Mike Zito

Tickets cost $31 in advance, $36 day of show (including service charges). They are also available by phone through Hold My Ticket at 505-886-1251.

FUSION | 708 is a beautiful black box theater and art gallery in the FUSION arts campus on the edge of downtown (at 1st and Lomas). The theater can be configured in a variety of ways. This show will be all seated.

Mike Zito is one of the most lauded artists in the contemporary blues arena today and rightfully so, but for him, the thing that counts the most is maintaining his honesty, authenticity and integrity. Those are the qualities that have steered Zito's career since the beginning and continue to define every effort he's offered since.

"I have nothing to hide; it seems my honesty is what people relate to most," he once told Vintage Guitar magazine. "Anders (Osborne) told me early on, 'If you don't believe what you're singing, you'll never be a good singer.' I try not to write fluff; I try to make every word count."

The even-dozen tracks on Zito's most recent album, Life Is Hard, include not only several Mike Zito originals, but also his takes on a wide variety of blues songs written by such contemporaries as Tinsley Ellis, Walter Trout, Tab Benoit and Fred James. Sprinkled in are covers from a diverse assortment of blues/roots music icons, including Little Milton ("Lonely Man"), Stevie Wonder ("Have a Talk with God") and Reverend Gary Davis ("Death Don't Have No Mercy"), plus the outside-the-box blues-worthy rendering of the Guess Who classic, "These Eyes."

Hailing from the enchanting Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico, Jacob Shije stands as a multifaceted creative force, seamlessly weaving his talents as an Indigenous musician, artist, and photographer. With roots deeply embedded in his ancestral heritage, Jacob's work exudes a powerful sense of cultural resonance and creativity.

Melding the sounds of Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and Roy Orbison, Jacob's music transcends genres, creating a unique auditory experience that bridges the past and the present. His melodies resonate with the heartbeat of his people, a testament to his unwavering connection to his roots. From soul-stirring ballads to foot-tapping rhythms, his music speaks a language of its own.

Jacob will also be playing as part of the Levi Platero Band at the KiMo on August 23. Get tickets for that show, with Chris Dracup :Funk of the West, here.