Learn more about Season 5 of ‘Bands of Enchantment’

There are moments when life is just a blur for Ken C. Peterson.

Luckily, the New Mexico native has something to show for those moments in the TV series “Band of Enchantment.”

Peterson, who executive produces and created the music series, travels back to Albuquerque each year to spend more than a month filming new seasons.

“This season was crazy because we decided to do the festival and the series at the same time,” Peterson says. “I think the hard work started in August. It’s been a whirlwind as it always is.”

“Bands of Enchantment” is an Emmy Award-winning series filmed in New Mexico. The series puts a spotlight on musicians — both international and local — while showcasing locations around Albuquerque.

The fifth season premieres at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. New episodes will broadcast at 4:30 p.m. Saturdays through April 4, and will be available to stream on the PBS app after each broadcast.

“With each season, we’ve always wanted to go bigger,” Peterson says. “The goal for the series was always to showcase New Mexico. We not only film the artists at the KiMo (Theatre), but we take them out to a location in Albuquerque to record some acoustic sessions.”

The first season was filmed in Tucumcari before the series moved to Albuquerque. Season 2 was filmed at the Albuquerque Rail Yards and the KiMo Theatre has been home to the show for three seasons.

Peterson is grateful for the community support as the series has grown.

“There are some very heavy lifts,” Peterson says. “Along with our partners, we present a show that is not only fun to watch, but to be a part of. We invite the audience to come listen to music with us and create an amazing atmosphere.”

Season 5 features an eclectic mix of internationally acclaimed performers, including Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated artist Adrian Quesada (Black Pumas), two-time Latin Grammy winners La Vida Bohème, and Buenos Aires’ breakout alt-pop trio Pacífica. Also joining the lineup is indie-rocker Annie DiRusso, Mexico City’s Midnight Generation, and Albuquerque’s Sgt. Splendor and Los 33.

The season finale was filmed outdoors in September along Central Avenue on Route 66 during the Bands of Enchantment Music Festival. The headliner for the festival was Grammy-winning pioneers of Afrocentric hip-hop, Arrested Development.

“This is the stuff that keeps me going,” Peterson says. “We get so much feedback from people experiencing the series. We wanted to create a festival Downtown in an effort to put Downtown in a positive light. There were people at the festival who experienced Downtown for the first time, either with friends or with family. We gave them an opportunity to experience the community we’ve been trying to build. That’s huge for me.”

In addition to the Season 5 premiere broadcast, “Bands of Enchantment” will also have a red carpet event at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, at the KiMo Theatre, 423 Central Ave. NW.

The event gives fans early access to select Season 5 episodes, featuring performances by La Vida Bohème, Violet Rising and Crime Lab, Los 33 and JD Nash and the Rash of Cash, and special acoustic sessions videos by Sgt. Splendor and Adrian Quesada.

Tickets are free, but RSVP is required at bandsofenchantment.com.

“This year was full of great milestones,” Peterson says. “I always dreamt of working with a techno crane. Our producer and I have been making stuff for 20 years and we always joked that we wanted a techno crane. We had one during filming with seven cameras on there. It’s a lot of work to get the series like this going and we’re happy to be back for a fifth. We hope there are many more seasons so we can fill them with stories.”