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Gold House offers inviting venue for local musicans
Gold House is primarily a collaborative artist living space, said Tyson Ryder, a senior creative writing major. In the eight years since it began, Gold House has showcased a variety of musicians from all genres, he said.
Ryder, who also lives at Gold House, said the goal of the venue is to support and cultivate interest in the local independent arts scene.
“The house fills an essential niche for someone who wants to go to UNM and be a part of a community, but not necessarily a fraternity,” he said. “This is a non-hierarchical space that focuses on artistic creation.”
Senior Brandon Straus said he has attended shows at Gold House several times. He said he likes the venue because of its community vibe.
“There’s no barrier to it; it’s not secretive,” he said. “It’s very intimate, not like a show at a large venue.”
Danny Crouch, philosophy alumnus and musician, said he has played at Gold House dozens of times. He said the location is all-inclusive, creating a welcoming atmosphere.
“There’s definitely a very large community of people who frequent these DIY (do-it-yourself) venues,” he said. “If people want to come, they can come.”
Tucker Yates said he has been booking shows at Gold House for the last eight months. He has helped give the venue the reputation of consistently hosting different bands, which is part of the reason they won the Weekly Alibi’s Best of Burque for Best Underground Concert Venue, he said.
“We don’t want to be just a big party house. We want to be a part of the greater community that supports us, and we try to emulate it and support other artistic efforts,” Yates said.
Straus said part of the venue’s appeal is its intimate settings for performances, in the house’s living room or basement.
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“It’s not like a show at a large venue,” he said. “It’s a hybrid between an intimate party and a performance.”
Yates said he remembers one particular night showcasing very different music.
“This band had tacked on to a folk show and they had speakers stacked to the ceiling,” he said. “The drummer would stand up and just throw himself down on his drums — it was the loudest thing I had ever heard. Right after that, this solo performer, this delicate like flower of a girl, is singing her love songs.”
As the venue came by more talent and equipment, Yates said Gold House branched from a residence and venue to a recording studio (Gold House Records) and video recording (Gold House Sessions).
“When bands couldn’t stop to do a show we would ask, ‘Well, do you want to do a (video) session?’” he said. “That would be the reason they would stop in Albuquerque.”
If a band, of their own volition, is preparing to do an album release, Gold House Records will help produce it and hold a show for them, Yates said. The band can then sell their hard copies of the album for a profit.
“We began thinking of other ways to support this whole scene and get juices flowing,” he said. “Basically (we are) just putting in any effort we can to help.”
Gold House’s events and video sessions can be found on their Facebook page, facebook.com/goldhousenm.
