Puttin' the "Quirky" Back in Albuquerque

The Land of Enchantment was just that much more enchanting Sunday through Tuesday nights, June 17 through 19, as the ACE X-Tension Chords alternately rocked and rolled from 9 to midnight each night.

Sunday night was a rock-out dance as lead singer Owen Roberts gave it his all, eventually (and temporarily) blowing out his voice in the dry, high-desert air. Guitarists Owen and John-Boy, bassist Ron Thomas, and drummer Robert Casler were complemented by Bruce Schultz on harp and Jeff Hino's amazing lap steel, Chris Dicus's magic fingers on the keyboard, and the subtle, under-mic'd stylings of the mando twins and newcomer fiddler Amy Smith. A special nostalgia set brought back a reunion of the Hot Flashes, a vocal combo first heard at ACE 1997, just blocks away from Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was like a scene out of Never-Neverland, with the stage and dance floor filled with communications professionals who were discovering that, no, they never really did grow up after all.

Monday and Tuesday nights were mild by comparison, but terrific fun all the same. Mandolins, guitars, a fiddle, and even a hammered dulcimer were heard with solo and group vocals from the back room of the hospitality suite. We had folk, Cajun, Irish, and old-timey tunes, a little bit of blues, and some familiar songs from O Brother Where Art Thou ("I'm a Dapper Dan man, myself," John-Boy reminds us).

Photos, videos, and who knows (MP3s?) to come!

Thanks to everyone for dancing, listening, and buying all of those cool T-shirts and posters!