Cover Story
Veteran Artists Lament SA’s Tattoo Scene Turning Into Competitive Industry
James “Snapper” Snap carefully sketches an outline on the calf of a young woman getting ready for her latest tattoo, an elegant arrangement of lilies and stars. In business since 1971, the self-described elder statesman of the San Antonio tattoo community might sound like a curmudgeon amid a new generation of artists. But Snap is…
SA Rapper Chris Conde Debuts ‘Twisted Kite Strings’ EP
Whether he’s dolled up in drag (while still sporting his long beard,) rapping or doing both simultaneously, Chris Conde is a full-time badass and advocate for LGBT rights, a growing cause in the stereotypically homophobic community of hip-hop. Chris Conde’s new EP Twisted Kite Strings is a deeply personal collection of songs that detail a man’s…
10 Thing You Have To Do This Weekend
Thu 3/26 – Sun 3/29 The Irish Curse What’s all this “luck of the Irish” stuff when there’s a curse that warns “red nose, short hose” (aka big time boozers with tiny wankers). First produced in 2011 at Trinity, AtticRep revisits The Irish Curse: A Comedy About Guys with a Tiny Problem with a new…
San Anto Throwback Thursday: Lung Overcoat’s “Past Lives”
The pathetic fallacy refers to the human desire to give weather or places meaning according to a current state of emotion. I.E. if you get laid and the birds are chirping, bees are buzzing and the taco truck is open. Or, for SA post-punkers Lung Overcoat, it’s ascribing your gloom to a grand, abandoned building. The…
10 Shows To See This Weekend
Thursday, March 26 Freetail Piñata Protest Release Freetail Brewery celebrates the release of the Piñata Protest Red Wit beer with a performance by the self-described “mojado punks,” FEA, and the Bolzen Beer Band. Active since ’09, Piñata Protest released their best effort yet in 2013 with the El Valiente EP, containing 19 minutes of fierce…
Uber Doesn’t Have To Jump Through Hoops In Windcrest
Known for Christmas lights, a 20 mph speed limit and Rackspace, the City of Windcrest just approved a measure paving the way for Uber to operate. Windcrest’s City Council approved an interim operating agreement by a 5-0 vote Wednesday afternoon. The move comes just days before transportation network companies Uber and Lyft will not be…
The Yard Farmers And Ranchers Market Gets New Leadership After Racist Controversy
If you are a fan of fresh organic produce who also disapproves of racially charged (and, let’s be honest, dated) insults, you’ll be happy to know that The Yard Farmers and Ranchers Market has new leadership. Sonny Naegelin of Naegelin Farms has taken over management duties from founders Heather Hunter and F. David Lent, according to…
K23 Gallery Announces May Show with Chilean Psych Outfit Föllakzoid
To complement their April psych offerings, K23 Gallery announced a gig with Chilean quartet Föllakzoid on May 7. Up from Santiago on a summer (or winter) tour, the band combines flailing psych guitars with the strict rhythm section of krautrock. Where the German bands used the backbeat-loving Motorik rhythm to maintain a clear head, Föllakzoid repurposes it as…
Cameron Redus Supporters To Rally At DA’s Office
Supporters of a University of Incarnate Word student who was shot and killed by a police officer will rally in front of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office Thursday morning. They are protesting a grand jury decision not to indict former UIW police officer Christopher Carter. Carter shot and killed Cameron Redus in December 2013…
One Year Later: An Uber Marriage To SA Failed To Lyft Off
Well, it’s been about a year and the relationship has already ended. San Antonio just couldn’t make it work with the ride-share companies Uber and Lyft. The Alamo City did want to make it work, though. City Council amended its vehicle-for-hire ordinance for the companies in an effort to keep the transportation network companies around.…
10 Suggestions For Ted Cruz’s Campaign Slogan, According To Twitter
Everyone’s favorite Tea Party blowhard Ted Cruz announced his candidacy for president yesterday, and the internet reacted with pure mockery. In response to the news, people are having a field day #TedCruzCampaignSlogans hashtag on Twitter. Cruz wouldn’t be such an easy target if he wasn’t a self-loathing Latino, a government-hating conservative, a climate science denier, or…
Former UIW Police Officer Who Shot And Killed Cameron Redus Evades Indictment
The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday afternoon that a former University of Incarnate Word police officer won’t be indicted for shooting Robert Cameron Redus. Former UIW police officer Christopher Carter shot Redus five times in the parking lot of The Treehouse Apartments after a traffic stop. Carter pulled Redus over for suspicion of…
9 Free Events Happening This Week
Tuesday, March 24 Think Out Loud Rosella, San Antonio’s go-to café for great quality coffee, food, beer and wine, announces its new partnership with KLRN to present Think Out Loud! Starting March 24, Rosella will host an open mic event every other Tuesday. Individuals will have the opportunity to showcase their talents in poetry, music,…
There Is Still A Chance For Uber In Bexar County
With San Antonio not budging on what ride-share companies describe as the toughest ordinance in the country, Windcrest, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park and Terrell Hills are stepping into the fray. And they want Uber to stay. At a press conference tomorrow, Windcrest Mayor Alan Baxter, Olmos Park Mayor Kenneth Farrimond and Alamo Heights Mayor Louis…
Alamo Bout: After Getting A Pink Slip, DRT Seeks Justice In Court
If they’re gonna go down, it won’t be quietly. The volunteer caretakers of that venerable shrine of Texas history we know as The Alamo just received a likely knockout punch from the state by being stripped of their duties. But they’re not out of the count yet — not at least without trying to land…
SA Food Pics: Badass Burgers, Bar Food And More
This week in SA Food Pics we have a lot of classic items with a couple of twists and turns. It doesn’t seem like the rain over the weekend stopped anyone from getting out and treating themselves. There was a crispy looking shrimp quesadilla from Cappy’s (5011 Broadway), a couple of juicy burgers from Esquire…
What I Ate: Cocktail Takeovers And Doughnuts At Pearl
Last week was filled with a wonderful mishmash of things — new cocktails via Matt Dulaney, meaty review visits to Dignowity Meats, way too much toast and a dinner visit to NAO for the debut of chef Sergio Remolina who’s heading a Modern Mexico menu at the student-filled restaurant. I finished out the week with…
Protestors Want Alamo Colleges’ Chancellor To Resign
Expect a raucous Alamo Colleges’ Board of Trustees meeting tonight. Students, faculty, staff and community members will protest Alamo Colleges’ Chancellor Bruce Leslie’s leadership, organizers say. They want him to resign. Leslie’s plan to do away with majors at the campuses is a swirling controversy that isn’t going away. Protestors include faculty and students from…
Parallelephants Debut Video For ‘Online Baptism’
On 2014’s Extended Play One, San Antonio’s Parallelephants delight in tidiness, Wes Anderson-ian arrangement and fine cuts of cloth. So it’s no surprise that their new video “Online Baptism” does just the same, showing off the band’s Chic guitars and a pair of super-fresh off-white loafers. “Are you patient?” asks singer Thom Sykes, kicking off the tune.…
Flower Jesus Debuts New Song “Buddha and Crowley”
San Anto psych quintet Flower Jesus posted a new tune, “Buddha & Crowley,” before their set at Paper Tiger this weekend. Named after the Indian sage and British occultist Aleister Crowley, the single opens with backmasking and cellphone errors before opening up into a rock ‘n’ roll stomp. Over an arpeggiated backbone and thick marinations…
Hey, Buuudddies: Pauly Shore Hit Up One Lucky Duck
Pauly Shore, ye of Encino Man, Bio-Dome, Son In Law and In The Army Now fame, visited the Pearl’s Local Coffee and One Lucky Duck this weekend after his River Center Comedy Club shows on Friday and Saturday. The 47-year-old (if he’s 47, then I was a zygote when Encino Man was released) comedic actor…
Plaintiffs In Texas Gay Marriage Case Give Birth To Second Child
A couple who is fighting Texas’ same-sex marriage ban is celebrating the birth of their second child. Nicole Dimetman DeLeon and Cleo DeLeon announced the weekend birth in a press release. “Labor is scary and anything can happen. I had an infection as a complication of labor that led to an emergency C-section. A day…
Andrew Zimmern Visits Restaurant Gwendolyn, El Machito
Update: Wednesday, March 24, 2015, 6:05 p.m. Bizarre Food’s Andrew Zimmern confirmed via Twitter that the show is doing a San Antonio-centric episode. Yes, an all SA episode! RT @SAcurrent: Andrew Zimmern Visits Gwendolyn, El Machito http://t.co/rXB8TxsJxz @BizarreFoods @andrewzimmern — Andrew Zimmern (@andrewzimmern) March 24, 2015 Original post continues below. Looks like Mixtli…
This Map Plots Out (Almost) Every Place Willie Nelson Namechecks In Song
A new map from the folks at CityLab attempts to plot out every place Willie Nelson has namechecked in song, and it’s sure to please cartography nuts and lovers of true Texas country alike. The effort coincides with Nelson’s new tour, which takes the Texas troubadour on the road (again). He has three sold-out shows…
Four San Antonio Students Are At The White House Science Fair
Despite their initial experiment blowing up during a rocket launch last fall, four Alamo City students from Hobby Middle School successfully sent a a science project to the International Space Station. And on Monday, they got to show off their experiment dubbed “Crystal Tetris” at the 5th White House Science Fair. A rocket carried their…
Burger Hangover Day One: Thee Oh Sees, Warm Soda
The Burger Hangover festival at The Korova was the most LA I’ve ever seen San Antonio. With 19 bands on the dual stages set up for the two -day garage gig, the venue was filled with flowing hair, cassette tapes, fashionable accessories, Golden State attitude and the smell of weed lingering in denim. Warm Soda…
Ted Cruz Is Trolling Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz just announced that he is running for president and the laughs are already starting. An attorney from Arizona, also named Ted Cruz, is having a laugh at the presidential candidate’s expense after registering the web domain www.tedcruz.com, Mother Jones reported last May. Apparently, Arizona Ted Cruz registered the domain back in 2008. There’s…
5 Things You Have To Do This Week
Monday, March 23 The Race For Mayor Debate KLRN’s Rick Casey moderates this debate between faculty from SAC’s Political Science Department and mayoral candidates Tommy Adkisson, Ivy Taylor, Leticia Van de Putte and Mike Villarreal. The debate provides candidates an opportunity to discuss issues and policies relevant to the people of Alamo City. Free, 6:30pm…
Government-Hating Ted Cruz Wants To Be Your President
Camera-happy, former Canadian Ted Cruz, the junior senator for the state of Texas, officially announced his candidacy for president last night via Twitter. He posted a video incorporating shots of farmland and baseball and churches because America. Yesterday’s announcement makes Cruz the first major political figure to officially announce his candidacy for president in the…
Paper Tiger Day Two: Roky Erickson, Jacco Gardner
Closing out the second night of Paper Tiger’s insane opening weekend extravaganza, Jacco Gardner and Roky Erickson put on a veritable psych-rock clinic, each in turn plying their own brand of lysergic bliss. For their part, Gardner and his band patiently meandered through a set of jangly, mildly austere, baroque-pop-leaning psych-rock. The Dutch artist’s warm…
Paper Tiger Opening Day One: Iceage, Spokesmodel
The smell of fresh paint slowly gave way to beer, sweat and rain on the Friday opening of the Paper Tiger. The deep blue coat, blending well with the new house lights, was one of several new additions to the venue formerly known as The White Rabbit. Bitchin’ new speakers, a second stage, $4 dollar…
A Portrait Of The Artists As A Young Band: A Day With The Rich Hands At SXSW
It’s hard to say how the Rich Hands fit in to SXSW. In theory, the three-piece is exactly who the festival was built for: a rising young band, with no shortage of talent or potential that fits right into the festival’s stated goal of providing “a launching pad for new creative content.” But as anyone…
Pinche Flood Watch: Changes To San Antonio Beer Week Opening Ceremonies
According to the National Weather Service, it’s going to rain a lot over the next 24 hours. To keep people dry while enjoying local brews the opening ceremonies for SA Beer Week, slated for Saturday, March 21 from 4:30 to 9 p.m. will now be held at seven different bars across the city, and not outdoors…
A Portion Of Historic Blue Star Complex To Be Demolished For New Four-Story Development
A number of residential units at the Blue Star Arts complex will be demolished to make way for a new four-story, mixed-use development. The San Antonio Current has obtained a notice that was distributed to Blue Star residents informing them of the plans. The letter indicated that a portion of Building 125, which is toward…
There’s A New French-Style Bakery In Town
I’m a fan of twee places. I’m an even bigger fan of twee places filled with French-style pastries. The owners of Saveurs 209 (209 Broadway) have opened La Boulangerie (207 Broadway) adjacent to their first eatery and Francophiles with a sweet tooth will definitely enjoy this one. Hours for La Boulangerie will be 7:30 a.m.…
Party’s Over for Local Fraternity Chapter At Trinity University
Less than two weeks after a viral video of a University of Oklahoma fraternity inspired outrage across the country, a local incident centered on a national fraternity sparked controversy right here in San Antonio. On Thursday, March 19, Trinity University conclusively announced its decision to permanently revoke a local San Antonio chapter of Pi Kappa…
SPONSORED: Hey, ‘Grease’ Fans, The Playhouse Is Hosting Rydell Idol
Calling all Pink Ladies and T-Birds: The Playhouse San Antonio is giving you a chance to be a part of their Live Lip Dub event promoting their upcoming production of Grease. Dust off your leather jacket, or pull out the poodle skirt and arrive ready to go in your best Grease attire. Note that there…
Recognizing Tejano History In Texas Is An Ongoing Effort
One of the great things about being a reporter is the response you receive after writing a story that resonates with people. Such was the case with our story “Texas Slowly Making Strides to Recognize Tejano History.” After this story published, I received an email from Joe Arciniega. Much like Sylvia Navarro Tillotson, who is related…
First Time Actress And Clark Grad Devon Keller On Her Lead Role In ‘Petting Zoo’
In the drama Petting Zoo, lead actress Devon Keller plays Layla, a college-bound high school student living in San Antonio who is faced with some major life choices when she finds out she is pregnant. While it might not sound like much on paper, filmmaker and San Antonio native Micah Magee directs Keller, also from…
Travel Channel’s Andrew Zimmern Visited Mixtli This Week
San Antonio’s getting another 15-minutes of fame in the near future. Chef Andrew Zimmern, of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods, visited Mixtli (5251 McCullough Ave.), the little box car that could, this Thursday. Staff reports that Zimmern was affable and the shoot lasted several hours as the five-person crew plated dishes from their Oaxaca menu, an ambergris…
A Crash Course Playlist For The Burger Records Hangover Fest
To satisfy your craving for the best garage rock the 21st century has to offer, Californian’s Burger Records will fulfill your hunger with their Hangover Fest. [Related Story: Our Guide To The Garage Rock Party Of The Burger Hangover Fest] Featuring over 20 bands, BHF offers something for everyone’s taste buds while still keeping in…
‘The Walking Deceased’ Scrapes Bottom of Horror Comedy Barrel
These days, if a director or screenwriter wants to jump brain first into the zombie subgenre, he or she better have one hell of an idea for it to stand out from the crowd. Throw the word “spoof” into the mix, and the mission is likely to be damn near impossible. Unless there’s a fun…
The Nation’s Oldest Female Veteran Passed Away This Week In San Antonio
Lucy Coffey, 108, the country’s oldest female veteran died yesterday morning, the Bexar County Veterans Service Office announced. Coffey served during World War II. “She is an incredible lady who will be missed dearly,” the Veterans Service Office said in a Facebook post. “Her contributions to our country and community will never be forgotten.” Last…
SAPD Captures Suspect In 210 Kapone’s Shooting
Update: The suspect is in custody. Police caught him at 6 p.m. this afternoon in Converse. The San Antonio Police Department is searching for a 34-year-old man named Faustino Vazquez. Vazquez, also known as Celestino Vasquez or by “Kasper,” is accused of murdering 45-year-old Pete L. Gonzales last Sunday outside of 210 Kapone’s. Gonzales, the…
Major Upheaval At The Yard Farmers And Ranchers Market Leads To Closure
Update, Thursday, March 19, 2:36 p.m. The Yard has released a statement on their official Facebook page. To all of our loyal customers, market members and followers, This past week has been truly challenging for us as we continue the fight to bring locally grown foods and sustainablity to the San Antonio community. An unfortunate…
Brisket Bandit Hits The Web
At around 11 p.m. last night the infamous Brisket Bandit allegedly jumped on Reddit to host an Ask Me Anything under the username BrisketBandit. About 20 comments have already been submitted including many users asking for proof that he is indeed the Brisket Bandit. Unfortunately, the user didn’t provide any concrete proof, as he’s mostly…
San Anto Throwback Thursday: Patricia Vonne’s “Traeme Paz”
Featured on the soundtrack to the ’03 shoot-em-up Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Patricia Vonne’s “Traeme Paz” begins with a classical Spanish guitar before a gunpowder electric riff lays down suppressing fire. Through three minutes, it’s a dramatic affair, with SA native Vonne singing to a former love, pleading with them to return to…
Funeral Arrangements For 210 Kapone’s Owner Set
Pete L. Gonzales will be laid to rest next Tuesday. The owner of 210 Kapone’s was murdered Sunday morning by a patron who was kicked out of the club. The funeral will be Monday with a viewing from 5 to 7 p.m. followed by a rosary at Porter Loring Mortuary at Interstate 35 and Mcullough.…
10 Shows To See This Weekend
Thursday-Sunday, March 19-March 22 SouthXSouthtown One positive side effect of all the SXSW spillover shows we see this time of year — aside from the influx of traveling bands — is that they get local bands playing more frequently, too. The SouthXSouthtown Concert Series features both traveling and local talent, and plenty of it (more…
Toro Taco Bar Readies For March 20 Opening
The Eastside is about to get a new chef-driven bar concept we’re aching to hang out in. Opened by chefs Josh Cross and Rick Frame, Toro Taco Bar (114 Brooklyn Ave.) will open its gates this Friday as part of Contemporary Art Month. The opening slated for Friday, March 20 at 5 p.m. with agave-based…
Numero Group Announces Royal Jesters Reissue
Chicago-based reissue label Numero Group announced the June 20 release of their second San Antonio project, focusing on Chicano Soul outfit the Royal Jesters. Founded by Oscar Lawson and Henry Hernández, the Royal Jesters were inspired by the doo-wop and sock hop music of the ’50s, helping to establish San Antonio’s renowned West Side Sound…
Our Guide To The Garage Rock Party Of Burger Hangover Fest
Peep into Burger Records in Fullerton, California and you’ll see label owners Sean Bohrman and Lee Rickard working in a fast-forward gust at any hour of the day. Hair to their shoulders, records in hand, the pair works non-stop from the store’s all-in-one couch/bed/office/radio studio. Since the store opened in 2009, Bohrman and Rickard have…
San Antonio Legend Eva Ybarra Shines In ‘La Reina Del Acordeón’
Blown away. That’s how Joel Settles remembers feeling after seeing Eva Ybarra perform in October of 2012. At that time, Settles was working as theater arts director at SAY Sí and had booked Ybarra to perform at the nonprofit’s annual Muertitos Fest. After the show, Settles pitched a music video concept to Ybarra, who upped…
Back-To-Back SA Tattoo Conferences Expose Rift
Two tattoo expos are vying for the same San Antonio audience this month. And the bad blood between them seems to be at the boiling point. The 12th annual Slinging Ink Tattoo Expo, which takes place at the Freeman Coliseum this weekend, is getting competition for the first time with another tattoo event – one…
Savage Love: Loving Couples
I’m a straight guy in my 30s dating a woman in her mid-20s. We’ve been together for a year, and I’m crazy about her. In love, even. She’s gorgeous, sweet, kind, loving, and very sexual. She’s perfect. In her late teens and early 20s, she had a wild sex life. She attended sex parties, had…
San Antonio Producer Derek Lee Nixon On His New Spoof ‘The Walking Deceased’
How ironic that only a week after the San Antonio Current’s cover story on a fake zombie movie from a wannabe San Antonio filmmaker, another SA-based zombie flick (one that was actually made) has clawed its way into the spotlight. Shot entirely in San Antonio early last year, the zombie spoof The Walking Deceased will…
The Home Vidiot: Hobbits, Kinky Sex And TV
March’s biggest video releases are The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, at least one of which seems unnecessarily protracted. No matter how well a movie does at the box office, most people wait to see it at home. But there are also so many unusual and…
6 Ways To Get Your Drink/Grub On This Week
Friday, March 20: The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium will be the place for beer lovers to sample the Pedernales Brewing Company’s lineup as they take over the taps with their Hill Country brews. Meet the brewers and owners, sip on Robert Earl Keen’s Honey Pilsner beer and enjoy Lobo Negro, which earned a Great American…
Flavor File: Boutique Foodstuffs Via Pantry Provisions, Lowcountry Pop-Up And More
The next time you’re shopping around trying to source salt flakes, give Ben Annotti a call. The Chicago native, who most recently spent two years working at JW Marriott’s umbrella of restaurants, launched Pantry Provisions, a web-based food and drink bodega where he ships out hard-to-find ingredients from around the country. Bourbon smoked sea salt…
Free Will Astrology, Week of March 16
ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’re entering a time and space known as the Adlib Zone. In this territory, fertile chaos and inspirational uncertainty are freely available. Improvised formulas will generate stronger mojo than timeworn maxims. Creativity is de rigueur, and street smarts count for more than book-learning. May I offer some mottoes to live by…
Our Picks For The Free, Three-Day Opening Of Paper Tiger
There’s no easy way to build on the ashes of The White Rabbit, a music institution in SA for nearly two decades. But, throwing a free three-day festival with a stacked lineup of this caliber just might do the trick. This weekend, the newly christened Paper Tiger will open its doors with a top-notch gathering…
Espresso Gallery Is Perfect Spot To Relive Your College Dorm Days
Espresso Gallery is truly the living room of SA coffee shops. Since The Foundry’s untimely closing three years ago, loyal customers have been mourning the loss of a hang out that felt like home and the community that came with it. Owner Aaron Garza, who worked at The Foundry for almost five years, has tried…
Texas Slowly Making Strides To Recognize Tejano History
Every good Texas child learns about Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie dying heroically at the Alamo and, of course, about the “Father of Texas,” Stephen F. Austin. But few know that only two native Texans signed the Lone Star State’s Declaration of Independence, and they weren’t Anglos. The rest of the signers were immigrants. Yet…
5 Hop-Filled SA Beer Week Events
Saturday, March 21: Take a stroll to Main Plaza for the San Antonio Beer Week Kickoff Party. Blue Star Ice House will stage a tap takeover with no remorse for your liver or wallet. San Antonio’s own Cryin’ D.T. Buffkin & the Bad Breath will start the festivities with powerful drinking songs driven by smoky…
Don Marsh’s The Bar: High-Class Flavor With An Academic Touch
I had preconceived notions about The Bar. Trust me — whatever you make of it before heading in will be wrong. Created by the cocktail-savvy minds behind Bar 1919, The Bar might have the worst name for SEO purposes, but I doubt they care about that and, frankly, neither should you. The Bar (hard not…
But For Its Exquisite Gelato, Napa Flats Falls, Well, Flat
It’s not often San Antonio gets College Station transplants by way of eateries (though I would never pass up on a Harvey Washbangers or their famous chocolate peanut butter pie). That’s now changed with the introduction of Napa Flats to the Vineyard Shopping Center off Loop 1604 and Blanco, though I’m still on the fence…
