The 1970’s were a time of change, both for our nation’s culture and for ABQ Ride, the city’s transit department. As the system broke ground with expanding ridership and bus service to Albuquerque, so did the music of that era break ground in changing people’s tastes in rock and roll.
Now, those milestones will be celebrated in a noon concert May 21, at the Alvarado Transportation Center at 1st and Central. Music of the era ranging from psychedelic to disco will be provided by DJ Manuel Gonzalez, along with a dance performance by Soirée Entertainment, the celebrated local dance troupe.
“This concert will mark ABQ Ride’s second decade of existence, as part of a yearlong celebration of our department’s 50th Anniversary,” said Bruce Rizzieri, director of ABQ Ride. “That second decade was quite an era, starting with a name change for our department; from Albuquerque Transit to Sun Tran.”
During that decade, Sun Tran expanded ridership to a then-high of 3.3 million passenger boardings by 1973. A year later, it made a significant westward expansion with a route into Paradise Hills. And in 1976, Sun Tran made its first, major bus buy: 52, air conditioned General Motors (T6H-4523A) buses.
DJ Manny will play the music that provided the background to that era. He’s an Albuquerque native with roots in the Barelas neighborhood on his mom’s side. His father’s family came from the hamlet of Anton Chico. Manny draws on this experience for his music stylings, as well as his avocation as one of the area’s best known Slam poets.
Soirée Entertainment has performed numerous times at ABQ Ride entertainment events, most recently in a Christmas program in December, 2014. It was founded in 2009 by director Emily Dunkin. The troupe fuses different styles of dance, including ballroom, ballet, jazz, as well as singing and acting. It performs at different locations and events around Albuquerque.
Also at the event, ABQ Ride is teaming with the city’s parks and recreation department to promote National Bike to Work month. Marketing staff will demonstrate the potential economic benefits of using public transportation to save money.
