On June 17, 2024, two fires were reported just miles apart from each other in the highest mountain peak in Southern New Mexico, one city near the base of the Sierra Blanca Mountain peak, the quiet resort town of Ruidoso, and the other city is the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, known now as the Salt fire and South Fork fire.
Being the start of the area's Monsoon season, the two fires were affected by high winds. Within a day, over 20,000 acres were being lit ablaze and at some level, it is still burning but contained. Approximately 1,400 homes were destroyed by the fire, people and businesses were left in ruins. As the fire was being brought under control the official report claimed the fires were caused by lightning. However, the residents are not accepting that report due to the suspicious nature of these fires; they think arson may be at play here. If you think that is enough, then the annual monsoon season starts up and it starts raining, due to the fire damage leaving the ground unstable, flash flood waters rushed down the streets of Ruidoso, taking cars, trucks, buildings, and business with it. Not just once but multiple days, even as I write this there are more threats of rain.
Multiple fundraisers were formed and supplies and money have come into aid, I was asked to come to an event in a nearby city in a nearby state of Texas to witness one of these events. Music is one thing that draws people to a cause, it somehow brings comfort and peace to a devastating situation. John Summerford, a DJ from El Paso, TX, put together eight bands to play at the 101 Club in El Paso. This event and two other events were held in El Paso on the same weekend, I could only cover one of them. With over 100 people attending the event, donations of goods and money came in with over $3,000.00 raised. Eight bands performed that day, many of them go to Ruidoso in the summer for an escape from the heat and walk the trails, swim in the lakes, shop, and dine in the area.
I am not going to break down each band as we usually do but I am going to post images of each band that participated in this event. They all deserve to be noticed for their donation of time and commitment to a cause like this. The Little Lobos, a cover band that had a direct relationship to the Mescalaro Apache Indian nation, all members of the band were under 18 years old and they started off with such an awesome set, which set the tone for the rest of the day. Then Ness Daniels with a killer 80s Synthwave and Funeral Joke with its Darkwave rock sound. With rock from the Jane Like Fire and Lazy Crow bring us some music from a younger band and an older band, a great reflection of how rock has evolved. Wrapping up the event with three cover bands that all did a different era of music, The Velvet, and the two headliners Fab4Cezz and Rewind. All of these are local bands trying to make it in the crazy music world, I take a quote from organizer and DJ John Summerford when he said during the event that, “All of them are hero's” along with everyone at the event.
If you want to donate to this cause anyone in the world can donate through this link to safe the most beautiful region of the American southwest:
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