January 2024 - Let Us Entertain You: Sadness, Madness, & Mayhem: A Haunted Folk Formal with Dust City Opera
Dust City Opera had a very successful year in 2023. They signed a new record contract and received awards from The New Mexico Music Awards and New Mexico Entertainment Magazine. Band member Clara Byom expressed her pride in the band's achievements and gratitude for being recognized among other talented artists in New Mexico. "It's amazing! We're so grateful to be recognized among so many incredible artists in New Mexico," shared Byom. "We had an amazing year, and the culmination of it, this award from New Mexico Entertainment, was the icing on the cake!"
The band is now partnering with AMP Concerts and Fusion 708 to bring an event called Sadness, Madness, and Mayhem to New Mexico on January 27th. "It's our first, hopefully annual, folk formal. So, it's like a ball but with themes of circus and mayhem. Kind of general Halloween vibes, but in the cold of January," says Byom. "There's going to be so much happening. There will be carnival games, circus performers, live music, food, and drinks." The event is open to all ages, but it may be a little scary for the little ones. Byom encouraged attendees to wear costumes, as Sydney and Paul, two other band members, are particularly fond of costumes. The band collaborated with other local groups, including Conservation Carnivale and The Giovanni String Quartet.
The concept of Sadness, Madness, and Mayhem came from the themes in the band's music. "The themes around the songs that Paul [Hunton] writes tend to be eerie. Many have death in some form or another," says Byom. "Many have humor, death, and sadness - otherworldly components. So, during a conference in New York, Sydney and I were sitting in a hotel, dreaming up our next ideal project with the band, and this is what came out of it. So we've been planning it for a whole year. It will be a great night."
Before the event, there will be a duo show featuring Paul Hunton and Clara Byom at the public library on January 18th and an unplugged set by the remaining band members the week before. "We're focusing on the big event, but you can get sneak peeks as well," stated Byom
Looking ahead to 2024, Byom shared that Dust City Opera will release their first single from the EP in February, followed by the album in March on Rexus Records. They will then embark on a tour that starts in April, beginning in Colorado and making their way through Wisconsin, Chicago, and Texas.
To learn more about Sadness, Madness, and Mayhem and Dust City Opera, you can visit their website at dustcityopera.com.