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Albuquerque’s The Handsome Family will headline the city’s Americana Busker Day.
Old Town is getting something different.
The city of Albuquerque is hosting its Americana Busker Day from noon-5 p.m. Saturday, March 9.
The event will feature music from street performers, as well as The Handsome Family Band and an appearance from Santa Fe musician Joe West.
“We were lucky to have Joe be able to come and make an appearance,” says James de Champion of the city’s Cultural Services Department. “He won’t be performing a full set, but will be performing some songs.”
De Champion says Americana Busker Day will pay tribute to these talented people.
“We had two festivals like this last year and we combined them,” he says. “We had great response from the community.”
Street performance, or “busking,” is the practice of performing in public places for gratuities.
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Americana Busker Day WHEN: Noon-5 p.m. Saturday, March 9 WHERE: In and around Old Town HOW MUCH: Free |
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De Champion says about a dozen performers signed up to perform and each will get 10 minutes on the Old Town Plaza’s gazebo’s main stage. He says some of the performers are regular Albuquerque performers while about half are new to the event.
The Handsome Family will perform at 4 p.m. The band is a 20-year songwriting collaboration between husband and wife Brett and Rennie Sparks, who also started performing in Albuquerque.
The duo’s lyrics and music are very intense, highly descriptive and full of meticulously researched narrative and exhilarating musical interpretations of everything from Appalachian holler, psychedelic rock, Tin Pan Alley and medieval ballad.
“This band has quite a local following and we’re excited to get them to headline the event,” he says.
Reprint story -- Email the reporter at agomez@abqjournal.com. Call the reporter at 505-823-3921
