On a Tuesday night at Canteen Brewhouse, the lights dim just enough to shift the mood. Conversations taper off, glasses settle onto wooden tables and all eyes turn toward a single microphone at the front of the room. There is no band warming up, no punchlines being tested. Instead, there is anticipation, the quiet kind […]
The Paper.
Get Out! (Feb. 26-March 11)
Opera Southwest: Aida (Wed. 25, Performance) Opera Southwest mounts “the grandest of grand operas” with a staging of Giuseppe Verdi’s old Egypt-set masterpiece Aida. Michelle Johnson (2023’s Turandot 2023 and 2019’s Lohengrin) returns in the title role, alongside Olivia Vote (2025’s Verdi’s Requiem and 2018’s Norma) as Amneris. You can catch it Wednesday, Feb. 25 […]
New Mexico United Eyes Encore After Historic 2025 Season
After captivating the state with a thrilling run to the Western Conference Finals in 2025, New Mexico United enters the 2026 season with heightened expectations and a roster built for championship contention. According to United President Ron Patel, the Black & Yellow drew nearly 200,000 television viewers for last year’s playoff match, a staggering number […]
Painter M. Certo Takes Over the Walls of His Own Gallery with Synecdoche
For the first time in several years, painter and gallerist Michael Certo is turning the walls of his own space over to himself. Synecdoche, a solo exhibition of 21 new paintings, opens Saturday, Feb. 21 at AC2 Contemporary Art and marks Certo’s first solo presentation at the gallery in four or five years. The title, […]
My Favorite Things: The Cheapest and Most Expensive Burgers in Albuquerque
Albuquerque has no shortage of options when it comes to burgers. Whether they be steakhouse or smash, green chile or plain, fast food or fine dining, burger connoisseurs will have no trouble finding what they need. I went looking for the ends of the burger universe: the cheapest burger I could find and the most […]
Get Out! (Feb. 13-25)
Patty Griffin (Music, Wed. 11) Legendary singer-songwriter, two-time Grammy winner and Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement award winner Patty Griffin drops by the historic KiMo Theater (423 Central Ave. SW) for a night of stripped-down folk/Americana music. The show starts at 7:30 p.m on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Tickets run $40 to $55 and should be […]
Red Velvet Explores Social/Theatrical History
West End Productions will launch its 2026 season and celebrate its 10th anniversary with Red Velvet, a historical drama that examines race, memory and the cost of artistic defiance through the true story of actor Ira Aldridge. Written by British playwright Lolita Chakrabarti, Red Velvet is set in 1833 London, amid riots protesting the Slavery […]
Modern Opera Goes Cellular
Opera is not typically associated with smartphones, short attention spans or jokes that land like stand-up comedy punchlines. But Gonzo Opera’s Cellular World is intentionally pushing against those expectations, bringing a satirical, contemporary take on the art form to FUSION theatre from Feb. 6–8. “That’s the idea of Gonzo Opera, that it’s contemporary subjects that everybody can […]
Women’s Chorus Gets Fired Up
For the New Mexico Women’s Chorus, music has always been about more than harmony. Since its founding three decades ago, the ensemble has centered social justice as both its mission and its method. Singers from across the community come together to use their collective voice as a form of expression and action. That purpose takes […]
Get Out! (Jan. 15-28)
A Love Letter to Black Wall (Fri. 16, Art/Music) Black Wall Gallery & Events (2125 San Mateo Blvd. NE), Albuquerque’s coolest art and music venue is hosting a fundraiser. If you believe in the Black Wall mission, you are invited to be there on Friday, Jan. 16 starting at 6 p.m. for live music, food, […]

