Most bands might not consider getting pegged in the head with a half-full beer can as a sign of musical success.

But the Big Spank does.

The local band is having a homecoming show on Saturday at the Launchpad after two years of national touring.

Trombone player Retzen Griffith said their national tour exposed the band to audiences they hadn’t connected to before.
“One summer we played in North Carolina at a big Rock-A-Billy festival,” he said. “The crowd was kind of a punk crowd and they were drinking their PBRs, and the way they show their love at these shows is they throw their beer at you. And I don’t mean a beer that’s empty. They have so many beers they don’t even have to be empty first. (Bass player) Chris Tickner got beaned in the head with a PBR can.”
Tickner said the band has produced three full-length albums that are all available online at iTunes, Amazon and CDBaby.com.

“I would say our style is a bit Ska, Punk, some Latin and maybe some hip-hop, too,” he said.

Griffith said the band is glad to perform in their hometown after taking some time off because their lead singer, Mike Garcia, had a broken collar bone.

“This week is my 11th anniversary with the band,” Griffith said. “We’ve been coast to coast twice in the last two years. We did the local thing for the first eight years or so. Then we spent a couple years (on the road) full time. Everybody sold everything they owned and moved into a bus.”

The band includes Griffith (trombone), Tickner (Bass), Garcia (vocals, accordion and guitar), Javier Sandoval (guitar) and Bert Lujan (drums).

Tickner said the band is interested in doing some shows that benefit charities now that they’re back in town. Audience members are invited to bring donations to the show at the Launchpad.

“We have a benefit show for the Storehouse, and what you do is you bring in a funky sweater or some food, and then all that is donated to the Storehouse,” he said.
Griffith said the band’s name doesn’t have a deep history — it came from a long brainstorm session.

“They were so tired of trying to choose names, so the singer, Mike, said ‘It doesn’t matter what the next name is, that’s going to be it.’ One of the members said ‘The Big Spank,’ and it just happened to be a good name that fits the musical style. Our front guy likes to spank his… he likes to just spank it. It includes everything from humping the stage monitors, microphone stands and people in the crowd. It’s not a good show if at least two or three girls don’t get lap dances.”

Griffith said the band plans to stay in Albuquerque for a while and hopefully record another CD in between playing local venues.

*The Big Spank
The Launchpad
618 Central Ave. S.W.
Saturday
8 p.m.
$8 entry fee
All ages until midnight

*