Cover Story
The San Antonio Music Awards 2015 Winners List
Welcome to the 2015 San Antonio Music Awards, the San Antonio Current’s annual voter-driven review of SA’s music scene. Over 23,000 votes were cast this year, determining the finest musicians and venues that the city has to offer. With a quick cross-examination of the 2014 issue, there’s a good number of returning champions (with a…
The Korova Announces Dead Kennedys on December 12
The Korova will end the year on a high note with one of the great punk outfits of all time, the Dead Kennedys. To celebrate the downtown venue’s sixth anniversary, the San Francisco punk legends will play The Korova on Saturday, December 12. Founded in 1978, the Dead Kennedys could make even the heaviest, headiest…
Smoke’s Brian West to Host Asian Pop-Up
Modern Asian bites will take over the now defunct China Garden Blanco location (14355 N. Blanco Road, 210-444-9495). But don’t get too used to it — the Empress: Pop-up for a Purpose will only be featured for 60 days starting October 1. Chef Brian West (of Smoke) will helm the pop-up through November with 10…
U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature Honors Native Son Tim Duncan
When you’ve been named to the NBA All-Star Game 15 times, won five NBA championships, two most valuable player awards, three NBA Finals most valuable players awards, 15 All-NBA awards, 15 All-Defensive Team awards, Rookie of the Year and Teammate of the Year, is there any room in your trophy case for yet another accolade?…
10 Free Events Happening This Week
Tue., Sept. 29 Glow Roll SA an Evening in Travis Park Come out and enjoy bike riding Downtown Tuesday in San Antonio. Attach lights to your bikes and enjoy the park, music, food, and social ride through downtown San Antonio. Free, Tue. Sept. 29, 5 pm-8pm, Travis Park, 301 E Travis St., facebook.com Wed., Sept. 30 Hump Wednesdays…
Former Boston Center for the Arts President Takes Top Job at Artpace
Nearing its 21st year — and San Antonio’s 300th anniversary in 2018 — Artpace announced it has a new leader to usher the organization into the future. Veronique Le Melle, former president and CEO of the Boston Center for the Arts, will take the top spot at Artpace on January 18, 2016. Calling her a…
Outgoing CPS Leader Beneby to Stick Around for Another Month
Doyle Beneby, the outgoing president and CEO of CPS Energy, will head the nation’s largest municipally-owned utility for another month. Beneby originally planned to leave CPS Energy at the end of September. But the utility’s board of directors asked him to delay his departure by a month, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Beneby’s last…
The Current Presents GRSFD Concert Series Featuring Amplifed Heat
On Friday, October 16, the San Antonio Current kicks off GRSFD, our newest, off-the-cuff concert series. Hosted in the garage on the side of our big blue headquarters, GRSFD is a low-key, high octane celebration of the music we love. We begin on a shit-kicking foot with Austin trio Amplified Heat. Composed of brothers Jim, Gian and…
Planned Parenthood South Texas Offering Free STD Testing Today
With relentless attacks against the reproductive health and rights of women, Planned Parenthood and supporters are participating in Pink Out Day — a nationwide effort to show support for the organization and its many services. Planned Parenthood South Texas is offering free testing today for sexually transmitted infections at its location by San Antonio College…
SAWS CEO to Brief SA City Council on High Water Bills
Did the San Antonio Water System overcharge customers or was it just a blazing hot summer combined with new “more efficient meters” and unfound leaks leading to higher costs? Here’s what SAWS said in a press release after people started complaining about unusually high bills: The bill increases are due to estimated reads by meter…
5 Things You Have to Do This Week
Tuesday, September 29 Roger Waters The Wall Fathom Events and Picturehouse Entertainment present a one-night-only screening combining an immersive concert experience of the classic Pink Floyd album The Wall, a road movie of composer/Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters’ reckoning with the past and a conversation between Waters and bandmate Nick Mason as they answer questions…
Is ‘Dazed and Confused’ the Best Movie Set in Texas?
Thrilist, in its infinite wisdom, has compiled a list of the best movies set in each state, because where would the Internet be without its daily compilation of lists? We’re not going to nitpick, because, for the most part, their selections make sense. Of course, the best movie to take place is Alabama is To…
5 Shows to See This Week
Monday, September 28 Garrett T. Capps Garrett T. Capps On Garrett Capps’ “San Antone,” the songwriter pins down Alamo City musical culture with verve and an insider’s knowledge. “I found myself down a deep, dark road / empty pockets and a wayward soul / then I heard somethin’ on the radio / sounded like San…
Which Books Did Texas Schools Try to Ban Last Year?
Banned Books Week, the annual celebration of books that have been deemed unfit for rational, free-thinking humans to read, is here once again. To mark the occasion, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas creates an annual report of all the books banned or challenged, meaning a parent or concerned citizen complained about a book…
Burger King Rolls Out Black Buns for Halloween Whopper
Remember that black-bunned Japanese Burger King Whopper that swept through social media a couple of months ago? It looks like BK U.S. has finally found an appropriate marketing campaign to bring that unsettlingly dark bread to Americans for Halloween. Those devils. Today through Nov. 1 at all Burger King locations, you can order the “deliciously…
John Hagee Didn’t Mean the Apocalypse Was Coming Yesterday, Silly
On September 27 — the Lord’s day, if you love Jesus; Sukkot, if you’re Jewish; or three days before October 1, if you are a heathen who will burn in hell — a significant portion of the world bore witness to a blood moon, or a total supermoon lunar eclipse, an astronomical phenomenon not seen since…
Former Austin B-Cycle Director of Operations Takes Reins at San Antonio B-Cycle
San Antonio B-Cycle has a new leader. In a press release, the city announced JD Simpson, the former director of operations for Austin B-Cycle, will serve as the executive director of San Antonio Bike Share, the nonprofit that operates B-Cycle in the Alamo City. “I’m excited to work with the City of San Antonio, board…
Did You See the Blood Moon? San Antonio Reaction to the Incredible Lunar Phenomenon
The supermoon lunar eclipse last night produced many an amateur astronomer. Around the world, folks dusted off telescopes and took to backyards to watch the moon disappear and reappear with a reddish-brown tint. The blood moon captured San Antonians’ attention, perhaps in part because of Pastor John Hagee’s prediction that it foretold the end of…
Curtain Falls on Carly Fiorina During San Antonio Appearance
Last night, presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina stopped in San Antonio to speak to hundreds of business women who were attending the National Association of Women Business Owners. Then a curtain fell on her. Thankfully, everyone was OK. But a curtain falling signifies the end of a show and so far, the only other presidential campaign…
Live And Local: Mac Sabbath At The Korova
It seems only necessary for a Black Sabbath tribute band to trek to the Alamo City, given that Ozzy’s fall from grace way back in ’82 is still fuel for pissing-on-the-Alamo jokes, but Mac Sabbath ain’t a typical cover band. Made up of frontman Ronald Osbourne, a demented clown that you probably won’t hire for…
San Antonio Music Awards Showcase: Hip-hop at Phantom Room
The San Antonio Music Awards Showcases continue at Phantom Room (2106 N. St. Mary’s), one of the most recent additions to the North St. Mary’s strip. At 11 p.m. Sirius B Da Galaxy makes a terrestrial appearance, belting out trap hooks like “Triple H.” E-Force continues at midnight, with dark, blunted beats and a delivery straight…
San Antonio Music Award Showcase: Singer-songwriters at the Ten Eleven
The San Antonio Music Awards Showcases continue off the St. Mary’s Strip as we bar crawl our way towards the Ten Eleven (1011 Avenue B). The feature of singer-songwriters begins at 10 p.m. with Ila Minori, who came in second in the relevant 2015 poll. At 10:40 p.m. Chris Conde takes over with a unique combo…
‘Ru Paul’s Drag Race’ Finalist Ginger Minj to Star in Woodlawn’s ‘Rocky Horror’
“The nicest bitch you’ll ever meet” will welcome Brad Majors and Janet Weiss to the sexually charged, time-warping mayhem over at the Frankenstein place. Ru Paul’s Drag Race season 7 finalist Ginger Minj has been tapped for the role of Dr. Frank N. Furter the Woodlawn Theatre’s production of The Rocky Horror Show. Minj, whose…
Go Outdoors: Houston Street Food Is Back This Fall
The weather is finally starting to feel less like Mordor and more like the Shire these days, and Houston Street Charities, the nonprofit behind the San Antonio Cocktail Conference, is inviting you outdoors to nosh on fanciful picnic baskets on Sunday, October 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Houston Street Food’s Urban Picnic features…
Calling All Artists for Día De Los Muertos Altar Exhibition and Contest
October is almost here, which means it’s almost time for the Día de los Muertos Celebration at La Villita Historic Arts Village. With 35,000 people attending the event last year, the two-day festival brings together traditional art and culture with live music. Perhaps the best part of the celebration is the 2015 Community Altar Exhibition…
San Antonio Music Awards Showcase: Metal at Korova
Buck the eff up and let down your hair because the Korova hosts the metal stage this year for the San Antonio Music Awards. In true metal fashion, Screaming in Silence starts off with a punch in your gut at 10 p.m. Their song, “Without Words,” will throw you against the wall, while the introduction to “Buried”…
Jane Goodall Calls Keeping Elephants Like Lucky Alone ‘Wrong,’ Inspires Crowd at Trinity Lecture
Few voices in the environmental community carry the same weight as Jane Goodall’s. Goodall, the scientist, author and activist best known for studying chimpanzees in Tanzania, spoke at Trinity University last night as part of the school’s DeCoursey Lecture series. All of the free tickets to the event were claimed within an hour of them…
San Antonio Music Awards Showcase: Alternative at The Amp Room
Defy the status quo with the loud melodies of the Alt Stage at The Amp Room for the San Antonio Music Awards. Prepare to belt to rhythmic guitars of Year of the Snake starting off at 10 p.m. If you haven’t warmed up from previous stages on the St. Mary’s strip, this one is sure…
Texas Just Might Be the Worst Kind of Drug Dealer
In a world where it’s harder and harder for death penalty states to get their skeleton-like hands on execution drugs, Texas may be filling that awful void. According to BuzzFeed News, the Lone Star State is making its own pentobarbital — a sedative used to kill inmates — and sold the drug to Virginia. From…
Pack Your Party Pants, We’re Going To Camp
Summer may be ending, but the fun is just beginning. Camp Our Way, Texas’ first-ever, all-inclusive adult sleepaway camp, is gearing up for its first session in San Antonio, Oct. 22-25. For four days, three nights campers will kayak through clear waters, show off their skills in a talent show, find strengths they don’t know…
3 San Antonio Police Department Officers Arrested in Sexual Assault Case
Three San Antonio police officers were arrested today after a sexual assault report was filed with the Live Oak Police Department in June. Two of the officers — Alejandro Chapa and Emmanuel Galindo — are charged with official oppression, compelling prostitution and aggravated sexual assault. A third, Aaron Alford, is charged with official oppression, KSAT…
San Antonio Music Awards Showcase: Alt-Latino at Hi-Tones
At the Pickle Shot Palace, we’ve lined up one of the shortest, but strongest lineups of the Music Awards Showcases. Grupo Frackaso begins the ruckus at 10 p.m., playing material from the 2015 EP Cumbiapocalyptica. With punchy keyboards and four-on-the-floor beats going head to head with the 2/4 cumbia, this trio brings a lively, chango-shot…
10 Things You Have To Do This Weekend
Thu 9/24 Iris After informing White House interiors under nine presidents (from Truman to Clinton), nonagenarian style icon Iris Apfel flew into the public eye via the Costume Institute’s “Rara Avis.” By celebrating her eclectic, nonconformist take on fashion (think Mr. Magoo glasses, kaleidoscopic prints and layers of jewelry), the 2005 exhibition turned Apfel into…
San Antonio Music Awards Showcase: Americana at Alamo Icehouse and Tycoon Flats
With such a wide-reaching (and sometimes undefined) genre such as Americana, we’ve set up two stages for this Music Awards Showcase. At Alamo Ice House, Flyaway tips off at 10 p.m. Led by songwriter Vanessa Lynn, the six-piece band combines western themes with upbeat guitar pop. At 11 p.m., National Standard takes over with fast…
7 Ways To Get Your Drink/Grub On This Week
Friday, September 25: O’liva is definitely the place to be if you are a lover of grilled cuisine. O’liva will host a grille night featuring items from spiced pork belly to ribeyes with fried oysters. Not only will there be meat, but there will be items featured on the menu for you all you non-meat…
Gun Safety Advocates Say Westside Shooting Highlights Need for Gun Safety
Last night on the West Side, a teenager shot and killed another teenager at a party, but it’s unclear whether the suspected shooter knew they were holding a loaded gun, KSAT 12 reported. Anna Kehde, a member of the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action, said last night’s shooting highlights the need for more firearm…
Sacred Springs Powwow Coming to San Marcos
Sponsored The Miakan-Garza tribe believes that the Spring Lake area in San Marcos is their creation site where they emerged from the underworld onto Mother Earth – and that’s where they hold their annual Sacred Springs Powwow. A powwow is a festival celebrating Native American culture with traditional dancers, singers, drum groups, arts, crafts and…
10 Shows To See This Weekend
Thursday, September 24 Civil Twilight Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, Civil Twilight’s indie rock is a pleasant experience that proves their style of music (big choruses, guitar-driven rock and pretty, lush vocals) can stretch across the globe. Despite being indie-creditable, Civil Twilight’s most notable (and certainly mainstream) moment was when their song “Letters from…
Centro San Antonio Hosts Hops & History Tour Next Wednesday
To end their #30DaysofDowntown initiative, Centro San Antonio is bringing in the big, hoppy guns. The group will host a Urban Spaces Tour highlighting the rich and sudsy history of San Antonio brewing. “Hops & History” will be led by a team of beer connoisseurs including Travis Poling (author of Beers Across Texas: A Guide…
John Jay Football Players Sentenced to Alternative School; Assistant Coach Resigns
Michael Moreno and Victor Rojas, the two John Jay High School football players who tackled a referee in a game on September 4, were sentenced to 75 days in alternative school yesterday at a Northside Independent School District disciplinary hearing, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Moreno, 17, and Rojas, 15, could have been expelled from…
San Antonio Music Awards Showcase: Indie at Limelight
Back with a vengeance, Limelight opens off the indie night of the San Antonio Music Awards with the Vetter Kids at 10 p.m. They’re known for their merry-go-round spinning sounds of grunge, punk and overall antics. Their album III is a collective of different musical sound experiences. The song, “Never Not Loading,” is the kinda…
After Extensive Search, City Manager Sheryl Sculley Taps William McManus to Return as SAPD Chief
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. City Manager Sheryl Sculley announced last night that she appointed former San Antonio Police Chief William McManus to retake to his former job. McManus served as SAPD’s top cop for nine years. He retired from SAPD in December 2014 to take a job with CPS Energy…
Bowe Bergdahl’s Case to Be Featured on ‘Serial’
The hugely popular podcast “Serial” may be taking up the case of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, though producers wouldn’t come right out and confirm it. Bergdahl, who went missing in Afghanistan in 2009 and was captured by the Taliban, is the subject of a preliminary hearing in San Antonio to see if he should be court-martialed.…
San Antonio Music Awards Showcase: Punk At Paper Tiger
Style your neon Manic Panic hair into meticulous liberty spikes and pierce your nose with a ice pick, because the Paper Tiger is hosting the Punk Stage for the San Antonio Music Awards Showcase. Tentacles will take (destroy?) the stage at 10 p.m. with their chaotic, unintelligible, but completely moshable jams of pure noise, growls…
Deer Season Approachin’: Don Strange Ranch Hosts Deer Camp
Did I just Google “when does deer season start?” Maybe. Don Strange Ranch (103 Waring Welfare Road, Boerne) and the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension want you to be ready for all the game you’re about to eat in the coming weeks. The ranch (where Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton tied the knot some years ago ……
Nearly 35 Years Later, Wurzbach Parkway Is Finally Completed
After being commissioned in the 1980s and costing $146 million, Wurzbach Parkway’s westbound lanes between West Avenue and Jones-Maltsburger opened today, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, marking the completion of the 1.7-mile middle section. The east-west thoroughfare finally adds an additional connection between I-10 and I-35, which is supposed to take the pressure…
San Antonio Pimp Convicted of Murder Sentenced to Life, Again
A 46-year-old man with “thug” and “pimpin” tattoos received a third life sentence to prison today, this time for murdering Jacqueline “Jackie” Johnson in 2012. A jury in the 379th District Court convicted Glen Dukes on a capital murder charge. He received an automatic life sentence without the possibility of parole. Johnson would have turned…
Nitro Jam Returns to the San Antonio Raceway This Weekend
SPONSORED Nitro Jam returns to San Antonio Raceway on September 25 and 26, fueled by Sunoco. The two-day event will feature sportsman racing and professional racing. Classes include: Pro Stock, Outlaw Fuel Altereds, Nitro Funny Car, Jet Dragster and Jet Trucks. These vehicles are loud, fast and need to be witnessed first hand. The engines…
Map: Which Parts of San Antonio Lack Sidewalks
This week’s story on sidewalks stemmed from a single question: Where are there sidewalks in San Antonio, and where aren’t there sidewalks in San Antonio? The map below, obtained by the San Antonio Current from the city’s Transportation and Capital Improvements department, answers that. The green lines reflect where there are sidewalks, while the red lines show…
Artist Foundation of San Antonio Wants Your Grant Applications
Applications are being accepted for the next round of Artist Foundation of San Antonio Awards through November 8. Meant to “recognize artistic achievement, dedication to an artistic discipline and the potential for further professional development,” the awards are given to proposed projects within categories such as literary arts, visual arts, media arts, multi-disciplinary and performing…
John Jay Assistant Coach Admitted to Telling Players to Tackle Referee
Mack Breed, an assistant football coach at John Jay High School, admitted to directing his players to hit a referee who had allegedly made racial slurs toward his players, according to ESPN. Robert Harris, the principal of John Jay, said in a letter that Breed admitted to Head Coach Gary Gutierrez that he “directed the…
Feds Boost SA’s Body Camera Budget by $1M, Black Lives Matter Activist Has Doubts
Since late 2014, the City of San Antonio has been doing all it can to make sure the Alamo City isn’t the next Ferguson, as former police chief William McManus said last year. And that takes millions of dollars, at least when it comes to outfitting police with body cameras. The Department of Justice will…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: FEA
Best Punk Band 2nd Place: Kill Liberal | 3rd Place: Haunter This town loves it some Girl in a Coma. And why not? The all-girl, alt-rock trio has made us proud, climbing into the national spotlight on the strength of their songwriting and sheer moxie. Lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Nina Diaz is one of…
San Antonio Music Awards Critic’s Pick: Alyson Alonzo
For those who consistently attend local music events, San Anto soul crooner Alyson Alonzo has been one of the most mesmerizing vocalists and pure musical talents in town. Her voice, which draws comparisons to Joni Mitchell, Billie Holliday and Amy Winehouse, is as gravelly as it is sweet, as voluminous as it is intimate and…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: Richie Branson
Best Hip-Hop Artist 2nd Place: Peanut Gallary | 3rd Place: Reek Savage Thankfully, it’s been a long creative route for rapper Richie Branson. Emerging in 2011 with “Jersey Shore Fist Pump” — we’ll let you guess the hook — Branson has since rebranded as a nerdcore rapper. Though the new stuff is more niche, it’s…
San Antonio Music Awards Critic’s Pick: COMPUTER JESUS REFRIGERATOR
There’s a certain suspension of sensibility necessary when encountering KOKOFREAKBEAN, be it his recordings as COMPUTER JESUS REFRIGERATOR, the animations he’s produced for Adult Swim or Funny or Die, or even his emails. For example, when asked what’s the one thing people should know about CJR, he responded as such: “The COMPUTER JESUS REFRIGERATOR is…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: Aliens WITH Halos
Best Electronic Artist/Band 2nd Place: Femina-X | 3rd Place: SubCulture Collective As a part of SA’s Dreamland Collective, an organization dedicated to all mediums of the arts, and produced by accomplished maestro Bryan Hamilton, Aliens WITH Halos is from realms unknown. In AWH’s single “The Source” there’s a touch of stark minimalism, otherworldly synths and…
San Antonio Music Awards Critic’s Pick: Ellis Redon
Speaking with him in the bowels of Paper Tiger, Ellis Redon is one of those wiry, strong-featured dudes who manages to be both nervous and confident in conversation. With the material on his debut record Into the Jungle, Redon should veer toward self-assurance. Released in March, his Casio effort is disarmingly simple, with keyboard textures…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: KRTU Live and Local (Jeannette Muniz)
Best Local Radio Show 2nd Place: Street Dreamz Radio | 3rd Place: Friday’s Fresh Air with John Morgan (KRTU) Since taking over KRTU’s Live and Local program in 2013, Jeannette Muniz has transformed the show, turning it into a Thursday night preview of the weekend to come. From 10 p.m. until midnight, Muniz welcomes touring…
San Antonio Music Awards Critic’s Pick: P2THEGOLDMA$K
With his prolific presence on YouTube, Far Westsider P2THEGOLDMA$K is gaining attention from the right crowds in hip-hop, with support from Top Shelf Shows and features from TeamSESH. But if you ran into him somewhere in his jurisdiction on Marbach Road, you’d be none the wiser. In the tradition of MF Doom and early Ghostface…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: Imagine Books & Records
Best DIY Venue 2nd Place: Riff House | 3rd Place: K23 Gallery Independent bookstores are often places that foster growth in local art communities. Since its opening in October 2011, SA’s Imagine Books and Records has — through countless readings, exhibitions and book release parties — played this role exceedingly well. But that’s not all…
San Antonio Music Awards Critic’s Pick: Ritual Art Gallery
To reach Ritual Art Gallery (514 El Paso St.), drive past the Pik Nik, the bail bondsmen in the old fire station, the Magistrate and the unfortunate souls in its grasp, past the mural of Edward Snowden as a candy-caned Where’s Waldo and the shuttered DIY spot Café Revolucion (RIP). Wait! If you hit the…
Jane Goodall’s Biographer on ‘The Jane Effect’ and Disappearing Animals
You know Jane Goodall. She’s the chimp lady. Either she’s always been there, on the periphery of your everyday consciousness thanks to her celebrity status or — especially for those in fields that involve the study of animal groups — she’s been there quite consciously, as a paragon and a guiding light. The English primatologist,…
A Q&A With the SA Foodies Group Founders
It all started with a double tap. Well, several double taps. After following Lisa Rivas-Moore aka S.A.vory on Instagram for a few months, Kim Olsen, or kimmyluvsfoodsa, was itching to meet her foodie brethren. Over happy hour at Cured, Olsen and Moore, met and the idea for the SA Foodies group was born. The food-based…
Savage Love: Friends With Violations
I’m a 26-year-old single bi woman. Sometimes my roommate/best friend and I have drunken threesomes with men. We’ve had some great one-night stands (less scary with a friend!), but recently we slept with a man I’ve been (drunkenly) sleeping with over a period of months, my “friend with benefits.” I shared my FWB with my…
Lunchtime Snob: Finding Cheesesteaks in Unlikely Joints
Gino’s Deli is a scrappy little find. When I realized it was in the back of the Stop and Buy, a gas station convenience store, at Lockhill Selma and Huebner, my interest was immediately piqued. These are the types of locations that contain absolute authentic gems or wreak utter havoc on your immune system ……
Free Will Astrology, Week of September 21
ARIES (March 21-April 19): You are destined to become a master of fire. It’s your birthright to become skilled in the arts of kindling and warming and illuminating and energizing. Eventually you will develop a fine knack for knowing when it’s appropriate to turn the heat up high, and when it’s right to simmer with…
Flavor File: A Walk Through Mexico, Nao’s New Chef and More
The San Antonio Cocktail Conference is getting the party started early with A Walk Though Mexico: A Cocktail & Culinary Journey behind The Monterey (1119 S. St. Mary’s St.) on Saturday, September 26 at 6:30 p.m. The event will include tastes of tequila and mezcales out of Jalisco, Michoacán and Oaxaca. Expect to find bites…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: Alvaro del Norte
Best Accordionist 2nd Place: Bobby Garcia (Grupo Texas Heat) | 3rd Place: Flaco Jiménez Even within the vaulted San Antonio tradition of Flaco Jiménez and Esteban “Steve” Jordan, it’s doubtful any accordionist has wielded the instrument with as much electric fury as Piñata Protest frontman Alvaro del Norte. Like most kids, del Norte rejected his…
The Old Main Assoc. Is Already Our Jam
The trouble with Beat Street Coffee Co., which now houses the newly opened Old Main Assoc., was that it had a hard time pinpointing exactly what it was adding to their Monte Vista neighborhood. After several iterations, the loss of three separate chefs (that I can remember), the eatery closed, though not for lack of…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: ‘Hotel Lobby’ (Michael J. & The Foxes)
Best Song 2nd Place: “The Source” (Aliens WITH Halos) | 3rd Place: “Broken Promises” (A1 Pusha) At the helm of his country side project Michael J. & The Foxes, Deer Vibes frontman Michael Carrillo takes an intimate approach on “Hotel Lobby,” allowing his musicianship and storytelling to shine. “You’re the victim of your own yearning/in…
Deutschland Suds To Celebrate Oktoberfest With This Year
This time last year, I was feeling my oats as a fledging beer correspondent, and so I submitted my monthly column as a flagrant flip-off to Oktoberfest. “No hops, no Reinheitsgebot, no horse hockey,” I so smugly thought, sipping on successive glasses of gruit while inching towards my word count. Twelve months and several ego…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: Desert Sons (Lonely Horse)
Best Album 2nd Place: The Door into Summer (Gary Davenport) | 3rd Place: Sunsets & Pickups (Ty Dillon & The Wilde Fire) Unfortunately, with Nick Long and Travis Hild shuttering Lonely Horse at the end of the year, their debut record will also serve as a final statement. But, if you need an album to…
A Q&A With the Outrageous, Totally Original Bill Burr
It takes me about 10 minutes on the phone to piss off Bill Burr. “RELAX, there’s nothing to worry about, nothing to see here,” he informed me from LA. “There’s not brown-shirted Nazi’s standing in the back of the club watching everything you say.” I’ve breached the topic of political incorrectness, one that Burr is,…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: ‘Strong’ (Kae Hache)
Best Video 2nd Place: “Back to San Antone” (Felix Truvere & The Open Road Band) | 3rd Place: “Find Me” (Twigutta) “Money my only concern” raps a confident Kae Hache in “Strong,” a testament to being a badass who’s on her way to the top (and the bank). In the high-energy video, Hache gets down…
Black Lives Matter Activists Say SA Needs to Talk About Police Violence
Mike Lowe is a tall man who wears black-rimmed glasses reminiscent of Malcom X’s signature spectacles. In personal conversation, Lowe, a community organizer with the local Black Lives Matter group SATX4, is soft-spoken and thoughtful. But nearly every weekend, he and a contingent of like-minded people can be found downtown, protesting police brutality and highlighting…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: PeanutGallery
Best New Band 2nd Place: Doral Club | 3rd Place: Creciendo Fuerte Combining boom-bap traditionalism with the wordy hooks of Childish Gambino; Acid Rap beats with Anthony Kiedis cadences; Future’s auto-tune textures with — I think you get the picture. Since their first show in April, SA hip-pop trio PeanutGallery has gathered all its influences…
Why Are San Antonio’s Sidewalks Such a Mess?
Depending on where you’re going, traversing San Antonio by sidewalk is alternately difficult, dangerous or impossible. Looking at the city’s patchwork network of sidewalks from a bird’s-eye view reveals an incomplete grid — like an old, shabby latticework fence in need of repair. Most San Antonio residents, particularly those who spend any time traveling on…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: Elora & Gasoline Alley
Most Underrated Artist 2nd Place: Sire FNS | 3rd Place: PeanutGallery As in past years, this award is something of a paradox. Elora Valdez and the members of her Gasoline Alley band are at the top of the polls for each of their instruments (vocalist, guitarist, bassist and drummer), but still represent on the underrated…
San Antonio Music Awards 2015: Grupo Texas Heat
Best Tejano/Conjunto Band 2nd Place: Son Latino Show Band | 3rd Place: Ricky Valenz In 2014, Grupo Texas Heat took home some serious hardware, winning Best Tejano and a slew of instrumentalist awards. A year later, in addition to repeat wins in the aforementioned categories, the band’s crossover country project The Ranch Road Band pulled…
