San Antonio’s live music offerings this week are truly global, from Oaxacan folk to Jamaican reggae to Swedish prog. And don’t forget to mix in real-deal roots music from Mississippi and Louisiana along with South Texas-inspired singer-songwriter fare.
Let’s jump right in.
Wednesday, Feb. 11
Kat Edmondson
A songwriting treasure from Houston, Kat Edmondson promises to serve up the “bare essentials” in an evening interweaving music and stories in a format that’s becoming familiar at Stable Hall. Edmondson’s dreamy voice harkens back to sirens of an earlier area and helps lure listeners into her lyrics. She’s a frequent collaborator with Lyle Lovett, and in similar fashion, Edmondson’s songwriting tends to dig at a deeper truth. $42.18-$98.50, 8 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com. — Danny Cervantes
Thursday, Feb. 12
Pasatono Orquesta
It’s not often that Stable Hall opens its doors for a free show, and rarer still is the opportunity to hear the Mixteca music of Oaxaca. Pasatono Orquesta delivers an exquisite rendition of this southern Mexico style, featuring specialized stringed instruments used only in the region. The Mexico City-based orchestra has shared its music at prestigious stages ranging from the Lincoln and Kennedy Centers to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. By turns joyous, heart-rending, and exquisitely performed, Pasatono Orquesta is a delight. Free with RSVP, 8 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com. — Bill Baird
Friday, Feb. 13
Valentines Massacre
Local “egg punk” band Caspa is poised to debut its new EP I Hate Caspa with a cassette release party as part of a punk and grindcore fest dubbed Valentines Massacre. But first, a detour into punk pablum. If you’ve never heard of the 2010s internet-based microgenre “egg punk” before, well, now you have. And if you want to hear an example of it for yourself, this Friday is your chance. No, it’s not based on Edith Massey’s Pink Flamingos character, who demanded an endless supply of ovum. Rather, the microgenre applies to satirical bands that mix the “egg-headed” nerdiness of new wave bands such as Devo with the aggressive propulsion of punk. Think Snōōper, The Coneheads and Lumpy and the Dumpers. Caspa will be joined in this Valentines Massacre festival lineup by mincecore (yes, that’s a real subgenre too), grindcore and hardcore bands from around the Lone Star State and as far away as Oakland, California. The onslaught, like arrows from cupid’s unforgiving bow, will include back-to-back sets on both the indoor and outdoor stages at O’Death. $15, 8 p.m., O’Death, 3851 Culebra Road, instagram.com/odeath_. — Stephanie Koithan
Glitterer, Graham Hunt, Prize Horse
Ned Russin started post-hardcore act Glitterer in 2017 as a one-man band while a student at Columbia University. That incarnation spawned two buzzworthy EPs and eventually led to a fully formed outfit now based in Washington, D.C. The band dropped its fourth album, erer, in November, showcasing Russin’s powerful vocals augmented by a full guitar sound and shimmering synths. $21.29, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — DC
King Remo Sound System with Selecta Will Dub, Posey Parker, McPullish
In Jamaican culture, sound systems are groups of DJs, sound engineers and emcees playing music together. Their homemade electronics and massive walls of sound are the stuff of legend. San Antonio’s King Remo Sound System keeps this tradition alive — think huge wood speakers delivering thumping decibels and pulsing bass to get bodies moving. Selecta Will Dub, known for his Friday-night KSYM show focused on dub classics, will bring the night to life. Reggae DJs Posey Parker and McPullish also will spin. Free, 9 p.m., Nowhere Bar, 1375 Austin Highway, instagram.com/nowherebar_sa. — BB
Saturday, Feb. 14
Tab Benoit and Paul Thorn
Tab Benoit and Paul Thorn meld their different styles of Southern music into an evening that should bring out the best in both. Louisiana’s Benoit is best known for his swampy blues while Tupelo, Mississippi native Thorn channels both Southern rock and Americana. Both are master storytellers, and their combined alchemy seems likely to create magic on the Tobin stage. $38.50-$89.00, 8 p.m., Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — DC
Hamell on Trial
Ed Hamell is known for his anti-folk and politically punk spoken word. A frequent collaborator and touring companion of fellow crunchy upstate New Yorker, Ani DiFranco, Hamell has also released his music on her label, Righteous Babe Records. Alert the Shangri-Las, because Hamell is “bringing the L-U-V.” Whether you’re disenchanted with love or the state of the world, we recommend spending Valentines Day with a “potty-mouthed anarchist”. Free in-store performance, 4 p.m., Flagship Records, Corn Pound, 6336 Montgomery Dr, instagram.com/flagship_store_san_anto — SK
Sunday, Feb. 15
Tish Hinojosa
A legendary singer-songwriter playing a free midday show at a legendary venue? Sign us up. San Antonio native Tish Hinojosa will drop in on Texas’ oldest existing live-music hall to share her catalog of folk songs inspired by her upbringing in King William and influenced by her Mexican American heritage. With songs in both Spanish and English, Hinojosa remains an enduring voice of our region’s Latino experience. Free, noon, Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, (830) 606-1281, gruenehall.com. — DC
Monday, Feb. 16
Opeth, Katatonia
Now in its third decade, Sweden’s Opeth is an icon of progressive metal. The band is known for its precise, often-knotty riffage along with some mind-bending twists and structural turns. It doesn’t hurt that frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt possesses a distinctive voice that can shift between soulful baritone crooning and terrifying death growls. The band comes to SA promoting 2024’s Last Will and Testament, a full-on concept album. Some fans have dubbed the release “Deathro Tull,” and the name fits, since Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson appears on several tracks, providing both narration and flute. 7:30 p.m., $60-$200, Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., (210) 226-3333, majesticempire.com. — BB
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