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CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

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in this issue San Antonio Current

Issue 19_10 /// May 8-21, 2019

Divided We Fall

Publisher: Michael Wagner Editor-in-Chief: Sanford Nowlin

The River and the Wall spreads itself thin, but the nature photography is breathtaking

Editorial

Senior Editor: Bryan Rindfuss Food & Nightlife Editor: Lea Thompson Art Director: Carlos Aguilar Staff Writer: Chris Conde Digital Content Editor: Sarah Martinez Contributors: Ron Bechtol, Daniel Conrad, James Courtney, Jade Esteban Estrada, Dan R. Goddard, Lance Higdon, Steven G. Kellman, Hannah Lorence, Kiko Martinez, Kelly Merka Nelson, M. Solis, Gary Sweeney, Erin Winch Editorial Interns: Zach Alaniz, Clarence Beal, Louis Q. Iverson, Lori Salazar

35 Food

A Tale of Two Patties

In a burger battle between Diana’s and Chris Madrid’s, only one fully cuts the mustard

Advertising

Beer Buddies

Account Manager: Mallory Jochen Account Executives: April Miller, Roger Macias Digital Sales Specialist: Mike Valdelamar

Marketing and Events

Local brewers collaborate on special pilsner for San Antonio Beer Week

Creative Services

How to Imbibe Around La Cantera and Keep It (Mostly) Local

Marketing and Events Director: Cassandra Yardeni Events Manager: Chelsea Bourque Event Coordinator: Mallory Jochen Marketing and Events Interns: Hallie Colbert, Victor Rodriguez Creative Services Manager: Tina Corbeil Graphic Designer: Samantha Serna Graphic Design Interns: Pedro Macias, Michelle Moreno, Noemi Solis, McKenzie Stewart

Treating the Queen

Mother’s Day offerings at local eateries run the gamut from upscale to down home

Circulation

Circulation Manager: Justin Giles

Business

Business Support Specialist: Samantha Lopez

47 Music

Euclid Media Group

Chief Executive Officer: Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers: Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP of Digital Services: Stacy Volhein Creative Director: Tom Carlson Digital Operations Coordinator: Jaime Monzon Senior Marketing and Events Director: Cassandra Yardeni Director of Digital Sales: Fran DiCarlo 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) 227-0044 / Fax - (210) 227-7755 Display Advertising: (210) 227-0044 Fax: (210) 227-7733 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.

Music Top Picks

47 Feature

Jaime Monzon

60 Etc

Savage Love, Crossword PuzzleAr

Outspoken

How politically charged band Amygdala’s deal with a top metal label gives it a bigger platform — and new challenges BY C H R I S CO N D E

09 News

Broken Connection

Saturday’s election shows Nirenberg’s failure to mobilize voters

Councilwoman Raps Chamber President for Saying Domestic Abuse Isn’t ‘a Business Issue’ After Mayoral Debate County Commissioner Tommy Calvert Thrives in the Belly of the Beast

14 Calendar

Our top picks for the week, This Modern World

24 Arts

Parting Wishes

Late San Antonio eccentric Gene Elder on confronting mortality and the need for artists to keep a last will and testament

Our Nation’s Birth, Remixed

A bit of critical thought on the cultural phenomenon Hamilton: An American Musical

33 Screens

If Looks Could Kill

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile puts Hollywood sheen on serial murderer Ted Bundy

On The Cover: San Antonio hardcore band Amygdala’s hard work has paid oﬀ in a record contract. So what’s next? Art Direction: Tom Carlson Photograph: Jaime Monzon sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT

Exhibit Opening Reception

Thursday, May 23, 2019 6-9 p.m. Culture Commons Gallery, 115 Plaza de Armas, 78205 Free & Open to the Public!

CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

Don’t miss! Only through May 12! Danny Lyon (American, born 1942) Sheriff Jim Clark arrests two SNCC voter registration workers on the steps of the federal building, Selma, Alabama, 1963, printed later Gelatin silver print, h. 11 in. (27.9 cm); w. 14 in. (35.6 cm) San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Ernest Pomerantz and Marie Brenner, 2017.25.42 © Danny Lyon / Magnum Photos

200 West Jones Avenue | samuseum.org

sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT 7

news

Sanford Nowlin

CITY CURRENT

Broken Connection

Saturday’s election shows Nirenberg’s failure to mobilize voters BY SANFORD NOWLIN Editor’s Note: The following is City Current, a column of opinion and analysis.

S Find more newsnews coverage Find more every day every day atat sacurrent.com sacurrent.com

omebody needs to tell Mayor Ron Nirenberg that winning in politics takes more than being the smartest guy in the room. Clearly, Nirenberg has a vision for San Antonio. He’s put considerable thought into preparing the city for growth and remedying the deep and wince-worthy disparities that have long haunted it. But last Saturday’s election shows an inability to sell both of those things to voters. How else could one explain the fact that he’s headed to a runoff with Greg Brockhouse, a one-term councilman whose underfunded campaign has hinged more on catering to the public’s distrust of government and institutions than any definable policy platforms? Voters’ approval in November of two punitive charter changes put forth by the city’s fire union was intended as a rebuke to city officials. And sweeping out City Manager Sheryl Sculley, one of the objects of their scorn, did not alone remedy their lack of trust.

“My conclusion after observing the [November] vote is that Nirenberg’s support isn’t that deep and that he’s vulnerable,” Heywood Sanders, a professor of public policy at the University of Texas at San Antonio, told the Current earlier this year. The recent election results certainly bear that out. Brockhouse should be an imminently beatable candidate. The history of domestic violence complaints against him and his documented failure to keep up with child support payments should be dealbreakers for a huge swath of the population. What’s more, his badgering of SAWS board nominee Amy Hardberger and subsequent quarrel with female members of council who came to her defense raise questions about the suitability of his temperament. But if the 2016 presidential election taught us anything, it’s that a large number of voters are willing to overlook concerns about character to send a message about their dissatisfaction with the status quo. The problem here is that Nirenberg has let his opponent own that dissatisfaction. He’s failed to mobilize the voters who support his

efforts to fix many of the problems Brockhouse points to as evidence that City Hall is broken. Some examples: Brockhouse has complained about lack of basic infrastructure in neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the equity lens Nirenberg champions is a sweeping effort to correct those longtime slights. Brockhouse frequently crows about lack of transparency while Nirenberg has actually put forth a plan to bring more openness to city government proceedings. Brockhouse has keyed in on voter anger over rising property taxes, an issue largely caused by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature — a body Nirenberg seems better equipped to stand up to. Sure, the mayor has made those defenses during 10 or so debates with his rival, but the fact is few voters actually tune those in. More vote on a gut feeling about whether candidates share their concerns, about whether the potholes on their streets have been fixed and about whether their appraisals have gone up yet again. “Before Chick-fil-A popped up, this was a pretty ho-hum race,” said David Crockett, a political science professor at Trinity University. Crockett’s right, and much of that blame falls squarely on Nirenberg. Television and Internet ad buys alone aren’t the way to build excitement and grassroots support. As the candidates head into a June runoff, the mayor had better figure out how to connect with San Antonians on an individual level and inspire them to make it to the polls. Otherwise, we could be in for a major remake of our city’s agenda.

news

Greg Brockhouse speaks to the media at his campaign’s watch party on election night.

Councilwoman Raps Chamber President for Saying Domestic Abuse Isn’t ‘a Business Issue’ After Mayoral Debate BY SANFORD NOWLIN

ouncilwoman Shirley Gonzales said she’s “furious” over San Antonio Chamber of Commerce President Richard Perez’s dismissal of a question about why last week’s debate didn’t include a question about allegations of spousal abuse by candidate Greg Brockhouse. Following the televised debate between Brockhouse and Mayor Ron Nirenberg — the last before the May 4 citywide election — Perez told the San Antonio Express-News his organization didn’t consider domestic violence “a business issue.” “I’m furious that he would make such a flippant comment,” said Gonzales, a frequent voice for

CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

women’s issues on council. “Domestic violence is a huge issue for this community. We have some of the highest rates of domestic violence in the state, some of the highest in the country. It touches our lives at every level.” A reporter posed the query to Perez after debate moderator Jim Forsyth didn’t ask a single question related to police reports from 2006 and 2009 in which one of Brockhouse’s ex-wives and his current spouse accused him of domestic violence. Brockhouse, who represents District 6 on council, has denied the claims and was not arrested in either incident. In an email to the Current, Perez said there was a

“misunderstanding” about his statement to the reporter. “When asked by a reporter why Councilman Brockhouse was not asked about allegations of domestic violence against him, I explained our focus was on business issues rather than the allegations against him,” Perez wrote. “I, in no way, meant to imply that domestic violence is not a business issue, and I apologize for that.” He added: “As Mayor Nirenberg stated at the conclusion of the debate, the epidemic level of domestic violence is one of the most serious problems that San Antonio faces. This is a vitally important issue that needs to continue to be a priority for our entire community.” Forsyth, a reporter for WOAI radio, said he shared a list of questions with chamber officials prior to the debate, one of which mentioned the police reports. Before the debate, chamber spokeswoman Julie Ring expressed concern over the wording of the question, Forsyth said. “The chamber did indicate that they were a little uncomfortable with the issue, that they’d rather focus on business and economic issues,” Forsyth said. However, he said he didn’t remove the question from his list and simply ran out of time to ask it. Ring said she didn’t like the lead-up to Forsyth’s question but never told him not Sanford Nowlin ask about the allegations. Sarah Erickson, a Trinity University professor who studies both mass media and gender violence, said she understands why members of the media might be uncomfortable bringing up domestic violence allegations during a political race. Still, she said the allegations must be addressed so voters can make informed decisions. “The unwillingness to report on this issue isn’t new,” she said. “But I do think it’s irresponsible not to bring it up, because we’re in a place where it’s such a problem.” Last year, 25 San Antonians died in domestic violence incidents, the highest number on recent record. That total is three victims more than in 2017 and roughly triple the rate in 2015. Gonzales, herself a business owner and on-and-off member of the San Antonio Chamber, said Perez’s “glib statement” was cause for the organization to discipline him. “If people don’t come forward and demand a very strict reprimand, it would certainly reflect on the views of the constituency he represents,” she said. Brockhouse and Nirenberg are headed to a runoff election on June 8.

sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT

CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

news

Jade Esteban Estrada

GLITTER POLITICAL

County Commissioner Tommy Calvert Thrives in the Belly of the Beast BY JADE ESTEBAN ESTRADA

t could be argued that Tommy Calvert’s 2014 election as Bexar County Commissioner marked a turning point in local leadership. It wasn’t only that he was both the youngest person and first African American person to be elected to the position, but also because his background in civil rights and left-leaning politics ensured that a different kind of court was on the horizon. I’m sitting across from Calvert, who represents Precinct 4, on the 10th floor of Paul Elizondo Tower. Scores of awards and mementos surround his workspace. What stand out most is an outsize, bright-yellow Legoland key to the city that sits on his desk. The path that led Calvert, now 38, to this balcony view of Southeast San Antonio is one built through community service and a familial

legacy of grassroots activism. My own entrance onto his timeline took place in 2013 when I witnessed Calvert, then a member of the media and a self-described “infotainer,” hosting a program on KROV-FM, a nonprofit radio station he founded in partnership with Trinity University. He spoke about social issues with a patience that may be his strongest suit — and one that helped him defy political gravity. He says he’s able to put his political opinions aside when he needs to play “George Stephanopoulos from time to time.” By that, he means: when necessary, he can remain independent and objective. In 2014, I interviewed Calvert, this time as a candidate, about his bid for his current position. The opening was created when his predecessor, Tommy Adkisson, decided not to run for reelec-

tion after a 16-year incumbency so he could seek higher office. Today, the county commissioner who sits before me attests that, despite his ascendance to precinct-wide celebrity, he’s “still the same Tommy.” “I still play all those roles in some ways,” he says. When I tell Calvert that I think his youthful appearance has prevailed, he laughs and reminds me, “Black don’t crack.” What is seeming to crack — and quite steadily — is the hold the old guard has long had on county leadership. The first disturbance in the Force could be felt when County Judge Nelson Wolff announced that 2018 would be his final campaign run. Then, the unexpected death of Paul Elizondo, the long-time Precinct 2 commissioner, left an abrupt vacancy. The days following Elizondo’s death created a perfect storm. And, in perhaps his most streamlined use of his budding political influence, Calvert — who had just secured a second four-year term in an unopposed race — seized an opportunity. “I recommended to the Judge [Nelson Wolff] that we bring in Justin [Rodriguez],” he says. “You’re getting an exclusive.”

Calvert says the integrity and work ethic of Rodriguez, a former member of the Texas House, earned the recommendation. “Justin is a workhorse. I see him hitting the neighborhoods [and] going to the grassroots,” he explains. “If you’re connected that way, you can’t help but change Bexar County — because we’ve been disconnected.” Calvert remembers himself “smiling like the Cheshire Cat” when he first heard Rodriguez asking questions about his new position. “I said, ‘Oh...he’s just like me. He’s asking the exact same questions that I used to ask,” Calvert says. “I just leaned back and let him do it.” I ask if he ever looks at his project wish list and wonders whether he’ll be able to complete them in time. “No,” he says. “I just think I have to wait for some people to go off the scene.” Calvert admits that he has changed in one respect since taking office. “I’ve had to become stronger in my faith because of the devils who operate in this environment,” he says, flatly describing “the underbelly of who Bexar County really is” as “ugly.” He’s learned, however, to be grateful for the “arrows, knives and machine-gun fights,” because those experiences helped him become a better person. As he tells me about the choice someone in his role has to be either a part-time, full-time or overtime commissioner, he says he feels “more blessed than most people” since he “probably [gives] more than most people.” (Calvert is unmarried and has no children, but quips that the people he represents in his precinct are his “octuplets.”) As a result of his abundant giving, he faces “bigger challenges, bigger enemies and bigger threats.” “When you’re the light, the dark comes at you,” he says, adding that all the great things that have happened in his life weren’t necessarily the things that he’d plotted out for himself. He used to think, for example, that he was going to run for a seat in the Texas House. But, as Rodriguez would agree, an elected official can get a lot more done on the Commissioners Court. “The good Lord puts you in those positions to be of service if your heart is open.” As we exit the building, the overtime commissioner walks to the only car left on this side of the street. Calvert is exactly where he feels he needs to be. In the belly of the beast we call Bexar County. sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT

WED | 5/8 - TUE | 5/21

Mari Hernandez

Fernando Andrade

Suzy Gonzalez

ART

‘A COMMON VISION’

Proof that big things can indeed come in small packages, Southtown’s quaint and homey Presa House Gallery traffics in far-reaching ideas and collaborations with artists, galleries and curators from beyond the San Antonio orbit. The latest example of co-directors Rigoberto Luna and Jenelle Esparza’s thoughtful programming takes shape in a multimedia exhibition organized in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC). Launched in San Antonio in 1989 with a mission to promote, advance, develop and cultivate the Latino arts field, NALAC has distributed $2.3 million in grants to more than 185,000 Latin@/x artists and arts organizations across the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and Central America. When it came to assembling the show, Luna approached more than a dozen artists who have earned NALAC grants over the years. “Thankfully the artists in the show enthusiastically decided to participate, many expressing deep gratitude for the role NALAC has played in their art careers,” Luna told us. Employing drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, illustration, video and collage to address themes of “self-exploration, cultural identity, race, history and socio-economic issues,” the resulting group show “A Common Vision” brings together more than a few familiar names — including co-director Esparza, Fernando Andrade, Rolando Briseño, Anel Flores, Adriana Garcia, Raul Gonzalez, Rigoberto Gonzalez, Suzy Gonzales, Mari Hernandez, Veronica Jaeger, Michael Menchaca, Jesse J Ruiz, Ray Santisteban, Luis Valderas and Guillermina Zabala. Free, on view by appointment through May 31, Presa House Gallery, 725 S. Presa St., (210) 913-5842, presahouse.com. — Bryan Rindfuss

THU | 5/9 - SAT | 5/18 ART

‘TOOTH & CLAW’ y

Crocodiles as we know them today have roamed the Earth for about 80 million years. With this staggering history comes an endless assortment of baggage to unpack — from fear and folklore to myths and misinformation. Associated with ancient deities and dragons, immortalized in Disney classics (who can forget Tick-Tock, the alarm-clock-swallowing croc from Peter Pan or Madame Medusa’s devilish pets Nero and Brutus from The Rescuers?), unwittingly thrust into the spotlight by late zookeeper Steve Irwin’s hit TV series The Crocodile Hunter and factory farmed right here in Texas for skins sold to luxury handbag manufacturers (we’re looking at you, Hermès), the largely misunderstood beast finds a unusual platform this spring in “Tooth & Claw,” a multimedia exhibition hosted by UTSA’s offsite gallery Terminal 136. Curated by Angelica Raquel Martinez with an eye on “the many interpretations of crocodilians,” the group show assembles diverse works by seven artists: John Atkins’ project Gatorly Complex comments on the commodification of animals and questions the definitions of predator and prey; Roberto Benavides marries the unlikely concepts of piñatas and “medieval illustrations of mythical beasts” while also exploring his cultural identity; Sarah Fox’s short horror animation stars a “gator girl” who challenges the “patriarchy’s ignorant fear of female sexuality”; Rachel Gardner dives into “the secrets of the swamp” to revisit childhood sightings at ponds and parks; Loc 14 CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

Huyhn comments on absurdity and the sideshow that is Trump’s America in the socio-political pieces Drain the Swamp and Florida Man vs. Alligator; Jules Buck Jones conjures a hybridized dimension informed by natural history, supernatural elements and “anthropomor-

phized landscapes”; and the curator herself furthers her creative investigation of crocodilians as pests, predators and an “unchanged marvel of evolution.” Free, noon-5pm Thu-Sat through May 18, Terminal 136, 136 Blue Star, (210) 758-6246, art.utsa.edu. — BR

Roberto Benavides

THU | 5/9 COMEDY

JIM BREUER F

Sam Wilson

WED | 5/8 TUE | 5/21 ART

‘BEING HUMAN’ L

Although he studied ceramics, sculpture and design, Sam Wilson considers himself a “selftaught oil painter” — which might be tough to fathom when you’re face-to-face with his nearly photo-realistic portraits. Growing up in Wichita, Kansas, Wilson was drawn to art at an early age but didn’t start painting until the age of 23. During a break from studying marketing and communications at the University of Kansas, he began experimenting with oil paint and, as he tells it, “never looked back.” Since that pivotal moment, Wilson has exhibited work in Kansas and Texas, was named a 2015 finalist for the esteemed Hunting Prize for his piece American Busker and took home top honors in a portrait contest organized by the cultish art supply

Known to most for his three-year stint on Saturday Night Live and starring role in Half Baked, Jim Breuer will always be dogged by fans eager to recapitulate his work from the ’90s. While he admits to still getting bleated at periodically (a callback to his SNL character Goat Boy, who has irrevocably linked him to an animal that, ironically, he dislikes immensely), Breuer has pivoted his comedy career into more family-friendly subject matter, eschewing onstage F-bombs and telling stories centered on his marriage and experience as a father while maintaining his trademark goofy energy. But, just because he’s all about family now, don’t think that Breuer has lost his edge. He recently did a stint as the opener for Metallica’s WorldWired tour, hearkening back to his metalhead roots to kick up energy in hostile crowds that wanted nothing more than for him to get off the stage. $25-$138, 8pm, Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — Kelly Merka Nelson

THU | 5/9 + SAT | 5/11 OPERA

FAUST y

Whether it’s in the form of a country song (“The Devil Went Down to Georgia”), an animated sitcom (Futurama’s “The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings”), or a classic horror ﬂick (Rosemary’s Baby), a deal with the devil remains a popular motif in modern media. While the religious roots of the archetype reach deep into the annals of history, modern retellings owe a major debt to the ultimate demonic deal: the sale of Dr. Faust’s soul to

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chain Jerry’s Artarama. As its title reflects, Wilson’s new FL!GHT Gallery exhibition “Being Human” builds on a body of work that employs portraiture as means to explore the human experience. While humanhood is the clear common denominator, Wilson presents “Being Human” as a project that’s more about ideas and stories than the people depicted in the paintings. That’s made especially clear in paintings such as Apex and Wonderlust, both of which depict floating heads donning tense expressions and stylized headgear. In his artist statement, Wilson says he hopes his work evokes a relatable response from viewers and that they might even see a bit of themselves in his subjects. “As human beings we share so many experiences and emotions, this is why we all connect to “Being Human.” Free, 5-8pm Wed-Fri, noon-5pm Sat-Sun, FL!GHT Gallery, 112R Blue Star, (210) 872-2586, facebook.com/ flightsa. — BR

Tracy Ketcher

Mephistopheles in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s philosophical masterwork, Faust. In the mid-1800s, French composer Charles Gounod put his own spin on Goethe’s play with an operatic adaptation that launched his career. A four-to-five act opera (the final acts can be staged in multiple ways), Faust follows the plot of Part One of Goethe’s original, with a close focus on the doomed relationship between the Doctor and the naïve Marguerite (originally Margarethe). The opera showcases Gounod’s versatility, ranging from the gentle lyricism of Marguerite’s arias (“Ah! je ris de me voir” is a famous example) to darkly sardonic passages sung by Mephistopheles as he enacts his sinister machinations. Interestingly, rather than adapt Goethe directly, Gounod used a libretto by Julies Barbier and Michel Carré based on Carré’s play Faust et Marguerite. After the opera’s premiere, many Germans were so incensed by what they perceived as the butchering of the original that they refused to call it Faust, instead titling it Margarethe. So, if you thought that the commonly grumbled phrase “the original book/play/what-haveyou was better” was a modern phenomenon, then let this 19th-century pettiness disabuse you of the notion. $35-$184, 7:30pm Thu & Sat, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, H-E-BPerformance Hall, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, operasa.org. — KMN

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live performances. Liveola, who was released from prison last year, will also do a set, as will crooner Alyson Alonzo. (Full disclosure: Current writer Chris Conde is also slated to perform.) In addition to the music lineup, the festival will include 40 mural artists, eight panel discussions, a breakdancing competition, a BMX competition and a vendor village. $30-$240, noon-midnight Sat, Essex Modern City, 51 Essex St., eventbrite. com. — Sarah Martinez

THU | 5/9 SUN | 5/19 TH EATER

CABARET p

To close out its 20th season, the Vexler is putting on a timeless classic: Cabaret. A subversive, sexy musical set in Berlin on the eve of Nazi rule, Cabaret made a huge splash when it premiered in 1966, sweeping the Tonys for that year, and has been a mainstay of both Broadway and touring productions ever since, including several award-winning revivals. The seedy Kit Kat Klub lets its clientele immerse themselves in song and dance to escape the threat of violence on the horizon, but such distractions can only go so far — interpersonal conflict becomes magnified by political tensions, fracturing relationships amongst both patrons and performers. The Vex’s production features Rick Sanchez as the flamboyant Emcee and Amanda Gordon as the Kit Kat Klub’s headliner Sally Bowles, and will be performed on a thrust stage, which allows the audience to sit on three sides of the stage, bringing them closer to the cast to allow for more — ahem — intimacy. This is also your last chance to see the Vex in its current form — after the season’s end, the building is getting a facelift that will include a new lobby, theater seating and box office, as well as upgraded backstage spaces for the actors and crew, improving the “VEXperience” for future audiences. $15$23, 7:30pm Thu, 8pm Sat, 2:30pm Sun through May 30, Sheldon Vexler Theatre, 12500 NW Military Hwy., (210) 302-6835, vexler.org. — KMN

SAT | 5/11 WORDS

LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER p Jaime Monzon

Kim Bishop

SAT | 5/11 ART

KIM BISHOP & MARK CRUTSINGER L

For this month’s Second Saturday, Freight Gallery is hosting two new

exhibitions. Inspired by both surrealism and The Wizard of Oz, Kim Bishop presents her work from a new angle in “Paradise.” While her past work featured large woodcut prints monochromatically inked in black, Bishop has now taken the woodcuts themselves and inlaid them with a prismatic range of color, transforming them from printmaking tools into unique bas relief works. The woodcuts range in subject matter from depictions of local ﬂora and fauna to abstract, topographical carvings that conjure a multicolored mindscape. Blue Gato Studio’s Mark Crutsinger’s latest body of work moves away clay, his preferred modus of creation. Instead, he has eschewed the third dimension, crafting work in mixed media of ink, graphite, colored pencil, and pastel to create a whimsical final product that still communicates a harshness despite its cartoon-like imagery. Free, 7-10pm, Freight Gallery, 1913 S. Flores St., (210) 332-5005, freightsatx. com. — KMN

SAT | 5/11 SPECIAL EVEN T

ESSEX MUSIC & ART FESTIVAL L

The inaugural Essex Music & Art Festival brings a mix of national, regional and local hip-hop talent to San Antonio’s East Side. While the art portion of the festival will run for a week, attendees will have just one day — Saturday, May 11 — to get their fill of tunes. Fortunately for music fans, Essex is showcasing some big names while also spotlighting local talent. Snoop Dogg (pictured) will perform a DJ set, and Carlton Zeus, DJ Chicken George and Lil Yodaa all will take the stage for 16

CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

Originated in Madison, Wisconsin in 2010, Listen to Your Mother takes the audience on “a well-crafted 90-minute journey of diverse true stories about motherhood — being a mom, having a mom, losing a mom, finding a mom” and more. Each production brings together a collection of local authors for a unique evening of storytelling, akin to a mom-focused edition of The Moth. Since its inception, Listen to Your Mother has popped up in over 50 cities in North America, and this year will feature productions in Boulder, Nashville and St. Louis, to mention a few. Directed and produced by Jill Robbins, Jennie Badger and Maria Luisa Cesar, San Antonio’s iteration of Listen to your Mother features thirteen authors of diverse backgrounds: Susana Avila Alvarado, Florinda Flores-Brown, Amie Charney, Christie Cuthbert, Emily Collins, Jill Davis, Lorraine Riojas-Huizar, Meredith Kay, Michelle Lugalia-Hollon, Jan Schubert Norris, Janet Oglethorpe, Winter Prosapio and Christine Snowden. If you’re scrambling for a way to commemorate Mother’s Day, the event is conveniently scheduled on the day prior to the holiday, and will certainly impress the mother(s) in your life regardless of how last-second the ticket purchase may have been. $20, 2pm, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 2238624, tobincenter.org. — KMN

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Art and language have always been inextricably linked; the artistic fascination with the written word spans continents and cultures. Words/Matter offers an innovative perspective on how Latin American artists have explored the connections between visual art and written language since the early decades of the twentieth century. Drawn primarily from the Blantonâ€™s extensive Latin American art collection, the exhibition highlights key moments in the synthesis of words and art and examines its use to communicate personal, poetic, or political messages. Words/Matter features artists from Mexico to Uruguay working in a broad range of media, celebrating the subversive aesthetics of artistsâ€™ books, painted

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poems, political posters, and conceptual art. Make your plans to see it soon.

The University of Texas at Austin / MLK at Congress Austin, Texas 78712 / 512.471.7324 blantonmuseum.org / @blantonmuseum / #WordsMatterATX Image: Carlos Amorales, Typographical Patterns for Mass Reproduction (sample book), 2012 Silkscreen, 11 11/16 x 15 5/8 x 13/16 in., Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Gift of the Artist, 2017

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TUE | 5/14 SUN | 5/19 SPECIAL EVENT

TEJANO CONJUNTO FESTIVAL L

Conjunto music is San Antonio’s musical soul, and the Tejano Conjunto Festival its Mecca. Now in its 38th edition, the festival offers a wide array of activities starting on Tuesday (see the full schedule on the Guadalupe’s website noted below), but if I have to choose the main pillars of this year’s celebration I must start with the charming (and free) Seniors Dance on May 15 (10am-noon Wed, Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St.). Also at the Guadalupe on that Wed (7pm) is the must-see screening of Chulas Fronteras (1976), a 58-minute doc on border music directed by Les Blank and Chris Strachwitz. However, no matter how many exhibits, workshops and Hall of Fame inductions are offered, the meat of the festival will always be the music, and the weekend of May 17-19 has plenty to choose from: Flavio Longoria Conjunto Kings and Río Jordan (featuring Esteban Jordan’s sons) on Friday; the Conjunto Student Showcase on Saturday and arguably the best Sunday ever for the Festival: Eva Ybarra y Su Conjunto, Texmaniacs (pictured) with Flaco Jiménez, and Los Palominos, all in the same closing night after three days of music by more than 30 acts from Texas and California. Bring your dancing shoes, your thirst and your appetite for gorditas — it doesn’t get much more San Antonio than this. $16 per day, $45 for a three-day pass, 5:30pm-midnight Fri, noon-11pm Sat-Sun, Rosedale Park, 303 Dartmouth St., (210) 271-3151, guadalupeculturalarts.org. — Enrique Lopetegui

and stars, Once’s musical production has a unique twist, as it requires its cast to serve as their own instrumental accompaniment. Hansard and Irglová ain’t no scrubs — their music for Once has swept up a bevy of awards, including an Oscar, a Grammy, an Olivier Award and a Tony, so you can bet your bottom dollar those songs will glitter and gleam onstage. While the show has a bit of the Broadway touch, making it

a tad brighter than the film, it remains faithful to the tender story of the original. The Public’s production features Olivia Nice (pictured) as Girl and Robby French as Guy, accompanying themselves on piano and guitar respectively. $10-$40, 7:30pm Thu-Sat, 2pm Sun through June 9, the Public Theater of San Antonio, Russell Hill Rogers Auditorium, 800 W. Ashby Pl., (210) 733-7258, thepublicsa.org. — KMN

THU | 5/16 SUN | 5/19 THEATER

ONCE p

In 2007, the lyrical Irish indie ﬂick Once made waves with its relatable romantic story and soulful music. A chance meeting on a Dublin street brings together musicians Guy and Girl, as Girl stops Guy from discarding his guitar, and thus his pursuit of music, in a symbolic gesture. The two are magnetically drawn to one another, crafting songs together as they build a bond, but external forces disallow the growth of their burgeoning love. Adapted for the stage in 2011 with additional music by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, the film’s composers, lyricists

THU | 5/16 ART

DANIEL RIOS RODRIGUEZ & RAUL GONZALEZ

With a powerful trio of exhibitions already on view, Artpace gives us two more reasons to visit this spring with the unveiling of new projects by San Antonio-based artists Daniel Rios Rodriguez and Raul Gonzalez. Although Rodriguez and Gonzalez explore wildly different topics and themes, their bright and bold bodies of work find common ground in playful energy, DIY aesthetics and transformations of commonplace materials. A Houston transplant who earned an MFA from UTSA along with grants from the Sustainable Arts Foundation, the Surdna Foundation and the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC), Gonzalez has long been fixated on the concept of work in many forms — construction, manual labor and his dual roles as a “werking artist” and undeniably cool stay-at-home dad. He’s captured the everyday joys of fatherhood in figurative drawings, celebrated his love for Whataburger and the Houston Astros in paintings and installations, enhanced his exhibitions with energetic, movement-based performances and even danced for 4.3 miles — continuously from downtown to the McNay. With a title lifted from a song by bygone Texas hip-hop duo UGK, his “Front and Back, and Side to Side” promises to transform Artpace’s Main Space windows with a “multi-dimensional mural” rendered in cardboard and colored duct tape. (Cue the selfies). A native of Killeen who earned his MFA from Yale and has exhibited in New York, Chicago, Marfa, Ireland and beyond, Rodriguez takes a tactile approach to small-scale “semi-figurative” paintings inspired by personal experiences and the natural world. Frequently using oddly shaped, homemade panels, he paints scenes and patterns in thick, textural layers, adding organic-looking embellishments such as stones, shells and feathers, and finishing the pieces with earthy frames rendered in found bits of wood, rope, wire and hardware accents. Bringing to mind everything from cave drawings and tribal symbology to folk and outsider art, Rodriguez’s work comes to light in “Bruisers,” his first ever solo show in Texas. Nodding to the battle scars we collect while navigating life on Earth, Rodriguez says the exhibition title also speaks to the surfaces of his paintings, many of which “undergo a lot of heavy hitting and burning and throwing across the floor.” During the opening reception, both artists will give short talks about their work and Artpace will also be rolling out a new Third Thursdays series that kicks off with a rooftop screening of shorts curated by the San Antonio Film Festival ($5-$10, 8pm Thu, May 16). Free, opening reception 6-8pm Thu, May 16, on view 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, noon-5pm through August 18, Artpace, 445 N. Main Ave., (210) 212-4900, artpace.org. — BR

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calendar SUN | 5/19 SPECIAL EVEN T

ARTCYCLE: DIANA KERSEY EDITION

RUN FOR

Around this same time last year, Portland transplant Carye Bye (aka the “Museum Lady”) inaugurated the program ArtCycle as a means to combine her passions for public art and organized bike rides. Encouraging locals and visitors alike to “stay curious” about San Antonio and “explore our city as a museum,” the initiative launched with a pedal-powered tour of humor-driven projects by prolific public artist Gary Sweeney and picks back up with a ride dedicated to the work of beloved local ceramicist Diana Kersey. Known for an easily recognizable aesthetic that incorporates rich colors and intricate motifs inspired by nature, Kersey produces functional wares that can be found in the homes of many San Antonio collectors as well as architectural installations that enhance bridges, walkways and a busy Five Points bus stop. Co-led by Bye and Kersey and scheduled just

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in time for National Bike Month, the roughly 10-mile ride promises a relaxed pace with multiple stops — including one at Kersey’s studio — between Olmos Park Terrace and Brackenridge Park. Attendees should bring a bike lock, lunch money and a suggested donation of $10 for the ride, which benefits local bike advocacy nonprofits. $10, 10am-12:30pm Sun, meets at Triangle Park (corner of Howard St. and W. Mandalay Dr.), (503) 48-4454, email carye@ caryebye.com for details. — BR

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Clay and Art Festival SAMA welcomes the San Antonio Potters Guild for a family-friendly event with more than 35 vendors, glass and clay demos and a face-painting booth. Free, Sat., May 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones Ave., (210) 978-8100. MujerArtes Mother’s Day Exhibit & Sale The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center’s MujerArtes Cooperativa opens its doors for a show and sale of clay vessels, jewelry and sculptures created with mothers in mind. Free, Sat., May 11, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Rinconcinto de Esperanza, 816 S. Colorado St., (210) 228-0201. Spring 2019 BFA Exhibition UTSA Art Gallery showcases the work of emerging artists Kaycee Aguirre, Vanessa Brown, Veronica Caceres, Magaly Cantú, Hilda Cazares, Justice Graham, Skye Guzman, Jacinda Jackson, Mary Jendrzey, Lynn Odom, Aaron Pozos, Mark Stewart, Anthony Tafolla, Jayné Valverde and Hector Vasquez. Free, Tuesdays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays, 1-4 p.m., closing reception Fri., May 17, 3-6 p.m.; UTSA Art Gallery-Main Campus, One UTSA Circle, (210) 458-4391.

FILM

Six of 007 Slab Cinema’s James Bond ﬁlm series continues with free outdoor screenings of 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me starring Roger Moore (May 14) and 1987’s The Living Daylights starring Timothy Dalton (May 21). Free, pre-show entertainment at 7pm, ﬁlm at 8:15 p.m., Tue., May 14, and Tue., May 21; Hemisfair, 434 S Alamo St., (210) 212-9373.

COMEDY

Manon Mathews An alumna of Second City Conservatory, the Groundlings and Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Los Angeles-based actor and comedian Manon Matthews rose to prominence on Vine by sharing “ridiculous videos that ﬁnd the absurdity in everything from ﬁrst dates to femininity to female celebrities.” $25-$50, Wed., May 15, 8 p.m.; Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, 618 NW Loop 410, (210) 541-8805.

SPECIAL EVENTS

100 Years of Bollywood – A Live Audio/Visual Journey Niche Entertainment stages a musical bonanza celebrating Bollywood from the 1940s to the present day through

song, dance and narration. $25-$40, Sun., May 12, 4:30-7:30 p.m.; Carver Community Cultural Center, Jo Long Theatre, 226 N. Hackberry St., (210) 207-7211. Babyface Reid & Neimo’s West Coast Bender Step right up and prepare to be shocked and amazed as Le Strange Sideshow presents outrageous performances by Babyface Reid, Neimo Cristal and Madame Sin Claire, among others. $5, Wed., May 8, 9 p.m.-midnight; The Amp Room, 2407 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 323-5011. Migratory Bird Fest 2019 Mitchell Lake Audubon Center celebrates World Migratory Bird Day with bird-themed games, crafts, nature-based vendors, a native plant sale, food trucks, a live birds of prey show and presentations about our feathered friends. Free, Sat., May 11, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.; Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, 10750 Pleasanton Rd., (210) 628-1639. San Antonio Donut Fest Do not miss the inaugural San Antonio Donut Fest, a family-friendly festival that showcases the delicious round treat, plus other gourmet pastries and breakfast dishes. Wash ‘em down with coﬀee, fresh juice, mimosas, beer and more. Guests can enjoy music, Saturday morning cartoons, games and goods from local artisans and artists. Although pre-sale tickets have sold out, dayof tickets will be available at the door as space allows. $15, Sat., May 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624. The Red Room Erica Reyna’s provocative fashion collaborative La Santa Luna sets up shop on the St. Mary’s Strip for an evening ﬁlled with live entertainers, music, fetish, fashion and more. $6, Sat., May 11, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.; Jandro’s Garden Patio, 2623 N. St. Marys St., (830) 624-3378.

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Parting Wishes

Late San Antonio eccentric Gene Elder on confronting mortality and the need for artists to keep a last will and testament AS TOLD TO SARAH FISCH

ene Elder has a message for you. The veteran San Antonio artist, activist, archivist, writer and raconteur died of complications from colon cancer on April 28 at the age of 69. Born and raised in Dallas, Gene Elder moved to San Antonio to attend Trinity University and never left. You may have known him from the early ’70s, when his River Walk MUD Gallery sold pottery, or in the ’80s, as an early manager of the reclaimed tire warehouse that was to become Blue Star. Younger readers might have noted his striking Volkswagen

Rabbit “art car,” or chatted with him as he manned the wine station on First Fridays at the then-Joan Grona Gallery. If you were lucky, you may have been included on his expansive email list, in which case you learned about holistic healing, UFOs, the foibles of city government, San Antonio historical arcana, which operas were going to be aired on KLRN, Netflix documentary recommendations, remembrances of local LGBT history and, in the past year, detailed and tongue-in-cheek health updates. His last email, sent April 20, was a photograph of the young

Gene in drag as a ballerina. His second to last was a poem. He knew he was dying. He made it a project. Gene Elder was a born conceptual artist. His body of work included low-key posing in front of the Alamo as a stealthy participant in hundreds of family vacation videos, a project which was written up in the Wall Street Journal (he gave it up when larger-scale VHS cameras gave way to smaller digital ones, as it became too hard to see where cameras were pointed and insinuate himself in-frame). He worked as writer, choreographer and Fall Fairy dancer in the 1973 ballet Fairies Fiasco and authored the incendiary and tender Anita Bryant Prayer, which he wrote on the occasion of the singer’s anti-gay agenda visit to San Antonio at that time. In 1984, he curated a time capsule for the San Antonio Museum of Art containing works by 100 San Antonio artists and 10 poets. When speaking about the time capsule — which remains in the museum’s lobby and is intended to be opened during SAMA’s bicentennial in 2181 — he joked that he was automatically included in every exhibition the museum mounted. “I am so glad I did that,” he wrote in his journal. “I can’t believe I did do it!” He was also the longtime keeper of the HAPPY Foundation LGBT Archives, a collection of personal artifacts, writings and objects left by men who died during the first years of the AIDS pandemic, and founder of the MUD Underground and its perhaps most tangible cause, Political Art Month. I met Gene in 2008, while writing a feature for the Current on the late Arthur “Happy” Veltman, arts patron and founder of the legendary gay bar San Antonio Country, and later the Bonham Exchange. That interview led to a 10-year collaboration over lunches, brunches and coffees on a series of articles, blog posts, videos and an interview of me for his long-running column A View of Reality From a Chartreuse Couch (many of which can be found online at outinsa.com). Gene was beyond eccentric. He was utterly unique. He taught me an immensity of San Antonio cultural heritage that I couldn’t have learned from anybody else. In the past few months, Gene worked to get his affairs in order. He called me in November of last year and proposed this article. Subsequently, I had a number of long conversations with him by phone. Far from being morose, he treated his passing as a matter of practical opportunity. In so doing, he noted some concerns and possibilities for artists who may or may not have pondered their own mortal legacies. The following are some reflections and advice I am honored to bring you, direct from the source. Although this intro has changed since I read it to him a few weeks ago, he personally approved this message.

MUD Underground Trust Fund I have stipulated, I wrote this in an email to Ronald Geyer, that pertaining to my estate — I don’t want to just give it to somebody, because who would you give it to? — that I want it to be a joint custody between the Southwest School of Art board and the McNay board, and that they would then decide who or what committee, at their discretion, could carry on with distributing the money. I feel that that made the most logical sense, if there’s enough money there. I don’t know what’s going to be left in my mutual fund, there may be $10 left. I think the SWSA and McNay have the most responsible contemporary art-thinking boards. I really would like for the MUD Underground Trust to continue, so I am offering this idea to the community. Back when I started Political Art Month about 10 years

Elder photographed on his chartreuse couch by Ansen Seale. 24 CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

arts

ago, there was sort of this attitude of “we don’t do political art.” Well, they damn sure do now! Everything is political — Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, Guernica — the politics are what makes it significant art. I think it would be easy and fun to raise funds for the MUD Underground Trust. You know how people like to do fundraisers. MUD Underground doesn’t want to narrow it down to just liberal art or Republican art, we’re about the art. The people on the boards of the opera and the symphony — those are rich Republicans, not rich Democrats, for the most part. So I, being a responsible person, wanted to leave a will, because if you don’t have a will, the state, when it goes through probate, just gets everything, and it makes it complicated for anybody to carry out anything. In other words, it’s being considerate of the people who’re going to have to clean up the mess that you’ve made in life. You’ve left some kind of instrument for them to work with. And I think that for artists, it’s an interesting topic to think about and to write about. Linda Pace was an artist. Marion Koogler McNay was an artist. Robert Tobin was an artist — well, he was an actor in his youth. They had great wealth, and they knew that they had to do something with their estates, and they acted responsibly by setting that up so that the community could benefit from it. They wore two hats really well. And then you have someone like me, who is a general citizen in the community, who is going to die and leave a big mess. All their artwork — what happens to that? They’ve left no request, not even “do I want to leave my painting over the fireplace of my best friend?” You can write anything down and leave something to work with. I wrote mine so that it was very readable. I did it as a Fluxus art piece. I consider it my contribution to Fluxus. I say that on the front page of the will. I think my appearances in front of the Alamo were in that tradition. They kind of deliberately didn’t make any sense. All the artists in this community, at whom I am aiming this article, aren’t thinking about writing a will. [They’ve] never thought about writing a will [and] don’t know how to go about writing a

will, because they can’t afford a lawyer. And they don’t understand that they can write their wishes down, at least, on a piece of paper. I believe it’s called a “holistic” will. Just put it down in their own writing. It would be good to give Chuck Ramirez as an example. It would be interesting to find out which artists have written a will. You could take a survey. If you do have a substantial art collection, do you want to leave it to somebody? If you’re married, you’ll probably leave everything to your spouse, or say, do you want to leave this or that piece to your grandchildren? What about your art supplies? What do you wanna do with your life of being an artist? Are you going to be a big nothing at the end, with no one understanding anything? There should be a movement of artists aware of their legacies. This is not just for visual artists — poets, actors, everybody! This is what I did, and I did it in my own wording. I just look at everything as an opportunity to think creatively. I think Happy was an influence, he died in 1988. I wrote the mission statement for the HAPPY Foundation: It is dedicated to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, collecting GayBLT history, encouraging contemporary art and promoting ballroom dancing. In other words, it’s an open-ended mission. It’s not just confined to one mission. When you’ve started a nonprofit dedicated to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, you’ve thrown open the door to everything and anything, if it’s that abstract. So potentially I’ve set it up so that future board members of the HAPPY Foundation and MUD Underground, should they continue, have a lot of possibilities. It doesn’t have to be Gay-BLT history, it could be about any aspect of contemporary art and ballroom dancing. It’s open to committee decisions. This is a personal responsibility. Don’t just think of it as some dry legal thing that you have to do. I suspect you have to have anything legal notarized with witnesses, as opposed to a holistic will. I had gotten to the point where I wanted to direct my resources to something and I thought that political art was a needed area of obser26 6 vation in the community — that

I absolutely believe in an afterlife … I’m looking forward to it … I would love to keep in touch from the other side.

From top: Elder (far right) and fellow Fall Fairies photographed by Susan Riley; Elder’s Anita Bryant Prayer.

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Elder photographed by Bryan Rindfuss at the Happy Foundation.

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6 25 we weren’t thinking in terms of politics within what’s “contemporary.” Everybody’s got some politics, whether it’s the civil rights of the Chicano movement or artists against AIDS, or women’s rights. I want to encourage artists to think politically. I watched the San Antonio art community grow since the ’70s, getting healthier and stronger and more interesting, and the artists that are growing up here are just amazing me with the kind of talent they have. And I just felt that, as an older artist, I had to make my contribution and that was this: Don’t forget the politics of what you’re doing. Regarding my intentions for the archives, it is my job to collect history, it’s somebody else’s job to make sense of it. I consider making the archive one of my artworks. The HAPPY Foundation is Happy’s will, not my will. I’m just an employee. I absolutely think people are afraid to confront their own mortality. They don’t want to think about it. It’s scary. You don’t know what’s going to happen. And everybody thinks it’s really far away. I absolutely believe in an afterlife. I read about it all the time. I’m looking forward to it. Listen, I’ve been really good, so I get to review my life and see the good things that I’ve done, and the bad things that I’ve done, and learn from it. And I get to see my guardian spirits and the people who have died of AIDS that I wanted to see again. And I expect to see Happy. His spirit has always been around and I’ve called upon it. I would love to keep in touch from the other side. I’m envious of these people who can have these communications and I think it goes on all the time. It’s not that mysterious. I think spirits may have moved on from politics

to a higher work, but people on the other side are concerned about us [who are] still here and influence a lot of changes the best they can. Back when Anita Bryant was in the news and planning to come to San Antonio, a lot of artists were pissed off and wanted to prevent her coming to town. And I thought well, no. Bring her! And I wrote the prayer. I consider it my personal declaration of independence. There should be a group of lawyers that should form a committee that artists could go to [for advisement]. It doesn’t have to be complicated — lawyers available for free consultation. I traded a piece of artwork for my will. And, in my case, it was not complicated. My physical artwork is to be sold, with the money going into the MUD Underground Trust. I’m leaving my body to the body farm, and I don’t want to accrue additional expenses. I don’t ask for any particular funeral or memorial ceremony. When I had to rethink it, there was no MUD Underground Trust. I had not created it. So that even though I had designated someone to be my executor, executrix actually, they would not be able to go to my bank and do anything because they were not the MUD Underground Trust. So I had to go back and make sure — and this involved signatures and notaries and filling out forms — and put everything in their names so that they could get access to it. It was a good idea, but I hadn’t finished the job. I caught that, luckily, in time. That was an enlightening and educational thing for me. I’m grateful for this blessing, that I have this much time to tie up all these loose ends and go through my life like an archaeological dig at least one more day, to get something out of these dusty drawers.

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arts Our Nation’s Birth, Remixed

A bit of critical thought on the cultural phenomenon Hamilton: An American Musical BY NATHAN STITH

irst Avengers: Endgame broke our hearts, then Game of Thrones shocked us to our core, and now San Antonians get to be “in the room where it happens!” The national tour of the Broadway mega-hit and cultural phenomenon Hamilton: An American Musical finally parks itself at the Majestic Theatre for a three-week run in May. At long last, the lucky few who have secured (or dueled for) tickets will get to see what all the fuss is about. Well, “fuss” might be a bit of an understatement. Hamilton is the most successful musical to come out of New York in years — perhaps ever. It won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for drama and was nominated for a record 16 Tony Awards, winning 11. The musical and its creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, have been featured in Time, Rolling Stone, CBS Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes, and were even the subject of a PBS documentary. The cast album nabbed a Grammy Award, shot to No. 3 on the Billboard chart, and became the first musical cast recording to ever reach No. 1 on the Billboard Top Rap Albums Chart. At first (and even second and third) glance, the subject matter seems unpromising: a biography of America’s first secretary of the treasury, Alexander Hamilton. But what makes this musical unique is not simply the subject matter, but its innovative style. Miranda has chosen to tell the story of America’s past using the music of America today, employing (most conspicuously) hiphop, R&B, soul and contemporary pop. In addition, the creative team of Miranda and director Thomas Kail have cast actors of color as the key figures in Hamilton’s life, from his wife Eliza and her sisters Angelica and Peggy to the hallowed troika of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. This color-conscious casting allows the musical to become what Miranda calls “a story about America then, told by America now.” These bold choices in casting and composition rocked the musical theater world and created a cultural phenomenon that reaches far beyond Broadway and musical theater lovers.

CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

Joan Marcus

Moreover, Hamilton’s success has spilled beyond the stage itself. Hamilton has also spawned a book, aptly titled Hamilton: The Revolution, in which Miranda and co-author Jeremy McCarter offer behind-the-scenes details about the process of writing the musical and bringing it to the stage. This affectionately nicknamed “hamiltome” ranked No. 1 among the New York Times best-selling non-ﬁction books for seven months in a row. There is also Hamilton Mixtape, a best-selling album of covers from the show sung by a wide range of contemporary pop and hip-hop artists from Kelly Clarkson to Chance the Rapper. Obviously fans of musical theater and hip-hop are drawn to the musical, as are history buffs young and old, but the fan base includes people of all class and racial backgrounds, and across the political spectrum. The Obamas were early supporters — and at a 2016 White House event, the former President noted that Hamilton,, “is the only thing Dick Cheney and I agree on.” But why does this particular story speak to such a broad audience? In a nutshell, it couldn’t be more American.. Alexander Hamilton, an orphaned immigrant from the West Indies, pulls himself up by his bootstraps and uses his intellect and determination to become George Washington’s treasurer and right-hand man. As a sort of bonus, the musical includes a heart-wrenching love triangle, as well as our nation’s ﬁrst Beltway sex scandal, leading to Hamilton’s political downfall. Finally the musical’s climax — a spoiler alert for those of you who slept through high school — is a powerful staging of Hamilton’s untimely death in a duel with his nemesis,

fellow founding father Aaron Burr. It is a story filled with historical significance and contemporary relevance, made all the more significant and relevant by its multiracial cast. The response from critics and the bloggerati has been universally positive. Upon Hamilton’s Broadway premiere, Ben Brantley of the New York Times trumpeted, “Yes, it really is that good.” David Cote of Time Out New York declared it “the greatest American musical in decades” while the New York Daily News’ Joe Dziemianowicz argued that with the opening of Hamilton, “Broadway is the coolest place on the planet. And the smartest. And most exhilarating.” But more recent critical reactions, particularly from the academy, have complicated this appraisal, including reevaluations of some of the aspects initially praised as innovative. A growing number of scholars have written that, despite being fans of the musical, they are sometimes troubled by the production’s color-conscious casting choices, as well as elements of the musical’s plot and character development. While the impact and import of this musical is undeniable, these issues are worth examining for anyone who also considers themselves to be a fan of Hamilton: Musical. An American Musical With few exceptions, actors of color Hamilton: An have been notoriousAmerican Musical ly absent from the $140-$923, May 7-26, Broadway stage 7:30pm Tue-Thu, 8pm Fri, throughout its history. 2pm & 8pm Sat-Sun, the Miranda’s choice to Majestic Theatre, 224 E. retell the founding Houston St., (210) 226-3333, of our nation using majesticempire.com. a multiracial 31 6

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Joan Marcus

6 28

cast is signiﬁcant because it offers the opportunity for a group of artists to tell the creation story of a nation they are a part of, but one in which they have been, thus far, excluded from narrating. But Hamilton’s radical solution might generate problems of its own. As University of Richmond Latinx studies professor Patricia Herrera argues, “Hamilton creates a mirage of equity and inclusivity with its reverse casting,” an illusion of racial parity clearly at odds with the play’s historical circumstances and the future arc of America. In addition, some scholars argue the multiracial casting ignores the social realities of people of color in 18th-century America. Rutgers University history professor Lyra D. Montiero points out the irony: “It is problematic to have black and brown actors stand in for the great white men of the early United States in a play that does not acknowledge that the ancestors of these same actors were excluded from the freedoms for which the founders fought.” Conspicuously, the issue of slavery is mostly elided in Miranda’s musical (the subject is brieﬂy acknowledged during one of the cabinet rap battles between Hamilton and Jefferson). Jefferson’s slave mistress Sally Hemmings is the only slave mentioned by name, and she does not speak. Some critics warn that this color-conscious casting thus offers a sense of our history that is both incomplete and misleading. Miranda based his musical on Ron Chernow’s successful 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton and he brought Chernow onboard as a historical consultant during the development period. While much of the musical is historically accurate, like any historical drama, Miranda does take some liberties. Hamilton is painted as a man of the people, but as Princeton University historian Sean Wilentz points out, he was “more a man for the 1% than the 99%.” It is also likely that Hamilton and Burr’s relationship was not quite as acrimonious as depicted in the musical. These changes do make the main character more relatable and the story more dramatic. However, as feminist scholar Stacy Wolf notes,

the depiction of the female characters in Hamilton might give one pause. Wolf suggests that the three central female characters, Eliza (Hamilton’s wife), Angelica (Eliza’s sister) and Maria Reynolds (Hamilton’s mistress) are, alas, little more than the stereotypical “wife,” “muse” and “whore.” Eliza is loyal to her husband but then becomes “the sympathetic long-suffering wife” when she learns of Hamilton’s affair. Angelica, whom Miranda calls “the smartest character in the musical,” is indeed sharp as a tack, but ultimately does little more than inspire Hamilton and encourage him when needed. Finally, Maria Reynolds’ sole role in the musical is to seduce Hamilton. Despite the fact that Eliza and Angelica are intelligent and progressive-minded (Angelica quips she’ll ask Jefferson to put women in the “sequel” to the Declaration of Independence) the female characters are comparatively underdeveloped. While one may forgive Miranda for his use of literary license when it comes to the character of Hamilton, it does seem that with respect to gender, his choices take as many steps backward as forward. Ironically, it’s the enormous canvas of Hamilton, its crazy-ambitious sweep, which invites such scrutiny: clearly this is the most important musical of the 21st century. But because it’s such a cultural touchstone, it’s all the more imperative to think critically about the artistic choices being made and the impact of those choices, especially for Hamilton’s probable inﬂuence on the trajectory of American theater. Whatever its historical (de) merits, any musical is ultimately its own semiotic system, tuned for disseminating cultural values attached to a ﬁctionalized narrative: in this case, the birth of our nation. Here, it’s retold by artists who represent us — and that includes you, me, all of us — as a nation of immigrants, in a way that speaks to people across generations, ideological spectrums and racial differences. In a time when it seems almost impossible for anyone or anything to bring Americans together, Hamilton seems to have done just that.

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Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile puts Hollywood sheen on serial murderer Ted Bundy BY KIKO MARTINEZ

ust in case viewers of the recently released original Netflix true-crime drama Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile were unaware that serial killer and rapist Ted Bundy was considered to be easy on the eyes, Oscar-nominated documentarian Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory) seems to want to remind everyone of the celebrity status Bundy received four decades ago. It’s unfortunate that Berlinger, whose only other feature narrative of his career was the unwatchable 2000 horror sequel Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, decides to glamorize the monster who confessed to murdering at least 30 women across seven states in the 1970s. In Extremely Wicked, we’re not sure how many times a female character rubbernecks when Bundy walks by, but Berlinger definitely tops the sexual overtones when he includes a scene where the self-described “cold-hearted son of a bitch” flashes his six-pack in prison. Who better to expose his rock-hard abs and shed the last of his remaining goody-goody persona than former Disney star Zac Efron (Baywatch)? (Remember, Nicole Kidman actually peed on him in 2012’s The Paperboy, folks, so High School Musical 4 is prob-

Netflix

ably not in his future anyway). Efron does a serviceable job as the charming and sadistic Bundy, who did grotesque and unspeakable things to his victims, but Berlinger and ﬁrst-time screenwriter Michael Werwie keep audiences at arm’s length at all times. Adapted from the novel The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy by Bundy’s ex-girlfriend Liz Kendall, Extremely Wicked tells Bundy’s tale from the perspective of Liz (Lily Collins), a single mother who ends up meeting and falling in love with Bundy in Seattle in the late 1960s. To Liz, Bundy was the perfect man — a handsome, aspiring lawyer who treated her young daughter like his own. So, it comes as a shock to her when Bundy is arrested in 1975 and ultimately charged with aggravated kidnapping. Later, homicide detectives from other states begin to ﬁnd commonalities between Bundy and their departments’ open murder cases. None of this is really explained in any great

Divided We Fall

The River and the Wall spreads itself thin, but the nature photography is breathtaking

ver the last four years, President Donald Trump’s ludicrous idea to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border has shifted more than a Jell-O mold sitting on a tectonic plate. His guarantee to construct a “big beautiful wall” and get Mexico to pay for it has slowly transformed into erecting “artistically designed steel slats” and sticking U.S. taxpayers with the bill. In the documentary The River and the Wall, ﬁrst-time director and native Texan Ben Masters and a group of his friends journey 1,200 miles via bicycles, horses, canoes and by foot along the Rio Grande — from El Paso to the Gulf of Mexico — to explore the region and try to comprehend how a physical barrier would aﬀect the people, wildlife and overall landscape. Joining Masters on his two-and-a-half-month-long

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trip were Rio Grande river guide Austin Alverado, ornithologist Heather Mackey, wildlife filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade and conservationist and associate director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation Jay Kleberg — all of whom brought their own experience and expertise to the expedition. Most of the documentary centers on the five’s trek across a range of different terrain, including deserts, mountains and thick mud, and becomes reminiscent of those kinds of adventure docs that push their subjects to their limits. But Masters is still able to find opportunities to speak to ranchers and a border patrol spokesman to get their opinion on what impact a wall would have on the natural environment. He also sits down with congressmen Beto O’Rourke, D-TX, and Will Hurd,

detail in Extremely Wicked. Instead, Berlinger focuses most of the scenes on Bundy maintaining his innocence and Liz struggling with the realization that he committed the heinous crimes. Berlinger, however, presents everything in such a piecemeal manner that unless viewers are well versed in history, Extremely Wicked feels insignificant and obscene, which is odd since the ﬁlm doesn’t play out like other real-life serial killer features, such as 2002’s Dahmer or 2004’s Monster. Bundy’s atrocities aren’t at the center of the story, so let’s be clear that the murders themselves aren’t being covered in Hollywood sheen. Rather, it’s Bundy who has rediscovered how to command an audience’s morbid curiosity after all these years. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile debuted on Netflix on May 3.

R-TX, to learn why they don’t think a wall is the answer to immigration concerns. A lot of good information is shared in The River and the Wall, although Masters’ mission seems a bit broad from the start and continues to spread itself thin throughout the film. For example, Mackey is there to collect data on birds, but that really doesn’t factor into the narrative much. Masters also attempts to cover a wide array of topics, including the importance of public lands, the creation of a binational park, the protection of wild species, the need for immigrant labor in the U.S., the existing barricades built via the Secure Fence Act of 2006 and more. Many issues are mentioned, but none are given the attention they deserve. Where The River and the Wall truly excels is in the photography of the picture. We’re not sure which of the five credited cinematographers captured most of the doc’s nature footage, but every scene shot under the sky is breathtaking. Still, maybe that’s all it will take for moviegoers to realize how spectacular the southern border is when it’s not sullied by artificial barriers driven by impractical, harebrained promises. The River and the Wall opened exclusively at the Santikos Bijou on May 3. — Kiko Martinez

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food

The Flaming Jalapeno Cheddar Cheezy is a longtime favorite at iconic burger joint Chris Madrid’s.

always are, everywhere, the tomatoes were tasteless. The thin, quarter-pound patty had been cooked to medium and beyond. It also needed seasoning. The full-bite test was a little better than this listing of parts might suggest, however. The modest jalapeño punch and the rich, generous helping of cheese breathed a little life into the package. But it was not an experience I need to repeat. Though I can usually be counted on to pick away at almost any fries as long as they’re in front of me, these — greasy and seeming both under- and over-cooked at the same time — were left mostly uneaten. Lea Thompson I arrived at the same time of day at Chris Madrid’s, and though the parking lot was reasonably full, there was no line at the order counter. It took five minutes for my burger and fries to arrive. At first glance, there was less cheese, a few slices of jalapeño had once again escaped and the bun was appealingly shiny and pillowy. Some dissection revealed the bun to be toasted and served with less mustard, but there was an equal amount of that boring chop of lettuce, tomato and onion. er to be the “original” — the one produced by The big bite: Chris Madrid’s had better bala family member or the one being offered by new owners — what follows is an attempt at an ance all around, a craggier patty with real flavor, a trace of pink and a better ratio of museven-handed comparison of two burgers that, tard to the whole. However, the whole was on paper, are identical. The Jalapeño Cheddar hardly “flaming.” My opinion, for what it’s Burger ($7.75) from Diana’s in one corner, worth? Ditch the lettuce for the pico de gallo, against the regular Flaming Jalapeño Cheddar which is available and recCheezy ($8.75) from Chris ommended — at both places. Madrid’s redux. Diana’s Burgers If you don’t get flames, you’ll I arrived at Diana’s at 11:30 at least have embers. As for a.m. on a weekday to find 2202 N. Zarzamora St. the fries ($3.25), Chris Maa five-minute line at the (210) 251-2252 drid’s is apologizing that the order counter. But it took truck’s kitchen can’t turn out 30 minutes for the burger to the original version, but they arrive. Presented in the usual Chris Madrid’s needn’t be too sorry. The fries basket, the burger oozed 830 W. Hollywood Ave. were lightly oil-slicked and cheese like a flow of golden (210) 735-3552 needed just a shake of salt to lava — even dripping over emphasize their good potato the order ticket that identiflavor. fied this order as #38. A few On leaving, I was told that the restaurant’s rings of pickled jalapeño had slipped the bonds of the oozy cheese. Alongside, an order original building is expected to be operational in September. Adjusted for size and of fries ($2.50) looked unpromisingly dark complexity, this renovation is taking longer and shiny. than the projected resurrection of Notre The deflated bun didn’t betray much toast, and the bottom was slathered in ballpark yel- Dame. The historic cathedral has its rescued low mustard. A bedding of the usual chopped crown of thorns, Chris Madrid’s has its XXXL T-shirts. Just saying. lettuce, tomato and onion followed. As they

A Tale of Two Patties

In a burger battle between Diana’s and Chris Madrid’s, only one fully cuts the mustard BY RON BECHTOL

he fire that gutted Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral in mid-April put me in mind of other iconic, sacred structures that have burned in recent memory. Closer to home, and considered sacred by many, is Chris Madrid’s, an iconic local burger joint established by the city’s “patron burger saint” in 1977. Five years after Madrid’s death in 2012, his family sold the business and the name to Richard Peacock, owner of Paloma Blanca in Alamo Heights. Barely a month after the 2017 sale, a fire forced management to shut the place down. The restaurant has been operating out of a food truck, and under “temporary” tents, ever since. Diana Madrid, Chris’s sister, has since opened her own shop, Diana’s Burgers, formerly home to Burgers, Brews and Blues on North Zarzamora Street. Minus the Macho category, the restaurant menu seems to evoke the spirit of the original, chapter and verse. Fans of the flat ’n’ floppy style of burger epitomized by Chris Madrid’s will either be thrilled to have the holy grail Cheddar Cheezy and its doppelganger, or they will be outraged at an attempted duplication of the original. Regardless of which burger you now consid-

Find more Findfood more& drink news everynews day at sacurrent.com

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food Beer Buddies

Local brewers collaborate on special pilsner for San Antonio Beer Week BY JEREMY BANAS

ach year, area breweries come together in the time leading up to San Antonio Beer Week to collaboratively craft a brew that celebrates the city’s burgeoning beer culture, community and history. Now in its ninth year, San Antonio Beer Week, which runs June 15-22, has expanded to include special beer dinners, pub crawls and — of course — opportunities that bring special once-a-year brews to local enthusiasts. This year’s collaboration serves as an homage to San Antonio’s German roots — a dry-hopped pilsner brewed at Alamo Beer Co., which produced more than 30 barrels of the beer. The style is made to be easy-drinking and refreshing, using a selection of malts in addition to Bavarian and Magnum hops. In a modern twist, it’s also dry-hopped with Blanc and Melon hops. This year’s brew, along with a special commemorative 2019 Pilsner-style glass, will be available at select locations, events and venues for a limited time during Beer Week. Since San Antonio Beer Week kicked off in 2011, its special beer — produced both collaboratively and individually — has run a gamut of styles, including an English mild with pecans, an American saison brewed with palm sugar and an IPA brewed with eight different hops. “I think it’s an essential part of what it means to be a craft brewery,” Mark

McDavid, co-founder of Ranger Creek Brewing, said of the project’s collaborative spirit. “We’re working together to fight against the big beer behemoths and convince macro beer drinkers to try something local.” The number of breweries participating in Beer Week varies year to year, but each installment allows the industry to come together to tell its story to the public. This year’s participants includes not only Alamo and Ranger Creek but als Roadmap Brewing, Islla Street Brewing, Freetail Brewing Co., Künstler Brewing, High Wheel Beer Works, Weathered Souls Brewing, Back Unturned Brewing and Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery. “Coming together for a collaboration brew really shows San Antonio that craft beer is about community, and that’s one of the many reasons that we’re better than the big guys,” McDavid said. To learn more about 2019 San Antonio Beer Week, or its events, visit sabeerweek.org.

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CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

hanging weather often requires a wardrobe update, and if you’re like me, it’s nice to unwind after a stressful shopping session with a nice drink. In the area around La Cantera’s shopping mecca, where strip malls and chain restaurants run amok, it can be tempting to settle for your go-to seat at The Cheesecake Factory. But look hard enough, and you’ll find opportunities to step away from big chains and give some love to the local economy. It’s good to know a few bars that feel like neighborhood spots and use local ingredients. Plus, after a day of spending, you could probably use both a drink and a

bargain. Pro tip: visit these bars at times when they offer cocktail specials so you don’t break your shopping budget.

GEORGE’S KEEP 5

7803 La Cantera Terrace, Suite 1200 3 p.m.-2 a.m.; Happy Hour 3-8 p.m.

George’s Keep is locally owned and hails from the same bar family as Francis Bogside and Hanzo. Like its counterparts, the space is stylish, albeit a bit too dark and moody for afternoon drinking. If you don’t mind the summer sun, you can order at the bar and enjoy your drink on the expansive patio terrace. The service is friendly here, and the cocktails are classic. Choose from five happy hour cocktail specials,

GENERAL PUBLIC

17619 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 102 11 a.m.-midnight; Happy Hour: 3-6 p.m., daily

Probably the best deal from any area bar, items on General Public’s drink menu run $3 from 3-4 p.m., $4 from 4-5 p.m. and $5 from 5-6 p.m. And we’re talking the entire drink menu, which includes an extensive list of scotch, whiskies, bourbons and ryes. In other words, it’s an absolute steal. There are plenty of Texas whiskies to choose from, so I decided on Balcones Baby

15900 La Cantera Pkwy Ste #21200 11PM-midnight; Happy Hour: Monday- Friday 3-6 p.m., 9-11 p.m.

With seven locations throughout the lower United States, Whiskey Cake is technically a chain, but each of its outposts is committed to using the best local ingredients in its cocktails and cuisine. Found at The Shops at La Cantera, the eatery has a large, open space with a rustic charm and laid-back vibe you won’t find anywhere else at the mall. A blackboard close to the bar lists where Whiskey Cake sources its honey, eggs, herbs, ginger and more — all found nearby and featuring in many of its cocktails. The bar boasts an amazing selection of whiskey, of course, as well as craft brews and house cocktails. On the happy hour menu, you can choose between five cocktail and wine selections that will set you back $5 each, or a “dealer’s choice draft” for just $3. Both drinks I sampled, the Tequila Rose and the Great Escape, were bright and flavorful and used the aforementioned local ingredients. Not all chain restaurants are created equal.

os a

How to Imbibe Around La Cantera and Keep It (Mostly) Local

WHISKEY CAKE \

inoj

Sara Hinojosa

Located at La Cantera Resort, Signature is a destination spot to dress up and dine fine. For dinner, the $15 cocktails are well worth the splurge. However, happy hour offers a chance to enjoy some of chef Andrew Weismann’s signature sips and snacks for just $7. My bartender suggested something new from the seasonal menu, a variation on a White Negroni using Midori, Suze and gin infused with honeydew melon. The presentation was gorgeous, and its execution was pleasantly surprising and flawless. Considering the quality of drinks, the beautiful space, amazing service and attention to detail, this is one of the best happy hour deals in San Antonio. Treating yo’self doesn’t have to cost more than your new summer wardrobe.

H ra

16401 La Cantera Parkway 4:30-10 p.m.; Happy Hour: Tuesday-Friday 4:30-6 p.m.

SIGNATURE E

Blue, distilled in Waco. Normally $18, the $4 discount price made it awesome to sip without risk. Happy hour is also available throughout the entire space — on the shaded patio, in standard seating or around the horseshoe-shaped bar. When I visited around 5 p.m., the well-lit space was buzzing with UTSA students, groups of coworkers and even families. If you’ve worked up an appetite carrying all those shopping bags, the restaurant offers an eclectic menu of snacky items like pimento cheese spread and crab hush puppies. General Public does have a second location in Houston, but it’s certainly more local and satisfying than other nearby choices like Red Robin and Chili’s. nojosa

including the Fitzgerald and Gold Rush, both $5.50. Wine, wells and Dos Equis are also on special. I opted for the Northwest Side, the only house cocktail special, a vodka and lime concoction that includes muddled serrano. The drink was well-balanced, not too sweet and the spice from the serrano woke me from my shopping coma.

a Hi S ar

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sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

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Treating the Queen

Mother’s Day offerings at local eateries run the gamut from upscale to down home

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BY LEA THOMPSON

unday brunch is a Mother’s Day tradition — special buffets, mimosas and treats celebrating Mom and showing appreciation for all she does. And with the special day coming up Sunday, May 12, it may be a good idea to make reservations early and call ahead to be aware of special hours. Here’s a sampling of special Mother’s Day offerings being served up by San Antonio restaurants:

COVER 3

Mother’s Day brunch at COVER 3 includes a complimentary blooms and bubbles bar offering four mimosa options with fresh fruit juices. Food options include classics like stuffed brioche French toast, migas and biscuits with gravy. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 1806 N. Loop 1604 W., (210) 479-9700, Cover-3.com.

POOL • DARTS • PING PONG

ENJOY OUR PATIO AREA

THE ESQUIRE TAVERN

Chef Brooke Smith has created several new dishes for Mom’s big day, such as a refreshing seasonal house salad with heirloom tomatoes and a New Orleans-style muffuletta sandwich with ham, salami and provolone served on sesame focaccia bread. The new house cocktail menu features sips like La Tierra de Viejitas, made with Oaxacan rum, sun-drenched and oxidized wines and lemon. 11:30 a.m.-midnight, 155 E. Commerce St., (210) 222-2521, esquiretavern-sa.com.

KRAUSE’S CAFÉ & BIERGARTEN

This New Braunfels stalwart is offering a buffet-style Sunday brunch with omelets, pancakes, bacon and desserts. Find or create your drink of choice at the bloody mary and mimosa bars. There’s also a play area for little ones to run around if the adults need a moment to enjoy the view. Tickets run $35 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. They can be reserved at Krause’s website. 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 148 S. Castell Ave., New Braunfels, (830) 625-2807, krausescafe.com. 45 6

200 10141 Wurzbach, San Antonio, Texas 78230 • (210) 877-2100 wurzbachicehouse.com • Corner of Ironside and Wurzbach sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT

Buy a Mothers Day Spa Package, get a FREE Massage or Facial GIFT CARD* or SAVE $10 on Spa Gift Cards** San Antonio-Alamo Ranch 210-202-0630 | 10650 Culebra Rd Suite 103 In front of HEB

CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

The Vineyard 210-963-7501 | 1435 N Loop Suite 107 In front of LA Fitness

food

6 43

Courtesy of Cover 3

MEADOW

Meadow’s expansive buffet includes fresh buttermilk biscuits, fried chicken, fresh fruit and vegetables as well as an egg station and carving station. Choose from an assortment of pastries or a libation from the bloody mary and mimosa bar. Feeling picture perfect? The restaurant has even arranged a $25 add-on portrait perk that includes a photo, frame and goody bag. The buffet runs $40 for adults and reservations are required. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 555 W. Bitters Rd., (210) 481-4214, meadowsanantonio.com.

ZINC

This downtown dining spot’s three-course meal offers mom a choice between roasted cauliflower bisque or heirloom tomato salad for starters plus a petite filetand-butter-poached lobster main course. A crème fraiche panna cotta is on the menu for dessert. The cost is $30 per person. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., 207 N. Presa St., (210) 224-2900, zincwine.com.

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LA PANADERIA

La Panaderia’s two locations are offering champagne, mimosas and brunch items plus new pan dulce specials such as the tequila tres leches croissant — a take on its popular tequila almond croissant, only with fresh mascarpone whipped cream and strawberries. Hours vary, multiple locations, lapanaderia.com.

GRISTMILL RIVER RESTAURANT & BAR

Part of the Gristmill’s appeal is that customers come for the view and stay for their favorite dishes. On Mom’s Day, those include a beef tenderloin salad with creamy vinaigrette, pepper filet with herb-lime butter and, of course, chicken fried steak. Finish the meal with an order of strawberry shortcake or Jack Daniel’s pecan pie. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., 1287 Gruene Rd., (830) 606-1287, gristmillrestaurant.com.

JOSEPHINE STREET

Mom knows what she likes, and sometimes all she wants is something classic and simple like J-Street’s house angel hair pasta in plum tomato sauce served with a large Italian pork-and-beef meatball. The favorite, which is served with garlic bread, is available for $11.99. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., 400 E. Josephine St., (210) 224-6169, josephinestreet.com.

*Rosé and Sparkling Wine Sale runs 5/6/19-5/25/19. Discount off regular priced 750ml bottles of rosé or sparkling wine. Some exclusions apply. Please drink responsibly. . sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT

“I just want to express that, before we play, punk rock has given me an outlet to cope with being a victim of sexual assault and being a victim of child sex abuse, and has given me a way to find solidarity with people,” Bianca Quiñones Cruz Benitez, vocalist of San Antonio band Amygdala said into the microphone before its set at a Philadelphia punk rock festival. “We also take this time and take this music to bring out the struggles of persons of color, women of color, punks of color and queers of color,” the singer added. Some audience members cheered. Several women watching the show from the side of the stage smiled as if Benitez’s statement finally acknowledged their presence in the scene. Introduction over, the band tore into “Rose Bud,” a song about Benitez’s personal experience as a victim of abuse as a child. 46

CURRENT | May 8-21, 2019 | sacurrent.com

Two years after that appearance at the 2017 Break Free Festival, Amygdala is on the cusp of taking its politically uncompromising brand of hardcore punk to a wider audience. On May 2, the band released a new album, Our Voices Will Soar Forever, on Prosthetic Records, a leading indie metal label whose roster includes heavy hitters like Lamb of God and Testament. They're also about to embark on a 40-date North American tour. But the band — named for the part of the brain that experiences emotions — also acknowledges that its new chapter comes with new challenges. Though excited about the deal with Prosthetic, Benitez’s biggest fear is that wider exposure could water down the message. Standing up for people of color, women and LGBTQ people is part of the band’s essence. “If it’s a crowd that I know will not respond or get what I’m saying, sometimes I kind of tone it down a bit,” Benitez said. “And I guess that’s fucked up on my part, because why should I have to do that for the crowd?”

To be sure, Amygdala — which also includes guitarists Ale Zomora and Cesar Bernal, drummer Alex Vazquez and bassist Yole Centeno — has put in plenty of hard work and logged a lot of miles to make its message heard. Since its 2014 start, the band has funded its own tours, which have taken it across the U.S., Canada and even Europe, and self-released its debut EP The Horror of Never Being Able to Forget. When not on the road, the band organized shows at DIY spaces like the Land In Between DIY and the Movement Gallery, offering an inclusive outlet for local punk shows and even bringing in touring acts like New York-based punk band Iron Chic. All five members still work day jobs.

While four of Amygdala’s members are still in their mid-20s, part of the band’s appeal is its ability to channel an earlier sound — that of the late ’90s birth of metalcore, a sound that intermingled the dual extremes of metal and hardcore punk. Amygdala’s approach combines the chunky grooves and fast drumming of hardcore with the dissonant, distorted guitar and screams of extreme metal. All the while, the sound manages to transcend both genres and avoid tired clichés like the tough-guy breakdowns that feature in so many metalcore tunes. And for a band working in such a specialized niche, it also shows a lot of sonic range. Sometimes, the music creeps along at a grinding pace as Benitez screams in anguish. At other times, it explodes into fits of blast beats and triumphant guitar leads.

Benitez, who identifies as queer and bi-gender, wants Amygdala to be an outlet not only for self-healing but also for raising awareness of issues like sexism, racism and homophobia in the punk community.

music

Jaime Monzon

During the tour supporting its first full length release, Population Control, the band noticed that that an increasing number of LGBTQ people, people of color and women were attending their gigs. Marginalized folks who felt unwelcome at hardcore and punk shows, especially in the South and Southwest, told the members they came out to Amygadala shows because they felt safe there. That recognition helped the band justify the grueling hours spent in the van, bassist Centeno said. The band frequently addresses issues of gender and inclusion, not just in lyrics, but from the stage, where Benitez regularly point out that music from femmes, queer punks and punks of color is important. “And it doesn’t even take long to say that,” Benitez said. “I’ll just say it before a set or after a set and it can change somebody’s whole outlook.” Daisy Salinas, co-founder of San Antonio feminist punk collective Xingonas in the Pit, said Amygdala’s vocal presence is helping create a more inclusive space in the world of punk. “Growing up, I was a brown feminist punk in a majority-white, male music scene,” said Salinas, whose group organizes “safe radical music spaces” like the Black and Brown Punk Fest. “I felt that my involvement in the punk scene would always be limited to the sidelines: to being a fan, a girlfriend of a musician or a supporting role to an all-male, white band. It was not until I discovered other punks of color that I felt I could reclaim punk for myself and for my people.” Part of that discovery came when Salinas began attending Amygdala shows shortly after relocating to San Antonio from Denton. “Amygdala is a powerful force in hardcore punk and deserves to be both recognized and celebrated for their immense talent and anti-colonial politics,” she said. Punks of color have played an important role in the subculture but haven’t received the same recognition as their white counterparts, she added. “For all of us punks of color on the margins who face these issues, Amygdala is an act of resistance that affirms our existence.”

“I was scrutinized for being very vocal, about being anti-sexist, anti-racist and being more inclusive to [people of color] and femme persons in the hardcore scene,” Benitez said of the backlash that stance has sometimes yielded. Before joining Amygdala, Benitez’s home served as a space for bands to practice and play shows. Initially, that brought a sense of solidarity. However, after spending time with the musicians, Benitez began to notice a disturbing thread in the interactions. “One of the things that stuck out to me was just how these men would talk in front of me like I didn’t exist,” Benitez said. “I’m kind of grateful for it, because now I knew how these men thought.” Benitez realized that while many men in punk bands claimed to be politically aware and espoused feminism onstage, some still saw women as less than equal when their set was over. “We are always seen as an object, at the end of the day,” Benitez added. “We weren’t taken seriously as females doing music, or even just supporting the scene, which is something that is just as important as being in a band.”

At first glance, Prosthetic Records may not seem like the most logical fit for a hardcore punk band with an unflinchingly political stance. Sure, the label’s roster includes bands with a punk-leaning aesthetic, but the majority leans way more in the metal direction. The latter genre usually places less emphasis on politics, and — let’s be frank here — includes more than a handful of bands with some outright regressive views. It begs the question whether the folks behind Prosthetic encouraged the San Antonio outfit to tone it down. “Absolutely not,” said Steve Joh, Prosthetic’s head of artists and repertoire. While Prosthetic doesn’t necessarily want to be known as a political label, it fully supports Amygdala’s political views and wants to help the band spread them, Joh explained. “I think it’s very exciting, seeing younger bands get involved and wanting to make a difference and change things,” he said. “As long as they’re changing things for the better.” The label, he added, would draw the line at signing a band whose political message involves spreading pure hate. And while Joh and the Prosthetic team appreciate Amygdala’s agenda, that was just one factor that went into their decision to sign the band. When it comes to adding acts to the roster, Joh said he keeps a couple things in 49 6

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music actually people upset that there’s plus-size people playing hardcore/metal and they gotta address it before the music.” But if the band doesn’t resonate with everyone in its potential audience, Centeno added, so be it. “I understand our music isn’t for everyone, but I know I want to spend my time on this earth playing music that I can support and matters to me.” Benitez added that the higher profile ultimately helps spread the message of diversity and inclusion. “Since the beginning our goal is to have visibility and representation for working class [people of color], trans, queer and women [people of color]. I hope, as Prosthetic backs us, that there will be more awareness and support for these communities.”

The newly released Our Voices explores the tearstained journals of Benitez’s own childhood trauma backed by a beautiful and chaotic soundtrack. The album opens with “Born Into Abuse,” a fastpaced burner with old-school hardcore drumming reminiscent of bands like Bad Brains or Minor Threat. Over music that could easily conjure up a circle pit, Benitez belts out heartfelt lyrics. Born into abuse My question is Who takes the pill And then who prays to god

51 6

Johnny Camacho

6 47 mind. First, are they working, touring and generating a buzz? And, second, do they have a unique sound that fits the styles of music that he’s specifically looking for at that time? For Amygdala, the answer to both was a clear “yes.”

After wrapping up recording of its newly released album last summer, Amygdala began shopping it around in hopes of getting some label support. On October 30, bassist Centeno sent an email to Prosthetic and within five hours had a reply. After a few days of emailing back and forth, Amygdala and Prosthetic reached an agreement and signed a fouryear contract. “I’m someone that came strictly from the ’hood and grew up poor,” said Benitez. “And me — that poor, queer person from the ’hood — gets to travel, gets to go to Europe and have people wanting to hear my music and come up to me at shows. That’s what keeps me going, honestly.” Centeno added that even though he doesn’t feel like the band has come a long way during its five years of

existence, it’s still taken a lot of sweat and toil to make it this far. Now he hopes Prosthetic is the next step that allows the band to live solely off of creating music. “I think our ultimate goal as a band is to be able to write, record and tour with our music at a level where it doesn’t strain our lives personally,” Centeno said. “And it absolutely still has to be comprised of meaning and emotion for us.” For Amgydala, the biggest challenge ahead may be continuing its mission of standing up for equal treatment of diverse people within the punk community. It’s a message the band expects to continue delivering from the stage — even if its new notoriety brings some backlash. Shortly after the group’s singing to Prosthetic, metal forum Lambgoat shared the news, and some posters met it with ridicule. “Oh wow. You mean that the overweight ‘latinx’ with a butch haircut has mental issues?” one wrote. “Well, colour me shocked. This band must be big on Tumblr.” “Men in metal and hardcore are always gonna have some shit to say,” Centeno said. “And overall, with a platform like Prosthetic, our songs are hitting to a larger audience and there are already been people who disagree with us. Not really for our politics, but they target what our bodies look like, instead. There’s

Jaime Monzon

sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT

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6 49 That another child will bless their meaningless lives That another child will be born into abuse And then who gets the abortion And who stays traumatized And then who gets to be a mother And then who remains childless In fear of this world In fear that history Will repeat itself Will undo onto their child In fear that no matter what, things will not get better In fear that the cycles will not stop here But the album isn’t a race to the end. The second track, “Why Can’t I Heal,” is a grinding, tumultuous undertaking that evokes a feeling of discomfort as the drums and guitar weave into knots around Benitez’s screams. That voice is strained with a pain and dread that’s almost too uncomfortable to listen to at times. The lyrics grab the listener by the throat and force them to look at the traumas of past abuse. Despite the darkness of Our Voices, the album isn’t just a recollection of Benitez’s past trauma, it’s also a gift of

hope to other survivors of abuse and those still enduring their own. On the album’s standout final track, Benitez shouts out a message of defiance and strength. Now we rise! We will take back what’s ours! The lives we always deserved! We have control over what makes us mad We have life after rape We are alive! We will rise! While lyrics so raw and intense aren’t for every listener, Benitez said such openness sheds light on the acts of violence so many marginalized people experience. The hope is that by being as honest as possible, the band can exact new awareness — and maybe even change. Now armed with a Prosthetic’s megaphone, Amygdala is ready to keep making people uneasy. “The lyrics and the music are supposed to make you feel uncomfortable,” Benitez added. “But I feel like being uncomfortable is necessary for change.”

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music | music Picks

Courtesy of TV Girl

TV GIRL L Friday, May 10

Courtesy of Whitechapel

WHITECHAPEL, DYING FETUS + MORE L Thursday, May 9

Arguably one of the most brutal metal lineups hitting to San Antonio in recent memory, the Chaos and Carnage Tour brings together Whitechapel, Dying Fetus and a spate of other bands pushing metal to sonic extremes. Headliner Whitechapel has introduced more of an active-rock edge to its sound but still retains the heaviness of its early deathcore work. Fans who haven’t heard the new music may be afraid that the band’s lost some of its brutality, but the more accessible vocals and chord progressions add a sense of depth and maturity. Dying Fetus,

Courtesy of The Avett Brothers

around since 1991, mashes elements of nu-metal, grindcore, tech-metal shredding and complex compositions into a mind-bending combination. 4:30-11:45, $30, Rock Box,1223 E. Houston St., (210) 677-9453, therockboxsa.com. — Chris Conde

TV Girl sounds like what would happen if a French record shop in LA specializing in 1960s pop got swallowed by a Tandy computer from the 1990s, which then got turned into a music-making apparatus by a guy on acid who loves Phil Specter’s girl groups, Dilla and disco in equal measure. The solo project of LA-based producer and musician Brad Petering, who brings along a band for live shows, TV Girl has managed to keep its odd brand magic alive over the course of a surprising number of albums going back to 2010. Petering has a special knack in his production for creating lackadaisical, wispy and dreamy atmospheres, building samples

and beats into hypnotic patterns and layering washed-out vocals. His music is consistently interesting and always dancefloor ready, as long as the dancefloor’s not looking to move too fast. You can grab the entire TV Girl catalog at tvgirl.bandcamp.com, including the most recent album, 2018’s Death of a Party Girl. Based on Petering’s prolific output, there is a good chance he will be trying out new material for his next album at this show too. $15-$18, 8pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — JC

DIZZY WRIGHT p Saturday, May 11

Dizzy Wright might singlehandedly save hip-hop. While his beats are relatively commercial, his lyrics and flow are some of the most impressive and technical to come out of the genre in a long while. That’s something we can’t exactly say for his trap and mumble counterparts. Born La’Reonte Wright, the rapper is tied to the group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony — BTNH members Layzie Bone and Flesh-N-Bone are his uncles. Maybe being a good emcee just runs in the family. $18-$150, 9pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 8413771, papertigersatx.com.

THE AVETT BROTHERS + LUKAS NELSON AND THE PROMISE OF THE REAL i Friday, May 10

Seeing the Avett Brothers in a sweet outdoor spot like Whitewater is ideal. In this situation, the stalwart folk/pop/ rock band’s occasionally bland yet usually deft Americana mish-mash has not only the benefit of being liberated from the studio — which hasn’t always done the band justice — but also being ensconced in its proper setting. With the band at work on its forthcoming 10th album, fans can expect to hear some new stuff, the first since the material on 2016’s True Sadness. Also on the bill is the rapidly ascendant Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real, a real gem of a roots-rocking outfit fronted by Willie Nelson’s son Lukas. All in all, this excellent Americana bill shows the way forward in the genre. $44.43-$1,219.14, 7:30pm, Whitewater Amphitheater, 11860 FM 306, New Braunfels, whitewaterrocks. com. — James Courtney

Courtesy of Dizzy Wright

sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT

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music | music Picks GARBAGE 5 Sunday, May 12

Garbage showed up on the soundtracks for many a ’90s show, from The X-Files to Dawson’s Creek. And with good reason. With vocalist Shirley Manson at the helm, the band forged an amalgam of alternative rock and pop with unexpected electronic textures that had an adventurous feel while remaining radio-accessible. Also on the bill is Austin punk outfit Pleasure Venom, which has built a regional buzz over the past couple of years. $35-$69.50, 8pm, Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — CC

Elisabeth Fuchsia

PILE L

Sunday, May 12

Pile, a band that just uncomfortably enough straddles the lines between indie rock, noise rock and post-punk, puts on an impressive live show. Active since the late aughts, the Boston four-piece has put out seven albums to date, with its latest Green and Gray released on May 3. From the taste we have gotten so far, the new album proves as interesting and nuanced as the rest of the band’s catalog, which is quite a feat for an act as prolific as Pile. For those unfamiliar with Pile’s work, Bandcamp and Spotify will provide ample study materials — we suggest you start with 2012’s Dripping. Suffice it to say though, if you consider yourself a fan of post-punk, you’ll probably vibe to what Pile is bringing to the table. $13-$15, 7pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — JC

through last summer. This time around, the Milwaukee-based folk-punk trio is touring with a band more likely to match its energy and intensity. Part of LA’s fertile late-’70s and early-’80s punk scene, X stood out from the pack with a sound that matched guitarist Billy Zoom’s turbocharged rockabilly licks with the literary lyrical bent and minor key harmonies of front-couple — since divorced — Exene Cervenka and John Doe. $20-$59, 7pm, Aztec Theatre, 104 N St Mary’s St, (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — Sanford Nowlin

VIOLENT FEMMES + X p

HELADO NEGRO 5

By all accounts, the Violent Femmes blew the roof off the Tobin Center — and mopped the stage with tour mates Echo & the Bunnymen — when they swung

Roberto Carlos Lange, who performs under the name Helado Negro, seems intent on catching pop music up with the United States’ cultural evolution. He sings in English and Spanish, often veering into the political, and his sample-driven tunes bear influence from the balada, boleros and Carribean dance music he heard from his Ecuador-born parents. Don’t mistake this for the audio wallpaper played over the sound system at your local World Market store, though. While accessible, Helado Negro’s work still lands on the avant-garde side of the pop spectrum with enough sputtery synths and lysergic echoes to keep things sonically adventurous. Helado Negro’s sixth and latest album, This Is How You Smile, has also pulled in rave reviews for both its powerful music and powerful messages. $13-$15, 8pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — SN

Monday, May 13

Courtesy ofViolent Femmes

Joseph Cultice

Tuesday, May 14

Courtesy of Helado Negro

sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT

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music | music Picks HATEBREED Friday, May 24.

Alongside acts like Throwdown, Bury Your Dead, Terror and Sworn Enemy, Hatebreed paved the way for metal-inspired hardcore in the late-’90s, called metalcore by those in the know. Atomsplitter PR Thanks to bruising tracks like “I Will Be Heard,” the band quickly became an unstoppable force in the genre. And if having Hatebreed heading to SA wasn’t enough, this eclectic bill also includes Obituary, Agnostic Front, Prong and Skeletal Remains — bands that run the gamut from death metal and to straight-up hardcore. $25, Vibes Event Center, 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 255-3833, vibeseventcenter.com. — CC

ARIANA GRANDE p Friday, May 17

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Ariana Grande is returning to San Antonio on the first leg of her Sweetener World Tour to make sure we get another dose of her pony-tail whipping pop magic. Kicking off in Albany, the tour winds around the country before finishing up at Madison Square Garden. If you dig all things cutesy pop, then you already know about Ariana Grande and most likely have tickets to this show. $234-$699, 8pm, AT&T Center, One AT&T Center Parkway, (210) 444-5000, attcenter.com. — CC

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CELEBRATE SELENA WITH BIDI BIDI BANDA

Although the two most significant anniversaries associated with the life of Selena — her birthday in March and her death in April — have already passed, there’s no expiration date for celebrating the goddess of Tejano. A lookalike contest will accompany this performance by Selena tribute band Bidi Bidi Banda, so expect lots of red lipstick, glittery purple jumpsuits and busticacas. Free, The Rustic, 8:30pm

LOST DOG STREET BAND

If you’re burned out on the trap-country craze or sickened by onslaught of Nash Vegas pop, the Lost Dog Street Band brings country back to the basics. The husband-wife duo use guitar, banjo and fiddle to distill a timeless and melodic moonshine of music. $12-$15, Paper Tiger, 8pm

FRIDAY, MAY 10

CRUEL SUMMER TX

Evoking the sounds of early Hole with a sensual, self-assured yet emotive voice growling over a sludgy guitar-driven sound, this Austin outfit may influence you to (constructively) fuck shit up after a lazy day of smoking weed on the hot sidewalk. $5, Ventura, 9pm

SUNDAY, MAY 12

OLD 97’S

The rebelliousness of outlaw country may have been tamed, but the past few years has brought flood of rockers who incorporate rural twang. Although Kid Rock may be the artist many associate with that crossover, Dal-

las’ Old 97’s were among its ’90s pioneers, blazing an Oregon trail of loud, plugged-in country. $25-$150, Sam’s Burger Joint, 7pm

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15

TYLER HILTON

Turns out actor Tyler Hilton, who played both a young Elvis in the Johnny Cash story Walk the Line and a reoccurring douchebag on the teen drama One Tree Hill, is also a singer. Hilton performs the kind of indie-pop-lite that can unite an older generation that complains about modern music’s “lack of real instruments” while appealing to teens with his good looks and lovelorn ballads. $13-$48, Sam’s Burger Joint, 7pm

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NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: THE MIXTAPE TOUR L

Before the Backstreet Boys-N*SYNC-boyband invasion of the ’90s, the New Kids on the Block provided the PG-sexy soundtrack for ’80s teens. On this tour, the New Kids are also supported by a who’s who of the era’s pop, including OG girl power hip-hop duo Salt-N-Pepa, “I Think We’re Alone Now” mallrat Tiffany, hit-machine Debbie Gibson and the often-name-dropped Naughty by Nature. $29.95-$972, AT&T Center, 7:30pm

SUNDAY, MAY 19

YOSAPALOOZA

The Youth Orchestra of San Antonio (YOSA) is putting its budding musicians to work by via this concert extravaganza. All of the nine of the organization’s youth orchestras will perform, showing off the young virtuosos’ rapidly developing skills. The concert is free, but tickets are limited to three per family. Get ready to play rock, paper, scissors. Free, The Tobin Center, 6pm

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etc S AVA G E L O V E B Y D A N S AVA G E

Best Wishes I’m a 43-year-old straight woman, and I spent the majority of my 30s celibate. At 40, I realized that while I wasn’t interested in dating, I was tired of my vibrator. I also realized that it was time to go forth and fuck with the body I had instead of waiting for the idealized body I was going to have someday. Over the past three years — despite being as fat as ever — I’ve consistently had fun, satisfying, exciting, creative, sometimes weird, occasionally scary, but mostly awesome sex. One guy I met on Craigslist was particularly great: awesome kisser, amazing dick. He came over, we fucked, it was excellent, we chatted, he left. This happened about four times. And then CL shut down the personals section. The only contact info I have for the guy is the anonymous CL address, and it no longer works. He has my Gmail address (the one I use for dating sites), but he has not e-mailed me. I’m not a crazy stalker (I swear!), but he once told me he teaches at a university in our area, and I managed to find his photo and contact info on the school website. So I know how to reach him—but that’s a spectacularly bad idea, right? Unless you think it isn’t? If a dude I’d fucked a few times tracked me down at my job, I would freak out. But I keep thinking: Would it really be SUCH a bad idea to send him ONE e-mail? Should I just accept that it was great while it lasted? Or should I e-mail him and run the risk of pissing off/freaking out a nice guy? Can Really Envision Every Possibility

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Don’t do it, CREEP — don’t do that thing you already know you shouldn’t, that thing you wouldn’t want some dude to do to you, that thing you were probably hoping I’d give you permission to do. That thing? Don’t do it. You’re engaged in what’s called “dickful thinking” when guys do it — at least that’s what I call it, CREEP. It’s like wishful thinking, but with dicks. Men convince themselves of something improbable (“I bet she’s one of those women who like unsolicited dick pics!”) or unlikely (“Showing up at her workplace will convince her to take me back!”) because it’s what they want. Think of all the guys you’ve ever known who said, “She wants me!” when in reality he was the one who wanted her. Clitful thinking may be rarer than dickful thinking — women being less likely to think with their genitals and/or being more risk-averse due to socialization, slut-shaming, and the ever-present threat of gendered violence — but it’s not unheard of for a woman to rationalize unacceptable behavior (contacting this man at work) or deploy a self-serving justiﬁcation (it’s just ONE e-mail) or solicit a “You go,

girl!” from a sex-advice columnist when what she needs to hear is “Hell no, girl!” Again, don’t do it. This guy has your e-mail address and he knows how to reach you. And since you didn’t have all that fun, satisfying, exciting, creative sex over the last few years with only him, CREEP, I shouldn’t have to tell you to focus on your other options. But since your clit is doing your thinking for you right now, I must: Leave this dude alone and go fuck some other dudes.

I have a desperate question for you. I’ve worked with a vivacious 30-year-old for five years. For three and a half years, she had a live-in boyfriend. She had a different boyfriend recently. I’m 58 years old and not good-looking. She is always sweet to me and always compliments me. She’s said that I’m a genius and a gentleman, that I’m a hoot, and that I have a confident walk. I’ve also overheard her say that she likes older men. However, a few months ago she walked up to me out of the blue and said that she just wants platonic relationships with coworkers. Then I overheard her say to another coworker: “I put out a sign, he will figure it out eventually.” But which sign did she mean? The “platonic” thing or the constant kindness? Wondering On Reciprocated Kindnesses

This probably isn’t what you wanted to hear either, WORK, but this woman isn’t interested in you — and if you weren’t engaged in dickful thinking, you’d know that. But your dick has somehow managed to convince you that you’re the “he” she was referring to when she talked about sending someone a sign. But you need to ask yourself — and it’s best to ask right after you masturbate, as that’s when we’re least prone to dickful thinking — which is likelier: she went out of her way to let you know she’s not interested in dating anyone at work and you’re the “he” she was referring to, or the “he” she was referring to was one of the roughly four billion other men on the planet and not a coworker? I don’t mean to be cruel, WORK, I just want to stop you from doing something that could get you ﬁred or screw up what has, up to now, been a pleasant work relationship. While kindness can sometimes signal romantic interest, the full weight of the evidence here—including the fact that she didn’t send an unambiguous signal when she was brieﬂy single—indicates otherwise.

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E M P LOY M E N T J O N E S I N ’ C R OS S W O R D BY M AT T J O N E S

H-E-B seeks Lead Developer (SW Developers, Applications). Work location: San Antonio, TX. Mail resumes to: Marisa Alcorta, 646 South Flores Street, San Antonio, TX 78204

YOUR PHOTOS HERE “Two From the Top”— same two, different order. ACROSS 1 One of Cher’s friends in “Clueless” 4 Thrown tomato sound 9 Went idle 14 Summertime coolers, casually 15 Contemporary of Shelley and Byron 16 Justice Kagan 17 Hit 2019 puzzle game 19 Huck Finn’s creator 20 Cheese slices from Kraft 21 Marcos with many shoes 22 Key near the space bar 23 Lies low 25 Mid-May honorees 28 Discovery/TLC reality show (1998-2007) following expecting couples 33 Horseshoe trajectories 34 “Sharp as a tack,” for example 35 Red or Dead, but not Redemption 36 MTV cartoon with the fictional show “Sick, Sad World” 38 Pot top 39 “Taking a Chance on Love” singer Waters 41 Singer of 60-Across, slangily 42 Tiny footwarmer 45 Altered mortgage, for short 46 “Voulez-Vous” and “Waterloo,” for two

48 Smooth (the way) 49 Take ___ of faith 50 It’s about 907,000 grams 52 Celebratory outburst 55 People in the red 59 Common Daily Double gesture (and bet) from “Jeopardy!” whiz James Holzhauer 60 Lyric that follows “We’re poor little lambs who have lost our way” 62 Photographer Arbus 63 British-based relief organization 64 Exercise machine unit 65 Karaoke performances 66 Anthem competitor 67 “Of course” DOWN 1 Browser indicators 2 Berry from palms 3 Library catalog no. 4 Prowess 5 Madrid money, once 6 Poppables snackmaker 7 Get from ___ B 8 Nashville sch. 9 “I’ll need time to think about it” 10 Mariners’ div. 11 Ardor 12 Kids’ author Blyton 13 Fictional agent Scully

18 1992 Wimbledon winner 21 Pastoral verse 23 Overdo a scene 24 Footnote word that’s usually abbreviated 25 Tyler Perry title character 26 Toothbrush brand 27 “Limited time only” fast-food sandwich 29 Ginkgo ___ 30 “Straight Outta Compton” costar ___ Jackson Jr. 31 Nautical hazards 32 Singer of 60-Across, slangily 37 Large mollusks 40 Starbucks size launched in 2011 43 Margarine, quaintly 44 One-named guitarist of infomercial fame 47 Expressing delight 51 “Dreams From My Father” author 52 Big rolls of money 53 Mishmash 54 “The Good Earth” heroine 55 Slightly off 56 Do as told 57 Very hard to find 58 Goes limp 60 Drag show accessory 61 Wood-chopping tool ANSWER ON PAGE 21

E M P LOY M E N T AT&T Mobility is filing an FCC ASR seeks located at Form 854 H-E-B for a new monopole 420 Brady Blvd.,Developer San Antonio, TX 78207, Lead Bexar County; Latitude 29-24-08.7° (SW Developers, North and Longitude 098-31-43.8° West. Applications). The height of the tower is Work 10.1 meters above ground level 206.3 meters location: SanandAntonio, above mean sea level. The tower will not TX. Mail resumes to: include lighting. Interested persons may Marisa Alcorta, 646 review the application for this project at www.fcc.gov/asr/applications<http:// South Flores Street, San www.fcc.gov/asr/applications by entering Antonio, 78204(Form Antenna Structure TX Registration 854) file number A1134933 and may raise environmental concerns about the project by filing a Request for Environmental Review with the Federal Communications Commission. Requests for Environmental Review must be filed within 30 days of the date that notice of the project is published on the FCC’s website. The FCC strongly encourages interested parties to file Requests for Environmental Review online at www.fcc.gov/asr/environmental request <http://www.fcc.gov/asr/environmentalrequest. Parties wishing to submit the request by paper may do so by mailing the request to “FCC Requests for Environmental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554.”

E M P LOY M E N T H-E-BDevelopment seeks Application Lead Developer Specialist sought by (SW Developers, Capital Group Companies Applications). WorkTX: Global in San Antonio, location: San Antonio,to Applies engg principles TX. Mail resumes provide technicalto: Marisa Alcorta, 646 leadership & mentorship South Flores Street, for Contact CenterSan Antonio, TX 78204 initiatives. Partners w/ business leaders & architecture teams to identity strategic vision & dvlp contact center roadmap. Must have unrestricted right to work in US. Send resume to: Capital Group/Brian Zimmer, 400 S Hope St, 22nd Fl, Los Angeles, CA 90071. Ref. Job Code: TX1018AA sacurrent.com | May 8-21, 2019 | CURRENT

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