$700 billion question
By Gilbert Garcia I was part of KTSA’s “Gang of Four” on Friday morning with host Jack Riccardi, and moments after the Gang wrapped, Riccardi interview District 23 Representative Ciro Rodriguez about the Wall Street bailout plan. Rodriguez revealed that, based on what he’d heard about the plan, he had mixed feelings, and noted that…
Obama: Not so agreeable
By Gilbert Garcia A popular narrative from the first McCain-Obama debate was that Obama spent the whole night agreeing with his opponent. MSNBC’s Chris Matthews particularly obsessed on this point and his network illustrated the thought with a montage of Obama repeatedly saying “John is right about …” What’s been lost in this analysis is…
ACL Fest 2008: Day Two Report
Saturday morning I woke up with at least seven ounces of Zilker Park in my lungs and sinuses. While I was prepared for the heat (Saturday was hotter then Friday; less cloudy and breezy), I was not prepared for what some have called the “ACL Mud Booger Plague.” If the sun doesn’t kill you, then…
ACL Fest 2008: Day One Report
Greetings from the beer-pong table that I’ve converted to a desk: I am privileged to bring you part one of the San Antonio Current’s 2008 Austin City Limits Festival coverage. This is my third ACL (unless my one-day 2007 pilgrimage to see Arcade Fire doesn’t count), and, considering myself a festival pro (I was at…
Pit bull without lipstick
I’ll say this for John McCain: He was much livelier and more energetic in Debate 1 with Barack Obama than his listless stump speeches would have led us to expect. Any questions about creeping senility were probably put to rest by his sharp attacks on earmarks and his name-dropping catalog of foreign excursions. Now if…
On the Street: For Good and For Bad
“In Good Times and Bad” Letters (to the On the Street Penthouse Suite via the Current Front Desk) In a rare week I received not one but two “hand written” letters. When I got paged to the front desk, I assumed the worst. Though I would have liked them to be glowing letters of endorsement…
Short view on uranium mining
Maybe its because of local understanding of their downstream situation. Maybe the paper’s business minds have some circulation goals for surrounding counties. Whatever it is, I am one of many appreciating the regular updates from Victoria on uranium mining in South Texas While the Advocate was quoting uber-environmental attorney Jim Blackburn on the toxic legacy…
Live & Local Preview: The Cartographers
And now for a band that’s really putting San Antonio on the map â?? the Cartographers. Anybody? Come on, don’t tell me none of you paid attention in geography class. There goes my Amerigo Vespucci gag, too. See a cartographer is one who â?¦ screw it. We’re going to see indie left fielders the Cartographers…
The Capitol Hill Strategy
By Gilbert Garcia I’ve never fully bought into the theory (generally perpetuated by his supporters) that John McCain is an impulsive, free-wheeling, outside-the-box maverick. But I’ll say this: His latest gambit, to suspend all campaigning and push for a postponement of Friday’s debate with Barack Obama — ostensibly so he can devote his energies to…
Oh god, it’s so deep: An unhealthily close look at SA’s new tourism ad
Repeated viewings of the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau’s new promotional video “Deep. In the Heart.” reveal their grammatically suspect slogan is less a reference to the classic Texas ballad and more an indication of where we’re going to stick our crudely fashioned stone knives when we sacrifice unsuspecting visitors to the river gods…
Girl in a Coma
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2008-09-24 We’re already losing Girl in a Coma, but we don’t have to let go just yet. Despite the female trio’s stint on the Van’s Warped tour and posh gigs opening for Morissey, Frank Black, and Joan Jett, despite releasing their excellent debut, 2007’s Both Before I’m Gone, on Jett’s own…
Where nobody knows your name
Release Date: 2008-09-24 The great thing about bars, besides the booze of course, is the people. Patrons call these places home and in return the bars embrace the communal nature of the city. These are watering holes rivaled only by those of Africa where the animals congregate (the lions with the antelope) to lap up…
Finding Love In Wartime & Memoirs of a Joto Part 1
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Read the Current’s review here.
Growing up Arab-American
Towelhead Director: Alan Ball Screenwriter: Alan Ball Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Toni Collette, Maria Bello, Summer Bishil, Peter Macdissi Release Date: 2008-09-24 Rated: R Genre: Drama Though it was known in production as Nothing Is Private, Warner Brothers has released its new film under the same title as the 2005 Alicia Erian novel on which it…
Forbidden Broadway
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Read the Current’s review here.
Ghost Town
Critic’s Pick Ghost Town Director: David Koepp Screenwriter: David Koepp Cast: Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Alan Ruck, Téa Leoni, Jeff Hiller Release Date: 2008-09-24 Rated: PG-13 Genre: Comedy Dir. David Koepp; writ. Koep, John Kamps; feat. Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Alan Ruck, Téa Leoni, Jeff Hiller Bertram Pincus, D.D.S. (Gervais), like we suspect of so…
The Poet Faustus
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Read the Current’s review here.
Only by the Night
Only by the Night Composer: Kings of Leon Label: RCA Release Date: 2008-09-24 Rated: NONE Genre: Indie Rock Amid the myriad alternative releases that look to Brits like Joy Division or the Clash for inspiration, Nashville four-piece Kings of Leon’s Only by the Night hones a no-frills American rock sound decisively more meat-and-potatoes than apple…
Bluebonnets & Beyond
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Read the Current’s review here.
Acid Tongue
Acid Tongue Composer: Jenny Lewis Label: WEA/Reprise Release Date: 2008-09-24 Rated: NONE Genre: Indie Rock It’s all about the casting. When former child star Jenny Lewis plays Lucinda Williams (“See Fernando”), Blue period Joni Mitchell (“Acid Tongue”), or even Stevie Nicks-led Fleetwood Mac (“Black Sand,” “Pretty Bird”), she nails the role, but when she’s cast…
Fashions in Art: 1870 to 1920
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Read the Current’s review here.
Loyalty to Loyalty
Loyalty to Loyalty Composer: Cold War Kids Release Date: 2008-09-24 Rated: NONE Genre: Indie Rock Critics billed Cold War Kids’ 2006 debut, Robbers & Cowards, as “original and timeless” (Los Angeles Times) and “`an` enjoyable listen” (People). I hated it. Not because it lacked musical scope — far from it — but because frontman Nathan…
Don’t Dress for Dinner
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Read the Current’s review here.
Sounds Eclectic: The Next One
Sounds Eclectic: The Next One Label: KCRW Release Date: 2008-09-24 Rated: NONE Genre: Indie Rock Around these parts, Austin’s KGSR dominates the market for collectible various-artist CDs of on-air live tracks. But with that series of sold-out discs focusing more on aging singer-songwriters than newcomers, there’s plenty of room for others to fill the niche.…
Genome: The Secret of How Life Works
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Read the Current’s review here.
Choke
Choke Director: Clark Gregg Screenwriter: Clark Gregg Cast: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly MacDonald, Brad Henke, Joel Grey Release Date: 2008-09-24 Rated: R Genre: Black Comedy Bloody awful — actually, that’s being a tad harsh. Misguided and inert are more accurate assessments of writer-director Clark Gregg’s adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s much adored 2001 source novel.…
Texas Watercolor Society Exhibit
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Read the Current’s review here.
Gardens by Moonlight
Release Date: 2008-09-24 The Botanical Garden will be filled with the sounds of talented musical acts during Gardens by Moonlight, an annual music festival complete with sumptuous culinary treats under the light of the fall moon. Headlining the main stage is crowd favorite Del Castillo (left), demonstrating the cross-cultural power of music with their eclectic…
Doug Stanhope’s Unbookables Mess With TX
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Live in San Antonio for one night only, Doug Stanhope’s Unbookables bring their edgy, off-the-cuff, alcohol-soaked comedy to the Lone Star State. Although Mr. Stanhope won’t be in attendance, his comedic crop includes Sean Rouse, Andy Andrist, James Inman, and Norman Wilkerson. Gear up for a night of ball-breaking comedy — they’ll…
Manhattan Short Film Festival
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Help create the next generation of filmmakers at this year’s Manhattan Short Film Festival, the traveling screening where movie lovers in 100 cities vote for their favorite short film. 429 submissions from around the globe were whittled down to 12 finalists from 10 countries for the competition — San Antonio is one…
San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition Benefit
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Do your part to help SA’s Feral Cat Coalition control the multitude of homeless kitties wandering the streets of our city. The Swindles, Buttercup, Yoshimoto, Kick It! and DJ Plata are donating their live tunes for a talented local lineup — rock out all night for just $5 and peruse the silent…
Bukkake Daydream, They Mean Us, & Karma
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Noise rock is the best way to describe Bukkake Daydream, a SA foursome with a diverse, spontaneous sound. The music moves at a frenetic pace but frequently descends into downtempo, trippy grooves that are definitely the band’s strength. They recently released their first EP, Delusions of Grandeur, and the title track exemplifies…
Duck ‘N Dodge Charity Dodgeball Tournament
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Release some anger by throwing a big red ball at your enemies — schoolyard dodgeball was never like this! The tournament benefits the San Antonio Sports Foundation’s youth programs, and champions of the Bud Light/Corona (21+) and the POWERade (16+) divisions win a trophy, bragging rights, and drinks for a year. Crazy…
Sam’s Swing Nite w. Ruby Dee & the Snakehandlers
Release Date: 2008-09-24 Ruby Dee has more venom in her vocals than most sugarcoated country artists, treading through rockabilly, honky-tonk, and vintage swing with a hardcore truck-stop attitude. The Seattle, Washington, foursome is on the road supporting their second release, Miles from Home, which sizzles with high-tempo numbers and slows down deftly with a few…
Amuse-BOUCHE
Thanks to the good readers (and freebie-lovers) who donated canned goods for the San Antonio Food Bank at the Current’s Almost-Free Movie Night last week. Hurricane Ike has stretched the Food Bank’s resources — already taxed by an imploding economy — thinner than the skin on Jane Fonda’s face. The organization, which serves 16 counties,…
Wronger to righter: Locavore food mogul expounds
Mason Arnold’s chemical-engineering degree took him into the kindly world of “environmental services,” where, faced with a closer look at industry’s often-unpleasant impact on the Texas landscape, he made an earth- and life-changing U-turn. The 30-year-old has since launched two eco-friendly companies, helped get Texas lawmakers talking organics, and been named a finalist for Technology…
Travels with Frenchie
Travels with Frenchie is a special six-part series that seeks out unique dining experiences across San Antonio. The team: Frenchie (sommelier at the nationally famous Le Rêve), Carlos (the city’s best bike mechanic, per the Current’s 2008 Best of SA readers’ poll, and informal taco scholar), and myself (an occasional taco-truck stalker and recovering vegan.)…
Wish you were here
Stars Sunday, 3:30 p.m. AT&T Blue Room Not since Magnetic Fields’ 69 Love Songs or perhaps even the Smiths has a band been so adept at portraying the various pitfalls and emotions of modern romance. The catalogue of Montreal-based band Stars, featuring members from the Canadian supergroup Broken Social Scene, plays like a teenager’s diary,…
THE SOUND & THE FURY
One of S&F’s favorite local musicians, jazz virtuoso Olivia Revueltas, will play a rare SA gig at the Instituto Cultural de Mexico (600 Hemisfair Park) on Saturday, September 27, at 7 p.m. Inspired most deeply by Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, and Charles Mingus, the 57-year-old Mexico City native rebelled against her strict conservatory training and…
Sampling the avant-garde
Glass Box Philip Glass (Nonesuch) Next week, Nonesuch Records will release Glass Box, an elegantly designed showcase for the career of Philip Glass. On 10 CDs, the set presents highlights of a groundbreaking career that has had a profound impact not only concert halls but on popular music and film scores. Drawing on everything from…
Putting the ‘wild’ in wildflower
Crisply attired and ladylike, Marise McDermott greets a small group of reporters, tourism-board reps, and other media folk at the venerable museum’s entrance. We’re directed past the bursting gift shop, beyond the Triceratops replica skeleton, and away from the vintage natural-history dioramas (of which the snarling mountain lion on a trompe l’oeil West Texas cliffside…
Pop Pistol
Midway through Pop Pistol’s set, the power trio covers Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi.” The cover itself is a straight-ahead crowd panderer, unquestionably topped by others on the set list, but watching vocalist/guitarist Alex Scheel passably condense three guitar parts while delivering Thom Yorke’s emotive lyrics reveals what the musical multitasking Scheel — bandanaed and barefoot, mashing…
Know your Onderdonks
Call them the Magnificent Onderdonks; from Yankee transplant Robert Jenkins Onderdonk to his San Anto-born children Julian Robert and Eleanor Rogers Onderdonk, this forward-thinking and creative family encouraged the arts in San Antonio from the 1880s until the Kennedy Administration. Robert Jenkins Onderdonk (1852-1917) Born in Maryland to a genteel family, Robert Jenkins Onderdonk studied…
“Southtown Rumble” — Saturday Night Satellites
Call Saturday Night Satellites Silver Surfer rock. Were “Southtown Rumble” the awesome ’50s youthsploitation beach-movie title it deserves to be, this song would make an excellent soundtrack for the inevitable Hang 10-off. Rumbling bass builds and recedes, bringing with it a wall of fuzzed-out guitar riffs riding hi-hat eighth notes just begging to be cowabungaed…
ARTIFACTS
This FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA exhibit is tricky to get to, hanging as it does in an indifferent atrium/thru-way between the offices of the North American Development Bank and the Coahuila Trade Office. Once you get in there, though, you’ll find some worthwhile images, including Alfredo de Stéfano’s nouveau landscapes, in which tiny bonfires flash, flashlights resemble…
Take the lead
Tom Hanks got bored winning Oscars a while back, and ventured into quasi-experimental territory. Jim Carrey simply grew tiresome. Tom Cruise completely lost his shit, and I think Jack Nicholson died five years ago. Meanwhile, the Philip Seymour Hoffman types (talented folk who simply don’t possess “the look”) just aren’t marketable enough for the A-list.…
Thirteen Ways of looking at a Bluebonnet: Artists and Curators on Onderdonk and Landscape
After seeing the show, I asked several local art folk some pressing questions about Onderdonk and the bluebonnet genre, such as: Where do you place Julian Onderdonk in the scheme of Impressionism? What do you think of landscape painting in general, and bluebonnet painting in particular? Are bluebonnets relevant, or are they consigned to kitsch?…
S’NUFF film
Since Woody Allen created Manhattan in 1979, the idea of that whimsical world — in which homeless lunatics roam unsupervised and rent for a squalid one-bedroom apartment can easily cost more than a semester’s tuition at a mid-level graduate school — has captured the American imagination. The region has since seen regrettable violence at the…
Hooray for theater camp
This is both a timely and melancholy moment for the spoofy Forbidden Broadway to open at the Cameo Theatre downtown. Gerard Alessandrini, the show’s creator and muse for over a quarter century, recently announced a permanent hiatus for the Manhattan incarnation, largely because Broadway has become a parody of, well, itself. Satire, after all, thrives…
Badfellas
“X is the new Y.” It’s a joke and a cliché. A cliché used with such willful abandon that it’s dangerously close to becoming this generation’s “Have a Nice Day.” In a media age so suffused and preoccupied with branding and cross-branding and brand-extension, it has become a part of speech. It’s not surprising, then,…
A tale of two halves
Jump-Start’s new double bill is perhaps the ultimate paradox. The first half of the production — Finding Love in Wartime — is an original movement piece that tackles the fallout of war. With its choreographed dance and aerial acrobatics (courtesy of creator/director Sandy Dunn and aerial choreographer Teresa Tipping), bizarre piped-in sound effects, and somber…
Cinema Obscura
“Old Elvis and black JFK fighting a mummy in an East Texas nursing home.” That should be all you need to know about the incredible awesomeness that is Bubba Ho-Tep. But since this is a 300-word column, a little elaboration might be necessary. After all, while cult and horror fans will be out the door…
Dear Uncle Mat
Let me first say that your advice is always solid and I often find myself nodding in agreement when I read your column. That being said, I would really like to hear your keen insight into my relationship. I met a really wonderful woman two weeks before she left to a far-away state. Our fascination…
Spittin’ Game
Too Human (Microsoft) Xbox 360 $59.99 Newcomers to role-playing games will appreciate Too Human’s hand-holding guidance through the insanely detailed and oddly number-intensive aspects common to the genre. Developing your character’s abilities via skill-point allotments is explained in concise but fairly comprehensive pop-ups, as are the advantages of swapping out armor and repairing weapons, which…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Every day for 44 years, the German writer Karl Wilhelm von Humboldt composed a poem for his wife, the lively and brilliant Karoline von Dachroden. In accordance with your astrological potentials, Aries, I will ask you to briefly imitate his prodigious outpouring of creative love. Every day for the next two…
Playing by earmark
Lyle Larson never ran for Congress before this year, but that doesn’t mean this is his first Congressional campaign. In 1978, when the Bexar County Commissioner was a 19-year-old freshman at Angelo State University, his dad, Wallace Larson, made a Congressional run of his own, and recruited Lyle to help steer his campaign. “I didn’t…
Clothes-minded
The return of fall is the return of denim. Nothing better completes traditional preppy looks like a corduroy blazer and cashmere scarf, or boots and a crisp button-down shirt, than new jeans. And yet, they’ll always be tough, the workhorses of cowboys and rebels, and able to play against the simplest and least pretentious of…
The QueQue
Evil Media We are the enemy. Especially after an eruption like Hurricane Ike. As millions were clinging to each news headline, blog, and tweet for information about loved ones, loved ones of loved ones, arrested by the latest property redistribution scheme of this obviously socialist climate system, Queque went to volunteer at Freeman Coliseum. After…
¡Ask a Mexican!
What is an anchor baby? I am a 45-year-old male born in the U.S.A. My mother was born in ex-Yugoslavia (now Serbia), and my father was also born in ex-Yugoslavia (now Croatia). My father arrived to this country via a green card about four years before I was born and my mother arrived 16 months…
What do we know? When do we know it?
The Current’s chief CPS Energy hound dog would be the first to admit his verbal mind is peppered with detritus. Names, numbers — mainly names, gave up on numbers in grade eight — disappear behind towering dark clouds of unknowingness at the most critical points of conversation. “What’s your name, son? Can I see some…
Wines of the Southern Côtes du Rhône
Red wines of the Côtes du Rhône, especially those from the southern end of the valley, have long been personal favorites, but I didn’t know why until I read the following recently: Wines of the Rhône “offer an animalistic sort of pleasure”… and “put us in touch with our primitive selves.” (Mary Ewing-Mulligan and Ed…
Taxing truth
ssvoboda@metrotimes.com cguyette@metrotimes.com It wouldn’t be an election year without candidates promising tax cuts, right? But who gets them, how much they are, the likelihood they can ever be fulfilled, and what they say about each candidates’ priorities are the real issues. “Tax and fiscal policy will loom large in the next president’s domestic policy agenda,”…
San Antonio Nerd Haven
I probably should’ve titled this post “San Antonio-Nerd Haven,” thus indicating that if you are, like me, nerdlike in your obsession with the history and culture of San Antonio, then this post (and the place it’s fixin’ to recommend) are for you. Whereas if you are a nerd whose major preoccupation is, say, hentai ……
