BE A HERO FOR KIDS THIS SUMMER
Over 200,000 food-insecure children in our area lose access to free or reduced-price meals now that school is out for summer.
The good news is that you can help! With your support, the San Antonio Food Bank can provide no-cost nutritious meals, snacks, and groceries through our Summer Meals for Kids campaign.
DONATE TO HELP ENSURE NO CHILD GOES HUNGRY THIS SUMMER
FOOD: START A FOOD DRIVE
TIME: VOLUNTEER TO PREPARE MEALS
MONEY: EVERY $1 = 7 MEALS
VOICE: ENCOURAGE YOUR NETWORK TO GIVE
Give Help or Get Help at:
safoodbank.org/summermeals
VIA JOB FAIR
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22 | 8AM - NOON
VIA METRO CENTER, 1021 SAN PEDRO AVE., 78212 (FREE PARKING WILL BE AVAILABLE)
VIA will be accepting applications and conducting interviews for:
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in this issue
Issue 24-14 /// July 10 - 23, 2024
20 Feature
Fine Print
San Antonio’s Paper Trail printmaking show holding its 10th annual exhibition
09 News
The Opener News in Brief
Summer Break
White House proposes worker heat protections, pushing back on Texas’ ban on such rules
Interim Choice
San Antonio Animal Care Services declines to hire permanent director after national search
Bad Takes
Recent Supreme Court decision punishes the homeless for being homeless
Auditor’s Certification:
16
Calendar
Calendar Picks
20 Arts
23 Screens
True-Crime Thrills
Texas native Nora Zehetner tackles role as detective tracking serial killer in Boneyard
25 Food
Sake and Sounds
Yozora works magic with Japanese small plates and curated tunes
First Look
New San Antonio bar Slow Ride brings ‘70s sleaze to Government Hill
‘Sophisticated Twist’
New San Antonio restaurant Tryst to serve elevated Southern cuisine near the Pearl
31 Music
Honky-Tonk Evolution
Silverada, the former Mike and the Moonpies, will show off new name, fresh creative approach at Gruene Hall
Critics’ Picks
On
the Cover: The annual Paper Trail show has been celebrating print art in San Antonio for a decade. Cover design: Samantha Serna. Artwork: Irving Herrera.
Jaime Monzon
That Rocks/That Sucks
HSan Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh declined to hire a new permanent director for the city’s embattled Animal Care Services department following the conclusion of a months-long national search, turning down all 74 applicants for the role. City officials said their search for a new permanent ACS director will continue. In the meantime, Michael Shannon, director of SA’s Development Services Department, will lead on an interim basis.
The Biden administration last week proposed new rules designed to protect workers from extreme heat, a potentially critical move for worker safety in Texas after the state last year adopted a bill barring cities and counties from enforcing their own worker protections. Under the White House proposal, employers would be required to give workers water and rest breaks when temperatures reach certain thresholds. It would be the first ever federal mandate aimed at preventing heat-related worker deaths.
HAs global warming continues to intensify, the Lone Star State can expect an increasing number of severe weather events each year, climate scientists recently told the Texas Tribune One of the most significant effects of changing weather patterns will be on rainfall, which will becoming increasingly concentrated in major storms that will leave the rainier parts of the state at risk of flooding while the drier parts receive less moisture.
HA new mural of San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is turning heads. The mural, painted last weekend by street artist Alan Calvo on the side of the bar and grill Southtown 101, depicts the Spurs forward holding the planet Earth in his hand as a flying saucer zips across a galactic background. Calvo also is working on a second mural at Southtown 101 depicting the Colombian American pop star Kali Uchis — Abe Asher
YOU SAID IT!
“Joe Biden is a good man and has been a good president. But last week’s debate disturbingly demonstrated that he is unable
to effectively prosecute the case against Donald Trump — much less inspire and mobilize voters to the polls.”
— FormerSanAntonioMayorJuliánCastro
Sucking up pseudohistorian David Barton’s hot air with the Republican Party
Assclown Alert is a column of opinion, analysis and snark.
GOP insiders just can’t seem to get enough of Christian nationalist bullshit artist David Barton.
Barton, a Texas-based pseudo-historian who’s made a career out of falsely claiming that the U.S. was founded as an explicitly Christian nation, will once again serve on the committee that drafts the Republican Party’s platform before its national convention, Right Wing Watch reports.
Barton’s priority? To make sure the platform lines up with the first 12 chapters of the book of Genesis. Never mind the U.S. Constitution, of course, because according to Barton’s widely debunked claims, that document doesn’t call for separation of church and state.
During a late-June installment of his radio program, Barton explained that those books of Genesis are all about God creating man, woman and families, which means he wants to see the party telling people they can’t identify as anything but their birth gender, Right Wing Watch reports. He also claimed those text call for further restricting abortion access.
“Back in the Old Testament law, God talked about the penalties for taking unborn life. So that’s a big deal in the first 12 chapters of Genesis,” Barton said. “And then it says, ‘And he made them male and female.’ So now we get gender
involved in it. Four times it says that God made them male and female, so giving up on gender stuff, or Title IX and letting that go away, those are social issues but they are the top issues of God.”
Despite Barton’s claims that he’s an expert in history and constitutional law, he holds no formal credentials in either, and the only non-ceremonial degree he appears to have earned is a bachelor’s in Christian education from Oral Roberts University.
Of course, that hasn’t stopped GOP zealots like U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and former U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachmann from praising Barton’s deliberately skewed take on reality. Voters — at least those of us not eager to live in a theocracy — would do well to reject anyone who lines up to guzzle this assclown’s manure-flavored Kool-Aid. — Sanford Nowlin
The state of Texas plans to increase a fund aimed at expanding its power grid in the wake of an ERCOT forecast predicting electricity demand will nearly double by 2030. Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick last week said they want to increase funding for the Texas Energy Fund from $5 billion to $10 billion, adding that the ERCOT forecast’s numbers “call for an immediate review of all policies concerning the grid.”
A Texas law banning social media companies from censoring users’ content based on their political views remains blocked after the U.S. Supreme Court sent a lawsuit back to a lower court for relitigation. Justice Elena Kagan, writing for the majority, wrote that lower courts hadn’t fully considered the full scope of the state law and a similar law challenged in Florida. The Florida law will also remain blocked as the legal case continues.
The San Antonio mayoral race gained another candidate last week when developer Robert Melvin entered the contest to replace Mayor Ron Nirenberg. Melvin, founder and CEO of construction firm Limitless Creations, has never held elected office but did work in former Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s administration. His business made headlines last year after one of its subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy. Melvin told the San Antonio Business Journal the turn of events left him “wiser and humbled.” — Abe Asher
Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore
Courtesy Photo ERCOT
AUCTION
5326191FG05174984631900OTHER-NOTINLISTOTHER$656.50 5410178CAHC2001201900OTHER-NOTINLISTOTHER$656.50 5637349PLE16731A7971997POLARISOTHER$655.30 6676399WELB057M79B1979OTHER-NOTINLISTOTHER$3,197.70 66891300ABA5BBG703294R1999OTHER-NOTINLISTOTHER$3,089.45 68702584WNTC08756861900BOAT-GENERICBOAT$1032.70 6942002AQ04143792242004OTHER-NOTINLISTOTHER$1,097.65 6958387L6ZDCJLA4E10006132014GENERALCYCLEOTHER$1,097.65 6966177LK8SCLLB5LY9072482020AMCOTHER$1,162.60 695091100137291900OTHER-NOTINLISTOTHER$2,105.60 69372460127341900OTHER-NOTINLISTOTHER$2,105.60
Summer Break
White House proposes worker heat protections, pushing back on Texas’ ban on such rules
BY SANFORD NOWLIN
The Biden White House on Tuesday proposed new rules requiring employers to shield workers from heat — a step toward overriding a law Gov. Greg Abbott signed last year which bans Texas municipalities from passing their own workplace-safety rules.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposal would require employers to give water and rest breaks to both indoor and outdoor workers when temperatures reach certain thresholds. It would be the first federal mandate aimed at preventing heat-related workplace deaths.
Labor advocates argue those protections are increasingly necessary as climate change creates hotter conditions across the country. Last year was the hottest ever recorded in Texas, and at least 334 people here died from extreme heat last year, according to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Interim Choice
“Workers all over the country are passing out, suffering heat stroke and dying from heat exposure from just doing their jobs, and something must be done to protect them,” Douglas L. Parker, assistant secretary for occupational safety and health, said in a statement.
“Today’s proposal is an important next step in the process to receive public input to craft a ‘win-win’ final rule that protects workers while being practical and workable for employers.”
Texas last fall adopted House Bill 2127, a GOP-backed measure many called the “Death Star bill,” which barred cities and counties from enacting, aong other progressive policies, worker protections such as mandated water breaks. A Travis County judge last summer ruled the law unconstitutional, but Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed the ruling and it remains in effect as court challenges play out.
Prior to the passage of HB 2127, Austin and Dallas, required 10-minute
water breaks every four hours. San Antonio had been weighing its own heat-protection ordinance before the state law blocked it from doing so. Even so City Council passed a water-break requirement for city contractors.
OSHA’s rule-making process often takes seven years, but the Department of Labor and OSHA prioritized and expedited the new rules, according to U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, a Democrat whose district includes parts of both San Antonio and Austin.
“For decades, workers have been organizing for federal protections from the extreme heat. Despite opposition from big corporations, these working families are finally winning the protections they deserve,” Casar said in a statement.
Casar staged a “thirst strike” protest
San Antonio Animal Care Services declines to hire permanent director after national search
BY MICHAEL KARLIS
Well, back to the drawing board.
San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh has opted not to hire any of the 74 candidates who applied via a national search to take over as permanent director of the city’s troubled Animal Care Services department, officials revealed last week. Instead, Walsh appointed Michael Shannon, director of San Antonio’s Development Services Department, as interim ACS director. Staff will continue working to land a permanent leader for the department, city officials said. Word of Shannon’s selection comes after animal advocates demanded the
city hire an outsider following a string of high-profile dog attacks that grabbed headlines and drew scrutiny to the department’s lack of staffing.
“I appreciate and want to thank the ACS Board and a multitude of stakeholders who were involved in the process,” Walsh said in a statement. “Their engagement will continue as we move forward.”
City officials were unavailable for immediate comment on why Walsh opted not to hire one of the dozens of applicants who submitted resumes during the search.
Shannon served on the ACS Board of Directors for four years but otherwise had no experience working with the
department during his 22-year career with the city. Instead, the interim director is a civil engineer whose current role includes overseeing land development, zoning, permitting, building inspections, code enforcement and graffiti abatement, the city said in a press release.
Shannon takes over after the departure of longtime ACS Director Shannon Sims, who retired earlier than expected. Sims’ reign was marred by the string of dog attacks and public scrutiny over the department’s understaffing and inability to respond to residents’ calls.
Sims vacated his post last month after giving an acerbic speech in which he described his critics as “social media terrorists.”
Among the candidates Walsh opted not to hire to replace Sims were ACS Assistant to the Director Shannon Oster-Gabrielson and ACS Chief Operations Officer Bethany Colonnese. Animal advocates were critical of both potential hires after an investigation by
with Texas workers on the steps of the U.S. Capitol last summer.
“Greg Abbott tried to take rest breaks away from everyday Texans, but now we’re one step closer to securing heatprotections for all Americans on the job,” the congressman added. “Employers can adopt OSHA’s proposed rule and protect their workers today. For those workplaces who don’t, I will work with the Biden Administration to finalize this rule as soon as possible.”
Extreme heat results in more annual deaths than any other weather-related health risk, Environmental Protection Agency research shows. More than 14,000 Americans have died directly from heat-related causes since 1979, according to death certificates.
the Current revealed they were up for consideration.
Oster-Gabrielson had been critical of City Council members in text messages and made what some considered dismissive remarks after the city wrongfully euthanized three canines last summer, records show.
Meanwhile, emails obtained by the Current found that disagreements between Colonnese and an outside consultant preceded a falling out between the department and nonprofit Petco Love.
Shutterstock / chalermphon_tiam
Michael Karlis
Recent Supreme Court decision punishes the homeless for being homeless
BY KEVIN SANCHEZ
Editor’s Note: Bad Takes is a column of opinion and analysis.
The majestic equality of the law prohibits the rich and the poor alike from sleeping under bridges, from begging in the streets, and from stealing bread.
— Anatole France, “The Red Lily,” 1894
It is in the highest degree incumbent upon us to do the most for those who need the most. ... [Common possession] is to be maintained as to whatever nature has produced for the common use of men … in the sense of the Greek proverb, ‘All things are common among friends.’ Whatever one can give without suffering detriment should be given even to an entire stranger. — Cicero, “On Moral Duties,” 44 BCE
At least 600,000 Americans lack a fixed nighttime residence.
Texas’ shortage of affordable housing fueled a 12% rise in homelessness last year, according to federal estimates the Texas Tribune reported on in late June. “More than 27,000 Texans didn’t have a permanent roof over their heads in 2023,” the Tribune’s Joshua Fechter wrote. Of those, 11,700 experienced unsheltered homelessness, “meaning they slept in their cars, under bridges or in other places not fit for human habitation.”
The annual Point-in-Time Count is a single-night snapshot of homelessness conducted by hundreds of volunteers every winter, when the cold is likeliest to drive unsheltered folks indoors. The 2024 count tallied 3,372 individuals experiencing homelessness in Bexar County, 249 of them veterans. When asked whether they suffered from psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety or schizophrenia, 24% of the total said yes.
Compassion is a natural reaction to the plight of people experiencing homelessness. But on June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court bravely charted another course. The question the justices were asked to resolve by dozens of cities and states to resolve was this: can
the government fine and jail those who are involuntarily homeless for camping in public parks, even when there are insufficient shelter beds available? Or do such penalties qualify as the infliction of “cruel and unusual punishment,” violating the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment?
In Grants Pass, Oregon, the petitioner in the case, the fines ranged from $295 for a first offense — rising to $537 if left unpaid — to $1,250 and 30 days in jail for criminal trespassing. Six justices said there was no constitutional issue, while three dissented.
Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch said that Grants Pass “forbids ‘occupy[ing] a campsite’ on public property ‘for the purpose of maintaining a temporary place to live’. Under the city’s laws, it makes no difference whether the charged defendant is homeless, a backpacker on vacation passing through town, or a student who abandons his dorm room to camp out in protest on the lawn of a municipal building.”
Gorsuch said the line! He literally repeated the “majestic” logic that the writer Anatole France parodied back in the late 1800s. And in her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor did my work for me in calling out his bad take.
“The deputy chief of police operations acknowledged that he was not aware of ‘any non-homeless person ever getting a ticket for illegal camping in Grants Pass,’” Sotomayor wrote, dispelling any illusions to the contrary. “Officers testified that ‘laying on a blanket enjoying the park’ would not violate the ordinances, and that bringing a sleeping bag to ‘look at stars’ would not be punished. Instead, someone violates the Ordinance only if he or she does not ‘have another home to go to.’ That is the definition of being homeless.”
“The idea that people choose to live or sleep in public spaces is a myth,” a bevy of organizations dedicated to assisting the homeless wrote in a brief
filed in the case. “Nationally, as of 2022, there was a shortage of 188,000 shelter beds for individual adults ... Multiple surveys and studies have shown that the vast majority of those who are unsheltered would move inside if safe and affordable options were available.”
Gorsuch conceded that existing precedent would bar cities from criminalizing someone’s status instead of their conduct. But that’s effectively what the court has now legally sanctioned.
“Infants napping in strollers, Sunday afternoon picnickers, and nighttime stargazers may all engage in the same conduct of bringing blankets to public spaces and sleeping, but they are exempt from punishment because they have a separate ‘place to live’ to which they presumably intend to return,” said a brief from legal scholars cited by Sotomayor.
So, “according to the majority, although it is cruel and unusual to punish someone for having a common cold, it is not cruel and unusual to punish them for sniffling or coughing because of that cold,” Sotomayor explained via a sarcastic analogy. It’s an absurd distinction without a difference.
“Sleep is a biological necessity, not a crime,” the justice summed up. “For
some people, sleeping outside is their only option. For people with no access to shelter, the City of Grants Pass punishes them for being homeless. That is unconscionable and unconstitutional. Punishing people for their status is ‘cruel and unusual’ ... The Eighth Amendment prohibits punishing homelessness by criminalizing sleeping outside when an individual has nowhere else to go.”
The Supreme Court’s Ebenezer Scrooge-like decree is itself a symptom of the times. Last month, San Antonio Councilman Manny Pelaez the Compassionate, who’s running for mayor, spent $6,000 out of public coffers to put up signs all over District 8, which he represents, discouraging residents from giving money to panhandlers.
“Panhandling — It’s OK to say NO — for your safety and theirs,” the signs read.
Reminiscent of “Don’t feed the bears,” except, you know, directed at our fellow human beings. How many months’ rent could that $6,000 have supplied to some unfortunate soul?
But that’s nothing compared to the millions tech billionaire Joe Lonsdale has wasted on the disingenuously-named Cicero Institute, a so-called conservative think tank based in
Shutterstock / Matt Gush
Austin. The organization was founded to sully Housing First approaches to homelessness and write model legislation to crack down on encampments.
Sotomayor’s dissent dealt swiftly with punitive claptrap.
“For people with nowhere else to go, fines and jail time do not deter behavior, reduce homelessness, or increase public safety,” she wrote. “In one study, 91% of homeless people who were surveyed ‘reported remaining outdoors, most often just moving two to three blocks away’ when they received a move-along order.”
That’s not a solution. That’s a revolving door of cruelty for its own sake. But it is highly lucrative.
The homeless population of Houston currently owes more than $9.5 million in fines, the Houston Chronicle reported in May. One man, between February 2021 and February 2024, was fined more than $290,000. That’s 941 tickets, amounting to “more than what most Houstonians earn in seven years,” according to the story.
I wish I could tell you that the toughon-crime crowd was at least sparing homeless kids. But I can’t. A Houston Landing investigation uncovered that school administrators have been suspending thousands of homeless students, in defiance of a bipartisan 2019 law that explicitly forbade them from doing so.
“Despite the repeated violations, the Texas Education Agency has not sanctioned any districts that broke the rules,” the news organization reported. Guess the law only applies to those least able to comply with it.
LECTURE
M“As I witnessed firsthand during my tenure as an outreach worker for the City of San Antonio’s Department of Human Services, encampment abatement often occurs without providing immediate housing or resources for those affected,” Nikketa Burgess wrote for Alamo City news site Deceleration News this spring. She cited a Journal of the American Medical Association study that found “involuntary displacement ... may yield substantial increases in mortality.” What’s more, such displacement “is estimated to worsen overdose and hospitalizations, decrease initiations of medications for opioid use disorder, and contribute to deaths among people experiencing homelessness.”
The bittersweet news is that there are solutions that show remarkable promise, from micro-communities in Atlanta to a Dallas program that helps reunite estranged family members to a $1,000-a-month stipend Denver used to cut by half the number of homeless residents enrolled in its program.
What’s inarguable, however, is we don’t need to make the lives of the unhoused anymore punishing and traumatic. Whatever fancy legal jargon might be deployed to talk around it, in this country we are greedily criminalizing poverty, and it’s long passed time to bring the homeless inside.
teamLab: Collectivity, Chance, and the Fabric of Urban Japan
Tuesday, July 16 | 6:00–7:00 p.m.
Free for Members | $5 for non-members
Join art historian Nina Horisaki-Christens in exploring the background of The World of Irreversible Change, teamLab’s digital, animated artwork reminiscent of historic Japanese folding screens depicting bustling cityscapes. The discussion will position the artwork within the Japanese contemporary art scene, the history of technology-based artistic experiments, and rhetorics of chance and change in Japanese art.
Visit www.samuseum.org/events or scan the QR code to register
Public Domain LBJ Library
Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch’s take on homelessness is very bad indeed. Just ask fellow Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Scenes in and Around Kyoto (Rakuchu Rakugai-zu) (detail), Japanese, Edo period, mid 17th century, Ink, pigments, and gold leaf on paper, San Antonio Museum of Art, purchased with funds provided by the Lillie and Roy Cullen Endowment Fund, 2001.51.a-b.
VINCENT VALDEZ: UNDERCURRENTS AT ARTPACE SAN ANTONIO
Lynching victims, forcibly disappeared individuals and hooded monsters of the Ku Klux Klan are among the loaded subjects San Antonio-born artist Vincent Valdez tackles in his powerful drawings, paintings and prints. A decade ago, Valdez took over Artpace’s Hudson Showroom with The Strangest Fruit — an arresting exhibition of largescale paintings exploring the oft-erased history of Mexicans and Mexican Americans lynched in Texas between the 1800s and the 1930s. The series title references “Strange Fruit,” a protest poem by Abel Meeropol set to music and popularized by Billie Holiday in 1939. It soon became the anthem of the anti-lynching movement. Now based in Los Angeles, Valdez is returning to Artpace with a hybrid exhibition that furthers one of his key artistic missions: “to incite public remembrance and to impede distorted realities.” Curated by Art League Houston’s Zhaira Costiniano, Valdez’ Undercurrents is anchored by Siete Dias/Seven Days, a 2022 series comprised of silkscreened panels — 14 depicting individuals who vanished in Central and South America and seven spelling out the days of the week in Spanish. Printed on translucent textiles and suspended from the ceiling, the images suggest souls being erased or fading out of existence. “This series is a meditation on the violence that has historically been unleashed, in many cases as a direct result of U.S. government foreign policy and military interventions intended to disrupt and crush social and political opposition to American imperialism in Latin America,” Valdez said of the project when it debuted in 2022. Incredibly timely with a terrifying election on the horizon, Valdez’s lithographic series Since 1977 stars U.S. presidents dating back to the artist’s birth year as they appear to sink or slide off the edge of the paper. (All we see of 45 is a scraggly eyebrow and his nauseating hairdo.) Offering additional context, Undercurrents also includes a selection of works by artists who inspired Valdez — more than a few Artpace alumni among them. Of particular interest are Valdez partner Adriana Corral’s Latitudes, a series of blind debossed etchings (letterpress prints without ink) based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and his mentor Rubio’s large-format work January 6th Selfie. Free, opening reception 6-9 p.m. Thursday, July 11, on view 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, through Dec. 1, Artpace, 445 N. Main Ave., (210) 212-4900, artpace.org. — Bryan Rindfuss
THU | 07.11 -
45TH ANNUAL CINEFESTIVAL
CineFestival, the longest-running Latino film festival in the nation, is back for its 45th edition. This year, the event continues with its focus on Texas filmmakers, especially those from the 210. The festival kicks off July 11 at the Little Carver Civic Center with screenings of local short films,
including student films, in the Vistas de San Antonio program. These shorts include The Compass, an anthology film starring hometown star Jesse Borrego (Blood In, Blood Out). The first feature screening, San Antonio director director Isaac Rodriguez’s Tamale Season, follows a traditional, family-owned tamale shop as it struggles to survive competition from a tamale shop with healthier options that opens in the neighborhood. On July 12, one episode of the HBO docuseries God Save Texas will screen with Austin-based director Iliana Sosa in attendance. The episode explores the ever-changing relationship the U.S. has with migrants from south of the border and how first-generation immigrant children like herself connect to their own identity as they navigate two cultures. Sosa and fellow filmmaker Robie Flores, who’s presenting her film The In Between, will lead a July 13 master class for attendees. That evening will include a screening of Flores’ coming-of-age documentary, which centers on quinceañeras in South Texas. On July 14, the festival will close with the feature A Little Family Drama from filmmaker Nadia Zoe. The film tells the story of a Mexican American family preparing for a family reunion. Other events taking place at this year’s festival include screenings in the U.S. Showcase and Texas Showcase categories and a special 30th anniversary screening of the 1994 film ...and the Earth Did Not Swallow Him (...y no se lo tragó la tierra) from director and co-write Severo Perez. Festival-goers also should try to fit in some of the Mequite Award-nominated films throughout the week, including the short 3:00am The Graveyard Shift from Matamoros native Armando Ramirez Cardenas and the documentary short Savior from San Antonio director and producer Ray Santisteban. “From an audience perspective, I’m excited that they’ll be able to watch films that they won’t be able to see anywhere else and hopefully see themselves reflected in these stories,” said Eugenio del Bosque, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center grants manager and CineFestival director. “For the artists, I’m excited that they will get the opportunity to network and to see work that relates to their own work. In general, I’m excited to create a movement and make more things happen for filmmaking in San Antonio.” Free (some events)-$45 (all-access pass), various times, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Park North, 618 Northwest Loop 410 Suite 307, and Little Carver Civic Center at the Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry St., guadalupeculturalarts.org/cine-festival.
— Kiko Martinez
THU | 07.12
SUN | 08.04
THEATER
THE WIZARD OF OZ
You can now enjoy all of the magic and wonder of The Wizard of Oz without fear of the asbestos so famously rampant in the set of the original film. Austin-based director, producer, educator and performer Jenny Lavery is reviving this classic coming-of-age tale. The production is likely to evoke personal nostalgia for older viewers and create new memories for little ones thanks to timeless and unforgettable songs including “Over the Rainbow” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard.” In short, it’s fun for the whole fam. $18-48, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday,
San Pedro Playhouse, 800 W. Ashby Place, (210) 733-7258,
Annele Spector
THU | 07.18
LITERATURE
STEPHEN GRAHAM JONES
Stephen Graham Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of 30-plus novels, short stories and comic books, will discuss his latest work of fiction, I Was A Teenage Slasher, in conversation with Austin-based writer Richard Z. Santos. Set in a small, tight-knit West Texas community reminiscent of Jones’s hometown, I Was A Teenage Slasher is a horror-inflected coming-of-age story told in first-person by a murderer who also happens to be the novel’s protagonist. Jones is the recipient of the 2023 American Indian Festival of Words Writers Award and the Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction. He’s also a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award. Tickets for the in-store event include a signed copy of the book and may be purchased online. $29, 6 p.m., Nowhere Bookshop, 5154 Broadway, (210) 640-7260, nowherebookshop.com. — Brandyn Miller
SUN | 07.21
FILM
BRISCOE SUMMER FILM SERIES: NEWS OF THE WORLD
The second installment of the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s Summer Film Series, News of the World (2020), is set in post-Civil War Texas and follows former Confederate Captain Jefferson Kidd (Tom Hanks) as he travels on foot from town to town, reading the newspaper to locals for a small fee to make ends meet. On the side of the road, he encounters a young girl (Helena Zengel) traveling alone, speaking the language and wearing the attire of the Native American Kiowa tribe. He soon identifies the child as Johanna Leonberger, an orphaned German immigrant kidnapped by Kiowa and held captive for six years. As Kidd and Johanna journey hundreds of treacherous miles across the Texas plains in search of her relatives, the pair overcome cultural and linguistic barriers to earn each other’s trust. Each attendee will receive a copy of the 2016 novel by Paulette Jiles on which the film is based. The screening also will include
Courtesy of Art League Houston
Courtesy Photo / Guillermina Zabala
Bobby Foxx
Courtesy Photo / Stephen Graham Jones
complimentary snacks and beverages. Free with museum admission, 1-4 p.m. Sunday, July 21, Briscoe Western Art Museum, 210 W. Market St., (210) 299-4499, briscoemuseum.org. — Caroline Wolff
TUE | 07.23
TAILS & TALES: ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS
The best stories are ones that come to life, especially in the form of swishing tails, flapping wings and twitching whiskers. The Twig Book Shop at The Pearl is partnering with San Antonio-based animal conservation group Once in a Wild for a series of events pairing books and wildlife encounters. The events will take place the fourth Tuesday of every month, drawing from Once in a Wild’s menagerie of 100-plus animals including Eurasian Eagle Owls, Flemish Giant Rabbits, Panther Chameleons, Axolotls and African Hedgehogs along with other mammals, reptiles, birds and bugs. Handlers will demonstrate how to properly engage with each animal, creating a safe and respectful environment. Each month brings new stories and critters, ensuring a fresh experience for animal lovers of all ages. Free, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., The Twig Book Shop, 306 Pearl Parkway, #106, (210) 826-6411, thetwig.com. — CW
TEXAS PUBLIC RADIO CINEMA TUESDAY
SERIES: XANADU
A legendary box office bomb and the inspiration for the first Golden Raspberry Awards, Gene Kelly’s last feature film Xanadu, is a convoluted fantasy musical in which Olivia Newton-John plays a muse of Olympus sent to earth to help struggling artist Sonny Malone (Michael Beck) open a nightclub. While initially met with derision and commercial failure, time has been kind, and it’s now considered a queer cult classic. There’s catchy music by Electric Light Orchestra (including not just the title track but the classics “Magic” and “All Over the World”), a 1940s sensibility, colorful sets, voluminous amounts of fog, a wacky animated interlude and extensive roller skating. The sweetness of the romance and the elegy of seeing the recently departed Newton-John in peak coiffed splendor hit especially hard during these grim times. Suggested donation $12 (members), $17 (non-members), 7:30 p.m., Santikos Northwest, 7600 I-10, (877) 691-0734, santikos. com/san-antonio/northwest/theater-info. — Neil Fauerso
Universal Pictures
©2020 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
Courtesy Photo / Once in a Wild
Fine Print
San Antonio’s Paper Trail printmaking show holding its 10th annual exhibition
BY SANFORD NOWLIN
San Antonio’s Paper Trail, an annual gathering and exhibition for designers and printmakers, is hitting its 10th anniversary.
As with previous installments, the free, Sunday, July 21, gathering at east-of-downtown music venue The Rock Box will allow visitors to browse works of contemporary art and design on paper, most with affordable price tags. Some 55 artists and vendors will show off screen prints, hand-lettered typography, lithographs, etchings, relief prints, digital prints, stickers, zines and more.
Over its decade-long run, Paper Trail has also helped connect creators — most of whom reside in San Antonio — and foster the development of a larger print-art scene. The show’s curation approach has also helped blur the distinction between highbrow and lowbrow art.
The Current spent time chatting with Paper Trail co-founder Zane Thomas, an Austin-transplant who works in graphic design and printmaking, about the
significance of the event’s 10-year anniversary, its lasting impact and the importance of creating affordable art.
This is the 10th Paper Trail. Does it feel like a milestone?
It does. It happened seemingly quickly and slowly at the same time. Time is kind of a construct that can be both long and short simultaneously. So, yeah, it’s a milestone but it also seems like it happened overnight … almost.
it still kind of comes down to space, but I also have a vision of the type of art that I want to put in the event, and that just seems to be what I can offer and not have to [compromise]. If I jumped up and doubled it, I feel like I would have to have four times as many applicants to fill it out.
So, there’s some serious curation involved then? Absolutely, yeah. This year we had 170 people apply and only had 55 spots. So, yeah, unfortunately we don’t accept everybody that applies.
From the beginning, Paper Trail’s been a mix of highbrow and lowbrow art. Has that changed at all, or has that mix been pretty constant?
Paper Trail
This year you’ve got 55 artists, which is a little more than the first Paper Trail but not a lot more. Have you deliberately tried to keep the event from getting too big and unwieldy? Yeah, I’ve kept it around 45 or 50 pretty much for the entire time. Initially, that was more due to space, and
That’s pretty much been the consistent thing. It reflects a type of work that I don’t necessarily see represented regularly in San Antonio. Some friends of mine have galleries, and that seems to be the kind of art that’s in there. But other than that, it doesn’t really get represented as much as I would like. So, that’s the theme that I try to keep within — to maintain some representation of a wide variety of work being made here.
Jaime Monzon
Is that one of the reasons that you have tended to have these in music or mixeduse venues rather than conventional art galleries?
It just worked out that way. We started at Brick [at Blue Star] back in 2015. We were there for four years. We had friends that had galleries and everything else at Blue Star Arts Complex too, and I had a gallery [Black Moon Print] over there.
But cost is a factor, and it kept increasing … at Brick, and it was going to be cost prohibitive if we continued to have it there. We were offered a better price at The Rock Box, so we’ve moved over there. It’s been a good partnership for the last four years.
The work at Paper Trail is known for being approachable from a price standpoint. How important is that to you?
I’d say very. My background is in screen printing and graphic design, so I’ve always leaned towards limited-edition art prints, or open edition … . I like the idea that if somebody wants to buy something from you or whoever, that they can get it. I feel like, for San Antonio, if you want to spend a lot of money on art, there’s plenty of places to do it, but there’s not necessarily a huge collection of affordable art out there. There are some things once a year — things at museums like the McNay, I believe — but other than that, there’s not really the ability to have people look at a large selection of affordable prints.
What percentage of the show is San Antonio artists?
Probably about 75%, I’d say.
When you’re doing the curation, is there a deliberate attempt to keep San Antonio artists the dominant flavor?
Yes and no. I guess, at the end of the day, it’s the merit of the work. I do like other people from other cities coming in and seeing what the town’s about, because I feel like those relationships are going to grow and give local people opportunities outside of San Antonio. But [San Antonio artists] have always been the majority, and the intent is to try to represent a scene here.
Has Paper Trail served as a springboard for artists?
I find that what ends up happening a lot is that people find other like-minded artists and they pair up. There’s some people from Austin that have met through Paper Trail, and they collaborate a lot more. It’s almost like a convention, to a certain extent, for the artists themselves.
Has this show brought more awareness to people who are creating in San Antonio?
Absolutely. Yeah. Like, I know that there were certainly people doing [art prints] before I moved here, but through Paper Trail, I’ve seen a big increase in printmakers making stuff, showing stuff, selling stuff, having shows. I like to think that Paper Trail gave them an
opportunity to do so and more confidence to do so. I think just seeing other people do something is confidence-building. Basically, people recognize the possibility.
Is that one of the reasons that keeps you moving forward and keeps you doing this thing? Because I’m sure it’s not easy. Putting a yearly event together definitely has its hurdles. But, yeah, that’s it. That’s always been my interest. I got into it when I was probably 22 — screen printing, street art, that kind of stuff. And I’m 40 now, and it’s still a big part of my life. And the more attention I can bring to that kind of art in San Antonio, the better.
Courtesy Image / Connie Chapa
Courtesy Image / Irving Herrera
True-Crime Thrills
Texas native Nora Zehetner tackles role as detective tracking serial killer in Boneyard
BY KIKO MARTINEZ
The new true-crime thriller Boneyard uses the still-unsolved West Mesa Murders in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as its basis. The murders of 11 women, whose remains were found in the desert in 2009, were thought to be carried out by a serial killer.
In Boneyard, actress Nora Zehetner (Brick) plays Laura Young, a police detective investigating the crimes alongside her chief (50 Cent) and an FBI agent (Mel Gibson). However, significant clues suggest someone in their own ranks may be responsible for the deaths. Born in El Paso and raised in Dallas, Zehetner moved to Los Angeles when she was 18 to pursue an acting career. The relocation paid off with roles in films and TV series, including Brick, The Brothers Bloom, Everwood, Heroes and Grey’s Anatomy
During an interview with the Current, Zehetner, 43, talked about her childhood in Texas, what attracted her to a true-life crime story and whether a coworker’s personal politics affects her decisions in the roles she takes.
Boneyard is currently available on VOD.
What was your childhood like living in Texas?
I had a great childhood. I remember walking to a park we lived nearby. I would go there and catch fireflies and wade in the stream. I did this funny thing where I left two years early from high school to go into this program at [the University of North Texas] called
the Texas Academy of Math and Science. It’s two years of high school, and then you go to college two years early.
What interested you about the story behind Boneyard?
It was really important to me that [the film] shined a light on these really disturbing truelife crimes that haven’t been solved. One of the [film’s] writers actually knew some of the women the story is inspired by. They spent a long time developing … the story in a meaningful and respectful manner.
Why do you think telling this story like this works better than a true-crime docuseries?
Sometimes when you wrap a true-crime story in a thriller, it catches a larger audience and tells it in a way that is more exciting. So, you will still have the same experience and gain empathy in a way that you might have missed if you’re not into [docuseries].
How did you prepare yourself to play a police detective?
I had a conversation with a female detective beforehand about what [it’s] like. I talked to people and did a bit of research, because it’s obviously something that’s so far outside of my daily life. I think I just wanted to make sure that [my character] felt grounded and that I was doing the character justice. It really was something new for me. It’s interesting because I had to be tougher to be believed as
a female detective in the same way I think a female detective feels like she has to be tough to be taken seriously by all the men.
As I was looking at your Instagram, I noticed some of the more liberal stances you have about certain topics. When you’re deciding to take a role in a project, do you ever weigh that decision on whether you’ll be working with co-stars who are on the opposite end of the political spectrum?
I mean, I suppose I [would] if I was sent a script that was based on a book by Bill O’Reilly or something, and if … I wasn’t comfortable with the manner it was being told. I want to do things that I’m proud of and comfortable with.
What about your co-stars?
It’s not really my job to police other people’s politics. I try to [stay away from that] because I don’t want to make people uncomfortable. I mean, I’m very open with what I believe. I think it’s important to build a safe workspace for everybody.
Speaking of co-stars, you worked with Mel Gibson on this film. What was it like sharing a set with him?
Obviously, he’s somebody I grew up a fan of. Five-year-old me was very excited to share the screen with him. I think about Lethal Weapon [because] that’s what I watched when I was a kid.
Is there something you haven’t done in your career that you would like to try?
I want to do it all! I would love to do something light, because I’ve been doing mostly drama and pretty serious stuff lately. So, it’d be fun to do a comedy [film]. I’m dry. I don’t think I have a particularly broad sense of humor.
Find more film stories at sacurrent.com
Lionsgate
Sake and Sounds
Yozora works magic with Japanese small plates and curated tunes
BY RON BECHTOL
This is an unqualified recommendation: watch Midnight Diner on Netflix.
Open from midnight to 7 a.m., the diner at the heart of the Japanese TV series is located down a narrow alley in Tokyo and operated by a lone chef who holds court behind a tiny, U-shaped counter. The posted menu is extremely limited, but if Chef has the ingredients he can make a customer anything they like. The series is one of those you hope will never end, though it does. And it also makes you wish for a similar hideout to appear down an alley near you. Sadly, though, it won’t. Even so, some unique aspects of Tokyo night life are beginning to establish outposts outside of the mother country. Yozora Sake & Wine Listening Bar, a sister of downtown’s Shiro, titles itself an izakaya, but it also closely resembles the peculiar breed of Japanese bar called a kissa where audiophile equipment and huge collections of vinyl dominate the usually small spaces. Jazz is king in these places, and liquor is served wreathed in cigarette smoke.
Yozara has the imposing speakers, the requisite Macintosh amp, a small collection of vinyl and would begin to approach the traditional dimly lit ambiance if it weren’t for the too-bright open kitchen. Vintage Sade was spinning during my visit, and sets of Blue Note classics stood out in the CD collection. There’s neither smoke nor whiskey at Yozora. But there’s plenty of sake, not to mention some Japanese beers and a hit parade list of wines. I’d stick to the sake, which is organized by location of brewery rather than type based on degree of rice milling or added alcohol. The default solution in such a situation is to summon the bartender-slash-waiter. His suggestions, after some questioning, resulted in two 300-milliliter bottles, both good but in different ways.
Tamano Hikari Shuho Junmai Daigingo ($37), brewed in Tokyo, was the first to arrive. Full-bodied yet with a delicate floral aroma and hints of sweetness and green melon on the palate, it was a pleasure to sip with the Sade. The Hakkaisan 45 Junmai Daigingo appeared as Jim Hall’s rendition of the Cole Porter classic “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” cued up. You can’t go wrong with Cole, and I’d say the same about the Hakkaiasan. It’s pricey at $47 for 300 milliliters, but its crisp dryness and subtle pear and white flower components built beautifully atop a base of delicate and slightly yeasty rice.
Of course, sake also goes well with food, and Yozara has a menu that seems designed as much for full dining as drinking and listening. Several dishes, for example, are based on the cured fish you can see hanging in the establishment’s own cooler behind the bar. But intent on maintaining the illusion of an intimate jazz-and-juice joint, smaller plates were the night’s focus. The kitchen plays more fast and loose than jazzy and slow with some, but, yes, grated Parmesan actually works on an item labeled Hot Line Crispy Gyoza, an unconventionally crumb-coated pork “dumpling” slicked with a sauce meriting its 911 moniker.
An Asian pear and cucumber salad was swamped in a tsunami of yuzu dressing, but was otherwise beautiful. Pay special attention to the lacy, purple seaweed and the sprinkling of crunchy, toasted quinoa. The texturally complex Shiro Wrap is bundled in pale, soybased sheets and features an interior of rice made creamy with avocado and crunchy with fried soft-shell crab. Delicate shreds of dried chili and peppery microgreens are more than decoration atop the wrap.
YOZORA SAKE & WINE LISTENING BAR
Much simpler are small plates such as the tsukune. But wait: tsukune is usually a chicken meatball. Here, in the shiitake tsukune, it’s also a stuffing mixed with wagyu beef that’s formed atop a pair of mushroom caps. Though it’s not clear how much the fancy beef adds, the combination is nevertheless a perfect expression of umami, the Japanese term for savoriness. Cue the slightly more floral sake.
Bring out the dry sake for the yaki onigiri, a popular Japanese snack made from griddled sticky rice shaped into a triangular form. It pays now to be aware of another Japanese concept, that of shibui, an aesthetic principle that values simplicity and the subtle beauty of minimalism. The beauty here is in the rice alone with only texture as a variant. But to counter the concept, the kitchen adds a dab of luxurious French butter.
Perhaps think of the butter as Nat King Cole’s voice rendering a jazz standard. And then come back in December when his Christmas album, spotted in the vinyl collection, will surely be spinning.
22211 I-10 Access Road, #1111, (210) 218-3925, yozora.online
Price Range: Small plates $5-$17, large plates $18-$44
Best Bets: Asian pear cucumber salad, Hot Line Crispy Gyoza, shiitake tsukune
The Skinny: Yozora is a contemporary Japanese izakaya, or pub, wanting to be a smoky hole in the wall kissa, or jazz listening bar. The extensive sake selection is categorized by brewery location. Numerous small plates such as the satisfying Hot Line Crispy Gyoza and Asian pear-cucumber salad can be paired with chilled 300-milliliter or 720-milliliter bottles to enhance the experience of listening to curated tunes from Blue Note and the like. And larger plates, some made from house-cured fish, are available to those who favor food over form.
Find more food & drink news at sacurrent.com
Ron Bechtol
First Look: New San Antonio bar Slow Ride brings ’70s sleaze to Government Hill
BY STEPHANIE KOITHAN
Adorned with wood paneling, velvet paintings and a poster of bare-breasted biker babes, newly launched bar Slow Ride promises to bring the sleaze to Government Hill.
During the tavern’s Friday, June 28, opening night, bikers and after-hours revelers from The Black Angels’ Stable Hall show packed the spot at 1524 E. Grayson St.
Slow Ride’s location near underground music venue Snake Hill and punk java-joint Folklores Coffee House adds one more anchor to an emerging
nightlife strip just outside Joint Base San Antonio-Ft. Sam Houston.
Owned by the team behind St. Mary’s Strip honky-tonk the Lonesome Rose, Slow Ride took over the former location of Betty’s Battalion, a military-themed tavern popular with veterans. Betty’s closed in April 2023 after 37 years in the spot.
In addition to a pool table and an outdoor patio, Slow Ride has a vintage jukebox stocked with era-appropriate rock ‘n’ roll, from Heart to Hendrix. And yes, that includes the Foghat song that’s the bar’s namesake.
Christopher Hernandez
‘Sophisticated Twist’
New San Antonio restaurant Tryst to serve elevated Southern cuisine near the Pearl
BY SANFORD NOWLIN
Agroup of veteran San Antonio restaurateurs are preparing to launch an elevated Southern cuisine concept near the Pearl called Tryst Kitchen + Cocktails.
Helmed by Joshua Green, previously known for The South Chicken & Waffles mini-chain, and Bruce Chambliss, owner of the original Bayseas Seafood, along with other partners, Tryst is expected to open in July, pending approval of its liquor license. The restaurant and bar will focus on a creative mix of Creole, Cajun and soul food specialties along with cocktails.
“We want people to see this as a place where they can come in and grab a nice drink, but our bread and butter is going to be the food,” Green said. “It’s going to be Southern food with a sophisticated twist. We’re going to do things like traditional soul food dishes, but we’re going to use ingredients like Wagyu beef and fresh seafood. We’re also going to take a creative culinary approach to the sides.”
Green, a former teacher and coach for Judson ISD, grew The South Chicken & Waffles concept into three stores but was forced to close it down due to economic pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic. He, Chambliss and other partners also landed the city’s first Bojangles franchise as part of North Carolina-based chicken chain’s Texas expansion and debuted their first location last summer.
Tryst, located at 1915 Broadway, Suite
111, is situated below The Mosaic on Broadway apartments.
Green said the dining spot’s location on the fast-developing corridor will allow it to grab lunch business from nearby office complexes while drawing dinner and brunch crowds accustomed to heading the Pearl area for dining and entertainment.
In keeping with its creative approach, Tryst will feature a mix of music, DJs and other entertainment to liven things up, according to Green. A wall-spanning mural by San Antonio artist Colton Valentine and an impressive wood-framed bar add flair to the space.
Tryst’s location previously hosted the short-lived Ay Caramba Taco Cantina, which closed in March. Before that, it was occupied by Señor Fish Seafood Bar, which ran around in mid-2023, and Tacos N Tequila, which shut down in 2017 after a three-year run.
Green said he’s undaunted by the turnover of previous restaurants at the location, which he said he’s been eyeing for some time.
“This place has it,” he said. “We’re on a great corner, a busy corner. We’re in an up-and-coming area, and we’re next to a destination, the Pearl, that attracts local people and people from out of town. We’ve got parking. We’ve got a really nice bar. All of the ingredients are there, so really what it comes down to is us putting together the right staff and executing the food and the drinks.”
Sanford Nowlin
Honky-Tonk Evolution
Silverada, the former Mike and the Moonpies, will show off new name, fresh creative approach
BY SANFORD NOWLIN
After touring relentlessly for more than a decade, dropping eight albums and building a rep as a crack live band, changing names may not seem like the most obvious career move for a veteran act.
Just the same, that’s what acclaimed Texas country band Mike and the Moonpies did. Under the fresh new moniker Silverada, the quintet released its latest album last month, and it’s on a tour that will take it to New Braunfels’ Gruene Hall on Saturday, July 13.
Taylor Hunicutt will open that show.
Silverada frontman Mike Harmeier said the new name reflects the band’s evolution, including both its gradual shift beyond classic honky-tonk country and a more recent evolution of its creative process.
Those moves are apparent on Silverada’s
at Gruene
Hall
new self-titled album. While still steeped in two step-ready twang, the recording shows Harmeier, drummer Taylor Englert, guitarist Catlin Rutherford, bassist Omar Oyoque and steel guitarist Zachary Moulton aren’t afraid to mix things up.
“Radio Wave” is a catchy move into heartland rock, while “Wallflower” — a tale of bashful honky-tonkers finding the courage to make a love connection — showcases strong guitar work over a beat that drifts toward disco. Those craving cry-in-your beer country will find it on tracks such as “Stay By My Side,” which boasts the line “When I give up music I’ll give up the drinkin’.”
We caught up with Harmeier by phone while Silverada traveled between Mountain State road dates to talk about the name change, the band’s new creative process and
how fans are reacting to its more diverse material.
In reading over other publications’ stories stories about the name change, it seems like the reporting comes down to a 50-50 mix that it reflects a turning point in terms of the band’s sound and that it reflects a maturity with the band. Are they both right? Or is one more right than the other? Yeah. I think both things apply. It’s just been such a long time coming to do it. It’s been on our minds for over a decade. So, every reason you could think of is a reason that we’ve thought of, and it’s hard to really pin it down as to what [the sole answer is]. I think we just knew this was the time we wanted to do it, because we felt like we were really settling into where we wanted to go from this point on, and it just seemed like this was the moment that we’d all been waiting for.
Plus, we were tired of having the conversation about doing it. I think that’s the main one for us, really. It’s like, “Man, we’ve gone through all the reasons to do this,” and we just got tired of having that conversation year after year. We had an album in the can, and we felt it pushed some boundaries for us
Find more music coverage every day at sacurrent.com
Eric Cain
and really locked us into the future. So we pulled the trigger.
Still, Mike and the Moonpies is an attention-grabbing name. Any concern that the novelty factor might not be there anymore?
No. I’m not too concerned about that. The novelty factor was part of the thing we didn’t even like about it anyway. You know what I mean?
That name never evoked what we felt like we were anyway, and we feel like this one really does. So, a lot of people would hear our old name and be surprised by what they saw, or vice versa, you know what I mean? So, I think that we’re more in line with ourselves and our sound with this name anyway.
The new album’s got stuff longtime fans will recognize, but it seems like it’s probably the most stylistically diverse thing you guys have put out. Talk a little bit about how that evolution happened in the writing.
A lot of it was me intentionally trying something different. I was having trouble getting started writing this record, so I tried some new things and read some books, and I just experimented with my writing. I found some techniques that I really liked, and it turned into more of a linear songwriting thing that I wanted to experiment with. So, when I went into the studio, I already had … a new idea about where I wanted to go with it. And once we started to track the songs, it was pretty apparent that the band was also having a good time experimenting with new ways to push our sound. So, I think it all came together in the studio where we were like, “Oh, man, let’s all try to chase this down and do everything. However, this song is, however we think this song should sound, that’s what we should go for, not necessarily what we think the band should sound like.” I think that started every single song down a different path.
When you said you tried different techniques, what was the one that made the biggest difference for you?
I think just straight-up free writing, which I had never really done. I’d always focused so much on telling a pretty direct story. At that time, I realized, “Man, I can free write and not worry about it rhyming or making sense or anything. I can put all that together later.” And I think that really changed the game for me. It opened up a lot of opportunities for me to say some things I didn’t even know I wanted to say. So that was the most beneficial thing that I started to do.
What’s been the response on the road to the new material, especially from fans familiar with the old stuff?
Man, it couldn’t have been better. There’s a couple of songs where people who haven’t even heard the song before are singing along to the chorus by the time we get to the end of it. That just feels really good, and it’s high-energy, even on songs that people don’t know. I’ve never had that before where it’s a brand new song and we’re just trying it out in the show. It’s creating this palpable energy with the crowd response. This is the first time we’ve experienced that, really, that I can remember. I think all in all, it’s very positive.
You guys play something like 200 road dates a year. How do you balance being able to write and create, having a family and spending that amount of time on the road?
That’s tough, man. I compartmentalize a lot of things. We’ve been doing this for 15 years, but we’re still learning new ways to tour. … I’m not a big writer on the road, so I carve that time out when I’m home, but most of that time is spent with the fam. … I don’t think it’s ever going to get easy, but this is what we do. And the way that we survive is touring. I don’t think that’s ever going to change. I think we’re com-
fortable living the lifestyle that we lead and having to compartmentalize those things.
If you could look back to when you started in the band 15 years ago, what advice would you give your younger self?
Dude, we’ve been chasing the thing for so long, I wouldn’t change anything that we did. The way that it started was the way it had to start. It’s created who we are now. The whole thing for us, it’s been about evolution and figuring it out. And we get here through just this range of actions and circumstances that have brought us to where we’re at. So, I think that there’s really nothing that I would change about it, and I think we’re supposed to be where we’re supposed to be. Without all the experiences and the ups and downs that we’ve had throughout our career, we wouldn’t be where we’re at now — and we feel very comfortable and happy here.
In other words, it’s not just the destination, it’s the journey.
That’s it. Yes, sir.
One last question. You’re playing Gruene Hall again. Could you talk a little bit about why that place is special and what it means to you?
Man, I can’t think of a single reason why it’s not special. It’s amazing. It’s my favorite gig, I would say — and we’ve been fortunate enough to sell it out the past three or four times we’ve done it. We do it in the heat of the summer, man, and we’re happy to sweat it out. That’s part of the show, man. I love the sweating it out, and doing our thing in Gruene Hall is just such an iconic Texas moment. Just something that I think we’ve all been chasing.
$20, 9 p.m. Saturday, July 13, Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, (830) 606-1281, gruenehall.com.
Eric Cain
Friday, July 12
critics’ picks Information Society
Sentimental Family Band, Rattlesnake Milk
Two of Texas’ finest purveyors of alt-country will play together on one bill. Austin’s Sentimental Family Band specializes in classic country as played by those who arrived at the scene by way of experimental music and indie-rock. Think Michael Nesmith or Gram Parsons. Rattlesnake Milk, on the other hand, originated in the Panhandle and has a darker musical approach infused with all the joy and desperation of the bleak landscape of its home territory. The band’s tales of open spaces, small-town life and a longing to escape are enhanced by a psychedelic edge. Rattlesnake Milk has developed a cult following in Texas and beyond, and the group was recently featured in Texas Monthly $10, 9:30 p.m., Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., thelonesomerose.com. — Bill Baird
Kaskade
Chicago-born Ryan Gary Raddon is best known by his stage name, Kaskade. As a DJ and producer, Kaskade has delivered a stream of progressive house and downtempo hits over the decades, including the iconic “I Remember” with Deadmau5. He’s collaborated with other hitmakers over the years, including K. Flay and Sofi Tukker, and earned multiple Grammy nominations. This year, Kaskade stepped in for Tiësto in Las Vegas to become the first DJ to perform throughout the Super Bowl. Expect him to have St. Paul Square pulsating well into the night. $69.95, 9 p.m., 1902, 1174 E. Commerce St., (210) 941-3010, 1902satx.com. — Danny Cervantes
Saddle Up: A House and Honky Tonk Hoedown
Country music and House music seem like strange bedfellows, but for those who wanna dance and have a good time, it doesn’t matter. This looks to be a night of fun, with Disko Cowboy headlining the night. Disko Cowboy has made a name for himself with his legendary Vinyl Ranch label, parties and fashion line. Glittery boots and glowsticks, what’s not to love? DJ Catwalk opens the night. $18, 8:00 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall. com. — BB
Saturday,
July 13
Farmer’s Wife, Sex Mex Farmer’s Wife is an up-and-coming Austin band that recorded the notable single “Greg Abbott’s Maxi Pad” back before changing its name from Sludge back in 2021. Singer Molly Masson’s voice channels ’90s alternative-grunge nostalgia with a dark and spooky twist. San Antonio upstarts Sex Mex open. $15, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx. com. — Danny Cervantes
Sunday, July 14
Mutilation Barbecue, Sanity Slip, Victimblamed
Mutilation plays fast, hard and unapologetically extreme death metal in the mold of Cannibal Corpse, Skinless or Suffocation. The Ohio group recently released Amalgamations of Gore on the noted label Maggot Stomp. Sometimes you just gotta blast the dust off your brain and, if that’s the case, Mutilation Barbecue are happy to oblige. Get to this show early, though. San Antonio’s Sanity Slip is an excellent female-fronted metal band worth checking out, while locals Victimblamed deliver a vicious take on death metal. $15, 6 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. —BB
Monday, July 15
The Foxies
Nashville’s Foxies self-described “glitterpunk” genre is a fun, loud and stirring mix of newwave, glam rock and modern pop. The group just finished a stint as openers for ’80s icon Billy Idol, if that gives any indication what to expect. $19, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — BB
Wednesday, July 17
Softcult
Canadian twin sisters Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn used the pandemic to focus on their
vision of making music together, and Softcult is the result. Influenced by their childhood heroes Bikini Kill and Smashing Pumpkins, Softcult offers vaulting melodies with riffing guitars best showcased in the group’s 2021 single “Spit It Out.” The music of Softcult straddles multiple genres, including grunge, shoegaze and riot grrrl to come up with their unique sound. Its latest release, the six-song EP Heaven, evokes Soccer Mommy. $22, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — DC
Thursday, July 18
My Education, Gary Davenport Austin band My Education constructs evocative instrumental post-rock soundscapes that feel timeless. The group has earned praise for performing live film scores, particularly a stirring reimagining of F.W. Murnau’s Sunrise. Opener Gary Davenport, meanwhile, is one of SA’s great pop-weirdo geniuses, and his work spans all the way back to the ’70s. A recent reissue by famed label Numero Group has helped bring Davenport back to the public eye. $10, 8:30 p.m., Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., thelonesomerose.com. — BB
Friday, July 19
Information Society, Anything Box, Machine X Back in the ’80s, Information Society’s synthand sequencer-heavy hit “What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy)” sounded like our electronic
near-future. Apparently the act’s prescience gave it staying power. InSoc has endured through the MTV Club tour, the CD-ROM era and the Internet age. Sam’s regular and fellow ’80s hitmaker Anything Box opens. $40-$65, 8:30 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com. — DC
Saturday, July 20
Tropicana Joe
Instantly recognizable by his panama hat, high-waisted trousers, pencil-thin mustache and tucked-in tropical shirts, Tropicana Joe is a mainstay of the Austin and San Antonio music scenes as a self-described ambassador for the Exotica sound. Exotica reached its peak in the ‘50s and ‘60s when U.S. soldiers returned from the Pacific Theater of World War II with wild tales of even wilder lands. Considered by many to be pseudo-tropical imitation for armchair adventurers, the genre largely fell out of fashion for its fetishizations. As a result, the genre is oft misunderstood and maligned. Due to his work shedding light on this niche genre and for his extensive collection of rare wax tracks, Tropicana Joe was honored as Best DJ in the 2024 Austin Music Awards. As Joe says, “Don’t stop the conga line” for this evocative genre, but don’t drop your tiki drink either. Free, Saturday, July 20, 10 p.m., Holy Diver, upstairs at Hi-Tones, 621 E Dewey Place, instagram.com/ HolyDiverTikiLounge. — Stephanie Koithan
“Tidy Up”--an apt puzzle. by Matt Jones © 2024 Matt Jones
Across
1. Fencing sword
6. Like used briquettes
10. Add-ons in the self-checkout lane?
14. Slangy summons
15. Fencing sword
16. Alike, in Avignon
17. Single file
19. Long ride?
20. Front-of-book list, for short
21. Fails to be
22. Ab-building exercise
23. Bombarded, Biblical-style
27. Poem with a dedicatee
28. Top of the mouth
29. Forearm bone
32. “I ___ reason why ...”
34. Portrayed
37. Action seen in “The Hunt for Red October”
41. “Abbott Elementary” principal
42. Crates
43. Pretentious, as some paintings
44. Org. that works with the JPL
45. Blu-ray player predecessor
47. Lyric from Hall & Oates
53. Picked
SCAN THE QR CODE FOR EVENTS & TICKETS
54. Astronaut’s beverage
55. Classic Japanese drama form
57. Jabba the ___
58. Interlocks, like what each theme answer does?
61. Title figure in a Scott Turow book
62. Pound, for one
63. “You’re All ___ to Get By”
64. Small spot on a globe
65. Like doilies
66. Ancient Scandinavians
Down
1. Tam wearer
2. Response to “Are too!”
3. Firewood wood
4. Notable period
5. Laced again
6. Insurance company named after a mountain
7. ___ bars (raps)
8. Dress line
9. “___-haw!”
10. Conviction
11. Antsy feeling
12. Full range
13. Pig feed
18. “... even ___ speak”
22. Hoity-toity type
24. Wander
25. Peaches and pears, e.g.
26. “Game of Thrones” actress Chaplin
29. Letters on Forever stamps
30. Sweetie, to Brits
31. Org. that has guards
32. Wakeup hour, for some
33. Ethyl or methyl follower
34. 1812 event
35. Do something
36. Field in a jigsaw puzzle, often
38. Cheapen
39. “The Horse Fair” painter Bonheur
40. Acidic
44. Quik maker
45. Big name in set diagrams
46. Coop up
47. Cold-shoulders
48. Monopoly buy
49. Storage spot
50. Awful, like some colds
51. Key near the double-quotes
52. Dramatis personae
53. Former “Top Chef Masters” host Kelly
56. Robert Louis Stevenson villain
58. Ending for spoon or scorn
59. TV chef Garten
60. “That’s ___ brainer”
Answers on page 21
HIGHLIGHTS: ROUGH TERRAIN CRANE: 2015 Grove RT880E(80-T), 5 EXCAVATORS: 2022 Cat 320(700hrs.), 2021 Volvo EC250EL, 2014 Komatsu PC350LC-10, 2017 Linkbelt 80X3, 2017 Linkbelt 80X3EX, 2 MOTOR GRADERS: 2018 JD 672G, Cat 130G, 4 RUBBER TIRED LOADERS: (2)JD 624K, (2)Doosan DL250, 2 CRAWLER TRACTORS: 2019 JD 650KLGP, 2018 Komatsu D65PX-18(2700hrs.), 6 VIBRATORY ROLLERS: (2)2018 Hamm H10i, (3)2016 Dynapac CA2500, Cat CP563, 6 TRACKED SKID STEERS: (5)Cat 289D, Kubota SVL75, TRENCHER: Ditch Witch RT55, PULLING TRACTOR: Case STX440, 2 PULL BEHIND SCRAPERS: (2)Reynolds 17CS, FORKLIFT: Doosan Pro 5 D40S-5, 2 WELDERS: Miller Millermatic 252, Predator Pro Power Plus, 3 LIGHT PLANTS: Magnum MLT3060K, Wacker LT4, Warren Power Systems, 2 CONCRETE EQUIP.: MQ Mechanical Rider Power Trowel, MQ Whiteman 36in. Power Trowel, 2 SWEEPERS: Broce RJ350, Laymor 6HC, 5 WATER TRKS.: IH 4700(2,000gal.), (3)IH 4300(2,000gal.), IH 4200(2,000gal.), 2 TRK. TRACTORS: 2017 Peterbilt 389(35,000mi., mint, t/a), 2011 IH ProStar Premium(t/a), 2 DUMP TRUCKS: 2019 Dodge 5500, 2005 Kenworth T800, 2 PICKUPS: 2023-2017 Ford F250, 2 DETACHABLE TRAILERS: Witzco Challenger 26.5ft(t/a), Trail King TK70HT-48238.5ft.(t/a), GOOSENECK TRAILER: PJ Trailers Gooseneck 20ft(t/a), 4 TAGALONG TRAILERS: 2016 Big Tex 60CH(t/a), 2012 Buck Dandy 18ft.(t/a), 2014 PJ(t/a), Diamond C 14TUT 14ft.(t/a), DROP DECK TRAILERS: Transcraft(t/a), FLATBED TRAILER: Aztec 42ft.(t/a), 2 WATER TRAILERS: Hefty 14ft.(t/a), Wylie(500gal., t/a), WELDING TRAILER: 2005 Big Tex 30SA-8, CARGO TRAILER: 2014 Lark United(t/a), CAMPER: 2022 Forest River Wolf Pup(s/a), 4 GPS EQUIP.: (4)Leica, 6 PRESSURE WASHERS: (4)New Easy Kleen 4000psi, Ryobi 2900psi, Powerhouse 4000psi, 3 FUEL TANKS, 4 EXCAVATOR BUCKETS, 29 ATTACHMENTS: (18)Skid Steer, 120 NEW SUPPORT EQUIP. REAL ESTATE: Land Parcel: 11.156 acre tract approx 181.5’ frontage on FM665. Structure: Combination 2-story office/garage building(60'x77'). Entrance is concrete paved from road to covered, paved 5-vehicle parking. Outdoor yard enclosed by fence with mechanized & swing gates.
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