Live & Local: Eddie Palmieri with Henry Brun & the Latin Playerz
Imagine if James Brown had come to play San Antonio but discovered at the last minute that the J.B.’s had melted on the drive down, and rushing to fill in, he tapped the West Side Horns (dude, I would’ve so loved to see that). That’s almost exactly what happened to nine-time Grammy-winning Latin jazz/salsa legend…
‘Farmageddon: The Unseen War on America’s Family Farms’ screening at Pearl Stables
Where does food come from? It’s a question that’s become increasingly difficult to answer, especially for younger generations and school-aged kids. For those born in the era of Big Ag, by all obvious clues, food comes from a store, a restaurant, a box, a can, a plastic bag, a frozen microwaveable plate. Ask students to…
The Wicked Stage: Ethically Compromised Edition
Longtime readers of my print reviews—as the joke goes, both of you—might have noticed that I’ve never once reviewed an AtticRep production. There’s a reason for that; I teach classics at Trinity, and I actually know, and work with on a daily basis, the artistic staff of the AtticRep, which is currently in residence. (I’ve…
Good art cheap at Galeria Ortiz retirement sale
Eventually, all good things come to an end. Lisa Ortiz moved to San Antonio from New York in 1978. She took over the DagenBela Galeria in 1995, and changed the name to Galeria Ortiz, and for the last 16 years has run a tight shop. But now it’s time to retire, with a “Dot” closing…
Holy humanoids, Batman! Reports of flying beings over South Texas
Recently, I received an unusual report from colleagues who belong to a leading UFO organization. My associates had been contacted by a San Antonio family who claimed to have had a remarkable sighting near their home in the area around a local airport. According to their account, it was during April of 2009 when the…
Summer Vacation: ‘him on a platter with lube, handcuffs, and chocolate syrup’
She stood in the courtyard awash in the rhythms of a local Latin jazz soul funk troupe in May. Based on all the pedo-stache men in the vicinity, the only discernible sound she could hear was the Gypsy Kings version of “Hotel California.” She turned to her friend who was waiting in line for a…
“Just the Everyday” by Gabriel Fernandez
The importance of the mundane, while mundane in and of itself, ripples with power. Routine brings comfort, even when it’s the disconcerting zombie-like emergence of people from jail. By imposing structure we impose meaning, which ironically is the very thing jail attempts to do to the incarcerated (or at least we like to think so).…
Texas nonprofits, facing state and federal cuts, see plenty of doom and gloom
Last week, the San Antonio Nonprofit Council, aka SANCouncil, held an advocacy conference. Representatives from state and federal government were there, along with many local nonprofit leaders and staff. They came to get a handle on budget cuts and what it means for their organizations and the people they serve. Here’s some quick info: Texas…
Eddie Palmieri: The Current Q & A
By Enrique Lopetegui elopetegui@sacurrent.com What went through your mind when you found out NARAS had eliminated the Latin Jazz category, for which you fought so hard for many years? What went through my mind was that I thought the French had gotten rid of the guillotine. Because they just cut everything off without letting anyone…
Stick Em Up!: An Evening with Filmmaker Alex Luster
Documentary filmmaker Alex Luster will screen excerpts from his Emmy award-winning works at the Guadalupe Theater this Thursday, including parts of his new film Stick Em Up!, a covert operation he launched to record the illegal street art scene in East Houston. A lot of these guys aren’t graffiti writers blasting trains with their crews. They…
Sr. Flavio: Nueva Ola
Bassist Flavio Cianciarulo, known as Sr. Flavio, was one of the main reasons Argentina’s Los Fabulosos Cadillacs went from exciting local ska act to international fusion phenomenon. His song ‘Matador’ made the band explode and it was a deserved reward for Sr. Flavio, who was always LFC’s edge. His second full-length solo album is an…
Canseco faces protest at local speech (and delivers lamest D.C.-earthquake joke yet)
It’s August recess time, and Francisco “Quico” Canseco’s back in town. But while he enjoyed a nice quiet gathering downtown Wednesday inside a South San Chamber of Commerce luncheon, dozens of protesters rallied in triple-digit heat outside Canseco’s speech, claiming the freshman GOP congressman refuses to meet with working-class parts of his district. Ysidro Solis…
Stage lights beckon…SA Met Ballet auditions Sat, Sun
Stage lights beckon… Auditions for the San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet will be held this weekend. Auditions to become part of the SA Met Ballet company will be held on Saturday, August 27 at 4:30pm. Auditions for Hansel and Gretel extras will be held on Sunday, August 28. Ages 6-8 at 2-3 pm, ages 9-11…
Interview with Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers
It has been an extremely eventful year for guitarist and lead vocalist Woody Platt and his bluegrass group the Steep Canyon Rangers. Much of the band’s success in 2011 has stemmed from their collaboration with actor and comedian Steve Martin, who joined the Rangers this year as a guest musician to feature his skill on…
The QueQue: Protesting Canadian tar sands in Texas, Global warning hasn’t reached Perry
Protesting Canadian tar sands in Texas East Texas resident David Daniel didn’t know anything about the planned 1,700-mile pipeline called the Keystone XL, planned to run tar-sands-derived oil (a sludge up to 70 times thicker than traditional crude oil) from Canada all the way to Houston’s refineries and ports, until he stumbled across surveyor’s stakes…
Oliver Ressel, the Grape Wine Company
Thanks to more than 25 years in San Antonio, Oliver-Pierre Ressel’s accent only hints at his Parisian upbringing, but that hint is just enough to give him the edge someone in the business of brokering wines needs. With a few cases of the stuff lining the walls and a scattering of rugs on the floors,…
Things you really need to do before you leave college (Part 5)
Dress for success, but not just yet Go to class in your PJs, while you can. Walk campus in the wee hours "To see stray cats and ghosts. … That’s what we did at OLLU," wrote Darrell Hoberer. Start a company You’ve seen The Social Network, right? On a similar note, the idea for what…
Axler’s black comedy, Smudge, marked by hot repartee
Statistics inhabit a world of fractions, probabilities expressed in numbers running to the right of a decimal point, while the land of the living is simply binary. 1, you exist; 0, you don’t. Or so it seems to Nick*, an analyst for the Census Bureau, until his wife gives birth to a smudge, a mutant…
Critic’s Pick: The Third Man
Who is the third man and how did he contribute to the untimely death of Harry Lime? This is the perplexing question that Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is determined to answer in the film noir The Third Man, his quest leading him deep into the black market underworld of post-World War II Austria. Martins arrives…
Worst College Jobs
Take One Have you ever been stuck in an elevator? If so, you know that picking up that red phone doesn’t get you directly connected to the police as you might have hoped. Ha! Those phones are monitored by companies who staff people to sit and wait on your "Emergency Call" and then notify the…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): I predict that in the coming weeks, you will be able to extract an unexpected perk or benefit from one of your less glamorous responsibilities. I also predict that you will decide not to ram headfirst into an obstacle and try to batter it until it crumbles. Instead, you’ll dream up…
Things you really need to do before you leave college (Part 1)
In this narrow window of time between being someone’s child and being your own boss (or, more likely, a paycheck-dependent peon to some guy in a dark suit), there is a time made for experimentation called college life. You’re away from home for possibly the first time in your life, you’re surrounded by tons of…
Current College Guide 2011
Open publication – Free publishing – More college Mobile users click here to read College Guide 2011
Discount Dating
Being penniless doesn’t mean you can’t find colorful, romantic things to do in San Anto. Here are a few …
The Station Café opening with fare tried, true
An unlikely bastion of rave reviews, The Filling Station, an old converted gas station, served sandwiches, pies, and salads out of just 400 square feet. Over time, steady business turned into droves — yet the space remained the same. The standing-room-only customer side was actually larger than the kitchen behind. “We just learned to live…
Golightly still beats for Huey
At first glance, Matt Golightly comes off like an average goofy white guy. Nice shirt, jeans, bouncy gate, navigating through his material like he’s walking across a moon bounce. There’s not one thing about him that comes across as threatening or devious in any way — but then he opens his mouth and says something…
No San Antonians in 2011’s Texas Filmmakers Showcase, but still plenty to inspire
Last year, the Current celebrated the fact that, for the first time in its 16-year history, three filmmakers with ties to San Antonio (Ya’Ke Smith, James T. Moore, and Miguel Alvarez) had their films shown in Los Angeles as part of the 2010 Houston Film Commission’s Texas Filmmakers Showcase (launched as Young Filmmakers Showcase in…
Local Review of Egshan: 111
Calling Egshan’s music stoner rock might sound insulting, but there’s no better way to describe the loose-limbed, hazy, convergent sounds of their latest release. The recording money for 111 was assembled in a month, as Egshan played more than two-dozen fundraising shows in May. The EP is extremely deliberate but never laborious, and there is…
Transitional Reading
One grad recommends novel takes on growing up
Security Issues
Ways to stay safe (and keep from getting busted)
Ten ways to stay busy until Mad Men returns
The long-awaited fifth season of Mad Men — Sunday-night destination TV, Emmy magnet, and masterpiece of faux-nostalgic melancholy — has been postponed. Show creator Matthew Weiner’s well-documented battles with his writing staff, Lionsgate producers, and AMC network execs led Season 5 negotiations up to the precipice. The delay means fans will have to wait until…
Wienermobile to dock at H-E-B
If it’s your lifelong dream to ride in a big-ass hot dog, well, you’re pretty weird. But Oscar Mayer is gonna make sure you relish (har har) the experience this weekend. The Wienermobile will be at two different H-E-Bs on Friday and Sunday to pass out wiener-shaped whistles and generally clog up the already crowded…
Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks: Mirror Traffic
Growing up in rural East Texas, I was just cool enough to know who Pavement was, but just far enough removed from a decent record store to never have had one of their albums. Yes, this was before everything was available with a click of the mouse. However, while listening to Stephen Malkmus’ latest release,…
Paying Dues
Today’s economy makes interships a must
Good news, sad news
Besides his concert Saturday at Plaza Guadalupe, salsa/Latin jazz great Eddie Palmieri will answer your questions in a not-to-be-missed event organized by the Guadalupe and presented at the UTSA Downtown campus. “A conversation with Eddie Palmieri” is a free event to be held Friday at 6 p.m. at the campus’ Buena Vista Theater (501 W…
Things you really need to do before you leave college (Part 4)
Try not to get fat Granted, it’s difficult to conjure up a nutritious meal when your most sophisticated kitchen appliance is a microwave. But take heed, the freshman 15 is no myth. Vending machine cheese doodles will conspire against your buns and thighs. Hit the on-campus gym every once in awhile and do what you…
Sisters Morales (last SA performance)
The show started at 9 p.m., but at 7:56 the line stretched almost all the way to Grayson Street. It was a proper show of respect and support for the Sisters Morales, who bid farewell to San Antonio with two stirring sets. After four fine albums (a fifth, live Spanish-language album recorded in Houston will…
Second Brewpub for Southtown
SECOND BREWPUB FOR SOUTHTOWN An already lively scene for the craft beer lovers in Southtown is about to become more so. The Filling Station, a respected pizza and sandwich shop on South St. Mary’s Street, is opening a brewpub in the former gas station after relocating the restaurant to a larger space next door. When…
When it comes to challenging salsa or Latin jazz, Eddie Palmieri is your man
Sometime in the mid-’90s, it was getting close to Christmas and I had to write one of those stupid holiday lists. So I asked Panama’s Rubén Blades (the author of “Pedro Navaja,” arguably the most popular salsa song ever written), “If you had to recommend just one salsa album, new or old, what would that…
CSS: La Liberación
São Paulo’s CSS have never been into grand statements, but in the final track from their third release they may have stumbled upon a true declaration of purpose: "Fuck Everything." It’s a welcome change in sentiment after their last release, the carefully stylized, glossy Donkey. On La Liberación, the five-piece jumps headfirst back into the…
Winston’s Pub a smoke-free but still reliably good time
As of last Friday, the question on every alcohol enthusiast’s mind is: How will the new smoking ban affect my favorite bar/pub/club? To properly gain insight into this conundrum, we needed to start our experiments at a bar we were already intimately familiar with. Sir Winston’s Pub is a long-time, regular hangout for many in…
Drink Specials
Lubricating deconstructionism banter on the cheap
The Apoca-List
AKA The “We’re Fucked” Index
Jobs that Pay
Have a seat, artists — it’s health care, oilfield that drive much of today’s demand
McNally play wins; Smithsonian affiliate loses
Who would have thought that arts funding could summon such great emotions, and rend the City Council Chambers with woeful demonstration? The great battle of the Office of Cultural Affairs’ recommendations for 2012 funding played out last Saturday as a drama in Two Acts, with an intermission. The stage opened to members of the Arts…
Big Three
Answering those questions most freshmen are scared to ask
Fixin’ to Say-She-Ate
The restaurant biz has taken a beating in the last few years, with top chefs from New York to Las Vegas closing shop, or at least contracting their empires. Trends continue, though, and with versatility and low costs a must for new start-ups, the urge for mobility is being taken literally by many trying to…
Vexler Theatre presents Thornton Wilder classic
With its production of Thornton Wilder’s iconic Our Town, the Vexler lifts a good idea from a Chicago-area theater — but it should have lifted one more. Just as the Lookingglass Theater recently suspended the flotsam and jetsam of fictional Grover’s Corners above Wilder’s bare stage, so too does the Vexler hoist the “set” of…
Aperture is unclassifiable but no sludge factory
Aperture are playing their first headlining show at Jack’s Bar this Saturday. This isn’t necessarily the best situation to be in. The band’s bright-eyed singer/co-songwriter Nathan Alvarado, who recently shaved off his rock locks (and what looks like eight years), told the Current over a glass of vino at Josephine St. Café that “No one…
¡ASK A MEXICAN!
Special Comida Edition Dear Mexican: This is going to sound absolutely and totally Caucasian. Lately, we have been trying to lighten the mood around the office with delicate bits of international confections. With all that’s going on in the world, who needs one more worry? With that said, we are struck with yet another issue…
We Were Here: The year AIDS struck
When the San Antonio AIDS Foundation (SAAF) opened in 1986 as an all-volunteer-staffed hospice it served a mere seven clients. Today they serve thousands of HIV/AIDS patients every year — patients that can consider themselves lucky. When an unknown virus appeared in San Francisco in 1981, gay men were dropping like flies and no one…
Things you really need to do before you leave college (Part 3)
Study abroad You can earn your degree and develop a better understanding of other cultures while having international adventures. Learn a foreign language Which may help with the above. And vice versa. Take advantage of free stuff OK, so it’s not really free when you think about it. You’re paying tuition to have access to…
Things you really need to do before you leave college (Part 2)
Road Trip Normally, this means getting in your friends’ worst, smallest car, packing it to the gills with things you will not need, and then breaking down on the highway just far enough from home to necessitate calling Mom and Dad for a wire from Western Union. Declare your independence For the majority of college…
Choose Three
You really can have sleep, a social life, and good grades
North Bexar neighborhood decries deputy’s alleged immigration enforcement
Bexar County Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz has requested an internal investigation to look into complaints that one of his deputies has been playing the part of an over-zealous immigration officer in the Timberwood Park area this past year. Residents claim Deputy Patrick Plate, a 19-year veteran of the department, has targeted working-class Hispanics by nabbing day…
Hair Care 101
Inexpensive back-to-school hair salon options
Fashion Hunt
Scoring in the field takes more than knowing where to go
James Cobb manipulates at Alternative Ink
Figurative drawing has often been much interested in the artist’s hand, the gestures made by the body as it attempts to capture another body 0n paper. Mechanical drawing, on the other hand, has long made the precise geometries of architectural plans or exploded views of machine parts with the aid of rulers, compasses, and measuring…
Patti Smith: Outside Society
"Rimbaud with Marshall amps," is how Sweden’s Polar Music Prize committee — which will honor the Godmother of Punk and the Kronos Quartet on August 30 — described the NYC goddess raking in the honors these last 16 months. Patti Smith’s memoir, Just Kids, about her life with the late Robert Mapplethorpe, won the 2010…
Euclideon plans to take video-game graphics to the next level
Now that we’ve hit late August, most video game companies with triple-A titles debuting in just a few short months are starting to crank up their marketing campaign to eleven, most notably EA and Activision. Both companies will soon have a slew of commercials out there touting “real footage” of in-game scenarios so as to…
