Architects of Sound: Women of El Paso Punk

Tuesday, March 7, 2023 | 2:00 p.m. | Brazos Hall Lobby

The punk rock scene in El Paso, Texas has provided unique opportunities for fierce sonic expression and innovation, especially for the Chicanas that dominated the music culture from the late 70s to late 90s.

López's presentation shed light on a wide array of women in El Paso's punk scene: from lead singers of hardcore punk bands, to girls that hosted shows in their backyards, to mothers who hid the earnings of punk shows from the cops when shows were busted. Emphasizing how women were omnipresent on stage, in the crowd, and behind the scenes, López proves how women were essential architects of sound in El Paso punk rock. 

Tara Martin López is an Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at Winona State University. Her research explores the role that working class communities and communities of color play in the evolution of cultural and social movements, with a particular focus on the role of women of color. López published her article, “‘¡Vamonos pa’l Chuco!’:  Punk Rock, Power, and Memory in El Paso, Texas” in the Journal of Texas Music History in 2020 and is currently finishing a book for the University of Texas Press titled Chucotown Soundtrack: El Paso Punk Rock.