What's happening in ABQ June 24-30: Zoo Music, New Mexico Gay Men's Chorus and more

Jun. 22—With July around the corner, let's see if the rain keeps up this summer. As someone who has spent half their life in the Southwest, the rain really is a luxury.

1 Vanilla Pop

This Friday, at 9 p.m. come vibe out at Hotel Andaluz, 125 Second St. NW, with Vanilla Pop.

Al Dente and Lester Moore make up the band, which has been a staple in New Mexico for more than two decades and is known for its unique style.

The event comes with a full bar and is for adults aged 21+.

Complimentary valet parking will also be provided on a first-come/first-serve basis. The doors open at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $10, plus fees at hotelandaluz.ticketleap.com.

2 Zoo Music with Love and Theft

Feeling like a little country? Why not head to the ABQ BioPark Zoo, 903 10th St. SW, for its Zoo Music series, which features country duo Love and Theft at its 6 p.m. Friday, June 24, show.

Spend an evening with wildlife, food, music and more. Children can get their face painted, and on select nights, try to conquer a 25-foot tall climbing wall.

Guests can bring chairs, coolers and picnics, but glass containers, alcohol and canopies are not permitted.

Tickets are $17 adult, $8.50 seniors and youth ages 3-12, and children 2 and under are free. Tickets are available at abqtickets.com.

3 Ostraca Imagined: Shards of Hebrew Poems from Spain

Through June 30, head to Congregation Nahalat Shalom, 3606 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, for a chance to see "Ostraca Imagined: Shards of Hebrew Poems from Spain" by Héctor Contreras López, an artistic recreation of Sephardic poems that appear on shards of pottery.

Contreras López's themes include brokenness, antiquity and fragments to reflect upon the common parts of the Sephardic and crypto-Jewish experience. This exhibit features works from 16 different poets spanning five centuries, including heavy hitters in Jewish history such as Nahmandies and Moses ibn Ezra as well as poets whose names have been lost over time.

The event is free but the venue would prefer you call 505-343-8227 to schedule a viewing. More information can be found at nahalatshalom.org.

4 The New Mexico Gay Men's Chorus

The New Mexico Gay Men's Chorus presents "NakedMan," a 16-movement song cycle about gay men's lives, and the courage needed to love authentically and without shame.

Over 60 gay men were interviewed about their experiences coming out, finding love, facing discrimination, serving in the military, wrestling with religion, losing loved ones and accepting themselves.

The performance is happening at 7:30 p.m. on both Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25, in the Albuquerque Journal Theatre at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth St. SW, in Albuquerque.

The group will also perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 26, at the Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W. San Francisco St. in Santa Fe.

Tickets start are $20-$45, plus fees and can be purchased at nmgmc.org/pride.

5 Downtown Growers' Market

Being Albuquerque's longest running farmers' market, you will always see a great selection of locally grown produce, raised meats, eggs and honey.

There is plenty of locally made food and drink products available every visit.

Downtown Market takes EBT/SNAP and will double your spending with the Double Up Food Bucks Program.

The market also accepts FreshRX prescriptions, WIC and Senior checks.

Vendors at DGM will no longer accept AGMA tokens or tokens coming from different growers' markets.

You can also stop by the information booth from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Robinson Park, 810 Copper Ave. NW.

6 Music Under the Stars presented by NM Jazz Workshop

Come down to the Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, for a concert at 7 p.m. Friday, June 24, as the Pedrito Martinez Group performs. The show is in partnership with the New Mexico Jazz Workshop and Outpost.

Tickets are $18 for general admission and $15 for students and museum members plus fees, and can be purchased at holdmyticket.com. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and food and drinks can be purchased from Slate Street Cafe at the museum.

7 J-Calvin

Durango, Colorado-based soul-funk-groove band J-Calvin will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, June 24, at Marble Brewery, 111 Marble Ave. NW.

In the band's first two years they played over 150 shows across the Western United States at some of the area's finest music venues and festivals. Check out jcalvinmusic.com to read more about the show and the band.

Got an event we should know about? Reach out to Ivan Leonard at ileonard@abqjournal.com