Cover Story
Game On: Pax South’s Sophomore Year
It’s a stereotype video game enthusiasts have been trying to quash for decades — the image of an unemployed, single, 35-year-old slob sitting in his parents’ basement, wearing a Doritos-stained Atari shirt and headset, virtually killing aliens or zombies or terrorists with his Xbox controller in hand and yelling upstairs at his mom to ask…
UTSA Quarterback Retires from Football, Cites Concussions
Putting health before sports is always a wise decision. University of Texas at San Antonio quarterback Blake Bogenschutz announced on social media Tuesday that he’s calling it quits on the advice of a doctor. His reason? Concussions. Bogenschutz says he has had his fair share, and that his present and long-term health are more important than…
Goodbye Starfish, Hello Hearsay
For weeks, posts on the Starfish Facebook page mentioned new menu items and a new concept coming. Chef Diego Fernandez revealed that Starfish (709 S. Alamo St., 210-375-4423) was moving and in its place will be a new restaurant called Hearsay. “What we’re trying to accomplish is being more accessible and more approachable to the…
New San Antonio Soccer Club Signs First Player, Will Announce Name This Week
For the past few months, San Antonio’s new soccer team has existed more as an amorphous idea than anything else. We knew a club would materialize eventually, but little beyond that. But that’s changing. With two months to go before the United Soccer League season kicks off, details about the new San Antonio club are…
Legend Marcia Ball is Set to Grace Sam’s Burger Joint February 26
If bluesy rock ‘n’ roll still exists, Marcia Ball, with so-good-she-must’ve-sold-her-soul piano playin’ skills, is the epitome of the dying breed. Born in Texas and raised in the culturally-rich swamp lands of Louisiana, Ball’s been active since 1970, and she hasn’t aged a day. Her jaunty, swamp rock piano expertise and never-shy, bold-on-character vocals cement…
Memo to Video Game Industry: Get Down Here, San Antonians Don’t Bite
Dear video game industry, PAX South 2016 has come and gone with many people saying, “Where were you?” Yes, we had some fine indie developers and a few known publishers like Devolver Digital and Capcom on hand to show off their upcoming games, but we miss the rest of you. Don’t get me wrong, PAX…
Amy Grant is Bringing Her Spirituality to the Majestic Theatre April 24
Put those hands in the air and shout Hallelujah! Christian soft rocker Amy Grant is gracing the Majestic Theatre Sunday, April 24 at 7:30pm. The tickets go on sale at noon, Friday, February 5 at all Ticketmaster outlets, including the Majestic Theatre Box Office, online at ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Joined by…
Patio Andaluz Reunion Will Bring Together San Antonio Musical Icons at Tobin Center
Considered to be the cornerstone of teenage night life for many San Antonians from the 1950s to the ’70s, Patio Andaluz was also the jumping off point for many of San Antonio’s most well known bands. On any given Saturday night West Side Sound pioneers Sunny Ozuna and his Sunglows, Rudy Tee & the Reno…
Actress Carey Mulligan on Suffragette, Feminism, the Hollywood Wage Gap
In the 2015 British historical drama Suffragette, Academy Award-nominated actress Carey Mulligan (An Education) stars as Maud Watts, a young laundress living in London in the early 20th century who is recruited by the local faction of suffragettes fighting for women’s rights. Upon her joining the group, a local police inspector (Brendan Gleeson) follows her and her radical associates…
Big Bend National Park Is on Fire
Texas’ beloved Big Bend National Park is burning. The National Park Service reports on its Facebook page that a “wildland” fire started around a place called Panther Junction at 5 p.m. yesterday, most likely from a power pole downed by 30mph-plus wind gusts causing sparks. “Due to continued high winds and hot/dry conditions, the fire spread…
First Bexar County Zika Virus Case Confirmed
Officials from the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District confirmed Bexar County’s first case of zika virus on Monday, February 1. And the agency said there could be more to come. Metro Health officials said last week that they’d tested six people in Bexar County for zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that’s running rampant in Central…
Texas AG Ken Paxton Can’t Accept Out-of-State Donations for Legal Defense
Someone from the Texas Attorney General’s Office anonymously asked the Texas Ethics Commission whether that person would be able to accept out-of-state donations for a legal defense if those donors didn’t have a case that fell under the AG’s jurisdiction or some kind of relationship with the office. Who could it be? Media outlets across…
Def Leppard Cancels San Antonio Concert, Rest of Tour
Def Leppard, the British hair metal band behind Bon Bon-sweet hit “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” jump-kick classic “Photograph” and headbanger ballad “Bringing On the Heartbreak,” to name a few, have officially cancelled the rest of their North American tour. Citing illness, the band posted on their website: DEF LEPPARD has postponed the remaining dates…
5 Shows to See This Week
Monday, February 1 Bernie Martini The name alone makes me want to leave the gun, take the cannoli, start calling everybody “Paulie,” and mix mafia movie quotes ’til the Jersey cows come home. Free, 6pm, Perry’s Steakhouse, 15900 La Cantera Pkwy Suite 22200, 210-877-9666 Monday, February 1 Marley Mondays Try to hate Monday with Bob Marley-inspired…
San Antonio Filmmakers Shine in TXMPA Showcase
The Texas Motion Picture Alliance (TXMPA), founded in 2006, is a non-profit organization based out of Austin, Texas that “educates its members, legislators, and the general public on all forms of media production within the state.” TXMPA’s executive director Mindy Raymond and the rest of her hardworking comrades are genuine advocates and admirers of Texas films and Texas filmmakers alike.…
Flaming Lips, Public Enemy, The Church and The Drums to Headline 2016 Maverick Music Fest
The annual festival, now in its fourth year, has announced the 2016 headliners: trippy, hippie Oklahomans The Flaming Lips, radical hip-hop group Public Enemy, Australian dream-poppers The Church and indie pop band The Drums, plus many more local and national groups to be announced in the near future. Held on April 8 and 9 throughout the…
Today Is the Deadline to Register to Vote in Texas’ March 1 Primaries
Are you feeling the Bern? Or are you a disciple of The Donald? Whichever way your political inclinations lean — left-wing, right-wing, chicken wing — you’ve got to vote for them to matter. And the deadline to register for one of the year’s most important ballots is today. The deadline to register to vote for…
10 Free Events Happening This Week
Tue 2/2 Getting the Message Beth Foulds, Education and Programs Manager at the Briscoe, discusses message delivery in the West. Buffalo Bill, Wyatt Earp and One Eyed Charley were legendary figures that delivered letters via stagecoaches and the Pony Express. Join the first Tuesday of the month and explore a work of art or issue…
Clint Black Coming to San Antonio
The man named Black, on the heels of his first full-length release in a decade, On Purpose, will headline a concert at the Tobin Center on August 11. Tickets for the show, priced from $39.50-$59.50, can be purchased at www.tobincenter.org, via phone at (210) 223-8624, or at the theater’s box office, located at 100 Auditorium…
Get a Real Job, San Antonio: Be a Surrogate Mother
Whether you’ve got one or you need one, jobs can be a drag. So in a San Antonio Current feature, we scan local job boards to find a real gig you could have that you may never have thought of. This week: get paid for delivering the gift of life, as advertised by this Craigslist…
Burger Records Hangover Fest IV Announces Lineup
It’s that time again, weirdos. The annual rock ‘n’ roll festival that reeks of bud and never combs its hair has emerged from the hot-boxed garage to barrage San Antonio with some of the best bands in the genre. Burger Records, the California label that has amassed one of the largest rosters of groovy rock,…
Bastrop County Sheriff’s Deputy Allegedly Had Open Vodka Bottle in Patrol Car
The Bastrop County Sheriff’s Department found itself investigating one of its own after an on-duty deputy, who is also running for a county commission seat, radioed dispatch with slurred speech, KXAN reports. Deputy Fred Ensinger was arrested Friday morning and charged with DWI. Authorities found a quart-sized vodka bottle that was one-third full and empty…
Sen. Ted Cruz Is Trying to Shame Iowans into Voting
Senator Ted Cruz is using voting records and assigning arbitrary grades to Iowans — a peer pressure tactic Progress Texas says can be successful, if you’re not on the ballot. “Social pressure campaign tactics are proven to work – but there is a catch: it is better for a social pressure effort to be conducted…
29th Annual Asian Festival: Year of the Monkey
The Institute of Texan Cultures invites Texas and Texans to the Asian Festival. What began as a traditional family reunion for the Chinese New Year has expanded to include other Asian communities and participants, showcasing their unique culture and traditions. The family-friendly event features music, cultural performances, food, fashion, crafts and other products. Guests can…
Tony Parker Named Executive Producer of Critically Acclaimed Film The Birth of a Nation
The city of San Antonio crept into the world of international cinema with the premier of American biographical film, The Birth of a Nation, at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Written and directed by Nate Parker, the film – which centers upon the revolutionary tale of African-American slave Nat Turner – shattered the record for…
Kanye West Reveals New Album Title, Set to Play SNL
Waves will be the title of the seventh album from the artist with the ego to match his wife’s exceptionally ample derriere. Originally titled Swish, West’s newest effort drops on February 11, two days before he returns to Saturday Night Live as the musical guest, according to the show’s Twitter. West will debut the album…
Federal Judge Denies San Antonio Zoo’s Motion to Dismiss Lawsuit over Lucky the Elephant
San Antonio-based federal judge Xavier Rodriguez ruled Wednesday that a lawsuit against the San Antonio Zoo brought by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) over how the Asian elephant Lucky is housed can proceed. The ALDF alleges that the San Antonio Zoo has “harmed” and “harassed” Lucky because the elephant is “(a) without the companionship of…
6 Bexar County Residents Being Tested for Zika Virus
The Metropolitan Health District tested six people in Bexar County for Zika virus, the mosquito-borne illness that’s plagued Central and South America, and can cause birth defects in newborn babies. KENS first reported the tests. It’s unknown if the people tested have the virus, and their results from the federal Centers for Disease Control and…
Watch: Billy Bob Thornton Narrates Super Bowl 50 Ad for H-E-B
Buying Super Bowl air time is a pricey proposition. Fortune reported that a 30-second ad could run as much as $5 million for the space between this year’s game (which, as you likely know, is much more plentiful than actual game play). So deciding what angle to take with the ad is high-stakes game. Do…
Gamers Compete for $30,000 in Killer Instinct World Cup
As thousands of gamers convene at the convention center for PAX South this weekend, a high-stakes competition gaming competition will take place just a few miles up 281. The Fountain Bleu, an event center at 9926 San Pedro Ave., will host 32 gamers competing for $30,000 at the Killer Instinct World Cup. Along with the…
Graham Nash Announces Record Release Date and San Antonio Concert
Songwriter for The Hollies and one third/fourth of Crosby, Stills and Nash (and Young), Graham Nash will be releasing his first studio album of solo works in 14 years. Entitled This Path Tonight, the record was produced by Shane Fontayne, who will be accompanying Nash on his solo tour set to hit the Empire Theatre…
Progress Texas Talks Medical Marijuana Reform with Sen. José Menéndez
With Texas’ next legislative session being less than a year away, Progress Texas sat down and interviewed Sen. José Menéndez, who, along with Rep. Marisa Márquez, authored the first attempt at comprehensive medical marijuana legislation in the Lone Star State. Their efforts were not successful, but the state did pass a CBD-oil bill for people with intractable…
Sixth Annual Jammin’ Jams Fruit and Nut Tree Adoption to Be Held at the Pearl
There’s always room for more trees in our lives. You can pick a fruit or nut tree up Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (rain or shine) during the sixth annual Jammin’ Jams Fruit and Nut Tree Adoption that will run in conjunction with the Pearl Farmers Market in the parking lot adjacent to the…
Spurs Forward LaMarcus Aldridge Named to Western Conference All-Star Team
Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge was named to the 2016 Western Conference All-Star team today as a reserve. This is Aldridge’s fifth All-Star appearance, his first as a Spur. He’s played in the game every year since 2012. Aldridge made the team despite averaging 15.9 points per game, the second fewest of his career. But he’s…
10 Things You Have to Do This Weekend
Thu 1/28 Chaka Khan Considering this event is billed as “An Evening of Music and Conversation,” we spent an inordinate amount of time attempting to avoid a bad joke imploring Ms. Khan to “Tell Me Something Good.” An effort we felt unnecessary after seeing a few of the actual products the singer/entrepreneur has been hawking…
Tickets for L7 at the Aztec Theatre Go On Sale Tomorrow
In the mid-1980s, the alt-rock biz was male dominated, and then came L7. Formed by punk rockers who had something to say, L7 can be held responsible for aiding in the ’90s riot grrrl movement with their abrasive sound and massive influence. Sadly, after sharing the stage and much of the spotlight with grunge icons…
Sancho’s Cantina to Host Show for 47th Anniversary of Beatles’ Rooftop Concert
With Spotify now streaming the complete Beatles’ discography and a sea of cover bands touring the nation, Beatlemania is making a comeback (not that it ever went away). To commemorate the final performance of the Beatles – y’know the one – Sancho’s Cantina is hosting a recreation of the famous moment on Saturday, January 30, the 47th…
Las Tesoros Will Reunite For A CD Release and Concert
A supergroup of established performers from the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, Las Tesoros’ was made up of four unique, westside San Antonio singers, Rita Vidaurri, Beatriz Llamas, Blanca Rodriguez and Janet Cortez (who passed away in 2014). Although popular and talented, Las Tesoros’ career met an untimely demise, due to the sexist and racist climate…
City Offers Free Tax Preparation for Those of Us Who Don’t Know What the Hell We’re Doing
Update Monday, February 1, 10:30 a.m.: This post is updated from its original version to include all members of the VITA Coalition. The original post continues below: With a new year comes a new season of pretending to know what a 1040 is and wishing you had saved more receipts. Tax season is upon us.…
Come and Film It (and Support Texas Movie Making)
Love film? Support Texas filmmaking? If so, the Texas Motion Picture Alliance is holding a benefit Saturday at Alamo Drafthouse Park North (618 NW Loop 410) that will feature Texas films from 4 to 6 p.m. and a mix-and-mingle from 6 to 8 p.m. Ten bucks get you in and if you’re a student, slash…
ARTS San Antonio Presents Fiesta Mexico Americana! Los Lobos and Ballet Folklorico Mexicano
The Mexican-American Experience is celebrated through song, dance, music and film highlighting the many notable achievements and contributions of Mexican-Americans throughout US History in this brand-new multi-m edia production, featuring Multiple Grammy-Award Winners Los Lobos and dancers from Ballet Folklorico Mexicano. More than three decades have passed since Los Lobos released their debut album,Just Another…
Deftones Announce New Album Name and Release Clip From the Record
San Antonio loves them some metal, so the headbanger community’s collective excitement that Deftones will be performing here March 19 at the Lone Star Brewery grounds came as no surprise. The band’s studio album number eight will be titled *drumroll* Gore. They have recently released a short clip of the first single via deftones.com, which can be found…
SAPD Officers Now Patrolling Prospects Courtyard at Haven for Hope
In addition to the regular security detail, off-duty San Antonio Police Department officers have patrolled Prospects Courtyard at Haven for Hope for the past couple months, according to spokeswoman Laura Calderon. Calderon said the off-duty police were added to bring “a higher level of safety” and “more calm to the courtyard.” “The courtyard is a…
Billy Joel to Play AT&T Center
As of 11 a.m. this morning, the newly renovated AT&T center announced that they will be hosting a concert by none other than “Piano Man” Billy Joel, set for December 9, 2016. Joel, who hasn’t played San Antonio solo in over 30 years, is the sixth best-selling recording artist of all time. The home of…
Coach Pop: No Timetable for Tim Duncan’s Return
We’re going to have to hurry up and wait. San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich told reporters Wednesday that Tim Duncan, who has missed three of the team’s last four games, underwent an MRI and is undergoing rest and rehabilitation for soreness in his right knee. However, the All-Star coach declined to place a timetable…
Opera Piccola to Mashup Star Trek and Mozart to Celebrate the Show’s 50th
Opera and motherfucking Star Trek, amiright? Opera Piccola of San Antonio will be performing Mozart’s classic our-girlfriends-got-captured-by-a-harem-let’s-go-save-’em composition Abduction from the Seraglio … as an episode of Star Trek! In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the iconic program, you’ll be whisked away on a spaceship of song into another universe of Klingons, space women, alien…
Arts San Antonio Presents Yamato Drummers of Japan
Yamato was founded by Masa Ogawa in 1993 in Nara, “the land of Yamato” which is said to be the birthplace of Japanese culture. Presently based in Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture, Yamato travels all over the world with Japan’s traditional Wadaiko drums, putting their very souls into the unusual instruments, whose sound stirs the hearts…
Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich to Coach 2016 Western Conference All-Stars
Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich will coach the 2016 Western Conference All-Star team, the NBA announced today. This is the fourth time that Popovich has coached the All-Star game. Typically the All-Star coaching nod goes to the coach in each conference whose team holds the best record. In this case, that would be Golden State…
Poll: Do You Like the Logo for San Antonio’s Tricentennial?
For a soon-to-be 300-year-old, San Antonio looks pretty good. But does the logo commemorating its celebration? The Alamo City will celebrate its 300th birthday in 2018, and the City of San Antonio already kicked off its celebration. The Tricentennial Commission will hold arts, cultural, and historical events, community service opportunities, festivals and lectures to mark…
Equality Texas Calls for Restoration of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast HIV Prevention Funding
By now, you’ve probably heard how a plan by two anti-abortion activists to incriminate Planned Parenthood has backfired, with the pair being indicted by a Harris County grand jury for tampering with government records and the reproductive health organization being cleared of any wrongdoing. The activists, David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt, published several heavily edited…
Hear Rihanna’s New Single “Work” From Album Set to Drop by Friday
In a move equal parts depressingly opulent and super exciting (for Rihanna fans), Ri-Ri recently took a selfie wherein she is said to be listening to the final mix of her soon-to-be-released album ANTI … in a pair of $9,000 headphones. Sources have alerted Billboard that the follow up to her 2012 release Unapologetic will most likely drop…
Check Out This 30-foot Tall Art Installation at the Expanded Henry B. González Convention Center
The jewel of the $325 million expansion of Downtown’s Henry B. González Convention Center is alive — sort of. City leaders yesterday unveiled a large-scale artwork called “Liquid Crystal,” by Jason Bruges, a multi-disciplinary artist and designer from London, that stands 30-feet tall and is made of digital LCD panels that can sense its environment,…
Savage Love: Sound Mind and Body
Down to business: Christmas came and went, and every present I bought for my extraordinary husband could be opened in front of our children. He deserves better, and I have a particular gift in mind for Valentine’s Day. My husband has expressed an interest in sounding, something we’ve attempted only with my little finger. He…
How Do You Build a Water Park for People with Special Needs?
The attractions at most water parks, fun as they are, are predictable. There are multicolored slides that contort and bend in various ways. There’s some sort of lazy river that ferries bodies and tubes in a slow circle. And there’s probably a log flume, or something similar that aims to soak riders and spectators with…
New Coffee Additions Perk Up Paramour
Paramour has continued to collect accolades since opening for business this past fall, seducing Saytown with its heady mix of altitude and urban allure (to say nothing of its gifted mixologists). The rooftop bar at 102 9th Street launched its coffee program this past December with Jesse Garcia at the helm, so I took the…
Free Will Astrology, Week of January 27
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do you know Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights? At one point, the heroine Catherine tells her friend about Edgar, a man she’s interested in. “He wanted all to lie in an ecstasy of peace,” Catherine says, “and I wanted all to sparkle and dance in a glorious jubilee. I said his…
5 Ways to Get Your Drink/Grub on This Week
Wednesday, January 27 Cocktails & Culture: The Witte returns with an adults-only shindig that explores the Bodies Revealed exhibition (with special pricing). Learn about the body while noshing on food for purchase by The Box Street Social, brews by Alamo Beer and cocktails by Deep Eddy Vodka. $15 per person, 6:30-8:30pm, 3801 Broadway, (210) 357-1900,…
This Modern World (1/27/16)
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Flavor File: Meat Week Returns, Mardi Gras Parties and More
Stop reading now vegetarian and vegan readers — it’s time for Meat Week San Antonio. The fourth local iteration of this nationwide celebration of all things carnivorous is back starting January 31 at 2:30 p.m. with a kickoff party at the new B-Daddy’s BBQ (14434 Old Bandera Road, Helotes). The week will also include stops at…
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Aural Pleasure: Harvey McLaughlin & the BottomFeeders, Javier Escovedo and Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
Harvey McLaughlin & the BottomFeeders Dragon’s Breath Single // Lost Records Released January 30 Live Harvey McLaughlin & the BottomFeeders are reminiscent of a pair of low-sole Creepers, Army-issue Buddy Holly glasses and a two-tone blazer over a skinny tie. (I’m describing Elvis Costello here). The limber wrists of drummer Mike Chia and the present…
Newsmonger: San Antonio Is a No-Kill City, MLK March Exceeds Expectations and Mott Family Sues Funeral Home
San Antonio Reaches No-Kill Status Last week, San Antonio Animal Care Services announced that it had achieved no-kill status for December 2015, reaching a long sought-after goal of the department. No-kill doesn’t mean that all animals that enter the shelter will be spared. For a shelter to earn the no-kill designation, at least 90 percent…
SA’s MLK March Matters, but the Fight for Justice Is Year-Round
There were two marches in San Antonio on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. One is often billed as the largest in the country. The other was a show of direct action. Organizers say that this year approximately 300,000 people showed up for San Antonio’s annual MLK march, which starts at the MLK Freedom Bridge, travels…
Potential Is There For Pinks Patio
Opening a bar in December is a gamble — even more so if that bar happens to be 60 percent patio. But that’s what the owners of Pinks Patio have to work with. The former bus station and solar panel depot has definitely come a long way from its former digs, and will continue growing…
Keeping Tabs: Rogue Reds
Some of the world’s priciest wines — think the celebrated chateaux and estates of Bordeaux and Burgundy — are red blends whose composition has been fixed for centuries. But times and tastes they are a changin’, and a new breed of winemaker is paying attention to an audience that is less focused on tradition and…
How S.A. Retro Video Game Store Propaganda Palace Survives
Starting a business is always a risky venture. Most companies don’t clear a profit for at least a couple years. Obscure business plans, like, say a toe-ring store or a retro video game shop, particularly during the Great Recession, have an even smaller chance of survival. So, what would bring a person to want to…
Digestable Themes: Kung Fu Panda 3
The invitation to my first press screening came to me in the form of an email from a regional public relations firm representing Dreamworks Pictures. Finally. The elusive digital ticket to a top secret showing of a beloved animated franchise had made its way into my own private domain. A red carpet extravaganza was to…
