Fashion Week San Antonio
In a city that’s about as far from a “fashion capital” as one can get, the concept of Fashion Week San Antonio might seem like an oxymoron. Still, there’s a determined contingent of fashionistas determined to “make it work.” Founded in 2009 by a local chapter of Fashion Group International, taken over by producer Tony Harris in 2012 and presented this year by Red Haus Public Relations, FWSA kicks off Tuesday and continues through Sunday with a series of parties and runway shows. Standing out among the week’s highlights are Project Runway All Stars winner Anthony Ryan's outdoor show in Travis Park (free with RSVP at fashionsa.org, 7pm Tue, Travis Park, 227 E. Travis St.); Wednesday’s “Selena: A Salute to an Icon,” featuring apparel from Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters, styling by Suzette Quintanilla and curation by David Melgar ($25-$45, 6-8pm Wed, Centro de Artes, 101 S. Santa Rosa Ave.); and Thursday’s charitable presentation of New York-based designer Cesar Galindo’s Fall/Winter 2016 collection, presented in partnership with the local boutique Sloan Hall and benefiting the San Antonio Food Bank ($125-$150, 6-9pm Thu, San Antonio Food Bank Warehouse, 5200 Enrique M. Barrera Pkwy.). Visit fashionsa.org for the full schedule of events. — Bryan Rindfuss
Tue 11/1
“The Magic of a Glance”
A professor of psychiatry and neurobiology who directs the Research in the Brain Function Laboratory at Yale University, Dr. Joy Hirsch visits San Antonio for a Mind Science Foundation lecture exploring the neural effects of eye-to-eye contact and how humans communicate. $5-$20, 6:30pm Tue, Pearl Stable, 307 Pearl Parkway, (210) 821-6094, mindscience.org.
Wed 11/2 - Thu 11/3
Día de los Muertos
Although traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2 (All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, respectively) Día de los Muertos got jumsptarted this past weekend and there’s plenty more on the horizon, with offerings ranging from reverent to outrageous. Billed as the “biggest and oldest Día de los Muertos celebration in San Antonio,” Centro Cultural Aztlan’s pioneering event is anchored by “Altares y Ofrendas,” an exhibition of artist-created altars honoring (some say summoning) the dearly departed with candles, zempasuchitl (marigolds), keepsakes, beloved snacks and other personal favorites. Promising to illustrate “the artistic, cultural and religious facets of this popular pre-Columbian/Mexican tradition,” the organization’s 39th annual affair comes complete with pan de muerto, ponche de frutas, an “Avenida de los Artesanos” market and a lively performance from the skeleton-faced drummers and dancers of URBAN-15’s Carnaval de los Muertos. Free, 6-9pm Wed, Centro Cultural Aztlan, 1800 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 432-1896, centroaztlan.org. Honoring a trio of heavy hitters who passed away in 2016, the Mexican Cultural Institute unveils altars celebrating the lives and contributions of legendary Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel, preservationist and San Antonio River Foundation co-founder Sally Buchanan, and San Antonio-born Tejano superstar Emilio Navaira. Performances by URBAN-15 and the Guadalupe Dance Company, music by DJ Toko, and tamales, pan de muerto and chocolate round out the reception. Free, 5-9:30pm Wed, Mexican Cultural Institute, 600 Hemisfair Plaza Way, (210) 227-0123, icm2.sre.gob.mx/culturamexsa. Among the veteran San Antonio institutions that elevate Día de los Muertos traditions into the realm of fine art, the Southwest School of Art annually selects a local artist to create “their own version of la ofrenda.” Often working with themes that touch on “reconnection to indigeny, ancient ritual, de-colonization, rediscovery of the matriarch, and investigation of the self,” featured artist Daniela Riojas is sure to rise to the occasion Free, 9am-5pm Wed-Thu, Southwest School of Art, 300 Augusta St., (210) 224-1848, swschool.org.
Thu 11/3
The Diary of Anne Frank
Through the story of one girl, generations have felt the emotional impact of what was lost during the Holocaust. Anne Frank was a spirited, insightful teenager when she and her family took refuge from the Nazis in an Amsterdam attic. Presented at the Vex, this gripping new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman from the original stage play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, interweaves recently discovered writings from the diary of Anne Frank as well as survivor accounts to create a contemporary impassioned story. $16-$22, 7:30pm Thu, Sheldon Vexler Theatre, 12500 NW Military Hwy., (210) 302-6835, vexler.org. Through November 13.
Click here for our review of the Vex’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank.
Thu 11/3
Baio
The bass guitarist of Vampire Weekend, Chris Baio is a style icon for many Wayfarer-wearing cool kids. Ready to strike out on his own after the release of Modern Vampires of the City in 2013, he booked a transatlantic flight to pursue a solo career. After a period of dwelling in the hipper boroughs of London, Baio started crafting dreamy, electro-pop melodies that resemble the shimmering hits of Twin Shadow and CHVRCHES. Two years later, Baio consolidated nine tracks into 2015’s The Names. Not straying far from the literary roots of Vampire Weekend, Baio borrowed the title of a Don DeLillo novel for his personal debut. The bubbly album is dappled with up-tempo tracks like “Sister of Pearl,” a wistful homage to Roxy Music’s glam-rock jam “Mother of Pearl.” Sweet without being too syrupy, the entire record is a must listen for fans of Vampire Weekend. Throw on your best pastel polo and cut a rug with Baio at Paper Tiger. $13, 8pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. Saint Mary’s St., papertigersa.com.
Thu 11/3
Nick Offerman
He’s best known for portraying surly small-town alpha male Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, and his currently touring one-man show Full Bush consists of comedic songs and stories, but the “Events” page on Nick Offerman’s official website (offermanwoodshop.com) mostly lists dates for woodworking classes with names like “Stress-Free Glue-Ups and Clamping.” He’s not doing a bit, either: Offerman Woodshop is a functioning woodworking shop in East Los Angeles, and Offerman is an actual carpenter. His recently released book Good Clean Fun offers plans for building projects ranging from kazoos to bed frames, and other than the 2014 special American Ham, one of Offerman’s lengthiest starring performances is an instructional DVD on canoe making. (The other one is, seriously, a 45-minute video of him sitting in front of a crackling fireplace, drinking whiskey in total silence.) An author, comedian, award-winning actor and capable craftsman who knows when to keep his mouth shut and when to speak out — despite his characters’ often conservative tendencies, Offerman’s spent the latter part of this election cycle trolling Trump on Twitter — the longtime Mr. Megan Mullally is not only a renaissance man but maybe one of the best arguments going for the continued existence of the straight white male circa 2016. $36.50-$49.50, 8pm, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — Jeremy Martin
Thu 11/3
Evanescence
If you identify as a millennial, chances are the first few bars of “Bring Me to Life” are loaded with dreadful memories of a prepubescent emo phase. (If not your own, then someone else’s – the general shame of the early 2000s touched us all.) Usually caked in gothic makeup and lacey Victorian-styled fashions, Amy Lee inspired a rush of hormones for the generation of confused preteens that were exposed to Evanescence’s weird brand of opera-horror-pop music. But speaking objectively, our generational crush on the niche singer is pretty understandable in hindsight. A whole range of Maxim-esque publications ranked the corseted image of Amy Lee alongside Joan Jett, Courtney Love and Liz Phair in lists that itemized the hottest women in rock. More importantly, regardless of her black velvet wardrobe, the “Call Me When You’re Sober” songstress has some legitimately impressive pipes. Ditch your ego and revisit the embarrassing blemishes of the past with Evanescence. $35-$60, 8pm Thu, The Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., (210) 226-3333, majesticempire.com. — Abby Mangel
Thu 11/3
More Eaze
More Eaze is the performing outlet of Marcus Rubio’s experiment in musical form. Emphatically of no relation to the conservative Florida senator, the Austin-based composer challenges the very definition of music by deconstructing songs into avant-garde collages of noise. Although Rubio spent the greater part of the year collaborating with different artists, he returns to More Eaze recharged and ready to share new material. In h3llo! – More Eaze’s recent October release – the mechanical clatter and din of the Futurists gets a healthy dose of Frank Zappa’s sense of humor in intricately layered tracks like the ascending “r u ok.” Without ever losing control of a song’s composition, More Eaze achieves a kind of postmodern fragmentation that leaves you absolutely mystified. San Diego’s Steve Flato and Alan Jones share the bill with More Eaze as well as local shredders Freebiez and Fierce Deity. $5, 8pm Thu, Ventura, 1011 Ave. B, facebook.com/venturasatx. — AM
Thu 11/3
Insecta Fiesta
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service partners with Blue Star Brewing Company and Little Herds to provide a night of entomaphagy. Attendees can learn how insects can be a sustainable and enjoyable form of food with a three-course meal paired with cocktails and beer. $50 per individual, $75 per couple, 6:30-8:30pm Thu, Blue Star Brewing Company, 1414 S. Alamo St., Suite 105, (210) 631-0400, register at agriliferegister.tamu.edu.
Thu 11/4
“Idea to Design: How a Designer Works with a Director”
The first people to begin to work on a show are the director and designers. In conjunction with the McNay’s Tobin Distinguished Lecture series, Francesca Zambello discusses the evolution of a production from initial development to finished design. An internationally recognized director of opera and musicals, Zambello is the artistic and general director of Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York. Zambello has directed for the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Paris Opera, London’s West End, and Disneyland, among other venues. In 1987, she directed the Houston Grand Opera production of Richard Strauss’s Salome (1987) with costumes and sets designed by Jim Dine (on view in the McNay’s theatre arts galleries). $5-$20, 6:30-7:30pm Thu, McNay Art Museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave., (210) 824-5368, mcnayart.org.
