Retiring reggaeton superstar Daddy Yankee's Saturday stop at the AT&T Center is clearly the hot ticket on this week's live music calendar.
Didn't snap up tickets? Don't like reggaeton? Fear not, because there are plenty of other options, including SA ivory tickler Doc Watkins playing a jazz Christmas show, Chicago artist Victor Internet bringing his electric sounds to town and Brownsville-based darkwave duo Twin Tribes returning to give us all the gothy feels.
Wednesday, Dec. 14
Doc Watkins
Some of us have seen the meme: "It's not Christmas until I see Snoopy eating 37 human femurs." Sure, it's a little dark, but it's a basic truth. It's not the season without Charlie Brown and his holiday antics. Local jazz stalwart Doc Watkins knows this. His performance will include holiday arrangement of big band standards and — of course — a helping of the Vince Guaraldi Trio's Charlie Brown classics. Yes, we're quite sure that includes "Linus and Lucy." $34.50-$85, 7:30 p.m., Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — Mike McMahan
Thursday, Dec. 15
Capstan, In Her Own Words, Cherie Amour and Shallow Pools
Post-hardcore outfit Capstan is everything a 20-something could want out of a band: spiffy-looking dudes whose music is all about emotion. To that end, the group fits in with similar acts Knuckle Puck and The Story So Far — outfits that seem to constantly brood over relationships that went south. Nasally vocals are a staple in Capstan, but musically, the band veers between melodic post-hardcore and pop-friendly vibes. $18-$22. 7 p.m., Vibes Event Center, 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 255-3833, vibeseventcenter.com. — Brianna Espinoza
Victor Internet
Chicago-born artist Victor Cervantes is better known as Victor Internet. In 2017, he became an internet star after getting over 8 million streams with "Tinder Song." Inspired by artists such as Frank Ocean and Kevin Abstract, he blends R&B, pop and experimental sounds — and he often sings in Spanish, an ode to his Mexican American heritage. "I think I want to keep doing that ... just kind of exploring all these different production styles and just seeing what works best," he told the Chicago Tribune about his eclectic approach. $18-$20, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary's St., (210) 310-5047, papertigersatx.com. — Marco Aquino
Thursday, Dec. 15 + Friday, Dec. 16
Randall King
For these shows, country music traditionalist Randall King will bring some two-stepping and twang to Christmas favorites. The two-night stand is billed as Neon Christmas. Thursday's show will highlight King's acoustic side, accompanied by Josh Ward and Dan Smalley, while Friday will crank things up with his full band. King cites influences including Alan Jackson, George Strait and Jason Aldean, which should give you an idea of what to expect. Thursday night $20, Friday night sold out, 8 p.m., Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, (830) 606-1281, gruenehall.com. — MM
Saturday, Dec. 16
Daddy Yankee
From collaborating with N.O.R.E. on the 2004 anthem "Oye Mi Canto," which helped bring reggaeton to American audiences, to appearing on Janet Jackson's "Made for Now" music video in 2018, Daddy Yankee has never shied from celebrating his Afro-Latino roots. Those projects were joyful, unabashed celebrations of cultural pride. Yankee also gave us sexy international mega-hits including 2004's "Gasolina" and 2017's "Despacito," all the while changing the cultural landscape and paving the way for a younger generation of artists including Bad Bunny and Ozuna. On the Última Vuelta World Tour, in support of his seventh and final album Legendaddy, Yankee bids farewell to his fans and puts the final stamp on a career spanning three decades. Following a Sept. 14 show at the AT&T Center, this will be Yankee's second and final stop in San Antonio before he retires. $105-$596, 8 p.m., AT&T Center, 1 AT&T Center Parkway, (210) 444-5000, attcenter.com. — MA
Saturday, Dec. 17
Geoff Tate
Ex-Queensrÿche singer Geoff Tate focused on his former band's albums Rage For Order and Empire the last time he came through SA. This go-round, the operatic vocalist is pulling from all phases of the progressive metal act's catalog. Expect a few deep cuts, and don't be surprised if a Christmas song pops up. And don't expect anything from his solo records, either. This gig is strictly for people who were grouchy when the Tate-less Queensrÿche came through with Judas Priest last month. $25-$87, 8 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary's St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — MM
Blue October
Originally from Houston, Blue October hit it big when the 2006 album Foiled went platinum and spawned the hit singles "Hate Me" and "Into the Ocean." Since then, the band has racked up plenty more singles that have landed on the alt-rock charts. Blue October's latest album, Spinning the Truth Around Part 1, was released this fall and largely covers new artistic territory. "I'm just now getting into my R&B roots with this album," frontman Justin Furstenfeld recently told Spin Magazine, noting that his early influences included Michael Jackson and Marvin Gaye. $30.50-$70.50, 8 p.m., Tech Port Center + Arena, 3331 General Hudnell Dr., (210) 600-3699, techportcenter.com. — MA
Sunday, Dec. 18
Bri Bagwell, Jody Bartula and Jaret Ray Reddick
Country singer Bri Bagwell's musical journey started as a young girl, when she wrote poems and sang along to her cousin's karaoke tapes in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Things got more serious when she picked up a guitar during her days at the University of Texas at Austin. After Bagwell's first post-graduation job started to conflict with her creative aspirations, she dove into music full time. Turned out to be a good decision. Since then, she's won Female Artist of the Year nine times in the Texas Regional Radio Awards. This show is billed as a Texas Acoustic Song Swap, but expect Bagwell to showcase songs from her August release Corazón y Cabeza. $15-$80, 7 p.m., Sam's Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com. — Danny Cervantes
Twin Tribes, MVTANT, Primitive Figure and DJ Cris Convex
Luis Navarro and Joel Niño Jr. comprise the Brownsville-based darkwave duo Twin Tribes. The pair's dark, synth- and drum machine-fueled melodies evoke the feel of early-'80s Depeche Mode. The San Antonio show closes out the West Coast leg of Twin Tribes' winter tour, which included a sold-out performance in Los Angeles. The single "Shadows" offers a prime sample of the Twin Tribes aesthetic. $15, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary's St., (210) 310-5047, papertigersatx.com. — DC
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
