P. 2
MARCH 3-30, 2014
Editor’s Note
Heading North by Northeast
A
ustin is actually above us here in South Texas so I won’t be headed, south for South by Southwest. I’ll be spending three long, and more than likely, tiring days amongst musicians, filmmakers and techies from all over the world come March. And though there’s a slight hint of trepidation creeping around in the back of my skull, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve started a workout regimen, got a sleeping bag (the sleeping
conditions are....unique), am trying to quit smoking (can’t smoke anywhere in Austin anymore), created a list of bands I want to see, and I’m shopping for a backpack to lug all my equipment around. I’ve been to SXSW once before but just for about a day and didn’t really get to do anything but gawk at the thousands of fans that descend on Austin during the week-long festival. From all the accounts I’ve collected, it’s going to be pretty nuts.
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editor: Paul Gonzales email: Paul@stxscene.com phone: (361)358-2550 website: stxscene.com twitter: @stxscene facebook: facebook.com/stxscene Published bi-weekly by Beeville Publishing Co.
So when you hear from me next, I’m sure to be a broken, battered and deaf shadow of my former self, but hey, it’s all in a day’s work. If you happen to attend the festival, feel free to tag your Instagram photos with #stxscene or Tweet @stxscene and maybe we’ll print them in our humble publication. Until we meet again, live long and perspire. March is usually hot in Texas after all. -Paul Gonzales
contributors Daphne Garcia Cate Grimes Lindsey Shaffer
The
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P. 3
SXSW Film
CHECK OUT THESE
FLICKS
T
he SXSW film portion of the festival has grown to be one of the go-to fests to premiere some of Hollywood’s more modestly budgeted feature films. Now on the crowded streets of Austin you can not only run into your favorite musicians, but your favorite movie stars as well. With over 100 feature and short films, there’s a lot to wade through. Here’s a short list of films that peaked my interest.
BIG IN JAPAN This is a documentary about middle aged band members who are collectively known as Tennis Pro who get the opportunity to take their act on the road to Japan where the allure of a second chance at
recognition awaits them. On their Tokyo musical odyssey, the guys experience the thrills and setbacks of taking their music into unknown territory and in the process learn a thing or two about themselves.
FONT MEN
A documentary about fonts? Yes, please! Together Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias
EXISTS BAD WORDS Probably the only movie on this list with any real star power, but that’s not why it’s on this list. Sure, everyone loves Jason Bateman (“Identity Thief”) but it’s the fact that this is his directorial debut that has me interested. In the movie, he stars as Guy Trilby, a 40-year-old who finds a loophole in the rules of The Golden Quill national spelling bee and decides to cause trouble by hijacking the competition. Contest officials, out-
raged parents, and overly ambitious 8th graders are no match for Guy, who zealously plays to win the prize money at stake, outpacing the pre-teen field in match after match. While reporter Jenny Widgeon (Kathryn Hahn of “We’re the Millers”) attempts to discover his true motivation, Guy finds himself forging an unlikely alliance with a competitor: awkward 10-year-old Chaitanya Chopra (Rohan Chand of “Homeland”), who is completely unfazed by Guy’s take-no-prisoners approach to life.
CESAR CHÁVEZ The first film by Spanish actor turned director Diego Luna has my butt in the seat. “Cesar Chávez” chronicles the birth of a modern American movement led by famed civil rights leader and labor organizer, Cesar Chavez. Torn between his duties as a husband and father and his commitment to bringing dignity and justice to others, Chavez embraced nonviolence as he battled greed and prejudice in
his struggle for the rights of farm workers.
The guy who brought you “The Blair Witch Project” is back, and this time he brought Bigfoot out to play.
Frere-Jones run the most successful and well respected type design studio in the world, making fonts used by the Wall Street Journal to the President.
When brothers Brian and Matt Tover secretly sneak out to their Uncle’s abandoned cabin they find themselves stalked by the legendary Sasquatch.
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P. 4
MARCH 3-30, 2014
by Paul Gonzales
S
hattered Sun hails from Alice and will once again be tearing up the stage at SXSW 2014. But this time it’s a little different for the small town guys as they have a new team supporting them on the road now. A few weeks before the insanity that is SXSW, lead vocalist Marcos Leal took some time out to answer a few questions about Shattered Sun. STXscene: So, you guys have been at it for quite a while. When did Shattered Sun begin and why? Marcos Leal: Shattered Sun has been together since ’06, founded by our guitarist Daniel. We worked our way through the Texas scene for a while, but it wasn’t until 2011 that we met our producer, Robert Beltran, and formed a line up that was dedicated enough to take things to the next level.
STX: Did you guys find it hard going out and getting respect being from the small town of Alice?
are moments that we will to see all the bands and forever cherish. friends on the Come and It has all been a dream Take it Metal Showcase come true for us small we are apart of. Anthony Stevenson (owner of Come town guys. and Take It Productions) STX: What were some of has put on this show for your biggest shows? Austin and has done a ML: Mayhem Fest was great job. He always gets amazing. We got to see the best bands in Texas. the inner workings of our STX: What’s next for favorite summer festival Shattered Sun? and how hard working and dedicated the people are ML: We just signed that put it together for all with “Breaking Bands” us metal fans. Management with industry We also love our city of Legends Jon and Marsha Corpus and have had many Zazula, Maria Ferrero and unforgettable shows with some of the best bands in Texas.
ML: No, not at all; the fact that we are from a STX: Is this your first small town and a great time playing SXSW? community has always ML: SXSW has always pushed us to work harder... been special for us. This We wanted our music to will be our third year playspeak for itself, and the ing, but this year is particufact that we get to repre- larly special for us because sent the Alice/Corpus area this is our first show of the is something we take great year with all new music, pride in. all management, all new STX: What were some everything for us. This is of the more memorable our first step into the scene moments in being in the with the new and improved Shattered Sun. band? It starts the push for our ML: We have been very new album, so its defiantly blessed to be a part of so been a date we have been many great shows and looking forwarded to for a share the stage with some while. of our favorite bands. Everything, from our video premiers in our hometown to Mayhem Fest to signing with Industry Legends as our management, all of them are special in their own way and
STX: What are you looking forward to the most about SXSW? ML: I’m sure the guys are excited to see several groups during SXSW, but I can say I’m most excited
SIGNED AND SHATTERED The band with Breaking Bands, LLC after signing their names on the dotted line. Chuck Billy. It’s been a dream come true to be a part of such an amazing team. Our priority is finishing and nationally releasing our new album Hope Within Hatred. STX: When can we expect the new record? ML: We are hoping before summer of this year, but at the moment we are unsure. We would like to take
this time to thank our fans friends and family for being so patient with us while we finish this up. It’s definitely the best product we have ever put together. Shattered Sun will be at the Dirty Dog Bar Sunday, March 16 at SXSW in Austin. Get more info on the band including songs and videos at www.facebook.com/shatteredsun1 and @Shatteredsun on Twitter.
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P. 5
SXSW March 7 - 16, 2014
What is South by Southwest? B ack in July 1986, organizers of the New York City music festival New Music Seminar reached out to Roland Swenson—who at the time was a staffer at the alternative weekly magazine The Austin Chronicle—to see about branching the festival out to Austin. The plans eventually deteriorated, but the seed was planted.
Swenson decided to instead co-organize a music festival with The Austin Chronicle editor and co-founder Louis Black, publisher Nick Barbaro and booking agent/musician Louis Meyers. According to Austinchronicle.com, Swenson recalled in 2001, “After many hours of everyone trying out different names, Louis Black, lying on his back on the floor, spoke the South by Southwest name for the first time, and
we all seized upon it.”
And South by Southwest was born. The organizers figured it to be a regional event and were only expected around 150 attendees to show up. More than 700 fans showed up, and, according to Black, “it was national almost immediately.” That 700 has grown to more than 12,000 over the years just for the music portion of the festival.
So what’s the big deal? Check out the stats from SXSW 2013: FILM
INTERACTIVE
• Festival Showcasing Acts: 2,278; International acts: 597 from 55 foreign countries
• Participants: 16,297 (from 58 foreign countries)
• Conference Participants: 30,621 (from 57 foreign countries)
• Acts That Applied: 9,718 • Conference Participants Including Registrants and Artist Wristbands: 25,119 (from 64 foreign countries) • Music Media in Attendance (approx.): 3,036
• Films Screened: 133 Features; 110 Curated Shorts • Conference Sessions: 1,034 (from 5,716 Submissions) • Conference Speakers: 1,800 • World Premieres: 78; North • Interactive Media in American Premieres: 13; US Attendance (approx.): 2,939 Premieres: 9 • Accelerator Competitions: • Festival Attendance: Since its inception, over $490 74,955 million in funding awarded to • Film Media in Attendance 71 startup companies (approx.): 1,927
• Auditorium Shores Stage Attendance over 3 days: 57,000
SXSW Timeline SXSW moves into the Austin Convention Center
1987
1993 SXSW adds film and multimedia
SXSW inception
“Screenburn at SXSW,” a component for video games, is added to SXSW Interactive
SXSW Multimedia is renamed “SXSW Interactive” 1994
1995 Film and Multimedia Conference splits into “SXSW Film” and “SXSW Multimedia”
1999
2006
The social media platform Twitter gains a good deal of early buzz at SXSW Interactive
In 2013, SXSW brought $218.2 million into the city of Austin and is considered the biggest film, music and interactive festival in the world. Get more info at SXSW.com.
BELIEVING
DON’T
STOP
Here’s a few artists that got their start at SXSW
MUSIC
• Stages: 113
In 1994, they added the film and multimedia portions of the festival, which bring about 15,000 to 20,000 registrants every March.
2007
MMM-Break: In 1994, the band Hanson were brought to SXSW by their father in order to perform impromptu auditions for music executives. Among the people who heard them was A&R executive Christopher Sabec, who became their manager and would soon afterward, for better or worse, get them signed to Mercury Records. SXSW is a Wonderland: Singer-songwriter John Mayer played at the 2000 SXSW music festival, which led to him signing with Aware Records, his first record label, soon afterward. Spree for All: The Polyphonic Spree performed at the 2002 SXSW music festival, which helped bring them national attention before they had signed with a major label. Don’t Pass the Blunt: British crooner James Blunt was discovered by producer Linda Perry while playing a small show at the 2004 SXSW music festival. He was signed to Perry’s Custard Records soon thereafter, where he would go on to release all three of his subsequent albums.
2,000 bands are officially scheduled to perform; over 13,000 industry reps attend 2010
The Interactive festival has an estimated 12-13,000 attendees
The screening of the Foo Fighters documentary “Back and Forth” is followed by a surprise live performance by the band itself
2011 The music portion is expanded to Tuesday. Lil’ Wayne and Kanye West make surprise appearances
2012
2013
SXSW Interactive has 30,621 paying attendees, three times the number from 2008
P. 6
MARCH 3-30, 2014
Video Games
steals numerous treasures, earning her the moniker of Catwoman, as well as the watchful eye of Batman. Although the two often are on opposite sides of the law, Batman and Catwoman share a flirtatious relationship and are often very close allies. Like other vixens in Gotham city, Catwoman is as dangerous as she is sexy. Just keep your possessions safe and mind your manners, and you should be able to walk away without a cat scratch.
By Daphne Garcia urking in the s h a d o w s , sneaking past guards, risking detection just to partake in their pilfering ways... Fiendish rogues a n d devilishly charming thieves have b e e n littering video games for a while now. In honor of the recent reboot and release of “Thief,” I present my top five stealthy bandits.
is on. If you planned to just run ahead and stop the bandit while they run along their set path, think again. These mischievous thief will change direction, canceling out your perfect plan. To add salt to wound, they will laugh as they zoom in the opposite direction. These mysterious robed figures come in a variety of color from common blue to the ultra fast red ones. So when you see the creatures holding precious cargo like dragon eggs or keys, charge in quickly. Never forget: Spyro’s flame attack comes in quite handy with these pesks.
These little guys are as frustrating as they are adorable. Thieves appear throughout the entire Spyro series taunting players with “Nahnah-nah-nah-nah-nah!” A taunt most people will recognize from their elementary school days. Once you get within close proximity of these little kleptomaniacs, the chase
Not one to be hindered by the laws of society, Sky, the self-proclaimed “Wandering Spirit,” goes where he pleases and commits robbery for a living. After the death of his wife, Sky tries to settle down to raise their daughter. But when his precious daughter is sto-
len by slavers and subsequently killed, Sky goes on a quest for vengeance. While Sky is set on seeking revenge for his murdered daughter and ending slavery, he also exhibits a lighter side. Sky is often cocky and sarcastic, but he is never mean spirited. He instead comes across as light-hearted and quite endearing. This feudal Japanese Robin Hood will capture many hearts with his exploits.
Cat burglar, Selina Kyle, uses cunning stealth, mar-
tial arts, and an abundant dose of sex appeal to navigate the dangerous streets of Gotham City. This sexy siren
his exploits he is constantly being tracked down by the persistent Inspector Carmelita Fox, and the two share a love/hate relationship. Whether sliding down power lines or pickpocketing from guards, Sly Cooper, the masked bandit, lives up to his name.
In honor of his reboot, Garrett snags the top spot on this list. Garrett is a cynical master thief who prefers solitude and wants nothing to do outside of stealing until his heart’s content. Orphaned as a child, Garrett spent his youth as a pickpocket In an a world inhaband a sneak-thief until ited by anthropomorhe caught the attention of phic animals, the the Keepers. The Keepers sarcastic raccoon are an organization Sly Cooper is a dedicated to maintaindescendent from ing order within a long line of masthe city ter thieves. After a group of villains kills his family and steals the Thievus Raccoonus, Sly is put into an orphanage were he meets his two best friends. Bentley, a computer hacking genius, and Murray, a comical powerhouse of strength hippo, help form the Cooper Gang. The trio’s earliest heist involves retrieving cookies from atop a refrigerator, but as the gang grows up, their missions become more complex. Eventually, Sly decides he want to reclaim the Thievius Raccoonus, the ancient book that contains the Cooper family’s thieving techniques. Throughout
through subterfuge and stealth. After his initial training with the Keepers, Garrett decides he prefers his thieving lifestyle and stops working for the Keepers. Maybe it’s his sense of survival, sharp sarcasm and self-interest that draw people to his character. Perhaps it is his refusal to take a life, a line that is never canonically crossed by Garrett. Whatever it is, Garrett is an interesting and complex character that many people can delight in meeting. Whether stealing our treasures or our hearts, video game thieves will leave a lasting impression. Next time you play a game, keep your eyes open for the sly thief that lurks in the shadows waiting patiently to steal your precious loot. Now go forth and game on.
P. 7
Thurs. March 6
Washed Out, The Joy
• Tribal Seeds at the House of Rock: Pat Tribal Seeds will be rocking the House of Rock so come on out and start the weekend early. Tickets are just $15 and the doors open at 7 p.m. 511 Starr St. in Corpus Christi.
Formidable and more on
Fri. March 7
out last year. 418 Villita
• Johnson Grass & Friends at the Ritz Theatre: The Johnson Grass Band will be joined by a ton of great Texas Country players like Pake Rossi. Tyler McCumber, Jason Maddox and Mikey Rivera Jr. The event’s BYOB and kicks off at 5:30 p.m. 715 North Chaparral Street in Corpus Christi.
St. in San Antonio.
• Hed P.E. at Zeros Hard Rock Club: Smile Empty Soul, Sunflower Dead, Killamora and more will be opening up the show with the doors opening up at 8 p.m. 6327 McArdle Road in Corpus Christi.
Sat. March 8 • Pat Waters at Schroeder Hall: Pat Waters & the Chainlink Band return to the hall. Doors open at 8 p.m.; music starts at 9 p.m.
Friday. The doors open at 5 p.m. There’s more than one stage so show up and check out some of the best indie bands around.. Tickets are $49 to $89. Get your tickets early because they sold
Tickets are $10 at the door. All ages welcome. Oh, and the Schroeder Grill will be open. 12516 FM 622 in Goliad. • Corpus Christi Writers Meet-Up at Cafe Calypso: Bring whatever kind of writing you have to the workshop and meet-up to get some feedback from professional and nonprofessional writers from South Texas. Sure to be a fun time. 5425 S.P.I.D. #185 in Corpus Christi.
Sun. March 9 • Speedy Ortiz at the Galvan Ballroom : This looks like one massively good time. Speedy Ortiz (Northhampton, MA), Big Ups (New York, NY), Pile (Boston, MA) and Microphonic (Corpus
Christi) will be jamming starting at 9 p.m. The event is BYOB. 1632 Agnes St, Corpus Christi. • Ghost Town at the House of Rock : Ghost Town returns to jam at the House of Rock for just $12. The doors open at 4 p.m. so show up early and rock your hangover away. 511 Starr St. in Corpus Christi.
Mon. March 10 • Chiodos at the House of Rock : Analog Earth will be sharing the stage with Chiodos and so what if it’s Monday. You can have a great time any day of the week so don’t let the man get you down. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the tickets are just $15. 511 Starr St. in Corpus Christi.
Sat. March 15 • March of Dimes Ride at B.O.B.W.E. Bar: $15 per rider and starts at Bobwe Bar. The check-in is at 10 a.m. The ride starts at 10:30 a.m. The stops are in Goliad, Kenedy, Three Rivers, George West (tentatively) & then back to B.O.B.W.E. for live music, BBQ and a bikini bike wash. 1308 S. St. Mary’s in Beeville.
Sun. March 16 • Calabrese at Boneshakers: Heart Attack, Spanish Reds and Obliterates are some of the bands that will be opening the show for Calabrese and of course there’s never a cover. 4522 Weber Rd. in Corpus Christi. • WWE Smackdown
at The American Bank Center: The road to Wrestlemania continues to tear through Texas. Come out and see your favorite wrestlers duke it out for supremacy right before your eyes! It’s sure to be an awesome show. 1901 N. Shoreline Blvd. in Corpus Christi.
Fri. March 21 • Maverick Music Festival at Maverick Plaza: The two day music festival kicks off with Phantogram,
Sat. March 22 • Maverick Music Festival at Maverick Plaza : Day 2 of the music festival kicks off at 11 a.m. with a ton of awesome bands like The Psychedelic Furs, Twin Shadow, Run the Jewels, Candlebox. Tickets are $49 to $89. 418 Villita St. in San Antonio. Need your awesome event listed? Drop us a line at Paul@stxscene.com or send us a Facebook event invite at facebook.com/stxscene.
P. 8
MARCH 3-17, 2014
The best comedy touches something that’s timeless and universal in people. When it’s right, those things last. – Harold Ramis 1944 - 2014
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