“Sounds of Uruguay” at SXSW
My country, South America’s second-smallest nation, has a population of a little over three million, but an amazing per-capita ratio of musicians and soccer players. For the first time in South by Southwest’s history, Uruguay (in a collaboration between Uruguayan artists and government) are sending a solid team of bands and solo artists to SXSW.…
SXSW-bound Alexandra and the Starlight Band to perform in SA tonight
Los Angeles’ Alexandra and the Starlight Band, led by up-and-coming R&B/soul/rock singer-songwriter Alexandra Lee, will perform tonight (Sunday, March 10) at Tonic Bar (free, 10pm, 5500 Babcock #117) with Zachary James and the All Seeing Eyes. Her Kickstarter-funded self-titled EP was released in June, and a new single, “Love Like Fire,” was released on February…
Stay Current with the Pick of the day: They Might Be Giants
Brooklyn-born They Might Be Giants get worlds across in short spurts — evidenced by this year’s Nanobots, an album that packs “25 unreasonable songs in 45 phenomenal minutes.” Originally comprised of John Flansburgh (on guitar), John Linnell (on accordion and sax), and a drum machine, the kid-friendly indie act is now “propped up by the…
President Hugo Chávez, a Non-MSM Primer
By Vivien Lesnik Weisman (originally published in January) In order to understand the media coverage of the situation in Venezuela one must look at the antecedents. It is instructive to revisit this NYT editorial on the occasion of the short-lived 2002 coup. April 13, 2002 “Hugo Chávez Departs” With yesterday’s resignation of President Hugo Chávez,…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Luminaria
Luminaria, San Antonio’s version of the Nuit Blanche (White Night) art event that started began in Paris in the 1982, is happening again this Saturday, March 9 in its sixth annual iteration. Since its inception in Europe, the concept of a night filled with art and light has spread to form events around the world,…
Q&A: SA Women Will March
Join SA Women Will March for the International Woman’s Day March at 10am today, in Dignowity Park (701 Nolan). Afterwards, there wil be a rally in Plaza del Zacate with speakers, performers and community activities. Current: When and where is the SA Women’s March? Rosalynn Warren, SA International Woman’s Day March Planning Committee: The 23rd Annual San…
Visually Stunning but Creatively Marred, Dead Space 3 is Still More of a Hit than a Miss
Dead Space 3 suffers, among a few other things, from an identity crisis. Amid another squadron of Necromorphs on the freezing (but gorgeous) surface of Tau Volantis, I found myself asking questions not unlike those pondered in the halls of a philosophy building–why are we here, where are we going, what is our ultimate purpose,…
Guest Post: San Antonio Pets Alive
Want to Foster now? Sara and her pups need a loving foster home to grow up in. She will do all the work for her 4 week old puppies. She is a calm and sweet dog but like any mother she is very protective of her puppies and needs to be kept completely separated from any other…
Join the International Woman’s Day March tomorrow
Artwork by Suzy Gonzalez The seed for San Antonio’s International Woman’s Day March was planted in the 1980s after native daughter Susan Guerra returned from Norway, describing to friends the Women’s Day marches she saw across Europe. By 1985, Guerra and friend Graciela Sánchez, who would go on to found the Esperanza Peace and Justice…
Q&A: Danish filmmaker Niels Arden Oplev serves up revenge cold, slow in ‘Dead Man Down’
Danish filmmaker Niels Arden Oplev (the original “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) directs his first American movie, “Dead Man Down.” Danish filmmaker Niels Arden Oplev, 51, always had the idea to make an American movie in the back of his mind. When his 2009 film “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (remade by director…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: The Rite of Spring
Third in a string of collaborations between composer Igor Stravinsky and Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, The Rite of Spring draws from tribal ceremonies and Russian folk music to illustrate the creative power of spring. Discordant and avant-garde, the original 1913 production was so radically modern that the Paris premiere caused a “terrific uproar” with audience…
Co-author of (in)famous Cornell study talks fracking, regulation, and climate change
This week, while researching an upcoming piece on oil and gas development in the Eagle Ford Shale, I reached out to Anthony Ingraffea, a professor at Cornell University’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and persona non grata in the oil and gas industry. Ingraffea is perhaps best known for co-authoring a 2011 Cornell University…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: “Future of the Future”
A man-eating shark, a Nagel-esque pinup (think Rio by Duran Duran), and characters reminiscent of ’60s-era Ugly Stickers (made famous by Basil Wolverton and others) are all stars of Give In To The Skin, a key piece from local artist Louie Chavez’s Contemporary Art Month exhibit “Future of the Future.” Opening Thursday at Plazmo Contemporary…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: In Their Shoes
San Antonio psychologist and playwright Tova Rubin presents her newest musical In Their Shoes. This fun fable focuses on a young perfectionist, aptly named Goody 2Shoes, whose life is changed for the better when she meets a traveling shoe salesman named Soulman. By giving her the power to walk in the shoes of others, Soulman…
State of the City
Mayor Julián Castro had big shoes to fill delivering his State of the City speech last week –– namely, his own. It’s been a hot year for the rising Democratic star. During his last State of the City address, Castro previewed what is now his signature policy achievement: expanding local early childhood education with Pre-K…
Luis Moro paints a message at Gravelmouth
Though we might mention dead insects when speaking of overpowering forces ("squashed like a bug" and "smashed like a fly on a windshield" come to mind as two dour comparisons), do we ever think of their actual demise as anything but good riddance? In "Microcosmos," an exhibition of mixed media paintings by Spanish artist Luis…
Drinking Outside the Box: Do carton wines deserve respect?
Believe it or not, box wines are beginning to get some respect after years of being thought of as the trailer trash of the industry. "Trailer trash," alas, is not my term: Eric Asimov used it in The New York Times for a 2011 tasting — another sign that boxes are becoming worthy of attention.…
Gary Sweeney: Forty years of wit on display at Blue Star
The CAM opening party last Thursday had decent attendance, about the same as the usual previews at Blue Star the night before the First Friday mobs hit each month. Perhaps the crowds stayed away in dread of a repeat of last year’s ceremonies when the ribbon cutting was interminably delayed. But all proceeded well, speeches…
'Roads Courageous' at The Playhouse
"There is a sucker born every minute" — P.T. Barnum The charlatan is a mainstay of American musical theater. Think Barnum, 110 in the Shade and The Music Man. And the most charismatic of these can sway an audience just like the rubes in a hustle – making being had enjoyable. And, usually by the…
¡Ask a Mexican!
Dear Readers: The Mexican is currently dealing with deportation issues but will return next week once he builds his 15-foot escalera to climb over that pesky 14-foot wall. In the meanwhile, here’s some oldies-but-goodies to tide you by like yesterday’s menudo. Enjoy! Dear Mexican: It seems that whenever Chicano professors want to show off their…
MOCK/BITE: Bling, guns, and greed
Ceramics, with its base in utilitarian objects — cups, bowls, and other vessels — has long been regarded as a stepchild to the arts, a craft. Compounding the bias was the association of food containers with women’s work, cooking and such. Though the arrival of programs in ceramics to university art schools in recent years…
The SXSW spillovers have begun
The flood of day parties, showcases, and other artist appearances have begun pouring in for this year’s South by Southwest, and so, naturally, has news of which of those artists will trickle down to SA. Here’s a quick guide to the top five to watch out for: The Big Spill Festival at the Korova (March…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Maybe you’re not literally in exile. You haven’t been forced to abandon your home and you haven’t been driven from your power spot against your will. But you may nevertheless be feeling banished or displaced. It could be due to one of the conditions that storyteller Michael Meade names: "We may…
Civil rights group complains of exorbitant charging for records at the Bexar County jail
At 8 p.m. on August 21, 2012, Thomas Reed Taylor turned himself in to the Bexar County jail, opting for time served on outstanding drunk driving and misdemeanor drug possession warrants in lieu of fines he couldn’t pay. Guards found him dead in his cell six hours after entering the jail. Since his death, Taylor’s…
Danville Chadbourne marks time to ancient rhythms
Working with clay, Danville Chadbourne makes tall, pillar-like sculptural forms that recall ancient dolmens and standing stones that were placed as celestial markers to measure the shadows through the year that change with the seasons. Using the wood of chinaberry trees that grow next to his live/work studio in Beacon Hill, he constructs pieces ringed…
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell: 'Old Yellow Moon'
Old Yellow Moon is an album that can be said to have been gestating for nearly 40 years, since Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell first became friends and collaborators. Their fruitful bond and impeccable song choices carry this album to an earnest and open-hearted greatness rarely achieved in contemporary country music. An immediate favorite, the…
Martinez Barbacoa & Tamales
In Britain, "the local" is the neighborhood pub that you know can be relied on; here you might have an ice house or local bar that delivers the same comfort. But for many families, that reassurance is provided on a weekly basis with a trip to the favorite barbacoa shop. Like many establishments that specialize…
Luminaria 2013 brings ecstatic changes
Luminaria, San Antonio’s version of the Nuit Blanche (White Night) art event that started began in Paris in the 1982, is happening again this Saturday, March 9 in its sixth annual iteration. Since its inception in Europe, the concept of a night filled with art and light has spread to form events around the world,…
Mother Mother, one of the hottest bands from the Great White North
While U.S.-based press on Mother Mother, who open for AWOLNATION at the White Rabbit March 9, might be slim, our neighbors to the north increasingly appreciate the band’s genre-bending rock. The Vancouver, B.C.-based fivesome’s latest album, The Sticks, and their previous effort, 2011’s Eureka, both charted in the top 20 for albums and top five…
Cheapskate's Guide to SXSW
It’s SXSW’s worst kept secret: you don’t need those pesky wristbands, badges, or money in your pocket to get in on the action. Sure, the big showcases are still roped off to the credentialed crowd, but it’s still fully possible to catch almost any of the 5,000 + featured acts, all without paying a goddamn…
Industry News: Dough extends hours, cracking parm at Whole Foods, Auden's Kitchen shuts doors
Dough Pizzeria expanded its Sunday hours to 12-9 p.m., making it one of the few fine dining restaurants in San Antonio open on Sundays for dinner. From noon to 2:30 p.m., the Italian joint is adding a Prima Colazione, or breakfast, menu for those of us who like eggs on Sundays. Whole Foods is attempting…
Lamar Smith chimes in on immigration… again.
Low-risk, non-violent immigrants released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers?! Cue the outrage from Congressman Lamar Smith in 3, 2… "Spending cuts are no excuse for releasing thousands of criminal and illegal immigrants into our streets," SA’s GOP rep told the E-N last week. "The (Obama) administration is either incompetent and unable to prioritize…
The sound of Luminaria: Music picks for the biggest art party of the year
There’s lots more Luminaria music choices than the picks found on these pages. But here’s some of the most representative (and recommendable) acts you must see at Luminaria on Saturday. Unlike last year (when adjudicators for each individual discipline chose the artists and performers), steering committees for each discipline narrowed down the artist applications. Troy…
'Real/Surreal' on view at the McNay
Originally mounted in 2011, "Real/Surreal: Selections from the Whitney Museum" was not originally intended to be a traveling show, but we’re glad it arrived at the McNay Art Museum from New York. It is a peculiar exhibition that succeeds — whether intended or not — to show that however alienating and unsettling European Surrealism could…
Luminous Impressions: Music cult masterworks of Henri Fantin-Latour
Ever heard of Storm Thorgerson? Probably not, but you’ve probably seen his work — it’s hard to go a week without seeing a T-shirt, poster, or coffee mug featuring the iconic album cover of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon. That simple yet intriguing image became the face of 1970’s rock ‘n’ roll…
Molly is Not a Hipster: Miguel Paredes and Kyle William Harper at The Paint Yard
Growing up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side was an advantage for graffiti kids in the early ’80s, but the street action seldom built fine art chops. Back in the day, Miguel Paredes used the handle "Mist" bombing walls, while he got a leg up in artsville at New York’s Fiorello La Guardia High School of…
A guide to SXSW Film 2013
Even if you don’t have $650 to buy a film badge (which would allow you to enjoy nine days of movies and five days of panels and Q & A sessions), you can still take advantage of this year’s screenings and premieres at Austin’s South by Southwest. All you have to do is be at…
Muni Madness
With Friday’s filing deadline behind us, our ballot for the May 11 Municipal Election is now etched in stone. Some of these races are painfully predictable (re: Mayor Julián Castro, North Side Council members Elisa Chan and Carlton Soules). Downtown Councilman Diego Bernal enjoys the one seat that didn’t even draw out a challenger, meaning District…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Cleveland gangsta-rap crew Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is an example of an act that has persisted in its own musical vision and kept the fickle hip-hop industry’s whims far in the background. Bone Thugs will be performing with all five original members as they roll through Saytown on their 20th Anniversary tour. Slated to release their ninth…
