Spurs vs. Heat: DeJuan Blair & Tim Duncan Hold Keys to Fifth Title in 15 Years
There is nothing more annoying in the sport of basketball than when, after sinking a pedestrian 18-foot jumper, Chris Bosh flexes his triceps and opens his mouth wider than any human being has ever opened his mouth before. So agape is his jaw that it begs to have an entire human arm rammed through it,…
SA Sound Q&A: Trip the Light Synth Master Anthony Burchell
San Antonio’s Trip the Light is the ambient-electronic project of Anthony Burchell. Brooding and moody synths and synthetic drums come together in this music to create a listening experience that is overflowing with feeling and serenely multi-textured. The fourth Trip the Light release, Cosmic, finds Burchell perfecting his knack for bass heavy music you can…
Aesop Rock & Kimya Dawson’s Songwriting Evolution on Hokey Fright
The Uncluded is Kimya Dawson, of Moldy Peaches and “Juno” fame, and Aesop Rock, a hip hop emcee/producer whose rhymes and storytelling are legendary in independent hip hop circles. The lurking danger was that the combination of such distinct styles could muck up the album, but the interplay on Hokey Fright is so well crafted…
Video: Vampire Weekend’s “Diane Young”
Vampire Weekend is red-hot. Their critically acclaimed new album, Modern Vampires of the City, debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and sold nearly 135,000 copies in its first week. It’s the band’s second consecutive album to reach the top of the charts. Here’s the video for “Diane Young,” the band’s first single to…
ATTN. SA LATIN BANDS: A CHANCE TO OPEN FOR JUANES
Wanna open for this guy? This message is for everyone, but especially for those SA bands with a strong Latin root in its sound: you still have a few days to register for Dewar’s Dewaristas con Juanes: The Search for the Next Great Latin Sound contest, which will give winners a September opening slot for…
Analog is Not Dead: Two Weeks In San Antonio
–ANALOG IS NOT DEAD— — Life as told from a roll of color 35mm film— By Bryan De La Garza (Brain) So I wanted to do this blog not just as an excuse to shoot more film, but to become more attentive to everything around me. So I’m going to post the photos in the…
June, Month of Joe Reyes
(photo courtesy of walleyfilms.com) The ever-smiling, subtle, and imaginative Joe Reyes (Buttercup, Lara & Reyes, Mitch Webb & The Swindles) is one of our best guitarists, songwriters and producers, and June will be a busy month for him: he’ll take over from fellow Buttercup member Erik Sanden for a residency at the Liberty Bar (1111…
Toadies’ Terrific New Video: “Rattler’s Revival”
photo by Matt Cooper Toadies (last seen in San Antonio at the Maverick Music Festival on March 24), have just unveiled the new video for “Rattler’s Revival,” the opening track of 2012’s Play. Rock. Music. The video was directed by Dallas’ Justin Wilson, who also did mini-movies for the Riverboat Gamblers, True Widow, and Nervous…
The Return of Flash Fiction!
The Current, in case you haven’t noticed, has changed its online content format slightly. Hence the delay in Flash Fiction. As of now, I’ll be publishing one piece a month. But keep sending your work in. If I get more, I’ll push for more posts. And make sure you’re clicking on the stories and reading…
Sunday Comic: The Adventures of Pizza and Myrtle
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Ask Aliyah: Peeping Toms & Diaper Changing Etiquette
Dear Aliyah, I live in a uniquely built complex that allows for me to see into the units of a few neighbors without much effort. Recently, things have gotten really interesting as a younger and a very attractive neighbor has begun leaving her blinds open into the evening. Being in my mid 30’s, I am…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Ping Pong
In conjunction with its new paid YouTube channel, digital distribution leader Cinedigm launched the Docurama Film Series in April. Bringing seven award-winning features to 15 U.S. markets over seven weeks, Docurama globe-trots from the streets of East L.A. to the antipodes of Entre Rios, Argentina, and Shanghai, China, and lands in Inner Mongolia this week…
George Strait’s Top 5 Live Songs
As San Antonio’s own George Strait rides into town this weekend for his Cowboy Rides Away farewell tour, we can’t help but look back at (some of) his best live songs throughout the years. Will you be at the show tonight? What song would you like to see performed? Here is our list, in no…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Burlesque Pride Extravaganza III
SA’s reigning Best Burlesque Troupe recommends you “tighten your tuck, secure that wig, and get ready for a fabulous ride” as they kick-start Pride Month with a rollicking adventure celebrating gay icons, drag anthems, cross-dressing, lipstick, glitter, and classic burlesque. Emceed by fire-eating gender-bender Foxxy Blue Orchid, Stars and Garters’ Burlesque Pride Extravaganza III stars…
“The Guns of Brixton,” Chicha Libre style
Hailing from the streets of Brooklyn, Chicha Libre is a mixture of Venezuelan and Mexican- American musicians that are known for their psychedelic cumbia-inspired rhythms. Keeping fresh to their Latin roots, the band just did a unique rendition of the Clash’s reggae-punk anthem “The Guns of Brixton” (written by bassist Paul Simonon). We all know…
Is King Kyle Lee’s “All Spurs Everything” the New Spurs Anthem?
Well, people of the Alamo City, it’s about that time. Our Spurs are back in the finals after winning 12 of 14 playoff games. We’ve completed our late night choral car horn ritual, we’ve brought out our brooms, we’ve begun talking all the shit our modest team won’t let themselves talk, and now we have…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Thump210
Since its debut show this past April, Thump has quickly established itself as SA’s go-to event for enthusiasts of electronic music, DJ culture, strobe lights, and bumping and grinding alike. Appropriately led by SA’s chief electronic ambassador Ernest Gonzales, the monthly first Friday showcase will relocate to Limelight on the last day of May (the…
UT #Film Student Hits It Big With “Instagram Is” Doc
A few days ago Laughing Squid posted a Vimeo by UT Dallas film student Paul Tellefsen: “Instagram Is.” Initially, it was an assignment for a trailer, but Tellefsen took it further. He made a 24-minute documentary, an infomercial essentially, and sent it to the folks at Instagram who featured it on their blog. (Film students,…
Bosnian Rainbows at Red 7, ATX
Photo by Jaime Monzon Bosnian Rainbows is Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’s new band. It’s not the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group and it’s not the Mars Volta, even though it features the same drummer Deantoni Parks. Leave any preconceptions you might have behind. There are no long instrumental jams. But there is Teri Gender-Bender and some of the best…
So Dreamy: Shakespeare in the Park enchants
Unfortunately our regular theater critic, Thomas Jenkins, is out of the country, leaving us without a go-to person when we score front row tickets to the premier of this year’s Shakespeare in the Park. Fortunately, I got to go instead, to view Magik Theatre’s rendition of the Bard’s topsy-turvy comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream…
“Machete Kills” Trailer Reveals Outrageous Cast: Lady Gaga, Sofia Vergara, Antonio Banderas, Charlie Sheen & More
The action packed trailer for San Antonio native Robert Rodriguez’ “Machete Kills” sequel has been released… and it looks fucking awesome. While not much of a plot is revealed (IMDB says: “The U.S. government recruits Machete to battle his way through Mexico in order to take down an arms dealer who looks to launch a…
Video: The White Mandingos’ “Mandingo Rally”
Agressive and rebellious, the White Mandingos boast an ironclad trio of musicians that are entrenched in their hip-hop and punk roots: the celebrated West Coast emcee Murs, Bad Brains’ bassist Darryl Jenifer, and the multi-talented rhyme/riff slayer Sacha Jenkins SHR. The trio is set to release their first LP, The Ghetto Is Tryna Kill Me,…
Q&A: Indie Darling Greta Gerwig on Women in Film, Noah Baumbach & Creating Frances Ha
Actress/screenwriter Greta Gerwig is ready to grow up. Not that she hasn’t had the time of her life playing Generation Y-inspired roles like the discontent title character in 2007’s mumblecore film Hannah Takes the Stairs or afflicted college clique leader Violet Wister in 2011’s Damsels in Distress. The reason is fairly simple: Unlike actor Michael…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Abstract Rude
A California original, Abstract Rude is an old school MC with a commanding baritone, sharp tongue, and decidedly artsy vibe. Representing legendary hip-hop labels like Grand Royal and Rhymesayers since the mid-’90s, he has buttered his bread with clever wordplay and disarming positivity. Aside from solo albums that revel in the sheer joy of the…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Penned in the 1590s, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream has inspired ballets, films, paintings, cartoons, sculptures, even the names of two moons orbiting Uranus. Framed by a royal wedding between the Duke of Athens and the Queen of the Amazons, the comic romp follows young lovers as they flee Athens to pursue romance in an…
10 Facts About San Antonio’s Newborn Twin Giraffes, Wasswa & Nakato
Nakato and His Mother Carol 1. Female twin Wasswa’s name is African for the first born of twins and Nakato is the coordinating name given to the second born of twins. 2. The twins, born at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch on May 10, are the second set of living Reticulated Giraffe twins born in the U.S. and the…
Sam's Burger Joint and Local Indie Rock: Closer Than They Appear
“We just asked,” Use of Time guitarist/singer Mike Valadez told the Current when asked how they were able to get a gig at Sam’s. The power quartet will headline a bill that includes Erica Swan, No Doubt-ish quartet General Avocado (led by singer Jessica Rondón), and alternative band All Sides Equal. Hardly the biggest names…
Shiner aplenty in SA
If you’ve ever wanted to meet a Shiner expert, you have the chance on Thursday, May 30. A Shiner Brewmaster will be leading a beer pairing dinner at the JW Marriott’s High Velocity sports bar at 7 p.m. The four-course dinner will have Shiner pairings for each course. Tickets are $45 each and reservations can…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Back in the 1920s, the governor of Texas was determined to forbid the teaching of foreign languages in public schools. To bolster her case, she called on the Bible. “If English was good enough for Jesus Christ,” she said, “it’s good enough for us.” She was dead serious. I suspect you…
Anya Gallaccio at Artpace
Anya Gallaccio returns to Artpace 16 years after her International Artist-in-Residence project with This much is true, an installation of four cubic sculptures at the Hudson (Show)Room. Whether considered as examples of postminimalism, lush-minimalism, or rushed-minimalism, one thing seems certain: Donald Judd, the finicky master of Marfa, would not have approved. At first glance, they…
Pho is Good, but Viva's Bun is Better
Far less ubiquitous than Tex-Mex and less familiar than Chinese or Indian, Vietnamese food fills a particular niche in this city’s culinary landscape. The most recent addition to this genre in San Antonio is Viva Pho and Teabo Lounge in Castle Hills. Situated in the former home of the late Lucky Burger on NW Military,…
Two tight tomes you need in your homes
Arguing For Our Lives: A User’s Guide to Constructive Dialog By Robert Jensen, Ph.D. City Lights Publishers 132 pp., $13.95 In these dumb-downed days when boob-tubers are encouraged to tolerate all manner of reality show lowlifes and school districts insist that every C-student get shoved into some form of higher education, University of Texas…
Erik Christensen, Promotions Director/Show Manager/Talent Buyer at Sam's talks to the 'Current' about the venue's position on local indie rock booking
What is Sam’s strategy when it comes to local bands? We support local shows. You can’t have a good music environment without local bands booked. With that being said, we have to juggle whether it’s worth it or not, both from Sam’s and the band’s side. Because we don’t have a walk-up crowd, we pretty…
Old Tin Barn Saloon's Down Home Appeal
I wasn’t supposed to end up at the Old Tin Barn Saloon as I biked home from the Tejano Conjunto Festival with my husband. But as we crossed underneath the highway on the last leg of our journey, a blinking arrow sign straight off the Vegas Strip circa 1965 beckoned us in. Passing a parking…
Let us pray 'The Hangover 3' is the last one
Traditionally, the third installment of any hit film franchise tends to be a bit lackluster, but this thoroughly listless, unimaginative, and crass sequel is so dire and laugh-free, that at moments you can almost hear the sound of absurdly large checks being deposited into the cast members’ ample bank accounts. Yes, the Wolfpack is back,…
Sarah Vaughan: 'Divine: The Jazz Albums, 1954-1958'
She was known as Sassy, sometimes Salty (for her “colorful” vocabulary.) But Verve Select wisely picked her most telling nickname for this fantastic collection. This four-year stretch was in many ways a tale of two Vaughans — the pop star belting standards over 50-piece orchestras, and the vivacious singer sitting in with some of jazz’s…
'Hellcab' at AtticRep
Like proctologists, taxicab drivers observe the human species from a unique angle. A Google search of “taxi stories” yields more than 17,000 entries, including accounts by cabbies in Memphis, Minneapolis, Sydney, Cairo, and Prague. Cabs are a bountiful source of inspiration, though not all its writers remain hacks. Hellcab consists of almost two dozen vignettes…
Hitchcock's 1963 Classic 'The Birds' is Still Relevant Today
Back in the summer of 1961, crazed seagulls suicidally flew into the sides of houses along the coastline of Monterey Bay. The cause was a mystery. About three years ago, scientists developed a working hypothesis for what happened: contaminated plankton poisoned the food chain, which eventually caused brain damage and seizures in seagulls. For director…
SA Sound: A Quick Glance at the Local Scene's Near and Not-So-Near Future
This week: ABSTRACT RUDE, legendary L.A. rapper, will be at the Korova (107 E Martin) on May 30. Tix at ticketfly.com. See pp. 18 for more details. LONELY HORSE is going out on tour, and will throw a fundraising party Friday, May 31, at 502 Bar (502 Embassy Oaks). Also on the bill: We Leave…
Happy Hour Hound: Piatti
The people-watching at Piatti is excellent at happy hour. There was, for example, the bored-looking gigolo type with patent-leather shoes, the Fort Sammies in civvies concentrating on the happy part, the bottle-blonde of a certain age sitting solo, the critic taking notes… Most seemed very aware of the impending 6:30 deadline. Get that martini in…
Cheeks and Chops
Javier Flores was born in Matamoros and studied the culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu in Austin. He went on to make his name as a master of Tex-Mex at La Fonda on Main, where he served as executive chef for seven years. Now, after a two-year break from cooking, he’s moved his culinary interests…
On Victory Drive, Soldiers Defeated by Debt
On Victory Drive, Soldiers Defeated by Debt by Paul Kiel, ProPublica, and Mitchell Hartman, Marketplace, May 15, 2013, 5:50 a.m.by Paul Kiel and Krista Kjellman Schmidt, ProPublica, May 15 This story was co-produced with Marketplace. Listen to their coverage. Seven years after Congress banned payday-loan companies from charging exorbitant interest rates to service members, many…
Los Valles Serves Fresh, Chilly Treats on South S. Flores
Adorning the steep, pointed roof of Los Valles fruteria on South Flores, a vibrantly colored mural depicts enormous fruit. The larger-than-life image rises above adjacent buildings, beckoning drivers and tempting pedestrians to stop in for a fresh, mouth-watering snack. Three miles down from the South Flores Arts District, this Southside gem serves a wicked “mangonada.”…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Squeeze Box Collective
If you missed the recent Tejano Conjunto Festival, don’t despair — two of this year’s hottest acts will grace the Arneson River Theater stage in a “tribute to the kings of accordion.” It’s a fitting homage, as Juanito Castillo and Dwayne Verheyden are exemplary protégés of their respective masters. Castillo, a young San Antonio native,…
