VOLUME 1 NO. 1 EDITORS
Katie Lopez, Justin Garcia, Nathan Edwards, Andrea Valle
WRITERS Katie Lopez, Justin Garcia, Nathan Edwards, Andrea Valle
Katie Lopez is a native San Antonian who majors in Communications. Her passion is Graphic Design with a touch of marketing and advertising. She has studied graphic design for two years at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Tx before coming to UTSA, and plans to be a professional designer. With 6 years of designing under her belt, she plans to continue to do what she loves. She is also a talented musician, playing 4 instruments.
Justin Garcia is a junior at the University of San Antonio at Texas.
Andrea Valle, originally from Mexico City, moved to San Antonio 10 years ago. Majoring in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Business, Andrea hopes to move back to Mexico and work in the Television Industry. Starting out at Northwest Vista College, Andrea transferred her second semester to pursue her degree at UTSA. Andrea loves to shop and enjoys reading new things.
Nate Edwards is a Junior at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is earning his undergraduate degree in Communications and a minor in Business Administration. Nate has been a mascot for over 5 years and has worked for both the UTSA Athletic department and Spurs Sports & Entertainment. Upon completion of his undergraduate studies, Nate hopes to work for a professional sports franchise as full-time mascot.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BEBOP ISSUE NO.1 3-6
INTERVIEW W/THE BOLOS
7-8
ARTISTS ON THE RISE
9-10
VENUES IN SAN ANTONIO
SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT
The Bolos Front Man Thomas Tells All By: Katie Lopez
The Bolos front man Thomas Knierien, the picture of ease, wears his signature worn jean jacket and black boots. His recognizable curly black hair falling into place all around his head, he laughs as he recalls his first experiences with music. “I’ve always been around music,” he said. And looking at the Bolos’ track record, it is clear that they all have. “I got my first guitar when I was about 10,” Knierien said, mentioning how he wanted the intstrument because it was “cool.” Knierien professed that he had always wanted to be in a band, and before The Bolos started, he had participated in several bands before. The band consists of Thomas Knierien (the lead singer and guitarist),
Osita Anusi (bass guitar and vocals), Tanner Daniels (12 string and rythm guitar), and Sarek Gutierrez (drums). All members have been part of another band at some point and have even produced CD’s, but all are focuing their attention on this project. The Bolos are an easy band to listen to, their music a perfect blend of classic rock and alternative styles. Natives of Texas, the Bolos are on the fast track to becoming a big band here in San Antonio, and around the state. The release of their first EP was in November of this year, and with inspiration coming from Ty Segall, The Black Lips, Thee Oh Sees, and The Rollin Stones, it’s easy to see why The Bolos are so successful here.
“The Bolos biggest influences are garage, blues and some psych and soul influences as well with punk thrown in there,” says Knierien. But not all bands start out with a big dream of fame and fortune. For The Bolos, music started off as something to do for fun, not a living. Meeting up for low-key jam sessions as a way to kill some stress and have some fun, The Bolos have turned into one of the most up and coming bands to look for here in San Antonio. Having just released their new EP, The Bolos are catering to a large San Antonio crowd. Their music isn’t just for fans of the psychadelic and unique, but their retro-rock hooks and mesmerizing lyrics appeal to anyone looking for solid rock
music. Rooted mainly in beach and psychadelic rock, not unlike Thee Oh Sees and Kid Congo, their songs bring the listener back to time where a rock song relied on more than synth-heavy choruses and empty lyrics. Addressing his new EP, Knierien said, “This isn’t my first EP and for a lot of the guys this isn’t their first either, but it’s my first in San Antonio. We’ve been met with a lot of love from the music scene and community and I’m just proud to be apart of it here.” And San Antonio is living up to it’s ability to meet the Bolos with a good fan base that continues to grow and impress. “San
Antonio is growing and I’m proud to contribute to this community of growing artists,” Knierien says. Playing at venues
such as The White Rabbit, 502 Bar, The Korova, and even on San Antonio’s Trinity run KRTU radio station, The Bolos are quickly making a name for themselves. And according to Knierien, “We’re planing more shows for the Spring. SXSW shows, another
EP, and going on tour this summer. Hopefully get the whole country partyjng with us!” And with their current progress, that doesn’t seem like a dream too wild to grasp. The Bolos first EP, Boozy Blues, is a magical blend of garage rock, blues, and alternative rythms. Their songs resonate with your personal life experiences, and help connect the audience to the band bearing their souls on the stage. “The inspiration for our songs come from life experiences, partying and staying up for days on end, stories of outlaw and stories of love lost and won,” Knierien professed. A lot of this album was constructed with a very
heartfelt and personal writing style, and it clearly reflects in each song on the EP, such as the title track #Preach. As with most bands just starting out, this newfound local fame and recognition is all new to Knierien and his bandmates. The Bolos reach in San Antonio is now growing far beyond the scope of what Knierien had ever hoped for. After being invited to one of San Antonio’s late night Alternative Rock radio stations KRTU, 91.7, Knierien said “I never knew how far this would go. We just started off as a group of guys jamming and playing music. None of us knew where this would take us.” The Bolos have even been so successful that they were featured in San Antonio’s prominent young adult publication, The San Antonio Current. Giving them rave reviews, it seems The Current also recognizes The Bolo’s potential for success. And by the looks of it, The Bolos are heading towards a bright future. This bright future contains some serious
changes for members of the band. As they are busy graduating from college, they are also making the transition from parttime to full-time rockers, a transition the band is definitely looking forward to. Knierien says that he’s “pretty stoked on focusing on exploring different sounds and styles.” Judging by the songs released by the band so far, this exploration may really show the potential of the band’s sound. The band plans to go back on tour during the early new year, in January. Starting off with venues here in San Antonio such as the newly renovated White Rabbit venue, The Bolos will continue to play in the city that birthed them. Their EP is available for download at thebolos. bandcamp.com or by going to facebook.com/ TheBolosTX.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THOMAS KNIERIEN If you could party with any band, who would it be? “We’ve already partied with The Black Lips, so I’d have to say either Ex Cult or the Coathangers.”
If you were to switch places with any bandmate, who would it be? “I would switch to bass because I play bass for one song and I enjoy playing it, especially picking notes.”
If you had to pick 3 albums to bring to a deserted island, what would they be? “Chris Whitley’s Dirt Floor, Led Zeppelin I, and Them’s Angry Young Them. It’s Van Morrison’s first band. Nuff said.”
ARTISTS ON THE RISE Shattered Sun + Ana Luiz Guitierrez
Texas is worlwide known as the state where you can wear boots, hats, own a ranch, be a cowboy and listen to country music, but is it really country all we listen too? Well it is mostly what people like listening too but there is much more variety that we don’t even know about. Luckily, here in San
Antonio we count with numerous types of bands with an extraodinary talent that are on the rise to becoming potentially successful. Shattered Sun is one of them, a young and up coming NuMetal band that has pushed its way forward from small town Texas venues to the big time heavy
metal venues in California. The latest success that has come to the band is playing in the San Antonio River City Rock Fest. Also, the band has announced the release on their new album “Hope Within Hatred”. With more and more success coming their way, Shattered Sun is soon to be a hit.
Young and talented, Ana Luz Guitierrez a 22 year old girl who was born with the gift of an amazing voice. She is from a small town in Mexico called Monclova, she moved to San Antonio 3 years ago to start college and get more involved with her singing career. When did you start to sing? “I started when I was
little bit of uklele and harmonica. I started out with guitar at 15 when I noticed I really liked to sing. I learned to play the guitar by myself in my room watching videos, then I started to play a little bit of piano because my grandmother played the piano, then I started to played violin, uklele and harmonica, but very young, around 5 the one I like the most years old because my is the guitar because dad and grandmother is the easiest.” also sing and my grandmother played Do you see the piano so she was yourself singing the one who induced professionally or me to the music, but you just do it as a when I actually knew hobby? that I wanted to sing It started out as was when I was 14.” a hobby, but over time I have been so Besides singing, involved that it has do you play any become more serious instruments? and I would like to “Yes, I play the guitar, become someone big piano, violin and a in the music industry.”
PULLING A RABBIT OUT OF MOSH The White Rabbit Heavy Metal Bar By: Justin Garcia
The White Rabbit is one of San Antonio’s oldest Heavy Metal and Hard Rock Music venues. Since 1996 the venue has been rockin’ Saint Mary’s street just north of downtown San Antonio. The venue has featured such big names as “For Today”, “Coheed and Cambria”, and yes even the great “Cannibal Corpse”. The White Rabbit consists of a main room with a capacity of 1475, but can be scaled down to accommodate smaller shows as well. The White Rabbit has a large enclosed patio where smoking is allowed, and where you could maybe meet the bands. The venue also has another patio situated on the opposite side of the
main room where smaller outdoor shows can be arranged, or used as a “second stage”. The White Rabbit has a FULL liquor bar featuring an array of the best liquors, at great prices. It is one of the better; more personal venues that San
Antonio has to offer. It’s a great place to see the new local bands trying to make their way up in the music industry. I tell you what the White Rabbit is the place to go for any real rocker and reall metal head and you’ll be seeing this writer there pretty soon.
FLOORES COUNTRY STORE “A Slice of Country Heaven” By: Nathan Edwards
John T. Floore’s Country Store is a downhome country music venue nestled right outside of San Antonio, Tx in a town named Helotes. For over 60 years this venue has hosted many Texas and American music legends including Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, and B.B. King. Furthermore, Floore’s Country Store is known as the musical “birthplace” of country music artist Willie Nelson. Opened in 1942 by John T. Floore, himself, the venue was not a store at all, but a downhome Texas Dance Hall and Café. The Texas Monthly named Floores Country Store as one of the “50 Things Every Texan Should Do” in their March 2001 issue. This venue has several different faces in accordance to the event being held there.. The venue also has two stages, one inside and the other outside. Larger
concerts are held out back on the bigger stage, while smaller concerts are held on the indoor stage. Additionally, every Sunday Floore’s Country Store hosts a Family Night & Free Dance highlighted by their 3 house bands; Texas Rimshot, Kathy Bauer, and the Wilburn Brothers. Floore’s Country Store also hosts private events including banquets, weddings, and other various gatherings. They cater their food from the Café and can
even provide entertainment upon request. John T. Floore’s Country Store is a unique venue with a lot to offer for the country music enthusiast. It is definitely a venue worth visiting with all of the exclusive artifacts including boots from visiting artist that are hung from the ceiling throughout the building as decorations. As Texas Monthly said, it is definitely something that everything Texan should do.
14492 OLD BANDERA RD HELOTES, TEXAS 78023 CALL 210-695-8827 INFO@LIVEATFLOORES.COM
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