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UTSA GRAD PLAYS BIG PART IN MS. MARVEL | DIG INTO BURGER WEEK | IN THE MUSICAL BLENDER WITH THANK YOU SCIENTIST JUNE 1 - 14, 2022

ON VIEW JANUARY 26 – JULY 3, 2022 Participating Artists

Fernando Andrade, Richard “Ricky”Armendariz, Jose Balli, Kim Bishop, Hayfer Brea, Francisco Cortes Juan de Dios Mora, Anna De Luna, Juan C. Escobedo, Anel Flores, Juan Flores, Sergio Flores, Brandy Gonzalez Beatriz Guzman Velasquez, Ernesto Ibanez, Julya Jara, Sergio Mata, Barbara Miñarro, Yoko Misu, Merle Mory Anastassia Rabajille, Andrea V Rivas, Caroline Royall, Jesse Ruiz, Gloria Sánchez-Hart, Sabine Senft, Hiromi Stringer Luis Valderas, Jorge Villarreal, Anne Wallace, Naomi Wanjiku, Anahita Younesi, Guillermina Zabala, Claudia Zapata

Participating Organizations

Centro de Artes 101 S. Santa Rosa FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC #CentroDeArtesSA #GetCreativeSA 210-207-1436 SanAntonio.gov/Arts

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CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

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in this issue San Antonio Current

Issue 22-11 /// June 1 – 14, 2022

Early Advantage

Editor-in-Chief: Sanford Nowlin General Manager: Chelsea Bourque

Reese Bros Barbecue delivers badass brisket from a temporary truck. Just show up early.

Editorial

Digital Content Editor: Kelly Nelson Contributing Arts Editor: Bryan Rindfuss Food and Nightlife Writer: Nina Rangel Staff Writer: Michael Karlis Contributors: Abe Asher, Ron Bechtol, Enrique Bonilla, Daniel Conrad, Macks Cook, Brianna Espinoza, Kiko Martinez, Mike McMahan, Dana Nichols, M. Solis, Gary Sweeney

Hot Dish

41 Music

Marketing and Events

Marketing and Events Director: Cassandra Yardeni Events Manager: Chelsea Bourque Account Manager: Nathan Sokul Senior Account Executive: Mike Valdelamar Marketing and Events Coordinator: Julia Bentley Social Media Manager: Meradith Garcia

Mix and Match

Thank You Scientist is bringing its hard-to-pigeonhole sound —part prog, part lots of other things — to the Paper Tiger

Creative Services

Creative Services Manager: Samantha Serna Production Interns: Pedro Macias, Marlene Mejia, Sydney Pujol

Music Listings

Circulation

Circulation Manager: Justin Giles

Euclid Media Group

Chief Executive Officer: Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers: Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP of Digital Services: Stacy Volhein Director of Agency Services: Mindi Overman Digital Operations Coordinator: Jaime Monzon Vice Presidents of Marketing: Emily Tintera, Cassandra Yardeni www.euclidmediagroup.com National Advertising: Voice Media Group (888) 278-9866, vmgadvertising.com San Antonio Current 915 Dallas San Antonio, Texas 78215 sacurrent.com Editorial: (210) 332-5448 Display Advertising: (210) 332-5448 Classified: (210) 227-CLAS / Fax - (210) 227-7733 The San Antonio Current is published by Euclid Media Group Verified Audit Member San Antonio Distribution – The Current is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Get listed 1. Visit sacurrent.com 2. Click “Calendar” and then “Submit an Event” 3. Follow the steps to submit your event details Please allow 48 hours for review and approval. Event submissions are not accepted by phone. Copyright: The entire contents of the San Antonio Current are copyright 2019 by Euclid Media Group LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher does not assume any liability for unsolicited manuscripts, materials, or other content. Any submission must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All editorial, advertising, and business correspondence should be mailed to the address listed above. Subscriptions: Additional copies or back issues may be purchased at the Current offices for $1. Six-month domestic subscriptions may be purchased for $75; one-year subscriptions for $125.

Michael Karlis

11 Feature

Current Events

Are Texans horrified enough by the Uvalde school massacre to demand change?

09 News

The Opener News in Brief

Lack of Understanding If lawmakers won’t limit deadly firearms in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, they should at least fund research into the causes of such violence.

16 Calendar Calendar Picks

21 Arts

Step in the Right Direction

Isaac Julien: True North at Ruby City transports viewers to the Arctic while clarifying facts of historic expedition

Fighting for Funding Sebastian Lang-Lessing has a plan to salvage the San Antonio Symphony —if local leaders are willing to listen

UTSA GRAD PLAYS BIG PART IN MS. MARVEL | DIG INTO BURGER WEEK | IN THE MUSICAL BLENDER WITH THANK YOU SCIENTIST JUNE 1 - 14, 2022

27 Screens

Date with Destiny

San Antonio-tied actor Saagar Shaikh hits pinnacle of career with Disney+ series Ms. Marvel

33 Food

Hot Grill Summer

Burger trends elevate the allAmerican classic

Fourth Annual San Antonio Burger Week grills up specialty sandos to benefit the SA Food Bank

n the Cover: Attendees of a San Antonio vigil for victims of the Uvalde school shooting comfort each other. Photo: Michael Cirlos. Design: Samantha Serna.

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CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

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CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

In the hours after the Uvalde school shooting, when family members were frantically trying to figure out whether their loved ones were safe, GOP Gov. Greg Abbott was 300 miles away in East Texas raising money for his re-election campaign. Abbott, who was in the region surveying the state’s wildfire response in Taylor County, said that he only made a brief appearance at the fundraiser before traveling back to Austin.

Beto O’Rourke crashed an Abbott-led press conference on the Uvalde school shooting last Wednesday, voicing the outrage of millions of Americans as he told the elected officials on stage that they are “doing nothing” and their conduct “is totally predictable.” O’Rourke, the Democratic nominee for governor, was escorted out of the building. Outside, he told reporters that Abbott’s decision to frame the shooting primarily as a mental health issue was “insane.”

The San Antonio Police Department has suspended two officers who allegedly crashed their police vehicle into another car, then drove away without checking to see whether the people inside were injured. KSAT 12 News reported that Anthony S. Brown was suspended for 40 days, while his partner Jason Owen was suspended for 15. The incident reportedly took place in November when the officers were responding to an assigned call. CPS Energy has made another renewable shift. The municipal utility is adding 300 megawatts of solar power to its portfolio through an agreement with Consolidated Edison Development Inc. The deal is the first made under the utility’s FlexPOWER Bundle initiative, which seeks to add 900 megawatts of solar to replace older, dirtier plants. Construction on the new solar facilities will begin next year, providing 300 jobs. — Abe Asher YOU SAID IT!

“After every one of these, he holds a press conference just like this — and I wish to hell when he came to El Paso that someone would have stood up and held him to account and confronted him and shocked the conscience of this state into doing something.” — Beto O’Rourke

Democratic gubernatorial candidate on why he crashed Gov. Greg Abbott’s Uvalde press conference

news

That Rocks/That Sucks

Facebook / Rep. Paul Gosar

ASSCLOWN ALERT

Spreading Unfounded Hate with Rep. Paul Gosar Assclown Alert is a column of opinion, analysis and snark. It should come as no surprise that after the Uvalde mass shooting, the Internet was awash in bullshit conspiracy theories. By now, we’ve become used to that sad, sick phenomenon. In the hours following the slaughter, Twitter, Facebook and 4chan users spread around photos of at least three transgender women to propagate the baseless theory that the 18-year-

Rep. Henry Cuellar and progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros’ third battle for the Democratic nomination in a congressional district that stretches from San Antonio to Laredo was their closest yet. With all precincts reporting in last week’s primary runoff, Cuellar led Cisneros by a mere 177 votes. The nine-term incumbent declared victory, while Cisneros, who ran up huge margins in and around San Antonio, said that there are votes yet to be counted. At press time, a recount looked inevitable.

old shooter was transgender. It’s bad enough that such repulsive smears bubbled up in the wake of the tragedy, but the situation was made even worse by a member of Congress piling onto the trolling. In a now-deleted tweet, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Arizona, made this declaration about the shooter: “It’s a transsexual leftist illegal alien named Salvatore Ramos.” Beyond the falsehoods about Ramos’ national origin and gender identity, Gosar didn’t even get the perpetrator’s fucking first name right before he let his fingers spread the hate. Gosar hasn’t returned a request for comment to multiple news organizations. Little surprise there. It’s hard to imagine this assclown having the spine to account for firing off such a ghoulish, racist and transphobic tirade all in the hopes of scoring cheap political points. — Sanford Nowlin

More than 156,000 Bexar County homeowners have filed property appraisal protests, the highest number ever recorded as values exploded this year. The number beats the previous record of 141,000, set in 2021. In the coming weeks, the Bexar County Appraisal District will schedule informal hearings with property owners. Owners who missed the initial May deadline to file protests can still do so until 30 days after the date on their appraisal notice.— Abe Asher

Former District Judge Peter Sakai is the Democratic nominee for Bexar County judge, easily besting State Rep. Ina Minjarez in last week’s runoff. Sakai, a 67-year-old native of the Rio Grande Valley, is set to face former county commissioner Trish DeBerry, the GOP nominee, in a November contest to replace outgoing Judge Nelson Wolff. Twitter / @JCisnerosTX

Find more news coverage every day at sacurrent.com

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CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

news CURRENT EVENTS

Are Texans horrified enough by the Uvalde school massacre to demand change? BY SANFORD NOWLIN

Editor’s Note: The following is Current Events, a column of opinion and analysis.

e’re still struggling to understand what drove an 18-year-old gunman to make the inexplicable decision to enter a Uvalde elementary school on Monday and spill the blood of innocents. But we do know this: politicians are already scrambling to assure us the shooter’s ability to purchase firearms bore no responsibility. Mere hours after the carnage, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas — recipient of a 100% rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA) — sounded a warning against “politicizing” its horror. “You know, inevitably, when there is a murder of this kind you see politicians try to politicize it,” he said with the cameras running. “You see Democrats and a lot of folks in the media whose solution is to try to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. That doesn’t work.” By now we know what to expect. Politicos will explain that arming teachers or designing safer campuses, not limiting access to guns, is how we prevent future incidents. They’ll tell us the Second Amendment prevents lawmakers from putting any limits on access to weapons such as those the shooter used to massacre 19 children and two adults. Never mind that every other democratic country has passed laws that limit who can access the deadliest kinds of firearms. The citizens of those countries are no less loving of their personal liberties than Americans. The gun owners aren’t deprived of their ability to hunt or protect their families. And contrary to the arguments of Second Amendment absolutists, every other right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution has reasonable limits. The First Amendment protects free speech, but it doesn’t protect the right to scream “Fire!” in a crowded theater

nor to reveal troop movements to the enemy during wartime. We’re also likely to hear politicians declare that “good guys with guns” ensured the bloodshed in Uvalde wasn’t far worse. Never mind, of course, that the good guys in this case were trained peace officers, not wannabes empowered by Texas’ permitless carry law signed into law last year by Gov. Greg Abbott. The bottom line is this: no matter how horrifying and incomprehensible the mass slaying at Robb Elementary School is to Texas voters, there’s little to suggest the state’s Republican majority will do anything of consequence to keep firearms out of the hands of those who would turn them into instruments of mass carnage. At press time, Cruz proclaimed that he would move forward with his planned speech at the NRA’s national convention in Houston this weekend, mere days after the carnage. Abbott backed out so he could appear in Uvalde Friday, but he made sure the organization knows where he stands by sending prerecorded remarks to its gathering. It’s a fair bet both men shook their heads at the senseless loss of life in South Texas, delivered now-familiar “thoughts and prayers” bromides, then doubled down on their promise to prevent any restriction on the ownership of firearms. Abbott and Cruz couch their defiance as courage, the steely resolve to stand firm on gun rights. However, it’s far from courage. It’s cowardice. How else does one explain Texas lawmakers’ willingness to loosen restrictions on firearms in the face of the El Paso, Sunderland Springs and Santa Fe High School mass shootings? Counting the Uvalde massacre, those incidents and others have claimed the lives of 108 people in Texas since 2009.

Joseph Guillen

Active shooter cases in the United States increased 50% from 2020 to 2021, according to FBI crime statistics, and the country has already experienced 198 mass shootings between January and May of this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Of those so far this year, 27 have been in schools, according to a National Public Radio analysis. “We are now in this country, when it comes to mass shootings and active shootings, at an epidemic level,” St. Thomas University professor and criminologist Debbie Goodman told the Current. “It is absolutely time to address this from the focus of safety and security.” Goodman said limiting access to guns is one part of the solution. At the very minimum, stronger background checks could keep some troubled individuals from accessing the kind of weaponry and body armor obtained by the Uvalde shooter. Yet, in the wake of this epidemic, Abbott, Cruz and their ilk have shown their lack of appetite for even those kinds of common-sense reforms. They’d rather ignore the safety of their constituents than face the prospect of losing support of the NRA and the Texas State Rifle Association. While those organizations spread around plenty of campaign cash, it’s the loss of their votes elected officials fear more. “Their influence goes beyond financial contributions,” Ed Scruggs, the vice chair of gun-control group Texas Gun Sense, told the Texas Tribune in 2018. “They are woven within the fabric

of the majority party in every facet. They’ve cultivated their contacts for decades, so they don’t really need to spend a lot of money.” For all their bluster about standing up for gun rights, Abbott and Cruz are cowards to ignore the crisis at hand. As they and other Republicans pander to the farthest fringes of the party, they fear being unable to tout their sterling NRA rating, being called out in a flyer campaign, or worse, facing a primary candidate with more gun clout. It’s up to Texans whether they’re willing to keep electing craven political opportunists who ignore a growing crisis that has no apparent end in sight. In an interview this week with The Atlantic, Brown University Dean Megan Ranney — a physician with public-health expertise in gun safety — likened the lax regulation on firearms to the lack of safety in vehicles for much of the last century. It took citizens, consumer groups and politicians demanding that Detroit do better. “This is not an impossible problem. This is not hopeless,” Ranney said of the mass shooting epidemic. “But it requires a commitment to do more than just talk about it in the wake of a mass shooting. It requires a commitment to address it every single day.” If Texans are ready to make that commitment, they can start by demanding the politicians that represent them to stop with the empty words, break their fealty to the NRA and work on real solutions to the snowballing catastrophe that puts us all at risk. sacurrent.com | June 1 – 14, 2022 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

news

Joseph Guillen

Lack of Understanding

If lawmakers won’t limit deadly firearms in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, they should at least fund research into the causes of such violence BY MIKE MCMAHAN

hen asked about gun laws in the wake of Tuesday’s massacre at Uvalde’s Robb Elementary School, Georgia senatorial candidate Herschel Walker had an illuminating response: “What I like to — what I like to do is see it and everything and stuff.” That “illuminating” description may sound like a joke, but it’s not intended as one. If Walker, the Republican nominee, wants to “see” what enabled the deaths of 21 people, 19 of them children, the best way would be to examine peer-reviewed research on gun violence, right? That’s the gold standard. Except federal funding for gun violence research was frozen in 1996

by the Dickey Amendment, a Republican-championed bill that banned the federal government from “advocating” for gun control. That terrible piece of legislation was somewhat alleviated after 2018’s Parkland, Florida high school shooting, when then-President Donald Trump — of all people — signed a bill allowing research to be excluded from “advocacy” restrictions. In fiscal year 2021, Congress allocated $12.5 million to fund research on gun violence and upped the total to $25 million this year. That restoration of funding is a first step. But when one considers the billions poured into other federal priorities, like the Pentagon or Social

Security, it’s a pittance. Hell, it’s even a pittance compared to the amount the government funnels into other types of research. To the lament of scholars, this decades-long funding gap has led to a lag in understanding the root causes of gun violence. And we all know that understanding won’t come without a substantial increase in federal dollars. The resulting research would likely include an examination of mental health issues and how they can lead to mass shootings — something that would address a key GOP talking point following these incidents. Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy of constant and gradual improvement. We would be wise to adopt that approach to the U.S. epidemic of mass shootings and make small but immediate changes. Why not focus on research and understand more about its causes? If there’s a deficit of researchers and data, let’s correct that quickly. One commonality in mass shootings is the use of assault rifles. There’s a solid argument to be made for banning the weapons, but the congressional

support doesn’t exist. At least not yet. It’s delusional to believe this ban will happen until there’s a major swing in power in Washington. The Alcoholics Anonymous mantra is so ubiquitous it’s become a cliché: “The first step is admitting you have a problem.” Republican leaders must admit we, as a nation, have a problem. Mass killings are being enabled by easy access to firearms created for the sole purpose of causing massive human casualties. If we cannot begin to rein in those weapons, then we should at least fund research that addresses the root causes of this epidemic of violence. We should ask Republican leaders if, in the wake of this tragedy, they are willing to support a massive increase in funding for gun-violence research. There’s an obvious follow-up that goes without saying, but let’s say it anyway. “If no, why not?” Republicans know there’s problem. After all, they banned guns from Trump’s appearance at the National Rifle Association convention in Houston last weekend. sacurrent.com | June 1 – 14, 2022 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

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THU | 06.02 FRI | 06.03

THU | 06.02 SUN | 06.05

CLASSICAL MUSIC

the varied experiences and identities of those affected by service in the armed forces. “Travel Distance,” curated by Amber Zora, is based around the individuals and families who have served in the military and have dealt with the aftermath of deployment and relocation. The

FILM

Main Gallery exhibition features artists Miridith Campbell, Joe Devera,

MUSICIANS OF THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY WITH CHRISTOPHER WILKINS

MEMORIA Something goes bump in the night in Thai filmmaker Apichatpong

Phillips, Daniel Rios Rodriguez, Renee Romero and Sarah Sudhoff.

The latest in the series of concerts performed by the Musicians of

Weerasethakul’s arthouse fantasy drama Memoria. Actually, it’s more of

“Travel Distance” is paired with a library of books in the Learning Lab

the San Antonio Symphony (MOSAS) will feature Music Director

a thud that awakens Jessica (Tilda Swinton), an expat living in Bogotá,

titled “The Veterans Book Project.” Authored collaboratively by artist

Claudia Hare, Jenn Hassin, Gina Herrera, Monte Little, Jessica Putnam–

Emeritus of the San Antonio Symphony Christopher Wilkins, who led

Monica Haller along with many people who have been affected by the

the orchestra for 10 years in the early 2000s. In two performances on

American conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, “The Veterans Book Proj-

Thursday, June 2 and Friday, June 3 at First Baptist Church, the ensem-

ect” rearranges and materializes the fleeting experiences and narratives

ble comprised of striking Symphony musicians will present a program

of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Free, Opening Reception 6-9 p.m.

featuring Arturo Márquez’s Danzon No. 2, Leonard Bernstein’s Candide

Friday, June 3, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-6 p.m. Thursday-Sunday through Sept. 25,

Overture and Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations. The selected repertoire

Blue Star Contemporary, 116 Blue Star, (210) 227-6960, bluestarcontempo-

also includes two pieces of music that local nonprofit the San Antonio

rary.org. — Ashley Allen

Symphony League integrated into its 48th annual Paint to Music program: William Grant Still’s The American Scene: Grand Teton and Richard Wagner’s “Forest Murmurs” from the opera Siegfried. For this interdisciplinary arts program targeted at elementary school students, the Symphony League made the works by Still and Wagner available to local students and asked them to create drawings based on the music. The winners of the Paint to Music program will be announced at MOSAS’ free Family Concert at 10 a.m. on June 4, a shorter, kid-friendly program that will also be held at First Baptist Church. $20, 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, First Baptist Church of San Antonio, 515 McCullough Neon

Ave., (210) 226-0363, mosas.org/concerts-events. — Kelly Nelson Colombia, and sets her on a journey to discover the origin of the

mysterious booming sound that only she can hear. Jessica describes the sound as “a ball of concrete hitting a metal wall surrounded by seawater.” The film was inspired by Weerasethakul’s own medical condition, exploding head syndrome, which WebMD describes as a sleep disorder in which an individual hears “a loud noise in the head upon waking up at night or during the wake-sleep transition.” To match its unconventional narrative, the film was placed on an unusual release schedule. Its studio, Neon, announced a “never-ending” release in the U.S., where the film would move “from city to city, theater to theater, week by week, playing in front of only one solitary audience at any given time.” Memoria was submitted as Colombia’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards but wasn’t selected. $10, 7 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, Arthouse at Bluestar, 134 Blue Star, (210) 212-9373, slabcinemaarthouse.com. — Kiko Martinez

FRI | 06.03 ART

‘TRAVEL DISTANCE’ AND ‘THE VETERANS BOOK PROJECT’ Two new exhibitions opening at Blue Star Contemporary explore Courtesy of MOSAS

CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

Courtesy of Daniel Rios Rodriguez and Nicelle Beauchene Gallery

SAT | 06.04 SPECIAL EVENT

SA CYCLIST PRIDE RIDE Grab your bikes, helmets and plenty of water and kick off Pride Month with a casual, 12- to 15-mile ride celebrating San Antonio’s LGBTQ+ community. Mixxedfit SA will be providing a hype session and warmup in Crockett Park before Team Taco Cycling Group guides participants on a route touring spots of LGBTQ+ interest around San Antonio. The

calendar

event aims to empower and uplift the community while promoting exercise and wellness — even in the summer heat. This free event is open to beginners and pros alike, and it could be a good way to find a biking buddy to help you hit all of San Antonio’s upcoming Pride events. Free, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Crockett Park, 1300 N. Main Ave., (210) 370-7743, pridecentersa.org. — Macks Cook

Shutterstock / Robert Petrovic

SAT | 06.04 SPECIAL EVENT

NATURE OF POETRY Contemporary art center Ruby City is teaming up with San Antonio Poet Laureate Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson to take poetry outdoors. Bring your lawn chairs, pens and picnic blankets to Chris Park and let Sanderson lead you through a 90-minute workshop inspired by summer scenery. The natural world can offer powerful inspiration to poetry novices and pros alike, and all ages are welcome at the event. A San Antonio native, Sanderson is the first Black Poet Laureate of San Antonio, and works as a poet, teaching artist and musician. For more about her work visit andreavocabsanderson.com. Free, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Chris Park, 111 Camp St., rubycity.org. — MC

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

SAT | 06.04 + SAT | 06.11 FILM

SIX OF 007

The first two action flicks in Slab Cinema’s James Bond series, Six of 007, will screen over the next two weeks in downtown San Antonio. The series will start June 4 with the first movie in the franchise, 1962’s Dr. No, starring Sean Connery as the British secret agent. In the film, Bond goes to Jamaica and discovers an underground base where Dr. Julius No (Joseph Wiseman) is planning to use a weapon to disrupt an American space launch. The series continues on June 11 with a screening of 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, which features actor George Lazenby as 007. In the film, Bond’s new nemesis, Blofeld (Telly Savalas), plans to destroy the world’s entire agriculture industry. OHMSS is the only movie in the franchise starring Lazenby, who was a male model at the time. He got the audition when he lied to producers about his acting experience. “I was faking confidence,” Lazenby told the Current at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival. “I didn’t want them thinking I couldn’t do it. When I finally told them, they looked at me and laughed and said, ‘Stick to your story and we’ll make you the next James Bond.’” Free, 8 p.m., Hemisfair, 434 S. Alamo St., (210) 212-9373, slabcinema.com. — KM Alejandra Sol Casas

Reminder:

Although live events have returned, the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us. Check with venues to make sure scheduled events are still happening, and please follow all health and safety guidelines.

CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

calendar THU | 06.09 COMEDY

PAULY SHORE Actor and comedian Pauly Shore might not be the same hot commodity he was in the early 1990s when he was making movies like Encino Man and Son in Law and working as an MTV VJ, but The Weasel managed to accumulate enough fan support to last him the rest of his career. Now 54, Shore continues to do what he’s done since he was 17 years old — entertain audiences from the stage as a stand-up comedian. And he still gets random movie gigs every now and then. This year, Shore — and we’re not making this up — loaned his voice to Pinocchio in the English dub of a Russian-Hungarian animated film called Pinocchio: A True Story. The role eventually turned Shore into what Rolling Stone called “a Gen-Z LGBTQ icon on TikTok,” mostly because Gen Z has no idea who Shore is and because Shore’s line delivery in the movie’s trailer led TikTok users to create memes suggesting the actor voicing the character was gay. “I was in the West Hollywood Cub Scouts as a kid,” Shore told Rolling Stone earlier this year when they asked him about his newfound fame on TikTok. “[I’ve] been around the gay community my whole life.” $40-$160, 7:30 p.m. (Sold Out) & 9:45 p.m., Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, 618 NW Loop 410, (210) 541-8805, improvtx. com/sanantonio. — KM

FRI | 06.10 SUN | 06.12

Courtesy of LOL Comedy Club

Courtesy of The Classic Theatre

SAT | 06.11 TH EATER

THEATRENOW!

Hosted by The Classic Theatre of San Antonio, the play festival TheatreNOW! draws inspiration from the life and work of late SA playwright and cultural icon Sterling Houston. Born in 1945, Houston was a prolific artist who explored themes of identity. Presented as part of the Sterling Houston Festival, TheatreNOW! is based on Theatre ASAP by The San Antonio Theatre Coalition, a group in which Houston was heavily involved. On June 10, some 40 artists will work to create five separate 10-minute original plays to present at the showcase the following evening. Each team will receive a random quote from one of Houston’s works that they must incorporate into their own play. Teams will have 24 hours to write and rehearse their plays before hitting the stage for the one-night-only performance. “The Classic is happy to partner with SATCO to bring this event back to San Antonio, and we are thrilled to be joining so many wonderful arts organizations to celebrate the legacy of a wonderful and authentic San Antonio voice like Sterling Houston’s,” said J. Robert “Jimmy” Moore, executive and artistic director at The Classic. Free, 7 p.m., Northeast Lakeview College Performing Arts Center, 1201 Kitty Hawk Road, Universal City, (210) 589-8450, classictheatre.org. — KM

advance if you walk out with a catchy refrain or two stuck in your head

a seat at the Tobin’s H-E-B Performance Hall and get ready to uncover

as you make your way to your car. $45-$231, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8

the mystery of the dinosaur that was discovered, then almost lost to

p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., (210)

time. $20-$45, 4 p.m., Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium

226-3333, majesticempire.com. — Dana Nichols

Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — MC

SUN | 06.12

TUE | 06.14

SPECIAL EVEN T

FI LM

NAT GEO LIVE: SPINOSAURUS: LOST GIANT OF CAMP LEGACY MOVIE SERIES: THE PARENT THE CRETACEOUS TRAP

TH EATER

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL

Discover the largest predatory dinosaur, the Spinosaurus, with the help

Although Annie and Hallie may swap families in this summer movie

of renowned paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim. Originally discovered in

classic, we don’t recommend trying it at home. Pack your bags, spread

Morocco by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer, the fossil remains of

a blanket and cozy up downtown for a family-friendly movie night sure

Broadway’s Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will highlight the life and

the Spinosaurus were lost during World War II. However, recent fossil

music of Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Carole King

discoveries in the vast deserts of North Africa have allowed Ibrahim

for four shows across three days. At the heart of Beautiful are the songs

and his contemporaries to reconstruct a full skeletal model of the Spinosaurus and better understand what made this dinosaur unique. Aided by a video recreation of the Cretaceous-era Sahara, Ibrahim will explain the tale of the Spinosaurus’s discovery, loss and rediscovery, along the way illuminating the wonders of what appears to be the first semi-aquatic dinosaur, the Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. Ibrahim’s paleontological discoveries in North Africa have been wide-ranging and fascinating, including giant prehistoric fish, a species of giant flying reptile with a 20-foot wingspan and other bizarre instances of evolution. Snag

Disney+

to get anyone in the camping spirit. In this 1998 remake of the 1961 classic, separated-at-birth twins Annie and Hallie — both portrayed by Lindsay Lohan — cross paths at summer camp, connecting the dots of their parents’ separation and deciding to swap identities. The goal of

Joan Marcus

King wrote throughout her career and the stories behind them. From

their little switcheroo? Why, bringing their family back together, of

the musical collaborations with first husband Gerry Goffin to her work

course. Tuesday’s screening of The Parent Trap will be the second of six

with best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann to her solo career as a

Camp Legacy movie nights, set for every other Tuesday night through-

chart-topping pop singer, the production follows King’s monumental

out the summer. Each movie night includes a unique swag item,

career through all its ups and downs. Songs including “You’ve Got a

activity and signature cocktail by Pinkerton’s Barbecue to go with the flick. Free, activities at 6 p.m. film at 7 p.m., Legacy Park, 103 W. Houston St.,

Friend,” “I Feel the Earth Move” and the title song “Beautiful” will have your head bopping along throughout the whole show — apologies in

Mark Thiessen

westonurban.com/legacy-park. — DN sacurrent.com | June 1 – 14, 2022 | CURRENT

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JUNE 23-25

Los Tres Tristes Tigres

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CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

arts Linda Pace Foundation Collection

wintery scene that surrounds viewers in a white veil of stunning video. “[Julien] has created a true installation,” O’Connor said. “With the sound, film and buildout of this environment, it’s really an immersive experience and represents his original vision.” The narration heard in the film comes from Henson’s 1912 book A Negro Explorer at the North Pole and from articles written about him in American History Illustrated in 1966. True North is the first in Julien’s trilogy of In his writings, Henson gives ample credit short film installations titled Expeditions, which also includes Fantôme Afrique and West- to the four Inuit people — Ootah, Egingwah, Seegloo and Ooqueah — who participated in ern Union: Small Boats. The film at Ruby City the expedition. is loosely based on the story of late African Julien also makes bold artistic choices in American explorer Matthew Henson, who True North by portraying Henson as a Black accompanied famed explorer Robert Peary on several expeditions to the Arctic in the late female explorer (Vanessa Myrie) and by excluding Peary from his narrative, just as Peary 19th and early 20th centuries. did to Henson more than 100 years ago. The most famous of their treks was in April Late San Antonio artist Linda Pace, whose 1909, which historians believe was the first foundation exhibits her contemporary art time any explorer reached the northernmost collection at Ruby City and other galleries, point on the globe — known as “true north.” was the largest collector of Julien’s films. The Henson reached their destination first, foltheater where True North is currently screenlowed by Peary and four Inuit assistants. ing was designed specifically “[True North] is like a docufor his cinematic installations. mentary in that it gives viewIsaac Julien: Julien, who became friends ers this historical information, True North with Pace during a local resibut does it in a more artistic dency in 1999, called her “the fashion,” said Kelly O’Connor, Free, by appointment, through January 29, 2023 artist’s collector,” noting that Ruby City’s head of collections Ruby City, 150 Camp St. as both a patron and a creator and communications. (210) 227-8400 herself, “she understood our Unfortunately, upon the rubycity.org plight and what we need to explorers’ return to America, make art.” Peary took full credit for the Pace also understood what groundbreaking expedition, artists needed for a compelling exhibition. In and Henson and the group’s Inuit fellow Julien’s case, the multiscreen theater created travelers received little public recognition for specifically for his installations at Ruby City is their contributions. In True North, Julien gives the type of platform that makes his work even Henson the tribute he deserves by incorpomore absorbing. rating Henson’s own words from his writings and other sources and by creating a striking

Step in the Right Direction

Isaac Julien: True North at Ruby City transports viewers to the Arctic while clarifying facts of historic expedition BY KIKO MARTINEZ

alking into the air-conditioned screening room inside Southtown’s Ruby City contemporary art center can be a welcome respite from a scalding Texas morning. The chill air inside the venue isn’t the only thing that’s likely to drop visitors’ body heat. Playing on an endless loop on a triptych screen inside the theater is Black British filmmaker and installation artist Isaac Julien’s 2004 piece True North, which will be on display through Jan. 29 of next year. Pulled into the onscreen imagery, it’s easy to lose sense of the heat outside as a distant figure in black walks across a vast, icy landscape that extends across the room. The film’s experimental, sometimes machine-like score accentuates the crisp images that play across the screens: closeups of snow-covered faces staring back with somber expressions; a shapeless mass of ice sitting on an arctic shore; a frozen, glasslike chapel where one might go to pray for the warmth of the sun. “In [my] multiple-screen work, you have the images juxtaposed to one another,” Julien told Ruby City during an interview last year about his film installations. “That creates a more poetic rendition with the story and allows the viewer to enter into a different form of receiving the images and identifying with them.”

Find more arts coverage every day at sacurrent.com

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arts Fighting for Funding Sebastian Lang-Lessing has a plan to salvage the San Antonio Symphony — if local leaders are willing to listen BY SANFORD NOWLIN

ebastian Lang-Lessing is on a mission. Since his controversial firing in April as the San Antonio Symphony’s music director emeritus, the maestro has been tirelessly meeting with city leaders. His goal: winning public funding for the troubled orchestra and ending the months-long walkout by its musicians. Lang-Lessing, whose resume also includes stints with Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, argues that the musicians would be willing to boost the educational work they do for the community if the city and county agree to provide a long-term source of funding for the financially troubled organization. “It could be a game changer by basically following how the Tobin Center was financed, a mix of the public and private sector,” said Lang-Lessing, who’s held recent meetings with Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and former Mayor Phil Hardberger, among others, to sell the idea. The county invested more than $100 million to turn the old Municipal Auditorium into the Tobin, the downtown performing arts center that opened in 2014, while the city contributed $40 million in real estate. More than $50 million subsequently stemmed from private donations. In the symphony’s case, the public sector outlay would only need to be a fraction of that amount, noted Lang-Lessing, who served as the orchestra’s musical director from 2010-2020. In recent years, the organization’s revenues have never exceeded its 2015-2016 high of $8.3 million, and it’s averaged an unsustainable $1 million in emergency fundraising annually. “With that source of money, we could expand education, marketing and development,” Lang-Lessing said. “I don’t want us to go back to the status quo. The status quo has failed.”

Dollars and sense Lang-Lessing was terminated in April after it was announced that he would conduct concerts staged by the striking Musicians of the San Antonio Symphony — something management said was a violation of his contract. The musicians have been on strike since Sept. 27, balking at a contract offer that would slash the num-

MOSAS Performance Fund

ber of full-time musicians from 72 to 42, eliminating four positions and converting 26 more to part-time. While the Symphony Society, the orchestra’s managing body, said the cuts are needed to bring its budget in line, outside experts called them draconian. Representatives for Nirenberg and Hardberger confirmed their recent meetings with Lang-Lessing. However, neither was available for comment on the proposal. Wolff said he understands Lang-Lessing’s desire to forge a long-term solution for the orchestra. He also acknowledged that stable funding sources such as endowments are needed for the symphony to stop staggering from one crisis to another. However, he said discussing public funding before resolving the strike is putting the cart before the horse. “I just don’t think anyone wants to put money into this thing until the labor dispute is resolved,” Wolff said. “To me, they have to come to some sort of agreement before we’re able to help.” In public statements, the Symphony Society has said the orchestra needs to rein in its budget and stabilize its economic situation before it can begin attracting endowments or other forms of long-term funding. The proposed labor cuts are a major step in that direction, Executive Director Corey Cowart argues.

A stain on the resume Lang-Lessing counters that the quickest way to end the strike is to ensure that the symphony will have the money it needs to operate. Once stabilized, the organization will be able to focus attention on improving private fundraising and chasing the endowments it needs to be viable. The musicians shouldn’t be forced to sign a contract calling for such substantial reductions, he added. Indeed, they already agreed to an 80% pay cut during the 2021 season due to the pandemic. What should be clear, Lang-Lessing said, is that management’s approach and the status quo have failed. Creative thinking is the only way the organization can move forward. And, he added, the clock is ticking down. Several musicians have already signed temporary or permanent contracts in other cities for better pay and benefits. Plus, the orchestra’s reputation is being diminished as the labor dispute drags on. He likens the plan to downsize the orchestra and cut pay and benefits to a “stain on the resume” of the symphony, saying it will have a harder time attracting top talent. “Right now is the great moment to turn things around,” Lang-Lessing said. sacurrent.com | June 1 – 14, 2022 | CURRENT

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Ms Marvel / Marvel Studios

Date with Destiny

San Antonio-tied actor Saagar Shaikh hits pinnacle of career with Disney+ series Ms. Marvel BY KIKO MARTINEZ

efore graduating from UTSA in 2011, Saagar Shaikh knew the business degree he was earning wouldn’t factor into his future. The things the Pakistani American student was learning in his classes didn’t excite him very much. “I knew I didn’t like what I was doing in school,” Shaikh, 35, told the Current during a recent interview. “It was just so boring. I didn’t give a shit about Statistics II. I thought, ‘What could I do that I would really enjoy?’ Then, I thought, ‘What if I became an actor?’” Today, the former Alamo City resident is part of the main cast of the newest Disney+ miniseries Ms. Marvel, which debuts Wednesday, June 8. Based on characters from Marvel Comics, the series follows Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), a 16-year-old Muslim Pakistani American high school student and

community, because even within the community there are subcommunities and individuals. We did our best to represent one family in one community. It was relatable. I know people just like the people we’re trying to represent on the show. We had such a blast.”

Twist of fate Captain Marvel fangirl, who gains her own superpowers when she puts on an antique bracelet that may have a history with her family. Shaikh plays Aamir Khan, Kamala’s supportive and loving older brother. In the first two episodes, audiences learn that Aamir is engaged to be married and that he once worked at Hot Topic and may have gone through a goth phase. Also, in planning his wedding, he has added Bon Jovi’s song “Livin’ on a Prayer” as one of the options for the newlyweds’ first dance. Ms. Marvel is the seventh TV series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios. It comes after WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, What If…?, Hawkeye and Moon Knight. “This project is so close to my heart,” Shaikh said. “It’s hard to represent an entire

By the time Shaikh earned his business degree, he had already fallen in love with acting. Wondering what it would take to become an actor, he did what most people would do when they want to find information on something foreign to them. He looked it up on the Internet. “I started Googling, ‘How do I become an actor?’ Shaikh said. “Oh, you need head shots. You need to find an agent. You need to get a reel together. You need to look for auditions.” Then, destiny stepped in. Shaikh was at the point in college where he needed to earn internship hours, so he went to his academic advisor who gave him a list of places he could apply. He submitted the applications, but he really didn’t care where he landed. “I just saw them as check marks of things I needed to do,” he said. “There was one com-

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screens pany that had the word ‘management’ in it. I was like, ‘I’m a business major, so I’ll just do this one.’ When I went in, there were all these head shots everywhere. I was like, ‘Where am I?’” As luck would have it, he’d landed at a local talent management company for actors. Not only did Shaikh land an internship, but he also found an agent who started sending him on auditions for local and regional TV commercials. “I was like, ‘The stars are aligning. This is wild,’” Shaikh said. “Two weeks ago, I just had an idea and now here I am. It was presented to me.” He added: “I believe in kismet. I believe in destiny. God has already written it all. We just hope for the best and prepare for the worst. If you want something, you must work for it. If I had only put in two years and then quit, I wouldn’t be here. My destiny would be something else.”

Representation matters Born in Houston, Shaikh was a voracious reader of comic books as a kid — mostly X-Men. Since he spent the first 14 years of his life in that ultra-diverse city, Shaikh said he was never aware of the lack of representation in TV shows, movies and comics. In real life, when he looked around, he saw plenty of Asian, Latino and Black kids at his school. That changed once his family moved to San Antonio his freshman year of high school. Shaikh first attended Clark High School then transferred to Marshall for the next three years. He graduated from Marshall in 2005. “When I was a kid reading those comic books, it didn’t occur to me that I didn’t feel represented because I felt like I was surrounded by so much diversity,” he said. “When I moved to San Antonio, we moved to the North Side, which is pretty white. I thought, ‘Hey, I’m the only one at my school who looks like me.’” Then, I started noticing other things like TV, comics, movies. There was nobody like me.” Shaikh’s interest in comics waned and he didn’t think about them for 15 or more years. Eventually, he heard about the comic book Ms. Marvel, which made its debut in February 2014. “I was like, ‘There’s a Pakistani superhero in the Marvel comic-verse?’” Shaikh said. “I thought the idea was amazing. But I wouldn’t pick one off the shelf until a few years later.” By the time he learned about Ms. Marvel the comic book, Shaikh had

Ms Marvel / Marvel Studios

already moved from San Antonio to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Relocating to Hollywood wasn’t something Shaikh’s parents approved of. They didn’t want him to abandon his business degree for such an unreliable profession. “My dad was so mad, especially when I moved to LA,” he said. “He would call me and tell me that it wasn’t too late, and that I could still get a normal job and buy a house and live a normal life. I told him, ‘You’ve always told me to be the best at whatever I decide to do. To do that, I need to go somewhere else.’” During his first eight years in Los Angeles, Shaikh racked up commercial work, starred in a few short films and did a web series called Unfair & Ugly. His co-star on that series, Kausar Mohammed, remembers him as “a hilarious and talented creative” with a unique point of view and sense of humor. “[Saagar] has a knack of bringing people together and is truly a joy on any set or stage he works on,” Mohammed told the Current. “I know anything he does, he does it exceptionally. It’ll be so powerful to see the representation he authentically brings — as a Pakistani Muslim actor — to [Ms. Marvel]. I’m so excited to see him shine.”

Raising his voice In late 2019, Shaikh shot a high-profile talent showcase for ABC in hopes the project would lead to more work. But when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency in March 2020, Shaikh was certain his acting career was over. Productions shut down across Hollywood. “I started feeling like I had wasted 10 years of my life,” he said. “I was like, ‘Get the hint. If it hasn’t happened yet, it’s probably not going to happen.’ I’m not the type of person to fully quit anything, but I could have put it on the back burner.” Luckily, Shaikh decided not to raise the white flag. Instead, one of the next things he did was send in a taped audition for Ms. Marvel. To prepare, he went out and picked up the first 20 issues of the comic book and read through them in a day. “I wanted to know as much about it as I possibly could,” he said. “I was like, ‘Dude, this is so cool!’ There were so many deep cultural cuts within the comics that only a Pakistani household would get. There are so many references that are just for us. I really fell in love with the comic book and the charac-

ters.” A few weeks later, Shaikh got word that he had booked the role of Aamir. He shared tears with his mom and his wife when he found out. After years of rejections and turning down roles for stereotypical characters like “Terrorist No. 4” or “Cab Driver,” Shaikh felt as if he had finally made it, joining the ranks of actors of color who are redefining Hollywood. “I’ve been so happy to see where the industry has started to go,” Shaikh said. “It’s so nice to see people like me on screen, to go to Netflix and see that Bridgerton has a South Asian lead, to see what [comedian] Hasan Minhaj is doing or to see a series like Ramy. It’s opening the doors for more of us to continue to thrive.” Now, with his new opportunity on Ms. Marvel, Shaikh wants to add his voice to the mix and prove to the industry that South Asians and Muslims are the best storytellers when it comes to conveying narratives about themselves and their cultures. “We’re the only ones who can write for us and represent for us,” he said. “We know what we’re talking about. There are so many stories out there that need to be seen and heard — and so many of us willing to tell them.” sacurrent.com | June 1 – 14, 2022 | CURRENT

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7310 Jones Maltsberger SA, TX 78209 | (210) 248-9616 | www.quarryhofbrau.com | 30

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Spicy

Mac + Cheese Burger

1/3 pound Big Juicy Burger loaded w/ their homemade macaroni and cheese

12311 NACOGDOCHES RD., SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78217 | 17625 BLANCO RD., SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78232 6626 W LOOP 1604 N., SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78250 | 5602 W. HAUSMAN RD.SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78249 3150 SE. MILITARY DR., SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78223 | 1003 RITTIMAN RD., SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78218

TAKE PRIDE IN

YOUR HEALH PANEL DISCUSSION

& SPECIAL PERFORMANCES

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1503 N Main Street

Thursday, June 16th

5:30PM - 9:00PM

For PRIDE month, we encourage our community to Take Pride in Your Health. Join us for a panel presentation on important health information. Topics covered will include the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine, health screenings an as opportunity to know your status and the public health approach to violence prevention.

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sacurrent.com | June 1 – 14, 2022 | CURRENT

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Fourth Annual San Antonio Burger Week grills up specialty sandos to benefit the SA Food Bank

Burger trends elevate the all-American classic

ummertime is burger time. Appropriate then that the Fourth Annual San Antonio Burger Week will kick off Friday, June 10 — all in the name of feeding hungry folks in and around the Alamo City. The promotion, which runs through June 19, invites area eateries to create $5 and $8 specialty burgers in support of the San Antonio Food Bank. A portion of each specialty burger sale from the more than two dozen participating restaurants will be donated to the nonprofit. The impact is evident in each bite: every $1 donation to the Food Bank covers seven meals for families in our community facing food insecurity. Here are some words to live by while scouring the city for your next favorite burger joint.

BY NINA RANGEL

othing suits a hot summer day quite like a juicy burger right off the grill. There’s something about the flame-grilled flavor of a patty that’s been lovingly tended to over a fire that brings back childhood memories of traipsing through sprinklers and inadvertent belly flops at the neighborhood pool. Of course, we’re not kids anymore, so it stands to reason that some of our culinary expectations have matured past the flimsy grey patties and half-melted American cheese slices of yesteryear. With that in mind, here are three burger trends that can bring back those nostalgic summer feels while satisfying our grown-up cravings and even our healthy eating habits. Feel free to give these a try on your home grill or indulge in them as part of San Antonio’s Burger Week. Heck, we even provided suggestions for pairing drinks with them. We’re adults, after all, right?

Global Flavors

For burger purists, seasonings and condiments may dead end at good old salt and pepper, and maybe just a smear of mustard or mayo. But adventurous eaters tend to look at the trusty burger as a blank canvas. If you’re among the latter, inspiration can come from anywhere around the globe. Try these additions and toppings for a globally inspired bite: Asian: gochujang, scallions, fresh ginger, garlic, sesame oil Mediterranean: lavender (trust us on this), turmeric, harissa, mint-yogurt sauce Middle Eastern: fenugreek, sumac, ground pine nuts, mint, garlic hummus Indian: garam masala, cardamom, curry paste, spicy mango chutney

Pairs with... Go all the way and pair your international burger with drinks from its region of origin. Try boba tea for an Asian-inspired bite or a puckery margarita to accompany a sando built around Mexican flavors. Non-Beef Options

For burgers, beef is king — especially in Texas. However, many burger lovers across the nation are experimenting with patties made with earthy lamb, lean turkey and omega-3packed salmon. Whether you’re looking for a healthier choice or just a little variety, options

food

Hot Grill Summer

Marcin Jucha / Shutterstock

abound. Since these alternative proteins can be dryer than traditional beef patties, home-cooks can — and should! — have fun pumping up the flavor with compound butters, aioli, jams and assorted pickled items. If that sounds like too much work, restaurants increasingly offer fun burger options with alternative proteins as the star.

Pairs with... Think vino. A medium-bodied

pinot noir would complement a burger made with lamb or turkey. The general rule for rich, oily fish like salmon is to pair it with a full-bodied white wine like oak-aged Chardonnay or Marsanne.

Veggie Patties

Whether you’re making the switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet or just looking to lose a bit of your quarantine gut, replacing a beef burger with a veggie patty can be a delicious and guilt-free way to go. Meaty, umami-rich portobello mushroom caps are arguably the easiest and most common veggie alternative. Just scrape out the gills to lose the muddy taste. But the non-meat burger patty market has also expanded significantly in the last few years, bringing a wider variety of ingredients and some options such as Beyond Meat burgers that taste damn close to the real thing. Patties made with edamame, black beans, cauliflower and sweet potatoes also offer tasty, nutrient-packed stand-ins.

Pairs with... When dining on a veggie-based

burger, your tipple shouldn’t overwhelm. Go for a pilsner or lager, preferably Czech, for a light, crisp and summery beer companion.

Know who’s participating Visit satxburgerweek.com for details on the many participating restaurants. It’s a diverse array that ranges from burger standbys such as Big’z Burger Joint, Mark’s Outing and Chris Madrid’s to spots that may come as more of a surprise — think Ocho, The Jerk Shack and Tripoli’s Mediterranean Grill. Restaurants may run out of their specialty Burger Week offering Participating restaurants are likely to get busy. So, if a place runs out of their specialty burger, handle it like an adult. Go back the next day — earlier in the day, perhaps — order your burger and thank them for working hard. Please be nice to participating restaurants. You’ll probably have to wait a bit to indulge Every year, San Antonio Burger Week brings burger lovers out in droves, so don’t be surprised if restaurants have waits. In fact, we’ll be surprised if they don’t. Tip your foodservice workers The people who are serving you are working hard during Burger Week to provide great service, delicious eats — and to raise some needed cash for the SA Food Bank. Simply put, be kind to our friends and neighbors. Check social media for updates Burger Week restaurants are encouraged to post their waits and remaining burgers for the day on their social platforms, so check your destination’s social feed so you can plan accordingly. — By Nina Rangel

Find more food & drink news at sacurrent.com

SAN ANTONIO BURGER WEEK EXCLUSIVE

#6 EL CALIENTE FRESHLY GRILLED BEEF PATTY, SEASONED TO PERFECTION WITH GRILLED JALAPEÑOS AND ONIONS TOPPED WITH MELTED PEPPER JACK CHEESE, FRESH GREEN LEAF LETTUCE, AND FRESH TOMATO SLICE SERVED ON OUR BUTTERED SIGNATURE TOASTED BUNS.

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972 SW 36TH ST. | (210)336-7743 | 6900 SAN PEDRO AVE., SUITE 101 | (210)781-9171

food Early Advantage

Reese Bros Barbecue delivers bad-ass brisket from a temporary truck. Just show up early. BY RON BECHTOL

t’s Sunday around noon and I’m 15 minutes into the line that uncoils from the order window of the truck temporarily housing Reese Bros Barbecue, when an aproned guy emerges, striding toward the menu board with a marker in hand. Suddenly, zap! There goes the queso fundido sausage. My heart sinks. A few minutes later, he appears again, and this time the house-made tortillas get the axe. Cue more sinking feelings. Making a final appearance, the malevolent marker crosses out the pork ribs. By this time, my heart is in my shoes. Fortunately, the brisket, hot and fatty samples of which had been passed out to patient line-holders, remained. Achiote-rubbed half chicken had made an understudy appearance on the board, and all the sides were still available by the time I made it to the window after a total of 45 minutes. There’s plenty of shady seating at Reese Bros, but bring sunscreen for the line. After successfully ordering the brisket, the chicken and a trio of sides, my heart could rearrange itself in its customary position. More or less. Perhaps those sellouts were to be expected. Nick and Elliott Reese honed their barbecue chops in Austin and far-flung Marathon before flaunting them at their first self-owned operation in San Antonio. For now, they’re serving out of a truck parked alongside their forthcoming permanent location. And the word is apparently out. So, back to the brisket. That fatty sample was so oozing with flavor that it almost trumped the thickly sliced half pound I took home with me. Reese Bros uses oak in the pits visible while waiting in line, and the wood imparts a flavor that’s just smoky enough, along with a “bark” that doesn’t bite excessively. Tastes vary in the fat-versus-lean debate. I could have used just a hint more lubrication, but I’d still rate this as one of the city’s best traditional briskets. The vinegary sauce makes a good playmate, but it’s not essential. The achiote-rubbed chicken was a little less conventional. Achiote is a spice, for me at least, that imparts great rusty color but whose flavor skews earthy and metallic without being especially assertive. Think of it as a good ensemble player. Salt, pepper and a sharper smoke component than the brisket were more dominant flavors. The cautionary-color orange sauce that accompanied the meat announced some heat through its chile de arbol cast. You may want to apply it sparingly.

Ron Bechtol

It’s not just the maverick okra component that made the beans seem gumbo-like. Ample onion and tomato helped bolster the notion. And the result, though deeply flavorful, was more of a sauce in texture than most of us are used to. Not bad, just different. Different also best describes the macaroni and cheese, blended with poblanos and other chilies, spinach and cream. No, it’s not too spicy. In my wildest imagination I would likely never have thought of adding fresh pea tendrils to a Texas slaw, but owners Nick and Elliott Reese and their CIA-trained staff did. The result was simply sensational. The slaw itself wasn’t the customary concoction wallowing in watery cream but rather a light and crunchy paean to cabbage accented by lime, cilantro and maybe the barest hint of mayo. The obligatory potato salad was also light on the mayo and mustard. Accordingly, it was drier than some but richer with the addition of roasted poblano and onion.

Second helping Remember that brisket a few paragraphs back? I couldn’t help but have it again on my second visit. Determined not to be the victim of the mad mark-

er wielder, I was third in line as Reese opened on a Saturday. That time, it was the brisket of my deepest, darkest dreams: just fatty and moist enough to convey the maximum smoky flavor, just barky enough to keep it all together. It also occurred to me that instead of sauce, it might be better to pile on some of the quick-pickled red onions and other vegetable sidekicks that come along for the ride. They’re deftly but simply seasoned with lime, salt and coriander seed and deserve a callout of their own. The early bird also got the queso-embellished sausage, and this snappy addition turned out to be the spiciest item I sampled on the menu. So far. I say from experience that kids won’t like it, but grownups should have at it with gusto. Adults who have grown weary of poorly done pulled pork — this adult, for example — would do well to order it here. It has a kind of bark of its own — both sweet and a little tart — and it’s beautifully moist and, well, porky. Hats off to the Reese family for reinvigorating this and other old standards, and for creating a welcome environment in which to celebrate the results, icecold $2 Lone Star in hand.

REESE BROS. BARBECUE 906 Hoefgen Ave. 78210 | (512) 925-9205 | reesebrosbbq.com | Noon-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday Price range: Meats run $11-$14 per half pound Best bets: Brisket, house-made sausages, pulled pork, slaw, macaroni and cheese, pickled vegetables The skinny: Reese Bros. serves superlative barbecue out of a truck parked in front of the venture’s forthcoming permanent location. You can enjoy it in the adjacent, shaded pavilion. Brisket and sausage are exceptional, and sides are more than a cut above the norm. Get there early, however, to avoid sellouts.

Succulent sides sacurrent.com | June 1 – 14, 2022 | CURRENT

RANCH ERO BURGE R Quarter pound Beyond Meat® covered in cheese, topped with fried onions, pickles, and our Earth Burger’s chef curated BBQ Ranch. EARTHBURGER.COM |

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Stop By During Burgerweek

food CHICAGO STYLE GYRO CHEESEBURGER OPENINGS New two-story nightspot The Lucky Duck, a spinoff of an Austin drinkery of the same name, is now open near downtown. 810 N. Alamo St., instagram.com/theluckyducksatx. Dakota East Side Ice House has opened a kitchen extension in an adjacent historic building. Fresh handmade pizza, fried shrimp tacos and “an amazing patty melt” will be available starting in mid-June. 419 S. Hackberry St., thedakotasa. com. New easygoing bar Sojourn is set to take over the downtown spot that formerly held fancy cocktail destination Juniper Tar. 244 W. Houston St. The owners of Southtown’s Little Em’s Oyster Bar and Up Scale have begun work on Go Fish Market, a new casual seafood cafe and retail fish counter near the Pearl. instagram.com/gofishmarket. Southtown’s La Frite Belgian Bistro will begin serving this week after a six-month shutdown to fix a water leak and conduct renovations. 728 S. Alamo St., lafritesa.com. Austin chain Torchy’s Tacos will open a sixth Alamo City location, this one near SeaWorld

on the city’s far West Side. It’s expected to open in early 2023. 9602 State Highway 151, Suite 101, torchystacos.com.

A DELICIOUSLY SEASONED BURGER PATTY TOPPED W/ CHEESE, LAMB CUT GYRO MEAT & TZIKI SAUCE! 2339 E. EVANS ROAD, SUITE 106. SA , TX 78259 | (210) 481-4200 | ACHICAGOBITE.COM

The Lost Bar Burger

Caterer Don Strange has opened Lazo at the airport-area Estancia del Norte hotel. The venture is helmed by chef Sarah Myles, formerly a sous chef at Boiler House. 37 N.E. Loop 410, hilton.com/ en/hotels/satinup-estancia-del-norte-san-antonio/.

Get lost in a juicy 1/2 pound All-American Angus Burger. Topped with crisp lettuce, fresh tomato and red onion on a rosette bun. Served with a side of house made French Fries salted to perfection!

Food trailer-based Early Bird Coffee will open a brick-and-mortar location at Huebner Oaks Shopping Center this summer. 11745 Interstate 10 West, instagram.com/earlybirdcoffee.sa.

NEWS San Antonio chef Jason Dady has permanently closed his Alamo BBQ Co., 511 E. Grayson St.

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@LOSTBAR.SATX

(210) 437- 4873 | THELOSTBARANDGRILL.COM | 12730 NW MILITARY HWY, SAN ANTONIO, TX 78230 River North’s Elsewhere Garden Bar & Garden has purchased six acres in North San Antonio for a second location, which will feature a 45-foot Ferris wheel, a secret garden speakeasy and a greenhouse for weddings and events. Downtown pizza joint Playland will permanently close at the end of June. Chef-owner Stefan Bowers said he’ll open a yet-to-be-named restaurant and market in the 1221 Broadway Lofts this fall.

Queso Burger

½ lb. All Beef Patty served with Delicious Sweet Sourdough Bun. Comes with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles topped with Homemade Queso.

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Green’s house-made chickpea veggie patty with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, with melted cheddar, grilled onions, fakin’ bacon, grilled mushrooms and chipotle mayo. house-made chickpea patty topped with avocado spread, chipotle mayo, fresh lettuce and tomatoes. Perfect for Meatless Mondays. 255 E. Basse Rd., Ste. 940, San Antonio, TX 78209 10003 NW Military Hwy, San Antonio, TX 78230

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CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

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Thank You Scientist is bringing its hard-to-pigeonhole sound — part prog, part lots of other things — to the Paper Tiger BY MIKE MCMAHAN

hings you should expect from New Jersey’s Thank You Scientist: intensely arranged prog tunes, a horn section, some funk, catchy-as-hell melodies and a dose of jazzy improvisation. Something you should not expect from the band, which plays San Antonio’s Paper Tiger on Tuesday, June 7: the members having an easy time explaining its sprawling sound. “We’re whatever the hell we are,” guitarist Tom Monda said in a Zoom interview from his home in New Jersey. Even when pressed for the stuck-in-an-elevator-with-the-head-of-a-major-label pitch, Monda played coy: “Think of all the things that are going to make you the least amount of money and stick them in one band.”

Bits and pieces While Monda’s semi-joking response minimizes the magic of Thank You Scientist, he’s not completely wrong. Let’s start with the prog element. Thank You Scientist got its first break from Evil Ink Records, which released the band’s debut album in 2014. The label belongs to Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez, a chap who knows a thing or two about prog. And, not surprisingly, Thank You Scientist has toured with Coheed and appeared on the band’s curated sea cruise. “There’s some overlap between us, but we’re coming from different places with different influences,” said Monda, who copped to an obsession with Frank Zappa during his formative years. And then there are the horns. Those mean jazz, right? Well, it depends on how deep you want to go. Thank You Scientist incorporates a trumpeter, a saxophonist and a violinist — all of whom improvise during solos. Monda is a jazz cat who plays in jazz side projects. And the essence of jazz is improvisation. Again, it’s not so easy. “We get to scratch that improvisational itch when we play live, but the majority of our stuff is super-composed,” he explained, citing personal influences such as Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny and John Coltrane. “I could say [Thank You Scientist] is a long-term psyops to convince normies to listen to jazz, but it’s not the case.”

music

Mix and Match

Sarah Sturges

And the melodies? There’s no disputing the songs have big hooks. Vocalist Salvatore Marrano sells the melody with a distinctive high-register voice, which places him firmly in the prog lineage. “Good songs are good songs,” Monda explained. “It doesn’t matter if they’re threechord songs or five million-note songs.”

Band geeks If you’re thinking Thank You Scientist sounds like a troupe of high school marching band geeks, hey, you’re not wrong there either. That much was obvious from the time the group dropped its debut Maps of Non-Existent Places, but things were cemented with the 2019 single “FXMLDR,” the video for which featured the members playing alongside the epic Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. So, with all these different directions and the band’s studious vibe, is it a safe assumption they used their pandemic downtime to great effect? That one’s easy. The band released the fruit of those toils, the EP Plague Accommodations, last November. And speaking of everyone’s favorite plague, Monda said Thank You Scientist is prepared for whatever its lasting effects happen to be on live music. “Being a touring musician is like staring into the abyss,” he said. “What if we’re the last generation of bands? It’s gonna be a setup in the venue with five iPads and five guys Zooming in from their bedrooms.”

Fond memories

But for now, music fans have access to live venues, and the band is taking advantage of that. For its current tour, Thank You Scientist is paired with Strawberry Girls, a band considered progressive or math rock, even if Monda said it’s coming from a “different zone.” “More of a post-hardcore kind of vibe,” Monda explained. “When we pick bands to tour with, we ask ourselves, ‘What’s a balanced evening of music?’” No surprise Thank You Scientist likes to mix things up. After all, that kind of topsy-turvy alchemy is the essence of the difficult-to-describe group. Its musical diversity has allowed it to share stages with anyone from Periphery to Devin Townsend to Consider the Source to Haken. Monda said he’s looking forward to the San Antonio show since he’s got fond memories of previous Texas appearances. “It’s usually my favorite stretch of shows. It’s a little bit of everything,” he said. “The people are friendly. Last time I was there, I had my bike, and it was a great place to bike around. It’s a beautiful city.” And any chance Monda finally came up with a less oblique way to describe Thank You Scientist’s sound? Not really, but maybe that’s too tall an order — even for a guy involved in creating it. “With music it’s hard to have a perspective on what [it] even sounds like, because it sounds so different to you,” he said. “If you listen to our music on records, it’s a lot different than how you experience it live.” $20-$25, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 7, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com.

Reminder:

Although live events have returned, the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us. Check with venues to make sure scheduled events are still happening, and please follow all health and safety guidelines.

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CURRENT | June 1 – 14, 2022 | sacurrent.com

music listings Wednesday, June 1

Fayuca Phoenix-based Fayuca puts out good vibes and have a reggae flavor, so it’s not surprising that the band has shared the stage with 311, Damien Marley and Sublime with Rome. Not to mention, its music has made it onto FOX Sports, Univision and MTV. Fayuca has its own spin on the genre, however, which includes ample Latin spice, particularly the percussion. $12-$45, 8 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com. — Mike McMahan

Hen and the Cocks

Three Swings and a Miss Three Swings and a Miss sets the clock back by presenting classic songs from the Golden Age of jazz. Fronted by Hollywood-born vocalist Noelle Goforth, the band brings a cinematic vibe that would be at home on a David Lynch soundtrack. Goforth may emphasize her vocals in performances, but she’s also got chops on guitar, mandolin, banjo and ukulele. $15-$20, 7:30 p.m., Jazz, TX, 312 Pearl Parkway, Bldg. 6, (210) 332-9386, jazztx.com. — MM

Thursday, June 2 Total Chaos Fast, dirty, loud and D.I.Y. all sum up the vibe of long-running hardcore punk outfit Total Chaos. Unafraid to practice the politics they sing about, the band has thrown its support behind causes including Food Not Bombs, the Los Angeles Anarchist Center and the Big Mountain Indian Reservation. $16-$18, 8 p.m., Vibes Underground, 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 255-3833, facebook.com/vibesunderground. — Brianna Espinoza Neko Case with M. Ward Indie rocker Neko Case defies definition with her eclectic mix of delicate singer-songwriter sensibilities and low-ranged contralto vocal stylings. From the dreamy alt-country “I Wish I Was the Moon” to the fuzzy guitar anthem “Man” (which features M. Ward), Case invites her listeners to challenge conventions. In an NPR interview, Case described herself as more critter or animal than woman. Her twitter bio pronouns “She/Sir” spotlight that duality. The April release Wild Creatures features essays and track commentary from David Byrne, Jeff Tweedy, Rosanne Cash and more. In addition to her extensive solo work, Case is a member of the Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers. $35, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx. com. — Danny Cervantes

Friday, June 3 Old Crow Medicine Show Old Crow Medicine Show is best described as country with all the fixins. Beyond the expected guitars, drums and upright base, the ensemble includes banjos and harmonicas. The outfit is also responsible for the original version of country banger “Wagon Wheel.” Sold Out, 8 p.m., Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, (830) 606-1281, gruenehall.com. — BE Dylan Wheeler Hailing from Edgewood, Texas — population 1,609 — Dylan Wheeler channels a diverse assortment of musical influences into his rock-tinged country sound, ranging from Jared Leto to Rob Thomas. His most popular song, “Broke Ass Kid,” has more than 14 million streams on Spotify and mirrors his move from the oil fields to acoustic sets in Texas icehouses and college towns.

Courtesy Photo / Hen and the Cocks

His newest album, Times Are Changing, was released in February. $15-$20, 8:30 p.m., John T. Floore’s Country Store, 14492 Old Bandera Road, (210) 695-8827, liveatfloores.com. — DC The Suffers Straight outta Houston, The Suffers describe themselves as a “classic soul band,” which hits it right on the money. The band has toured with a diverse roster of acts ranging from Thievery Corporation to Galactic, and it’s popped up on The Late Show with David Letterman as well as NPR. It Starts With Love isn’t just the title of the The Suffers’ new album, which drops June 3, it’s words of wisdom the world could stand to hear right now. $24$25, 8 p.m., Carver Community Cultural Center, Jo Long Theatre, 226 N. Hackberry St., (210) 207-7211, thecarver.org. — MM Lunar Vacation Atlanta-based indie-rock act Lunar Vacation is touring in support of its debut LP, Inside Every Fig Is A Dead Wasp, released last fall. Fronted by Grace Repasky, the band combines elements of thoughtful pop and light psychedelia for an inviting, energetic mix. The core members met in high school and the band started in 2016. $15-$18, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — MM

Saturday, June 4 La Campana Celebrate the arrival of la rumba salsera in San Antonio. The music kicks off with DJ Cam, followed closely by the Summit Salsa champions: CAM Dance Company out of Miami. The festivities will also include a performance by salsa choke vocalist Husory. $15-$40, 9 p.m., Rock Box, 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 255-3833, therockboxsa.com. — MM

Sunday, June 5 Emily Wells Amarillo-born multi-instrumentalist Emily Wells got an early start on the one-woman-band business, releasing her own recordings on cassette at age 13. Armed with violin, analog synths and looping technologies, she blends anything from indie-rock and reggae to experimental and classical compositions. $15-$18, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — BE Jimmie Vaughan Bluesman Jimmie Vaughan’s career spans three distinct eras. Born in Dallas, Vaughan relocated to Austin in the ’60s and became a protégé of blues club owner Clifford Antone. He formed The Fabulous Thunderbirds in 1974, but despite the band’s critical acclaim and support from artists such as Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones, commercial success eluded them until 1986, when “Tuff Enuff ” and “Wrap It Up” both made the Billboard Top 100. Soon, Vaughan left the group to record an album with his legendary younger brother, Stevie Ray, titled Family Style. Released one month after SRV’s tragic death, the album won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Performanc. Jimmie Vaughan then embarked on a solo career that produced another Grammy Award with 2001’s Do You Get The Blues? $35-$40, 8 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com. — DC

Tuesday June 7 Herb Alpert and Lani Hall Octogenarian trumpeter Herb Alpert’s impact on music is almost beyond measure. His career touches multiple genres including songwriting credits for Sam Cooke’s “Wonderful World,” forming sacurrent.com | June 1 – 14, 2022 | CURRENT

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and leading the Tijuana Brass during the ’60s and a solo career that produced the Grammy award-winning instrumental “Rise” in 1979, which was subsequently sampled by The Notorious B.I.G. for the 1997 rap megahit “Hypnotize.” Alpert’s imprint on music was cemented when he was awarded the 2012 National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama. Alpert added another Grammy in 2014 for Steppin’ Out. These days he’s collaborating with his wife Lani Hall, a legend in her own right as the original lead singer of Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66. $39.50-$75, 7:30 p.m., Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. – DC

Wednesday, June 8 Los Shadows Ever wondered, “Has anyone ever thought of combining surf and dream pop?” Well, then, you’re in for a treat. Los Shadows’ music features a production quality associated with the dreamier side, although with a surfy sheen. The overall effect isn’t dissimilar to a modern Roy Orbison. The band is calling this tour Down The Rabbit Hole. Now, if only they’d played this venue back when it was the White Rabbit. Ha. We kid. $15, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — MM

Friday, June 10 Hen and the Cocks With a name like Hen and the Cocks, you know this band is looking to ruffle some feathers. And the Denton outfit’s politically charged brand of post-punk seems calculated to do just that. Loud, thudding herky-jerky music is their specialty. Just be wary of the search results if you’re looking to check it out on YouTube. $10, 6 p.m., Vibes Underground, 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 255-3833, facebook.com/vibesunderground. — BE Dos Borrachos The self-described borrachos in this act are singer-songwriters Kevin Fowler and Roger Creager, who bring along their celebration of

beer and the perfunctory use of Spanish for a South Texas vibe. Fowler hails from Amarillo and Creager from Corpus Christi, and their pairing comes across like a less-refined version of Jimmy Buffett. Fowler’s musical evolution has taken him a long way from playing with metal band Dangerous Toys in the ’90s. Grab your amigos, expect lots of gringos and be ready to get loco out there. $30-$35, 8 p.m., John T. Floore’s Country Store, 14492 Old Bandera Road, (210) 695-8827, liveatfloores.com. — DC Creed Fisher Straight out of New Braunfels, Creed Fisher has developed a following for his flag-waving, working-class outlaw country. Song titles such as “If You Have a Right to Burn My Flag (Then I Have a Right to Kick Your Ass),” “Don’t California My Texas” and “The Good Ol’ U.S. of A.” speak for themselves. His most recent album, 2021’s Whiskey and the Dog is described as “unapologetic, patriotic and passionate.” $15-$20, 9 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint. com. — DC

Saturday, June 11 Hombres G Once-young Spanish pop-rockers Hombres G have grown up, playing music that incorporates bigger ideas than just puppy love. One of Spain’s most prominent pop groups in the ’80s and ‘90s, the band nearly shut down a Peruvian airport when 20,000 fans congregated on the runway to meet them. $99.50-$209.50, 7 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 8124355, theaztectheatre.com. — BE

Tuesday, June 14 Thee Sacred Souls With a sound that ranges from ’70s prog rock to retro soul, Thee Sacred Souls create songs that are meant transport listeners. These California crooners are bound to get lovers close for the evening. $20, 8 p.m., Jaime’s Place, 1514 W. Commerce St., (210) 564-9083, jaimesplace. pub. — BE

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