Going too Favre with Warner?
By Gilbert Garcia Kurt Warner has had a better career than Brett Favre. Sounds absurd, doesn’t it? So absurd, in fact, that I’m not sure I believe it myself. But you might be surprised to find what those pesky facts tell us about these two veteran NFL quarterbacks. And given Warner’s improbable Super Bowl run…
Live & Local preview: Bombasta
Here’s where we’ll be tonight, checking out Bombasta who are alternating sets and sitting in with El Paso’s Radio La Chusma. I’d write more, but all the show’s info is on this flyer, and there’s no way anything I have to say can compete with neon lowriders and conjoined twins in sombreros. All ages welcome,…
Local Documentary Sunday
Here’s what y’all should do tomorrow. (Picture is Michael Rodriguez, featured in the film, photo by Luis Alejandro Parker) Date: 1/18/2009 Start Time: 1:30 PM End Time: 4:00 PM Description: A documentary by local film maker Laura Varela examines the personal toll and legacy of the Vietnam War on three South Texas artists: visual artist…
Memories of Manny
At last Saturday’s burial ceremony for Manny Castillo, local writer/artist Nephtalà De Leon read a biographical poem he’d written in honor of the San Anto Cultural Arts founder. For those who missed it, here it is: Dios-dado Mannny unto the world came a child Nov 3, 1968 and he was named Dios dado given by…
District 2: I hear you knockin, but you can’t come in
The QueQue was turned down cold today when we showed up at the offices and putative residence of declared District 2 council candidate Byron Miller. Miller, an insurance broker who also serves on the board of the Edwards Aquifer Authority, is claiming 135 Paso Hondo as his legal residence for the race; City law requires…
Following the money
By Gilbert Garcia Two weeks ago, the Current asked the $47-million question. It went something like this: If, as various Councilmembers insisted at their December 11 session, City Manager Sheryl Sculley has saved this city $47 million over the last three years, and all we’ve been told is that $17 million of it came from…
On the Street
“Long Way Down” Letters (to the On the Street Penthouse Suite) #1 “Uncomfortable and Funny” From the mystical Carlosâ?¦ Uncomfortable and funny. http://www.sonmisonmi.com/ #2 The Amazing Songsmith Our old friend Michael from Austin writes… This shouldn’t be real, but it is…… (I think, I havent been able to disprove it yet) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTXG2uKNLIw&eurl=http://i.gizmodo.com/5128182/microsoft-songsmiths-corny-musical-infomercial See what happens…
More SA bands added to SXSW lineup
The people at SXSW came to their senses and added more San Antonio bands to their list. In addition to the previously announced Hacienda, several other Alamo City acts made the cut: Bitter End, Boxcar Satan, De los Muertos, DJ Jester the Filipino Fist, Glambilly, The Krayolas, Mojoe, Question, and Mitch Webb and the Swindles.…
Glow West: TCEQ blesses Andrews nuke dump
Bury my radioactive heart slightly upgradient of Windmill Hill. Greg Harman gharman@sacurrent.com Denying a request for further study of a radioactive waste repository in the lower Panhandle before opening it for full-fledged dumping, two of three Texas Council for Environmental Quality commissioners gave final approval yesterday for Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons’ company Waste Control Specialists…
Show and Prove: Kobe Frowns
At first glance, Roger Mason Jr. seems like the prototypical Spur. He’s generally polite in public, comes complete with a journeyman back-story including stops overseas, and has a knack for knocking down big shots on the NBA stage. When he’s not draining game-winning threes on Christmas Day, or silencing the hated Lakers, Mason enjoys fishing…
Public Space, Public Speech: Plática y “Sticky Fingers”
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning BY SARAH FISCH sfisch@sacurrent.com 1. San Antonio Free Speech Coalition Community Plática at Esperanza Peace and Justice Center Here’s the flyer for this past Saturday’s Plática (discussion) at Esperanza Peace and Justice Center I went to this, and it simultaneously heartened me and pissed me off. Kudos to Esperanza for…
There’s a lot riding (on federal dollars)
Enviro Texas’s Anna Lange dishes on fast, clean ways to sustainability. Greg Harman gharman@sacurrent.com Damn Sun. It’s low in the south, making a photo op in front of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center impossible. The small group, members of Environment Texas, Solar San Antonio, and Metropolitan Partnership for Energy, pack themselves together in front…
Structure w. One Eyed Doll, Open Chapter, & Our Envy
Release Date: 2009-01-14 Structure headlines Scout Bar this Friday as new members Nathan Villarreal, lead guitar, and Jeri Pheroh, rhythm guitar, make their official debut with the band. The local rock quintet has spent the fall in the studio churning out new tunes for 2009 and is a fan favorite along the South Texas club…
The Super Soul Shakedown w. Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
Release Date: 2009-01-14 Resident DJs Donnie Dee, JJ Lopez, and Scuba Gooding Sr. present the fifth incarnation of Super Soul Shakedown, their quarterly dance party that showcases the best in soul, funk, disco, boogaloo, and groove. The three stewards have created an event that pays tribute to soul music through the turntables in addition to…
Martin Luther King, Jr. March and Commemoration
Release Date: 2009-01-14 Each year on the third Monday in January, educational, inspirational, and celebratory events honor revered civil rights leader Martin Luther King. San Antonio hosts the largest march in the U.S., which has grown to more than 100,000 strong as people from all walks of life gather at Freedom Bridge for a three-mile…
Semi-Precious Weapons, Von Iva, Niko Vega, & Blue Means Go
Release Date: 2009-01-14 East Coast underground moguls Semi-Precious Weapons bring their foul-mouthed lyrics and outrageous antics to the White Rabbit for a show that’s sure to ignite some fires. Chicago-born gay/bisexual singer-songwriter Justin Tranter (below) fronts the heavy-riffing glam-rock outfit, which fell in sync after sharing ideas about rock’s power to outrage people. The sound…
San Antonio LGBT Coalition Inaugural Party
Release Date: 2009-01-14 As record numbers of people descend on Capitol Hill to celebrate the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, these local events beckon to those who can’t or don’t want to make the trek to D.C. The San Antonio LGBT Coalition Inaugural Party is a free celebration, featuring TVs to watch inaugural balls in…
2009 Texas Presidential Inaugural Ball
Release Date: 2009-01-14 As record numbers of people descend on Capitol Hill to celebrate the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, these local events beckon to those who can’t or don’t want to make the trek to D.C. The San Antonio LGBT Coalition Inaugural Party is a free celebration, featuring TVs to watch inaugural balls in…
Montauk CD Release Party w. Pop Pistol, Altus, & Our Sleeping Giant
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2009-01-14 Local music buyers have a rough decision Friday. In addition to the release party for the new Druggist album (see review, page 42), SA/Austin pop-rockers Montauk will release their debut album at Sam’s Burger Joint. Montauk matches guitarist-keyboardist-programmer Jason Ybarbo’s emotive tenor with New Wave synth lines and Robert Cherry’s…
Kehinde Wiley
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2009-01-14 The World Stage: Africa, Lagos ~ Dakar takes up residence in Artpace’s Hudson Showroom beginning January 15, showcasing 10 new paintings by Kehinde Wiley, a New York-based painter whose exuberant yet meticulously stylized portraits of African-Americans, including major hip-hop players, tip their hats to the gestures and postures of Renaissance…
Sweet frite
A quick European getaway at Watel’s Southtown bistro
The Art of Disaster
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2009-01-14 Disaster strikes at the Bijou this Sunday as Scene From Both Sides screens the first film produced in its inaugural program. During the four-week class, students participated in the production of the short film and experienced all the stages of filmmaking first-hand, including writing, directing, shooting, editing, and screening. Produced…
The Pile On
The Pile On Composer: Druggist Conductor: Druggist Label: Self-released Release Date: 2009-01-14 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording The Pile On couldn’t be better named. It contains nineteen songs (one hour and ten minutes total,) each stacked one directly on top of the other with hardly a pause or whole rest in between. The lack of segue…
Noche Azul de Esperanza
Release Date: 2009-01-14 The Noche Azul de Esperanza concert series continues on the 2nd Wednesday of every month. Cantante/Musica Azul performs new music every concert, each with a different theme and special guest performers. Azul’s music celebrates her mestiza heritage as a Mexico City-native and the beautiful and diverse influences that make la musica latina.
Noble Beast
Noble Beast Composer: Andrew Bird Conductor: Andrew Bird Label: Fat Possum Release Date: 2009-01-14 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording Andrew Bird’s Noble Beast begins with lush orchestral strings right out of a Disney cartoon, complete with a zippity-doo-dah whistling solo. But then Bird starts singing about homeless sociopaths in a voice so smooth he may as…
The Art of Disaster
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2009-01-14 Disaster strikes at the Bijou this Sunday as Scene From Both Sides screens the first film produced in its inaugural program. During the four-week class, students participated in the production of the short film and experienced all the stages of filmmaking first-hand, including writing, directing, shooting, editing, and screening. Produced…
Peels Sessions
Peel Sessions Composer: Nebula Conductor: Nebula Label: Cargo/Sweet Nothing Release Date: 2009-01-14 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording These dumb-ass stoner rockers don’t exactly endear themselves when they start this compilation off by snarling “Radio One make the girls come” over a nondescript, sludge-filled guitar riff that sounds ripped right out of early Sabbath. Fortunately, things progress…
As Long As I Remember
Release Date: 2009-01-14 Produced by San Antonio filmmaker Laura Varela, the documentary chronicles the experience of three South Texas Vietnam-era veterans who are also artists: visual artist Juan Farias, author Michael Rodriguez, and poet/performance artist Eduardo Garza. The film takes the audience through the lives of the artists and their families: growing up in the…
You say you want a revolution
Sam Mendes’s Revolutionary Road travels deep into 1950s suburban angst
Ledaswan w. Heather Go Psycho & Sandoz
Release Date: 2009-01-14 Ledaswan has been promoting their latest EP, Verse of Truth Trash and Beauty, for over a year and are in the process of recording a new album, tentatively due this summer. Current music critic Jeremy Martin describes the local five-piece’s track “Where Birds Go,” “a cheery rocker that’s actually carried by Erica…
Defiance
Critic’s Pick Defiance Director: Edward Zwick Screenwriter: Edward Zwick Cast: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos, Tomas Arana Release Date: 2009-01-14 Rated: R Genre: Film With the benefit of hindsight and a self-serving imagination, it is easy to imagine that we would not have gone meekly if SS troops had come for us.…
Bombasta & Radio La Chusma
Release Date: 2009-01-14 Two of Texas’ groundbreaking groups join forces on stage to celebrate a common bond through music, dance, and verse in Saturday’s musical collaboration. Local barrio big band, Bombasta, host longtime friends and collaborators, El Paso-based collective Radio La Chusma, for a night of hybrid sound that promises to keep the crowd moving.…
Druggist CD Release Party w. Yoshimoto & Blue Means Go
Release Date: 2009-01-14 Scenesters have been eagerly anticipating the release show for Druggist’s third album, The Pile On (see review, page 42), ever since the band rocked the roof off ArtPace in October — and for good reason. Blake Cormier and Zach Dunlap ooze rock-star power, shunning conventional rock formulas in favor of their weirder…
S’Nuff film
Museo Alameda (thealameda.org) will continue its Movies at the Museo series Thursday, January 15, with a free screening of two documentaries by Mexican filmmaker Rafael Rebollar Corona – Florida to Coahuilla and The Forgotten Root – which explore the continued influence of African immigrants on Mexican culture. The first film begins at 8 p.m. And…
Ask and tell
When the Current tracked down Eric Alva, he’d just returned from a skiing vacation. There’s nothing remarkable about that fact, until you consider that Alva’s right leg was amputated nearly six years ago. Alva, 38, served in the U.S. Marines for 13 years, including a stint in Somalia. On March 21, 2003, he became the…
Anal simulation
Like any good American, I am a staunch supporter of our military personnel. As such, I was shocked to learn that some supposedly pro-troop Americans have chosen to decry a fascinating new recruitment tool recently employed by the U.S. Army. Dubbed the Army Experience Center, this 14,500-square-foot facility inside a Philadelphia shopping mall houses full-scale…
ARTIFACTS
Big doings over at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. The scrappy Westside institution turns 29 this year and, like many artsy types pondering their third decade, the Guadalupe’s working its ass off to bring ambition into fruition. On December 26, they announced a grant of $250,000 from the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation. Four days later, GCAC…
Majestic salvation
January brings to San Antonio not one but two rockin’ versions of the Gospels: the Woodlawn Theatre’s deeply regrettable (and recently closed) JC Rocks! and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s venerable but still bitchin’ Jesus Christ Superstar, which opens at the Majestic this weekend. The two shows provide, as well, a study in contrasts. While the karaoke…
Short, sharp, shockingly good
San Antonio Playwrights’ annual PlayFest returned to the Cellar Theater this month, featuring faces old and new. With a theme similar to last year’s Viva Las Vegas, PlayFest 2009: New Orleans Beat showcases seven new 10-minute works by local playwrights who spin stories related to the Crescent City. Each writer incorporated elements from a grab…
The QueQue
Like the literature says, it’s a day on, not a day off, people, and this year the Martin Luther King Day March bears special significance nationally and here at home, falling as it does one day ahead of Barack Obama’s historic inauguration and one week out from the Free Speech Coalition’s court date in the…
Household saint
Beginnings are a tenuous time. Think of a child’s first steps. The kiss on the cheek from a new lover. A hand on the shoulder from a stranger, now a new friend. These moments mark the point between the known and the unknown, fraught with the tension of the possible. One’s imagination expands from there to all the believable directions…
West Side Story
It qualified as a classic Manny Castillo gathering. A group of local artists and friends convened at One9Zero6 Gallery on Wednesday, January 7, for a long night of brainstorming, painting, drinking Lone Star and scarfing Fred’s Fish Fry. They finally wrapped things up at 4 a.m., exhausted but proud of what they’d created. The one…
Dream time
For a cartoonist whose first big exposure to U.S. audiences was as well received as Epileptic, it’s a bit of a surprise to see the second English-language graphic novel by Frenchman David B. (born David Beauchard), Nocturnal Conspiracies, coming from the publisher NBM (nbmpub.com). The company has nothing like the reach of Epileptic’s promoter Pantheon,…
The end of an error
The dark skies that lingered over Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2001, foreshadowed the beginning of an ominous era. Two months after the most contentious presidential election in a century, tens of thousands of protesters packed the rain-slicked streets, pelting George W. Bush’s motorcade with eggs and greeting the 43rd president of the United States…
This is for the laaaaaaaaaadies!
Dear First Lady Obama: The fashion world eagerly awaits your arrival. You have already stated your position regarding style in various magazines: You unabashedly buy off the rack; you favor classic silhouettes, muted jewel tones, and natural fibers. As you know, designers are dying to dress you. And why not? You are statuesque, with immaculate posture. Your arms…
Serene Dominic Episode Ten with TECH N9NE!
All new shows coming for 2009. In the meantime, enjoy episode 10 and Ride with Serene on Phoenix’s "Tram to Nowhere" as we recall the then latest obits for Death Race 2008, visit Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne on his plush tour bus for a chat about music, mental health, cell phones and motor accidents,…
¡Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: What is it with Cesar Chavez? Recently in Dallas, we’ve gone through three attempts to name streets after Mr. Chavez. In one instance, the plan was to remove the name of two brothers who were city founders from a street named after them and rename the street Cesar Chavez Ave. This is being touted…
Dear Uncle Mat
Special New Year’s resolution rescue edition Dear Readers, By the time this column runs, we will be beginning the third week of January, and many of you will be letting those pesky New Year’s resolutions fall to the wayside (if you didn’t drop them on the third day). Apathy and defeat are set to throw…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): According to some historians, Barack Obama won’t be the first American president with African ancestry. As many as six previous presidents may have had black ancestors, with Warren Harding and Dwight Eisenhower being the most likely. None of the others claimed their heritage, however, choosing instead to pass as pure white.…
Amuse-BOUCHE
The economic indigestion that is afflicting America these days has impacted the restaurant industry with diner cutbacks and corporate cancellations. A-B is not surprised to see that some of the first victims are the latest arrivals in the hottest locations. Yes, we’re talking about Loop 1604. “The bad economy and increased number of new restaurants…
Seriously seeking sherry
Americans rarely think seriously of sherry. At best, we might equate it with that bottle of dark and sticky stuff your grandmother kept at the back of a kitchen cabinet for “medicinal purposes.” Or with the somewhat lighter, but still noticeably sweet, potion produced by a favorite professor (the one with the tweed jacket and…
Shuck and jive
I remember first seeing J.J. Lewis, aka Black Joe Lewis, about three years ago, but he wasn’t onstage; he was shucking oysters at a prominent Austin restaurant and market, Quality Seafood. I envied his job then — he’d shuck some oysters, then shuck another and eat it. Heaven. And I envy his job now —…
THE SOUND & THE FURY
Veteran hard-rock outfit Structure welcomes two new guitarists to its lineup when the band headlines at Scout Bar on Friday, January 16. The new members, Jeri Pheroh and Nate Villarreal, will probably become highly familiar with the Valley, a developing commercial outpost for this band. This weekend will also offer two notable CD-release shows. Druggist…
Kick It!
Before the show, guitarist-singer Echo Diaz chugs from two beers, gripping one in each fist. Genevieve Rodriguez, the other singer-guitarist, approaches the mic to announce a brief delay. “I think our drummer is peeing,” she says. While Ernesto Olivo breaks the seal, Rodriguez promises new songs on the set list tonight, but the band will…
“Fallen” — Dawn of Stereo
Subtle harmonica strains lead to light guitar strumming and vocalist Bobby Aguilar’s deep-tissue analysis of personal failure. After each verse details a dilemma, Aguilar concludes that “it doesn’t seem to be why I have fallen.” So bouncy and catchy a refrain seems too cheerful for a song proclaiming “the sky is falling,” and the ensuing…
Castillo’s DIY Ethic
By Gilbert Garcia San Anto founder Manny Castillo, who passed away last week, is often credited with uplifting the West Side with his organization’s mural program. What is less obvious is how music intersected with community activism in his life. In a 2004 Current interview, Castillo told me that punk aesthetics played a major role…
Duran Duran snub SA
No real shock here, but hopes for Duran Duran’s San Antonio stop, originally scheduled for December 1 but nixed due to keyboardist’s Nick Rhodes’ ear infection, have officially come undone. The band announced it has no plans to reschedule it. If it’s any consolation, the ’80s boy band ne plus ultra has completely wiped its…
