The Damned will bring pogo-ready punk to the Paper Tiger on Wednesday. Credit: Shutterstock / chrisjamesryanphotography

Live music in San Antonio this week is a mix of old and new.

Veteran acts such as punk stalwarts the Damned and death-rock trailblazers Altar de Fey are bringing their tunes to town, as are up-and-comers ranging from the shoegaze-inspired Queen Serene to the charmingly rocking Lemon Twigs. Let’s take a look.

Wednesday, May 21

The Damned, TV Smith’s The Adverts

Every punk fan who had their head shattered when they heard the Damned’s “Brand New Rose,” stand up and be counted! Although the Damned were at the forefront of UK punk, having dropped a record before even the Sex Pistols, they’re still out there milking it. Are they only in it for the money? Who cares? They’re the freaking Damned. Go see them before you can’t. $45, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — Bill Baird

Thursday, May 22

Queen Serene, Neon Lemon, Freund

Queen Serene are one of Austin’s best new bands, nimbly fusing shoegaze, indie, noise rock and pleasingly melodic interludes. It’s really good stuff, and they drop jaws live. Neon Lemon and Freund fall squarely into the Austin psych-rock tradition. If that’s your thing, you’ll probably appreciate their take on a classic Texas sound. $10, 9 p.m., Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 455-0233, thelonesomerosesa.com. — BB

Saturday, May 24

Bakersfield, TX; Fancy & The Fortunate Sons; Gelina

Like our very own homegrown Patsy Cline, Fancy is a powerhouse country vocalist who can croon ’til the cows come home. Self-named after the song written and performed by Bobbie Gentry in 1969, San Antonio’s Fancy earned her name with hard times, which come through in her blues-infused ballads. Her band evokes Americana roots of its own with a nod to swamp rockers Creedence Clearwater Revival. Austin cowboys Bakersfield, TX and SA singer-songwriter Gelina round out the bill. $10, 9:30 p.m., Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 455-0233, thelonesomerosesa.com. — Stephanie Koithan

Altar de Fey, Ex-Heir, Primitive Figure, Nocturnal Prose

After-hours coffee shop and DIY venue O’Death Cafe is hosting a stacked goth lineup this Saturday, with early ’80s death-rock pioneers Altar de Fey from San Francisco as headliner. Though the band’s original recordings never saw official release, that only added to the mystique as it amassed a cult — and cvlt — following. Locals Ex-Heir and Nocturnal Prose join Altar de Fey on the lineup. DJs Ely Bat and Rickbats also will spin tunes. $20, 7:30 p.m., O’Death Cafe, 3851 Culebra Road, instagram.com/odeath_. — SK

Sunday, May 25

Wallows, Porches

After years of building momentum, Wallows’ SoCal surf-punk sound appears be cresting like a wave on the Pacific. This sold-out Memorial Day Weekend performance should be a treat for fans and new listeners alike — assuming they have already landed tickets or are willing to pay up on the resale market. Sold out, 7 p.m., The Espee, 1174 E. Commerce St., (210) 226-5700, theespee.com. — Danny Cervantes

White Denim, Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Egg

Vocalist and guitarist James Petralli and bassist Steve Terebecki formed the indie-rock duo White Denim in Austin in 2006. Since then, the pair has created its own distinctive rock sound which draws on prog, jazz and psychedelic influences — that mix seems rooted in the ’70s, it probably is, but White Denim puts its own stamp on the whole blend. $25, 8 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com. — DC

Tuesday, May 27

The Lemon Twigs, New Attractions

The Lemon Twigs are both charmingly twee and classic-rock shredders. Part of the twee vibe stems from the band’s looks — its members resemble a cross between the Bay City Rollers and early Todd Rundgren. Musically, though, the group leans more in the Rundgren direction, kicking ass in an early-’70s Big Star kind of way. Thankfully, it’s both sincere and tongue-in-cheek, but who isn’t in this postmodern world? Excellent local openers New Attractions also mine a ’70s vibe but lean more toward early Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. $20, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — BB

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed

Related Stories

This article appears in May 14-27, 2025.

Sanford Nowlin is editor-in-chief of the San Antonio Current. He holds degrees from Trinity University and the University of Texas at San Antonio, and his work has been featured in Salon, Alternet, Creative...