From the feedback-drenched guitar squall of Dinosaur Jr. to Doja Cat’s chart-topping pop and Joe “King” Carrasco’s Tex-Mex party rock, San Antonio’s live music calendar is bursting at the proverbial seams.
Throw in hardcore shapeshifters Ceremony, blues-rock firebrand JD Simo and rockabilly revivalists Stray Cats, and there’s plenty to keep to keep discerning ears happy. Let’s take a look.
Tuesday, Nov. 3
The Story So Far
Formed during the 2000s pop-punk boom, the Story So Far manages to offer a unique spin on a well-worn genre by leaning into raspy vocals and fast-paced melodies. But the California act released heartbreak-themed acoustic songs that single people can cry to alongside its angrier tracks. The band’s been pushing into indie-rock territory these days — as heard on 2024 album I Want to Disappear. $82, 7 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — Brianna Espinoza
Thursday, Nov. 5
Ceremony
Ceremony started out in Rohnert Park, California, in the mid-2000s as a ferocious hardcore and powerviolence band — the kind whose songs end in 90 seconds and leave bruises. Then the band did something few of its genre brethren do: it grew. Records such as Zoo and The L-Shaped Man traded blast beats for moody post-punk, and 2019’s In the Spirit World Now went full-on new wave, with synths and a jittery Devo-esque bounce. Price TBA, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — Bill Baird
JD Simo, Black Joe Lewis
Nashville guitar-slinger JD Simo plays blues the way it’s supposed to be played: loud, loose and a little bit dangerous. He’s put in time with Jack White, Tommy Emmanuel and, somehow, Beyoncé. His solo work mixes Hill Country blues grooves with psychedelic detours that run as long as they need to. Expect Austin-based opener Black Joe Lewis to bring the garage-soul howl he’s been perfecting since his Honeybears days—part James Brown, part punk rock. $48 and up, 7:30 p.m., Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — BB
Dinosaur Jr., Stef Chura
Dinosaur Jr. has endured changing musical tastes and lineups to maintain its status as one of the pioneering groups of the alt-rock genre. Formed as Dinosaur in 1985 by guitarist-frontman J Mascis, the band reveled in feedback and distortion while annoying club owners across the Northeast. Mascis and a revolving cast of sidemen carried on, finally breaking through on college radio with a cover of the Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven’ and later scored another hit with ‘Start Choppin’’ from 1993’s Where You Been. In August, the band released its 13th studio album There Near. $45.80, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — Danny Cervantes
Doja Cat, Latto
Doja Cat has emerged as one of the bestselling women rappers of all time. Her most recent release, Vie, drew praise from critics as a return to her pop roots as she dabbled in genres such as R&B and new jack swing. $62.75-$408.10, 7:30 p.m., Frost Bank Center, One Frost Bank Center Drive, (210) 444-5140, frostbankcenter.com. — DC
Sunday, Nov. 8
Joe “King” Carrasco, Hickoids, Krayolas, Garrett T. Capps
Joe “King” Carrasco, the self-crowned King of Tex-Mex rock & roll, has earned the title and the cape he wears onstage. In 1979, Carrasco and his band, the Crowns, mashed up garage rock, cumbia and polka into one sweaty party, becoming one of the first U.S. acts signed to Stiff Records. The rest of the bill, comprised of SA roots-rocking heavyweights, speaks to Carrasco’s continued influence. $10, 7 p.m., The Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 455-0233, thelonesomerose.com. — BB
Tuesday, Nov. 10
Stray Cats
Stray Cats became the most successful act of the ’80s rockabilly revival thanks to frontman Brian Setzer’s adept guitar work, the rhythm section’s infectious backbeat and a stylishly pompadoured look. The trio’s best-known tracks, “Rock This Town,” “Stray Cat Strut” and “(She’s) Sexy + 17” broke the top 10 and became rock-radio staples of their day. After a breakup at the height of their success, the members are back together and sticking to a rocking and stripped-down sound that transcends the decades. $60.39-$408.75, Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., (888) 811-5040, us.atgtickets.com. — Sanford Nowlin
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