BREAKING
A POSITIVE TREND
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in this issue
Issue 25-02 /// January 22 - February 4, 2025
07
News The Opener News in Brief
Soap Factory shakedown?
Tenants of complex being razed to make way for new ballpark say they haven’t received relocation payout by Jan. 1 deadline
Cityscrapes
San Antonio residents should push county leaders to ask tough questions about Project Marvel
Bad Takes Texas’ whitewashing of slavery in the school curriculum is a disservice to its young 18
Our picks of things to do 21
Cultural Adjuster
Talking with Rolando Briseño as his 50year retrospective show winds down
23 Screens
Boundless Love
Actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor honored to serve as ‘vessel for art’ and justice in NickelBoys
24 Food
Building Up Speed Bokobá’s take on ‘modern Mexican’ cuisine at its best when it sticks close to tradition
28 Music
Gentrification Blues
San Antonio’s Friends of Sound Records relocates after being priced out of old location
Hooks From the Garage
San Antonio music vets West of Rome celebrate release of new album with timeless vibes
Critics’ Picks
On the Cover: Recent data suggest Texas’ abortion ban is leading to an upswing in teen pregnancies. Design: David Loyola.
Shutterstock Antonio Guillem
0 JOIN FEE $
That Rocks/That Sucks
HLegendary Tex-Mex musician Flaco Jiménez was hospitalized last week, though his family said in an online message that he’s “on the road to recovery.” Jiménez received a National Medal of Arts from President Joe Biden last fall, but was unable to a end the White House ceremony due to health issues. Jiménez, a San Antonio native, has also been honored with lifetime achievement recognitions from the Grammys and the Americana Music Awards
San Antonio-area firefighters joined others from across Texas to help ba le the devastating Los Angeles fires. A team comprised of first responders from Boerne, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Pharr and New Braunfels traveled to Southern California, where the blazes have claimed at least 24 lives at press time.
San Antonio is mourning the loss of Sovia Lauriano, who endeared herself to fans as “Spurs Lady.” Lauriano, who became a Spurs superfan after a ending her first game three decades ago, died of a heart a ack last week. Mayor Ron Nirenberg called her an “irreplaceable thread in the fabric of our community.”
The Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is about to get a whole lot bigger. The size of the park will double thanks to Texas’ $43 million purchase of more than 3,000 acres of adjacent Llano County land. Money from the state’s $1 billion Centennial Parks Conservation Fund will be used to help develop the new acreage, which includes a rock formation expected to serve as a scenic vantage point. — Abe Asher
Bragging about ‘protecting kids’ while hanging out with ‘Jail Bait’ singer Ted Nugent
Assclown Alert is a column of opinion, analysis and snark.
After justifying recent anti-LGBTQ+ bills as ways to halt “groomers” and child abusers, someone in the Texas GOP appears to have asked Ted Nugent — who’s bragged about banging underage girls — to “kick off” a new legislative session.
A flyer tweeted out late last month by Texas State Rep. Patrick J. Curry touted the county-fair circuit classic rocker and COVID conspiracy theorist as the headliner for a Jan. 14 celebration opening the 89th Legislative session. “Invite your friends, family & constituents to this FREE event,” the flyer urges.
“Mark your calendars for this fantastic opening day of session event!” effused Curry, a Waco Republican.
The irony here is that Nugent, who reinvented himself as a far-right pundit as his career waned, openly talked about past relationships with underage girls in a 1998 VH1 TV documentary and even admi ed to becoming legal guardian to a 17-yearold girl so he could have sex with her without being thrown in the slammer.
“I guess they figured be er Ted Nugent than some drug-infested punk in high school,” the Nuge told VH1 about the decision of the 17 year old’s parents to sign off on the arrangement.
Nugent also recorded a song called “Jail Bait” that includes the lines “Well, I don’t care if you’re just 13, you look too good to be true / I just know that you’re probably clean. Theres one lil’ thing I got to do to you.”
Curry, who’s serving his first term in the Texas House, was unavailable for comment Friday on his decision to share the flyer and whether he had any involvement in organizing the event.
At press time, it’s unclear who arranged the show, since the flyer includes no sponsorship information. The concert is scheduled to take place in front of an office building on Congress Street in downtown Austin, according to its address.
Of course, the Nuge wasn’t the only pre-#MeToo rocker alleged to have indulged in sex with underage girls. (Hello, David Bowie and Jimmy Page.) And Nugent’s “Jail Bait” is far from the only rock song by that name. (Lookin’ at you, Motörhead.)
The difference is that Bowie, Page and Lemmy didn’t fall all over themselves to promote and pal around with assclown conservative lawmakers, including Republican Texas Govs. Greg Abbo and Rick Perry, who have tried to excuse a hateful agenda by veiling it as protecting kids. — Sanford Nowlin
“There is no separation between church and state. We don’t want the government in our churches, but we should be in the government.”
— RepublicanPartyofTexasChairAbraham Georgeatarallycovered bytheTexasTribune.
A new study found that San Antonio has Texas’ highest rate of sexually transmi ed infections and the 22nd highest rate in the country. The analysis, compiled by health information site Innerbody Research with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, found that San Antonio recorded 1,182 STI cases per 100,000 people, placing it well ahead of Killeen, the Texas metro with the second-highest infection rate.
USAA has a new CEO: experienced insurance executive Juan C. Andrade. Andrade, who’s spent the past four years on the insurance company’s board, will claim the top job in April. He’s set to replace retiring CEO Wayne Peacock. Andrade’s elevation comes as USAA faces scrutiny over the state of its banking division. The federal government has demanded the bank improve its information security and take more protections against money laundering.
The fate of El Paso migrant shelter organization Annunciation House is in the hands of the Texas Supreme Court. Grandstanding Republican A orney General Ken Paxton accused the organization of violating state law by helping undocumented migrants. However, a court pitched out his a empt to shut down the charity. Paxton then appealed to the all-Republican state Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments in the case last week. — Abe Asher
Shutterstock / Mark Reinstein
Sanford Nowlin
Soap Factory shakedown?
Tenants of complex being razed to make way for new ballpark say they have not received relocation payout by Jan. 1 deadline
BY MICHAEL KARLIS
Atenants union representing residents of the Soap Factory Apartments said it’s weighing legal action against the city and real-estate developer Weston Urban, saying the two entities failed to provide relocation stipends by a promised Jan. 1 deadline. The allegation and legal threat is the latest wrinkle in a plan to raze the Soap Factory — one of downtown’s few lowcost apartment complexes — to make way for the San Antonio Missions’ proposed ballpark and surrounding development.
In late December, the city of San Antonio issued a statement telling concerned tenants those who qualified for a $2,500 relocation stipend and had vacated the apartment complex would receive payment by the New Year. Weston Urban wants to demolish the Soap Factory, which it owns, to make
way for luxury condos as part of the $160-million minor-league baseball stadium project.
However, not a single eligible Soap Factory tenant has received any such payment as of press time, city officials confirmed to the Current.
“Weston Urban is actively conducting outreach to former tenants regarding the pending payments and the process to release the funds,” the city said in a statement supplied on Wednesday, Jan. 15. “Former tenants are completing the final paperwork that will confirm details so payments can be released.”
City officials declined to say why they originally said checks would be available by Jan. 1. They also declined to provide additional information on what’s holding up the payments.
Phillip Adcock, founder of the Soap Factory Tenants Union, said the failure by the city and Weston Urban to distribute the money by the promised deadline is the last straw. Since the Jan.
1 deadline passed, he’s met with the Texas Organizing Project, Rio Grande Legal Aid and Esperanza Peace & Justice Center about what recourse tenants have for securing the money.
“I’ve been keeping track of anybody who has left [the Soap Factory] and making sure they do get whatever is supposed to be coming to them — and get what the city initially said they would get,” Adcock said.
Adcock said Rio Grande Legal Aid this week told him that the nonprofit legal-aid group will begin “groundwork” and interviewing tenants due to the missed payment deadline.
Citing a orney-client privilege, Rio Grande Legal Aid wouldn’t confirm whether it’s begun an investigation into the city and Weston Urban.
Robert Laurence, who moved out of the Soap Factory in late October and said he qualifies for the relocation stipend, added that he has no idea what the city is talking about in its statement
about “final paperwork.”
Laurence said Building Brighter Communities CEO Brandon Johnson — the head of the nonprofit contracted by Weston Urban to help Soap Factory tenants with relocation — told him his organization is waiting for the funds from the city and Weston Urban.
“Brandon said I was good and that I qualify, only that I have to sign an acknowledgement form when I pick up the check,” Laurence said. “But he couldn’t provide a timeline for when I’ll get the money. So, I’m just kind of waiting. I’m in limbo.”
Laurence is housesi ing for a friend until his check arrives.
Former Soap Factory tenant Stephen, who declined to provide his last name due to his public-facing occupation, said he’d experienced similar excuses from Soap Factory management and Building Brighter Communities when asking about his relocation stipend.
“They told me they’ll start calling people as soon as we get the funds and that they’re working on it,” Stephen said.
Stephen recently bought a house in New Braunfels with his girlfriend and isn’t in dire need of the stipend. Even so, he expected the money to help
Sanford Nowlin
reimburse his moving costs.
“I know that other residents really, really need the money, though,” Stephen said.
Weston Urban officials didn’t respond to the Current’s request for an interview, and Building Brighter Communities CEO Johnson declined comment.
How we got here
During public discussions of the ballpark project, City Council members including District 5 representative Teri Castillo and District 2’s Jalen McKee-Rodriguez demanded that a $2,500 stipend be included in the agreement between the city and Weston Urban prior to approving a memo allowing the project to move forward.
The stipends were to have come from a newly created $500,000 fund. The city and Weston Urban were each expected to kick in an equal amount of cash to create it.
Under the provision, Weston Urban would provide the stipend to any relocating Soap Factory tenant who signed a lease before Oct. 1. Meanwhile, the city would provide a $2,500 check to any who earned less than 80% or less of the area median income and had lived in the apartment complex for at least a year.
The funds were intended to help tenants — many of whom work lowwage service sector jobs — to make a downpayment on a new apartment. The median income among Soap Factory tenants is less than $40,000 a year, Weston Urban CEO Randy Smith told council last year.
Broken promises
Weston Urban, which purchased the Soap Factory Apartments in 2023, wants to demolish the building to make way for luxury condominiums that would be adjacent to the new ballpark. Tax revenue provided by that new development would help finance the 4,500-seat stadium, according to the proposal presented to local officials.
collect that money.
Adcock, the founder of the Soap Factory Tenants Union, is taking the silence as an indication he’s been screwed by the city and Weston Urban.
Although still a resident at the complex, he is trying to relocate to another apartment on the property that’s not part of Phase 1 of Weston Urban’s demolition plan. However, he said the development company told him there’s not enough space to secure a new apartment.
That claim is despite Weston Urban officials initially telling council that anyone who wanted to stay at the Soap Factory after the first phase is torn down would be able to.
“I just want to make sure that people have a backup plan and aren’t just fading away into nothing,” Adcock said. “I’ve been fighting since the start, and I’m not giving up.”
Awaiting SAISD
“It just seems like they’ve made all these promises, but nothing is really going to come from it,” former Soap Factory tenant Stephen said. MONSTER JAM JAN 25-26 DISNEY ON ICE APRIL 17-20
Both council and Bexar County Commissioners Court approved the agreement last fall with Weston Urban and Designated Bidders LLC, the Missions’ ownership group. Despite the deal calling for relocation stipends, Soap Factory tenants said they have largely been kept in the dark about how to
The fate of the relocation stipends isn’t the only thing still up in the air. Indeed, the fate of the whole ballpark deal is unclear until negotiations conclude with San Antonio Independent School District.
Although the city and county signed agreements with Weston Urban, the land on which the firm wants to build the minor-league stadium is still owned by the district. SAISD’s Board of Trustees voted last month to begin talks to sell the 2.3-acre parcel to Weston Urban. It’s currently used as a parking lot for Fox Tech High School. The SAISD Board will discuss and possibly take action on the land sale deal during a Jan. 21 meeting, according to a public agenda. The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the district’s headquarters at 514 W. Quincy St. Even so, the city in an official statement last month said that the $2,500 payouts to Soap Factory tenants depends on whether SAISD sells the land to Weston Urban.
“Unless the property for the baseball stadium is secured, the stadium will not be built,” the city said at the time. Whatever the case, those waiting for the checks said they’re losing their patience and wondering whether the city and Weston Urban plan to make good.
Breaking a Positive Trend
How Texas’ abortion ban may be driving the state’s first upswing in teen pregnancy rate in 15 years
BY SANFORD NOWLIN
The Texas abortion ban has come with unintended consequences, from creating potentially deadly confusion when women seek medically necessary abortions to scaring away the state’s OB/GYN workforce.
Now, data suggest there may be yet another unexpected aftereffect: a rise in teen birth rates.
The fertility rate for Texas teens rose for the first time in 15 years in 2022, the year after the state’s six-week abortion ban took effect, a University of Houston study found. Since then, the Supreme Court has overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, resulting in Texas instituting a near-total ban on abortion care.
In large part, the 2022 increase was driven by increased birth rates among Hispanic teens, according the analysis by the University of Houston’s Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality. The report also noted that the slight rise in Texas’ teen birthrate came while those of U.S. teens in general continued their steady decline.
Dr. Bianca Allison, an assistant professor of general pediatrics and adolescent medicine at the University of North Carolina, said it may take two or three more years of data to conclusively pin the rise in Texas’ teen pregnancy rate on its abortion ban.
However, she said the prohibition on abortion care is yet another barrier faced by Texas teens as they look to avoid unwanted pregnancies that can carry serious consequences for their health and ability to achieve their educational and work objectives.
“Ever since the Dobbs decision, we know that lots of different laws have gone into effect in Texas that have changed a person’s — especially a
young person’s — ability to get reproductive healthcare, so not just abortion care, but contraceptive care and other things,” Allison said.
“The restriction around abortion is one thing, but then we’ve also seen a change in how restrictive the healthcare environment has been around clinicians providing care, that insurance coverage for abortion and contraception has changed, that parental consent laws continue to be in place around abortion care,” she added.
Texas’ increasing restrictions on abortion have forced the closure of many clinics that also provide contraceptive services and sexual education, Allison noted. That’s likely to create a compounding effect when it comes to the problem of teen pregnancy.
“I think the story of what’s happening for young people who are even able to successfully access abortion, or successfully access contraception, is just the amount of things that they have to navigate, the number of barriers they
have to overcome to get that care,” she said.
The majority of abortions are induced with medication, making the procedure incredibly safe, especially compared to the risks of a young person carrying a pregnancy, Allison also said.
Young people who are pregnant and birthing tend face disproportionately higher health risks than adults, including for anemia, sexually transmi ed infections and preeclampsia, a serious blood pressure issue that can arise during pregnancy. They’re also face higher risks of delivering premature births and low-birth weight babies.
“The younger the age of the person, the higher their risk of having some of these more negative outcomes from their pregnancy or birth, versus, potentially, a very safe procedure or process of ge ing an abortion — or simply accessing contraception to prevent an unintended pregnancy,” Allison said.
The University of Houston study
notes that unplanned pregnancies, especially among teens, have other implications for the mothers, including stunting their educational a ainment and skill levels and increasing the likelihood they’ll end up in poverty.
While the numbers show teen parents are less likely to finish high school, pursue higher education and a ain good-paying jobs, Allison said Texas and other states should look for ways to support them and reverse those trends.
“What I would say is that if there are going to be teen parents — which there always will be — that what we need to do is recognize that there are lots of systems that they actually need strengthened to be able to parent really effectively,” she said. “Otherwise, we are just harming the potential of generations to be able to achieve not only their reproductive health outcomes that they want but economic and educational outcomes.”
Shutterstock Antonio Guillem
CITYSCRAPES
San Antonio residents should push county leaders to ask tough questions about Project Marvel
BY HEYWOOD SANDERS
Cityscrapes is a column of opinion and analysis.
When city officials first announced Project Marvel, it was obvious the price tag would be enormous. After all, the grand plan didn’t just call for a new Spurs arena but also a convention center expansion, a hotel, an events center, a highway deck and Alamodome improvements — all downtown. The full tab could easily come to $3 billion or more with the arena accounting for more than a third of the price tag.
And while the state had made available some new revenue sources for the convention center and dome, San Antonio simply doesn’t have billions in public dollars lying around. Nor have the Spurs indicated an interest in footing any more than a small fraction of the cost.
So, where would the money come from?
The obvious answer was Chapter 334 of the Texas Local Government Code, the law that provided the funding for the AT&T Center — the Spurs’ previous arena, now called the Frost Bank Center — in 1999 and for subsequent improvements, as well as for new arenas in Dallas and Houston.
The great advantage of the state’s venue tax law is that it provides for taxes on hotel rooms and car rentals, fees arguably paid by visitors rather than local residents. In the case of the Frost Bank Center, the Spurs went with a proposal from Bexar County to build the facility at the Freeman Coliseum site rather than a downtown site promoted by then-Mayor Howard Peak. That meant the venue tax belongs to the county.
So, the latest proposed arena deal hinges on the willingness of the county to go along with the wonders of Project Marvel. And because the state law requires a public vote, it will ultimately be up to voters to decide whether to support a $1 billion-plus vision that would give this community two competing arenas
That gives the community a real say in the arena plan, and the larger project. County Judge Peter Sakai and the commissioners can exercise some independent judgement on a deal that Mayor Ron Nirenberg and city officials seem both totally commi ed to — even if those same officials seem unwilling to share the details with the public.
As members of the public, let’s demand that Sakai and our county commissioners ask serious questions about the project, starting with why the Spurs need an expensive new arena right now.
Some have argued that unless we build the team a new home, they might leave town, maybe decamping to Austin. But even for those who genuinely love the team, why build a new arena downtown at a site that already has traffic issues and has a host of other development possibilities? Why not a new arena where the Frost Bank Center is now, where access and parking would be far easier and the cost considerably lower?
The obvious answer is that Project Marvel really isn’t about the Spurs or a new arena.
It’s a deal to boost our ailing downtown — and those who own downtown properties — that years of city policies have effectively turned into a tourist ghe o. Remember Tri-Party, Houston Street, Main Plaza, the downtown streetcar plan and Mayor Julián Castro’s Decade of Downtown?
There can, and should, be lots of questions about whether a new arena at Hemisfair will do anything to improve truly downtown. After all, the Spurs spent years playing at the Hemisfair Arena and then at the dome. The team’s presence didn’t substantially boost the fortunes of the vicinity, or of St. Paul Square and Sunset Station. Similarly, the promises that the Frost Bank Center would somehow materially change the East Side have never been fulfilled.
So, Judge Sakai, give the public a chance to decide where — and if — a new arena should happen.
As county officials consider the arena plan and use of the venue tax, they should also recognize that there are other uses for those same tax revenues. Uses that have nothing to do with accommodating the Spurs.
County voters last decided on using
the venue tax dollars in May 2008, and that election included four propositions tied to the tax. One called for $100 million for the arena and Freeman Coliseum improvements. A second proposed $125 million for San Antonio River improvements that financed much of the work on the Museum Reach. Another allocated $80 million for soccer and baseball fields around the county. And the last provided $110 million for what became the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts and other cultural facilities.
The river improvement proposition won the greatest voter support, with 74.6%. The amateur sports facilities came in next at 71.7%, followed by the funding for the Tobin Center with a 65.1%. The funds for the new arena finished last with just 56.9%.
That’s something Sakai and the commissioners need to recall and think about. We all need to ask what else this community might do with a billion dollars that might be invested in river and creek improvements, amateur sports and facilities for the arts and other public amenities.
Then we need to tell our elected officials.
Heywood Sanders is a professor emeritus of public administration at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Texas’ whitewashing of slavery in the school curriculum is a disservice to its young
BY KEVIN SANCHEZ
Bad Takes is a column of opinion and analysis.
“Istill very precisely know the moment when I discovered the atrocities my tribe had conducted,” German philosopher Thomas Metzinger said in a podcast following Donad Trump’s first inauguration. “I was 10, this li le scholar in me was awakening, and I was ge ing interested in the books on my parents’ shelves. I saw there was one book they put up very high because they didn’t want me to see it, and of course the next time they were out, I put a chair on my father’s writing desk and crept up there.”
The book he found was a compilation of photos titled The Yellow Star, published 15 years after World War II, which graphically depicted Nazi crimes against humanity.
“I saw bulldozers pushing piles of corpses into mass graves, I saw photo documentation of medical experiments on Jews with phosphorus burning away their flesh,” he recounted. “And that was the moment when my childhood ended.”
Practically every kid of his generation, according to Metzinger, 66, can tell a similar story. And when he became a teenager, he noticed how evasive adults were when questioned about the atrocities.
“There’s this aftermath, when you ask your parents, ‘How much did you know?’ And they all tell you, ‘We didn’t know anything,’” Metzinger said. “Then you ask the other schoolchildren in the schoolyard, and they all say, ‘My parents also say they didn’t know anything.’ And then you ask your history teacher, and they tell you, ‘Don’t let yourselves be fooled. Almost everybody knew.’”
If only students in the U.S. could trust
their educators to reveal the ugly truths that adults would just as soon keep on the hard-to-reach shelves. By Texas law, for instance, “a teacher, administrator, or other employee of a state agency, school district, or open-enrollment charter school may not: require an understanding of the 1619 Project.” The project in question is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historical investigation into the cruelty of slavery and segregation.
Which brings us to the Bluebonnet Learning curriculum, narrowly approved by Texas’ State Board of Education (SBOE) late last year. The bulk of the commentary surrounding the Texas Education Agency’s instructional materials recommended for elementary and middle school students has focused on the use of Bible stories in lesson plans. Although an optional curriculum, accepting the whole kit and caboodle comes with funding perks for fiscally strapped districts.
Compared to the predictable liberal outrage on this issue, my reaction has been a shrug. I’m reminded of what political science professor and atheist Adolph Reed said when asked why he raised his kids Catholic: “Because I didn’t want to risk their being religious.”
The cultural well we draw from in the U.S. is undoubtedly Judeo-Christian, after all, and I doubt an ancient fable about Queen Esther will be what sends us down the slippery slope to establishing a state religion. I trust teachers not to proselytize and, should they, I trust students to roll their eyes.
However, what students can’t reject, much less wrestle with, is what they’re never taught. Far more concerning is the curriculum’s writing crucial facts about slavery out of the history books. Bluebonnet learners will hear about the architectural marvels of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate without a word about the enslaved laborers who built it under the lash, according a Texas Tribune report.
A second-grade lesson reported on by the Tribune, notes that “slavery was wrong, but it was practiced in most
nations throughout history.” That claim downplays “the race-based nature of slavery in America that made it distinct from other parts of the world.”
Another lesson for the same grade lionizes Gen. Robert E Lee’s ba lefield prowess and commends his preference for “a peaceful way to end the disagreement” — also known as civil war. However, it fails to mention that Lee himself was a notoriously punitive slave master.
A lesson for kindergarteners named “Our Great Country” informs students that Washington and Jefferson “realized that slavery was wrong and founded the country so that Americans could be free.”
Maybe our nation’s original sin was the sin of omission.
Age-appropriateness is a reasonable worry. Yet Edison noted, “In stark contrast to the state curriculum’s lack of detail when covering American slavery, a fifthgrade lesson on World War II is clear and precise about the horrors of the Holocaust, which it defines as ‘the state-sponsored and systematic persecution and murder of six million Jewish people by the Nazi regime and its collaborators’.” That lesson “highlights how Jewish people ‘were dehumanized, imprisoned, a acked and murdered’ and ‘stripped of their rights, dignity and lives’,” but leaves out entirely that the Nuremberg Race Laws “drew inspiration from Jim Crow and the dehumanization of Black people in America.”
“A great disappointment” is how Julia Brookins, senior analyst for the American Historical Association (AHA), summed up the Bluebonnet curriculum in testimony before the SBOE. Some lessons, are so vague that students will struggle to learn anything from them, she added.
“Rarely do curriculum documents reflect on how slavery and racism were mutually constructed,” AHA noted in a report. And according to a survey of 3,000 history teachers, including many from Texas, slavery “was singled out by teachers as a uniquely challenging topic due to its potential for controversy.”
That’s a bit counterintuitive. While
might expect a range of opinions on New Deal social insurance programs or Reaganomics, presumably most of us agree that owning other human beings is wrong.
The contentiousness seems to hang on whether cha el slavery was an excisable deviation from stated egalitarian ideals or instead reveals something essential about our political and economic system as normally practiced. Perhaps one way to win over “divisive concepts”-averse conservatives is to point out that slavery was a national investment, not merely a Southern one.
Brown University history scholar Seth Rockman has spent the past 15 years researching his book Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery. During one discussion of his work, he mentioned that Newark, New Jersey, was once known as the “whip-making capital of the United States” for the reasons you’d expect.
“First and foremost, recognizing the embeddedness of slavery in American life is crucial to creating a future that is ripe with social justice and inclusion,” Rockman said, “and the way we reach that ... is by telling a truthful and full history.”
UCLA legal professor Cheryl Harris is a card-carrying practitioner of Critical Race Theory, which the Texas GOP has boasted about banning from public schools. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is also itching to make its teaching in universities sufficient grounds for denying tenure.
“Despite efforts to obscure the central role of slavery and indigenous dispossession in narratives of nationhood, these realities are deeply imprinted in the relationship between race and markets and property,” Harris said in a 2016 talk. “We still have an underlying presumption of the market as a liberated space, in which people can negotiate freely, but ... the market, depicted as neutral and driven only by rational and inexorable laws of supply and demand, is far from neutral, as embedded within it are racial norms, presumptions, ideologies and structures.”
Members of the Confederacy saw themselves as defenders of private property.
At this time of writing, hundreds of incarcerated firefighters are working to keep Los Angeles from being engulfed in flames. They’re paid around $25 for 24hour shifts — an exploitative setup not unrelated to the racist history of mass imprisonment.
If there’s a state religion worth remaining vigilant against, our hallowed belief in the sanctity of the market might just qualify.
WED | 01.22 - FRI | 02.28
VISUAL ART
DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT?
The companion exhibition to the Artpace spino show Songs for Fran and Donny that opened Jan. 16, Do You Really Believe That? takes its title from a question the late UTSA professor and art historian Frances Colpitt would often ask students, colleagues and collaborators as a way of galvanizing dialogue and provoking introspection. This show highlights Colpitt’s deep engagement with minimal, abstract and conceptual art, and includes a range of fascinating ephemera and documentary materials from Colpitt’s life and career, such as correspondence with artists Donald Judd and John McCracken, audio interviews with Anne Truitt and David Novros and Colpitt’s personal copy of Ed Ruscha’s artist book Every Building on Sunset Strip (1966). Free, opening reception 6-8 p.m. Jan. 22, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and by appointment, UTSA Main Campus, UTSA Main Art Gallery, 1 UTSA Circle, (210) 458-4352, colfa.utsa. edu/art. — Neil Fauerso
WED | 01.22
SPECIAL EVENT
WE DREAM IN DRAG: LIFE IS A DRAG
From ancient Greek theater to extravagant balls in the speakeasies of Harlem, drag has existed in various contexts for centuries. As an art form, its prominence increased significantly in the last half of the 20th century, characterized by inclusivity not limited by gender expression, sexual orientation or race. San Antonio’s Heat nightclub will host a special drag event in which each performance is followed by an interview with the artist, focusing on the difficulties faced by people of color who often face harsh criticism within their ethnic communities. Entertaining, humanizing and informative, this is a unique peek behind the curtain that stage personas engender. Moderated by longtime San Antonio journalist Michael Quintanilla, We Dream in Drag is an official event of DreamWeek San Antonio. Free, 7-9 p.m., Heat, 1500 N. Main Ave., (210) 227-2600, heatsa.com. — Anjali Gupta
Allison V. Smith
Sanford Nowlin
| 01.25
RAZING LIBERTY SQUARE
Whether disasters come in the form of howling wildfires or creeping sea-level rise, the crux of climate change is the displacement of people from homes where they once thought themselves safe. The 2023 documentary Razing Liberty Square, screening at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center as a part of the ongoing citywide event series DreamWeek San Antonio, showcases how climate change supercharges the firestorm of eviction already fueled by existing problems such as structural racism and the a ordable housing crisis. In the Katja Wesson-directed doc, a low-income, high-elevation, historically Black neighborhood in Miami is targeted for gentrification by rich developers who have shifted their focus away from swanky beachfront properties now endangered by rising seas. It’s a story made all the more relevant with the present-day targeting of San Antonio’s public-housing complexes by rich developers looking to further their own interests. A plática featuring residents and housing activists from Miami and San Antonio moderated by Councilwoman Teri Castillo will follow the film. Free, 6-9 p.m., Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, 922 San Pedro Ave., (210) 228-0201, esperanzacenter.org. — Dean Zach
SAT | 01.25
SPECIAL EVENT
FROM APARTHEID TO HEALING: A CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTO BRAND, NELSON MANDELA’S PRISON GUARD
Sentenced to life imprisonment in 1962, Nelson Mandela spent 27 years as a political prisoner before becoming the first democratically elected president of South Africa. His life story is nothing short of extraordinary. One man spent twelve years by Mandela’s side during his prison term: his guard Christo Brand. The two struck up an unlikely friendship that continued into Mandela’s presidency, with Brand working for him as an administrative and logistics manager. This prison guard turned confidant will appear as part of DreamWeek San Antonio to discuss his personal experiences during apartheid, his unlikely friendship with Mandela and his nation’s journey toward healing and reconciliation. This rare experience is made possible by the World Affairs Council of San Antonio. Free with registration, 3 p.m., Alamo Colleges District Headquarters, 2222 N. Alamo St., (210) 308-9494, worldaffairscouncilofsanantonio. wildapricot.org. — AG
FRI | 01.31
SPORTS SPURS VS. BUCKS
League MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo and the NBA Cup Champion Milwaukee Bucks make their only stop in San Antonio this season in search of their second win against the Spurs this month. With defensive anchor Victor Wembanyama limited by foul trouble, Antetokounmpo dominated in a 105-121 blowout against the Spurs in Milwaukee, finishing the night with 25 points and 16 rebounds. After the game, Wembanyama noted the absence of Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, who sat out with low-back tightness. As the team’s annual Rodeo Road Trip and league’s Feb. 6 trade deadline loom, notable centers seemingly available to bolster San Antonio’s frontcourt defense include Washington’s Jonas Valanciunas and Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic. This season’s February gauntlet includes six games away from home with stops in Memphis, Orlando and Boston against former Spur Derrick White and the defending NBA Champion Celtics. $28 and up, 7 p.m., Frost Bank Center, 1 Frost Bank Center Drive, (210) 444-5140, frostbankcenter. com, Fanduel Sports Network-Southwest. — M. Solis
FRI | 01.31 - SUN | 02.01
COMEDY
KYLE KINANE
Veteran stand-up Kyle Kinane isn’t one of those comedians who fires o one-liners like a Gatling gun, taking cheap shots at easy-target celebrities and politicians. No, his stock and trade is storytelling, whether it’s ri ng on the weirdness of moving back to suburbia after years in LA or the meandering conversations he endures when he calls his aging mother. Kinane’s a master of the approach because he knows how to wring bigger and bigger laughs as his tales build to a crescendo. “With a big fish story, the details get a little more rich, but that’s what a story is,” he told the website Comedy Gazelle of his approach. “There’s no setup-punchline, but every detail has something funny to it — I hope.” In Dirt Nap, Kinane’s latest streaming special, he shows his mastery of the craft in a lengthy discourse on just how far he’s willing to suspend his disbelief while watching a Fast & Furious movie. Chuckles progress to belly laughs as the comic describes the increasingly outlandish plot and the phoned-in appearances by a cast of rappers, models and actors who clearly aren’t the ingenious heistmeisters they portray. $25-$35, 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, 618 NW Loop 410, (210) 541-8805, improvtx.com. — Sanford Nowlin
Instagram / Spurs
Courtesy Photo Kyle Kinane
Cultural Adjuster
Talking with Rolando Briseño as his 50-year retrospective show winds down
BY MARCO AQUINO
“Dining with Rolando Briseño: A 50-Year Retrospective,” curated by Ruben C. Cordova at Centro de Artes, closes Feb. 9. Briseño, the San Antonio born Chicano artist whose work it celebrates, also is an activist, a food historian and considers himself a “cultural adjuster.”
Among the highlights of the exhibition and a piece where his urge to make cultural adjustment is on full display is Corn Tortilla Twin Towers, a model replica of the World Trade Center created from more than 300 corn tortillas and pigmented with red chilies.
The exhibition also features several works from Briseño’s Tablescapes series, which explores how the dinner table serves as a communal gathering space where family members interact with each other and exchange words and ideas.
With the retrospective winding down, the Current caught up with Briseño to discuss his thoughts on 50 years of his artistic output and why he considers corn or masa — the dough made from corn — “the basis of Mexican civilization.”
Briseño’s responses were frequently poignant yet humorous. We also discussed how just seven years prior, his late husband, Angel Rodriguez Diaz, who died in 2023, also had a career-spanning retrospective in the same space.
What are your thoughts on the retrospective covering more than 50 years of your work?
I’ve actually been an artist longer than 50 years. Me and my cousins would go to art school at the McNay Museum when we were in grade school. We were the only Mexicans there. Since I was a kid I’ve always wanted to be an artist. My mother wanted me to be an architect. She didn’t want me to be an artist, but later on she said, “Well, at least you’re not a dancer!”
How do you think Mexican food is misunderstood?
People think it’s not up to par with French food …. . Or Italian food. But that’s just not true! It is just different, but things are slowly starting to change. Americans love cheese, so the American version of enchiladas is just completely different. In Mexico they use very li le white
cheese on enchiladas. It’s healthier and more natural.
Talk about your connection to New York and your inspiration for Corn Tortilla Towers. I lived in New York for many years, but I wasn’t there during 9/11. Early on, I remember thinking the whole world comes to visit New York, but there weren’t any Mexicans. Only the Mexican artists or intellectuals would go. Eventually, the Mexican people started to arrive and move there. A lot of them were from Puebla, and I would talk to them on the subway. The busboys and dishwashers were mainly all Mexican.There was a restaurant at the top of the towers, and they all worked there, probably undocumented. After the towers fell, no one probably came looking for them, they just disappeared. So I decided to make this sculpture as an homage to them, whom I refer to as, “Los Hijos de Maiz,” or the “Sons of the Corn.”
What’s the significance of corn?
Corn is to the Americas what wheat was to Europe. The Olmecs over 3,000 years ago made it bigger, and then they discovered that when you soak corn it makes masa. And that was much more nutritious! The Mayans had tamales, and if you look at the Caribbean, everyone has their own version of the tamal.
What’s the meaning behind many of the boxers or fighters in your Tablescapes series?
I chose the table because it’s a secular, ceremonial place where there is communication and things that could go on. Things can go on around the table besides eating. We talk, we communicate … so I see it as a locus of community. A lot of time, people get together, like around Thanksgiving, and arguing ensues. Sometimes at the table, people just start arguing. The boxer probably also represents some sort of internal strife within me towards my identity, my sexuality … . I’m not sure.
Your husband Angel Rodriguez Diaz also had his retrospective in the same space in
2017. Have there ever been any comparisons between your work and his?
Angel, my deceased husband, is a master portrait artist. His portraits are incredible. He is also Puerto Rican, so our work is very different. His work is very detailed. Mine is more expressive, more symbolic. Just different.
What’s it like to see all three paintings from Angel’s Goddess Triptych finally reunited and publicly displayed at the San Antonio Museum of Art after seven years?
Oh yeah, that was great! The writer Sandra Cisneros had donated the first two with the condition that they purchase the third piece. So, my art dealer, Rigoberto Luna, sold them the third piece. It was great to see the three goddesses finally reunited at SAMA in 2024. They have their own gallery. It’s really exciting that finally happened.
Free, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through Feb. 9, Centro de Artes Gallery, 101 S. Santa Rosa Ave., (210) 207-6960, sa.gov/arts.
feb 8th 2025
8AM-10AM EXCLUSIVE VIP 10AM-3PM GENERAL ADM.
Boundless Love
Actress Aunjanue EllisTaylor honored to serve as ‘vessel for art’ and justice in NickelBoys
BY KIKO MARTINEZ
As soon as Academy Award-nominated actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (King Richard) saw the work of filmmaker RaMell Ross, she knew she wanted to experience what it was like to work with the visionary director.
Ellis-Taylor was impressed with his 2018 avant-garde documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening, about the residents of the region in Alabama known as the “Black Belt.” Ross earned an Oscar nomination for the acclaimed piece.
“I felt it was some of the most exciting filmmaking I had seen,” Ellis-Taylor, 55, told the Current during a recent interview. “I wanted to do whatever he was doing. So, I called him up. I wanted him to know how I felt about his work.”
A few years later, Ellis-Taylor finds herself in the cast of Ross’ feature film debut, Nickel Boys . Based on a true story, the drama follows two young Black men who befriend one another inside a segregated reform school known for its history of abuse. The movie, set in Jim Crow-era Florida, is adapted from the novel of the same name by author Colson Whitehead.
Ellis-Taylor plays Ha ie, the loving grandmother of one of the youths. She serves as his source of hope during the difficult days he spends in the institution. Without her love, it seems impossible her grandson will survive the harrowing situation.
During our interview, Ellis-Taylor talked about what moved her to play her devoted character and the difference she felt confronting the role during production and now in retrospect.
Nickel Boys is currently playing at the Santikos Palladium Theatre.
What spoke to you about the true story behind Nickel Boys?
It’s just the kind of work I want to be a part of — unearthing these stories that we should all know about, so that we can give justice to these children. Some of them are dead and gone. Some of them are older men. I want to be the voice for those children.
Are you drawn to these stories because you want to make sure this is a part of
history that won’t be forgotten?
I’m drawn to these stories as a human being. I wish that we all were because we all need to be. I feel [film] is art. Art is our way of exacting some kind of justice for these parents and these children. Art is our way of doing that. It’s our privilege to experience it. It’s not somebody telling us the story. We are the vessel for art. I think that’s why it moves me.
Where did you find the inspiration for your character?
[As an actress], you really are a steward of the words [in the script]. [Actors] Ethan [Herisse] and Brandon [Wilson] are human beings who carry a vulnerability and a sensitivity to them. What I couldn’t get [from the script], I got from them before [RaMell] said action. Those are the things I pulled from when I was filming, but we can also think about these things in retrospect.
What changes when you look at it in retrospect?
You know, you live with things. They order your steps, even if you’re not aware of it. So, I know that what was inside of me — what I pulled from — was the dignity of my grandmother and how she carried herself through the world.
What was your grandmother like?
I mean, she wasn’t affectionate, [but] she showed her boundless love for me. My grandmother stood in those lines to get [government] peanut butter and cheese for me. She had to feed me. That was the kind of woman my grandmother was.
Did you revisit the original book before shooting the film?
I didn’t, and that was purposeful. I think adaptations and books are very different. I wanted my experience to be the adaptation of Nickel Boys, not the book.
Personally, I don’t like when people say, “The book is better” than the movie. Why do they compare two different forms of media?
They’re very different art forms. Adaptations don’t get the respect they deserve. An adaptation is an art form unto itself.
Now that we’re entering a new U.S. administration, do you worry about the next four years? Asking as a minority myself, where do we go from here as a society?
We’re not the minority. We’re the majority on this planet. We have to acknowledge that because there’s power in that. I think it’s OK to be a little clueless [and] to feel that loss. I think we’re going to have to do some rebuilding. We’re going to have to rebuild and build from the ground up.
Find more fi lm stories at sacurrent.com
Amazon MGM Studios
Building Up Speed
Bokobá’s take on ‘modern Mexican’ cuisine at its best when it sticks close to tradition
BY RON BECHTOL
The notion of “modern Mexican” cuisine might strike terror in the hearts of those who fear the profaning of their traditional enchiladas and guisados with tony touches such as airy foams and artfully tweezered microgreen garnishes.
To be sure, foam makes a menu appearance at Bokobá, the newly opened restaurant and bar that took over the former Chela’s location on North St. Mary’s Street and je isoned pre y much everything but the layout.
But fear not. Management hasn’t altogether ignored the tried and true. Feeling that one must walk before one runs, it seemed right to start with a classic: chile relleno from the u erly unscary
lunch menu. An assortment of tacos and plates such as enchiladas Michoacanas were among the other possibilities.
Turns out the kitchen can walk.
Cheese filling might be the most traditional chile relleno filling, but the menu offers beef as well. Finely ground and simply seasoned, the filling passes the test with no need of add-ins such as potato. The poblano chile is coated in the usual egg ba er — more chewy than airy, but not unpleasantly so. And the ranchera sauce has a welcome bite. Not to mention a healthy dose of salt. Refried beans? Check, and they’re of the sturdy and savory sort. Rice? Exactly what we expect on this side of the border.
Returning for dinner it was time to plunge into the mod-Mex menu. And also to note that the brightly lit open
kitchen becomes a distraction at night, when the restaurant is presumably seeking a more elevated tone.
As it happens, the plunge isn’t as death-defying as anticipated. Some of the most audacious items on an earlier menu had already been purged by the time I dined at Bokobá — a beef carpaccio tlayuda with edamame and pistachio guacamole, for example, and duck carnitas with foie gras for example.
But a trio of mini crispy taquitos does remain — all served with a jalapeño-lime “air froth.” We sampled two out of the three, eschewing lobster as an unnecessary luxury. The shells themselves are refrigerator cold, a li le off-pu ing at first but their satisfying crunch served the fillings well: the snapper ceviche was brilliantly tart; the spicy tuna more earthy and subtly spiced. If air foam had ever darkened the duo it had long since deflated.
It’s worth noting that most entrée-sized plates come without any accompaniments, so you may want to take a look at the sides column. The riso o with huitlacoche and black truffle
wasn’t as fungus-forward as I hoped, but was nevertheless a prime example of professional execution: both creamy and yet with a detectable bite.
Pyrotechnics in the form of an ignited ladle of Licor 43 accompanied the osso buco al pibil. The Spanish liqueur has notes of citrus and vanilla, and though it flames like a champ, I’m not convinced that the sweetness it adds to the pork’s rustic achiote, citrus and chile braise does the meat any favors. For its part, though, the pork falls freely from the bone, and house-made corn tortillas were another indication of a kitchen competent in the basics.
The thick tortillas that swaddled an order of Thai mole enchiladas may have been too much of a good thing, however, and any hint of Thai fusion was unapparent. The fried basil garnish perhaps? Fortunately the mole was deep and rich and the chicken filling abundant. But the why-Thai mystery remains. No inter-ethnic expectations marred the camarones zarandeados. In its simplest form, zarandeado can mean fish or shrimp simply seasoned and
Ron Bechtol
grilled. Bokobá takes a more baroque approach involving mustard, fried garlic and slivered, dried chiles, and it works beautifully. The shell-on shrimp are small enough to consume shell and all — a good thing since removal makes a real mess.
Bokobá also bills itself as a lounge, and the reasonably priced bar list is long enough to give the claim credence. You will have to ask your accommodating waiter for explanations of most non-classic offerings. An Old Fashioned with Mexican corn whiskey and Ancho Reyes poblano liqueur arrived with a smoldering cinnamon stick that left a smoky impression. The tequila-based Mexican Martini was suitably bracing. And the entirely orthodox Daiquiri was just that.
And then there was dessert. We vacillated between Kahllúa flan and pan de elote. Caveat emptor: the texture of this flan like that of bread pudding rather than the quivery custard most of us would expect. Yet Kahlúa did appear in a dulce de leche sauce enlivened with pecans, and the odd-sounding chiffonade of basil worked beautifully.
Bokobá may still be ge ing up to running speed. In the meantime, whether the restaurant will find both a distinctive culinary identity and an audience remains to be seen.
BOKOBÁ MODERN MEXICAN CUISINE
3420 N. St Mary’s St., Suite 105, (210) 956-7638
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday
Price range: $13-$85
Best bets: Mini tacos de ceviche and tuna, chile relleno, camarones zarandeados, osso bucco al pibil
The lowdown: Bokobá is still finding its way in the nebulous realm of modern Mexican cuisine.
The restaurant cites influences from as far afield as Thailand, but the most convincing dishes so far tend toward the traditional: chile relleno and camarones zarandeados, for example. All of the more ambitious offerings at least have interesting parts, though, so the outlook is promising. And the bar can turn out both classics and inventive options such as an Old Fashioned with Mexican corn whiskey and Ancho Reyes poblano liqueur.
Ron Bechtol
Gentrification Blues
San Antonio’s Friends of Sound Records relocates after being priced out of old location
BY STEPHANIE KOITHAN
Beloved San Antonio record shop Friends of Sound has reopened at a new location after being priced out of its former space.
Previously located at 700 Fredericksburg Road, the wax emporium secured a new, larger space just a quarter mile up the street at 823 Fredericksburg. The business started moving after Christmas and turned in the keys on New Year’s Day, co-owner George Mendoza told the Current.
The relocated shop held its grand opening Sunday, Jan. 5, though Mendoza said it’s still ge ing into the groove at its new digs. And after the tumult of the past few months, the dust hasn’t quite se led yet.
Get up, get down, get out
Mendoza said Friends of Sound’s change of venue was necessary after a substantial rent increase at the old location.
“I just saw the whole gentrification thing happen right in front of my eyes,” said Mendoza. “It was pre y wild.”
The shop had occupied the corner space of its strip center since 2016, when it began renting from San Antonio visual artist Rolando Briseño, who lived down the street.
“It was an easy relationship,” Mendoza said.
However, in fall of 2023, Briseño sold the building to Houston-based LCP Beacon Hill. The building’s property management company is Centro Properties Group, which manages a number of other downtown-area buildings, including the one housing Folklores Coffee. Last July, Centro notified Friends of Sound that its rent would nearly double.
“They increased the rent to the point
we couldn’t afford it,” Mendoza said.
Neighboring Studio E, a recording studio that produced several local releases that Current critics named among their favorites of 2024, was also priced out of the building, and its owner is currently scouting for a new location.
“These things happen and bigger interests come in,” Mendoza added. “We kinda went through the whole thing again that happened to us in Austin.”
No stranger to gentrification
Friends of Sound majority shareholder David Haffner, who now lives in Las Vegas, founded the shop in Austin in
2006. His venture was priced out of its South Congress Street location in 2016, prompting a move to San Antonio.
Friends of Sound’s battle with gentrification is a common refrain among indie record stores, which are already battling competition from streaming services. Austin institution Waterloo Records recently announced plans to relocate and change ownership for similar reasons.
As a silver lining, Friends of Sounds’ most recent displacement allowed it to graduate to a larger space, increasing its footprint to 3,000 square feet from 1,800. The larger space also includes a vintage clothing store called Wear-
House, which specializes in ‘90s and Y2K fashions.
The new Friends of Sound is positioned across the street from Garcia’s Mexican Food and Wicked Wich, closer to Woodlawn Avenue. As a result, the store is ge ing more foot traffic than it did further down Fredericksburg, where ongoing construction also bit into sales.
“It’s sad too, because with us being there for such a long time, we had become a part of the community,” said Mendoza, who lives in nearby Beacon Hill.
Even so, it’s time for a new era, and Mendoza says he’s “positive about the future.”
Stephanie Koithan
Hooks From the Garage
San Antonio music vets West of Rome celebrate release of new album with timeless vibes
BY JEPH DUARTE
Keep It Fly in the Negative Zone, the debut album from West of Rome, a band comprised of four veteran San Antonio musicians, feels like fine wine demanding to be decanted and served for a celebratory toast.
The release is an amalgamation of guitar-driven pop songs steeped in a garage rock ethos. For music fans who pine for alternative rock blended with introspective lyricism and memorable hooks, the release is likely to feel both new and instantly recognizable.
The band’s album release performance will take place Saturday, Feb. 1 at The Lonesome Rose with the New A ractions and the Please Help opening.
Part of that timelessness probably comes courtesy of the band’s lineup of local musical stalwarts. Vocalist Kevin Higginbotham, guitarist Charlie Roadman, bassist Blake Smithson and drummer Jamie Roadman are lifelong performers with deep roots in the San Antonio music scene, both as individuals and in tandem with one another.
Prior to West of Rome, Smithson was a member of Hondo Radar, The Paisley and Coyote Dreams. Guitarist Charlie Roadman started his musical journey with S.T.E.V.E (Satan’s Teeth Eat Virtually Everything) before launching his solo effort Torrejon, while brother Jamie Roadman, the original drummer for art-rock collective Buttercup, served as the man behind the kit for The Mechanical Walking Robot Boy and Los Mescaleros. The Roadman brothers and Higginbotham also played together in multiple projects including Evergreen, F for Fake and Athens v. Sparta.
The origin story for West of Rome, named for the 1991 Vic Chesnu album, extends all the way back to 1991. At the time, Smithson, then a member of Coyote Dreams, met the Roadman brothers and Higginbotham, who were playing Evergreen. The two bands embarked the following year on a memorable — and at one point bloodcurdling — tour.
“It was a harrowing few minutes: Mike Ryan from Coyote Dreams had a VW bus all painted hippie-style,” Jamie Roadman said. “It was wintertime, and we went over a bridge that was frozen. I was driving behind, and I saw the VW bus go on its side. There were a few minutes of sheer terror, and then Mike Ryan popped out the top and said, ‘We’re fine.’”
“We all bonded very heavily over the course of that tour, and then we’ve all played together ever since,” Smithson added.
In the years that followed, an oft-thrown together combination of musicians called The Unables played regularly. The revolving lineup featured members of both Coyote Dreams and Evergreen, and its pool of talent evolved over the years to include members of The Intentions, Light Baby Strange and The Infidels.
From the ashes of The Unables, the members of West of Rome kept in touch, now combining for a new creative endeavor three decades down the line.
The four friends said their bond is strengthened by their music. Each member plays multiple instruments, and their extensive gigging experiences have strengthened their collaboration.
“We’re all at this point pre y easy going,” Jamie Roadman said. “We’ve had a lot of experience in bands, and sort of know when to insert our opinions — and not. Most of these songs were wri en by Kevin, with input by everybody.”
While Higginbotham brought in fleshed-out song ideas, the final product is the result of each member’s experience, Smithson explained.
“We would get in the room and sort of hammer them out,” he said of the creative process. “Charlie has very definite music ideas, which is great. He’s real focused. He’ll hear something in his head and really be able to chase that down.”
Charlie Roadman’s guitar journey started in his early teens while a member of a military family that moved frequently. He could always find his footing in a new town through music.
An early fan of heavy metal, the elder Roadman abandoned the genre once exposed to the alternative sounds of the ’90s.
When it came to recording with West of Rome, Charlie Roadman said he spent more time focused on tweaking his contributions.
“I don’t know that I heard the parts instantly,” he said. “I wanted to avoid cliché guitar riffs while working toward a positive outcome.”
Adding the mixing and mastering process, all four members of West of Rome have recording experience and have produced multiple projects.
“We were ge ing together just for the fun. There wasn’t a grand goal at the very beginning,” Jamie Roadman said. “It was easy to book a block at a studio and go in and work on some ideas we’d been playing with.”
Higginbotham described the nine songs that make up Keep It Fly in the Negative Zone as a “love le er to misspent youth and a survival guide for difficult times.”
The difficult times in question are the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit not long after the members of West of Rome began assembling the project. At its core, the album reminds the listener through example of how to stay true to what makes one happy.
“It combines our love of vintage gear with modern abandon,” Higginbotham added. “Our analog obsessions were recorded live for transmission into a digital world.”
$8, 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, The Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St, thelonesomerose.com.
Find more music coverage every day at sacurrent.com
Courtesy Photo West of Rome
TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF APPLICATION AND INTENT TO OBTAIN AIR PERMIT (NORI)
AIR QUALITY PERMIT NUMBER 43833
APPLICATION. Southwest Research Institute, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for: Amendment of Permit 43833
This application would authorize modification of the Southwest Research Institute located at 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas 78238. AVISO DE IDIOMA ALTERNATIVO. El aviso de idioma alternativo en espanol está disponible en https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/air/newsourcereview/airpermits-pendingpermit-apps.
This link to an electronic map of the site or facility’s general location is provided as a public courtesy and not part of the application or notice. For exact location, refer to application. https://gisweb.tceq.texas.gov/LocationMapper/?marker=-98.61,29.452222&level=13.
The facility will emit the following contaminants: carbon monoxide, hazardous air pollutants, lead, nitrogen oxides, organic compounds, particulate matter including particulate matter with diameters of 10 microns or less and 2.5 microns or less, and sulfur dioxide.
This application was submitted to the TCEQ on November 20, 2024. The application will be available for viewing and copying at the TCEQ central office, the TCEQ San Antonio regional office, and the Bazan Library, 2200 West Commerce Street, San Antonio Bexar County, Texas beginning the first day of publication of this notice. The facility’s compliance file, if any exists, is available for public review in the San Antonio regional office of the TCEQ. The application, including any updates, is available electronically at the following webpage: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/air/airpermit-applications-notices
The executive director has determined the application is administratively complete and will conduct a technical review of the application.
PUBLIC COMMENT. You may submit public comments to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below. The TCEQ will consider all public comments in developing a final decision on the application and the executive director will prepare a response to those comments.
PUBLIC MEETING. You may request a public meeting to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below. The purpose of a public meeting is to provide the opportunity to submit comments or ask questions about the application. A public meeting about the application will be held if requested by an interested person and the executive director determines that there is a significant degree of public interest in the application or if requested by a local legislator. A public meeting is not a contested case hearing.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND PRELIMINARY DECISION. In addition to this NORI, 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) § 39.419 requires this application to also have a Notice of Application and Preliminary Decision (NAPD) after the application is determined to be technically complete and a draft permit is prepared. Note: The TCEQ may act on this application without issuing a NAPD and without seeking further public comment or providing further opportunity for a contested case hearing if changes to representations in the application make the application no longer subject to the applicability requirements of 30 TAC § 39.402. In such cases, this NORI will be your final notice of this application and you will not have additional opportunities to make comments or request a contested case hearing. If a NAPD is required, it will be published and mailed to those who made comments, submitted hearing requests, or are on the mailing list for this application, and contain the final deadline for submitting public comments.
OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONTESTED CASE HEARING. You may request a contested case hearing if you are a person who may be affected by emissions of air contaminants from the facility. If requesting a contested case hearing, you must submit the following: (1) your name (or for a group or association, an official representative), mailing address, and daytime phone number; (2) applicant’s name and permit number; (3) the statement “[I/we] request a contested case hearing”; (4) a specific description of how you would be adversely affected by the application and air emissions from the facility in a way not common to the general public; (5) the location and distance of your property relative to the facility; (6) a description of how you use the property which may be impacted by the facility; and (7) a list of all disputed issues of fact that you submit during the comment period. If the request is made by a group or an association, one or more members who have standing to request a hearing must be identified by name and physical address. The interests the group or association seeks to protect must also be identified. You may also submit your proposed adjustments to the application/permit which would satisfy your concerns.
The deadline to submit a request for a contested case hearing is 30 days after newspaper notice is published. If a request is timely filed, the deadline for requesting a contested case hearing will be extended to 30 days after the mailing of the response to comments.
If a hearing request is timely filed, following the close of all applicable comment and request periods, the Executive Director will forward the application and any requests for contested case hearing to the Commissioners for their consideration at a scheduled Commission meeting. The Commission may only grant a request for a contested case hearing on issues the requestor submitted in their timely comments that were not subsequently withdrawn. If a hearing is granted, the subject of a hearing will be limited to disputed issues of fact or mixed questions of fact and law relating to relevant and material air quality concerns submitted during the comment period. Issues such as property values, noise, traffic safety, and zoning are outside of the Commission’s jurisdiction to address in this proceeding.
MAILING LIST. In addition to submitting public comments, you may ask to be placed on a mailing list to receive future public notices for this specific application by sending a written request to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below.
AGENCY CONTACTS AND INFORMATION. Public comments and requests must be submitted either electronically at www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/, or in writing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O.Box13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087. Please be aware that any contact information you provide, including your name, phone number, email address and physical address will become part of the agency’s public record. For more information about this permit application or the permitting process, please call the Public Education Program toll free at 1-800-687-4040. Si desea información en Español, puede llamar al 1-800-687-4040.
Further information may also be obtained from Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Texas 78238-5166 or by calling Ms. Amber Chapman, Lead Environmental Scientist, at (210) 522-3271.
Notice Issuance Date: January 9, 2025
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critics’ picks
Thursday, Jan. 23
Atmosphere, Sage Francis, Mr. Dibbs
Minneapolis hip hop-duo Atmosphere, comprised of rapper Slug (Sean Daley) and producer Ant (Anthony Davis), has drawn praise for its introspective rhymes and the throwback sounds of its classic production. Slug’s strength as a lyricist is the vulnerability and truth at the heart of his rhymes. Founded in 1996, Atmosphere dropped its 13th studio album, So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously, in 2023. $41.25-$83.80, 7:30 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — Danny Cervantes
Saturday, Jan. 25
Lee Fields with Monophonics
Retro-soul vocalist Lee Fields is blessed with a set of pipes that can coax you to sleep or peel the paint o the walls. Fields’ tour-de-force performances have led to frequent comparisons to James Brown. Indeed, he even provided vocals for the Brown biopic Get On Up. Fields’ five-decade career has included collaborations with anyone from Kool & the Gang and B.B. King to French house DJ Martin Solveig. Joining Fields for this tour is Monophonics, dubbed the “top psychedelic soul band in the world.” For fans of groovy music, this performance is a must. $37, 8 p.m., Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry St., thecarver.org. — Bill Baird
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, Trash Dragon
Austin-based Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol may have an unwieldy name, but the band’s taut blasts of fuzzy noise rock are anything but unwieldy. Revolver Magazine called the trio “epically catchy,” which isn’t always easy to pull o with such a pile-driving sound. SA’s own masters of noise and sludge The Grasshopper Lies Heavy make a distinctive racket of their own, making them one of the top bands in town — if not the top. Fellow hometown heroes Trash Dragon will bring their own fuzzy, noisy approach, making this one stellar bill for fans of big ugly ri s. $15, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx. com. — BB
Droptines, Henry Merchant
Frontman Connor “The King of Concan” Arthur established alt-country outfi t The Droptines in 2019 in the Hill Country enclave that fi gures in his nickname. Although classic country is at the root of its sound, the band capably draws from a variety of other genres to enhance Arthur’s storytelling lyrics. The driving but moody “Raining Where You Are” from the Droptines’ self-titled 2024 album offers a good overview of the band’s strengths. $20, 8 p.m., Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, (830) 606-1281, gruenehall. com. — DC
Wednesday, Jan. 29
The Tubameisters
Heavy metal of the bass clef variety reigns when The Tubameisters hit the stage. The quartet employs the low-end brass of tubas and euphoniums to bring to life the music of Germany, Austria and Mexico. The group recently hosted its 44th Annual Tubameister Christmas at Arneson River Theatre, a holiday concert open to tuba and euphonium players of all ages. Free, 6 p.m., Krause’s Cafe, 148 S. Castell Ave., New Braunfels, (830) 625-2807 krausescafe.com. — DC
Thursday,
Toro Flores
Jan. 30
Toro Flores, a master percussionist specializing in vibraphone, has assembled a special performance called “A Love Letter to San Antonio,” which o ers a tour of our city’s diverse musical history. Expect stops in the blues and jazz of the East Side and the conjunto and brown-eyed soul of the West Side along with country and rock. This show seeks to educate us on the Alamo City’s singular and often overlooked musical leg-
acy. $25, 7:30 p.m., Jazz TX, 312 Pearl Parkway, jazztx.com. — BB
Cast of Thousands, Powdered Wig Machine, Eastern Condors
Austin’s Cast of Thousands cranks out power-pop of the highest order. You can hear the influence of Big Star, Guided by Voices and other masters of the craft. Which is to say the band is capable of hitting emotionally, melodically and lyrically, while chiming guitars and propulsive rhythms draw listeners in. San Antonio’s Powdered Wig Machine are a powerful live band with bizarre theatrics that bring the feeling of a surreal TV show come to life. Eastern Condors, another SA act, play high-energy, post-punk noise rock. $10, 8 p.m., The Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St, thelonesomerose.com. — BB
Saturday, Feb. 1
Death From Above 1979, Teen Mortgage Canadian dance-punk duo Death From Above 1979 celebrated the 20th anniversary of its debut release You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine last year. Bassist Jesse F. Keeler and drummer-vo-
Death From Above 1979
released four more studio albums. While the act has changed its name back and forth over the years, one thing remains constant: its ability to combine the DIY energy of hardcore punk with the exhilarating rush of dance music. $32.50, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — DC
Sunday, Feb. 2
Cursive, Pile
Cursive is one of the great bands of the early-2000s emo and post-hardcore era. Vocalist Tim Kasher penned a clutch of classic tunes, culminating in Cursive’s critical and commercial breakthrough, 2004’s The Ugly Organ. Enduring through numerous lineup changes, the band has continues to put out releases full of its trademark melodic post-hardcore with nary a drop in quality. Opener Pile plays indie-rock in the classic sense, o ering up big guitars, a nervy frontman and a melding of slowcore, post-hardcore, and other early-aughts influences. $25, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx. com. — BB
calist Sebastian Grainger overcame a breakup after that release to reunite in 2011. Since then, the pair has
LINERS
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TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS
AND PARTIES:
Southwest Research Institute, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for: Amendment of Permit 43833 This application would authorize modification of a South west Research Institute located at 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas 78238. Additional information concerning this application is contained in the public notice section of this newspaper.
“Welcome to 2025”--it’s 3x15, squared. by Matt Jones
© 2025 Matt Jones
Across
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9. Nice name?
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13. Dry as a bone
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20. MM
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23. e whole thing
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25. Initials for home projects
26. Band known for elaborate videos
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30. Segment between “Eat” and “Love”
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locale
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49. On vacation
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59. “Dallas Buyers Club” Oscar winner Jared
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63. “Peter Pan” pixie nickname
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2. Moving van rental company
3. Hair care product
4. “Children of Blood and Bone” author Adeyemi
5. “Not even!”
6. “Part of Your World” singer
7. Su x for Earth or nger
8. Air freshener target
9. Battery for smoke detectors
10. Deliver a lecture
11. Not just once
15. Places for big-name players
16. Point opposite WNW
18. Smoothie superfruit
21. Bird on a quarter
25. Color-changing substance
26. “Citizen Kane” director Welles
27. Potter’s furnace
29. “Casablanca” character
30. ‘90s handhelds
31. University of Alabama cheer
32. Subsequently
33. Member of the Jackson 5
36. One with a way with words
37. Peeved
38. “Don’t Stop ___ You Get Enough”
44. Fruit resembling a lemon
52. Car wash appliance, for short
53. Main port of Norway
54. Masticate
55. Tech news site once owned by CBS
45. “CHiPs” costar Estrada
47. Presidential daughter of the 2010s
48. Play in the NHL
49. Gira e’s stripey relative
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