Performing Arts Series
Showtime: Noon - 10:00pm
Tickets: Free
Event Location: Socorro Rodeo & Sports Complex
THE EVENT
Get ready for an in-person 4th of July Celebration at its new home, the Socorro Rodeo
& Sports Complex, with old and new features. Expect great music from Socorro's favorite
local bands & NM's favorite son, Al Hurricane Jr. With plenty room for dancing, waterslide
& jump balloon (1-6pm), food and other vendors, and of course, a fantastic fireworks
display from NM Tech's EMRTC at Dark.
Reservations are required for RV Camping ($30). You can tailgate and bring your own grill at your vehicle, or picnic on the soccer
field, but no grills or tent stakes are allowed on the soccer field. There is still
room for vendors: for-profit ($100), non-profit ($50). Email: darmijo@socorronm.gov.
The Socorro Fire Department will be running a Cornhole Tournament with signups starting
at 9am; $25/singles, $60/doubles. There will be cash prizes TBD. Contact Chief Baca,
575-418-0737 with questions. Come support the SFD and join the Cornhole fun!
There is LOTS for FREE, which does NOT require a reservation, including public parking, entry to the Rodeo Arena with live bands and space to dance, picnic area on the soccer fields, waterslides and of course, the spectacular Fireworks, this year accompanied by Socorro's own rock guru, Rob Lopez! Don't forget to bring your own chairs, blankets, tarps, sunscreen, dancing shoes, good cheer and great mood, ready to celebrate our great country and amazing community!
NOT ALLOWED: Alcohol - Fireworks - Grills in Arena or Soccer Fields - Pets - Glass - ATVs
THE SCHEDULE
12:00 Socorro Community Band
1:30 Full(ish) Professors
3:00 The Murillos
4:30 Up A Creek
6:00 Et Alia Belly Dance Troupe
7:00 Al Hurricane Jr.
Dark Fireworks accompanied by Rob Lopez
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Socorro Community Band 12:00pm
A group of local musicians brought together by Dr. Eileen Comstock, play each year
for the 4th of July Celebration and for Oktoberfest at the Hammel Museum. You will
get to hear a mix of patriotic songs, marches and classic band music.
The Full(ish) Professors 1:30pm
Drawing from influences as wide ranging as folk/Americana, classic rock, country,
and contemporary popular music (with numerous nods to the 80s). In their day jobs
at NMT, Julie Ford (vocals) is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department,
Steve Simpson (vocals, guitar) is a Communication Professor and Dean of Arts and Sciences,
Ephraim Ford (bass) is head of NM Engineering at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
(NRAO), Paul Demorest (saxophone) is a scientist at NRAO, and Andrew Wagg (drums)
is working at EMTRC after just graduating with a mechanical engineering degree. They
are guided by Neil Peart's poetic lyric "All this machinery making modern music can
still be open hearted."
The Murillos 3:00pm
A perennial favorite local band, playing on numerous occasions around Socorro County.
Having performed two concerts, without an audience, for NMT PAS during the pandemic,
then a parking lot concert on Primero de Mayo, they are now excited to be performing
for the 4th of July Celebration in its first incarnation at the Socorro Rodeo & Sports
Complex! Varying combinations of the Murillo family have been playing together for
years, said Richard Murillo. “Any time anyone needs us, we play. We enjoy playing
together as a family.” Other members are brothers George and Patrick with his son
Matthew. Lefty Gonzales plays drums. The group brings out a good crowd, always ready
to dance to their music, a wide variety of Spanish favorites, classic rock, country
and new sounds. Tori said she is looking forward to singing one of her newest learned
songs “Drinking Alone,” by Carrie Underwood. “It’s kind of a bluesy country song,”
she said, adding, “I’m a huge fan” of Underwood’s.
Up A Creek 4:30pm
With a heart for good ol’ country music, they play fairs, rodeos and private engagments.
The band features the local talent of lead singer Clayton Stansell backed by contest
winning and state champion fiddle player Gretchen VanHoughton and lead guitarist Tom
Sams who has toured the region. Anchored by the rhythm section of local guitarist
Steve Thompson and Chris Stephens on drums, who has played with acts like Merle Haggard
and Eddy Raven. Up a Creek is a down home good time crew that can keep a dance floor
busy while playing old country favorites.
Et Alia Belly Dance Troupe 6:00pm
This is the long standing NM Tech Belly Dance Club. Their advisor is Julie Johnson,
who teaches and choreographs all the dances. Belly dance is a folk dance, the world's
oldest dance form. The group will perform several styles from regions of the middle
east including classical, modern pop and folkloric.
Al Hurricane Jr. 7:00pm
Born to Alberto Nelson Sanchez (Al Hurricane) and Nettie M. Fleming on October 30,
1959, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His birth name is Alberto Nelson Sanchez, Jr. Hurricane
is a nickname inherited from his father. Al, Jr. grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico
throughout many parts of the city including: Old Town, 19th and Marble, the West Side,
Academy Acres and finally settling in the Northeast Heights. His first public performance
was at the early age of 5 at the Civic Auditorium in Albuquerque. The song he sang
for the audience that night was "Love Potion #9." Early in his youth, he began to
learn the drums and switched to guitar lessons at age 5. From guitar lessons he then
began to learn the trumpet at age 8. In July 1970, Al, Jr.'s parents divorced and
he decided to live with his father. At the age of 12, his father entered him into
piano lessons while he continued playing the trumpet in school bands, such as the
symphonic and the jazz band. This is when Al, Jr. started to learn some of his father's
songs as well as those of his uncles', Tiny Morrie and Baby Gaby. This eventually
led to him joining the Al Hurricane Band. He started out by going and playing just
one song, then two, and then his repertoire grew from there. Most of his practice
was from performances at the Far West Night Club where he and his dad performed for
many years. Al, Jr. attended many schools while growing up in Albuquerque. For his
final three years of high school, he attended and graduated from Highland High School
in May 1976 at the age of 16. After graduation, Al, Jr. chose to take a year off before
going on to college, which to this day he admits was a mistake. However, his decision
to work with his dad was not a mistake. It was the beginning of a partnership that
continued for the remainder of Al Sr's career. Along the way in his career, Al, Jr.
has acquired many nicknames such as: El Joven, The Godson of New Mexico, and Berb.
He was only 14 when he recorded his first song, "El Pintor," and has been performing
for 30 years. Al, Jr. is also a main musician on his father's recordings, supplying
trumpet, valve trombone, keyboards, keyboard bass, and has programmed drums. His
trumpet and valve trombone were also featured on the recordings of Tiny Morrie and
Baby Gaby. When Al, Jr. made his first recordings in the Hurricane Studios in Albuquerque,
it was on the very equipment that Buddy Holly used in Clovis, NM.
Rob Lopez 9:30pm (during fireworks display)
Known for his hard-driving rock-n-roll sound, Rob Lopez has played around the state.
Rob started playing the guitar in 1974. His mom gave him a $75 Les Paul copy for
his birthday. Rob has been playing for 24 years and is always a crowd favorite. States
Rob Lopez: "if you could take Zappa, Hendrix, Zeppelin and ZZ Top, throw it in a blender
with a sprinkle of Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath, that's the sound I want!"
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