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Not too long ago, I was a decidedly not a fan of metal, metalcore, hardcore, deathcore... stuff. I was the guy at the Tera Ferna, Black Market Club, and Slowlikefire shows. I’d jam to Hydramelody in the car and follow it up with some Fishermen. One day, my buddy Jason invites me to see his band The Akuzma, and I finally say that I’ll go. I warn him though, it’s not my scene and if I don’t have a great reaction, it’s because I just don’t get it. The screaming, the wailing, the chunky bass lines that sound like a garbled mess of a garbage disposal being turned on and off, instead of the 4 stringed, multi-note instrument I’ve come to know and love. I just couldn’t be a fan of that. So, I went and saw The Akuzma play at Fitzgerald’s. Some of the songs were too foreign to me, but somewhere among the loud wall of heavy stuff, I started to tap my foot. I started to rock my head back and forth. By the last song, their cover of Falco’s “Amadeus”, I was throwing up the good old rock/devil fingers. I was enjoying myself, a lot. They had me after that, I was a fan, I was converted.
There’s still a large chunck of these types of styles that I wouldn’t normally pick to listen to, but I get it now. The appeal of the anger and passion of being pissed off,instead became on understanding that there was emotion, just a brutally honest kind of emotion. There are a few other bands I listen to that are “Akuzma-like”, and I’m much more open to checking out something new than I was before. I guess that’s my point really; we should be open to more music in our lives, no matter where it comes from. As long I can get grooving to it, or get moving to it, I’m a fan. So this issue is dedicated to the Metal/ Hard side of the local scene. The exception is Anna’s piece on Swimming With Bears at the 502 Bar, so it just goes to show that diversity is a really cool thing. Thanks for reading. - Mario Zamarron
Photos By Mario Zamarron (L to R) Russell Rott, Grover, Ghost, DJ (now Javi), and Zero. Jesse not pictured.
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210 Local Media Magazine Issue 2 Vol. 1 3 - SA Metal 6 - 502 Bar and Bears, Oh My 7 - Wacha Eatin 8 - The Return of Local Disturbance 10 - Local Lyric Spotlight ““i am the killer” by the akuzma 11 - The Battle for Live Music
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Bears, OH MY! A Live Review By Anna Richards After opening for Weezer and Panic! At The Disco at a sold out show in Corpus Christi, playing in a bar to a smaller audience of about thirty to forty people might be a let down for some musicians. If it was anticlimactic for this particular band in any way, no one could have told when Swimming With Bears took the stage at 502 Bar on Thursday June 23. Not from the band’s energy, which was high, or from their performance, complete with dancing and hand clapping. Dedicated fans cheered them on from the front of the room. Even those in the audience who had originally had no idea who was playing were swept up in their buoyant mood. It helped that they were so personable as well – with callouts to the audience and a friendly manner. Hailing from Austin, TX, Swimming With Bears has experienced no small success with their unique blend of alternative rock and soul. Paw, their debut album – available for streaming on SoundCloud – includes eleven tracks that balance old school grooves with faster beats and a youthful earnestness. Though not a sold out stadium, 502 Bar is a local hub for live music and entertainment. Local bands regularly play on weekends and, though the bar is large enough to accommodate a small crowd comfortably, it has a cozy, intimate feeling that encourages interaction between the audience and band members. Everybody is friends here. Swimming With Bears’ charming enthusiasm and personality fit right in with the laid back atmosphere to create a successful show.
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The Return of Local Disturbance By Anna Richards Last year, San Antonio was oddly quiet. Residents going about their business may not have noticed. But for a select group of devoted musicians, promoters and fans, there was something missing. And that something was a show called Local Disturbance. But this year, Local Disturbance returns on July 30th. Julian Cruz started Local Disturbance back in 2003, when Cruz was still in high school. At the time, he had no idea it would be so successful, or that it would help pave the way to his role as a promoter for his production company, JC Productions. Back then it was about showcasing the talent of any and all – bringing people together for the love of music and a celebration of the local San Antonio musicians. Being in his first band, Cruz knew that the scene offered more than people were aware of. “There’s so many bands here and they’re all so diverse,” stated Cruz, “I wanted to do something big, but locally. At the time my friends and everyone made it all possible.” The show was devised to be an event where younger or less well-known bands could get up on stage and show everyone what they were made of. It can be difficult for these groups to book big shows – in fact, Local Disturbance itself nearly fell through that first year because of a challenge with the venue. “Our first show we did was supposed to be at a place called Phoenix Room,” remembers Cruz, “but it shut down the day of the show. We walked up to it and there was a sign saying ‘closed for good.’” Luckily, with the help of friends, Cruz was able to secure another place close by willing to let them play– putting signs up at the original venue to notify the crowd of the change in location. Things have changed a lot over the past thirteen years. Rather than a mom and pop bar or club, this year, Local Disturbance will be held at Fitzgerald’s Bar and Live Music – a bigger venue than the show has ever seen before. “I think this LocaL Disturbance is going to be quite special,” says Roland Torres, longtime friend of Cruz and member of 210 Local Media, who are putting on the show along with JC Productions. “I love the lineup on this one, because you have the old school and the new school, both together.”
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continues Torres. Indeed, a lot of the appeal of the show in many ways that is that it is a reunion show. Though Local Disturbance only had a yearlong hiatus from its annual occurrence, several of the bands in this year’s lineup feature the same bands that played together during the early years of the event – and who haven’t performed together publically since. “When I saw who was going to be back on the bill – not only Brotherhood but also Absence of Fear – it was really cool to see them back together again. I grew up with Brotherhood too; they were hard hitting in San Antonio,” explains Torres. This is one of the driving ideas behind this year’s show. Cruz and Torres both emphasize that, not only do they hope the show is a commercial success, but it’s also extremely important to them that the event continue to harbor that family-like atmosphere of close friends gathering together to reminisce for the first time in years. Local Disturbance is not all about the old though. As Torres states, there’s a hefty amount of new faces in the crowd as well. “The Akuzma are bringing the diversity. They’re different but still hardcore,” says Torres of one of the bands playing at Local Disturbance for the first time. The full lineup for this year’s Local Disturbance consists of Brotherhood, Covina, Absence of Fear, Wings of Abbadon, The Akuzma, In the Trench and Thy Creator Dethroned. Diversity is something that may be of increasing importance to Local Disturbance in the years to come. Cruz has stated that he is already planning on having the show again next year, continuing its run. Although this is a one-time reunion for Brotherhood – many members of which are now in different bands – this is not the case for Local Disturbance. “Everybody says the metal scene in San Antonio is going out but I think this show is bringing it back again” Cruz declares with conviction. As Cruz’s words imply, the hardcore scene has not always had it easy in San Antonio. It tends to attract a niche audience, so while there are many incredibly loyal, passionate fans, it can also be harder for bands in the genre to attract a new audience. “I honestly wish people knew more about the metalcore, hardcore, deathcore scene,” says
Cruz, who has found something special about the genre that has stuck with him as he grew. Torres seconded his statement saying, “It’s 2016; we all have wives and families but for some reason we just haven’t left that scene.” Clearly, there is more to metal than youthful angst and these two – along with all the bands playing in Local Disturbance – have found their place in that world. But that is not to say that hardcore is the only type of music worth listening to, far from it. In fact, offering different types of music, in Cruz and Torres’ opinions, could be the key to reaching a larger group. Back when Local Disturbance started, it was a multi-genre show. Although it worked well for the show to become more specific in the past, they hope to move back towards the place it started at, at least somewhat. “Maybe next year we can add more diversity and maybe add punk and rap – someone in the community – or even one of the rock bands and do a song together,” Torres suggests. According to Cruz, Local Disturbance originally consisted of bills that even had singer/ songwriters playing next to rap and then to metal or rock. And frequently, audience members would discover they liked something they did not expect. “Everybody stays from the first band to the last. It just kind of opened up peoples minds that there’s not just one genre of music that there’s more out there,” he says. This is the kind of larger appreciation many local bands are looking for. Cruz maintains, “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you play, because once you’re out there on the stage we’re all one. We’re all music.” With seven bands playing, Local Disturbance is going to be a big show this year. The biggest challenge to its success has not been the fans – it has been getting the word out. “We don’t get a lot of support from big media outlets or places to advertise,” says Torres, “that’s what makes it hard for us to try to keep the metal scene going.” An important thing to Cruz and Torres is keeping Local Disturbance truly local, something Torres says the bigger media outlets have no interest in. “They’re all franchises,” he states, “they don’t support local because
Photo - Mario Zamarron
all they’re worried about is the ratings.” But the idea of community runs deep in Local Disturbance. The show gives newcomers a chance to play alongside established acts – leave any personal egos at the door. When they were in high school, Cruz and Torres, “were seeing bands as they were getting started. Big bands like Silence the Messenger or Upon a Burning Body. And they’re still the like neighborhood kids. They’re still one of us; they still have respect for the scene and that means the world to me because these guys have played festivals and toured the world,” says Torres of the down to earth nature of the bands from Local Disturbance’s founding days. In a scene where it could be easy to fall into the trap of viewing every show as a competition for audience members and listening ears, Local Disturbance supports musicians helping one another instead. Cruz emphasizes the crucial nature of supporting local bands in his role as a promoter. He aims to be someone that bands know have their backs. “It’s a stressful job,” Cruz admits, “and I don’t want to mess up and disappoint any of the bands.” Cruz’s role as a member of many bands over the years – he is a current member of Covina, who will be taking the stage during Local Disturbance – has given him an understanding of what it is like trying to play to a tough local scene. “I’m in your shoes,” he hopes they know, “that’s why I’m trying to be a promoter and help you guys.” The hope for the show is that Local Disturbance will help spread the appreciation of local hardcore music in San Antonio. “It’s hard here in San Antonio with the market and with the scene, but it’s something that we always try to keep it going,” Torres recognizes, “I just want to see everybody enjoying it.” Cruz’s prediction was delivered with a smile: “It’s going to be a good return.”
The Return of Local Disturbance happens TONIGHT at Fitzgerald's Bar in San Antonio.
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Don’t Play So Close To Me By Sam Kilgore How often, as a San Antonio resident, have you had to drive to another city such as Austin to see a band you enjoy? It is a common occurrence for one who enjoys live music to plan out a trip when a show is happening outside their respective city limits, resulting in what can turn out to be a fun road trip with friends, adding to what was an already satisfying experience of seeing one of your favorite bands. The drawback, however, is the inconvenience of time and the extra cost associated with these trips. Sometimes it just isn’t worth the extra effort, and you will find yourself bummed out that you missed the show. Even more frustrating, is the fact the band might’ve wanted to play in San Antonio but they had signed what is called a “radius clause” prohibiting them from doing so. A radius clause is a tool used by promoters to prevent competition with other venues concerning live music acts. It is a consent form in which a band agrees to perform at a place and not to perform in a certain mile radius of that performance for a particular amount of days before and after the show. The contract can help out a venue significantly, granting them a sense of exclusivity with an act of high demand as well as preventing a loss in ticket sales. However, the radius clause can cause harm to both bands and surrounding venues by hindering them potential gig opportunities. San Antonio is often affected by the contract since it is in proximity to our capital. Because of this, out of state bands will often have to choose between the two after performing in Dallas or Houston while on tour. Notice that as residents of San Antonio; it is not uncommon to know someone who will take a trip to Austin to see a band but, conversely, how often do you see an Austinite make the trip to San Antonio? Of course it happens with San Antonio being a large city and arguably bigger than Austin. It holds large capacity venues such as the AT&T Center where some high profile artists will opt over the Frank Erwin Center as long as the demand accommodates. What Austin has, however, is the title of being “Live Music Capital of the World.” It holds festivals such as South By Southwest and Austin City Limits Music Festival which have grown more and more in immense popularity since their inception. While San Antonio does hold unique festivals, it gets overshadowed by the popularity and draw of Austin’s events. While the radius clause has its fair share of accountability with San Antonio, it is not the primary reason for a lackluster amount of music events. Some contracts are more flexible for bands and venues to allow them to perform in proximity, and it shows with many artists having performed regularly in both Austin and San Antonio on the same tour. The best way to bring more acts here is to strengthen the music community of San Antonio. You can show your support by keeping up to date through social media about events going on around town and attending local shows. The contract may cause restrictions for bands, but if there is an active community, then they will go out of their way to make sure to choose San Antonio as their ideal tour stop. So the next time you complain that a band doesn’t pick San Antonio as a destination, think about the underlying aspects that attribute to touring such as the radius clause.
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Lyric Spotlight
Photos - Mario Zamarron
i am the killer I cannot accept what I’ve done Skin is ash and blood is blotting out the sun There is nowhere to run Am I guilty, waiting for judgement to come Is this my disaster piece? Rotting Corpse, maggot feast No I can’t contain the beast My demons get the best of me I’m caught up in the sway One thousand voices pray I find my way today Before I’m led astray and they hear me say I I am the killer I am the killer (Blood spiller)
This isn’t what I planned to be Looks like failure got the best of me covered in this flesh, disease I scream, I’m down on both of my knees So much blood is all around The murder weapon on the ground My heartbeat the only sound With silent screams, I think I’m gonna drown No, there is no going back
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