KRUX 91.5 FM, New Mexico State University’s student-run radio station, held KRUXFEST, their annual multi-day music festival on April 16 and 17 to highlight local bands and vendors.
KRUXFEST has been a tradition for the station for over 20 years, bringing multiple days of music to Corbett Center’s Outdoor Stage. Each day of the festival lasted roughly 4.5 hours, with bands taking the stage one after another while attendees were invited to purchase food and merchandise from various sellers.
Day one brought bands such as Acrolein and Espejo, while Day two brought others such as Lexisgrim and Terra Nova. The most common genres heard throughout both nights were rock and alternative.
Along with originals, bands also played covers of popular songs. KRUX members Charlize Chavez and Isaac Pineda-Salas agreed that their favorite song they heard at the event was Acrolein’s grunge-y cover of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler.
“It was like grunge and metal, it was pretty good,” Pineda-Salas said. “Then they played one where I was like, levitating. That one song they played, that was really good.”
The two-day event sets the stage in a big way every year, giving local artists the opportunity to perform for a wider audience. In a smaller city like Las Cruces, the live music scene isn’t as large as nearby places like El Paso – so KRUXFEST helps provide a space for music that may not be widely available.
Even behind the scenes, students played a key role in bringing the event together.
“[My favorite part] was soundcheck, seeing all the bands practice before, and today, it’s the vendors.” Chavez said.
By featuring local vendors, the event supports small businesses in the community as well as create a space for students to gather and engage with live-music on campus.
One band, Mia Antifa, has performed at KRUXFEST multiple times. They describe their music as punk rock, or ska punk.
“The first year we played it was the first year they had [KRUXFEST], and they had a lot more El Paso bands that were students, so we’re an El Paso band,” Sam Zermeno, the band’s trombonist said.
Having released an EP titled “Better Future,” about a year ago, the band used their time to present their original songs. Their lyrics feature a focus on anti-fascism, and the group hopes to both build community and spread messages of encouraging political change through their music.
“We have very strong political messaging, but we’re normal people also,” Joshua Zermeno, Mia Antifa’s lead singer and guitarist said. “I feel like that’s important to show in our music too. You know, communists aren’t always angry.”
After KRUXFEST, the station said they have one more event lined up before the school year ends.
“We’re having a country hoedown kind of event, kind of switching it up with our genre,” Chavez said.
Members said the reason for the genre change is to provide a space for students who may not be interested in the rock and alternative music presented at KRUXFEST.
“We have a lot of students here who are more country oriented, so I think we would be getting a lot more people for sure.” Pineda-Salas said.
The event is planned to occur in May, bringing a music-based event to students interested in country music. Further information can be found on KRUX’s Instagram.
