Jesters of the beach
I had great expectations for Postcards from Paradise, the Supervillains’ sixth album, but I had to confess to guitarist/co-lead singer Scott “Skart” Suldo: Paradise, produced by Brett Hestla (Virgos Merlot, Framing Handley), is fine, but 2008’s Massive was great. He politely disagreed. “We tried to write some songs here, not just jam and do solos…
San Antonio Council pay lowest among large U.S. cities
A recent column by Current contributor Vince Leibowitz about state budget cuts brought an expected anti-polico backlash in the comments section. Not that I can blame anyone their anti-pol prejudices — but some of you elected these people, no? One area of traditional misunderstanding was clarified down there in the back-and-forth, when Leibowitz shared exactly…
Report: state plans to withhold funding to kids, even as their needs rise
A study released this week shows that while state lawmakers consider deep cuts to state services for children, cases of child abuse, teen pregnancy and overall child poverty have increased in Texas over the past decade. The State of Texas Children 2011 report, compiled by the Center for Public Policy Priorities from state and federal…
Ice puts kibosh on First Friday at SAY Si
Brrrr. The first cold weather cancellation notice just came in. Not wanting local art aficionados to get sideways on the icy roads, SAY Si has cancelled tonight’s much anticipated First Friday preview of “Small Scale Work for a Larger Cause.” The gallery is closed today, but scheduled to open again tomorrow. The exhibit features works contributed by…
“Haircut” by D. McCollum
Introduction There is a touch of Ernest Hemingway’s “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” in this week’s story. It’s about decorum and human contact. It’s about aging and social interaction. It’s about vulnerability and habit, which means going on in the only way you know how. “Haircut” by D. McCollum considers the ultimate whys in life. Quietly.…
Emergency cold weather shelters in San Antonio
If you know of anyone that needs shelter as we are dealing with the freezing weather you can send them to: The Dave Coy Center 226 Nolan Street San Antonio, TX Tel: 210-226-2291 Haven of Hope 1 Haven of Hope Way San Antonio, TX 210-220-2100 San Antonio Rescue Mission 907 E. Quincy San Antonio, TX…
100 followers and counting!
Big thanks to our readers and followers for spreading the word! We just hit 100 twitter followers! Yayay!
Lawmaker suggests state’s ‘deal-closing’ fund be used for local homeless shelter
By MICHAEL BARAJAS mbarajas@sacurrent.com George Block has eyed early state budget figures carefully, nervous what current proposals to cut funding to the state’s social safety net would do to his organization. Block’s charity, Haven for Hope, opened its campus last spring, aiming to shelter, rehabilitate, educate and find jobs for San Antonio’s homeless. Block, director…
Proposed bill redefining rape is unbelievable
As a victim of date rape, I am FURIOUS over the GOP bill attempting to redefine rape and limit access to federal aid for abortions in certain cases. This is a moment when you can hear the collective outrage and questions of “What were they thinking?” Do the lawmakers behind this kind of absurdity think…
Undocumented population rising in Texas
By Michael Barajas mbarajas@sacurrent.com Nationwide, the number of undocumented immigrants remained largely unchanged in 2010, holding steady at around 11.2 million, or about 3.7 percent of the entire U.S. population, according to a new study from the Pew Hispanic Center. However, Texas, according to the study, was one of the few states that saw an…
Foodways Texas’ Gulf symposium gathers foodies
A while back, I blogged on the creation of Foodways Texas, a group dedicated to the investigation, salvation, promulgation, and dissemination (not to mention ingestion) of all things pertaining to Texas food and food culture. (Yes, there is a Texas food culture — or, maybe more accurately, several of them.) The group, after a successful…
Bexar Democrats try to move on, peacefully
By Michael Barajas mbarajas@sacurrent.com The Bexar County Democratic Party gathered Tuesday night in a relative calm, some trying earnestly to break away from the bitter atmosphere that has gripped the party since its explosive January meeting. The group let local lawyer and former State Rep. (and former County Judge and County Commissioner) John Longoria open…
Yarn Dawgz — homegrown guerrilla knitting
After blindly speculating last Sunday that the bandit knitting covering a light pole near Blue Star might be the work of outside agitators — neither Artifacts nor Blue Star Contemporary had a clue as to who really left the pole-warmer next to the Riverwalk pathway — readers informed us that the graffiti knitting was the work…
Local Review: SOHNS’ To Ward It Off and Drown It Out
SOHNS: To Ward It Off and Drown It Out Label: Forgotten Empire Release Date: 2011-02-02 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording The Current’s former Music/Screens/Tech Editor Jeremy Martin once described SOHNS as an abominable hipster-eating music beast. No doubt, he inadvertently legitimized their shrieking maniacal hardcore. It’s no mystery that too many new Saytown bands draw from…
Local Review: De Los Muertos’ De Los Muertos (EP)
De Los Muertos: De Los Muertos (EP) Label: Self-released Release Date: 2011-02-02 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording It would be easy to dismiss De Los Muertos’ eponymous debut as a hodge-podge of San Antonio rock clichés. Sure, there are disparate rock styles — particularly country, goth, and punk — writhing in a macabre ménage. And the…
The Decemberists: The King is Dead
The Decemberists: The King is Dead Label: Capitol Release Date: 2011-02-02 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording The Decemberists have made a career out of injecting traditional folk-rock with lit-nerd excess, but 2009’s overwrought concept album The Hazards of Love stuffed in one too many hoary mythological clichés for its own good. The result was an album…
MEN: Talk About Body
MEN: Talk About Body Label: IAMSOUND Records Release Date: 2011-02-02 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording MEN talk about more than the body, as their debut offering runs the gamut of socio-political commentary, from economics to war to sexuality, but their provocative lyrical demeanor blends well with artsy funk, punk, and electro dance rhythms. The band is…
33rd Annual CineFestival 2011
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-02-02 For the real nitty-gritty on CineFestival, click here. But if all you need to know is what’s happening and when, keep reading. Kicking off opening night (Thursday) is Miguel Silveira’s short Rooftop Wars (16 minutes, 8pm), followed by Pablo Veliz’s Cartonea y nopalitos (110 minutes). On Friday, seniors can catch…
Asian Festival
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-02-02 The Institute of Texan Cultures ushers in the Year of the Rabbit with its annual Asian Festival, a daylong celebration of the customs, crafts, and cuisines of China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Thailand, the Philippines, and beyond. While wandering the grounds of UTSA’s HemisFair Park Campus, guests can sample traditional fare,…
Dan Rather
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-02-02 It’s hard to imagine the iconic voice of news legend Dan Rather announcing high school football games. But that’s one of the hats he wore before entering the world of broadcasting in 1959. Without attempting to put his life’s work in a nutshell, here are a few things faithful Current…
The San Antonio Current presents Cocktails for a Cause
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-02-02 Those who joined us last year when we toasted the Animal Defense League with a benevolent evening of boozing and dancing already know that Cocktails for a Cause is not your typical fundraiser — it’s a fun, casual, post-work party with a purpose. This year, we aim our charitable martini…
Micro Wrestling Federation
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-02-02 “The greatest little show on Earth,” returns to grace SA with another night of full-blown “Midget Mania.” As politically incorrect as this sounds, the Micro Wrestling Federation isn’t opposed to the “m” word — as long as it isn’t used derogatorily. According to its website, MWF’s mission is to prove…
Monte Negro
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-02-02 The handful of us who bitch about not having enough Latin alternative shows in San Antonio have a reason to stop bitching: a week after Julieta Venegas played at Club Rio, LA’s bilingual powerhouse Monte Negro comes to town. Equal parts the Cure, U2, and Caifanes/Jaguares (at times, singer Kinski…
CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER: First Friday Preview: Small Scale Work for a Larger Cause – mastering the art of buying art
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-02-02 Deciding where to go on First Friday can be tricky — time spent in one gallery is time lost in another. For mass appeal you can’t go wrong with “Small Scale Work for a Larger Cause,” SAY Sí’s 14th Annual fundraiser, featuring works by over 200 local artists. The show,…
The QueQue – February 2, 2011
VIA’s pet elephant As VIA develops plans to expand traditional bus service and branch into “rapid” (do we sound skeptical already?) transit, streetcars and light rail, idling in the back of every SmartWaySA open house — forums now rotating around the city — is a tricked-out 500-pound elephant affectionately called The Great American Recession. At…
Why so Sirius?
Tuesday nights are traditionally the deadest nights downtown, which also means they’re the best nights for finding prime parking. Located a block off the River Walk and a block away from the towering iconic red Torch of Friendship sculpture at the Commerce Street traffic circle, Club Sirius draws a diverse crowd. On a recent visit,…
Creativity at Ground Zero
Don Cudd, or “Hoss the Boss,” as listeners of his online radio program know him, is a Corpus Christi-based burnt-out journalist and educator who has settled into being an internet DJ after a string of false starts and odd jobs. He delivered newspapers for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times before tangling with his employers over questionable…
When One Cultura isn’t Enough: A Love Story
I remember the book fair so clearly. I was seven years old, had only been speaking English for about a year, and was excited that our classroom’s routine was being interrupted. We were ushered into the cafeteria where the book fair organizers had set up makeshift shelves, and there they were: rows and rows of…
EPA on parade
The head of the Environmental Protection Agency made her rounds through San Antonio last week, defending the agency’s rare decision to take over greenhouse gas permits in the state — a move that some GOP lawmakers have dubbed the agency’s “war on Texas.” As part of her “environmental justice tour,” EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson…
Show me your pictures: How near-certain Voter ID laws will affect you
In Arizona, they may tell brown folks “show me your papers,” but in Texas everyone is about to be asked to show something else if they want to exercise their most basic of constitutional rights. It’s a photo we’re talking about — a photo ID to be specific. And, assuming that the 101-member Republican super-majority…
James Ponce
Not everyone in comedy can be Lewis Black, a great performer who tours major cities performing in large theaters. You don’t just become a major act the second you step on the stage. (Not many know that Mr. Black himself first started as an Asian prop comic who did mildly racist ventriloquism in the 1940s.)…
Angel’s Sons
An August 1999 cover of Maximum Ink features a startling portrait of Sevendust front man Lajon Witherspoon. He’s a death-eyed, metal gargoyle; all tattoos, abs, sweat, and voyeuristic camera flash. But on the phone one Sunday in January, he put forth a surprisingly amiable disposition. It was noon that we spoke and there wasn’t a…
Anne Hathaway (mis)cast as Catwoman
Hold on to your butts, we’ve got ground to cover today! I don’t mean category-by-category reactions to the recently released Academy Award nominations. Fuck ’em. I’m super-truly-excited that Winter’s Bone got a Best Picture nom and all, but the only statue I care about is for cinematography. And if Matthew Libatique does not win for…
Man on the verge of a nervous breakdown
“The Democratic Party is the party of no ideas, and the Republican Party is the party of bad ideas,” said comedian Lewis Black in his memorable Black on Broadway special of 2004. “And the only thing worse than a Republican or a Democrat, is when these two pricks ‘work together.’” Thus, he equally and mercilessly…
Mike Leigh examines happiness in Another Year
Another Year takes us through one spring, summer, autumn, and winter in the lives of Tom (Broadbent) and Gerri (Sheen), a married couple in late middle age. They live in London, where Tom works as an engineering geologist and Gerri as a therapist. These are unexceptional people, except for the mutual love they radiate amid…
Voluptuous knots
Huge balls of yarn and eight-foot-long knitting needles dominate the floor of the main exhibition space at Blue Star Contemporary Art Center. Standing nearby is an assortment of strangely woven women’s garments and behind are giant mittens, tapestries, and small rondels made of the same material. Though the artworks are constructed of paper, this is…
A tale of three loves: Contracorriente (Undertow)
In a small Peruvian fishing village, Miguel, a fisherman and his wife Mariela await the birth of their first child whom the father insists will be a boy named Miguelito. The wife protests: “Don’t call it that. What if it is a girl? She could be traumatized by that.” He replies: “Then we’ll call her…
Pulling art from chaos with Ken Little
My wife and I moved to San Antonio from Denver in 1994. I had achieved a small degree of success as an artist in Denver and was confident that I would quickly establish myself as a major art player in my new hometown. That cockiness lasted about a week — until I saw an exhibit…
Roots, raza, revolución: CineFestival at 33
After a few erratic years, CineFestival — the nation’s longest-running Latino film festival — celebrates its 33rd anniversary with more of what a low-budget festival can offer: a few strong films, a handful of historically important ones, a couple of forgettable ones, and a huge mixed bag showcasing the work of young, up-and-coming directors, many…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: My gabacho friends look at me askance for being a gabacho who enjoys mariachi music. They, and even some of my Mexican friends, run and hide when I go a step further and start listening to the mournful ballads of Vicente Fernandez, backed up by — you guessed it — a mariachi band.…
Born on the wrong side of the border
In the final scene of Grand Illusion, Jean Renoir suggests that boundaries and nationalities are “grand illusions,” artificial and arbitrary, though not knowing when a strip of snow ceases to be German and becomes Swiss could cost a man his life. In the opening scene of Cartoneo y nopalitos, the border between Mexico and the…
Tech Tease: Hey, Obama! Where’s my jetpack?
After the crest of election popularity, the office of president offers few rock star opportunities. Mostly its an ugly slog through diminishing approval ratings and quasi scandals. Few earth-shatteringly popular things come out of Washington that echo throughout history. And the thrill of geek-speak from those refined heights is even rarer still. This year’s State…
More CineFestival highlights
BEST FEATURE FILM Habana Eva (Cuba/France/Venezuela, 2010). Directed by Fina Torres /106 min. A romantic comedy involving a gorgeous Cuban seamstress (plus her equally gorgeous friends), her Cuban boyfriend, and a stud of a Venezuelan photographer. How this movie won this year’s CineFestival, I wish I could tell you — I stopped watching after 30…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Now and then, members of other astrological signs complain that I seem to favor you, Aries, above them. If that’s true, I’m certainly not aware of it. As far as I know, I love all the signs equally. I will say this, however: Due to the idiosyncrasies of my own personal…
Run, Tecato, Run
I saw Run, Tecato, Run some 30 years ago. It was unheard of for a Chicano film to be booked in an English-language cineplex. But Chicano filmmaker Efraín Gutiérrez whetted our cinematic appetite with his earlier and successful feature films, Please, Don’t Bury Me Alive and Amor chicano es para siempre, so the theater was…
More Gordon Raphael ‘name-dropping,’ Tangible Green, and a new Raphael blog coming soon
The Gordon Boyz did it again, and another speaker was blown. Not content with Ill Prospekt’s burning up a speaker on December 10 (Gordon Raphael’s welcome party), Tangible Green did the exact same thing last Saturday at the official launching of Team Gordon at Studio 13. In layman’s terms, “official launching of Team Gordon” means…
East meets po-boy: French Sandwiches delivers the goods
Are we killing the planet? How did life first form on Earth? Where did Prince go? At some point, we all ask ourselves these questions. Here’s one you’ve probably asked yourself: Can a French-Vietnamese restaurant in San Antonio possibly be any good? OK, maybe you’ve never asked yourself that. But if you did and haven’t…
Malísimo: Raúl Malo silences the Mavericks’ ghosts with his best solo album yet
“Augie Meyers and tequila,” says Raúl Malo on the phone from Nashville when asked about the things that come to his mind whenever he thinks of San Antonio, a city that — as a lover of conjunto music — he knows well. In Spanish, malo means “bad,” “mean,” and, as the leader of the Mavericks…
French vibe: but accents prove tough at Olmos Bistro
Olmos Park Bistro has replaced the late (but not much lamented) Valentino’s semi-Italian theme with something more aggressively French — in both accent and cuisine, and denizens of the high-net-worth neighborhood are responding in their dine-out best. It may take more than charmingly French tableside manner to keep them coming back. Not that there’s anything…
Live & Local: Artslam! Five Year Anniversary Party feat. OBX and DJ Tech-Neek (with video)
On Saturday night, the city’s art and music elite collided in observance of a notable five-year dynamism in promoting San Antonio’s talented artists and musicians. Though the special guest artists of the night — Dave Crosland (King Gum) and Jim Mahfood (Food One) — could have easily eclipsed the auditory artists in attendance, our musical…
Tequila and beer, Alamo City Cerveza Fest Homebrew Competition, and the Pedicab’s Prohibition Party
BFFs: TEQUILA & BEER Mexican brews, especially the exported ones, are not known for having much in the way of flair. But there are now 16 independent breweries in Mexico trying to distinguish themselves from the two massive beer conglomerates that make most of the beer in the country. One of those, a Guadalajara brewery…
Lewis Black: The complete Q & A
Grammy-winning, Emmy-nominated comedian Lewis Black will perform at the Majestic on Friday, February 4. Last week, he spoke with Enrique Lopetegui on the phone from New York. I hate to use the word “joke,” because what good comedians do are not jokes. But is it true that you don’t write your “jokes” down? Yes. How…
Mediation postponed, feuding Bexar Dems stumble to monthly meeting
Bexar County Democrats Chair Dan Ramos reportedly delayed a weekend mediation with 379th District Judge Ron Rangel intended to start bridging the very solid divide separating warring factions of the Bexar County Democratic Party that has brought the party’s business to a standstill these past two months. (We’ve been cautioned not to use the term…
Hey, San Antonio! The rodeo’s in town
I always thought the rodeo was just another fun thing to do in San Antonio. Recently I met a Rodeo Ambassador and found out the rodeo is about so much more than entertainment. The folks over at The San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Inc. are doing some awesome things in Texas. Their mission statement says it…
