San Antonio Current - June 21, 2017 by Chava Communications

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IN THIS

FIRST WORDS

Will San Antonio’s religious community shelter the targets of new state and federal immigration crackdowns: “Illegals need to leave and come in the right way. I’m all for LEGAL hard working immigrants.” – Alec Ganci “There should be a legal pathway to citizenship for them. 11 million people plus living in the shadows. People that boost our economy and lower our crime rates. People who I want as my neighbor. Deportation makes no fiscal or rational sense. It is an action based solely on cruel hatred and bias. It isn’t what is best for us or for them.” – Emily Chun Gov. Abbott cuts $1.4 million in San Antonio’s air quality improvement program: “So they cut funding for this, cut funding for PP, cut funding for healthcare. But are my taxes going down? No! What are they doing with the money? Filling their own pockets. These politicians do not care about us. Only themselves.” – Carla Echavarria Joe Straus likens Gov. Abbott’s special session menu to horse poo: Well, I’m just so proud of him for acting like a child.” – Damon Ballard In defense of San Antonio’s $100,000 toilet: “Never listen to conservatives whining about how much it costs, part 957.” – Daniel Miller • Send your thoughts, comments, kudos or tips to letters@sacurrent.com

ISSUE Issue 17_25 /// June 21-27, 2017

NEWS

Provider Problems Texas’ replacement to Planned Parenthood is providing health care to thousands fewer lowincome women Royal Flush In defense of San Antonio’s $100,000 toilet

FEATURE

Party Foul Federal prosecutors claim Sen. Carlos Uresti engaged in fraud and bribery during his lavish rise to the top

Texas Sen. Carlos Uresti, a South Side kid who managed to turn his family name into a juggernaut of San Antonio Democratic politics, has before dodged scandals that threatened to tank his political legacy. This time around, however, he’s facing allegations of fraud and bribery in federal criminal court that could put him behind bars for decades. This week, we look at the growing federal case against Sen. Uresti.

Race Theory Critics link Courage’s District 9 win to racist voters

ARTS + CULTURE

Wonderfully Wicked ‘Daydreams and Other Monsters’ finds humor in dark places

NIGHTLIFE

Pop Pop How to booze up your ice pops

SCREENS

Party Crasher Beatriz is an earnest but frustrating movie-going experience

CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

MUSIC

Snack Time House Of Kenzo is throwing a ball – and wants you to come as a treat Nostalgia Act 20 years later, Everclear’s So Much for the Afterglow still shines

39 Cover illustration by Jeremiah Teutsch Art direction by Sarah Flood-Baumann

CALENDAR

Our top picks for the week

Veto Power Gov. Abbott cuts $1.4 million in San Antonio’s air quality improvement program

ON THE

COVER

Music Calendar What to see and hear this week

FOOD

Ming’s Thing Is Noodles Inside boxcar, Ming’s Noodle Bar adds life to the Yard Food Court A burger-off, brunch at Bexar Pub and a Tejano Terroir collaborative dinner at The Granary

ETC.

Savage Love Jonesin’ Crossword Freewill Astrology

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sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 7

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Featuring Anthony the Poet as Emcee. Several poets will read poems related to contemporary San Antonio pop culture. Also, Houston Fryer will lead Dada inspired nonsensical poetry readings and performances.

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8 CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

NEWS

SHUTTERSTOCK

ALEX ZIELINSKI | @ALEX_ZEE

PROVIDER PROBLEMS Texas’ replacement to Planned Parenthood is providing health care to thousands fewer low-income women

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Texas’ plan to replace Medicaid-backed Planned Parenthood services with less-qualified health care providers has not produced the gleaming results the state promised. Instead, 44,000 fewer women are enrolled in the state’s family planning program for Medicaid recipients. This program, dubbed Healthy Texas Women, has left thousands of low-income women across Texas without qualifi ed family planning providers — and the necessary health services they provide, according to data crunched by the Center for Public Policy Priorities’ policy analyst Stacey Pogue. “Texas made the rosy prediction that former Planned Parenthood clients would be able to readily find alternative providers, but actual experience shows this is not the case,” wrote Pogue in a report sent to Texas’ Health and Human Services Commission. She mailed the report last Monday — the last day the state would accept public comment on an application it intends to send to the feds, requesting more funding for the Healthy Texas Women program. Pogue’s numbers go all the way back to 2011, when Texas fi rst withdrew funding from Planned Parenthood. At the time, Planned Parenthood served more than 40 percent of the clients enrolled in the state’s Medicaid Women’s Health Program (now Healthy Texas Women). That changed as soon as the state legislature cut Planned Parenthood and all other abortion providers

from its state Medicaid budget in 2011 — and worsened in 2013, when lawmakers pulled funds from any clinic that even associated itself with abortion providers or advocated for abortion rights. The number of Medicaid clients accessing family planning services, like pap smear exams and birth control prescriptions, has plummeted. According to Pogue’s data, sourced from Texas Health and Human Services fiscal reports, some 44,000 fewer women were using the state’s Medicaid-backed family planning program in 2016 than in 2011. What’s odd, she notes, is that while the number of clients dropped, the number of eligible providers grew. HHS racks that imbalance up to the fact that more women are choosing long-acting reversible contraception methods, like an IUD. In the state’s eyes, that means fewer women will need to check in with a family planning provider. But Pogue said there’s no way the small fraction of women who receive this kind of contraception in Texas could have made this kind of impact. Instead, Pogue argues that the growing list of clinics are “providers in name only” — that while the Healthy Texas Women website lists thousands of providers, only a portion of them actively serve Healthy Texas Women clients. And the providers who do see these patients are far less adept at helping a woman access care than Planned Parenthood or other family planning specialist. “They don’t have experience counseling a woman on her

options or may not even have the right kind of contraceptive she’s looking for,” she said. “This isn’t their specialty. It turns out these things aren’t easy.” A 2016 University of Texas study found that after Planned Parenthood cuts, low-income women who used to rely on its services struggled to find a replacement. Many had to drive long distances to see a provider, pay more for an appointment, and ended up with less effective contraceptives — if any at all. The state’s data reflect that. Pogue points to Texas’ skyrocketing pregnancy rate among women covered by Medicaid as the obvious result to limited contraception care. Between 2011 and 2014, the number of births from Texas women on Medicaid increased by 27 percent. Then again, Texas did task the Heidi Group, an anti-abortion organization, with connecting Healthy Texas Women clients with new health care providers (a task they also haven’t succeed at). “Overwhelming evidence shows that expelling Planned Parenthood — a well-qualified, trusted family planning provider...has had adverse effects on women’s access to critical preventative health care,” Pogue concludes. The state is asking the feds for an additional $35 million in yearly Medicaid funds to go toward Healthy Texas Women — funds that it forfeited under the Obama Administration for cutting Planned Parenthood. The final draft of the state’s application will head to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for review. sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 9

NEWS

SHUTTERSTOCK

≥

ALEX ZIELINSKI | @ALEX_ZEE

VETO POWER Gov. Abbott cuts $1.4 million in San Antonio’s air quality improvement program

Earlier this month, San Antonio officials promised that the White House’s plan to pause air quality regulations wouldn’t derail the city’s work to improve its subpar air quality. But last week, Gov. Greg Abbott made that goal even further out of reach by cutting $6 million in clean air program funds from the state budget. In the written explanation with his line-item veto, Abbott said he opposed supporting these types of programs (like air pollution monitoring or bike and carpool promotion) because they can be funded at the local government level — and the funds aren’t going toward regions with severe air pollution (or “nonattainment areas”). This new cut comes on the heels of an April state legislature vote to move $20 million in funds from the state’s air quality program to a pro-life “Alternatives to Abortion” program in April. “[Resources] should be prioritized to directly address problems in our non-attainment areas of the state so that we are better positioned to combat the business-stifling regulations imposed on these areas by the Environmental Protection Agency,” Abbott writes. According to Abbott, San Antonio, El Paso and other major Texas metro areas are only “near nonattainment areas,” despite the fact that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality officials recommend the Governor list these cities as “nonattainment” areas in late 2016. Of course, that was before the Trump Administration set up shop in D.C., bringing with it considerable rollbacks to the country’s environmental protection programs. Just last week, Environmental

> It’s been nearly a year since a shiny single-stall

sexually assaulted or having their few possessions bathroom appeared on a busy intersection in downtown stolen while trying to find a safe place to go to the San Antonio — and the public promptly lost their shit. bathroom. It’s impossible to know if the loo’s bells and The bathroom’s hefty price tag from Portland-based whistles — blueish lighting meant to make it manufacturer stoked immediate outrage from difficult to see veins and slatted windows community members, and drew headlines like allowing officers to peek in — has “This Texas city spent nearly $100,000 on really deterred intravenous drug a single public toilet” and “$100,000 ‘loo’ use in the stall or if they have kept puts load on taxpayers.” The upset even people from overstaying their earned the loo a satirical spot in this welcome. years’ Cornyation. But from the data the city has ALEX ZIELINSKI | @ALEX_ZEE According to the city, there have been able to collect, it seems the been 40,000 flushes in the local loo’s pricey stall is paying off. In defense of first 11 months in use — or, an average San Antonio Police Department San Antonio’s of 120 users a day. But how can we really officers issued 104 citations for $100,000 toilet measure its success (or failure)? public urination in the ten months It’s hard to quantify the worth of giving a prior to the loo opening, according to human being the dignity of accessing a bathroom. records obtained by the local Fox affiliate. There’s no easy way to calculate how many fewer people Ten months after its July installation, and that number’s are using downtown business’ private bathrooms, or been cut in half — officers have only handed out 51 peeing in public parks, or defecating along the Riverwalk. citations. In an interview with Fox, SAPD spokesperson There’s also no reliable way to track how fewer Sgt. Jesse Salame linked this significant drop to the new homeless people (especially women) are being bathroom and said that businesses have noted a clear

ROYAL FLUSH

CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt — known for his disbelief in man-made climate change — announced a year delay to air quality goals made by President Obama in 2015. Cities will now have until 2018 to lower the amount of ozone in its air from 75 parts per billion to 70 parts per billion. Following this news, San Antonio officials pledged this delay wouldn’t affect any of their current goals to improve the city’s poor air quality. They’re still on track to meet Obama’s standards (which City Council backed in 2016) this year — even through the local air quality currently contains around 73 ppb. This commitment clashes with other major Texas cities, like Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston, which have not met these crucial standards and seem to have no interest in improving them, according to Texas Tribune’s reporting. But Abbott’s hefty cut to air quality budget could throw this plan off course. According to city spokeswoman Alex Rubio, the organization tasked with air quality monitoring, Alamo Area Council of Governments, relies on approximately $1.4 million of the $6 million Abbott slashed Monday. “We are very disappointed and surprised by the Governor’s veto of these critical funds,” said AACOG Director Diane Rath. She wouldn’t comment on how these cuts will specifically hurt the region’s plan, but hinted at their potential to derail the local program. “San Antonio is the largest city in the country not declared in violation of federal air quality standards and this funding has allowed us to continue the planning and work so necessary for the economic vitality of the Alamo region.”

difference in the amount of human waste left near their downtown doorsteps. Centro maintenance staffers — the other uniformed crew with a constant downtown presence — have also noticed a welcome dip in the amount of urine or poop they run across at work. In the past eight months, Centro employees have reported a 27 percent decrease in what Centro CEO Pat DiGiovanni politely calls “cleaning efforts related to human waste” compared to the same 8-month period last year. “The statistics show that [the loo’s] making a positive impact on the downtown experience,” DiGiovanni told the Current. “The cost to the city would be much greater if people didn’t perceive downtown to be a welcoming and clean place to visit.” Yes, a $100,000 bathroom sounds luxurious and wasteful on paper. But its tentative success in San Antonio has quieted critics and inspired other Texas cities to follow suit. On Tuesday, Galveston installed the first of five Portland Loo-branded toilets along the seawall, and Austin is testing out temporary public toilets this month — a pilot program the city’s trying before committing to the Portland model.

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sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 11

NEWS

ALEX ZIELINSKI | @ALEX_ZEE

RACE THEORY Critics link Courage’s District 9 win to racist voters

≥

On June 10, voters in District 9, a historically conservative pocket of San Antonio, elected the ultra-progressive John Courage to represent them on City Council. With the district’s right-leaning track record, many expected conservative candidate Marco Barros to easily glide into the seat of outgoing councilman John Krier, who endorsed Barros in the race. Barros himself even told the San Antonio Express-News he expected a 70 to 72 percent win. But come election night, Courage took home more than 52 percent of the district vote. Courage, an Air Force veteran and high school teacher, is often called a perennial candidate — he’s run for council twice and challenged both state Sen. Donna Campbell and U.S. Congressman Lamar Smith. He’s a staunch Democrat, but leaned on this particular campaign line during the race for the technically nonpartisan council seat: “Is there a Republican or a Democratic way of filling in a pothole?” He credited his success to the high voter turnout in his district — at 16,122, more ballots came into District 9 on June 10 than both District 2 and 6 combined. But some people think Courage might have won for another reason: racism. In an editorial last week, Express-News columnist Brian

CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

Chasnoff suggested that Courage’s unexpected name may have simply been due to his anglo last name. Given the choice between Courage and Barros, xenophobic voters who didn’t do their research may have gravitated toward the less Latino-sounding name, he wrote. After listing Courage’s progressive ties (including his campaign endorsement by a Sen. Bernie Sanders-founded organization), Chasnoff tosses out a couple questions: “Were the voters of District 9 aware of Courage’s pedigree? Or were they simply more aware of his last name — and, for that matter, Barros’?” Greg Jefferson, a former communications staffer for Councilman Krier who helped run Mayor Ivy Taylor’s recent re-election campaign, pushed the hypothesis even further in his personal blog, calling the District 9 vote “racially polarized.” Jefferson linked the district’s anecdotal opposition to so-called “sanctuary city” policies to Barros’ loss. He specifi cally mentioned the city’s recent decision to sue Texas over Senate Bill 4, recently-signed law that would, among other things, force the San Antonio Police Department to rescind its policy of not asking about immigration status in routine police encounters. “With everybody still sweaty from the S.B. 4 fight —

On June 10, voters in District 9, a historically conservative pocket of San Antonio, elected the ultra-progressive John Courage to represent them on City Council.

coupled with District 9 voters having elected only one minority candidate in our city’s modern history (Elisa Chan, not Elise Sanchez) — Barros was running in part against his surname. And he lost,” Jefferson writes. It’s unclear whether Barros or his campaign staffers personally credit his loss to “racially polarized voting.” (Barros’ former campaign manager Thomas Marks didn't call us back for comment). But to Courage backers, the race-based speculation now swirling around the election is not only wrong but “extremely offensive.” “If people who are upset at the outcome of the election say their guy lost because of his race, that’s not only an insult to our campaign, but to all District 9 voters,” Zack Lyke, Courage’s campaign manager, told the Current. Since there’s no quantitative data to back up the claims, Lyke questioned why people decided it was worth bringing up in the fi rst place. He said it belittles the hard work Courage and his campaign staff put into the race — work that the Barros campaign may have skimped on. “Barros lost because he got outworked, he didn’t think he’d have to work hard for the seat,” Lyke said. “They can chalk it up to racism if it makes them feel better — but that’s just not the case.”

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sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 13

FEATURE

Illustration by Jeremiah Teutsch

Words by Michael Barajas

Federal prosecutors claim Sen. Carlos Uresti engaged in fraud and bribery during his lavish rise to the top

he newlyweds descend the staircase inside an elegant, antebellum-style mansion tucked away in a private Boerne ranch, an ideal setting for a swanky wedding reception in the picturesque Texas Hill Country. No longer in her wedding dress, the bride’s wearing a silver mini skirt, the groom still in a tux sans tie and jacket, his shirt sleeves rolled to the elbows — party attire. The groom tries to look suave, slowly unbuttoning his vest before he takes her hand and pulls her in. Then begins the choreographed strutting to the Bee Gees’ “More Than a Woman.” Some seven months later in January 2013, when offi cials gathered for the 83rd 14

CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

Texas Legislature, Sen. Carlos Ureti’s post-matrimonial moves became the talk of the Texas Senate, with then Lieutenant Gov. David Dewhurst telling the chamber to check out the YouTube video, now viewed some 15,000 times, of the longtime San Antonio lawmaker’s weddingreception dance routine. The event, as is common for Uresti parties, had a theme: Nside San Antonio magazine dubbed it “glamour, glitz, elegance, romance and The Godfather.” Uresti’s reportedly got a thing for Coppola’s mafia masterpiece. He even kept a framed photo from the movie in his downtown law firm, a still from the famous restaurant scene where Michael Corleone (in the movie, a U.S. Marine like Uresti) guns down two men. When federal agents raided that same office one morning this past February, Uresti told reporters they were simply reviewing his firm’s documents as part of a “broad investigation” into a bankrupt oilfield services company that’s been accused of defrauding investors.

FEATURE

Uresti reportedly threw himself a Godfather-themed wedding in June 2012.

how he beat the feds. Watts says he sees parallels between his case and Uresti’s current legal woes. “I think federal prosecutors, some of them, are so excited about taking down a public figure that they unwittingly get blinders on and they filter out what is obvious and right in front of them and instead focus only on the things that help their objective to get a conviction,” Watts told the Current last week. Watts insists that what has happened to Uresti (“being tried and convicted in the newspaper, the overreach from overzealous prosecutors”) is the same thing that happened to him. “It’s like déjà vu.” If Watts is right, Uresti could again dodge a scandal that threatens to tank his political legacy – a boy from the South Side who managed to turn the family name into a local political juggernaut (brother Albert is Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector; brother Tomas won Uresti’s old Texas House seat last year). If he’s wrong, Uresti could face decades behind bars.

YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT // LAURIE RUSH

The raid wasn’t exactly a surprise. Months before, in an exhaustive report, the San Antonio Express-News used federal bankruptcy court filings to detail Uresti’s questionable involvement with the company Four Winds, which tried to bank big off the South Texas oil boom by hawking sand used in the fracking process. Investors have claimed the company instead spent their money on perks like Ferraris, “wild parties” and $20,000 diamond rings. Uresti sometimes provided legal services to the company, at one point even acting as Four Winds’ outside counsel. He even helped recruit investors while maintaining a small stake in the company. In January, a month before the feds raided Uresti’s office, one of his former clients — a Harlingen woman who won a major settlement after an exploding tire caused a car wreck that killed her two children — sued him for fraud, saying she lost almost a million dollars after Uresti “tricked” her into investing the settlement money with Four Winds. Uresti meanwhile got a $27,000 commission on the deal. A federal grand jury last month returned two separate indictments against Uresti, one of which charges him with multiple counts of wire fraud, money laundering and securities fraud for his alleged role in the Four Winds debacle, which prosecutors have called “an investment Ponzi scheme.” Turns out the agents who raided Uresti’s law office were looking into much more than just his involvement in the now defunct frac sand company. In the other indictment, the feds outlined a whole separate case against Uresti, one that accuses him of helping rig a private prison contract at a West Texas detention center where inmates have rioted over squalid conditions, pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process. Prosecutors say that alleged bribery scheme goes back a decade, to when Uresti made the jump from the Texas House to the state Senate seat he now occupies. One of Uresti’s alleged co-conspirators pleaded guilty to the scheme in federal court last week and has agreed to “fully cooperate” with investigators. While federal prosecutors have so far been tight-lipped on the many charges against Uresti (the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, where the cases are filed, declined our requests for comment), in court filings they’ve alleged that the longtime lawmaker’s “financial difficulties” drove him to commit fraud. Last month, Uresti turned himself in to federal officials, who escorted him in handcuffs and ankle shackles to his first court appearance. After his hearing, he told reporters and TV cameras that had gathered on the federal courthouse steps, “I look forward to my day in court when all the facts come out and the truth and not just what’s been in the press.” He was flanked by wife Lleanna and a high-powered legal gun, Mikal Watts. Watts has his own history with federal prosecutors, having been charged in 2015 with fabricating thousands of clients in lawsuits against BP following the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. A jury acquitted Watts last summer after a marathon five-week trial. Watts is now on a sort of crusade against federal prosecutors and even travels the country to deliver presentations to lawyers groups on

victim of what the feds have called Four Winds’ “Ponzi scheme” to fleece investors, prosecutors says she’s certainly the most vulnerable. As they stated in a court filing last month, “It’s hard to imagine a more mentally and emotionally vulnerable client.” At least three former Four Winds executives have already pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges for their roles in the Four Winds scandal, including the company’s former coowner and chief operating officer, its former e-commerce and marketing director and the company’s comptroller. Four ragedy brought Denise Cantu and Carlos Uresti Winds CEO Stan Bates, who was forced into personal together. On August 20, 2010, the rear tire of her Ford bankruptcy soon after the company folded, was indicted Explorer exploded while she was driving, sending the car alongside Uresti last month on conspiracy and numerous careening into a grassy median. The rollover killed her teenage other fraud charges. Local consultant Gary Cain (who daughter, 4-year-old son and two friends. in 2007 was tried and acquitted of charges he swindled Uresti worked with Mikal Watts’ law firm to represent Rackspace out of millions in a land deal when the company Cantu in the wrongful death lawsuit against Michelin moved to its Windcrest headquarters) also faces charges and Walmart that scored her a substantial settlement in in the Four Winds scandal. October 2012. In court filings, federal prosecutors say This month prosecutors tried to block Watts from Uresti forged a personal relationship with the Harlingen representing Uresti in the Four Winds case because his woman during the case, earning her trust and confidence, firm helped represent Cantu, who’s now a victim expected “which he later exploited.” to testify in the criminal case, in her wrongful-death lawsuit, Cantu’s lawyer has previously alleged in interviews stating in one court filing that Watts “may not represent with the Express-News that she and Uresti had an affair his former co-counsel against his former client.” In a sometime after her legal settlement, something Uresti response filing, Watts says that others at the firm handled has vehemently denied (Cantu testified in one 2015 the majority of her case. In an interview with the Current court hearing that she never “dated” Uresti; her Rio last week, he called prosecutors’ efforts to toss him from Grande Valley attorney Oscar Alvarez wouldn’t comment Uresti’s defense “completely without merit.” on the matter when we reached him by email last Watts also suspects the feds want him off the case week). By 2014, prosecutors say Uresti had convinced because of his own victory in federal court last year (Watts, Cantu to dump the bulk of her settlement money, some to the shock of many, represented himself at trial). $900,000, into the frac sand company Four Winds. As Watts told us, “I happen to be one of the few people Cantu would lose almost all of it by the time the company in America who no longer has reason to be intimidated by imploded in bankruptcy in 2015. While she’s not the only United States federal prosecutors.”

sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 15

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CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

FEATURE

ALEX ZIELINSKI

Uresti now faces multiple fraud, bribery and money laundering charges.

pass roughly half that money onto Galindo. Galindo’s plea agreement says the three men met in Fort Stockton in August 2006 to hammer out their arrangement. The next month, about a week after PNA was awarded the contract for medical services at Reeves, Farthing sent Uresti’s office a copy of their agreement for “marketing services,” including his first $10,000 payment, according to his indictment. That’s when Farthing’s company started helping with Uresti’s run for state senate. According to filings with the Texas Ethics Commission, Uresti reported three separate in-kind contributions from PNA during the final two months of the 2006 campaign that esus Manuel Galindo was sentenced to serve 30 won him the Texas Senate seat he’s held months at the Reeves County Detention Center onto for a decade — free flights on the company plane after border guards caught him swimming across worth some $5,000 in total. the Rio Grande to visit family in New Mexico. By January 2007, Uresti had formed his consulting firm, According to a lawsuit the ACLU of Texas later filed on Turning Point Strategies, which prosecutors claim became behalf of his family, Galindo told private prison guards at a funnel for bribe money flowing to Galindo. In court filings, the sprawling West Texas detention center of his history of the feds claim they’ve tracked transactions in which PNA epileptic seizures. After he complained he wasn’t getting sent Uresti a check, only to have the senator wire exactly the correct anti-seizure medication, Galindo somehow half the amount to Galindo’s account days later with the found himself in solitary confinement. He wrote his mother memo “Half of PNA check.” letters saying he’d already had seizures in isolation and was In an interview last week, Watts acknowledged that begging guards not to leave him alone in his cell. Galindo has in the past done work for Uresti’s consulting In December 2008, Galindo suffered a grand mal seizure firm, but wouldn’t elaborate on what that work was. at night, while alone in his cell. Inmates started setting Uresti’s political campaign reported paying Galindo nearly mattresses on fire when they saw guards carrying his lifeless $9,000 in 2010 as reimbursement for vague “event” body out of the unit. The death sparked an all-out riot, with expenditures and “contract labor.” The campaign also inmates taking prison staff hostage, setting fires across the reported paying nearly $12,000 worth of “campaign complex and causing more than $1 million in damage. services” and “political advertising” to a little known The Galindo family’s subsequent wrongful-death company called “Municipal Market Strategies,” which, lawsuit listed Physicians Network Associates (PNA) as a as the Texas Observer first reported, shares the same defendant, alleging the for-profit company under contract address as Galindo’s longtime Pecos home. for medical services at the detention center denied inmates Watts flatly denied that Uresti engaged in any illegal like Galindo even the most basic medical care. activity with Farthing or Galindo, calling it routine The second criminal case against Carlos Uresti unveiled consulting work that was “completely normal, legal by the feds last month alleges that two years before that and appropriate.” He pointed out that Galindo has also prison riot, he entered into a bribery scheme to ensure pleaded guilty to tax evasion. “There is no conspiracy here PNA and its “successor companies” got and kept that other than by Galindo, who’s seeking to avoid a lengthy contract. According to his indictment, Uresti became the prison sentence for failing to file tax returns for well over a vehicle for bribe money flowing from PNA president Vernon decade,” Watts said. (Galindo’s lawyer did not respond to C. Farthing III to former Reeves County Judge Jimmy our requests for comment.) Galindo (no relation to the dead Reeves County inmate), Farthing’s attorney, Cynthia Orr, denied the charges who last week pleaded guilty in federal court to rigging the against her client in a phone interview last month and contract “at pricing favorable to Farthing’s Company and said Farthing hasn’t been an owner in the company since unfavorable to Reeves County.” PNA merged with another one in 2010. She did, however, In exchange for Galindo’s help on the contract, the say that Farthing remains an employee of the company’s feds say Farthing, who also faces charges in the case, latest iteration, Correct Care Solutions, which declined agreed to hire Uresti, then a Texas House member running comment except to say that the company has “cooperated for state senate, as a “consultant” and pay him about in full with the DOJ’s investigation and has given this $10,000 per month. Prosecutors say Uresti would then matter its full attention.”

Meanwhile, civil rights attorneys who closely monitor for-profit prisons say they’re deeply troubled by the alleged bribery scheme. The feds claim Uresti and Galindo received payments from PNA and its “successor companies” until late last year. Carl Takei, a staff attorney with the ACLU’s National Prison Project, summed up his thoughts on the charges this way: “If the allegations in the indictment are correct, then people getting rich off this contract led directly to human suffering inside that prison.”

hree years after his wedding reception dance routine generated gushing headlines, another video featuring Carlos Uresti started to make the rounds in political circles. It was undercover footage, shot by arch-conservative activists who trolled lawmakers with video cameras during the 2015 legislative session, showing Uresti cuddling at a dimly-lit bar with what appears to be a much younger woman, who at one point leans in to kiss him on the cheek. A second clip shows a woman (not Uresti’s wife) coming out of a bathroom a couple minutes before Uresti walks out the same door (to dramatic effect, all put to the Carrie Underwood song “Before He Cheats”). It was salacious, gossipy stuff that reporters mostly ignored — that is, until Uresti’s 2016 primary challenger rolled it into a 30-second TV ad that ended with the line, “It’s time for a senator that stands up for women, instead of looking for the next good time.” Uresti won the primary with a staggering 75 percent of the vote. To Christian Archer, Uresti’s longtime senior strategist, it was proof voters don’t believe the mud political opponents have long tried to sling at his client. Archer also draws parallels between the criminal charges against Uresti and the case Watts defended himself against last year. Archer calls Watts his best friend, sat through every day of his five-week fraud trial in Gulfport, Mississippi last year, and is even making a documentary on the case. “The feds have this formula for going after a big name,” he told the Current, by splashing the allegations on newspaper front pages and spinning a narrative of greed and guilt before the defendant ever gets to court. “Their press machine is built to convict you, to break you down before you ever get your first day in court.” The general allegations against Uresti in the Four Winds case were largely known by the time voters went to the polls in November and re-elected Uresti with a healthy 15 point margin. As Archer sees it, “He’s been vetted by voters. They clearly believe in Carlos’ record more than the narrative that’s now coming out in court.”

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◀ While the First World War is often overlooked as an ideological WED conflict, one of many fronts of ideological combat during the Great War was Dadaism, a counterculture art movement with roots in Zürich. The origins of “Dada” are disputed; Tristan Tzara, one founder and leader of the movement, explains in the Dada Manifesto of 1918 that the word has meanings in other languages which vary from sacred cow tails to cubes, and it ultimately signifies nothing. In the same manifesto, Tzara recalls Nietzschean influences by WORDS declaring that “beauty is dead.” Right off the bat, Dada was characterized by internationalism, irreverence, juxtaposition of disparate concepts, a mockery of materialism and a consciously anti-aesthetic design, all in response to perceived bourgeois decadence during the Great War. Presented in conjunction with the City of San Antonio’s Arts and Culture Department’s exhibition “MetaDada: High Art for the Populace,” Wednesday’s “MetaDada” Poetry Reading will be emceed by Anthony “The Poet” Flores, a slam poet who’s so San Anto that the subjects of his poetry include tacos and Kawhi Leonard. Flores also enjoys allusions, often outright but sometimes hardly noticeable, to prominent writers as distant as William Blake and Chinua Achebe. The self-described “lyrical pyromanic” finds parallels in Dadaism, such as critiques of materialism, childlike distance from societal mores and habits, and not-so-subtle jabs at nationalism. Free, 7-9pm, Culture Commons, 115 Plaza de Armas, (210) 206-2787, getcreativesanantonio.com. — Isaiah Mitchell

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‘Puente*Bridge’

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◀ A creative response to “a time when borders seem more like barriers,” Cinnabar’s “Puente*Bridge” marks a collaboration with San Antonio-based artist Ernesto Ibañez and his Arte International, an agency designed to connect Latin American artists with U.S. galleries and corporate buyers. Aiming to “build a bridge between the art community in Texas and Mexico,” the group show brings together works by eight artists — including Ibañez, who’s best known for animal sculptures covered with remarkably soft-looking layers rendered with thousands of nails. Beyond strong ties to the city of Guadalajara, “Puente*Bridge” finds a bit of common ground in the medium of painting — although genres and approaches vary wildly, ranging from from stylized realism (Patricia Sanchez Saiffe) and playful pop (Roberto Morleghem) to conceptual portraiture (Carlos Torres) and collage-inspired mashups (Cinthia Nuez). Free, 6-9pm, Cinnabar Art Gallery, 1420 S. Alamo St., Suite 147, (210) 557-6073, cinnabarart.com. — Bryan Rindfuss

OCTOBER 4 ON SALE FRIDAY! 18

CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

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Gabriela Tijerina & Friends

◀ Having trained at revered New York City comedy venues like the Comedy Cellar and Upright Citizens Brigade, Gabriela Tijerina has recently been making waves in San Antonio’s comedy scene. A native of Laredo, Tijerina has shared the stage with major acts (including Jesse Joyce and Sam Morril) and this year took home the title of Best Standup Comic in our annual readers’ poll. Headlining her own show at Laugh Out Loud, Tijerina brings her sarcasm, self-loathing and Texas charm to local audiences with support from South Texas up-and-comers Mike Suarez, Aaron Long, Ryan Shields and Trace Holt. $10, 8pm, Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, 618 NW Loop 410, (210) 541-8805, lolsanantonio.com. — Kimberly Rivera

‘MetaDada’ Poetry Reading

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▲ Coming in at number two on “Motel 6’s Top Six Quirkiest Summer Festivals of 2017,” the beloved Luling Watermelon Thump is a unique summer festival that might just bring the seed-spitter out of you. Occurring every last weekend in June since 1954, the watermelon jubilee features a four-day carnival, watermelon parade, live music, car shows, food and vendor booths, a beer garden and an array of games. Crowd favorite watermelon-y events include seed-spitting and melon-growing contests, both of which offer hefty cash prizes to the top three winners. Those aiming to break the Guinness World Record for watermelon seed-spitting (and winning the $1,000 grand prize) should come prepared to spit a seed farther than 69 feet. The Watermelon Thump is Luling’s largest event, bringing a consistent 30,000 attendees to the quaint town of 5,000. This quirky small-town Texas festival is sure to bring out the watermelon-lover in anyone who attends. $5 grounds admission (free for kids 12 and under), 5:30pmmidnight Thu, 10am-midnight Fri-Sat, 10am-9pm Sun, Luling Watermelon Thump, 421 E. Davis St., (830) 875-3214, watermelonthump.com. — KR

SPECIAL EVENT

▶ Boy and the World (O Menino e o Mundo), the Academy Award-winning (Best Animated Feature, 2013) work of Brazilian writer/director Alê Abreu and company, is a visually stunning film that says a great deal by saying very little. Literally. The film has very little dialogue, and what dialogue it does have is delivered in backwards Portuguese. Nevertheless, Boy and the World, which screens Friday evening as part of the San Antonio Museum of Art and Slab Cinema’s Family Flicks outdoor film series, says a great deal, in a kid-friendly manner of course, about loss, loneliness, exploration, personal growth and transcendence. Besides all that, the film’s combination of drawing, painting, digital animation and even live action, is thoroughly delightful to watch. This is one of those flicks that does just as much, for kids and adults alike, to edify as to entertain. Free, 8pm, San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones Ave., (210) 9788100, samuseum.org. — James Courtney

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FILM ◀ Growing Up Trans, a Frontline PBS documentary, educates viewers on the process, difficulty and overall happiness of eight families’ experiences through the transitioning of the children, specifically. Rather than analyzing and addressing the way adults navigate their way through the transitioning process, the filmmakers go back farther into the formative years of a child’s mind to compile an enriching look at how others perceive trans, or gender non-conforming experiences. Not only do they reflect on the way the friends, classmates, and superiors assess their gender fluidity, they address the parents’ perspectives and feelings of “losing” the child they once knew. Screening in conjunction with the San Antonio Public Library’s Pride Month program, Growing Up Trans explores the complex ways society shapes our gender, particularly the social roles and scripts associated with our sex assigned at birth. Free, 1pm Fri, Memorial Library, 3222 Culebra Road; 2pm Sun, Pan American Library, 1122 W. Pyron Ave., guides.mysapl.org/pride. — Sarah Davis

COMING UP JUNE 24-25 (EMPIRE)

JUNIE B JONES JULY 29

AN EVENING OF SOPHISTICATED SOUNDS OF SOUL SEPTEMBER 16

LUIS FONSI OCTOBER 27

LEGEND OF ZELDA: SYMPHONY OF GODDESSES NOVEMBER 2

PJ MASKS LIVE!

JULY 15

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SEPTEMBER 3

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sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 19

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CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

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CALENDAR NIGHTLIFE

◀ Ah... Summer Camp. A delightful fusion of art and culture, finesse and melodrama, skill and passion. Not the Summer Camp you were recalling? Well, at the Mariachi Extravaganza Summer Camp, you’ll find these things and more in great measure. Featuring award-winning vocalists from San Antonio’s annual Mariachi Vargas

FRI

23 Mariachi Extravaganza Summer Camp

‘George Catlin’s North American Indian Portfolio’

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Since its formation in June of 1977 at the hands of organizers “active in the Chicano movement and eager to extend its message of pride and empowerment,” Centro Cultural Aztlan has cemented itself as a steadfast pioneer of the Alamo City’s artistic communities — celebrating established, emerging and student artists exploring myriad forms of expression. Possibly best known as an early instigator of Día de los Muertos traditions in San Anto, Aztlan recently retired its beloved Lowrider Festival but still has plenty to celebrate as it marches into its 40th year. In keeping with its dedication to local creatives of all walks, the always-inclusive organization’s SPECIAL EVENT

from McAllen, Victoria Rosa and Francisco García, from Roma, and Jizelle Rodríguez, from Kyle, as well as a number of youth from around the nation, who come to the Alamo City to study with the masters each summer. $15$30, 7pm, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 2238624, tobincenter.org. — JC

anniversary party doubles as a multi-genre spectacle uniting poets, performers, musicians, dancers and painters. Falling under the banner of “El Gran Día de Los Artistas,” the free, family-friendly event features 30-plus artists and artisans showing and selling work alongside demonstrations from San Antonio Potters Guild members, children’s crafting activities, poetry presentations from the likes of Eduardo Garza, Jacinto Cardona and Anthony “The Poet” Flores, and live music by Ruben V., Los Nahuatlatos, The Smoking Guns and I Ching Gatos. Free, 2-8pm, Centro Cultural Aztlan, 1800 Fredericksburg SUN Road, Suite 103, (210) 432-1896, centroaztlan.org. — BR

CENTRO CULTURAL AZTLAN

BRISCOE WESTERN ART MUSEUM

MUSIC

Extravaganza, paired with a full choir, this public concert promises to showcase the best of the best, nothing less that the bright future of Mariachi itself. Featured vocalists include Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza National Vocal Competition winners Kassandra Juárez, from Rio Grande City, Brooke Talk, from New Braunfels, Kamryn Ramírez and Christina López,

‘El Gran Día de Los Artistas’

The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center is a true San Antonio staple, hosting a variety of events advocating cultural diversity and the arts, and tackling social justice issues since 1987. The center’s strong, historically feminist background has paved the way for local artists and musicians like cherished local singer-songwriter Azul Barrientos, host of the Esperanza’s monthly Noche Azul Noche series. This intimate café-inspired presentation centers Azul: each event on a different theme and musical lineup to Cantinflas explore its cultural impact on the Afro/Latino/Indigenous communities. Performing traditional Mexican songs in the styles of boleros, rancheras, jazz, tango and more, Azul highlights the interconnections of these styles with the referenced theme. This month’s Noche Azul honors the life and comedy of Mario Moreno, commonly known as Cantinflas — one of the greatest Latin American comedians in history. Dubbed the “Charlie Chapman of Mexico,” Cantinflas was a pioneer in Mexican cinema and an international advocate for oppressed demographics. Azul will customize her wardrobe, musical styles and multimedia presentation to imitate the styles of the beloved comedian and spokesperson as well as reference his historical and cultural importance to all communities. $7, 4-6pm, Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, 922 San Pedro Ave., (210) 228-0201, esperanzacenter.org. — KR

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EZPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER

▲ While the rest of 19th-century Americans battled conflicting emotions of awe and fear toward the Native American populations whose lands they were stealing, George Catlin became the first American to depict the indigenous tribes. The author and painter lived among the Mandan, Sioux, Blackfeet, Crow and other tribes in the summer months between 1832 and 1837, painting and etching their likenesses onsite, applying oils to his works later in his home over the winter. To the hesitant American populations east of the Mississippi, Catlin’s works were a way to understand the “savage” community while maintaining their precipitous ideas of superiority. Catlin’s catalog of works included a projected 600 paintings, some of which were lost after Catlin suffered a financial crisis in 1952. This summer, the Briscoe unveils a rare exhibition of “George Catlin’s North American Indian Portfolio,” featuring 31 hand-painted color plates that illustrate the culture, dress and lifestyle of these Native tribes. This portfolio stands as one of only three sets of Catlin’s paintings still in existence. On view from June to September, the historic exhibition presents a reconnection to the early American frontier — an appreciation of the beauty of Native American culture, and a commemoration of their suffering and dwindling populations. $8-$10, 10am-5pm Fri-Sun, 10am-9pm Tue, Briscoe Western Art Museum, 210 W. Market St., (210) 299-4499, briscoemuseum.org. — KR

sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 21

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CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

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5/16/17 9:29 AM

PAUL STRAND

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Redes

Centro Cultural Aztlan presents:

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CeLeBrAtInG

TUE

27 ▲ It’s not often that a classic film is better remembered for its cinematography and score than its plot and acting, but such is the case with Redes — a 1936 anomaly that rallied the talents of iconic American photographer Paul Strand, Austrian-born director/future Oscar winner Fred Zinnemann and noted Mexican composer Carlos Chávez. Commissioned by the Mexican Government’s secretary of public education, the film began as a documentary but unexpectedly morphed into a scripted drama starring non-actors in semibiographical roles. Set in the coastal town of Alvarado, Veracruz, the film employs arresting imagery and a classical soundtrack to help build a socially conscious story about poor fishermen struggling to survive on exploitive wages. Following the death of his son, protagonist Miro leads his fellow fishermen in revolt — convincing them to not release their catch until they’re all offered fair wages. Considered by some to be a precursor to the Italian Neorealism movement, Redes (marketed in the U.S. as The Wave) screens in conjunction with Texas Public Radio’s Cinema Tuesdays film series. $10-$15, 7:30pm, Santikos Bijou, 4522 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 614-8977, tpr.org. — BR

ART Art opening: “Little Black Book” Mercury Project welcomes artist Rikkianne Van Kirk for a pop-up installation of handcrafted “books” filled with intimate notes, musings and drawings. Free, 6-9pm Thursday; Mercury Project, 538 Roosevelt Ave., (210) 478-9133.

“Little Texan, Big World” Encompassing

photography, shadow boxes and statement pieces created by students ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade, this collaboration between the Institute of Texan Cultures and the City of San Antonio’s Parks and Recreation Department focuses on how participants view themselves as Texans — and in relation to the rest of the world. $8-$10, 9am-5pm Wednesday-Saturday, noon5pm Sunday, 9am-5pm Monday-Tuesday; Institute of Texan Cultures, 801 E César Chávez Blvd., (210) 458-2300.

THEATER 9 Circles Coming to the stage courtesy of

the Classic Theater of San Antonio, Bill Cain’s 9 Circles spins inspiration from Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy into an adults-only morality play that compels audiences to listen to untold stories of war and witness its psychological effects on members of the U.S. military. $20, 8pm Thursday-Saturday, 3pm Sunday; Classic Theatre of San Antonio, 1924 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 589-8450.

Crimes of the Heart Bill Gundry directs the

Playhouse’s production of Beth Henley’s Southern Gothic classic Crimes of the Heart. In the small town of Hazlehurst, Mississippi, sisters Babe, Meg and Lenny reunite under dodgy circumstances: Babe has shot her husband in the stomach, and while he had it comin’, there’s a bit of fallout that needs to be dealt with. $12-$42, 8pm Friday-Saturday, 3pm Sunday; The Playhouse, 800 W. Ashby Pl., (210) 733-7258.

Retired: A Superhero Noir Serial The

Overtime stages writer/director Scott McDowell’s serialized play starring Stephan Morales as Kyle Hyde (AKA Iron Star), a troubled superhero who discovers retirement is not all it’s cracked up to be. $6, 8pm Friday-Saturday; The Overtime Theater, 5409 Bandera Road, (210) 557-7562.

The Sure Thing: Familiar Bexar Stage’s

own Dan Grimm directs a rotating cast of performers in an improvised journey determined by audience suggestions. $10 (BYOB), 8pm Saturday; Bexar Stage, 1203 Camden St., (312) 971-7252.

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screening of the 2007 computer-animated mockumentary following a 17-year-old northern rockhopper penguin (voiced by Shia LaBeouf) who leaves his home in Antarctica with dreams of winning the Big Z Memorial Surf Off in Pen Gu Island. Free, 8:30pm Tuesday; Travis Park, 301 E. Travis St., (210) 212-9373.

sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 23

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partners Luz Calvo and Catriona Rueda Esquibel visit the Esperanza to shed light on their cookbook that redefines “traditional” Mexican food by going back into history to reclaim ancestral foods as a source of protection from modern diseases of development. Free, 7-9pm Friday; Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, 922 San Pedro Ave., (210) 228-0201.

DocuPoems: Exploring the Past and Present Through Poetry Movement

Gallery hosts a workshop presenting poetry as a legitimate form of documentation and exploring what the poetic tradition reveals about poetry’s place in the world. Free, 6-8pm Thursday; Movement Gallery, 1412 E. Commerce St., (210) 299-2666.

Gillian Thomas A Senior Staff Attorney

with the American Civil Liberties Union Women’s Rights Project, Brooklyn-based Gillian Thomas visits The Twig in support of her new book Because of Sex: One Law, Ten Cases, and Fifty Years That Changed American Women’s Lives at Work. Free, 5-7pm Wednesday; The Twig Book Shop, 306 Pearl Pkwy, Suite 106, (210) 826-6411.

Naomi Shihab Nye Revered San Antonio

author and poet Naomi Shihab Nye reads from and discusses her varied works in conjunction with Patrick Heath Public Library’s “Build a Better World” Summer Learning Odyssey. Free, 6-7:30pm Thursday; Patrick Heath Public Library, 451 N. Main St., Boerne, (830) 249-3053.

COMEDY Don Barnhart A Vegas regular who

specializes in “recovery shows,” Don Barnhart combines stand-up, improv and hypnosis skills to tap into the power of the subconscious mind. $17, 8:30pm Wednesday-Thursday, 8pm & 10:15pm Friday-Saturday, 8pm Sunday; Improv San Antonio, 849 E. Commerce St., (210) 229-1420.

SPECIAL EVENTS Fetish: Pride Week Kickoff Drag Brunch Kristi Waters hosts Paramour’s

LGBT Pride celebration complete with breakfast tacos, pastries, cocktails, mimosas and fetish-themed drag performances by the likes of Nilaya Milan Matthews, Lucy Lips and Jorgeous Waters. Free, 11am-4pm Sunday; Paramour, 102 9th St., (210) 307-8740.

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RiverFest Bandera Business Association’s family-friendly RiverFest includes food, live music, kayak races, water games, a river rodeo, open car show, a Bandera Idol competition and the Great Hill Country “Anything That Floats” Regatta. $5-$10 (free for active military and kids 12 and under), 10am-6pm Saturday; City Park, 1102 Maple St., Bandera, (830) 796-4447.

Super Saturday: “A Gulf Full of Whales!” Inspired by the immersive

exhibition “Whales: Giants of the Deep,” the Witte’s Super Saturday program invites guests to dive into a wet and wondrous world to discover the vast number of whale species that call the Gulf of Mexico home. $9-$12, noon4pm Saturday; Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway, (210) 357-1900.

DANCE San Antonio Dances The San Antonio

Dance Umbrella presents a stylistically diverse showcase combining the talents of local dance artists, including educators, choreographers, and professional dance companies. $25, 7:30pm Saturday; St. Philip’s College, Watson Fine Arts Center, 1801 Martin Luther King Drive, (210) 212-6600.

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to Ignore) returns to the Alamo City for a five-show run at Laugh Out Loud. $25, 8pm Thursday, 7:30pm & 10:15pm FridaySaturday; Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, 618 NW Loop 410, (210) 541-8805.

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One Night Stand: Dunguns ’n Dargons

Austin-based “DungunMaster” Chadwick Smith hosts the world premiere of Bexar Stage’s multi-player improvised fantasy quest featuring magical creatures, harrowing battles and audience participation. $10, 10pm Saturday; Bexar Stage, 1203 Camden St., (312) 971-7252.

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CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

ARTS + CULTURE

ALEJANDRO AUGUSTINE PADILLA

EYE SALUTE

•

My Little Taco House (Night)

MARCO AQUINO

WONDERFULLY

WICKED ‘Daydreams and Other Monsters’ Finds Humor in Dark Places’

at the University of Texas at Austin. It was during this time that the artist had gallery representation in San Antonio and made many connections with local artists, including Hernandez. Now in his 80s, Saul resides in upstate New York, but his presence is still felt here as this exhibition demonstrates. Among Saul’s prints included in the show are Ethel Rosenberg in Electric Chair and Legal Abortion. Hernandez, an academically trained artist with a counterculture aesthetic, is also a heavy influence on the two younger artists included here, Chavez and Solis. A teen during the 1960s, Hernandez also draws influence from Beatles songs and psychedelic culture to create his vibrant large-scale murals and small sculptural pieces. In Octopus Garden, a large mural created onsite, Hernandez depicts a cartoonish yellow Octopus painting the

Clockwise from top left: John Hernandez, Eye Salute; Louie Chavez, Lone Lyfe; Megan Solis, Wake and EasyBake Oven; Peter Saul, SHICAGO JUSTUS (Chicago Justice)

gallery walls. As any Beatles fan might recognize, the artist is referencing the Fab Four’s 1969 song exploring fantasy and escapism. As Hernandez jokingly explains, his paintings often combine “something for the kids” and “something for the adults.” While Hernandez’s work is steeped in nostalgia, the work of Chavez is grounded in the present. Comprising paintings and sculptural works both large and small, Chavez’s work is filled with references to social media, consumerism and youth culture. In Seen, Chavez ruminates on the popular Facebook messenger app which informs users when sent messages have been “seen” yet not responded to. Chavez’s maze-like imagery seems a metaphor for the online world, which at once brings users together through information, yet isolates and confines through technology.

LUIS M. GARZA

> “Daydreams and Other Monsters,” the latest exhibition to come from UTSA’s Art and Art History Department, offers a pleasing introduction into the worlds of four artists whose work incorporates elements of the surreal and fantastical. Guest curated by Alana Coates, a 2012 graduate of the department’s Master of Arts program, the exhibition explores the influence of pop artist Peter Saul on a cross-generational group of San Antonio artists including John Hernandez, Louie Chavez and Megan Solis. Among the similarities that bridge these four artists together are references to popular culture, use of bold colors, and the inclusion of distorted or grotesquely shaped figures. Saul, whose influence has reached an international stage, lived in Texas between 1981 and 2000, while he was teaching

•

ANSEN SEALE

Free, artist talk noon Mon, Jul. 17; on view noon-3pm Mon-Fri through Aug. 4 (closed Jul. 3-4) UTSA Main Gallery, One UTSA Circle, (210) 4584391, art.utsa.edu

Solis, the youngest artist in the exhibition and a 2016 graduate from the department, is the most conceptual of the group. Her works gathered here, comprising paintings, soft sculpture and video installations, seem to draw not only from pop culture but personal trauma as well. In one performance piece (included in the show as a video), Solis is seen sitting in her car on the top floor of a downtown parking garage. With her hair disheveled and face covered by a red mask, Solis whispers sweet nothings into the ear of a mannequin she holds in her arms. The scene is both comical and disturbing, presenting a sort of nonsensical storyline that fits well among the rest of the included works. In the end, it’s this self-deprecating sense of humor, found within the work of each artist, that seems to hold the exhibition together. sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 27

CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

LACEY TERRELL // ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS

SCREENS

PARTY CRASHER

Beatriz is an earnest but frustrating movie-going experience DAN R. GODDARD

≥

Ever sense that a movie has a lot to say, but never figures out how to say it? That’s Beatriz At Dinner, a topical social class commentary that never finds its message. This would be less sad if it wasn’t trying so hard to be meaningful. Beatriz (Salma Hayek) is a Mexican immigrant who has a goat and dogs in her modest Los Angeles home. She works as a massage therapist at a cancer center, and says she can feel her patients’ pain. For the viewer she’s supposed to be “everyone,” a hard worker just trying to make her way in the world. After a traffic-filled drive to Newport Beach to massage wealthy friend Cathy (Connie Britton), Beatriz’s car breaks down. Cathy has a small dinner party that night, and to the chagrin of her husband Grant (David Warshofsky), invites Beatriz to join them. Invitees include ambitious young couple Alex (Jay Duplass) and Shannon (Chloe Sevigny), and wealthy real estate developer Doug Strutt (John Lithgow) and his wife Jeana (Amy Landecker). It’s Doug who gets the most attention. “I have opinions, and because I have money, people listen,” he says,

truthfully. He’s brash, sometimes rude, says whatever he wants and doesn’t think twice about cutting someone off. He gets away with this because he’s rich and no one dares to correct him. He makes no apologies for the life he’s led, the people or animals he’s disregarded to build his properties, or the big-game hunting he enjoys. You might presume he’s based on Donald Trump, but that would only be partially true; screenwriter Mike White wrote the script in the summer of 2015, when Trump came onto the national stage discussing Mexican immigrants, but also in the news was a dentist killing a lion in Africa, etc. If you’re expecting the spiritual Beatriz to go head-tohead with the bullish Doug, they do, but only to an extent. Director Miguel Arteta and White have the annoying habit of stopping short every time the conversation gets interesting, ostensibly for the reason of rudeness. After all, how dare the barely middle class Beatriz challenge affluent Doug about anything? The problem is, merely exposing this unequal social custom isn’t enough. A respectful conversation between the two would’ve been more fascinating, but neither Doug nor Beatriz is capable

of listening and being respectful. As opposed to the similarly themed The Dinner Game (1998) and its lesser American remake Dinner For Schmucks (2010), which were comedies, Beatriz At Dinner is a straight drama. This is important because it means it does not use humor to expose social folly, as the aforementioned movies did, and as a result we’re forced to take everything Beatriz does seriously. So when pieces of Beatriz don’t add up, and/or Beatriz’s actions are questionable, it loses the audience at a time when we need to root for her. White’s script tries to get us to view Beatriz as a saintly figure who does nothing wrong early on, so we’re supposed to agree with her actions no matter what. Blindly agreeing, however, would contradict what appears to be one of the film’s points, which is that virtue and thinking for yourself are important when confronted with herd mentality. Having to extrapolate the deeper meaning of a film that has every opportunity to explicitly state the meaning yields a frustrating viewing experience. Beatriz At Dinner will get you thinking, but doesn’t offer enough to have a real impact.

sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 29

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FOOD

JESSICA ELIZARRARAS | @JESSELIZARRARAS

MING’S THING IS NOODLES

SARAH FLOOD-BAUMANN

•

Spicy coconut noodles

Inside boxcar, Ming’s Noodle Bar Adds Life to Yard

≥

When Ming’s Noodle Bar opened in midDecember, the small shop was taking a gamble on whether diners would latch on to this market staple. The Yard on McCullough has seen plenty of businesses come and go, and the longstanding Thirsty Camel doesn’t really scream foodie haven. But six months later, as we sat slurping spicy coconut noodles in 97-degree temperatures, it’s evident Ming’s Noodle Bar has cemented owner Ming Qian’s grasp on our city. Qian first opened her booth at the Quarry Farmers and Ranchers Market in 2012 with now-signature Sloopy pulled pork steamed buns and a line of bottled sauces. She and husband Hinnerk von Bargen, an instructor at the Culinary Institute of America-San Antonio, eventually tackled catering and opened Ming’s Thing’s commercial kitchen a few boxcars over at The Yard then began offering a small lunch menu of, you guessed it, noodles for a portion of the week. Weekends were left for service at the Pearl Farmers Market. When Qian and co. finally launched Ming’s Noodle Bar in December, some of the menu items were already familiar (the bao, or fluffy steamed buns, were making the

jump from boxcar to neighboring box car), but San Antonio was ready for something more. The space seats 20 or so diners, but you’ll usually find folks sitting outdoors if the weather allows it (read: as long as there’s no rain, chances are you’ll want to sit outside). The tight squeeze might be too much for Texans to handle, unfortunately. Beware: Summer in Texas means flies, and they are also fans of Ming’s. Written on the chalkboard walls is Ming’s Noodle Bar’s expanded menu. Some of the early menu items are long gone (the Song Hua egg or century egg with ginger and Ming’s Thing soy sauce is the most unfortunate loss), but you’ll find dry noodles, soups and the buns. Most of the soups are vegetarian with proteins available as add-ons (get the pork belly, house-made sausages and Sloopy, obviously). It’s hard to pass on the Ma La noodles, with sweet potato noodles and a Sichuan-style broth that grows spicier as you slurp. The kitchen achieves the layered broth with a house-made paste. Though Qian and von Bargen hold the recipe close, they shared that the paste includes chiles similar to arbol, Sichuan peppers, star anise, coriander, chile bean paste and whole, skin-on

peanuts that are slow-roasted before going into the mix. The end result is fragrant, and finding the elusive peanuts adds texture to the bowl that also features blanche broccoli, cilantro, scallions, shredded carrots, and meaty wood ear mushrooms. The spicy coconut, equally fragrant and just as sinusclearing, features Thai chilies with a similar combination of veggies. The bowls are as bountiful as the flavors. The Lucky Dragon with chilled mung bean noodles and market vegetables (we spied thinly sliced yellow squash in a recent bowl) and house ginger dressing are a welcome oasis if you’re hoping to cool off while slurping your dinner. And the Spicy Sichuan noodle bowl with chilled egg noodles, a sesame dressing and chili oil, adds plenty of spice without the added heat from the broth. Bring a tissue. Though Qian and her staff have always wowed without a large kitchen, the slightly roomier digs are allowing the team to tackle more regions and flavors. The growing list of buns is a telltale sign and the creativity and freshness displayed on the German slaw and Mung Bean noodle bun (which play to Qian and von Bargen’s heritage) will keep us coming back for more.

Ming’s Noodle Bar 5249 McCullough Ave., (210) 570-6318, mingsnoodlebar.com Hours: 11am-3pm and 5:30-9pm Tue-Sat Cost: $3-$8.50 The Skinny: Farmers market staple expands its menu with addictive noodles, steamed buns inside former boxcar. Best Bets: Ma La noodles, all the buns, spicy coconut noodles

sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 31

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FOOD

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JESSICA ELIZARRARAS | @JESSELIZARRARAS

•

The dragon burger

FOOD COURT A burger-off, brunch at Bexar Pub and a Tejano Terroir collaborative dinner at The Granary Blended Burger Project in SA

> Three local chefs are vying for a chance to cook at the James Beard House in New York City. The task: submitted a burger made using 25 percent fresh and chopped cultivated mushrooms in the patty and urging followers to vote said burger into the top 5. The James Beard Foundation and the Mushroom Council teams up for The Blended Burger Project annually, to help encourage sustainability and nutrition with the addition of mushrooms into burger patties. This year, three San Antonio chefs have thrown their names and burgers into the ring. Chef Tatu Herrera, of Tatu’s Food Debauchery currently sits at No. 6 with his Dragon Burger (pictured above), a beef and mushroom patty with chicharron aioli, pickled mushrooms on a psychedelic pretzel bun. You can get a taste for the burger during Tatu’s pop-up with local favorite known for its love of everything colorful on Sunday, June 25. Honeysuckle will pair its unicorn milkshakes with the Dragon Burger during two seatings, at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., at Amaya’s Cocina (1502 E. Commerce St.) Tickets for the seatings are $22 per person and available through eventbrite.com. Edward Garcia III of Box Street Social is showcasing his burger with weekly Wednesday lunches at Estate Coffee Co. (1320 E. Houston St.) through July 26. The entry, a blend of house ground brisket, angus chuck and baby bella mushrooms is served on a toasted sesame seed bun spread with a house-made roasted garlic mayo, and topped with melted cheddar cheese, spring greens and a smokey bacon jam. The truck will serve the burgers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the East Side coffee shop. Finally, chef Jeff White of Boiler House threw his hat in the ring with an on-brand burger that features everything but the kitchen sink. Try it at Boiler House (312 Pearl Pkwy.) and feast on the “Operation Swine Grind”

Smoked butter burger with a house-ground mixture of pork shoulder, pork belly, smoked butter and shiitake and cremini mushrooms, topped off with a mushroom steak sauce, Taleggio cheese, house pickles, marinated onion escabeche, chicken fat mayo and a sunny side egg. Voting will continue through July 31 and can be done daily.

Brunch on the East Side

> There are never enough brunch items or places to enjoy a casual brunch with your closest, most hungover pals. Luckily for the hundreds of brunch lovers in SA, Bexar Pub is firing up their waffle irons. Starting June 24 at noon, the Eastside bar will serve a small menu of brunch items along with their full food menu on weekends. Expect to find a biscuit sandwich with cheese, fried egg and choice of pork belly ($8) or Spam ($7) with fries; barbacoa tacos with Big Red (this is San Antonio after all) onion, cilantro at two for $9; poached eggs with barbacoa, Hollandaise, a biscuit, green onions and fries for $10; chicken and waffles for $11; and sausage kolaches (two per order) with a fried egg for $10. The bar will also serve mimosas, micheladas and porrons. 114 Brooklyn Ave., (210) 236-7828.

Tejano Terroir

> Mixtli chef’s Rico Torres and Diego Galicia are teaming up with The Granary’s Tim Rattray to serve up an eightcourse tasting menu set for July 10 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. For one night only, guests can try dishes that mesh the renowned regional Mexican cooking of Mixtli and the seasonally driven barbecue of The Granary. The menu is said to celebrate the flavors and terroir of Tejas. Both restaurants have soaked in the spotlight as of late. The Granary, which opened in late 2012, once again secured a spot in Texas Monthly’s Top 50 Barbecue Joints in

Texas list this summer. Meanwhile, Diego Galicia and Rico Torres opened Mixtli (Nahuatl for cloud) in mid2013 inside a boxcar at The Yard on McCullough. The chefs garnered national attention this year with a coveted spot on Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs list for their imaginative progressive menus that change every 45 days. All three chefs are known for their methodical plating and beautiful flavors so a dinner of this caliber probably won’t come around that often. Tickets are priced at $125 per person. Reservations are required and seating is limited. 602 Ave. A, (210) 228-0124. —SJ

Gwendolyn takes on Spain

> Restaurant Gwendolyn revealed the newest items on their monthly rotating lunch menu — tapas. For those who love petite and delicious bites, stop by the restaurant this month during lunch hours (11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday) to enjoy the new menu. Gwendolyn is known for their chef-owner Michael Sohocki’s pre-industrial cooking methods, which means they prepare everything completely by hand and use only locally-sourced ingredients. They are continuing in this legacy by serving up specialty, European-inspired tapas like tortilla Espanola (Spanish omelet), gambas al ajillo (shrimp with garlic), gazpacho, and more. Choose two of the tapas for $9 or three for $11. Tapas are served with iced tea but also go well with a Lone Star or Mexican Coke ($2). For dessert, indulge in a panna cotta de naranja ($5). 152 E. Pecan St., Suite 100, (210) 222-1849. —SJ

Send food and nightlife news to flavor@sacurrent.com.

sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 33

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>> >

NIGHTLIFE

JESSICA ELIZARRARAS

POP POP

Frosé in SA

How to booze up your ice pops

SARAH FLOOD-BAUMANN

JESSICA ELIZARRARAS | @JESSELIZARRARAS

As I write my annual “How to sneak booze into a childhood treat” piece, the heat index is climbing to a blazing 100. But after discovering a frosé slush pop deep in the heart of Pinterest, I needed to give the plastic sleeves used for said treats a try. Found at Bed Bath & Beyond (the coupons never expire!), the Zipzicle brand of ice pop molds will set you back $4 for a pack of 18 and essentially resemble tall, slender Ziplock bags. The pop creations can be as simple as you’d like (honestly a rum and Coke one seems glaringly obvious), but if you’re feeling creative, a 30-minute kitchen session will go a long way. SPIKED HORCHATA

PALOMA POP

FROSÉSICLE

Makes 5 ice pops

Makes 4-5 ice pops

1 1/2 ounces horchata liqueur 1 1/2 ounces spiced rum 16 ounces coconut milk or almond coconut milk blend Cinnamon, optional

1 ½ ounce blanco tequila 1 grapefruit Jarritos soda Juice of half a grapefruit Salt, optional

6 ounces rosé of choice (we tried Trader Joe’s canned version) 1 strawberry Jarritos soda Juice of half a lemon

Directions: In a sauce pan, In a sauce pan, slowly bring soda to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes to thicken. Cool. In a separate container, combine tequila, syrup, grapefruit and salt, if using. Use funnel to pour into molds. Freeze overnight for best result. Note: The salt will turn your pop into more of a slush, but can you imagine a Paloma without a salted rim? Me either.

Directions: In a sauce pan, slowly bring soda to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes to thicken (you’re essentially making a simple syrup). Cool. In a separate container, combine rosé, strawberry syrup and lemon juice and stir. Use funnel to pour into molds. Freeze overnight for best result.

Combine spirits, milk and cinnamon, if using, and use funnel to pour into molds. Freeze overnight for best result Directions:

> Listen, San Antonio isn’t always ahead of the curve, but we like it that way. “I don’t really like doing things just because they’re popular,” says Omar Cormier, general manager of The Brooklynite. “I come from a serious cocktail-making background, but I’m a bit of a jokester — I want to make crappy old drinks taste good.” So a year after frosé became the “it” drink in both coasts, The Brooklynite is finally serving up their own version. At $8 a pop, the frosé is made with brut rosé, lemon juice, and a strawberry chamomile syrup. The result is sweet without being cloying, easy-drinking and will be your drink of choice this season. If Cormier is feeling generous, your garnish will be far from basic. The frosé will be part of the bar’s summer menu. 516 Brooklyn Ave., (210) 444-0707.

Adult Slushies at Ranger Creek

> Sure, growing up means dealing with bills, student loans, but it also means you can indulge in a boozy refreshment from time-to-time to help ease the pain of said adult woes. That said, Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling is hosting an adult slushie night on June 21 from 5 to 9 p.m., that you’ll want to pencil in your calendar. Slushies will be available in two flavors: summer lemonade will be made using the brewstillery’s .36 White Dog, and a Mai Tai will feature the .36 White and .36 Straight Bourbon. Adult paletas and Flavor Ices will also be featured with flavors such as watermelon, cherry lime, orange creamcicle, and pineapple. 4834 Whirlwind Drive, (210) 775-2099.

sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017• CURRENT 35

COURTESY OF EVERCLEAR

WAYNE HOLTZ

MUSIC

Snack Ball

Friday, June 23, $5-$10, 9pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com.

SNACK TIME

House Of Kenzo is throwing a ball – and wants you to come as a treat CHRIS CONDE

> Long before contemporary white pop stars began using 1980s QPOC culture to further their careers, there existed houses and balls where fierce drag queens would vogue against the confines of a patriarchal society. In the documentary Paris is Burning , Jennie Livingston chronicles midto-late 1980s ball culture in New York City (and the black, latino, gay and transgender communities involved in it), which, for many was a first-look at the art rising out of those neighborhoods. And even though the AIDS crisis claimed many of the influential queens of that era, the spirit of that community lives on through the next generation harnessing the dance and performance art of vogue, drag and gender-fluid couture. Enter the House of Kenzo. If you’ve at all paid attention to the queer community in San Antonio for the last few years, you’ve probably heard of Roxy, Gemel, Bobby, and Tone and their punk, performance art dance collective. From backing up artists like rapper Dai Burger to landing official showcases at South By Southwest for two consecutive years, House of Kenzo’s enigmatic and highly-charged live performances have made them a unique fixture in the local and regional music scenes. Combining vogue and contemporary dance with live DJing and chanting, the group moves with a controlled intensity. To HOK, each performance is not just a dance party, but

CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

also a conceptual piece of artwork. “The music is the motivation,” HOK member Roxy Eguia told the Current. “But being recognized in the performance art arena is so satisfying to all of us because… our shows [are] an installation.” On top of their steady schedule of club performances around Texas, the group will tour the west coast in support of their debut EP Bonfires of Urbanity, which will be out this summer on the experimental electronic label Halcyon Veil. Before heading out west, House of Kenzo will throw their second ball at Paper Tiger on Friday, June 23, featuring DJ sets and performances by Der Kindestod and B. Ames, as well as a competition for best dressed...snack. The group plans to hold various level of “snack” competitions, with the “sexxxiest snack” winning a $100 cash prize. Per HOK’s Facebook page: “In order to participate, performers must wear a snack inspired outfit. That means look like a snack, feel like a snack, become any snack. Points will be awarded to creativity and realness.” If you have the opportunity to experience a House of Kenzo show, it’s easy to see that there’s a pure, child-like energy to their performances: a combination of raw, creative vibrations that carries the spirit of 1980s QPOC culture in a way that feels familiar yet is unique, unabashed and appropriately bleeding edge.

JAMES COURTNEY

NOSTALGIA ACT

20 years later, Everclear’s So Much for the Afterglow still shines > So Much for the Afterglow thinking, that this success is more than ( SMFTA ), Everclear's 1997 follow up nostalgia and has a lot to do with the to its surprisingly successful debut enduring nature of 1990s rock. Sparkle and Fade, really is among the "It is an overwhelming testament defining albums of the 1990s. to the album and what it means to Part of that awkward, postpeople," he remarked of the tour's grunge, TRL phase of rock music, reception, "but I also think there is SMFTA was disarmingly direct and just something in the air about 1990s impossibly romantic all at once, music, people really want to rock... It's painting a dingy portrait, in glossy not just nostalgia." definition with frayed edges, of an Though the band has six other outsider's daydreams and releases since, Alexakis nightmares. It sure beats doesn't necessarily Everclear 'So Much the hell out of nu-metal. mind that SMFTA has for the Afterglow' 20th basically defined Though propped up Anniversary Tour feat Everclear's sound by the well known hits Vertical Horizon, Fastball $21.00-$225.00, 7:00pm, Fri, and legacy for most (straight-up classics June 23, River Road Ice House, people. now) like "Father of 1791 Hueco Springs Loop Rd, However, because Mine," "Everything to New Braunfels, (830) 626-1335, riverroadicehouse.com. the album is largely Everyone" and "I Will autobiographical Buy You A New Life," (even if sometimes in a and boasting some quality veiled way), Alexakis says deep cuts like the title track performing the album over and over and "Why I Don't Believe in God," does take an emotional toll. "For a lot the album is most striking taken as a whole. It is melodic, jangly, occasionally of these songs," he said, "I have to access this hurt child inside of me, grungy, oddly and subtly rockabilly (in and that's really draining, but also only the best of ways), and lyrically poignant yet easily-accessible. It is somehow therapeutic." alternative pop-rock par excellence. He believes that the album's The album deals openly with such confessional and vulnerable lyrical serious topics as domestic abuse, tone is probably why it's still listened to poverty, addiction, divorce, isolation, and revered by many. "Every family has anxiety, consumerism, and more, all its dysfunction," he chuckled. the while coating everything in an Near the end of our chat, a jovial almost eerie So Cal sheen. Alexakis told me that the post-show With the album turning twenty this meet-and-greets on this tour have year, the band, led as always by singer, been "like rounds of speed therapy" songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist for all concerned. That, whether you Art Alexakis, is on the road, playing the grew up listening to SMFTA or are album in full at a big run of anniversary relatively new to its abundant charms, shows. Since this tour will bring is about as good a reason to keep Everclear, as well as fellow 1990s listening as you're likely to find. nostalgia acts Fastball and Vertical So, here's to some good old Horizon, to our back yard, I caught up nostalgia and rock n' roll therapy with Alexakis over the phone to discuss down by the river. Here's to another the album and its legacy. twenty years of preferring our So far, according to Alexakis, the tour problems when they are someone has been well received. He believes, else's, ideally held at bay by a thin probably contrary to what you're veneer of Hollywood shine.

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sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 37

CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

MUSIC

BUBBLE PUPPY

LORI MICHAELS

MUSIC PICKS

ELLIE PERISH

LLORONAS

If you think Bubble Puppy’s only good song was their hit “Hot Smoke And Sassafras”, I urge you to dust off that album (or jump online) and re-listen to the record in its entirety. It’s a solid piece of rock and roll that deserves another whirl. After opening for The Who in 1967, the then San Antonio-based band moved to Austin and signed a recording contract with Houston’s International Artists, a label shared by psych-rock familia The 13th Floor Elevators and Red Krayola. After parting ways with the label, the band changed their name to Demian and headed out to Los Angeles to record a new self-titled album. When that wasn’t as successful as their effort, the band to split up. However, almost four decades later, the psychedelic rock and rollers resurfaced in 2011, with a few new members, to play the Austin Chronicle Music Awards and have been active ever since. If you can’t catch them this week, the band’s also slated to headline K23’s psych rock fest, Psych Del Rio in September. With The Damn Torpedoes, $18-$60, 7pm, Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., 210-223-2830 — Chris Conde FRI

FRI

For our money, Lloronas, set to play Bang Bang Bar this weekend, are one of the most promising new-ish bands in town at the moment. While the foursome’s driving, angular, and often danceable brand of punk rock is certainly nothing novel in this town, the songs themselves are unique and noteworthy, showcasing the young outfit’s knack for hooks, for emotion that seems to lunge forward toward impossible crescendos, and for savvy lyrics, charged with political and social commentary. One listen to Lloronas’ feminist anthem “American Puta” (that title tho!) will have you convinced that you need this band to shake up the pathetic simulation of safety that pervades your would-be progressive existence. Also: it rocks. You can dig this track and some of Lloronas other recorded output at lloronas.bandcamp.com. Vegan Street Tacos and Macho Peach will also perform. Free, 9:00pm, The Bang Bang Bar, 119 El Mio Dr, (210) 320-1187. — James Courtney

Dallas-based outfit True Widow, despite the name, which sounds like a badass all-female death metal crew, is a slowcore rock three piece that deftly teeters upon the line betweeen the assault of hard rock and the refuge of post-rock. Whether you refer to the band’s music as shoegaze, easy going doom, stoner rock, alternative or psych rock, you’re not wrong. The truth of the matter is that True Widow isn’t too interested in fitting into a genre or settling into an easy to pidgeonhole sound. Fresh off touring Europe with its most recent release AVVOLGERE, which is hallmarked by an almost bewildering sense of artfulness as well as swelling and sweating riffage, the band will play Paper Tiger this weekend. If you like your hard rock with heavy doses of finesse: True Widow is your bag, even if you don’t know it yet. $12.00, 8:00pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N St Mary’s St, papertigersatx.com. — JC SAT

STEPHANIE HAGEMAN

TRUE WIDOW

IRON MAIDEN Formed on Christmas Day in 1975, British metal band Iron Maiden have put out a colossal 38 albums since the release of their 1980 eponymous debut record. Equipped with high-pitched wailing and screeching guitar solos, Maiden continued to set the bar with each release throughout the ‘80s and today have become one of the most revered metal acts ever. On tour in support of their latest album The Book Of Souls, the band continues to rock sold out arena concerts night after night. And for a band who’s members are mostly in their 60’s, that’s no easy task. $39.50-$89.50, 7:30pm, AT&T Center, 1 AT&T Center Pkwy, attcenter.com – CC SAT

COURTESY OF IRON MAIDEN

sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 39

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CURRENT • June 21-27, 2017 • sacurrent.com

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JAIME MONZON

MUSIC

LONELY HORSE If it seems that we have spilled a great deal of ink on local desert-rock dynamo Lonely Horse, that’s because we have. And, with damn good reason. The former duo, now turned trio, is led by Nick Long with his singular energy, his heart on his sleeve, and his preternatural gift for bluesinfluenced guitar demolition. Long’s stage presence is absolutely, jarringly engaging. But, importantly, his ability to turn his sonic ideas and musical gifts into excellent songs that become excellent recordings is uncanny and uncommon, to say the least. Lonely Horse will be joined on this big time rock and roll bill by local trio Verisimilitude, a young instrumental band that makes heavy and multi-layered psychedelic garage rock. If you are among the uninitiated with either of these two fine acts, we recommend you educate yourself at lonely-horse.bandcamp.com and v-tude.bandcamp.com respectively. Free, 10:00pm, Lowcountry, 318 Martinez St, (210) 560-2224, lowcountrysa.com. — JC SAT

GE D

NT AE

When was the last time you purified yourself by tuning into the beneficent powers of naad? No? Let me explain: naad is, in a few different spiritual traditions, the sound of the cosmos, which possesses centering and restorative qualities. Sound intriguing? Well, this Sunday you can join certified Hatha and Kundalini Yoga instructor and Reiki Master Lisa Tauferner for a special experience in quest of naad. The Gong Meditation and Sound Healing Workshop will offer a chance to “engage with naad through our voices in easy kriyas (posture movement sequences with breathwork) and meditations to prepare the body for the sound healing current of the gong.” As the summer solstice approaches, perhaps it really is time to get right with naad. $35.00, 3:00pm, 5 Points Local, 1017 N Flores St, (210) 267-2652, 5pointslocal.com. — JC

HOT FLASH HEAT WAVE

RYAN MOLNAR

TEX-POP SONG SWAP

SUN

It’s rare to hear a newish indie band say they’re based in San Francisco anymore. Much like what’s happened to Austin in the last 10 years, the tech boom of that last two decades pushed out many artists and others who couldn’t afford the skyrocketing cost to live in the city by the bay. But that hasn’t stopped the dudes in Hot Flash Heat Wave from hunkering down and continuing to write their psych-ish doo-wop-like indie rock. Since 2015, Adam, Ted, Nathaniel and Nick have been pumping out shimmering waves of rainbow colored dream pop perfect for a summer day at South Padre Island. With Inner Wave, $10, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com – CC MON

In the vein of Depeche BLACK Bauhaus and 27 Mode, ‘80s darkwave, Black MARBLE Marble is another project riding

lands somewhere between the echoey drum hits of Com Truise and guitar riffing of The Cure. A staple of the current New this latest surge of synth-driven York darkwave scene (until sad electronic music. The his recent move to California) vocals sound a little bit like SA- Chris Stewart started his born Neon Indian and the music project in 2012 and though TUE

he’s only released two records since then (the latest, 2016’s It’s Immaterial ), Black Marble remains at the helm of the newly revived dark electronica scene. With DRAA, Body Of Light, 8pm, $12, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St. – CC

sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 41

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CULTURE

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MUSIC CALENDAR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21 2 In The Chest: The Awareness Tour 2017 “The world’s only rustic outlaw Southern hard rock band” from Arizona who tours the U.S. to raise money to build selfsustainable communities for homeless veterans. $5-$8. Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music, 7pm Bru’s Tunes Live acoustic music. Free. La Hacienda De Los Barrios, 6-9pm The Longest Day Memories Benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association. Free. Sam Ash Music, 10am-9pm Matt the Electrician Austin folk act performing in support of his latest album recorded with The Deer. $10-$30. Sam’s Burger Joint, 8:30pm Miller Lite Conciertos Originales Ongoing, free Latin music concert seriesFeaturing Mexican group Calibre 50. Free. Aztec Theatre, 7-10pm The Texases Classic country covers. Free. Paper Tiger, 8pm THURSDAY, JUNE 22 210 Blues Band R&B by 210 Blues Band every Thursday & Sunday. Free. SoHo Wine & Martini Bar, 10pm 40% Dolomite Local pop/punk alternative act joined by The Weekend Classic and more. $8. Ventura, 6pm Americana Live! Showcase Featuring Zack Walther Band, Tom Gillam & The Kosmic Messengers, and Poor J Brown. $5. Sam’s Burger Joint, 6pm The Blind Owls Rock act from Corpus Christi, joined by Verisimilitude. $5. Imagine Books and Records, 8pm-midnight Claudine Meinhardt Local singer/ songwriter. Free. The Cove, 8:30-10:30pm Jay Wimberley Rock and soul music every Thursday night. Free. The Phoenix Saloon, 9pm King William Jazz Collective Jazz music at Luna. $5. Luna, 9:30pm Warren Hood Band Americana act at Gruene. Free. Gruene Hall, 7-11pm FRIDAY, JUNE 23 Almost Patsy Cline Band Patsy Cline cover band. Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 8-11pm Bad Brad and the Fat Cats Soul and blues

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Elijah Zane Blues/rock act from Victoria, TX. Free. The Cove, 9-11pm Even in Death Metal act joined by Pigweed and Covina. $5. The Amp Room, 9pm Iron Maiden Fan Club Meetup Iron Maiden tribute bands Seventh Son and Armed & Dangerous. Bond’s 007 Rock Bar, 8pm

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Larry Joe Taylor Texas country artist at Gruene Hall. $10. Gruene Hall, 8pm The Lavens Family band playing both original material and covers. Free. The Cove, 6:30-8:30pm Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters Four piece Americana country/rock act from Louisville, KY. Free. The Pigpen, 9-11:45pm Ruiners, Roshii, Cherry Cola Club Touring act from Houston joined by local acts Roshii and The Cherry Cola Club. $5. Imagine Books and Records, 8-11:45pm Under The Streetlamp A concert celebration of classic hits of the American Radio Songbook from the 1950s-1970s. $35-$65. Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 8-10:30pm Ventura 1 Year Anniversary Performances by local acts Femina-X, Lonely Horse, Verisimilitude and Orsinger. $5. Ventura, 6-11pm West Kings Highway Friday night residency at Sancho’s. Free. Sancho’s Cantina, 7-9pm

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SATURDAY, JUNE 24 The 2nd Annual Mel Waiters Legacy Music Festival Performances by Tucka, Cupid, Pokey, Walter Waiters, and more. $35-$40. Vibes Event Center, 7pm Ace B Hip hop artist joined by Havin’Thangz Havin’Thangz, Robbie Raps, Mchl Mnts & Ndo and Miss Shai. $20-$25. The Korova, 9pm Book of Souls: A Tribute to Iron Maiden After Show Party Book of Souls (Iron Maiden tribute act) is joined by Bloodline (a tribute to Slayer) and Konvxtion. $5-$7. Alamo City Music Hall & Club, 8pm

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MUSIC

Casey Donahew Band Texas country act joined by Kyle Park and Troy Cartwright. $17.50-$400.00. John T Floore’s Country Store, 8:30pm Chicanos of Soul Firme Oldies Dance San Antonio Chicano Soul oldies, doo wop and soul 45s. $3. The Brooklynite, 8pm Curtis Grimes Country act from the first season of The Voice plays in support of his latest EP release, ‘Bottom of the Fifth.’ $12. Gruene Hall, 9pm Darius Jackson and The Mighty Texas Blues Band Austin based blues act joined by Jonathan Matthews Band. Free. The Phoenix Saloon, 9pm The Delzells Garage punk band from Dallas joined by Destroy Orbison and Peach Pits. Free. The Bang Bang Bar, 9pm The Iron Maiden After Show Special Featuring So What (local Metallica tribute band) and Headhunter U.S.A. (Krokus tribute band). $5 with Iron Maiden Ticket Stub $5-$10. Bond’s 007 Rock Bar, 9pm Mr. Pidge, Chris Conde Night of R&B, hip hop and soul with Mr. Pidge, Chris Conde, The Foreign Arm and Amea $5. Imagine Books and Records, 8-11:45pm Nakia & The Blues Grifters Blues music at Luna. $10. Luna, 9:30pm Pyro Local alternative cover band. Free. The Amp Room, 9pm Ruben V Local singer/songwriter performs at The Cove. Free. The Cove, 9-11pm RUSS Atlanta rapper and producer RUSS stop in SA on “The Wake Up Tour.” $35$100. Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 9pm Summer Breakout Featuring alt/rock act Fox Motel. $10-$12. Jack’s Bar, 5pm-midnight True Widow Dallas trio True Widow performs in support of their latest release, ‘Avvolger.’ Joined by Asukubus. $12. Paper Tiger, 8pm Uncle Lucius Americana roots rock band from Austin. Joined by Sour Bridges. $12$70. Sam’s Burger Joint, 9pm Ventura 1 Year Anniversary Saturday performances by Dance Like Robots, Volcán, Booty Feet and Go Kart Mozart. $5. Ventura, 6-11pm SUNDAY, JUNE 25 210 Blues Band R&B by 210 Blues Band very Thursday & Sunday. Free. SoHo Wine & Martini Bar, 10pm Adam Johnson Band Blues trio at The Cove. Free. The Cove, 4-6pm

Danny Brooks Blues act at Gruene. Free. Gruene Hall, 5-9pm Hollin McKay Texas Roots act. Free. The Cove, 1-3pm Joe Jackson Grammy Award winning English singer/songwriter performs on his “Fast Forward” tour. $35-$55. Aztec Theatre, 8pm Liederkranz 125th Anniversary Concert Formed in 1892, the largest men’s German choir of its type in the U.S. Free. Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 3-5pm The Naggins Irish and Celtic folk/rock. Free. The Cove, 7-9pm Noche Azul-Cantinflas Featuring Azul with Aaron Prado, George Prado and Nina Rodriguez. $7. Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, 4-6:30pm Rebirth Brass Band Grammy-winning New Orleans-based brass band. $15. Paper Tiger, 8pm Slim Bawb Cajun/folk act Slimb Bawb. Free. Gruene Hall, 12:30-4:30pm Summer Jazz Concert & Lunch: Paula Maya Brazilian jazz music. $15-$20. McNay Art Museum, 12:30-3pm Ventura 1 Year Anniversary Sunday performances by BLVKMRKT and Taco Twins. Free. Ventura, 6-11pm MONDAY, JUNE 26 Adam Johnson Band Blues act at Gruene. Free. Gruene Hall, 7-11pm Hot Flash Heat Wave Rock act from San Francisco joined by Inner Wave. $10. Paper Tiger, 8pm Meat and Metal Mondays Metal night with meat and drink specials. Free. Zombies, 5pm Swing Nite 6th Annual Super Hero Villain Party Featuring The Georges, local roots rockabilly band. $7-$10. Sam’s Burger Joint, 8:30pm TUESDAY, JUNE 27 Jazz on the Rocks Weekly series with live jazz. Free. St. Anthony Hotel, 5-7pm Technophobia Dark electronic music from D.C. joined by Spell 27, Wolf Party, and DJ Ely Bat. Free. The Mix, 9pm Two Tons of Steel Local rockabilly act Two Tons of Steel play their weekly Two Ton Tuesdays show. $5. Gruene Hall, 8:30pm The Watchers “Heavy street riff rock,” joined by Bridge Farmers and King Earth. $5. Limelight, 9pm

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SNEAKERS >I’m gay and married. My husband regularly messes around with this one guy who treats me like I’m a cuckold. He will send me a pic of my husband sucking his cock, for example, and a text message meant to degrade me. But I’m not a cuckold and I don’t find these messages sexy. My husband wants me to play along because it gets this guy off. Advice? Can’t Understand Cuckold Kink It depends, CUCK. If you’re upset by these messages — if they hurt your feelings, are damaging your sexual connection to your husband, are traumatizing — don’t play along. But if you find them silly — if they just make you roll your eyes — then play along. Respond positively/abjectly/insincerely, then delete. Not to please the guy sending the messages (who you don’t owe anything), but to please your husband (who’ll wind up owing you). >I am a straight male grad student in my mid-20s. My girlfriend wants to have sex with another girl in our class. Neither of us have had a threesome before, but both of us are game. Unfortunately, I am not attracted to this girl. When we started dating, my girlfriend told me that she is sexually attracted to women. We agreed to

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be monogamous except that she could have sex with other women as part of a threesome with me. She is not hell-bent on having sex with our classmate, but she would like to and says it’s up to me. I don’t want her to suppress her same-sex tendencies, but I am jealous at the thought of her having sex with someone else while I am not participating. What should I do? Feeling Out Moments Orgasmic You should take yes for an answer, FOMO — or take your girlfriend’s willingness to say no to this opportunity for an answer. She’s into this woman but willing to pass on her because you aren’t. There are billions of other women on the planet — some in your immediate vicinity — so you two have lots of other options. Unless you fi nd a reason to object to every woman your girlfriend fi nds attractive, you aren’t guilty of suppressing her samesex tendencies.

LIAISON ENGINEER (2 POSITIONS). Perform structural and repair assessment on commercial aircraft (AC) during maintenance checks. Provide engineering maintenance or modification liaison support to assist AC mechanics to evaluate best action for repair/ modification of commercial aircraft. Interpret AC manufacturer’s repair manuals, instruction. Develop and substantiate repairs and reconfiguration with DERs and or OEM. Interact with employees and customer/vendors. 40 hour week with varied shifts. Requires bachelor degree in aerospace/aeronautical/mechanical engineering and 2 years experience as liaison engineer or in aircraft maintenance position. To apply submit letter with verification of education and experience to Ricky Fredrickson, Recruiter, VT San Antonio Aerospace, Inc. 9800 John Saunders Road, San Antonio, Texas 78216. You may also email to jobs@saaerospace.com. Please list Liaison Engineer in the subject line.

On the Lovecast, Michael Hobbes on gay, middle-aged dating: savagelovecast.com. mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage on Twitter ITMFA.org sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 47

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1 Greek letters shaped like pitchforks 5 Retired NHLer Larionov whose nickname was “The Professor” 9 Wright of 2017’s “Wonder Woman” 14 Hosiery shade 15 Neighborhood near Greenwich Village, slangily 16 Bacteria in spinach recalls 17 Poetic foot 18 Vivacity 19 Crack filler 20 Racquetball match, in a way? 23 Debtor’s note 24 2010 Apple debut 25 With 44-Across, exasperated complaint about endless corridors? 31 ___Pen (injector for some allergic reactions) 34 Garlicky dip for sweet potato fries, e.g. 35 “Look ___ this way ...” 36 Seize suddenly 37 Pouting countenances 38 Tony-winning Sweeney portrayer Cariou 39 Part of an M.O.? 40 Dies down 41 “Shameless” blurb 42 “I would give all my fame for a pot ___ and safety”: Shakespeare’s “Henry V” 43 Montreal steak seasoning? 44 See 25-Across 46 Part of Q.E.D.

48 Ear, in German 49 Left like a tossed football? 55 African country just north of the equator 56 Move like a batch of homemade slime 57 Ingredient in some diaper rash creams 59 Limp Bizkit frontman Fred 60 Taj Mahal location 61 Embarrassing defeat 62 “Orange” drink that’s really black 63 Yearling, previously 64 Her friends include a Backpack and Map

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1 Louvre Pyramid architect I.M. 2 Scraped elbow souvenir 3 Jon’s usual waitress, in “Garfield” 4 Feature on some Blu-Rays 5 “Rhapsody ___” 6 45th American vice president 7 Only U.S. state with a nonrectangular flag 8 It provides coverage 9 Episode summaries 10 City between Jacksonville and Tampa 11 Barrier later renamed for Herbert Hoover 12 Maladies 13 No-good conclusion? 21 Andrew Marvell’s “___ Coy Mistress”

22 Go bad, like kale 25 Willie of “Eight Is Enough” and “Charles in Charge” 26 Weeping statue of Greek legend 27 Be an ass in the lot, maybe 28 “X-Men: Days of Future Past” star Berry 29 Bought hook, line and sinker 30 Specialized slang 32 St. ___ Girl (German beer brand) 33 “Peer Gynt” dramatist Henrik 36 Phrase before “Move ahead” in “Whip It” 39 McCafe option 41 “2017: The Year for Animal Liberation” sponsor 44 Martial art debuting as an Olympic event in Tokyo in 2020 45 Game show option after The Banker makes an offer 47 Bygone detergent with an apt brand name 49 “Leaving Las Vegas” actress Elisabeth 50 Boulangerie purchase 51 Airer of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” before it moved to VH1 52 MSNBC contributor Klein 53 ___ gobi (Indian potato dish) 54 “How to Train ___ Dragon” 55 National economic indicator, for short 58 Announcement of when Alaska lands in Washington, e.g.

ETC.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY by Rob Brezsny ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): There are places in the oceans where the sea floor cracks open and spreads apart from volcanic activity. This allows geothermally heated water to vent out from deep inside the earth. Scientists explored such a place in the otherwise frigid waters around Antarctica. They were elated to find a “riot of life” living there, including previously unknown species of crabs, starfish, sea anemones, and barnacles. Judging from the astrological omens, Aries, I suspect that you will soon enjoy a metaphorically comparable eruption of warm vitality from the unfathomable depths. Will you welcome and make use of these raw blessings even if they are unfamiliar and odd? TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): I’m reporting from the first annual Psychic Olympics in Los Angeles. For the past five days, I’ve competed against the world’s top mind-readers, dice-controllers, spirit whisperers, spoonbenders, angel-wrestlers, and stock market prognosticators. Thus far I have earned a silver medal in the category of channeling the spirits of dead celebrities. (Thanks, Frida Kahlo and Gertrude Stein!) I psychically foresee that I will also win a gold medal for most accurate fortune-telling. Here’s the prophecy that I predict will cinch my victory: “People born in the sign of Taurus will soon be at the pinnacle of their ability to get telepathically aligned with people who have things they want and need.” GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): While reading Virginia Woolf, I found the perfect maxim for you to write on a slip of paper and carry around in your pocket or wallet or underwear: “Let us not take it for granted that life exists more fully in what is commonly thought big than in what is commonly thought small.” In the coming weeks, dear Gemini, I hope you keep this counsel simmering constantly in the back of your mind. It will protect you from the dreaminess and superstition of people around you. It will guarantee that you’ll never overlook potent little breakthroughs as you scan the horizon for phantom miracles. And it will help you change what needs to be changed slowly and surely, with minimum disruption. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Now that you’ve mostly paid off one of your debts to the past, you can go window-shopping for the future’s best offers. You’re finally ready to leave behind a power spot you’ve outgrown and launch your quest to discover fresh power spots. So bid farewell to lost causes and ghostly temptations, Cancerian. Slip away from attachments to traditions that longer move you and the deadweight of your original family’s expectations. Soon you’ll be empty and light and free — and ready to make a

vigorous first impression when you encounter potential allies in the frontier. LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): I suspect you will soon have an up-close and personal encounter with some form of lightning. To ensure it’s not a literal bolt shooting down out of a thundercloud, please refrain from taking long romantic strolls with yourself during a storm. Also, forgo any temptation you may have to stick your finger in electrical sockets. What I’m envisioning is a type of lightning that will give you a healthy metaphorical jolt. If any of your creative circuits are sluggish, it will jumpstart them. If you need to wake up from a dreamy delusion, the lovable lightning will give you just the right salutary shock. VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Signing up to read at the open mike segment of a poetry slam? Buying an outfit that’s a departure from the style you’ve cultivated for years? Getting dance lessons or a past-life reading or instructions on how to hang-glide? Hopping on a jet for a spontaneous getaway to an exotic hotspot? I approve of actions like those, Virgo. In fact, I won’t mind if you at least temporarily abandon at least 30 percent of your inhibitions. LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): I don’t know what marketing specialists are predicting about color trends for the general population, but my astrological analysis has discerned the most evocative colors for you Libras. Electric mud is one. It’s a scintillating mocha hue. Visualize silver-blue sparkles emerging from moist dirt tones. Earthy and dynamic! Cybernatural is another special color for you. Picture sheaves of ripe wheat blended with the hue you see when you close your eyes after staring into a computer monitor for hours. Organic and glimmering! Your third pigment of power is pastel adrenaline: a mix of dried apricot and the shadowy brightness that flows across your nerve synapses when you’re taking aggressive practical measures to convert your dreams into realities. Delicious and dazzling!

He adds that “We find out the heart only by dismantling what the heart knows.” I invite you to meditate on these ideas. By my calculations, it’s time to peel away the obvious secrets so you can penetrate to the richer secrets buried beneath. It’s time to dare a world-changing risk that is currently obscured by easy risks. It’s time to find your real life hidden inside the pretend one, to expedite the evolution of the authentic self that’s germinating in the darkness. CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): When I was four years old, I loved to use crayons to draw diagrams of the solar system. It seems I was already laying a foundation for my interest in astrology. How about you, Capricorn? I invite you to explore your early formative memories. To aid the process, look at old photos and ask relatives what they remember. My reading of the astrological omens suggests that your past can show you new clues about what you might ultimately become. Potentials that were revealed when you were a wee tyke may be primed to develop more fully. AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): I often ride my bike into the hills. The transition from the residential district to open spaces is a narrow dirt path surrounded by thick woods on one side and a steep descent on the other. Today as

I approached this place there was a new sign on a post. It read “Do not enter: Active beehive forming in the middle of the path.” Indeed, I could see a swarm hovering around a tree branch that juts down low over the path. How to proceed? I might get stung if I did what I usually do. Instead, I dismounted from my bike and dragged it through the woods so I could join the path on the other side of the bees. Judging from the astrological omens, Aquarius, I suspect you may encounter a comparable interruption along a route that you regularly take. Find a detour, even if it’s inconvenient. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): I bet you’ll be extra creative in the coming weeks. Cosmic rhythms are nudging you towards fresh thinking and imaginative innovation, whether they’re applied to your job, your relationships, your daily rhythm, or your chosen art form. To take maximum advantage of this provocative luck, seek out stimuli that will activate highquality brainstorms. I understand that the composer André Grétry got inspired when he put his feet in ice water. Author Ben Johnson felt energized in the presence of a purring cat and by the aroma of orange peels. I like to hang out with people who are smarter than me. What works for you?

THIS MODERN WORLD by Tom Tomorrow

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Do you ever hide behind a wall of detached cynicism? Do you protect yourself with the armor of jaded coolness? If so, here’s my proposal: In accordance with the astrological omens, I invite you to escape those perverse forms of comfort and safety. Be brave enough to risk feeling the vulnerability of hopeful enthusiasm. Be sufficiently curious to handle the fluttery uncertainty that comes from exploring places you’re not familiar with and trying adventures you’re not totally skilled at. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): “We must unlearn the constellations to see the stars,” writes Jack Gilbert in his poem “Tear It Down.” sacurrent.com • June 21-27, 2017 • CURRENT 49

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