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Cowboys and cultists band together for acid westerns

Addison Fulton and Jaden McKelvey-Francis | September 22

Beneath a searing desert sun, an endless landscape of sand and solitude brought together both cinepiles and history buffs alike to support a unique take on the classic western. Tucked in a wooden cabin on Saturday, Sept. 20, the team behind the “Birth of the Acid Western” hosted a fundraiser supporting the post-production of their documentary on the filmmaker Orville Wanzer. Wanzer was a professor of film and journalism at New Mexico State University, as well as a surrealist western filmmaker. The acid western genre, which first emerged from the counter-culture movements of the 1960s, is a film set against a western backdrop, but unapologetically engages with darker and more subversive themes, and deviates from the typical hero’s journey present in most westerns, Julia Smith said — a former NMSU film professor and the filmmaker behind “Birth of the Acid Western.”

Culture

MISSION IMPROVable kills it at ‘Hollywood Murder Mystery’ show

Addison Fulton | September 15

On Thursday, Sept. 11, the University of New Mexico Student Activities Center hosted a Hollywood Murder Mystery with MISSION IMPROVable, a touring comedy improv team, in the Student Union Building. The interactable performance took place at the fictional retirement party of actor Tom Cruise, where the star is tragically murdered. Audience members were given name tags designating them as various celebrities and pop culture figures, such as Zendaya, John Cena, Oprah Winfrey and Bigfoot. Guests were tasked with solving the murder of Cruise through various clues and improv games.

Culture

Stair climb held at University Stadium honors 9/11 victims

Maria Fernandez and Elizabeth Bolke | September 15

On Thursday, Sept. 11, University of New Mexico Reserve Officer Training Corps hosted a memorial stair climb to honor the 2,977 Americans killed during the terrorist attacks committed on Sept. 11, 2001. Led by the UNM Air Force ROTC, the event has been held annually over the last three years in collaboration with the U.S. Army and Navy ROTC branches at UNM, along with support from UNM Athletics, according to Air Force Maj.Vicente Vasquez, UNM associate professor of Aerospace Studies and director of operations for UNM Air Force ROTC. “This year had several firsts, including our first year with local media coverage, first year with a chaplain to provide an opening invocation and first year with a bugler,” Vasquez wrote to the Daily Lobo.

Culture

UNM showcases artwork from Garfield Middle School ‘Circle Keepers’

Lexis Lovato | September 8

The University of New Mexico’s Health Science Campus is currently hosting the artwork made by students who are part of the Garfield STEM Magnet and Community Middle School “Circle Keepers.” The “Circle Keepers” are students working together to provide mentorship to their peers who may struggle with their mental health or need help navigating their personal relationships. The students volunteer their time to the club where they learn about restorative practice. Students focus on relationships and repairing harm, instead of traditional discipline which focuses on broken rules and consequences.

Culture

Grand reopening ceremony held for UNM Duck Pond; students react

Lexis Lovato | September 8

On the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 3, students eagerly gathered around the refurbished University of New Mexico Duck Pond to hear from the board of administration as they unveiled the newly finished construction project. UNM pins and duck-shaped sugar cookies were given away to attendees. UNM President Garnett Stokes addressed the crowd by acknowledging the land’s indigenous history, as well as the tradition that is a result of UNM’s duck pond. “I don't think it's an overstatement to say that the Duck Pond is UNM,” Stokes said. For 50 years now, UNM’s Duck Pond has served as a spot to recharge in between classes, create memories with new friends, study, or end a long night out, Stokes said.

Culture

Guild Cinema celebrates Labor Day with ‘A Day Without a Mexican’

Addison Fulton | September 8

On Labor Day, Sept. 1, the Guild Cinema hosted a screening of Sergio Arau’s 2004 film “A Day Without a Mexican.” The film is shot in a mockumentary style, documenting a time in California where a mysterious fog made all people of Mexican descent suddenly disappear. The film follows many of the people affected by this, including a farmer missing his workforce and his best friend, the farmer’s racist son who celebrates the disappearance, to his father’s chagrin, a newscaster having a tryst with the charismatic Hispanic weather man and a woman searching for her missing husband and son while dodging questions about why her daughter has not disappeared as well.

Culture

Back to school Green Chile Roast supports food pantry

Lexis Lovato | September 1

The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center kicked off the new semester by hosting their third annual Green Chile Roast, which took place on Tuesday, Aug. 26, and was organized by the UNM Alumni Relations Staff. The chile was provided for by Mago's Farm, a local farm in Albuquerque that roasts for UNM. Mago’s Farm frequently appears at local markets like the Downtown Growers’ Market and Rail Yards Market ABQ. The farm provides and roasts the chile on-site themselves, which is then distributed into individual orders by the alumni staff. Mago’s Farm donates all of their services to HSC in order to create more profits for the HSC food bank, Program Manager for Alumni Relations for the UNM School of Medicine, Erika Anderson, said.

Culture

Hypnosis show entrances students

Maria Fernandez | September 1

On Thursday, Aug. 28, hypnotist Zach Pincince performed at the University of New Mexico showcasing his abilities in hypnotizing students. After avid interest from the crowd, Pincince chose to hypnotize the entire group at once, asking students to shut their eyes, listen to the sound of his voice and breathe. During the performance, students entered a hypnotic state, in which any idea Pincince supplied to those hypnotized would become their experience of reality, and that anything he told them would be “unquestionably true” in that state, Pincince said.

Culture

ABQ Backyard Refuge Program hosts informational talk at Blackbird Coffee House

Addison Fulton | August 17

On Aug. 12, Blackbird Coffee House in Old Town hosted a talk with Laurel Ladwig, director of the ABQ Backyard Refuge Program of the Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge and the University of New Mexico R.H. Mallory Center for Community Geography. Sponsored by the Museum of Natural History and Sciences, the event was hosted at Blackbird Coffee House as the museum is closed for renovation. The ABQ Backyard Refuge Program is dedicated to providing information and resources that encourage locals to create landscape spaces friendly to native wildlife. Techniques include planting more native plants, such as any of the more than 250 plants native to the Middle Rio Grande Valley, Albuquerque Metro Area and East Mountain regions.

Culture

Thousands of tarantulas to surface this fall

Leila Chapa | August 11

This year, thousands of tarantulas are predicted to emerge in larger than average numbers throughout New Mexico than the past as male tarantulas leave their burrows, wandering to find a female to mate with. In a statement to the Daily Lobo, Jerome Rovner with the American Arachnological Society wrote that tarantulas mating is an annual occurrence. This year, he said there is predicted to be a higher number of males due to wetter-than-usual weather. “Wetter conditions provide more insect prey to eat and also make digging a burrow in the soil easier — both factors increase the ability for tarantulas to survive and show up in greater numbers than usual,” Rovner wrote.

Culture

New ice cream shop brings color and sweetness to Albuquerque neighborhood

Paloma Chapa | August 4

On July 20, the new homemade ice cream shop, Burque Licks, opened its doors with free ice cream scoops for every customer who came during the first hour of opening. Even after the first hour, the shop was packed with people both inside and outside. Customers held cones topped with a variety of flavors, and the sweet scent of ice cream carried its way outside into the small parking lot. Burque Licks is located near the intersection of Lomas Boulevard and Washington Street and is a five-minute drive from the University of New Mexico’s main campus. The colorful building and ice cream shaped bench can’t be missed when driving past the shop.

Culture

Paleoartist speaks on the process of depicting extinct animals

Addison Fulton | July 28

On July 23, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science hosted a Science Spotlight, highlighting Alaina Wiwi — a paleoartist for the “Hall of Ancient Life.” The exhibit opened in February 2025 and highlights fossils found in New Mexico. Wiwi is an artist who creates visual depictions of extinct creatures using fossil evidence and modern-day relatives to construct a picture of what the species may have looked like. As a paleoartist, Wiwi was responsible for many of the 113 illustrations, models, dioramas and murals that can be found in the “Hall of Ancient Life.”

Culture

Guild hosts free film showing of “Gaza: Journalists Under Fire”

Addison Fulton | July 21

On Saturday, July 19, the Guild hosted a free showing of Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films’ “Gaza: Journalists Under Fire.” The documentary tells the story of three journalists killed in Gaza, among the 178 journalists killed since the start of the conflict after the Oct. 7 attacks and the documentary's production.The death toll has now risen to more than 185 journalists killed, including 171 Palestinian journalists, four Israeli journalists, nine Lebanese journalists and one Syrian journalist, according to the International Federation of Journalists.

Culture

Shark and Ray Awareness Day is a splash at Albuquerque Biopark

Addison Fulton | July 14

On Friday, July 11, the Albuquerque BioPark Aquarium hosted its annual “Shark and Ray Awareness Day” event. It highlighted these aquatic animals, bringing attention to their unique attributes and the threats to their survival. Visitors were given a chance to meet the BioParks sand tiger, sandbar, nurse and zebra sharks. Volunteers and docents attended tables that taught visitors about sharks and rays.

Culture

REVIEW: Lorde’s exploratory album, ‘Virgin’ doesn’t find much new

Addison Fulton | July 9

On June 27, 2025, New Zealand singer Lorde released her fourth studio album, “Virgin.” The album keeps the melancholic, almost meditative quality of Lorde’s discography while exploring some new themes — gender and the politics of the body — alongside old themes like relationships, growing up and ambition. One of my favorite aspects of this album is actually its cover. It’s an X-Ray of Lorde’s uterus. In the image, you can see dark spots for her zipper, belt buckle and IUD.

Culture

REVIEW: PinkPantheress’ ‘Fancy That’ has fans turning heads

Dannely Verduzco | June 30

On May 9, 2025, PinkPantheress released her new album “Fancy That.” The British singer has amassed huge success since the beginning of her career, with approximately 2.7 billion streams on Spotify. You may recognize her from the song “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” with Ice Spice, or “Pain,” a song that first gained popularity on TikTok. The unique process of production is one of the defining features behind her success.

Culture

Guild Celebrates Juneteenth with ‘Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not be Televised)’

Addison Fulton | June 25

On June 19-20, the Guild Cinema hosted a special showing of “Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not be Televised)” in honor of Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the day that news of Emancipation reached Texas — the last state to be informed. “Summer of Soul” focused on the Harlem Cultural Festival, a free summer music and cultural fest that was held during the summer of 1969 in Harlem in New York City. It was hosted by Tony Lawrence and filmed by Hal Tulchin. The festival was recorded, but the footage sat untouched and unseen for more than 50 years, until directors Questlove and Hal Tulchin combined the recording with testimonies from artists, organizers and attendees to create “Summer of Soul.”

Culture

Bookworks hosts Raha Gopal Bhattar with ‘Queering Constellations’

Addison Fulton | June 18

On June 10, Albuquerque bookshop book works hosted a talk with artist Raja Gopal Bhattar on their latest book “Queering Constellations,”a collection of poetry, prose, coloring pages and interactive activities. Bhattar is a Gender-Queer organizer, speaker and author originally from India. According to their website, they are currently Program Manager for the Social Justice and Career Advancement Academy for Association of California Community College Administrators. Bhattar said that “Queering Constellations” is meant to be a conversation. The book is meant to be explored in any order, creating a unique experience for each reader.

Culture

‘Atomic 66’ event makes space for space

Addison Fulton | June 13

On June 10-14, the City of Albuquerque is hosting “Atomic 66” — a multi-day, multi-location exhibition, conference and celebration for space lovers, regardless of their specialties. “Atomic 66” includes scientists, entrepreneurs, historians, activists, artists, filmmakers and enthusiasts. The event served to bring the community together to celebrate New Mexico’s long and unique relationship with space. The cornerstone event — the Space Fiesta — was held on June 11 at the Historic Lobo Theater. The event had music by a robot DJ, interactive art exhibits, speakers, performers and booths where various groups could share their work.

Culture

New Mexico Herpetological Society celebrates turtle conservation with ‘Low ‘n’ Slow’ fundraising event

Paloma Chapa | June 9

On June 1, Canteen Brewhouse held a fundraiser for the New Mexico Herpetological Society to raise awareness about the turtles, tortoises and other reptiles and amphibians of New Mexico and the Southwest, according to NMHS coordinator Max Havelka. Canteen brewhouse brewed a turtle-themed beer called “Low ‘n’ Slow.” A portion of the beer sales will fund NMHS turtle conservation, Havelka said. The turtle-themed beer can depicts a turtle riding a bike and reads “drink beer, save turtles.”