With a rising number of weekly DJ nights at San Antonio clubs, spinning is now becoming a thriving local music scene. From turntables, working a laptop and, to retro purists, playing cassettes and CDs, DJing is an art form San Antonio continues to appreciate.
We talked to New York turned San Antonio DJ Joshua K. Swensen about the local scene and some of the best spots to see local talent. You can catch Swensen spinning funk, disco and soul at The Squeezebox, the newest addition to the St. Mary’s Strip, every Tuesday night.
After describing the vibrant ’90s New York area house music scene, Swenson said “We have a very DJ-centric culture here. It’s one of the first things I noticed when I moved here three years ago.”
DJ craft isn’t as simple as pressing play on an Apple Laptop. There’s a process to both the creation and the performance, Swensen says. As a behind-the-turntable/laptop insider, he said performing is “like telling a story. I like to start out slow building the tension. Then when the crowd is warmed up you can drop it in hard.”
And because this is San Antonio, you’ve got a range to choose from. You can dance to cumbia, chill to R&B, or groove to the oldies. Here’s our roundup of DJ nights worth checking out.
Paramour
Sound Gallery
Popular Vinyl trading post Southtown Vinyl presents Sound Gallery, a collection of DSC and guest DJs spinning “deep house” and “eclectic grooves” on nothing but Vinyl.
7pm, Paramour, 102 9th St., (210) 340-9880
Blue Box
Wurd of Mouth Mondays with DJ Gibb
On Monday nights, the Pearl’s gourmet mixed-drink HQ hosts an old school night with DJ Gibb mixing everything from hip-hop and R&B to soul and funk.
Free, 10pm, Blue Box, 312 Pearl Parkway, (210) 227-2583
Franky Diablo’s
Hip-Hop -N- Wingz
A winning cocktail of live graffiti art, hip hop on vinyl, and 25¢ wings is sure to chase away the Monday blues.
Free, 8pm, Franky Diablo’s, 1301 E Roosevelt Ave., (210) 267-9958
The Korova
PuroSlam with DJ Donnie Dee
SA’s “only nationally certified poetry slam,” known for rowdy heckling and uncensored spoken word, goes down every Tuesday. In between sets, DJ Donnie Dee spins a wide-variety of jams to go along with the slams.
$1, 9:30pm, The Korova, 107 E. Martin St., (210) 995-7229
The Bang Bang Bar
You Spin Me Right Round Wednesdays with DJ Mighty Iris
If Wheel of Fortune, dance music and cheap drinks were combined, the Bang Bang Bar’s game show-themed Right Round Wednesdays DJ night has a genre wheel and whatever it lands on — heavy metal to “Anything for Selenasss” – will play for 30 minutes.
Free, 9pm, The Bang Bang Bar, 119 El Mio Dr., (210) 833-2203
Web House
RAHK Night with DJs Fiction, Rad Envelope and Jevonchi
On Wednesdays, RAHK Night will feature cutting-edge music, from club to trap to vaporwave, along with Russian brews and Eastern European food.
Free, 10pm, Web House, 320 Blanco Rd, (210) 531-0100
Tucker’s Kozy Korner
Funk, Oldies and R&B: All-Vinyl with DJ Plata
Every Wednesday night, iconic hot spot Tucker’s hosts a classic DJ Plata set with all-vinyl, proving that an aux cord doesn’t make just anybody an instant spinner.
Free, 8pm, Tucker’s Kozy Korner, 1338 E Houston St, (210) 320-2192
Hi-Tones
XV Wednesdays with DJs Riffle Effect and ISAAC_TX
Featuring the best throwback cumbia, ’90s pop and hip-hop, XV Wednesdays is like a quinceañera — minus the gigantic tulle gowns and pink 10-tiered cakes.
Free, 10pm, Hi-Tones, 621 E. Dewey Pl., (210) 785-8777
Fitzgerald’s Bar and Live Music
Decades Dance Party with DJs JustAngel and guests
With a promise of all of the following — ’80s, retro, new wave, nudisco, indie, electro, industrial, club classics — packed into a few solid hours of everything from Doing the Hustle to Voguing, Wednesdays is no longer hump day — it’s dance night.
Free, 10pm, Fitzgerald’s, 437 McCarty Rd., (210) 629-5141
Brass Monkey
Thursgayz with VJ Glitoris
That time of the week when you can see the light (Friday) get closer is now covered with diamonds and hung up like a disco ball. Thursgayz will feature Austin’s VJ Glitoris play “indie” and “electro,” plus extremely cheap drinks.
Free, 10pm, Brass Monkey, 2702 N St Mary’s St., (210) 480-4722
The Thirsty Camel
Retro Division Classic
Home to multiple DJs who switch it up every Friday, including JustAngel, Boi of Doom, Dante’s Prayer, Tim Deprived and Dogbone, Retro Division Classic spins alt-dance music, so don’t go expecting to do the “Macarena.”
Free, 10pm, The Thirsty Camel, 5307 McCullough Ave., (210) 780-0669
The Amp Room
Sunday EDM Night
As the Electric Daisy Carnival of DJ nights, on Sundays the Amp Room’s two stages are popping with both guest and house DJs, while fire dancers and beat boxers entice you to embrace the PLUR (Peace Love Unity Respect) life.
Free, 8pm, The Amp Room, 2407 N. Saint Mary’s St., (210) 320-2122
Bottom Bracket Social Club
Sundaze with DJs Minus and Ferno
The weekend wouldn’t be a success without free pizza, good music and $2 beer pong, so get yourself in check every Sunday at Sundaze.
Free, 8pm, Bottom Bracket Social Club, 1603 N. Colorado St., (210) 267-9160
This article appears in Aug 10-16, 2016.