Review: Miley Cyrus’ ‘Bangerz’; see her fully dressed on SNL
Scroll back from the endless loop of Miley-hype for just a moment and Bangerz reveals itself to be a reinvention album, with equal effort laid down on wax as presented on her image. But if the new, Terry Richardson vibes of her persona feel a little overdone, Bangerz is straight-up imposed, an album crafted for…
Sleigh Bells: ‘Bitter Rivals’
You probably know Sleigh Bells’ sound. If not, imagine Toni Basil singing “Mickey” with Nine Inch Nails backing her, and you’re about in the ballpark. In short, nothing has changed on Bitter Rivals, the Florida duo’s third full-length. Singer Alexis Krauss further hones her bad girl next-door allure, while guitarist-producer Derek E. Miller mostly just…
Mayor Castro Formally Endorses Sen. Wendy Davis At Campaign Stop
State Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Forth Worth) made a campaign stop in San Antonio today, just days after announcing her bid for governor. Davis joined Mayor Julián Castro at Rackspace Monday afternoon to laud the locally based IT company’s worldwide expansion and employee growth. Castro took the opportunity to formally endorse Davis, marking the senator’s first…
Villa Finale Hosts Billy Keilman’s Speakeasy
There’s probably some booze under that hat. (Courtesy) Villa Finale (401 King William) wasn’t always a sleepy museum with a kick ass garden–It’s got some history. Billy Keilman, who owned VF from 1924-1925 with wife Minnie, operated a brothel in the home and bootlegged liquor from the basement. Their new venture was known locally…
Taco Tuesday Takeover at The Block
Taco and Machete go hand-in-hand. (Courtesy) Machete Kills swag and other goodies will be up for grabs Tuesday, October 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Block (14530 Roadrunner Way). The first 25 people to mention the new flick will receive a free taco from Chela’s Tacos. Screening passes for the film which…
5 Things You Have to Do This Week
1. Yo Gotti Memphis rapper Yo Gotti is something of a late-bloomer in the hip-hop community with all its young upstarts. Already over 30 when he dropped his first proper album, the former associate of Gucci Mane, now 32, comes to Saytown as he prepares to release his second album (I Am) on November 19.…
Former KEDA DJ “Double E” launches his own online radio station
Eloy “Double E” Espinoza, happy for Los Tovares’ win… On Wednesday, October 2, Eloy Espinoza (better known as DJ Double E for listeners of KEDA Radio Jalapeño), woke up with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was happy for being the keyboardist of Los Tovares, who had just won Best Country/Americana Band at the…
10 Free Events Happening This Week 10/7-10/13
1.) England in 1819 Monday, Oct. 7, 9 p.m. England in 1819, brothers Andrew and Dan, are ready to take Boneshakers by storm! The form trio, turned duo, from Baton Rouge has transitioned from being a 9-piece experimental/orchestral group to using electric drums and synths to create a ‘grandwave’ sound. They are playing a 50-city…
Sweet 16: Texan Beer Bracket Edition
THIS VOTING ROUND HAS ENDED VOTE IN ROUND 2: HERE Click image to enlarge. We’re counting down the days until the San Antonio Beer Festival (ICYMI, it’s October 19 at the Hemisfair) by pitting beers against each other. We hand-picked brews from all corners of the state, all of which will be available for you…
Staff Poll: Our Favorite Works by ‘Gravity’ Director Alfonso Cuarón
READ: ‘Gravity’ May Be Film’s Most Thrilling-and Stressful-90 Minutes With his new film Gravity hitting the theaters this weekend to much critical acclaim, we reflect on Director Alfonso Cuarón’s greatest hits. Continued on next page. Y Tu Mamá También For me, the most memorable thing about this beautifully shot film is the ending, which is hard…
Women in Black: Savages at ACL (review)
Jehnny Beth, singer of Savages. (screenshot by E.L.) The good thing about great new bands like England’s Savages is that you can show up at Austin City Limits shortly before their set is about to begin and still be able to get front row. Perhaps it was the ridiculous set time (1 p.m. in the…
Lunchtime Links: TX State Fair Taste Test, NASA’s Big Announcement (?), An Ode to Fried Tortilla Wrapped Hot Dogs, COSA’s New 311 App + More
1. The Malt House Crispy Dog: Collision of Cultures “A distant cousin to the bacon wrapped Sonoran hotdog that is popular in Tuscon, Arizona, the Crispy Dog is a little less flashy. The hotdog is slit down the middle, stuffed with easy melt cheese and then wrapped in a red corn tortilla prior to being deep…
Bonehead Quote of the Week: Gov. Rick Perry on Obamacare
Courtesy of Creative Commons Images. Apparently confused about what “criminal” entails, Gov. Rick Perry admonished Pres. Barack Obama’s signature heath care legislation this week: “If this health care law is forced upon this country, the young men and women in this audience are the ones who are really going to pay the price,” Perry said…
U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith Votes to Restore National Parks, Cancer Research Funding
In the wake of the partial government shutdown– brought on by GOP leadership hoping to dismantle Obamacare–U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith and House Republicans voted to reinstate federal dollars for national parks, including San Antonio Missions National Historic Park as well as cancer and disease research through the National Institute of Health (NIH). “These bills are common-sense…
Les Dames d’Escoffier-SA Announces Scholarship Recipients
The group awarded $22,000 in scholarships. The San Antonio chapter of the Les Dames d’Escoffier, an international organization for female leaders in food, beverage and hospitality whose mission is education and philanthropy, awarded $22,000 in scholarships for female culinary and hospitality students. The recipients include: “Lenny Angel” Scholarship for $5,000: Emily Madeline Thompson, Johnson and…
City Attorney Michael Bernard Steps Down
San Antonio city attorney Michael Bernard is leaving his city gig for the private sector. Bernard served as the City’s lawyer since 2005, before that he worked as First Assistant Attorney for Bexar County for six years. Now, Bernard makes his exodus from civic service to private, international law firm, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP. Why the transition?…
Chefs Group Hosts Six-Course Hollywood Horror Dinner
That’s an awfully big knife. (Courtesy) Cutthroat Culinary, a chefs group that aims to “create a network and brotherhood of Cooks and fans of all things Food, while giving back to the community” according to its mission, will host a dinner on October 19 at 6 p.m. at the Art Institute of San Antonio (10000…
Brooklynite Celebrates First Anniversary Saturday, Oct. 12
Shiny! (Courtesy) Is it the paper anniversary? Who cares. The Brooklynite (516 Brooklyn) is turning one and the bar is celebrating as it’s wont to do with a costumed party and half off boozy cocktails from 5-10 p.m. on Saturday, October 12. A new bar menu will debut at 10 p.m. Guests are encouraged to…
Free Tequila Alert! La Fogata Hosts Two Tastings
Two chances to try Milagros lineup. (Courtesy) Expand your tequila palate with two tastings from La Fogata (2427 Vance Jackson) on Saturday, October 5 and 12. The restaurant will host a tasting table of Milagro Tequila’s blanco, reposado and anejo varieties as used in La Fogata’s signature margs or straight up. Tastings run 6:30-8:30 p.m.…
Sinead O’Connor Pens Open Letter to Miley Cyrus
It seems you can’t go one day without hearing about Miley Cyrus. Her new album Bangerz is coming out next Tuesday, she had a documentary on MTV last night and she’ll be the host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live this Saturday. Oh, and there was her VMA performance and her video for “Wrecking…
Sen. Wendy Davis Officially Announces Run For Governor
She’s hoping to run those iconic pink sneakers up to the governor’s mansion. State Sen. Wendy Davis, who helped catapult the state’s anti-abortion law into the national spotlight with her highly publicized 11-hour filibuster on the Senate floor this summer, formally announced she’ll campaign for governor of Texas. Texas Sen. Wendy Davis: The next governor?…
Check Out Guillermo Del Toro’s Incredible Opening Credits to The Simpsons’ “Treehouse of Horror XXIV” Halloween Episode
The credits alone are kickass. We can’t wait to see the full episode, airing this Sunday on FOX.
10 Things You Have To Do This Weekend
1. ‘Monumental’ A fixture on the Alamo City’s contemporary art landscape since 1993 and a champion of First Friday’s original mission, UTSA’s off-campus Satellite Space breaks in its new digs at SAY Sí this week with a group show culled from an open call for submissions. As epic as the gallery’s departure from the Blue…
Shot of the Week: The Tootsie Roll
Let me see that Tootsee Roll. (Editor’s note: I can’t stop humming the 1994 69 Boyz classic, “Tootsee Roll,” and by the end of this post, neither will you.) At some point during my childhood, I loved Tootsie Rolls (Now that I think about it, I was addicted to them.) I was recently thinking…
Perry’s Office Responds to His Mansplaining Of Wife’s Abortion Comments
From ‘mansplaining’ to ‘shutting the whole opinion thing down’ to ‘putting her in her place’ the media is having a small-scale frenzy (as they should) over conservative Gov. Rick Perry’s correction to his wife Anita’s remarks about abortion made during a state political conference last weekend. When asked by Texas Tribune editor-in-chief Evan Smith to…
Piatti Restaurant Will Open at Eilan
Eilan is getting a new tenant. (Courtesy) Eilan is getting a permanent tenant: Piatti Restaurant (17101 La Cantera Parkway, Bldg. 7) will join the mixed-use “premier living community” October 22. The restaurant, which already occupies a spot at The Quarry, will seat approximately 204 guests with 36 being dedicated to the private dining room; 17…
Celebrate World Vegetarian Month on Oct. 13 at Alon Town Centre
The Alon location opened in 2011. Green Vegetarian Cuisine, one of the vegetarian-friendly restaurants in SA, is once again joining in to host a block party to help celebrate World Vegetarian Month. Stop by the Alon Town Centre Fountain Plaza on NW Military on Sunday, October 13 from 10 a.m.-4p.m. for activities such as yoga,…
Lunchtime Links: 20 Tons of Limes Spill Near Downtown SA, TX Trails Country in Farmer’s Markets and CSAs, Upgrade Your Dog With an Animal Halloween Costume + More
1. VIDEO 8-wheeler carrying 40,000 pounds of lime flips near downtown San Antonio: “[Leon Hollins, owner of Hollins Freight Handlers, the company hired at the trucking company’s expense to clear the road] admits there were a lot of men crying on that job. With the lime clean-up, the crew just joked about the tequila and beer…
‘Austin City Limits’ Season 39 Premieres Saturday with Juanes
Photo by Scott NewtonAustin City Limits, the longest-running music series in television, not to be confused with the festival going on this weekend and next, is back for it’s 39th season this Saturday. Kicking off the premiere with some Latin flare will be superstar Juanes and up-and-comers Jesse y Joy. As expected, ACL does an…
Ride and/or Die
View of last weekend’s Siclovia Look, I love the idea of SíclovÍa, which closes down a major road to car traffic so cyclists and others can enjoy the full roadway, as much as the next person. It’s a fun, unique way to promote cycling in our city. But after two years and multiple events, how…
Booze For A Cause: Bohanan’s offers “Causing Awareness” drink through October
Stop by Bohanan’s Restaurant & Bar anytime during October and treat yo self to a pink drink. The bar is hoping to raise awareness and funds for the ThriveWell Cancer Foundation with the “Causing Awareness” made with Nolet’s gin, fresh grapefruit juice, fresh lime juice, housemade grenadine and Peychaud’s bitters. To further the awareness aesthetic,…
Meatopia Announces Menu for Nov. 3
The carnivore’s dream that’s hitting the Pearl this November 3 from 1 to 5 p.m. has unleashed it’s menu. And no surprise here, it’s meaty. Attendees will wash down all the carne with beer from a Corona Modelo beer garden. Get your $75 tickets here. Here’s the full menu (SA participants in italics): Jesse Perez…
MasterChef Open Call Heads to Houston
The idea of auditioning for a cooking show makes me quake in my boots, but don’t let that hold you back. But SA home cooks trying to make it big (or at least on TV) can head to Houston on October 12 to audition for MasterChef, Gordon Ramsay’s competitive cooking show with judges Joe Bastianich…
Lunchtime Links: Bourdain Compares Frito Pie to “Warm Crap in a Bag,” Free Spurs Scrimmage This Weekend, The Lost Songs of Old 97’s and Waylon Jennings + More
1. Anthony Bourdain Called the Frito Pie “Crap in a Bag,” and Then He Blamed It on Texas 2. FAA Panel Endorses Wi-Fi as Safe: Report Suggests Lifting Restrictions on Hand-Held Devices Under 10,000 Feet 3. Free Spurs Scrimmage This Sunday Oct. 6 at the AT&T Center 4. Has Krokodil, the Flesh-Eating Street Drug, Made Its Way to the…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Studio
BEST STUDIO 1. AMH Studios A self-described “flexible, low cost home recording studio that can accommodate any style of music, any level of production and any budget.” If you don’t believe it, ask Heather Go Psycho and The Sky Divided. 2. TIMEWHEEL Studios 3. Hollywood Studios
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Recording Engineer
BEST RECORDING ENGINEER 1. Aaron Michael Harvey (AMH Studios) Responsible for AMH Studios, one of the busiest studios in town (and this year’s studio category winner), Harvey is the type of engineer versatile enough to understand how a variety of styles should sound, and smart enough to let the artists sound like themselves. 2. Damián…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Are you good at haggling? Do you maybe even enjoy the challenge of negotiating for a better price, of angling for a fairer deal? The coming week will be a favorable time to make extensive use of this skill. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you will thrive on…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Singer-songwriter
BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER 1. Bekah Kelso (see Bekah Kelso Wins Best Singer-Songwriter and Best Song) 2. Elora 3. Kyle Reed/Lucas Jack (tie)
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Hip-Hop Band/Artist
BEST HIP-HOP BAND/ARTIST 1. South Sil On November 1, the Positive 4 Opiates Vol. 2 mixtape will be out, featuring an SA version of Mac Miller’s “Loud” featuring KT da Titan, Kusha Tarantino, Bige, Dopamine and more (Vol. 1 came out in 2012). “People tell me I sound like Texas or that I’m from Houston,”…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Heavy Metal Band
BEST HEAVY METAL BAND 1. The Grasshopper Lies Heavy A thinking man’s power band that came in second last year. In 2013, no one can touch them. 2. Hogbitch 3. The Heroine
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Music Awards Winners list
BEST VOCALIST BEST GUITARIST BEST BASSIST BEST KEYBOARDIST BEST DRUMMER BEST INDIE ROCK BAND BEST HEAVY METAL BAND BEST HARDCORE BAND BEST INSTRUMENTAL BAND BEST HIP-HOP BAND/ARTIST BEST R&B BAND/ARTIST BEST ELECTRONIC BAND/ARTIST BEST COUNTRY/AMERICANA ARTIST/BAND BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER BEST JAZZ BAND/ARTIST BEST LATIN ALTERNATIVE/ROCK BAND BEST CONJUNTO/ TEJANO BAND/ARTIST BEST LATIN ORCHESTRA BEST CLUB DJ…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Latin Orchestra
BEST LATIN ORCHESTRA 1. Tropi Jazz A local salsa, big band and Latin jazz institution 2. Henry Brun & The Latin Playerz 3. Tropicante
Urban Homesteader: Fall into a cool weather garden
It’s funny how the ingrained concept of “seasons” dictates gardening assumptions. In San Antonio “fall” just means “not so damn hot” and winter merely offers the potential for cold weather, so why limit your harvest to spring and summer? Fall gardening is just as rewarding, way more productive than fighting summer heat and offers a…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Jazz Band/Artist
BEST JAZZ BAND/ARTIST 1. Royal Punisher An ever-evolving machine that goes from jazz to psychedelia, passing through rock. 2. Marco Cholo Quintet 3. Cryin’ DT Buffkin and the Bad Breath
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Guitarist
BEST GUITARIST 1. Mike (AUDIOMOUTH, see The Dream Team) 2. Damián Rodríguez (Bekah Kelso band) 3. Tony Cisneros (Los Tovares)
A Frightful Experience: Sisters Grimm Dinner and Ghost Tour
‘Swampy’ is a good word to describe the atmosphere the night I joined the Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours for dinner and a jaunt about town. The air was thick and the lighting was low as we entered the Menger Hotel, known as Texas’ most haunted inn. The dinners began Valentine’s Day 2012, as an addition…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Conjunto/Tejano Band/Artist
BEST CONJUNTO/ TEJANO BAND/ARTIST 1. Grupo Texas Heat A progressive conjunto band that recently reached No. 2 in the tejano4life.com charts. They overcame the usually unbeatable Tovares in this category. 2. Los Tovares 3. Piñata Protest
Down the Hatch: Fooling around with fall flavors
The figs vanished in the late night or early morning. I’d been patiently waiting for the perfect time to harvest the fruit hanging heavy on the branches from the front yard tree. What had been a verdant promise of fig syrups, fig gastriques and fig cocktails was now a desecrated wasteland covered in brown poisoned…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Vocalist
BEST VOCALIST 1. Frank Tovar (Los Tovares, see The Dream Team) 2. Brad (AUDIOMOUTH) 3. Bekah Kelso
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Hardcore Band
BEST HARDCORE BAND 1. Ghost Police Check out their newly released Dead Soul Noise, one of the best EPs of 2013. 2. Illustrations 3. Sohns
Fall Films: 8 coming attractions worth the price of popcorn
Oct 11 ‘Machete Kills’* Machete Cortez (Danny Trejo) is back to finish the work he started with Robert Rodríguez’s Machete in 2010. Or should I say: he’s continuing the work. Machete Kills is the second of a trilogy that should end with Machete Kills Again and, according to the (fake?) trailer in Machete Kills, part…
Tonic Bar Embodies SA's Laidback Scene
Tonic Bar is not quite a dive and definitely not classy. What it is, though, is a very San Antonio bar. It’s the Spurs fan floating on an inner tube in the street during the floods earlier this year. There is something ridiculous about it, but it always brings a smile to your face nonetheless.…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best New Band
BEST NEW BAND 1. The Rich Hands (see The Rich Hands Win Big) 2. The Black Market Club 3. Donella Drive
Bekah Kelso Wins Best Singer-Songwriter and Best Song
In 2013, you did it all. Thanks a lot, Bekah. When my wife had a baby it was the perfect excuse for me to miss deadlines, show up late at work or not show up at all. Now, a year after you decided to leave Seattle and come back home to have your baby, you…
The Rich Hands Win Big in Our 2013 Music Awards
When the Rich Hands snagged the title of “Most Underrated Band” in the Current’s 2012 Music Awards, they seemed like the type of act the category was invented for: young, talented and with a handful of excellent singles that promised a lot of potential. So where are they a year (and a half) down the…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Club DJ
BEST CLUB DJ 1. DJ Tone (see DJ Tone Wins Again as Best Club DJ) 2. DJ Tee-Rock 3. DJ JJ López
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Keyboardist
BEST KEYBOARDIST 1. Jaime Ramírez (Bombasta, Marco Cholo Quintet, see The Dream Team) 2. Lucas Jack 3. Eloy Espinoza Double E (Los Bandoleros de Henry G, Javier Galván y Grupo Fama)
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Drummer
BEST DRUMMER 1. Santos Tovar (Los Tovares, see The Dream Team) 2. Red (AUDIOMOUTH) 3. Ryan Kelso (Bekah Kelso band)
Fall Performing Arts: 8 of the hottest tickets in town
Oct 10-Oct 13 ‘Cinderella’ Dance Ballet San Antonio brings the penultimate version of Cinderella, choreographed by acclaimed artistic director Ben Stevenson (he transformed Houston Ballet into one of the country’s finest companies and made his name with Cinderella) and set to Sergei Prokofiev’s romantic score, to downtown. The production puts forth some truly ugly, slapsticky…
Warm Up With These Hot Fall Albums
JUST RELEASED Joan Jett / Unvarnished / Blackheart Records A perpetually underrated guitarist and one of the few touring acts of the classic rock era who’s managed to stay relevant, Joan Jett has undergone an impressive creative renaissance in the 2000s and 2010s. Released October 1, her first album in more than five years marks…
A Chat with Chicano Poet Reyes Cardenas
Like a lot of Latinos at the mercy of anthologies that meet their brown quota by sticking some Borges next to a fable about a holy tortilla, I’ve become accustomed to forgiving many an editorial oversight. With the publication of Chicano Poet 1970-2010 (Aztlan Libre Press, 370 pages, $23), I’m going to have to pardon…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Bassist
BEST BASSIST 1. Josh Borchardt (Crown, see The Dream Team) 2. Patrick Smith (Whiskey Rodeo) 3. JP Leal (Bombasta, Marco Cholo Quintet) and Corbin Beltrán (Celeste’al Descent) (tie)
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Song
BEST SONG 1. “Sequoia” (Bekah Kelso, see Bekah Kelso Wins Best Singer-Songwriter and Best Song) 2. “Touch” (Jonny Jukeboxx) 3. “Pieces” (The Black Market Club)
‘Gravity’ May Be Film’s Most Thrilling—and Stressful—90 Minutes
The hype is mostly justified. Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity may not have any profound statements to make about the human will to survive, and its character development may be distractingly sentimental, but as a cinematic experience it’s hard to beat. In fact, it may be the most thrilling, transporting and unbearably stressful 90 minutes in the…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Video
BEST VIDEO 1. “De la calle” (Bombasta, see Bombasta Wins 3 San Antonio Music Awards) 2. “Texas Devil” (Whiskey Rodeo) 3. “No New Years Know” (Pop Pistol)
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best CD Packaging
BEST CD PACKAGING 1. ‘Dreamers’ (The Rich Hands, see The Rich Hands Win Big) 2. ‘Animal Prisms’ (Pop Pistol) 3. ‘Coda Fin’ (Bright Like the Sun)
Alamo Beer Adds New Brewmaster, Finally
Since 2003, local entrepreneur Eugene Simor’s Alamo Beer Company has brewed its flagship Alamo Golden Ale up the road at Blanco’s Real Ale Brewing. The time has finally come for Simor to break ground on his own brewery. The soon-to-be San Antonio destination is slated to open its doors in October 2014. The brewery will…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Most Underrated Band/Artist
MOST UNDERRATED BAND/ARTIST 1. The Rich Hands (see The Rich Hands) 2. The Black Market Club 3. Donella Drive Related Stories
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Electronic Band/Artist
BEST ELECTRONIC BAND/ARTIST 1. Something Fiction Third last year, this time Something Fiction took the gold, thanks in good part to the power of the Botany and Micology EPs. 2. Trip The Light 3. Delenda
The Dream Team: The year’s best musicians all in one place
Mea culpa: in my excitement for adding new categories in this year’s San Antonio Music Awards poll (Best Sound Engineer, Best Sound Person), I forgot to add the most obvious one, which has been neglected for years: Best Accordionist. I promise you next year it’ll be there. Stupid me. However, and in case you haven’t…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Country/Americana Band/Artist
BEST COUNTRY/AMERICANA ARTIST/BAND 1. Los Tovares The fact that they won the Best Tejano/Conjunto category last year and Country/Americana this time should tell you something about the brothers’ versatility … and huge fan base. 2. Kyle Reed Band 3. Whiskey Rodeo
City Scrapes: Downtown development still lacks core strength
Once or twice a year, I take a group of University of Texas at San Antonio graduate students on a little walk starting from our downtown campus. We cross Bill Miller Plaza, go down the “front steps” of the campus to Nueva Street, and then walk east, toward the heart of downtown San Antonio. It’s…
DJ Tone Wins Again as Best Club DJ
In a back-to-back display of pure awesomeness, and a confirmation of the fact that the DJs get more votes than any category, DJ Tone crowned a fantastic year with his second consecutive win as Best Club DJ in our Music Awards. “I describe myself fun, energetic and in touch with the crowd,” DJ Tone (Antonio…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Producer
BEST PRODUCER 1. Damián Rodríguez (Bekah Kelso, see Bekah Kelso Wins Best Singer-Songwriter and Best Song) A producer with a taste as subtle as his guitar solos for Bekah Kelso 2. Progeny 3. Kizersoze (Dead the Poets)
National Groups Take Texas to Court Over Anti-Abortion Law
As anticipated, reproductive rights groups officially mounted their legal challenge to Texas’ controversial anti-abortion legislation last Friday, beginning what they call just the “latest chapter” in a “long fight” against the draconian law. House Bill 2, signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry in July, drew thousands of citizen protestors and attracted nationwide attention to…
Bombasta Wins 3 San Antonio Music Awards
It’s official: Bombasta has earned bragging rights as the baddest Latin alternative band in San Antonio, even though they don’t see it that way. “I really don’t think of things in those terms,” guitarist/singer Robert “El Robótico” Livar, still unaware the band had won three awards, told the Current. “We’re just in it like everyone…
We’re Hooked on the Friendly Spot’s New Menu
Chef Scott Boone, the latest addition to the Friendly Spot team, has crafted an entirely new menu for the Southtown icehouse of tempting, fresh and easy-to-eat foods–all for $10 or less. Boone, formerly with 20nine Wine Bar & Restaurant, has been with the Friendly Spot for just under two months. Boone called the IPA hummus…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best R&B Band/Artist
BEST R&B BAND/ARTIST 1. Jonny Jukeboxx It took us three weeks to find out who this mystery man was. He has only released a couple of tracks (including “Touch,” produced by Dante Desperado in New York), but he’s about to step out of the shadows: his 10-track Adonis mix of R&B, hip-hop and electronica is…
The Kueen of Krunk Wins Best Local Music Radio Show
Terry Torres is an undeniable presence behind the mic—dynamic, vulgar and totally hilarious, it’s not a stretch to see how she nabbed the Best Radio crown in this year’s Music Award poll (and as the first online-only radio host at that). “My name came from my grandfather,” Torres, fresh out of the hospital after suffering…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Indie Rock Band
BEST INDIE ROCK BAND 1. The Rich Hands (see The Rich Hands) 2. Pop Pistol 3. Whiskey Rodeo
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Latin Alternative/Rock Band
BEST LATIN ALTERNATIVE/ROCK BAND 1. Bombasta (see Bombasta Wins 3 San Antonio Music Awards) 2. Piñata Protest 3. Los De Esta Noche
Flavor File: Ruth’s Chris’ new digs, Dady returns a victor from New York and Taps y Tapas gears up for soft opening
Ruth’s Chris Steak House (multiple locations) moved into the River Walk Grand Hyatt (600 E Market, Ste L-101) on September 23. The restaurant offers daily complimentary valet service (always a win) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Folks can expect New Orleans-tinged items like the specialty Eggs Fertel or Happy Jack’s crawfish sausage. Happy hour fans…
Fall Visual Art: 8 Must-See Exhibits
Oct 9-Jan 19 ‘Native Son’ Born in El Paso to a neon sign-maker father, Luis A. Jiménez Jr. found influence in that medium and in the mid-century lowrider culture that grew up with him. He gained international recognition for creating vivid sculptures and drawings that blended kitsch and realism, some playing on controversial stereotypes. The…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Album
BEST ALBUM 1. ‘Dreamers’ (The Rich Hands, see The Rich Hands Win Big) 2. ‘Within the Shifting Shade’ (Bekah Kelso, see Bekah Kelso Wins Best Singer-Songwriter and Best Song) 3. ‘Faults & Fractures’ (The Black Market Club)
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Instrumental Band
BEST INSTRUMENTAL BAND 1. Bright Like the Sun “Though devoid of words, the group’s music has an uncanny ability to set vivid other-worldly landscapes flashing though your head,” Current contributor James Courtney wrote about BLS’ acclaimed Coda Fin EP. 2. Adam Zúñiga Band 3. Donella Drive Related Stories
The Current’s 2013 Fall Concert Picks
Oct 11 Silversun Pickups/Electric Guest: Official ACL Music Festival Late Night Show Leave it to Austin City Limits to make the annual festival even bigger (beyond expanding to two weekends and jacking up weekend passes to near the $300 mark, that is). ACL’s official Late Night Shows will farm out mid-level bands for one-off performances…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Sound Person
BEST SOUND PERSON 1. Joseph Devine (502 Bar) Have you heard that 502 has the best sound in town? Not sure if the Current ever mentioned that. Now you know, and Joseph Devine is the guy you want to talk to if you don’t want to sound like ass. 2. Roland Fuentes (Nightrocker Live) 3.…
6 Ways to Get your Grub/Drink On This Week
Friday, October 4: Food truck fans can start heading to Boardwalk on Bulverde in their best lederhosen as the food truck park hosts the third annual, OctoBeer Feast. Trucks lined up for the event include Slice Brick Oven Pizza, Society Bakery, and Dirty Dawgs and Fries. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the San…
San Antonio Music Awards 2013: Best Local Music Radio Show
BEST LOCAL MUSIC RADIO SHOW 1. Tear it Up Tuesdays with The Kueen of Krunk (Chop Shop Radio, chopshopsa.com, see The Kueen of Krunk) 2. Bands I Know (KRTU) 3. The Casbah/Metal Show (KSYM) (tie)
Savage Love: Clueless
I am a straight male, 30, in a long-term monogamous relationship. I love my wife, we have good sex, and often. When we first got together, I had a mild foot fetish, and she has gorgeous pedis. We have done and still do foot play on occasion. But my fetish has grown stronger as time…
Texas GOP Finds a Way to Make Road to Obamacare Even Tougher
Despite the government shutdown, Texans can begin enrolling in the new federal health care insurance marketplace today, a sort of one-stop shop to compare and purchase a new plan under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or ‘Obamacare.’ The state’s 6 million residents without insurance stand to benefit from the virtual exchange and of that, some…
Green Chile Double is Back-For Now
Whataburger has reintroduced the Green Chile Double burger as of September 30. The burger, a hit with pepper-loving Texas and Oklahoma guests, “features two, 100-percent pure beef patties, both Monterey Jack and American cheese slices, and roasted, seasoned green chiles on a toasted bun. The green chiles give the burger an added flavor so customers…
The National Guest Star on ‘The Mindy Project’ Tonight
Set your DVRs for Fox’s The Mindy Project tonight because we’re in for a treat! The Mindy Project is on a roll this season, after already serving up two episodes with guest star James Franco, they don’t let up in tonight’s episode “Music Festival” guest starring The National. In the episode The National headline the fictional…
Revolucion Coffee Hosts Wellness Series
Juicing fans can join Revolucion Coffee + Coffee (7959 Broadway, Ste 507) as the shop welcomes Dr. Jacob Torres of the UC4life Wellness Center on Thursday, October 3 at 6:30 p.m. Torres will discuss “Stress, Hormones and Belly Fat,” as well as why calorie counting might not be helping you lose weight. Stop in for…
LISTEN: Jesse Pinkman Recorded a House Song Called “Dance Bitch”
Related: WATCH: Behind the Scenes Footage of Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul Drinking Beers and Reading the Series Finale Script For the First Time No, really. Last night, Breaking Bad’s Pinkman portrayer Aaron Paul tweeted a link to this EDM masterpiece and we were instantly hooked. It’s for sale on iTunes here. Check…
Show review: You Me at Six at the White Rabbit
You Me at Six (photo by Brittany Thorne) For a show that had so many things going wrong, You Me At Six’s performance Sunday at the White Rabbit was so right. I was looking forward to the night (which featured a lineup of Dinosaur Pile-Up, Conditions, and Cute Is What We Aim For), so I…
Lunchtime Links: How The Government Shutdown Will Affect You, Harvard’s New Cooking Science Program, The Church of Google + More
1. 48 Ways a Government Shutdown Will Screw You Over 2. Wendy Davis appearance offers preview of gubernatorial bid 3. 4 Companies Screwing Their Workers Out of Health Insurance as Health Care Exchanges Open 4. ‘I Worked All Week for Free?’: The Horrifying, True Story of $0 Paychecks 5. Texas, Are You Ready For Voter ID? 6. Now You…
ICYMI: Arcade Fire on ‘SNL,’ Including the 30-minute Special
If you watched the season premiere of Saturday Night Live hosted by Tina Fey, you saw Arcade Fire perform two songs off their upcoming album, Reflektor, coming out October 29 via Merge Records. What you might not have seen was the half-hour Arcade Fire special following the premiere. The Here Comes The Night Time special…
