Fort Worth Weekly // May 1-7, 2024

Houston Street Shuffle

Strong drinks and clashing vibes made for a dizzying night out bar-hopping downtown.

BY CHRISTINA BERGER

ATE DAY8 A WEEK

Stuck on Mother’s Day ideas? Take a peek inside. BY

LAURIE JAMES

STUFF

When “all in” really means “blow it all up”: a Cowboys draft postmortem. BY PATRICK

HIGGINS

MUSIC

SageModeWrex’s new record is here to salve the soul. BY PATRICK

HIGGINS

CROSSTOWN SOUNDS

Black Tie Dynasty, Royal Sons, Simone Nicole, and Big Heaven make up just some of the marquee local shows this month. BY JENNIFER

BOVEE

Public Enemies

By Ken Wheatcroft-Pardue

Tennis, Anyone?

By Kristian Lin

Mama Rosé

By Christina Berger

Anthony Mariani, Editor

Lee Newquist, Publisher

Bob Niehoff, General Manager

Ryan Burger, Art Director

Jim Erickson, Circulation Director

Emmy Smith, Proofreader

Michael Newquist, Regional Sales Director

Jennifer Bovee, Marketing Director

Stacey Hammons, Senior Account Executive

Julie Strehl, Account Executive

Tony Diaz, Account Executive

Wyatt Newquist, Digital Coordinator

Clintastic, Brand Ambassador

CONTRIBUTORS

Christina Berger, E.R. Bills, Jason Brimmer, Buck D. Elliott, Juan R. Govea, Patrick Higgins, Laurie James, Kristian Lin, Cody Neathery, Wyatt Newquist, Steve Steward, Teri Webster, Ken Wheatcroft-Pardue, Elaine Wilder, Cole Williams

EDITORIAL BOARD

Laurie James, Anthony Mariani, Emmy Smith, Steve Steward

By Laurie James

No talking. No food and drinks. No music. Come break the rules and say “yes!” to new art experiences at the Carter’s Second Thursdays! Every Second Thursday is di erent than the last — mingle with fellow art lovers, make art, and meet visiting artists, sometimes with live music and always with themed cocktails inspired by the Carter’s collection. You’ll never think of museums in the same way again.

CARTERMUSEUM.ORG/ SECOND-THURSDAYS

THURSDAY MAY 9 | 5–8 P.M.

TOASTS &TUNES

Enjoy an evening enhanced with art making, themed cocktails inspired by the Carter collection, and live music on our Porch! It’s a free event with drinks available for purchase.

Second Thursdays at the Carter is generously supported by:

DON’T MISS OUT!

The Cruelest Month

Let them protest — the students, not the conservative justices.

BY KEN WHEATCROFT-PARDUE

What a week it was. Last Wednesday at the University of Texas, city police and state troopers decked out in riot gear — at the invitation of the school’s president and with loud cheering from our MAGA governor stopped a peaceful protest billed as a “Public University for Gaza.”

“These protesters belong in jail,” Gov. Greg Abbott posted without citing any evidence, perhaps hoping to score some points with GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump and possibly replace puppy-killer Kristi Noem on the felonious orange racist rapist’s list of potential VPs.

Despite what you may have heard, anti-Israeli protests are not inherently antisemitic, and public universities are meant to be places where issues can be discussed. Little wonder then that the party that wants to limit what teachers can teach also wants to curtail free speech.

I don’t necessarily back everything some pro-Palestinian protester might utter, but someone getting their feelings hurt doesn’t mean we should shut it all down. Also, as a former UT grad student, I am personally offended that at the same campus where I felt safe, students were set on by officers with guns, pepper spray, and batons. Leave the kids alone. They’re alright and should be allowed to peacefully protest.

Let’s not forget the overriding issue here. Nothing justifies Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of innocent civilians, hospitals, mosques, universities, apartment buildings, and refugee camps. Not October 7th, not anything. And whether we like it or not, our country provides the weapons and the money for the Israeli war machine to keep on rolling over dead Palestinians. Right now, these UT kids and others across the country are our conscience, and leaders should heed them, not make political hay out of opposing them.

Then on Friday, the conservative bloc of the U.S. Supreme Court seemed confused as to exactly why we revolted against the British in the first place. Totally unnecessary spoiler alert: It was because we didn’t want

METROPOLIS

Life is good the very same week we got a flashing warning light about a possible future Trumpocracy.

college students peacefully protesting and the conservative Supreme Court’s complete indifference to Trump’s fomenting an insurrection on January 6 put in stark relief the GOP’s utter antipathy to democracy.

All this happened the same week that my wife and I put in our spring garden, albeit a little later than we wanted. Even though I’m not much of a gardener, I enjoy it every year, getting down on my knees and digging into the black dirt filled with teeming life. We planted our “crops” — tomatoes, peppers, and green beans — just in time for good soaking rains. After the storms headed off to our east, we stepped into our backyard under the canopy of oak trees to check on our babies, and all our new plants seemed happy, so life is good the very same week we got a flashing warning light about a possible future Trumpocracy.

Whoever is elected president next will have a good chance to nominate two new justices. If more Federalist Society political operatives receive lifetime appointments to ignore civil rights, back big business, and weaken our democracy further, we are all screwed, so let’s enjoy our brief spring before our temperatures rise and our unforgiving Texas sun bleaches the grass yellow, all while not forgetting that democracy, like any garden, needs to be tended. With all the downright meanness in politics, it’s tempting to look away, to concentrate on our personal lives. That is understandable, but we cannot allow our democracy to whither on the vine. l

Ken Wheatcroft-Pardue spent three years in Austin back in the ’80s and loved every minute of it.

a king. To paraphrase Tom Paine: Here, the law is king.

Or so I thought before listening to Justices Roberts, Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch jointly obfuscate the issue behind Trump v. United States, which could be an apt title for what’s happened in this country since the lifelong conman came down the

golden escalator. The exchanges, some bordering on the bizarre, all left me wondering whether even Amy Coney Barrett still harbors any serious doubt that her fellow conservative justices are nothing but political hacks.

This past week of Republicans’ cheerleading for law enforcement to manhandle

This column reflects the opinions and fact-gathering of the author(s) and only the author(s) and not the Fort Worth Weekly To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@FWWeekly. com. He will gently edit it for clarity and concision.

Democracy is just as fragile as the author’s crop, whose harvest was reaped by Grandchild No. 2 last year.

Ken Wheatcroft-Pardue

METRO

KKKakistocracy

The Texas education system has daddy issues.

BY E.R. BILLS

In 2022, a 15-year-old Virginia Beach girl named Simone Nied began a modest campaign to remove the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) from the list of nonprofits afforded exemptions from real estate, deed recordation, and personal property taxes in the state of Virginia. The “White House” of the Confederacy was located in Richmond, where Confederate President Jefferson Davis lived during the Civil War. Nied’s efforts seemed Sisyphean.

But earlier this year, a bill stripping the UDC of tax breaks was passed in the Virginia House of Delegates, and in early February — with two Republicans joining all 21 Democrats — the Virginia Senate agreed. The legislation went to Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who did what most spineless pols do when they want to stay in office — he punted. The GOP leader inserted red tape to require lawmakers to pass the bill again in 2025 and added an amendment to require the state’s Department of Taxation to study Virginia’s recordation tax exemptions and their effect on state revenues.

In the meantime, I also marvel at the preposterousness of the affair. How did the United Daughters of the Confederacy receive tax breaks in the first place, and why have they been extended into the 21st century? Is insurrection a religion? Didn’t the Confederacy’s insurrection comprise the exact opposite of a nonprofit campaign? Wasn’t the entire war waged to protect the profits reaped by the Southern white aristocracy from slave labor?

Does Texas have a chapter of the UDC?

We do, and it’s taxed just like a church. And here’s part of its mission statement.

The United Daughters of the Confederacy is a nonprofit organization formed by the joining of many local groups whose purpose was to care for Confederate Veterans and their families, in life and death, and to keep alive the memory of our Southern heritage.

The Texas Division, UDC was officially organized in 1896. Today, the Texas Division continues the work of our predecessors. We are dedicated to the purpose of honor-

ing the memory of our Confederate ancestors; protecting, preserving and marking the places made historic by Confederate valor; collecting and preserving the material for a truthful history of the War Between the States; recording the participation of Southern women in their patient endurance of hardship and patriotic devotion during and after the War Between the States; fulfilling the sacred duty of benevolence toward the survivors and those dependent upon them; assisting descendants of worthy Confederates in securing a proper education; and honoring the service of veterans from all wars as well as active duty military personnel.

“Collecting and preserving the material for a truthful history of the War Between the States”? “Assisting descendants of worthy Confederates in securing a proper education”?!

Talk about a prophetic “nonprofit.” Sounds like the perfect recipe for the current Texas legislature.

But it begs a legitimate question. Do any brave teenagers reside in the Lone Star State?

And before any of you Bonnie (or Donnie) Rebs get your hackles up, take a wee gander of what the original incarnation of the UDC trotted out as a position statement on education in Texas in 1915:

Strict censorship is the thing that will bring the honest truth. That is what we are working for, and that is what we are going to have. — Mrs. M.M. Birge, chairwoman of the Textbook Committee, Proceedings of the 20th Annual Convention of the Texas Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy

An answer before a question.

A dictate to ensure denial.

A mandate for seditious ignorance.

The current red-state agenda around these parts was baked into the proverbial cake, and now it’s too late. A legislature full of conservative feebs is pushing for more voucher programs for institutes of Anglocentric propaganda, and the Texas Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy is getting a tax break for the Lost Cause indoctrination that they engineered.

The latent term is kakistocracy.

Thanks to the UDC, the conservative playbook has been the script for Texas education for over a century. Because Texas conservatives want to preserve “the honest truth.” Because Texas conservatives don’t believe “the honest truth” should include the monstrous atrocities they committed or the regime of inhumanity they perpetuated.

The UDC has serious daddy issues, and our tax dollars have been helping them sweep the truth under the rug for decades.

Fort Worth native E.R. Bills is the author of The 1910 Slocum Massacre: An Act of Genocide in East Texas and Letters from Texas, 2021-2023

This column reflects the opinions and fact-gathering of the author(s) and only the author(s) and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@FWWeekly.com. He will gently edit it for clarity and concision.

Assisting descendants of worthy Confederates in securing a proper education since 1915.

SCREEN

Love Match

Tennis players volley lines and love back and forth in

Luca Guadagnino’s romance.

BY KRISTIAN LIN

The astronomy guys have this thing called the three-body problem, which you may have heard of lately because it gave its name to a prize-winning Chinese science-fiction novel and now a Netflix adaptation of the same. The three-body problem is built on the idea of three celestial bodies like our Earth, sun, and moon, except all of them are roughly the same size. When that happens, what is orbiting what? I thought about that concept while watching Challengers, Luca Guadagnino’s sports drama depicting three tennis professionals whose romantic entanglements are constantly shifting. Even though the cast is young, this is the sort of grown-up movie that they supposedly don’t

The framing story takes place in the summer of 2019 at the finals of a challenger tournament in upstate New York, contested by Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). While Patrick is ranked 271st in the world and has $70 in his bank account, Art is a six-time Grand Slam winner playing himself back into shape after a major injury. Looking on is Art’s wife and coach, Tashi Duncan Donaldson (Zendaya), and the movie flashes back to 2006 when she’s a teen sensation who crushes opponents like the next Serena Williams. That’s when she meets both Art and Patrick, who are friends from the same tennis academy, doubles partners, and opponents in the finals of the U.S. Open juniors. The boys are both smitten with her, but while she starts out dating the charming and shiftless Patrick, she gravitates to the steadier Art after blowing out her knee before

If you haven’t been paying close attention and haven’t seen Euphoria, you might think Zendaya is nothing more than some clothes horse who strikes poses in the Spider-Man and Dune films. Granted, that’s pretty much what she did in the first Dune movie, but she crushed it in the second one. Here she goes from the cocksure junior champion who twists boys around her fingers to the coach who’s more uncertain as her life on the sidelines goes on. (The script by Justin Kuritzkes gives all the actors clever lines to work with.) During a late scene when Art tells her he sees the end of his career at hand, she looks terribly sad as she’s torn between the guy she molded into a champion and the guy she couldn’t mold and still carries a torch for her. She is downright stellar in a late scene where Tashi tells Patrick that

Challengers

of his car just to flame out in the second round of Wimbledon.

Guadagnino isn’t afraid of the melodrama in this setup, as a scene between Tashi and Patrick takes place in a gale-force windstorm. Even better is the director’s infectious joy in filming bodies in motion. The same kineticism he brought to the female dancers in his Suspiria remake he brings here as he takes in the sweat pouring off the tennis players, their muscles straining to serve and skidding to a stop in front of the net to return drop shots. A climactic point in the match has the camera attached to the ball as Art and Patrick fire it back and forth. Guadagnino and cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom conceive all sorts of creative camera angles, including one under the players’ feet looking up through a glass pane. The sport of tennis has never been filmed in such ecstatic terms, and if you’re a tennis fan, that’s recommendation enough.

Guadagnino’s homoeroticism is also in evidence here, as Tashi coaxes the guys into a three-way during their teen years and then slips out of it to turn it into a two-way. (For all the sexuality dripping from this movie, there are no actual sex scenes, and the men are the ones who get naked here.) The movie ends with the outcome of the match still in doubt, as Art and Patrick play a point in a third-set tiebreaker that forces both of them to play beyond themselves and transcend their limitations. Tashi’s scream of “Come on!” is the perfect punctuation mark. We still don’t know who’s orbiting whom when Challengers ends, but a bit like that earns this

Starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor. Directed by Luca Guadagnino. Written by Justin Kuritzkes. Rated R.

Mike Faist, Zendaya, and Josh O’Connor find love more difficult to play than tennis in Challengers

STUFF

Post-Draft Ponder

Despite decent value, there’s a different agenda than the one sold to us.

BY PATRICK HIGGINS

In front of the 750,000 in attendance in Detroit and more than 34 million TV viewers around the world, the NFL flexed its pythonic sports-dominating muscles last week and demonstrated just what an insane spectacle the league can make out of simply sorting a new class of rookies. While my poor spouse (God bless her) — along with just about any other relatively sane individual — certainly can’t understand why, I mainlined nearly every single minute of the 17 hours of coverage spread over the three long days of the event, mostly because I am a highly flawed and obsessive person but also so you, dear reader, didn’t have to. Naturally, considering my unhealthy preoccupation with professional football in general, and the Dallas Cowboys specifically, I have thoughts.

If there’s been a theme developing around the Cowboys’ frustrating offseason approach in this foul year of our lord 2024, it has become personified by Jerry Jones’ contradictory use of the words “all in” to describe it. Considering the front office’s painfully frugal “roster-building” process over the last few months, the expression is now practically Orwellian double-speak,

rivalling phrases like “Patriot Act” and “right to work.” Just as the disappointment of watching the front office dip but a sliver of a hangnail into the free agency waters had begun to subside and disgruntled fans were moving on from the idiom, the owner/GM/ word-salad dispenser reopened the wound. Quite trollingly, he let “all in” dribble out of his highly cosmetically enhanced face during the team’s post-draft press conference on Sunday. Repeatedly. Like a mantra. Now “all in” has become this franchise’s misguided “Mission Accomplished” banner hanging behind its feckless figurehead. It’s not hard to see Jones’ shortsighted exclamations as lip service at best and as intentional deception akin to historic shyster Clark Stanley’s infamous trade in emulsions of serpentine origin at worst, but the owner’s tone-deaf carnival barking is no less galling.

If there’s an actual methodology to the brass’ offseason approach, it’s certainly not the one they’re selling. The front office seems much more focused on 2025 than 2024. They seem perfectly content to chalk up the coming season as a write-off and look to enter next year with potentially an entirely new coaching staff, a new starting quarterback, and a giant pile of unallocated salary cap money.

The previous weeks have seen a staggering eight starting players from last year’s roster lost to free agency, with only one of them replaced by the same. That is, unless you’re buying more of Jerry’s snake oil and believe the return of a certain spoon-miming running back who averaged just three yards a carry last season in New England now makes it two. The complete refusal of this organization to seek outside reinforcements ensured that this past weekend’s draft would be the only way Dallas might be able to field a complete NFL team come September.

With limited draft resources, they fell well short of even that meager goal. As is often the case when one paints themselves into a corner, you inevitably step into the color. There’s quite a lot to like in this year’s player haul, but with the massive gaps on the roster, painted footprints are tracked all around the house, leading to the inevitable conclusion that this team

continued on page 11

is looking ahead to 2025 and beyond. The picks seem to prove the point.

Entering the first round last Thursday, Dallas had two goals in mind: Come away with a plug-and-play offensive lineman and another pick in the Top 100. They got pretty close to succeeding. By dropping from their pick at 24 to 29 in a trade with the Lions, the Cowboys gained Detroit’s thirdround pick at 73. That’s a massive overpay for Coach Dan Campbell’s team, but that’s the type of move that an organization that is really going “all in” makes. At 29, the Cowboys selected Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton. This raw, athletic 6’8”/328-lb. monster has a big upside, but with only 14 starts in college and just 70 of his 1,100 career snaps at left tackle, it’s a big ask that he immediately step into the position occupied by future Hall of Famer Tyron Smith for the last 13 years.

Speaking of big asks, Dallas used the pick from Detroit at 73 to take another high-upside offensive lineman in Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe. An absolute steal in the third, the two-time Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year is an absolute mauler and projects to replace departed center Tyler Biadasz. Thing is, while he played four of the five positions along the O-line in college, Beebe has never played center. My gut tells me this pick is really intended to eventually replace another Hall of Fame lineman, right guard Zack Martin, when he inevitably splits next year.

Between the O-line picks, Dallas took defensive end Marshawn Kneeland out of Western Michigan in the second round. With the Panthers swiping the prize the Cowboys were really eying in this round, Texas RB Jonathon Brooks, Kneeland is decent value at 56, considering many thought he could sneak into the back end of the first round. He should slot in as a rotational defensive lineman with a focus on run stuffing, a strikingly similar skill to Demarcus Lawrence, another tenured Cowboy on the last year of his contract. Convenient, eh?

With their pick at 87, Jerry and Co. had their lone whiff. With a run at linebacker a drastic need — ticking off the board in front of them, the ’Boys panicked and took Notre Dame’s Marist Liufau. I don’t mind the player. He’s a violent, hair-onfire, heat-seeking missile of an LB, but his instincts are lacking and his eagerness to blow up guys leads to some over-pursuit and blown assignments. Would have loved the selection if Dallas had been able to trade back again into the fourth round, maybe snagging an early fifth in return, and taken Liufau there (where most draftnicks predicted he’d go) while grabbing a potential starting RB if available in the fourth. Sadly, that was not to be. Dallas entered a draft desert after the Liufau pick, watching 87 quality players fall off the board before being able to pick again late in the fifth. And with that choice (174 overall), they selected Wake Forest corner Caelen

It’s a big fat D for Big D.

Carson. Current slot corner Jourdan Lewis is — you guessed it — also on an expiring deal, and there’s no doubt that the Joneses hope Carson (or another of the depth corners currently on the roster) replaces him

next year. Until then, Carson will get most of his playing time on special teams. We had three more picks between the sixth and seventh rounds, when depth and traits-based dart throws are really all

that is available. We took an athletic wide receiver in Southeast Missouri State’s Ryan Flournoy (216); more O-line depth with Nathan Thomas, a tackle out of Louisiana Lafayette (233); and a 1-tech in Auburn’s Justin Rogers, none of them expected to make much of an impact in 2024.

Considering our limited resources, the future looks bright with this year’s draft haul. Taken at face value, the class is probably a solid B+, but when judging by the context of what it means for this coming season, with key starting positions like RB, WR, and possibly even center still huge question marks going into next season, it’s a big fat D for Big D. Buckle up, Cowboy fans. 2024 could be a long year. l

For its 52nd anniversary, Mayfest (Trinity Park, 2401 University Dr, 817-3321055) welcomes everyone to attend 3:30pm-9pm today for free, then 3:30pm-10pm Fri, 10am-10pm Sat, and 11am-7pm Sun with $7-12 tickets at Mayfest.org. Entertainment includes an art and gift market, a beer and wine garden, a children’s area, food and beverage booths, an expanded carnival midway, live music on seven community stages, and the annual fun run. For artist and performer info and other updates, follow Facebook.com/Mayfest or visit Mayfest.org.

How would you like to attend Mayfest for free on Fri-Sun? In partnership with Trinity Collaborative Inc., the Fort Worth Public Library offers library cardholders free tickets (one per cardholder). Visit any location to pick up your ticket. No library card? No problem. Apply for one on the spot at any library location. To find the branch nearest you, visit FortWorthTexas.gov/ departments/library/branches.

While named for the first Monday of the month, trust me when I tell you that absolutely nothing is happening at First Monday Trade Days (800 First Monday Ln, Canton, 903-567-6556) come Monday. The May event is Thu-Sun. As my mother lives not too far from there, attending this event is what she has chosen to celebrate her belated April birthday and an early Mother’s Day. By this time next month, it will be too dang hot for this shit. Surely, some of the 200-plus vendors on the 450-acre property are indoors, covered, or open at the crack of dawn while Texas is still preheating. I intend to investigate further, find out the best ways to tackle this outdoor hellscape during the summer months, and

tell you all about it in our 2024 Summer Issue (May 22). Cool? Cool.

It’s not just Star Wars Day. It’s also time for the Kentucky Derby. Start it off right with a $6 Mint Julep

Seltzer at the Kentucky Derby Watch Party at Fort Brewery & Pizza (2737 Tillar St, Fort Worth, 817-923-8000). While watching the races on the giant 12-foot screen, you can hear live music, participate in the most

fashionable hat competition, or ride stick horses for prizes. There is no cost to attend.

On this, the dorkiest of dork days, May the Fourth be with us, because from 11am to 5pm, Holocron Toy Store (3613 W Vickery Blvd, Ste 105, Fort Worth, 817-489-5600) is raffling off gift cards and event tickets every 30 minutes while hosting some doggies for adoption. Raffle tickets are $5 each, with the proceeds going to the animal nonprofit Trinity Gap Rescue.

In other Saturday news, did we jinx Morgan Mercantile (121 S Main St, Ste 1, Fort Worth, 817-720-6160) with our cover image last week? Let’s hope not. Either way, the indie clothing retailer/design studio’s fifth anniversary party that was canceled last weekend due to inclement weather will now take place 4pm-8pm today at the SoMa MicroPark (105 S Main St, Fort Worth). Are they still Fort Worth It? You betcha! Enjoy a tattoo booth and some free booze while checking out Morgan’s new seasonal line.

Trinity River Distillery (1734 E El Paso St, Ste 130, Fort Worth, 817-841-2837) will celebrate Cinco de Mayo noon-9pm Sat and 1pm-7pm today. Lacey Ingram will perform on the patio 4pm-7pm Sat, and today, there will be live mariachi music all day. Choose from three tour/tasting times on both days and sample a Whiskey Rita Cocktail. There is no cost to attend. Read Crosstown Sounds in this week’s Music section for more Cinco de Mayo info.

With futbol season starting up, it’s time for the Fort

Futbol fans, it’s time for the Fort Worth Vaqueros’ 2024 jersey launch. Stop by Hyatt Place Hotel (132 E Exchange Av, Fort Worth) 6:30-8:30pm to pick up this season’s jersey, meet the players and staff, enjoy drinks and snacks, and win some exclusive raffle items. Attendance is free, but please RSVP at Facebook.com/FortWorthVaqueros. Follow @FortWorthVaquerosFC for more.

Now thru Sat, Jun 1, Jon Flaming’s BigBoldTexas at Artspace111 (111 Hampton St, Fort Worth, 817-6923228) can be viewed 11am-5pm Tue-Fri or 11am-2pm Sat. His large-scale canvases showcase larger-than-life Western characters, including farmers and ranch hands, in a folk/ primitive style. There is no cost to attend.

Fresh off the success of 2019’s genre-crossing hit “This Land,” four-time Grammy Award winner Gary Clark Jr. is on tour in support of his new album JPEG Raw and will perform at Will Rogers Memorial Center (3401 W Lancaster Av, Fort Worth, 817-392-7469) 8pm tonight or at Majestic Theatre (1925 Elm St, Dallas, 214-670-3687) 8pm Thu with Fort Worth/regional/national favorite Abraham Alexander opening both concerts. Tickets start at $69.95 at Ticketmaster.com.

By Jennifer Bovee

Gary Clark Jr. brings his rocking soul to North Texas next week.

Worth Vaqueros’ big annual jersey reveal.

It’s finally time to cheer mothers and others.

BY LAURIE JAMES

This is my 23rd Mother’s Day. While I love –– nay, demand –– to not have to cook and clean this one day of the year, I don’t want my kid spending money at a fancy, crowded restaurant or on overpriced flowers. The moms in your world probably don’t want that, either. Take a minute before the insanity of capitalism overwhelms you and think, “What is it they do want?” Here are a few outside-the-Hallmark-box options — some “Ate”-related, most not — to celebrate Mom or the other mothers in your life.

1.) Help Mom find some tranquili-tea. Both The Rose Garden Tea Room (7200 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-731-7673) and Maiden Fine Plants and Spirits (1215 6th Av, Fort Worth, 817-953-8327) run proper multi-course tea services, while Leaves Book & Tea Shop (1251 W Magnolia Av, Fort Worth, 682-233-4832) offers tea, books, and snacks. Also, ask Mom about her favorite nail salon, stylist, spa, or esthetician and buy her a gift card. And if Mom is a fan of the fiber arts, JuJu Knits (522 Lipscomb

St, Fort Worth, 817-854-9276) is a sweet, beautiful oasis of fiber fellowship for every skill level.

2.) For the mom who doesn’t need anything material, how about “adopting” an animal at the Fort Worth Zoo? The zoo’s Mother’s Day donation package (FortWorthZoo.org/ mothers-day) includes a plushy mandrill celebrating Scarlett the mandrill, who just became a mom. If your mother or other isn’t a primate person, the zoo has a regular adoption package in which you can choose any animal on the premises (FortWorthZoo. org/general-adoptions). Funds from the adoption programs go back into the animal habitats.

3.) For the dog or cat mom in your life, animal rescue entities and the people who love them are having an absolutely terrible time right now, and we’ve barely begun “puppy season.” Donate to the vetting, care, rehab, and socialization that the animals need to help them become adoptable. Local city shelters take the brunt of the stray and abandoned animals, so consider the Fort Worth Animal Shelter (FortWorthTexas. gov/departments/code-compliance/animals/ donate), the Arlington Animal Services Shelter (ArlingtonWebstore.com/animalservices.aspx), or your favorite private rescue.

4.) If mom likes a little hike or a bike, the 100-plus miles of Trinity Trails (best mapped at TrinityTrailsFW.com) will take you around different parts of town where Mom can jog, walk, bike, or paddle. Sansom Park (2501 Roberts Cutoff Rd, Fort Worth) has a couple of trails for different abilities, and Airfield Falls Trailhead (200 Pumphrey Dr, Westworth Village) is an easy, if gravelly, walk.

5.) If Mom is sporty but not outdoors-sporty, the Dallas Wings open their basketball season the week after Mother’s Day (Wings. WNBA.com), and while the Rangers (MLB. com/rangers) are actually traveling most of the first two weeks of this month, you can buy tickets for a home game against the Cleveland Guardians just after Mother’s Day.

6.) Design a mother-/other-and-you tattoo at two women-owned spots, Lilac Tattoo Studio (4550 Basswood Blvd, Ste 170, Fort Worth, 817-393-3355) and Spider Lily continued on page 15

JuJu Knits offers a little something for every mother who’s a fan of the fiber arts.

know what you’re going to find on your treasure hunt for name brands at deep discounts.

Studio (SpiderLilyStudioFW.com). And in Arlington, artists Hannah Capon and Monica Smith at Heart in Hand Tattoo (1730 W Bardin Rd, Arlington, 682-2700355) also do beautiful work.

7.) Play with your food. Create a curated menu of their favorite things. Sure, Central Market (4651 W Fwy, Fort Worth, 817989-4700) offers a plethora of fancy, tasty ingredients, but Aldi (multiple locations) has a great selection of cheese and fruit for charcuterie at competitive prices. And at Town Talk Foods (three local locations, TownTalkFoods.com), you literally never

8.) If you feel you must take the matriarch in your life out for a meal, plan well. Enchiladas Ole (multiple locations) will leave Mom full and happy –– and the three-restaurant chain is owned by a mom. Blue Mesa Southwest Grill (612 Carroll St, Fort Worth, 817-3326372) offers one of the best deals in brunch either Mother’s Day Sunday or Saturday, and the $40 per person buffet includes mimosas, soft drinks, and as much of their legendary sweet corn cakes as your mother/

other wants. Consider the future gift of a multi-course dining experience from a local restaurateur instead of elbowing through traffic and parking. Magdalena’s Supper Club (MagdalenasTX.com/supperclub) and Lil Boy Blue BBQ’s Cool Kids Supper Club (@LilBoyBlueBrunchnBBQ) offer curated four- or five-course taste extravaganzas that sell out almost every month.

TREAT M M LIKE A QUEEN

Magdalena’s Supper Club has been dazzling diners via boutique multi-course meals for nine years.

Airfield Falls on the Trinity Trails is a fairly easy hike if your mom’s into that sort of thing.

Tranquili-tea? Find it at Maiden Fine Dining’s four-course celebrations.

EATS & drinks

Houston Street Shuffle

Strong drinks and clashing vibes made for a dizzying night out bar-hopping downtown.

The Archibald, 902 Houston St, FW. 817-386-4762. 4pm-2am Mon-Fri, 12pm-2am Sat-Sun.

Basic Bar, 904 Houston St, FW. 817-864-8818. 3pm-2am Sun-Fri, 11am-2am Sat.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

CHRISTINA BERGER

Last Friday night, I found myself in a place I’ve happily avoided for nearly a decade (oof)

pushing my way through a body-to-body crowd of drunk college kids at a bar.

As my two companions and I forcibly propelled ourselves through the circle jerk of frat boys (that’s the technical term, no?), nary a baby-faced bro in khakis and polo would budge. Elbows up, my comrade on the front line took up arms like a machete-wielding guide on a rainforest expedition as she braved the hordes and yanked us forward.

I bitterly brooded over what these 40 or so mini Brett Kavanaughs-in-training were even doing at The Archibald, besides destroying the vibe of an otherwise chill rooftop spot, but the guy who brought our pizza order to our patio perch assured us that the descent of the dipshits (my words, not his) isn’t a common occurrence there. Whew!

Bevy of barely adults aside, The Archibald boasts an excellent rooftop patio. It’s flanked with taller buildings, so not only are movies projected onto the brick wall, but being on the roof makes you almost forget you’re in Fort Worth. There’s something breezily romantic about a rooftop retreat from the hustle and bustle of the streets below.

Situated among a row of several bars on Houston Street, The Archibald recently took up residence where Houston Street Bar operated for an impressive 17 years until last fall. The Archibald describes itself as an “elevated lounge and rooftop bar,” and my pun-addled brain can’t determine if that’s redundant.

Downstairs was completely empty when I arrived. That was only the second thing I noticed. The first was the logo on the building’s exterior, with an intersecting “T” and “A” to strategically resemble a corkscrew — or did I just fail some sort of Rorschach test?

Chronically late, I joined the squad upstairs as they were indulging in their first drinks, enjoying the final breath of bearable springtime weather. Before the invasion, people lazily reclined on a series of coral-cushioned bench seats or at high-top tables near the railing overlooking the street.

One friend was nursing a particularly decadent espresso martini, and I decided then

Situated among a row of several bars on Houston

The

recently took up residence where Houston Street Bar operated for an impressive 17 years until last fall.

and there what my first cocktail would be. We stuck almost exclusively to the specialty drinks, each one a whoppin’ $16. Look, I ain’t cheap, but I also ain’t made o’ money.

The espresso martini was well worth the stratospheric price tag. Where the robust coffee hit, the whipped foam softened the blow, and the artistically placed coffee beans continued on page 19

There’s something breezily romantic about a rooftop retreat from the hustle and bustle of streets below.

Street,

Archibald

atop the frosty coupe added that extra flair. So creamy was the ’tini that it reminded me of an affogato, an Italian dessert of gelato drowned in espresso.

The other in our trio who had planned on sticking to mocktails gave in to the Raspberry Cheesecake concoction — and wowza! If you like drinking your cheesecake ice cold, I highly recommend this milkshake-esque delight made with vodka, raspberry liqueur, and cream.

My next selection, The Don Pom, emerged in a plastic cup. Listen, if I pay more than 10 bucks for a cocktail, I sort of expect it to be presented to me on a silver platter — next to a sprig of grapes that a shirtless Fabio-type feeds me as I lounge on a chaise. Is that so much to ask?

Despite its humble receptacle, the well-balanced combination of Don Julio blanco tequila, agave nectar, and juices of pomegranate and lime was refreshing. The tequila took top billing, lightly accented with sweet and sour kicks.

Aside from its spirits, The Archibald makes a mean ’za. The Save-a-Pig, with spinach, mushrooms, black olives, red onions, bell peppers, and oregano — our group added pepperoni ’cause we’re classy — hit the spot. The pie was thin and tasty, but the crust, y’all! There’s a certain satisfaction one gets from crunching through a crispy, almost

When we’d clocked a collusion of fratties stumbling toward Pete’s Piano Bar, our intended destination, we rerouted with a “why not?” to Basic Bar next door.

burnt pizza crust only to find a steamy, fluffy middle. Though we did not, in fact, save a pig, and the pizza wasn’t the tastiest I’ve ever had, that crust left a lasting impression.

“Is this Nickelback?”

I feigned shock as my twentysomething friend mistook Creed’s “Higher” playing at our next stop. Our party had made it out of The Archibald alive, our exit accelerated once a DJ began mixing throwbacks like “Laffy Taffy” and “Booty Wurk” at an insane volume. (Can you tell I’m over 30?)

With a notably different playlist of altrock from the aughts, Basic Bar possessed little discerning personality — aside from a few touches like the iconic Rocky Horror Picture Show lips painted in gold by the restrooms and a “but first take a selfie” neon sign at the front. The phrases “It is what it is …” and “... unless it isn’t” on two refrigerated cases behind the bartop really captured the lackluster attitude of the place.

When I requested a menu, the bartender shrugged, so I ordered one of my go-tos: an Old Fashioned. The spirits blended with Buffalo Trace — I only know this because

he asked if that was OK, and I, likewise, shrugged — were fairly strong, but for $12? Again, where’s my silver platter and wind machine-blown Fabio?

As we pushed back our barstools to leave, “Rockstar” queued up. I leaned to my friend with a teasing wink and said, “This is Nickelback.” The night, a strange whiplash of wildly opposing atmospheres, could not have ended on a more appropriately ridiculous note — but the company made it all worthwhile. l

The Raspberry Cheesecake and espresso martini were strong and refreshing, and the touch of cream in each made all the difference.

The “elevated lounge” rooftop bar is true to its name with comfy seating, twinkly string lights, and city views.

A basic sign befitting a basic bar. Basic bitches not included.

CrossTown Sounds

May has five weekends and three holidays (four, if you count Star Wars Day): (in chronological order) Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day, so that’s a lot of musical opportunities, rain or shine. Here are some cool-to-us shows we’ve noticed after a little digging, plus some schedules from local artists.

This Weekend

Doom metalists Stone Machine Electric are playing Friday at Division Brewing’s Growl Records (509 E Abram St, Arlington, 682252-7639) with Chemical Spell and, from Tennessee, Wyndrider. Doors open at 7pm, and the music starts at 8pm. Cover is $10.

Legendary jam band Leftover Salmon has a tour stop 8pm Sat at Ferris Wheelers Backyard & BBQ (1950 Market Center Blvd, Dallas, 214-741-4141) with Simon Flory opening. Tickets are $35 at SeeTickets.us.

The City of Rockwall kicks off its Summer Concerts by the Lake series at 6pm Thu with the Rockwall Philharmonic playing the music of Star Wars on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard. Bring blankets and/ or lawn chairs and your own food and drink to the Amphitheater Stage at The Harbor (2059 Summer Lee Dr, Rockwall, 469-4287998), home to several restaurants.

Cinco de Mayo

On Sunday, Haltom Theater (5601 Belknap St, Haltom City, 682-250-5678) hosts Cinco de Mayo Metal Fest, featuring Doyle (of The Misfits), Otep, and Red Devil Vortex, with Dreadland, Eva Kora, Gnarwail, iH8, Iron Jaw, Love Sick Drug, and Swarm. The festival starts at 12:30pm, and the headliners play at 6pm. Advance tickets are $20 at TicketStorm.com.

Paco’s Mexican Cuisine (1508 W Magnolia Av, Fort Worth, 817-759-8110) is hosting Cinco de Mayo Mercado noon6pm Sun. Along with the delicious food and drinks always available at Paco’s, enjoy live mariachi music, a DJ, a bounce house for kids (sorry, no drinky-drinky and bouncy-bouncy for you 21-and-uppers), and more than 20 vendors. There is no cost to attend.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, one of the area’s first cat cafes, The Cozy Catfe (710 SW Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington, 682-3234837), presents Gat-O-Palooza 11am Sat. This free community event includes live music by Alanna, Beyond Destiny, The Kuban, Sushia, and Texas Brew, plus craft vendors, food trucks, and discounted admission to visit the kitty rooms.

Second Weekend

There are two huge shows this second weekend of May, and they’re both on the same night, Sat, May 11. Since age comes before beauty, one of them marks a big moment for Black Tie Dynasty, the former rulers of North Texas indie-rock (circa the midaughts) who are recording again. They’ll bring their moody, powerful synth-pop to Tulips FTW (112 St. Louis Av, Fort Worth, 817-367-9798) at 7pm with openers Lorelei K and CURL. Tickets are $15-75.

For beauty, it’s comparative newcomers the Royal Sons, whose serious psychedelic blues-rock will barrel through The Cicada (1002 S Main St, Fort Worth, @The_Cicada_ FTW) at 8pm with openers The Grae and Arenda Light. And like Black Tie, the Sons have also been recording new material. Expect to hear some of it at the show. A couple of days earlier, on Thu, May 9, Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall (122 E Exchange St, Ste 200, Fort Worth, 817-900-9300) welcomes the indie-rocking Waxahatchee. Presented by KXT, the show takes place about a month before Tannahill’s big Silversun Pickups concert (Wed, Jun 12), so if you’re a KXT fan who thinks the Stockyards is just a kitschy tourist trap, this Waxahatchee gig may be a nice introduction to not only the recent addition of locals-attracting Mule Alley down East Exchange but also to the great-sounding, roomy Tannahill’s. Fort Worth purveyor of “midnight music” Depression Nap will celebrate the release of their new EP, Squeeze, and perform their first-ever show 8pm Fri, May 10, at The Cicada (1002 S Main St, Fort Worth, @The_ Cicada_FTW). Frontperson/mastermind Luke Berglin, a.k.a. Urban Castro, will be backed by a bunch of heavy hitters, including Daniel Markham on lead guitar, Cool Jacket’s Kevin England on rhythm, Crooked Bones’ Jackdaw on bass, and Oatmeal Pizza’s Joey Johnson on drums. Opening the concert will be Daniel Rush Folmer and Spring Palace, Weekly writer and muso Patrick Higgins’ favorite local indie-rock outfit. Cover is $15. The night of Wed, May 15, at Magnolia Motor Lounge (3803 Southwest Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-332-3344) sounds like a lot of fun, especially if you’re a fan of the Fab Four, and you are because you’re not a knuckle-dragging, hair-on-your-nose monster. Human jukebox Michael Richardson and Chris Holt dare you to stump them with Beatles requests as part of Big Mike’s third-Wednesday residency. The bros are even open to the solo stuff. (Does Yoko count?) And though there’s no word on your reward for baffling them, I’m sure a beer and a shot on Big Mike’s tab will suffice. (This is not legally binding. Stump them at your own financial, personal peril.)

In Denton on the same night the greasers continued on page 21

Meet Poppy and hear some live music at Gato-Palooza this weekend.

Art by Ryan Burger

Crosstown Sounds

continued from page 20

will flock to the Royal Sons show and the soashes will line up for Black Tie on the Near Southside, The Troumatics are releasing a new single, “All These Forces,” and playing Harvest House (331 E Hickory St, 940218-6148) at 8pm with Good Latimer and Learning Names. Cover is $2. Two smackers!

And in Arlington the night before (Fri, May 10), One-Eyed Monsters will play Binion’s Ice House (205 N West St, Arlington, 817-617-2088) at 8:30pm. The band will do two sets of Sabbath (!) and one set of their own stuff. — Anthony Mariani

Third Weekend

Cut Throat Finches are playing Fort Worth and Richardson. Their album/video release party at Silver Wheels Skate Center (7628 Corina Dr, White Settlement, 817-246-9094) is 8pm Thu, May 16. DJ Son of Stan will be “spinning vinyl hits for roller-kicks” and playing songs from Cut Throat’s upcoming album Unraveled, plus you’ll get a first look at the video for “Bad Habit,” shot by Chris Botvidson of Fuel & Spark Media FW. The $20 cover includes your skate rental. The event is BYOB.

Then, on Sat, May 18, Cut Throat plays at noon at the annual Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival at Galatyn Park (2351 Performance Dr, Richardson, 972-744-4580). Featuring dozens of artists and headlined by Nile Rodgers & Chic, Randy Rogers Band, AWOLNATION, Grouplove, KC & The Sunshine Band, and Sister Sledge, this three-day extravaganza is offering daily tickets for $30 or weekend passes for $65 at WildflowerFestival.com.

4 Ya Soul has a show in the lounge at HearSay (1711 E Randol Mill Rd, Arlington, 817-591-1700) at 7:30 pm Fri, May 17. Some seating allows for only cocktails and hors d’oeuvres to be ordered, while others serve the full menu. There is no cost to attend, but call ahead to reserve the type of table you prefer.

Itchy Richie & The Burnin’ Sensations are playing Adair’s Saloon (2624 Commerce St, Dallas, 214-939-9900) 6pm Fri, May 17, with the Bom-Bom-Boms, Danny Conrad, Dead Mountain Talk, and Mystery Light Switch. Cover is $15.

Fourth & Fifth Weekends

One of the buzziest bands in town, punchstuff-punk rockers LABELS will tear into the Boiled Owl Tavern (909 W Magnolia Av, Fort Worth, 817-920-9616) on Wed, May 29, with STADIUM, a new “noisy, jazz-punk live-duo thing,” says Son of Stan himself, Jordan Richardson, who’ll be accompanied by fellow STADIUMer Robert Ellis and, on loops and other zounds, Dallas’ Jay Jernigan. At 8pm Fri, May 31, at the Rose Chapel at Southside Preservation Hall (1519 Lipscomb St, Fort Worth, 817-926-2800), literary folk singer-songwriter Keegan McInroe and his band will celebrate the release of his new album, Dusty Passport and Empty Beds, with opener Garrett Owen. Cover is $15 cover.

And like every third Wednesday, homies Generational Wealth play The Cicada (1002 S Main St, Fort Worth, @ The_Cicada_FTW) at 8pm Wed, May 22. No cover. — Anthony Mariani

Local Artists

Indie-poppers Big Heaven have two dates in May, both near the end of the month. The first is Sat, May 25, at Division Brewing’s Growl Records (509 E Abram St, Arlington, 682-252-7639) with King Booty Disco and Stereo Friends. No cover. The second is Fri, May 31, with Oatmeal Pizza and Uh Oh Jiminy at The Cicada (1002 S Main St, Fort Worth, @The_Cicada_FTW). Cover is $10.

Denver Williams is a busy guy. He has a free solo show at Gustos Burger Bar + More (1229 7th Av, Fort Worth, @___gustos) noon3pm Sat, May 11, before heading to Division Brewing’s Growl Records (509 E Abram St, Arlington, 682-252-7639) for the rescheduled Henry the Archer LP release party at 8pm along with Mean Motor Scooter. Then Williams has more free solo shows, at Pouring Glory (1001 Bryan Av, Fort Worth, 682-707-5441) 1pm-4pm Sat, May 18, and at Rahr & Sons Brewing (701 Galveston Av, Fort Worth, 817-810-9266) 6pm-9pm Wed, May 22. Williams will soon announce late-May shows celebrating the first single release from the upcoming album from Denver Williams & The Gas Money. For updates, visit DenverWilliams.com.

Folk-pop singer-songwriter Simone Nicole’s new project, Runaway Sky, just released their first single, “Arizona,” and have a ton of upcoming dates. Her free gigs are at Woodshed Smokehouse (3201 Riverfront Dr, Fort Worth, 817-877-4545) 6:30pm this Saturday and Sun, May 12; at The Cicada (1002 S Main St, Fort Worth, @The_Cicada_FTW) with Carvajal 8:30pm Wed, May 15; and at Burnett Park (501 W 7th St, Fort Worth, 817-870-1692) noon-1pm Wed, May 22. Nicole will also join Billy King & The Bad Bad Bad and Captain Moon & The Silver Spoons 8pm Sun, May 26, at The Cicada. Cover is $10.

Broke String Burnett is putting the “crosstown” in Crosstown Sounds with May shows in Fort Worth, Garland, and Dallas. He’ll play a free concert at Intrinsic Smokehouse Brewery + BBQ (509 W State St, Garland, 972-272-2400) with Slow Moving Snakes 6pm Sat, May 11, and he’ll be at Double Wide (3510 Commerce St, Dallas, 469-872-0191) with Seth Anderson, Animals Together, and Better Now 9pm Sat, May 25. Cover is $15. Between those two dates is Broke String Burnett & The Big Iron’s Single Release Party for a mystery track from their upcoming album Bloodvein at The Cicada (1002 S Main St, Fort Worth, @The_Cicada_FTW, $10 cover) with the Half Guided Hearts, Poppy Xander, and the Rock Bottom String Band 9pm Fri, May 17.

The Matthew Show has three local gigs this month, all in various forms. The trio version will be at Bankhead Brewing (611 University Dr, Fort Worth, 817-439-9223) 7pm Sat, May 18 (no cover), and the duo iteration will play Birdie’s Social Club (2736 W 6th St, Fort Worth, 817-888-8914) 7pm Sat, May 18 (free via Prekindle RSVP). Matthew’s third May concert will be a free solo one at Aloft Hotel (334 W 3rd St, Fort Worth, 817-885-7999) 9pm Fri, May 31.

By Jennifer Bovee

MUSIC Calming Influence

On his new EP, SageModeWrex offers respite and rhymes.

BY PATRICK HIGGINS

We certainly live in weird times. Between a genocidal war in the Middle East looking like a prelude to WWIII, a vice-like economic structure squeezing every last cent out of us at every turn, and a political divide as wide as it has been since the 1960s, it can all be more than a little overwhelming. Music can often be an escape from the noise. That counts doubly when the sounds are specifically intended to serve as a refuge.

While the latest release by thoughtful Fort Worth rapper SageModeWrex — the tranquil and soothing EP Calm in the Storm — is meant, like much of his work, to be a personal meditation of sorts, it offers valuable insight for listeners to follow for centering their own perspectives and a way to navigate through life’s external turmoil.

Recently released through Wrex’s own imprint, Mount Olympus, the five tracks on Calm were recorded at Fort Worth’s Crooked2th Studios, with the sessions engineered, mixed, and mastered by Fostepco (Tropicanna, Slug DLO). The languid beats were produced by Wrex’s longtime collaborator 4D Tha OG (Cali Cuddy, Amerika Akbar), who provided the sounds on Wrex’s previous works like The Wrex Files and Professor Wrex. 4D’s production offers the perfect soundscape for Wrex’s introspective rhymes.

In his own words, Calm is him “ focusing on the things within my control breathing, staying present, working towards my goals — despite the chaos of the world. Weird energy, the internet hive mind, comparisons, et cetera — I’m trying to stay independent of outside influence.”

Each of the EP’s five tracks present themselves as affirmations, offering peace, perspective, acceptance, and control. Opener “High Beams” is a meditation on foresight. Wrex speaks of focus and concentration, using these powers to control his own destiny. “I can see what’s in front of me / But I’m not sure what’s down the road / Can I

challenges.

manifest a dream? / Can I reach my biggest goals?”

“Time Don’t Exist” is a lesson on being present in the moment and staving off one’s inner demons, with Wrex rapping, “These are just my diaries / My lower forms / My higher me’s / My confidence and insecurities / Battle with the man that the mirror sees,” while “Family to Feed” is a mature rumination on responsibility and accountability.

The record’s closer, “That’s All Folks,” is the album’s standout. Attacking the genocide in Gaza right out of the gate, Wrex takes the listener through a dire roll of tragedies, disappointments, and frustrations with the world before flipping the tone and lifting us up with a message of hope: “I’m just trying to live, learn, and teach / Spreading love / Because I feel that is really what we need.”

It’s this last line that seems to encapsulate the work’s theme. The world is chaotic, but we have control over how we handle it. We accept what we can, we persevere, and we live on, with love as the thing that makes it possible.

Though the EP is meant as such, after a period of “calm” in which Wrex’s output has slowed, a storm of new material from him is forming. He appears on seven tracks on Dru B Shinin’s new album Featuring …, and he’s also just finished work on an EP with local rap supergroup Mount Olympus, which features Fort Worth’s top tier in hip-hop traditionalists like Dru, Aroy, Kwu Lion, and YKK. Then Wrex has another EP of his own material slated for a summer drop.

“I’m getting back to being prolific and giving away as much music as possible this year for the ones who enjoy it,” he said.

Fans of hip-hop and hope are the beneficiaries. SageModeWrex’s voice is a much-needed one not only in town but on this planet. l

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On Calm in the Storm, SageModeWrex offers wise insight into weathering life’s

Photo by Stephen Cervantes

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