Local Vibes Live hosted Papayas Con Chile, a Las Cruces trio blending cumbia, punk, folk, and borderlands sounds into something entirely their own. Founding members Celina Corral and Kayla Martinez, joined by Israel Chavez since 2024, draw from roots spanning Ciudad Juárez, Northern New Mexico, and the Mesilla Valley — and from nine years of playing together, collaborating, and living in each other's orbit. Their live set included original songs exploring heartbreak and resilience, a father-daughter story set to a driving march tempo, a cumbia, and a closing canción protesta called "Mariposa." In conversation with hosts Alex Brinkley and Casey Chacón, the band described their music as sonidos de la frontera — street sounds shaped by cumbia, polka, waltz, ranchera, and whatever else the border carries with it.
 Hosts Alex Brinkley and Casey Chacón welcome Planet I Love You to Local Vibes Live for an energetic in-studio performance and conversation. Formed in 2019, the six-piece indie rock band talks about growing from a small project into a collaborative group rooted in community, connection, and shared experience. Between live performances of original songs, the band reflects on their songwriting process, the meaning behind their name, recent creative growth, and plans for upcoming recordings and touring.
In this New Year’s Day edition of Local Vibes Live, hosts Alexandra Brinkley and Casey Chacón welcome MT KUP, a Las Cruces indie dark-wave duo whose sound emerged from the isolation and creative experimentation of the pandemic.
Local Vibes Live joins forces with KTAL’s Saturday night punk block for a special remote from the Valley Sessions Live music festival at The Hood. Hosts Alex Brinkley and Casey Chacón showcase an intimate set from Era Snow, a dark and cinematic performance from Los Angeles band Velvet Penny, and a high-energy bilingual closer from Papayas Con Chile, along with on-air conversations that dig into songwriting, influences, and the growing Las Cruces arts scene—including a segment with tintype photographer Nick Gialanella of Dead Still Tintype Studio. Johnny Catalog (Catalog) and Tone Deaf (Smear Campaign) also join in and talk about how their Saturday night shows and community radio help listeners discover new punk, hardcore, and underground sounds.
In this reflective episode of Local Vibes Live, hosts Alex Brinkley and Casey Chacón welcome guitarist and composer Santana Garcia, whose intricate finger-style playing creates immersive, meditative soundscapes.
Born and raised near Anthony, New Mexico, Santana shares how growing up among cotton fields and open skies shaped his creative approach to music. Between performances of original pieces, he discusses his evolution from punk and Midwest-emo roots to the expressive acoustic style that defines his solo work today. In this elegant, swinging episode of Local Vibes Live, hosts Alexandra Brinkley and Casey Chacón welcome the Lush Life Quintet, Las Cruces’ award-winning jazz ensemble led by bassist George Jacobs.
Joining Jacobs in the studio are Miguel Torres on piano, Rex Malgoza on saxophone, Mark Mathias on drums, and vocalist Danika Toscano, whose smooth phrasing and classic tone bring warmth to every standard. The quintet performs timeless favorites including Dream a Little Dream of Me, Autumn Leaves, All of Me, Fever, and Fly Me to the Moon, each reimagined with the band’s signature blend of bossa nova, pop, and contemporary influences. In this first concert edition of Local Vibes Live, hosts Alexandra Brinkley and Casey Chacón broadcast live from Hubbard’s Music & More during the annual Hubfest in Las Cruces. The show featured several live performances from the 575 Band and one from the Cosmic Unknown at the end of hour, along with interviews of Drew Hubbard and several of the musicians.
 Hosts Alexandra Brinkley and Casey Chacón welcome Bar Jay Bar, a folk, roots, and Americana songwriter whose music blends honky-tonk tradition with the storytelling of a modern troubadour. Originally from Connecticut and now a regular visitor to Las Cruces, Bar Jay Bar shares songs shaped by family, travel, and life on the road. Between performances, he reflects on busking in California, recording with friends across the Southwest, and the cast of characters he’s met while touring in his trusty Buick.
 In this lively episode of Local Vibes Live, hosts Alexandra Brinkley and Casey Chacón welcome The Swampcoolers, a six-piece rock ’n’ roll band from Las Cruces. Formed in 2024, the group blends poetry, Americana, reggae, musical theater, and jam-band improvisation into a sound that’s equal parts eclectic and joyful.
 In this high-energy episode of Local Vibes Live, hosts Alexandra Brinkley and Casey Chacón welcome SUNIHATEYOU - a young Las Cruces band fusing post-hardcore, shoegaze, and emo - for their first-ever acoustic set.
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