SOCORRO, N.M. – They’re called The Revelers for a reason.

If the word “reveler” is synonymous with making merry, The Revelers, the Louisiana-based Cajun, zydeco and swamp pop blues and Americana band, is equally aligned with the 14^th century definition of “reveler” as a person who enjoys him/herself in a lively and noisy way.

See and hear for yourself when the New Mexico Tech Performing Arts Series (PAS) presents The Revelers in concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, at Macey Center. The event coincides with the 26^th annual Festival of the Cranes, which brings thousands of visitors to Socorro and the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

“This will be a busy and vibrant week in Socorro, and we’ve got a show that fits right into that tempo,” said PAS Director Ronna Kalish. “The Revelers reflect a singular Americana sound, a fusion of its blues and Cajun roots, a unique mix of rock and honky-tonk.”

Their diverse stylings include Western swing, Cajun, zydeco, Tex-Mex, swamp pop; most of all, the Revelers define modern honky-tonk.

Click here to read about the Revelers at the PAS website and buy tickets

Prior to the event, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., join Tech Club Macey’s Schmooze, Booze and Bites for line dancing with Melissa Begay and drink and food specialties suited to the mood of the evening, featuring the dark rum hurricane, jambalaya with chicken, sausage and shrimp,  served alongside cornbread. This 21-and- over event is $10 for non-members, free for members.

Some have called The Revelers a “Louisiana super group,” having been formed by founding members of both The Pine Leaf Boys and The Red Stick Ramblers, two of the most popular and highly regarded bands to come out of Louisiana.

The group has, however, blazed a trail of its own. They’ve been featured as recurring characters on the nationally syndicated HBO show “Treme” and on the late Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations,” where Bourdain made the trip out to Southwest Louisiana to take part in a boucherie (hog butchering party) with Linzay Young and Joel Savoy.

Their latest full-length CD “Get Ready” was nominated for a 2016 Grammy in the Regional Roots category, further establishing their reputation as a group to sit up and take notice.

“This is a perfect opportunity to experience the regional music of Louisiana, a state known for its rich cultural history,” Kalish said, “much as New Mexico is known for its regional foods and music traditions.”

Original material sung in both French and English have become Louisiana dance hall standards, just as New Mexican has developed its own musical reputation, grounded from its Hispanic roots and family traditions.

The Revelers are coming out of a red-hot scene around Lafayette, Louisiana, a scene known not just for awesome bands (Feufollet, The Givers, Pine Leaf Boys, Cajun Country Revival, and Lost Bayou Ramblers), but also for cutting-edge community arts work.

What makes it so hot? The musicians involved are massively talented and totally committed to making music for fun, rather than for profit. Glenn Fields, the Revelers’ drummer, organizes the much-buzzed about Blackpot Festival, a model for community-based roots music festivals. And it’s not like the rest of the U.S. hasn’t noticed this scene. The Revelers, in fact, are playing at a Blackpot Camp and Blackpot Festival, then to New Mexico for two performances.

Their music transports audiences to another time and place: a sweaty Louisiana dance hall where people would meet, fall in love, and dance the night away.

“But make no mistake – The Revelers aren’t a nostalgia band, but they are part of what is called the ‘swamp pop pantheon,’” Kalish said. “Swamp pop is a reference for the current music they’ve created through a dynamic synergism that matches their unique sound.”

Sponsors for The Revelers are City of Socorro, Don and Rosie Tripp, the New Mexico Tech Graduate Student Association, First State Bank, New Mexico Arts and Art Works through the National Endowment for the Arts.

Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $8 for youth 17 and under. New Mexico Tech students will be admitted free with their student ID at the door, or can pick up one ticket each at the New Mexico Tech Bookstore.

Tickets also can be purchased online at nmtpas.org, or at the following locations: New Mexico Tech Cashier (Fidel Center), Sofia’s Kitchen or the PAS office (call 835-5688 for directions).

– NMT –