parts of the ideology in the scene are going to stay strong as the foundations.