Emerging out of the awkward era of early-aughts rap bands alongside groups like Flobots and Gym Class Heroes, ¡Mayday! would be easy to write off as a gimmick if it wasn’t for their actual talent. The sort-of Hot Topic group out of Miami possess legitimate rhyme skills and noteworthy production, which probably helped get them…
Fusing the emotive ’90s vibes from artists like Aaliyah and Monica with the rolling hi-hats of today’s trap music, Toni Romiti’s tracks are literal fire, especially for being sort of a Soundcloud rapper. And maybe that’s why her music is hot. Getting noticed in a sub-genre of hip-hop that’s saturated with un-talented male rappers that…
San Antonio’s defenders of Confederate monuments aren’t like the other guys. At least that’s what their leader, Robert Beverly wants you to believe. This Is Texas Freedom Force (TITFF), the group behind Saturday’s protest to save the Travis Park Confederate monument, is only trying to “protect all things Texas.” “We would not stand up to…
As the early 2000s struggled to figure out what exactly what sounds would define it, there was an emerging folk music revival with artists like Sufjan Stevens, Devendra Banhart and Joanna Newsom leading the pack. On the more bluegrass-y, Americana end of the spectrum were bands like Old Crow Medicine Show and The Avett Brothers,…
If there were any appropriate time to use the “air siren” sound DJs use almost ironically through their sets, it would be now. GZA of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan is slated for an appearance at Paper Tiger and we’re more than just a little excited about it. Back in 2015, a survey was done analyzing…
It’s not every day I can say something like “hey, you know, Miller Lite has great taste in music.” However, the beer giant certainly seems to know what it’s doing with the ongoing Conciertos Originales live series, which is now in its fourth year and spans seven cities. For the latest San Antonio installment, the…
It’s hard to check your phone when you’re slammed behind the bar on a gorgeous Saturday. Josh Giles, manager of Burleson Yard Beer Garden on Austin St. and Lee’s Taco Garage, wasn’t privy to the the Charlottesville events, death and even San Anto’s local rallies during his August 12 shift. But he awoke to a…
Topo Chica, the refreshingly-named lo-fi, dream-punk outfit from San Antonio, is up to something. The chica-powered five-piece, which you might have caught gigging around the St. Mary’s Strip (and elsewhere) for a little over a year now, has dropped two rad singles over the past few months: “Leonardo” and “Sweaters.” Featuring veteran members of several…
Anchored in Philadelphia, Shadow Band is the latest incarnation of singer-songwriter Mike Bruno’s ongoing trip into the haunting landscape of his evolving vision of delicately embellished folk music. Having evolved from the Black Magic Family Band, Shadow Band (currently a nine-piece group) released its proper debut album Wilderness of Love, one of my favorite releases…
Anybody who hasn’t driven though the Eastside lately is in for a surprise. Stately mansions in Dignowity Hill are being resurrected, smaller cottages are being spiffed up in Denver Heights, there’s new, infill construction throughout, and many streets that once seemed neglected — at least to the non-resident, are showing signs of pride. Some restaurants,…
ARIES (March 21-April 19): “To disobey in order to take action is the byword of all creative spirits,” said philosopher Gaston Bachelard. This mischievous advice is perfect for your use right now, Aries. I believe you’ll thrive through the practice of ingenious rebellion — never in service to your pride, but always to feed your…
Punctuated by three-part vocal harmonies and banjo riffs that could hold their own next to the most technical of trash-metal guitar riffs, Austin’s Wood & Wire are arguably one of our region’s best bluegrass acts today. Formed in 2011, the four-piece are known for getting audiences riled up with their songs that often turn into…
Steven Soderbergh has directed many types of films with great success (he won an Oscar for Traffic in 2000), but it’s clear he has an affinity for heist movies (he made Oceans 11 and its two lesser sequels). Yet it’s still odd to see him on the big screen with Logan Lucky, about a robbery…
Any show at Bottom Bracket Social Club is worth checking out. There’s a mystique to the little DIY space that makes it truly feel like you are a part of some underground movement. And then, of course, when the place serves up hefty helpings of live music by talented locals, there’s basically no excuse not…
With his 1932 play Blood Wedding and collection of poems Poet in New York (published in 1940), Federico García Lorca became one of Spain’s most revered poets and dramatists during the 20th century. But his influence far exceeds the world of literature. Lorca was part of a group of artists known as La Generacion del ’27, which included filmmaker Luis Buñuel and artist Salvador Dalí. In the 1930s, Lorca explored the…
Tucker’s Kozy Korner is about to get much-needed improvements as barman Jeret Peña and The Boulevardier Group (The Brooklynite, The Last Word, Rumble) now hold the keys to the storied Eastside bar. The news comes after the popular bar/brunch spot announced it would close until further notice Tuesday afternoon via social media. “The first…
As far as 1960s nostalgia acts go, Tommy James and the Shondells are among the best still playing live. Something about the particular sonic qualities of James’ hits — maybe it’s all that heady tremolo and old-time rock and roll style — seems to call to mind the 1960s, whether you lived through them or…
For scene supporters wise and resourceful enough to venture beyond the predictable confines of mall-based comedy clubs, there’s the Blind Tiger — a delightfully odd, underground lair that bills itself as a “haven for trying out new ideas in a environment not dependent on two drink minimums and delicate sensibilities.” Situated in the basement of…
Q: I’ve been wondering: Since there are lesbians out there who occasionally crave cock, does the reverse also happen? Are there gay men who occasionally crave pussy? — This Possible? There are gay men who watch football — hell, I have it on good authority that some gay men play football, TP. So anything is…
A federal court has ruled that the Texas Legislature intentionally discriminated against black and brown voters when creating state congressional districts in 2011 — and then failed to fix this racist line-drawing in 2013. In a long-awaited 107-page decision, the three judge panel ruled that the GOP-led Texas Legislature had drawn two congressional districts to…
Hours after Texas House lawmakers asked Texas A&M University Chancellor John Sharp to cancel the planned white nationalist rally coming to his campus Sept. 11, they got a reply: The event was officially off. Rep. John Raney, a College Station Republican, shared Sharp’s decision on the House floor, saying the chancellor feared the “White Lives Matter”…
The shelves at your local H-E-B are getting a little spicier. The 75-year-old Tex-Mex staple of San Antonio dining will share its versatile salsa verde with consumers after winning third place in H-E-B’s Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best contests. Now in its fourth year, the competition awards $25,000 to the grand prize winner, $20,000…
Bummer news for Northside hot dog lovers. The Original Hot Dog House shared it will close its doors after five years of delicious hot dogs. The location, which opened in 2012, became known for its S.A. Dog, a bacon-wrapped dog with glazed bleu cheese and bacon bits, and other over-the-top dogs. Owners John, Mike and…
The San Antonio Spurs released their 2017-18 regular season schedule on Monday evening, giving Spurs faithfuls a first glimpse at what promises to be an intriguing campaign for the silver and black. With Tim Duncan embracing retirement and Tony Parker still recovering from a ruptured quad tendon, Coach Gregg Popovich will look to Manu Ginobili,…
When it comes to ambience, what is your favorite local restaurant or bar? Consider the over-the-top Asian market theme of Hot Joy, or perhaps the Victorian family groove of Barbaro. Then there’s the eclectic and cave-like basement at the Esquire, where myriad mounted fish greet guests after they traverse a darkened hallway paved with Rose…
Former Vice President Al Gore has been on a burning crusade to wake this country and the world to An Inconvenient Truth, to use the title of his 2006 Academy Award-winning documentary. We are facing climate change/global warming and it is a serious threat to our existence. You might have thought that film’s impact would…
“You are what you eat.” When Brillat-Savarin coined the first version of this much-used maxim in 1825, he was referring rather strictly to the relationship between diet and health. But what people eat is much more than that – it’s a synecdoche of how they live their lives. Food is a keen lens through which…
All’s a farce in love and war — or at least, it is in this household! When Robert tries to ship his wife off for the weekend so he can have a romantic evening with his mistress, things begin to go awry when his best friend, roped in as an alibi, accidentally clues her in…
Since her early days entertaining “straight Republican white women” in Orange County living rooms, wayward Southern belle Dixie Longate — an over-the-top drag character created by writer/actor Kris Andersson — has earned comparisons to Dame Edna and emerged as an unlikely ambassador for Orlando-based Tupperware Brands Corp. Putting an unapologetically trashy spin on the Tupperware-party…
In the music video for Cuban reggaeton duo Gente de Zona’s 2015 dance anthem “La Gozadera,” a traffic jam leads motorists to abandon their cars for an impromptu dance party on the streets of Havana. In a display of pure joy and cultural pride, Latinos in every shade of brown are depicted dancing atop cars…
The thing about the best Alfred Hitchcock films that makes them so enduringly great is their timeless universality. Hitchcock was a pioneer in using our collective fears, doubts and alienation to create powerful cinematic experiences that thrive in the unknown. Any list of the great-grandfather of macabre and suspenseful cinema’s best work is likely to…
Curated by Diana Molina, organized by Juntos Art Association and previously exhibited by Austin’s Mexic-Arte Museum and the University of Texas at El Paso, the group show “Icons & Symbols of the Borderland” comprises more than 100 works of art that address “socio-political issues, immigration topics, collective memory, philosophical ideals, religious iconography, the environmental landscape,…
Seven seasoned Bexar County deputies have been placed on an administrative leave followed by indefinite suspension for an alleged “hazing ritual.” The incident took place Friday at one of the officers’ houses, according to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, who detailed the event at a Monday afternoon press conference. Salazar said a cell phone video…
Jordan Maney is a San Antonio event planner focused on representation of people of color and the queer community in the wedding industry. She spent Saturday at the contentious Travis Park protest over the removal of a Confederate memorial. This is what she saw. “This is Texas!” I heard that sentiment echoed multiple times over…
Update at 5:20 p.m: According to College Station Representative John Raney, A&M Chancellor John Sharp has cancelled this event. ___ Hours after a white nationalist plowed his car into a group of protesters in Charlottesville, VA, killing one woman and injuring dozens more, a fellow nationalist released plans for a “White Lives Matter” rally at…
Tunes, cocktails, and good food: what more could a person ask for? Lowcountry, a bar located in a small two story house off of Cezar Chavez now offers all that and more. The watering hole has served great cocktails and cheap beer Tuesday thru Sunday since their opening late last year. In addition the bar…
Come for the San Antonio connection, stay for the searing portrayal of frontier life’s steep toll on women. (And also the free beer.) The final installment of the Briscoe’s “Women of the West” film series features South Texas’ resident grumpy cat Tommy Lee Jones, who stars in and directs this 2014 drama. Jones plays a…
Looking for the ultimate Sunday Funday? Rumble has you covered. For the past month, Rumble has been setting up a whole pool for those looking to take a break from the heat. The watering hole (literally) is located underneath the patio section of the bar and is chlorinated and filled when the bar opens at…
The rumbling over removing Travis Park’s Confederate memorial is about to come to a boil. “Tonight, go through your weapons, do a weapons check before showing up,” said Brandon Burkhart, a member of This Is Texas Freedom Force, in a Friday Facebook video. Known as TITFF, the local group is leading a Saturday afternoon protest against…
In 2004, I saw the famed Orange County hardcore band Throwdown, twice. Once in Okinawa, Japan where I had just graduated high school, the second in Baltimore a few months later after I had moved back to the states for college. I said “hi” to the dudes after the show and they somehow remembered me…
The San Antonio Spurs will tip off their 2017-18 regular season campaign on October 18, at home against Houston native Jimmy Butler and the reloaded Minnesota Timberwolves. The opening night matchup represents Butler’s first meaningful game for Minnesota, and should offer Spurs enthusiasts a much anticipated introduction to key free agent acquisition Rudy Gay. In…
Tucker’s Kozy Korner is about to get much-needed improvements as barman Jeret Peña and The Boulevardier Group now hold the keys to the storied Eastside bar. The news comes after the popular brunch spot announced it would close until further notice Tuesday afternoon via social media. Tucker’s will remain closed as it undergoes cosmetic changes…
Michelada lovers will have a chance to do some across-the-board miche’ tastings this Sunday as Hoppy Monk pairs a house mix with six regional beers. The Michelada Fest/Back-to-School bash will offer micheladas priced between $5 and $6. Featured beers include Guadalupe Scotch ale, Ranger Creek’s San Antonio Lager, Saint Arnold’s Fancy Lawnmower, Freetail Cerveza, HighWheel BeerWorks’ Betty…
An unknown group has distributed official-looking business cards in San Antonio offering $100 to anyone who reports an “undocumented alien” who is successfully arrested and deported. A stack of these cards were discovered on top of a newstand in a San Antonio Exxon station (the person who discovered them asked to remain anonymous). The card…
Cookie season is still months away, but the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas are using National S’mores Day to announce the return of a 2017 favorite. The Girl Scouts S’mores cookie — one of the most popular 100 years of Girl Scouts selling cookies — will be back for the 2018 cookie season. The S’mores…
Yellowfish Sushi, which began as a single location off Wurzbach in early 2013 inside a former car inspection shop. Fast-forward to 2017, and sushi fans in San Antonio have helped owners Brenda and Alex Sarmiento establish two more locations. The third opened this Monday at The Rim with an almost identical menu to its sister…
No, that’s not a real word, but Squeezers Co. owners are hoping to help San Antonians relax with their upcoming brick-and-mortar location. Keith Simpson and Alan Capraro brought Squeezers Co. from McAllen, Texas and so far, San Anto is into their unique blends of juice. Though usually parked at Alamo Street Eat Bar, the trailer…
On Saturday, you can satisfy your sweet tooth during Chocollazo’s one-year anniversary celebration. This dessert-centered restaurant, owned by Mary Collazo, has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a solitary food truck. Now with two brick-and-mortar locations, Chocollazo is serving up more sinfully sweet confections than ever before. The event will be held…
Although not quite as famous as the Donkey Lady, the tale of the Dancing Devil is similarly embedded in the folklore of San Antonio. Once documented in the San Antonio Express-News and still up for discussion on sites and blogs like Haunted Places, Sine Logicum and Snopes, the urban legend goes down on Halloween circa…
Another Second Saturday, another opportunity to be dazzled by the stellar budding and established artistic talent that San Anto has to offer. One such offering, that should be, in our opinion, particularly worth your time, is the “Frontera Friends” opening at Lone Star Arts Space. Featuring new work from artist Jose Balli, including large oil…
While it might bring to mind the sensory deprivation, isolation tanks and psychoactive drugs that made director Ken Russell’s 1980 film Altered States so haunting and bizarre, Dallas-based artist Elaine Pawlowicz’s new solo show actually employs “portraits of intoxicating plants” to explore “abnormal states of tension.” Influenced by outsider art, surrealism and the Chicago Imagists…
Carlos Mencia is the Donald Trump of stand-up comedy — his base absolutely loves him (he sold out all his VIP tickets for these shows), and everyone else thinks he’s the worst thing to happen to the industry (Bill Cosby not included). Over the last few years, the Current has spoken to Mencia whenever he…
Most certainly, all of us have curled up with a good book whilst in the buff, but only a self-selected few would deign to do so in public. Luckily for us shy types, some daring divas are dying to share a taste of their favorite literature — and nothing else! Launched in Chicago in 2009,…
A federal judge has dismissed one of the two federal cases involving the constitutionality of Texas’ so-called “sanctuary city” bill. Shortly after Senate Bill 4 was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in May, state Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Travis County officials who openly opposed the bill. For Paxton, it was a…
Two staff at Brooke Army Medical Center have tested positive for a bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, a fatal and fast-spreading type of pneumonia. Legionella bacteria is spread when people inhale contaminated mist or vapor. It’s rarely transmitted between people, but instead contracted from a person’s environment (usually a building with a contaminated water system).…
Thu 8/10 Fun Home Lesbian author and cartoonist Alison Bechdel is a true gem of the LGBTQ community. Since coming out in 1980, she has advocated for LGBTQ equality and self-acceptance in her own, truly unique way. Bechdel’s greatest claim to fame, the best-selling graphic memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, is an emotionally compelling…
French metal group Gojira will be making a stop in San Antonio on their U.S. tour with Torche and Code Orange on Sunday, Oct. 15. I didn’t actually know about Gojira until they showed up in my Meshuggah Radio Spotify playlist back in 2013. And like many a grumpy old metal listener, I had been so…
The Majestic announced yesterday that Pink Martini will play a show in January to benefit the San Antonio River Foundation and Las Casas Foundation. The Portland-based mini-orchestra with the globetrotting fusion sound has apparently found points of identification with the mission of these two local organizations, which “inspire stewardship along the San Antonio River” and develop “the…
San Antonio will get more bagels this month with the opening of Boss Bagels & Coffee, owned by chef Brannon Soileau. Soileau, an alumnus of the Culinary Institute of America-Hyde Park, will serve up hand-rolled bagels fired up in a wood-fed oven inside his almost 3,000-square-foot space at Sunset Ridge. The shop will finally open its…
River boat operator Tom Vanzandt was guiding his boat under the Houston St. bridge April 9 when he was flagged down by a River Walk employee. “There was something in the water,” Vanzandt said Tuesday, solemnly thinking back to the spring morning. “A mass of brown hair. I thought someone’s pet had drowned. Not a…
Hold on to your butts — Game of Thrones puns are coming. The Hinojosa sisters of Honeysuckle Tea Time are at it again, and this time their reaching for a theme that’s as cold as the Ice King, but not dark or full of terrors. On Sunday, August 20, the Hinojosas are hosting a “Fight…
For those of you champing at the bit to try a bite of Shake Shack, the wait is almost over. Though a concrete opening date wasn’t shared, the NYC burger chain announced it will open by the end of August, per Giant Noise press release. The new location, which was first reported by the Express-News…
