San Antonio heavy music fans may need to eat their Wheaties this week or make hard choices as they try to narrow down their live music options.
Iconic death metal act Cannibal Corpse will be splitting skulls in the Alamo City, but so will death-thrash crossover band Plague Years, long-running riff wranglers Clutch and a touring bill chock full of 2000s-era alt-metal.
And if none of that sounds appealing, well, there’s also indie hip-hop, lo-fi pop and a Tejano festival to choose from. Your move.
Tuesday, March 15
R.A.P. Ferreira
Indie hip-hop artist R.A.P. Ferreira owns both the Ruby Yacht record label and his own record store. Beyond that, he’s a blues guitar aficionado. His catalog is deep with low-fi beats and nonchalant rap verses that remind one of nighttime drives through the city. $8, 8 p.m., 502 Bar, 502 Embassy Oaks, (210) 257-8125, 502bar.com. — Brianna Espinoza
Wednesday, March 16
Plague Years
Death-thrash crossover act Plague Years understands contrast. The group’s trademark seems be starting songs with slower, weighty openings that build into breakneck riffing by the second half. In that sense, Plague Years seems to understand to a wide array of metal enthusiasts. Fans of Power Trip are likely to find reason to jump onstage for this band. $14-$16, 7:30 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — BE
Thursday, March 17
The Regrettes
What’s this? Another young band that romanticizes the early 2000s? While frequently labeled a punk rock, the Regrettes seems more like a pop group with the volume turned up on their guitars. After getting a start while its members were teenagers, the band can now play its songs legally at bars. Celebration time! $20, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — BE
Cannibal Corpse
With a name like Cannibal Corpse, you know what you’re getting, even you’re unsure what the name means in a literal sense. Zombies eating other zombies? Even the band doesn’t know. Linguistic quibbles aside, expect death metal with the vilest lyrics you can imagine. Cannibal Corpse is the all-time top-selling band in its genre and has been around long enough to have been targeted by Republican fuddy duddy Bob Dole. You know, back in the days when the most urgent problem facing the nation was raunchy rock lyrics. To be fair, titles like “I Cum Blood” are going to stir up trouble no matter the era. $28-$30, 6:30 p.m., Vibes Event Center, 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 255-3833, facebook.com/VIBESEventCenter. — Mike McMahan
Friday, March 18
Ritt Momney
With 17 million monthly listeners, Salt Lake City’s Ritt Momney is blazing his way to the top of the streaming charts. Known for a signature lo-fi keyboard sound combined with vocoders, his got his big boost after his version of “Put Your Records On” became a surprise TikTok hit. Bedroom pop artist Hannah Jadagu and indie songwriter Shane T round out the bill. $18, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — Enrique Bonilla
Sunday, March 19
Drowning Pool, Ill Niño, (hed) PE
After its 2001 debut Sinner became a smash hit, Dallas-based Drowning Pool dominated the alt-metal world of the early 2000s. The band’s Brothers in Arms tour pairs it with likeminded outfits Ill Niño and (hed) PE. This is a rescheduled show. $31, 7 p.m., Rock Box, 1223 E. Houston St., therockboxsa.com. — EB
Thursday, March 17 – Saturday, March 19
Tejano Riverwalk Festival
In the first of what they hope will be an annual event to promote Tejano music and culture, Tejano Loko will present three days of music. Multiple acts will perform each day, and include Shevi Love and Friends, Grupo Lozano, Virginia y Valor, and DJ Smoke. Free, 3 p.m., VFW Post #76, 10 10th St., tejanoloko.com. – MM
Sunday, March 19
Blackberry Smoke
After coming together in Atlanta over 20 years ago, Blackberry Smoke has proved to have appeal that cuts across genres and have shared the stage with everyone from Guns ‘n’ Roses to Zac Brown Band to Tedeschi Trucks Band. Given their Southern roots, it’s not surprising that their basic sound pulls from, well, Southern rock, but also includes elements of country and blues. Blackberry Smoke is among the most successful independent bands ever to ascend Billboard charts, and you know it’s a good sign when a band manages to hold onto four of five original members for over two decades. $30-$150, 7 p.m., John T. Floore’s Country Store, 14492 Old Bandera Road, (210) 695-8827, liveatfloores.com. — MM
Sunday, March 20
Clutch
This long-running outfit has traveled long and hard on a mix of hard-rock riffing mixed with deep vocals and occasional funk flourishes. Even though there’s a Southern swing to much of what Clutch does, the band still hails from Germantown, Maryland. $35-$80, 8 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — BE
Tino Drima
It’s hard to make sense of the low viewership numbers on Tino Drima’s YouTube videos. The San Francisco band’s echoing vocal effects and classic-sounding song compositions are reminiscent of lost love ballads and old school doo-wop, only with an indie twist. Seems like this music would be a breath of fresh air appreciated by a wider audience. $15, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — BE
Tuesday, March 22
Surfbort
Artsy pop rockers Surfbort hail from Brooklyn, and along with extensive touring and appearances in notable fests, they’ve also appeared in a Gucci commercial. So, they’ve got that going for them. Pussy Gillette and Mz Neon bring their own spins to a quirky bill. $16, 8 p.m., Vibes Event Center, 1123 E Houston St., facebook.com/VIBESEventCenter. — EB
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This article appears in Mar 9-22, 2022.