Under The Native Stars with Jir Anderson

NEWS | THURSDAY, APRIL 23 | BY FUSION STAFF WRITER, RUDOLFO CARRILLO

Jir Anderson was busy making plans and checking out the scene at a local downtown coffee shop when we sat down to talk about the fourteenth annual iteration of Under the Native Stars, part of the storied Indigenous music series he created, which is called the Native Guitars Tour—a series of concerts he has been curating for over nineteen years.

Under the Native Stars lands at FUSION this weekend, on Friday April 25, from 5 PM until 10 PM. This multifaceted celebration, to be held outdoors at FUSION | The Meadow, is set to bring the best and the brightest from Native American and Indigenous cultures to Albuquerque’s vibrant downtown. Music is at the heart of the event, which will also feature over forty Native vendors and their art, fashion, and creativity. Alongside Native food trucks, traditional tattoo artists, and opportunities to connect with community partners, the event is family friendly and designed to create a welcoming, inclusive environment for everyone involved.

Anderson has done much work over the years to promote Indigenous and Native American culture to the people of New Mexico, something he sees as part of a bigger mission to revitalize the local creative and musical community, both of which are still in a phase of regrowth, post COVID. Looking up from his research on this vital and ongoing project, the long-time Albuquerque shredder told this reporter, “It’s like everybody’s trying to figure out how to navigate. We’re all just trying to find that right spot where we can consistently interest audiences”.

That’s where Jir’s experience as a seasoned local and regional musician came into play. His evolution from rock guitarist, to solo artist, to becoming a successful advocate for Indigenous culture and music took place over time, he recalled, “I’ve always had like a band and always been like a shredder-type guitar player. And that’s how people knew me. But I’ve also had this storyteller side of me, so it was that voice that I really wanted to capture with my work as a musician and in the community, too.”

The concept behind The Native Guitars Tour is founded in Anderson’s authentic expression of Indigenous identity, a sovereign self-depiction that can be heard on his album Who’s Your Favorite Indian; the title track just about nails the sharp, jangly essence of resistance.

All of that, including the upcoming Under the Native Stars happening, has roots in his family experience too, he told me, “There was my dad, who was very much an activist; he was very much part of the movement back in the 1960s and 1970s. And the music he was listening to was like Xit, Paul Ortega, revolutionary Indigenous music. You know, all these different artists were really talking about Native Power and being proud to be Native. And that, I believe, is at the core of me, that made me proud to be who I am and to be able to understand who I am.”

Anderson’s vision has grown over the years, that’s for sure. And as his work has expanded from flaming guitarist to inclusive event producer, to lauded community leader and mentor, so has his role in the whole process evolved: “I am not going to perform at the showcase coming up this weekend at FUSION! Yeah. I have a lineup of artists that are coming in; I want to make sure that I leave space to bring new people in and share that space that we’re creating. That’s really important to me; though there are certain shows that I do play, I like to leave that space open.”

This weekend’s festivities happen to coincide with the final annual Gathering of Nations, a huge Albuquerque meeting of Indigenous people from all over the Americas. Anderson said that was one more reason to have a diverse line up for the concert at the heart of Under the Native Stars. “There are so many people traveling in for the gathering, That’s a pretty big deal. So we have The Osceola Brothers, they’re going to be our headlining act. They’re Seminole from Florida! They do rock kind of like Motley Crue or the New York Dolls with a little bit of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix all tied in there!”

The focus on new artists, up-and-coming Indigenous performers, the next generation of storytellers, Anderson continued, is reflected in the line up for this weekend’s concert. “We also have Stella Standing Bear. She’s based out of Pine Ridge. She’s Lakota. And we brought her out to Vegas last year. She’s doing the Off the Rez Tour; I think they’re just wrapping up. She's selling out 500-seat venues! She was here in Albuquerque last month. She’s getting a lot of collaborations with really mainstream artists out there, like mega stars. She’s getting a lot of attention! She has a song called ‘Skoden.’ That’s a word from in Native communities, from the youth, like, ‘let’s go, then.’ It’s just really cool to see how she uses, you know, the things that are happening with Native youth in her music.”

Also new on the scene and featured on this year’s program will be the Tohono O’odham Nation music group One Way Sky, who have been working with Anderson since 2019. Anderson is proud of the musical growth of this particular ensemble, recalling their beginnings with his project as compared to their stature today. “Here they are five years later. We brought them out to Vegas this year, too. Every year we try to bring them to bigger and bigger shows. They’re doing a lot of work with a lot of big Native artists out there. They’re really getting into touring; it’s really cool to see them blossom!"

Adding to the diverse set of sounds that will be emanating from FUSION on Saturday night will be Lakota recording artist Tiana Spotted Thunder, a singer-songwriter, an artist that Jir is really looking forward to presenting and working with, as he told this reporter, “She sings traditional music, it’s very melodic, rich with nuance. She sings amazing songs, sometimes with a handdrum. She’s been producing music about women’s empowerment for many years. She came up in the midst of violent misogyny…she has the strength of surviving those experiences in her words.”

Jir and I spoke at length on his project and how his association with FUSION just cements together a lot of the work he is doing to build community; but instead of going on and on about something you probably know something about after reading this story, I am going to come up out of the text to say that the lineup for this new iteration of Native Guitars Tour presenting Under the Native Stars sounds totally groovy, and that’s rockin’ good news. There’s not a decent reason on Turtle Island why anyone should miss out on what’s going on at The Meadow at FUSION this coming Saturday. I just can’t put it any other way, and I’m sure Jir Anderson was on board with that sentiment when he told me before departing, “It’s a chance to be part of the community. There are a lot of people in Albuquerque that want to do that. We’re all looking for that experience to happen in a welcoming environment. If you go to that place, you will get the stories behind the songs.”

Native Guitars Tour presents Under the Native Stars
Saturday, April 25, 2026
5:00 PM  10:00 PM
FUSION | The Meadow
700-708 1st Street NorthwestAlbuquerque, NM, 87102

Tickets Here.