San Antonio Current - February 1, 2017

FEBRUARY 1-7, 2017

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OPENING DAY

THURSDAY

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FIRST WORDS

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• Send your thoughts, comments, kudos or tips to letters@sacurrent.com

Judge Blocks Rule Forcing Texas Abortion Providers to Bury, Cremate Fetal Tissue: “Instead of protesting abortions, why don’t they protest for free birth control? Free birth control will save many women from having to even think about abortion.” — Jamie Henson

IN THIS

ISSUE Issue 17_05 /// February 1-7, 2017

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San Antonio Cop Suspended for Poop Prank — Again: “What in the world is wrong with this guy... he should get a job working the sewer or with septic tanks so he can play with poop all day.” — Melissa Rodriguez

FEATURE

A House of Hope The Esperanza celebrates 30 years of community empowerment

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CALENDAR

Our top picks for the week

19

No Sanctuary SAPD chief calls anti-sanctuary cities bill “damaging to local law enforcement” Drug Deals Texas tried to buy lethal injection drugs from Indian party-pill smugglers

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CORRECTION: In last week’s feature (“Trust Issues: Can San Antonio Build Trust Between Police and Policed?”) we erroneously reported on who recommended reducing the suspensions of three officers who beat Rogelio Carlos; it was the department’s review board, not SAPD Chief William McManus (who ultimately agreed with and signed the reduced suspensions). In addition, SAPD spokesman Jesse Salame says McManus only had “a brief struggle” with the woman he tried to arrest last month and that the two never ended up on the ground, as initially reported. The Current regrets the error.

ARTS + CULTURE

Tangled Up in Bluebonnets Re-examining the legacy of early San Antonio painter Julian Onderdonk

43

ON THE

COVER It’s been 30 years since the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center opened its doors and began fighting for equal rights for minority groups in San Antonio. In this week’s feature, we explore the Esperanza’s rich history of protest, boundary-pushing art and, more recently, buying real estate as a means for social change.

CURRENT • February 1-7, 2017 • sacurrent.com

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Poop Play San Antonio cop suspended for another feces-related prank

San Antonio Police Chief: Anti-Sanctuary Cities Bill Is “Damaging to Local Law Enforcement”: “Our local law enforcement have enough to deal with.

The crimes being committed here in San Antonio are being committed by US citizens. Not immigrants.

I’m glad McManus has our best interest at heart.

Somebody has to.” — Mari N Eric Relue

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NEWS

People Power Cruz, Cornyn offices overwhelmed by constituents who actually want to talk to them

Did Texas Lawmakers Deliberately Pass a Racist Voter ID Law?: “You have to have an ID to take back something to Walmart if you don’t have a receipt. So by asking for an ID I guess Walmart and Target and other stores are racist!!!!!!” — Anthony Rodriguez

Cover photo by Liz Warburton Art direction by Sarah Flood-Baumann

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NIGHTLIFE

Booze News Industry moves, Beer Recalls, new projects and more

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SCREENS

Paranoid Android Ghost in the Shell returns to theaters

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MUSIC

Devil in the White House … and other protest songs from SA musicians Trashy Tape Music Explore the cyber-punk musings of Mutant Music Calendar What to see and hear this week

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FOOD

Pile On Nachos for game day Food Court More meats, Pinch’s crowdfunding and more

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ETC.

Savage Love Jonesin’ Crossword Freewill Astrology

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sacurrent.com • February 1-7, 2017 • CURRENT 9

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CURRENT • February 1-7, 2017 • sacurrent.com

NEWS

ALEX ZIELINSKI | @ALEX_ZEE COURTESY OF SAPD + SHUTTERSTOCK

PEOPLE POWER

Cruz, offices ALEX Cornyn ZIELINSKI | @ALEX_ZEE overwhelmed by constituents who actually want to talk to them

≥

Last Tuesday, Texans flocked to the district offices of senators and representatives across the state — not in protest, but in an effort to simply flex their constitutional right to be heard.

“We’re asking for a town hall meeting, or any kind of event where the men we elected to office will hear our concerns,” said Jeanie Valenzuela, a member of TX21 Indivisible — a growing group of Congressional District 21 residents determined to lobby local politicians to resist the Trump agenda.

Last Tuesday, Valenzuela and 15 other San Antonians visited the offices of Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Lamar Smith to do just that — and were largely met with a collective shrug from district staff.

Cruz’s regional director told them, according to Valenzuela, to “go to Washington” if they wanted to meet with Cruz.

Smith’s staff said they couldn’t share when their representative would be back in town. And Cornyn’s office was locked during its open hours (the group left a post-it note on his door).

“As a group, we are very disappointed. There are some incredible changes being made right now in Congress,” Valenzuela said.

“We elected these officials to represent us, but how would they know what we want if they never come back to hear our

voices?” That doesn’t mean she’s discouraged — her group plans to return every week until they get a response. Last week was just the beginning.

TX21 Indivisible is one of the nearly 4,500 national groups created after a document — called the “Indivisible Guide” — made its online debut days after the November election. The guide, created by former members of Congress, gave readers a step-by-step rundown on how to use local political action to spur change in Congress and the White House (it uses the the success of the Tea Party movement as a model).

An estimated 10,000 Americans visited the offices of their local elected officials on Tuesday, flagged as a “national day of action” by Indivisible’s founders, including groups in Houston, Austin and Dallas.

When Dona Murphy and a large group of other concerned Texans visited Sen. Cruz’s Houston office on last week, she was met by a frightenedlooking staffer who told them they needed to send in a “constituent representative” to speak for the group.

It wasn’t the response Murphy wanted to hear. “That’s not a fair offer, we don’t know each other’s stories.

I can’t represent all their perspectives,” she told the Current. “What is a ‘constituent representative’? I thought that’s what [Cruz is] supposed

to be.” At the same time, 50 constituents were kicked out of Cornyn’s Houston office by a police office who said they were on private property.

In Austin, more than 100 people showed up at Cruz’s capitol office to share their opposition to Trump’s cabinet picks. They weren’t let inside — instead, a staffer came down to hear a few of their concerns.

Those who couldn’t attend called their local offices, but many were met with full voicemail boxes, endless unanswered rings — even the antiquated drone of a busy signal.

Neither Cruz nor Cornyn’s offices could tell the Current if the Senators were planning to speak with the many, many constituents who want to talk to them anytime soon. Perhaps they were too busy writing blog posts praising the Trump cabinet picks, or simply trolling Deadspin on Twitter. (In an email, Sen. Cornyn’s press office said that if Texans want to meet with their Senator, they are more than welcome to visit his Washington, D.C. office on Thursdays.)

“Across Texas, we’re feeling ignored by the people who are supposed to represent us,” Valenzuela said.

It’s a universal concern.

From Seattle, WA to Louisville, KY, thousands of constituents flooded the halls of their elected officials Tuesday to hand-deliver a similar message.

And a reminder: They’ll be back this week. And next.

POOP PLAY

San Antonio cop suspended for another feces-related prank MICHAEL BARAJAS | @MICHAELSBARAJAS

≥

San Antonio police officer Matthew Luckhurst apparently thinks poop jokes are really funny.

Some of you might remember Luckhurst as the officer the San Antonio Police Department announced it would fire last year after it was revealed he tried to feed an actual shit sandwich to a homeless person downtown. Now, according to newly-released city suspension records, SAPD filed for another so-called “indefinite suspension” against Luckhurst in November after another feces-related prank. (He’s reportedly appealing both suspensions.)

Here’s what Luckhurst thought was so funny: Last summer, while pulling night shift on SAPD’s bike patrol unit, another dude at the station, identified in suspension records as officer Steve Albart, decided to take a dump in the women’s locker room. So Luckhurst followed, “defecated on top of the previously deposited excrement,” and “intentionally” didn’t flush, according to his suspension order. Luckhurst and the other officer then “obtained a brown substance the consistency of tapioca” and spread it on the toilet seat. Why? Because “a female officer requested the women’s restroom be kept clean.”

Juvenile, broey and gross, to be sure, but the prank pales in comparison to Luckhurst’s last poop joke. As we reported last year, SAPD Chief William McManus signed an indefinite suspension order against Luckhurst accusing him of bragging to fellow officers that, while out on patrol downtown, he’d “picked up some feces, placed it in a slice of bread, and put it in a Styrofoam container” next to an unknown homeless man in the hopes that he would eat it. McManus called Luckhurst’s actions “a betrayal of every value we have in our community.”

Like his poop sandwich prank, suspension records say Luckhurst “bragged” about crapping in, and then pretending to crap all over, the women’s restroom at his station. According to records, Albart, the other officer involved in the fake-shit-smear incident, was given a 30 day suspension. sacurrent.com • February 1-7, 2017 • CURRENT 11

IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

THE FINE ARTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS SERIES (FACES) COMMITTEE PRESENTS

COMEDIAN AND HOST OF CNN’S “UNITED SHADES OF AMERICA”

W. Kamau Bell

“Ending Racism in About an Hour”

Thursday February 2, 2017 7PM McAllister Auditorium

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CURRENT • February 1-7, 2017 • sacurrent.com

AT THE CORNER OF SAN PEDRO AVE. AND W. COURTLAND PLACE

For more information, call 210-486-0936 or visit alamo.edu/sac/kamau-bell. Free and open to the public.

May contain strong language

NEWS

NO SANCTUARY ≥

Is San Antonio a so-called “sanctuary city”? The answer from the city has been a resounding “nope.”

But that doesn’t mean San Antonio isn’t on a collision course with new immigration-related mandates stewing at both the state and federal levels.

That’s because, regardless of whether the city calls itself a “sanctuary” for undocumented immigrants, the San Antonio Police Department still has policies on the books directing officers not to ask people for proof of citizenship or legal residency in routine police encounters. And under a bill being considered at the Texas Legislature, SAPD would have to rescind that policy or face a possible loss of state funding if it decides to keep it.

Couple that with the new immigration crackdown coming from Trump Administration, which is aimed at increasing local law enforcements’ role in enforcing federal immigration violations, and you get one very frustrated police chief. On a panel last week at UTSA Downtown, SAPD chief William McManus reiterated that San Antonio is not a “sanctuary city” and that he doesn’t want his officers to in any way become an arm of federal immigration enforcement. McManus called the state bill that would upend his department’s policy on dealing with immigrants “damaging to local law enforcement,” and asked that the state please stop “meddling in local police departments.”

Meanwhile the uber-conservative on the panel, the Heartland Institute’s Jeff Judson, insisted “sanctuary

SAPD chief calls anti-sanctuary cities bill 'damaging to local law enforcement' MICHAEL BARAJAS | @MICHAELSBARAJAS

city policies are undermining our safety” and argued local police departments shouldn’t put up barriers to cooperating with federal immigration enforcement (Judson, it should be noted, made fear-mongering over undocumented immigrants a centerpiece of his failed campaign to unseat Texas House Speaker Joe Straus). Judson’s right-wing counterpart, Bexar County Republican Party Chair Robert Stoval, went on to make the fact-devoid claim that San Antonio’s rise in violent crime last year had something to do with the kind of policies that Chief McManus wants to keep.

Then McManus tried to illustrate how inane the “sanctuary cities” debate has become. If SAPD finds reason to arrest you, or you have a local or federal warrant out against you, you’ll still be sent to the city’s detention center, where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents already routinely check on people in custody (“people who are wanted on very, very serious felony-type charges, and I’m OK with that,” McManus said). Down the line, the Bexar County Jail will still run your fingerprints through a federal database, ICE can still find you, and, if the feds request it, jailers will still hold you (even if your local case has been resolved or your charges dropped) if ICE wants them to.

As McManus put it, “I’m not sure what good it does asking a bank robber what his immigration status is.”

And yet the policy being proposed by state lawmakers would still target cities like San Antonio — all because local police want a policy telling officers that immigration

enforcement is not their job. And it’s not as if police officials like McManus oppose anti-sanctuary cities legislation out of some moral stance against the broken immigration system. Rather, McManus argues that alienating a city’s large immigrant community makes it very difficult for police to do their jobs: solve local crimes. SAPD needs immigrants, undocumented and otherwise, to feel comfortable enough to come forward when they’re victim or have knowledge of a crime.

McManus also seems to understand the community’s fear that making immigration enforcement the purview of local police could lead to racial profiling.

If local cops are now supposed to inquire about immigration status, “What do you base that on?”

McManus said. “Do you base that on the color of their skin? On an accent?”

“People are already afraid of the police,” McManus said. “To force us to ask about immigration status is just going to reinforce that.”

State Rep. Diego Bernal, a former city councilman and civil rights attorney, meanwhile said he fears how the Trump Administration’s new executive actions on immigration could further weaponize the kind of antisanctuary cities legislation Texas is proposing. “I’m really, really concerned about how these two things work together.”

Sure, San Antonio’s not a sanctuary city right now.

But some, like Bernal, think now would be a pretty good time to go ahead and become one. “If we decided to do that, I would welcome it,” he said.

DRUG DEALS Texas tried to buy lethal injection drugs from Indian party-pill smugglers

they could ship the massive supply of execution drugs Texas had ordered from the company. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, BuzzFeed obtained records from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration showing Texas planned to import some 500 MICHAEL BARAJAS | @MICHAELSBARAJAS to 1,000 1-gram vials of the sedative > Amid their scramble to keep a sodium thiopental from Provizer Pharma. steady supply of execution drugs in The depths to which Texas would order to maintain the country’s most troll for death drugs underscores active death chamber, Texas prison ALEX ZIELINSKI | @ALEX_ZEE just how hard it’s become to get this officials turned to a small group of stuff. Prison officials actually started young Indian men who illegally hawked to move away from sodium thiopental, party pills, psychotropics and opioids the sedative part of the state’s over the internet to customers in the longstanding three-drug execution United States and Europe. cocktail, in 2011 after it became That’s the finding of a recent almost impossible to obtain (its sole BuzzFeed News investigation, which FDA-approved manufacturer eventually reports that the five Indian drug sellers, stopped making the drug to keep it out all men in their 20s operating under the of the hands of death penalty states). name Provizer Pharma, were ultimately Texas switched to using a single drug, raided by Indian authorities before pentobarbital, to kill its death row

prisoners, but even that soon became difficult to get. Since facing the occasional death-drug shortage over the past couple of years, Texas prison officials have said they’re “exploring all options” when it comes to carrying out scheduled executions.

Apparently, one of those options meant illegally importing drugs from India. While sodium thiopental is still widely used in India, it’s not approved for use in the United States. Plus, under a federal appeals court injunction, the drug’s not even currently supposed to be allowed into the country (and even if it were approved, Provizer Pharma still hadn’t registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so the sale still would have been illegal).

Still, Texas prison officials were upfront with the feds about their plan.

In January 2015, the Texas Department

of Criminal Justice actually gave them a heads up about the purchase from Provizer. The drugs never made it very far — weeks after Texas officials informed the feds of their plan, Provizer was raided by Indian authorities.

So Texas tried again. Later that summer, it tried to buy more vials of sodium thiopental from an Indian a “pharmacist” with no pharmaceutical background. As BuzzFeed reports, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told Texas and the supplier their plan was illegal, the supplier shipped the drugs anyway.

In July 2015, the FDA seized a load of about 1,000 vials of sodium thiopental shipped from India at a Houston airport. Texas has sued the feds to get those drugs back, arguing that importing the drugs without federal approval is allowed when the state uses them for “law enforcement” purposes. sacurrent.com • February 1-7, 2017 • CURRENT 13

FEATURE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ESPERANZA CENTER

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house h ope

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BY ALEJANDRA LOPEZ

melda Arismendez sits on a ladder, molding adobe with her bare hands. Her long, brown braid hangs behind her as she sculpts details onto the front of her new home, or so it’s beginning to feel like. This building will house MujerArtes’ new studio — the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center’s clay cooperative — where Arismendez is the coordinator, teacher and a founding member. “It’s emotional, but we’re excited,” she says about the move from the current studio to the new one. “More than anything, it’s going to be a happy moment.”

If you’ve lived in San Antonio your whole life, there’s a good chance you’ve never seen an adobe building on any side of town. Once a popular material used in South Texas, adobe now serves as a symbol of Mexican heritage. Its foundation is made from natural ingredients like straw, water and cacti. Its walls are thick and protective, providing a shield of safety. And for the first time in over 100 years, adobe is being used for a new building in San Antonio to house MujerArtes’ new work space.

The women involved in the arts organization dedicate several hours of their time each week to crafting, sculpting and painting their work. They have full-time jobs, raise families and still make time for their art and the other mujeres of the cooperative.

They’ve seen their new center go from an idea to a nearly finished structure, because they’ve been involved in the process every step of the way. From

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CURRENT • February 1-7, 2017 • sacurrent.com

of

hand mixing the adobe to detailing the facade, this building belongs to them as much as it does to the Esperanza. Their ability to create together and work not just with each other but for each other is the foundation that the Esperanza Center was built on.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the Esperanza Center continues to push for social justice in San Antonio, continuously fighting for equal treatment of women, people of color, LGBTQ and working class members of the community.

Through art, the Esperanza Center, its staff and volunteers have translated issues of race, political ideologies, socioeconomics, ethnicity and other forms of identity into a language that promotes interconnection. At its core, the Esperanza is a safe space for marginalized people, tirelessly campaigning for social change. San Antonio is now home to many civil rights organizations, like the Martinez Street Women’s Center and Fuerza Unida, that are strong, powerful leaders in the march for equality. It was the Esperanza that helped build the paths they walk on.

large white banner reading “San Antonio Women — Peace. Work.

Equality” leads a group of marchers from City Hall through the streets of downtown. “Women Hold Up Half the Sky” is written on a sign that follows, held by two women who are chanting with the crowd. The video shows a band of marchers coming to a halt as they gather around a stage where a mic is shared between poets, musicians and activists.

A woman steps up to the podium and starts to speak about equality for mothers, for women in the

workforce. It looks like it could be a scene from the massive Women’s March on Washington last month, except this is the mid ‘80s, the crowd is almost all brown women, and it’s the first International Women’s Day March ever held in San Antonio.

The group of women who organized the march included the Esperanza’s current director, Graciela Sánchez, and co-founder and initial director Susan Guerra. Inspired by the International Women’s Day March in Oslo, Norway, where Guerra was previously living, the women got to work. They billed union organizer and labor strike leader Emma Tenayuca as the keynote speaker and set a radical tone for the march, which the organization still carries today.

After the march, the women involved wanted a way to keep discussing civil rights issues in San Antonio. “We all wondered, how can we continue to work together?” Sánchez says, describing the moment the nonprofit was conceived. Unlike other organizations at the time, the Esperanza wanted to step away from a single-issue mindset and build an institution that would be inclusive to all women. More importantly, the organization wanted to foster dialogue around intersectionality, a term first coined by civil rights advocate Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw to describe the overlapping of social identities (age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc.) and how these play into systems of oppression and discrimination.

“The name Esperanza,” Sánchez says, “means hope,” and with a wide smile she revisits a hot, sticky Texas summer day, where she and Guerra

FEATURE

The Esperanza celebrates

30 years of community empowerment ALEJANDRA LOPEZ

★

MujerArtes ' new building

are sitting and dreaming of what they’d call their future safespace. By 1988, Sánchez had become director and a team of volunteers, or buena gente as they’re referred to, had been assembled. In fact, those volunteers are how the organization has been able to operate as long as it has.

For $1 a year, the Esperanza Center found its home in a building owned by the Oblate Fathers where they shared a space with the Central America Information Center, Latin American Assistance, the American Civil Liberties Union and Habitat for Humanity (needless to say, they were in good, like-minded company). However, six years after its inception, the Esperanza got an eviction notice after hosting a queer art show. It was clear to the Esperanza’s organizers that as long as there was a stigma against the queer community in San Antonio, they would be bounced from building to building, unable to plant roots.

So by that point, a permanent home base became necessary. The center was able to purchase its first building on San Pedro, which currently serves as Esperanza’s headquarters, exhibition area, meeting space, performance stage and storefront for the work created at MujerArtes. The building is nothing like your typical office. Guests are met with iron french doors, opening to a room with art on the walls that double as both a history and geography lesson, preserving the folk art styles of South and Central America. Turn to the left and you’ll find a room full of computers where the Esperanza’s staff are planning monthly programs, editing videos and preparing for future events. Prints and brightly colored paintings,

including a large portrait of César Chávez, cover the blood-orange walls. Newspapers and books are stacked everywhere so that little desk space is visible. A print that reads “Fiesta is Racist” is tucked away next to a computer – it’s small, but somehow the loudest piece in the room.

The Esperanza Center uses its upstairs loft to hold movie screenings, performances, lectures and so on. Their programs, held monthly, annually and intermittently, cover a wide range of interests and volunteers meet here on a monthly basis to help cobble together and mail the Esperanza’s newsletter, La Voz — a catchall for anecdotes and updates on civil rights issues from across the globe and within the community.

Though regular volunteers and staff pass through the building on a daily basis, the organization has always made it a priority to ensure that visitors — whether they’re queer, trans, immigrant, Latina/o/x, black, Muslim, poor — feel comfortable and know that they have a home at the Esperanza. That inclusive, open-door policy hasn’t always sat well with others. It was in the late ‘90s that San Antonio City Council stripped funding away from the organization after the Esperanza organized an event that city leaders considered too controversial. Once again, the Esperanza was at the center of a debate over discrimination and questioning the people in power.

ttorney Amy Kastely led a room full of volunteers and staff in a mock trial, during which she served as the judge asking questions and picking at the evidence in the case. The next day, Kastely served as lead counsel in a case that marked a turning point in the Esperanza’s history.

On September 11, 1997, city council voted to defund the organization after it co-sponsored “Out at the Movies,” a gay and lesbian film festival that the group held on city-owned property. In defunding the Esperanza, the newly elected council, led by Mayor Howard Peak, claimed it wanted to direct city money to cultural arts programs that helped boost tourism. City leaders also admitted they didn’t want to fund nonprofits that had what they considered to be a controversial message – and being brown and queer meant that the Esperanza Center didn’t fit the city’s new mold.

In the background, the push to defund the Esperanza was fueled by letters and phone calls from local religious and conservative groups. The Esperanza Center eventually filed a lawsuit against the city in which, three years later, a federal judge called the city’s actions unconstitutional. As Judge Orlando Garcia wrote in his ruling, “…Once a governing body chooses to fund art, however, the Constitution requires that it be funded in a viewpointneutral manner, that is without discriminating among recipients on the basis of their ideology.” The city agreed to pay out half a million dollars in monetary damages following Garcia’s ruling.

At first the Esperanza Center and its supporters weren’t even that sure they’d win the legal fight, but they used the lawsuit to build awareness.

While coordinating their legal strategy, the Esperanza also launched two campaigns, Arte es Vida and Todos Somos Esperanza, to highlight the issue of government discrimination against queer people of color.

In her book, Activism, Alliance Building and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, UTSA communications professor Sara DeTurk says the nonprofit used the lawsuit to spark a larger

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FEATURE

ALEJANDRA LOPEZ

visions of hope MARIA SALAZAR

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★

SARAH FLOOD-BAUMANN

Outside of the Esperanza's headquarters

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As a Chicana lesbiana dyke, my full sense of self was shaped by institutions that embraced all of me as big, brown, queer and gender-nonconforming.

My self-awareness was nurtured by powerful organizations like LLEGÓ in Houston, and Allgo in COURTESY Austin. In San Francisco, there was AGUILAS and Ellas en Acción, two active Latino queer organizations. My ability to celebrate all of me, as brown and queer, was found on the dance floor at Esta Noche or Colors in San Francisco. In San Antonio, you found me at The Boss dancing to a cumbia or a disco beat. That Southside gay bar has since closed much like Circus Disco in Los Angeles or the Noo Zoo in San Antonio.

As the LGBT community grows mainstream and gentrification takes hold, these inclusive spaces are being pushed into oblivion. But there is one enduring organization where I find myself always embraced.

In 1987, the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center was founded by a group made up of mostly queer Chicana activists and community organizers seeking to bring together diverse movements for peace and justice not just in San Antonio, but from around the world. In the late ’80s, under the stewardship of first executive director Susan Guerra, the organization worked out of a building on North Flores Street. In 1988, after returning from film school in Cuba, Graciela Sánchez became executive director and still holds that position today. This collection of activists grew with this vision of creating a “world where everyone has civil rights and economic justice, where the environment is cared for, where cultures are honored and communities are safe. The Esperanza advocates for those wounded by

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loria Ramirez ran up to an angry crowd of protesters with a check for $239,000 in hand. She was the last hope to save La Gloria, a historic building that belonged to the Westside.

Ramirez had the check in her right hand but was restrained by two police officers, each holding onto one arm. Backhoes stood ready to dismantle the structure. The building’s owner, Tony Limon, refused Ramirez’s check and the wrecking crew started their work. Some of the protesters in the crowd actually started to weep.

The 2002 demolition of La Gloria was a wakeup call for activists at the Esperanza. The gas station turned rooftop dance spot was the first Tejano venue in the country. La Gloria and all its history couldn’t be

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conversation in the community and to build alliances with like-minded organizations. The public awareness campaign the Esperanza built around the defunding lawsuit, she writes, helped the organization share its “vision and struggles, develop strong relationships with various individuals and organizations, and contribute to the political growth of the community.”

The defunding battle proved the Esperanza was a force to be reckoned with, one that demanded respect and fair treatment and urged other crossissue, multicultural groups around the city to demand the same. It also proved the Esperanza wouldn’t back down from a fight – particularly as the group started to focus on preserving and saving the city’s cultural heritage from the bulldozing march of “progress.”

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ALEJANDRA LOPEZ

FEATURE

CO

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visions of hope continued

Front of the Esperanza Center

domination and inequality — women, people of color, the lesbians, queer, trans and gay community, the working class and poor.”

Looking back, this organization founded on hope has brought in multiracial, multicultural and bilingual cultural arts and social change to our community — all spearheaded by women of color, most of whom are lesbians.

As their website states: “Esperanza is mujeres, Latinas, African Americans, Asians, Native Americans and whites. Esperanza is queer and straight. Esperanza is the economically disadvantaged trabajando junto con la gente de clase media.

Esperanza is feminist, politically progressive and outspoken.”

It is difficult to capture the many contributions and the impact this very queer-friendly place has made in San Antonio, the state of Texas, the region and in the country. And often, we overlook the impact the Esperanza has made because it is an organization that constantly challenges us to look at the connections we have with one another.

It is an organization that approaches its work with an intersectionality view demanding that we see how issues (and how we) are related to one another. For example, earlier I said that queer spaces are being pushed out because of gentrification. The Esperanza is an organization that will ask, “How does a proposed new subdivision impact people of color? Where will the workers live? Will the HIV-positive youth have access to health care? Will the queer bar be able to afford the lease next year?” At a surface level, a queer person might wonder, “What does the new subdivision or city expansion have to do with me?” That is the work of the Esperanza — to challenge us to see how we are all connected and to move us to ask, “How do the issues relate to one another and how does it impact our communities?”

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In December 2011, after a two-year battle, the Esperanza helped stop the demolition of Casa Maldonado, known to some as the Pink Building.

Before it fell into disrepair, the building was home to union organizer William Maldonado, and neighbors recalled the Casa Maldonado being a hub for political activism and organizing on the Westside as early as the 1940s. The house now sits refurbished on the Guadalupe Street corridor.

A year later, the Esperanza Center purchased Lerma’s Nite Club, the oldest conjunto music venue in the country, which played host to musicians like Eva Ybarra, Santiago Jimenez and Lydia Mendoza in its heyday and is considered a conjunto music landmark.

The Esperanza still owns the building, but with a projected cost of nearly $2 million for renovations, the building sits empty.

With money raised through community fundraising, the Esperanza now owns five buildings on the Westside, three (soon to be four) of which are located in the Rinconcito de Esperanza, or Corner of Hope.

The front building, Casa de Cuentos, plays host to workshops year-round that revolve around Mexican culture, holiday traditions and is where the Esperanza

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saved. Some felt trust between the city and residents of the Westside, a predominately Mexican-American side of town, had been disrupted. To the Esperanza, the demolition was a call to arms.

A drive around the Westside today shows how the Esperanza responded to the pain and anger over La Gloria’s razing. There’s the Esperanza’s largest preservation project, "En Aquellos Tiempos: Fotohistorias del Westside," an outdoor photo exhibition that started in 2006. It began with 50 banners that show a collection of large-scale photographs that depict longtime residents of the area, telling the stories of the Westside from 1900 to the early 1950s. The project has since grown to over 150 full-blown images, coupled with anecdotes and historias. The idea behind the installation was to engage the neighborhood, get people to tell their own stories, and start documenting the area’s rich history.

Key to the Esperanza’s preservation efforts are the Westside residents whose families have lived there for generations.

SARAH FLOOD-BAUMANN

★

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hosts its monthly oral history gathering – a storytelling project that, as UTSA professor DeTurk puts it, “provokes social change through personal empowerment.” At each workshop and event, you’ll find someone — typically Sánchez — recording the whole thing from a corner of the room.

Two blocks away, inside a busy but welcoming yellow house, a group of women are working on a collection of painted tiles. One woman, the youngest one there, is nearly finished with a mosaic that will be placed on a wall inside the new MujerArtes building. The shelves inside the studio are full of painted ceramics. Bowls, sculptures and vases cover every inch of wall space. Directly in the center shelf is an arbol de vida — a

traditional Mexican ceramic piece in the shape of a tree — that was crafted 20 years ago, around the time of the Esperanza’s 10th anniversary. The tiny mementos that sit on the branches act like time capsules, each one created by a different woman to represent something important in her life.

While the art made at MujerArtes might not be blatantly political, there’s no denying that politics is a function of their work. They use this space and its materials — clay, paint, sketchpads — to tackle issues of racism, sexism, sexual orientation and classism. They chat while they work and they ask each other for advice, using the group of women as a springboard for ideas. Their work mimics the traditions of Mexican folk art, but unlike the ceramics you see for sale downtown, it isn’t marketed for tourist consumption. Here, the art is made to build community.

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CURRENT • February 1-7, 2017 • sacurrent.com

FEATURE

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ack at the Esperanza’s headquarters, Gianna Rendon is giving a tour of the gallery space.

She points to a banner on the wall with the organization’s name, and next to it are cutouts of little fabric houses with the words “a house of Hope.” There’s a dove situated at the top of the banner.

Rendon says it was the first banner to hang at the Esperanza Center 30 years ago and was brought to their permanent home during the move.

Rendon is the outreach and intern coordinator at the Esperanza. She’s 23, working on a master’s degree and got her start with the organization as a volunteer, eventually moving up to intern and landing a full-time position two years ago. She and the staff members and buena gente her age are likely the future of the

organization, and the legacy of the Esperanza will eventually carry on through these young activists.

With the adobe studio nearly finished and plans for their 2017 programming in the works, the Esperanza Center remains a catalyst of upward mobility for the working class, the brown folks, the transgender teens, the immigrants who flee their countries, and anyone in need of a home. For Esperanza, it’s not about being the voice of a community. Rather, it’s about creating a space where a community can have a voice for itself. “You don’t always get to be the poet or the activist,” Sánchez says, “it’s about teaching people that they can be that for themselves.” alopez@sacurrent.com

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CALENDAR

JOHN NOWAK

◀ The amount of balls it must take to name your latest stand-up comedy tour, as W. Kamau Bell has, “Ending Racism in About an Hour,” i.e., applying the LensCrafters guarantee to America’s original sin, would put any racial stereotype to shame. And if, as a conscious white person, you think that last sentence was awkward, imagine discussing an album named, as Bell’s 2016 album was named, Semi-Prominent Negro. Tracks include: “Gentrification Sweeping the Nation,” “#BlackLivesMatter,” “Too Much to Get Upset About,” and (gulp) “When Is It Okay for White People to Say ‘Nigger’?”

White people feeling awkward is part of the point, and the educational value of that feeling is evident in the fact that you can see this show for free at a local college instead of a two-drink minimum comedy club. Dick Gregory transitioned from comic to activist, but, in the interest of the everendangered belly laugh, let’s hope Bell doesn’t feel the need to. Free, 7pm, San Antonio College, McAllister Auditorium, 1300 San Pedro, (210) 486-0936, alamo.edu/sac/kamau-bell.

— Jeremy Martin TALKS PLUS

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CALENDAR OUR TOP PICKS FOR THE WEEK

fragments of a love letter. This premiere will also feature readings that ruminate on themes of love from Alexandra van de Kamp and Diamond Mason, as well as some sultry sounds provided classical/ jazz guitarist Miguel Garza.

Free, 6-8pm, SPACE, 111 Camp St., (210) 227-8400, lindapacefoundation.org.

— James Courtney

SPORTS Despite a dismal win-loss record in a wretched Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers have been making strides lately, largely due to the emergence of a healthy Joel Embiid. The 7-foot, 250-pound center sat out his first two seasons with a foot injury, but has returned as the front-runner for this season’s Rookie of the Year Award. Already drawing comparisons to Houston Rockets luminary Hakeem Olajuwon, Embiid is putting up impressive numbers for the 76ers in restricted minutes. With veteran Pau Gasol sidelined with a fractured finger, the Spurs will lean on LaMarcus Aldridge and Dewayne Dedmon to slow down Embiid, who has become Philly’s catalyst for victory. All-Star Kawhi Leonard has settled back into MVP form for the Spurs, which should tip the scales in San Antonio’s favor. $10-$1,600, 7:30pm, AT&T Center, One AT&T Center Pkwy., (210) 444-5000, attcenter.com. — M. Solis

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CURRENT • February 1-7, 2017 • sacurrent.com

RIVANE NEUENSCHWANDER

W. Kamau Bell

‘Love Lettering’

by internationally recognized artist Rivane Neuenschwander and her brother Sergio. In “Love Lettering,” goldfish, ART + WORDS Just in time to begin adorned with “tiny banners warming you up for Valentine’s attached to their tails bearing Day, the Linda Pace Foundation, isolated words that express in collaboration with local love, loss and longing,” swim literary organization Gemini back and forth within a bright Ink, presents “Love Lettering.” blue oceanic scene. As we The multi-faceted event gets its watch, grammatical structures name from the primary focus form between the words, and of the evening, which is the we get the impression that we premiere of a video installation are sifting through scattered

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THU-FRI ÁNGEL RODRÍGUEZ-DÍAZ

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Ángel RodríguezDíaz

◀ On Thursday, FL!GHT Gallery opens two exhibitions of rediscovered early works by artist Ángel Rodríguez-Díaz. In its Salon gallery will be “The Full Monty/ El Mero Chile,” an exhibition of paintings that celebrate the male figure and were created in New York between 1983 and 1992. It features Rodríguez-Díaz’s famous nude Adam, a portrait of a Caribbean man that was censored when it was exhibited in 1992. Titled “Nueva York — San Antonio,” the main gallery exhibition will shed light on the development of the artist’s technique before his arrival in San Antonio.

Rodríguez-Díaz, who is of Puerto Rican descent, has called San Antonio home

KIMBERLY AUBUCHON + PATTY ORTIZ

ART

▲ With “Pillow Talk,” UTSA’s Terminal 136 gallery presents a lighthearted (maybe even heart-warming) joint exhibition from artists Kimberly Aubuchon and Patty Ortiz. Each artist has prepared a unique installation that is inspired by “the famous split-screen scene premise from the 1959 Doris Day/Rock Hudson screwball comedy” Pillow Talk. Titled “Do You Feel?,” Aubuchon’s contribution

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uses emojis to ruminate on the way in which we experience and express emotions in the 21st century. Meanwhile, Ortiz’s installation is a continuation of her “Work Won’t Kill You” series, which investigates a host of topics related to labor, love, and the means by which we personally relate to each. In this particular piece, Ortiz employs “the ubiquitous touchscreen smartphone as a device to question the nature of language and interpersonal relationships.” Free, 6-9pm Thu-Fri, Terminal 136, 136 Blue Star, (210) 458-4391, art.utsa.edu. — JC

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since relocating here in 1995 to live with his partner artist Rolando Briseño. The exhibitions at Flight Gallery precede the largest ever Rodríguez-Díaz retrospective, opening February 9 at Centro the Artes.

“If I were to characterize him as an artist, the really unique, singular and astonishing thing about his work is how he used his self-portraiture as a vehicle for social commentary,” curator and art historian Ruben C. Cordova said. “He makes a critique of pollution, or fossil fuels, greed, corruption and war in the genre of selfportraiture.” Free, 6-10pm Thu-Fri, FL!GHT Gallery, 134 Blue Star, (210) 872-2586. facebook.com/flightsa. — Marco Aquino

North Shore Fish

THEATER

“What happens to people’s dignity do when they were born to be “fish when their work is no longer useful or people.” Beyond the doom and gloom available?” This is the question at the (and potential reminders of America’s center of Israel Horovitz’s play North current state of affairs), North Shore Shore Fish, opening this weekend Fish delivers humor in the form of its at the Vex. Zooming in on one fish witty protagonists. The women “bicker packing plant in his hometown of and joke with equal ferocity.” They are Gloucester, Massachusetts, Horovitz’s not just victims, they’re multi-dimensional Pulitzer-nominated play creates a vivid and “full-blooded” and they’re not going microcosm of women working on down without a fight. Dylan Brainard the factory line just as their mothers, directs this theatrical look at work, grandmothers and great-grandmothers community and identity. $16-$22, did before them. With a new government 7:30pm Thu, 8pm Sat and 2:30pm Sun, inspector coming and business slowing, Sheldon Vexler Theatre, 12500 NW things do not look good and the women Military Hwy., (210) 302-6835, struggle with what else there is to vexler.org. — Rachel Cooley

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focuses on celebrity gossip, but her stand-up special I Don’t Mean to Brag dishes the deets on her family — how cheap her husband of 15 years is, for example, and which of her children is currently her least favorite — and her two bestselling books You’ll Never Blue Ball in This Town Again and My Inappropriate Life reconcile

the two sides. In Hollywood but not of Hollywood, McDonald is like an Erma Bombeck for the box-wine and reality TV generation with a killer Drew Barrymore impression to boot. $29.75, 8pm, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — Jeremy Martin

WORDS ◀ With the publication of his debut collection of short stories Barefoot Dogs, a book which won the coveted Jesse H. Jones Award for Best Book of Fiction, and was named Best Book of 2015 by the San Francisco Chronicle and Kirkus Reviews, Mexican-born journalist and writer Antonio Ruiz-Camacho firmly established himself as a master of the linked story form. The author’s stark and moving power to detail the violence of his native country while informing on the complicated sense of pride and patriarchy that holds sway in contemporary Latino culture was lauded by critics and readers alike. Barefoot Dogs, which employs a kaleidoscopic technique of multiple narratives to illuminate Mexican culture, is nothing less than necessary reading for anyone desiring a deeper look

KYLE CHRIS TY // TLC

▶ A mother of three who sends her kids to the same Catholic school she attended as a child and also co-hosts TLC’s All About Sex, former Chelsea Lately scribe and round-tabler Heather McDonald has to be one of the few writers whose credits include both Reader’s Digest and White Chicks.

Her podcast Juicy Scoop

COUR TESY OF RON WHIT E

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Heather McDonald into the current world of narco-violence, class disparity and the ever-present threat of kidnappings that colors this time of poisonous anti-immigrant sentiment and caustic border politics. A contributor to publications such as The New York Times, Salon and Texas Monthly, Ruiz-Camacho — who translated his own work into English — has earned a swift reputation of being a savvy and instructive young man of Latino letters. Currently working on a new novel, the Austinbased Dobie Paisano fellow visits UTSA for a presentation held in conjunction with the university’s Creative Writing Reading Series. Free, 7pm, UTSA, Business Building University Room, BB 2.06.04, One UTSA Circle (parking available in the Bauerle garage), (210) 458-4011, colfa.utsa.edu/english. — Roberto Ontiveros

STEVE ZOMBERG

JULIÁN P. LEDEZMA

SPORTS

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Legislate This!

▲ Launched in 2012 by Austin-based activist and burlesque performer Ginger Snaps as a revealing reaction to “the perils of having Rick Perry as our governor,” Legislate This! takes shape in a “triple shot of tease” that kicked off last Friday at ATX’s Spider House Ballroom and wraps up Saturday in the cozy confines of Jump-Start Theater. By “taking it off for a cause,” the provocative initiative has raised awareness of the plight of women’s reproductive rights in Texas — along with substantial contributions to Planned Parenthood chapters

BURLESQUE

across the Lone Star State. Hosted by “fiercely feminist, gender-bending” glam bear queen Foxxy Blue Orchid, the 2017 edition brings together an “an epic array of ecdysiast entertainment” comprised of local mainstays CoCo Simone, Black Orchid, Giomara Balzalduar, Jasper St. James, Queen Anthuros and Lita Deadly along with special guests Chola Magnolia (Austin) and Teddy Bare (Chicago). $10, 8pm, Jump-Start Theater, 710 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 227-5867, legislatethissa17.brownpapertickets. com. — Bryan Rindfuss

USA vs.

Uruguay ▲ For the opening game of the 2017 Americas Rugby Championship (Americas’ version of Europe’s Six Nation tournament), the world’s 17th-ranked USA Eagles will face #21 Uruguay Teros (Southern Lapwings) in the Eagles’ first-ever international game in San Antonio. Tough-as-nails Uruguay dramatically beat the US 29-25 in March in last year’s ARC, but it is six-time, undefeated champion Argentina XV (the Jaguars, not to be confused with the Pumas, their powerful main side) the team to beat. On paper, only Canada (#18) or the U.S. have a long-shot chance of beating the Argentines, but no matter what happens, prepare for an exciting, fast-paced, no-headgear, no padding tourde-force. Uruguay comes without its team captain (out with a knee injury) and the U.S. will want to finally overcome a semi-professional team that has become a pain in the ass lately (second-team Uruguay A crushed second-team U.S. A 47-15 in October as well), even though the Eagles’ have a better overall record. All Eagles’ games will be televised live at therugbychannel.tv and on a delayed basis on ESPN2. $12-$55, 3pm, Toyota Field, 5106 David Edwards Drive, ticketmaster.com. — Enrique Lopetegui.

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CALENDAR

ART Art opening: "Ordinary Things" Saralene

Tapley's new series of self portraits addresses gender roles, sexuality, identity, mental illness, life as an artist, the absurd and the mundane. Free, 7-10pm Saturday; Mantle Art Space, 714 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 971-4740.

”Critical Mass” This group exhibition

provides for a survey of artistic styles and disciplines while allowing a glimpse into each Southwest School of Art faculty member’s current creative direction and practice. Free, 9am-5pm WednesdaySaturday, 11am-4pm Sunday, 9am-5pm Monday-Tuesday; Southwest School of Art, 300 Augusta St., (210) 224.1848.

”Did You Ever See Such a Thing as a Drawing of a Muchness?” Wisconsin-

born Michelle Grabner curates works

by Natasha Bowdoin (Houston), Harold Mendez (Chicago) and Rodrigo Valenzuela (Los Angeles). Running concurrently, Benjamin McVey’s “Open” involves the San Antonio artist relocating his painting studio to Artpace’s newly rebranded Main Space, formerly known as the Window Works Gallery. Free, noon-5pm Wednesday-Sunday; Artpace, 445 N. Main Ave., (210) 212-4900.

Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching band experience. $27.50-$47.50, 7:30pm Wednesday; Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624.

Fool for Love One of Sam Shepard’s many masterworks of American theater, the 1983 Obie award winner Fool for Love follows Eddie and May, ex-lovers who seem hopelessly doomed to repeat their destructive past. $10-$40, 8pm FridaySaturday, 3pm Sunday; The Playhouse, 800 W. Ashby Pl., (210) 733-7258.

Generic Eric Written and Directed by Kodi

“Paths of Circles & Roots” Austin-based

artist April Sullivan presents a series of yarn paintings inspired by the traditions of Huichol Indians. Free, 8am-8pm Wednesday-Friday, 9:30am-5pm Saturday, 8am-8pm Monday-Tuesday; San Antonio College, Moody Learning Center, 1819 N. Main Ave., (210) 486-1346.

THEATER Cinderella Alamo City Opera celebrates the 200th anniversary of Rossini’s Cinderella, (aka La Cenerentola) with a highly entertaining take on the composer's rags-to-ritches comedy set to music that’s “bright, breathless and full of energy.” $15-$50, 8pm Saturday, 2:30pm Sunday; Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry St., (210) 314-6696.

Drumline Live! Promising "riveting

rhythms, bold beats, and ear-grabbing energy," this high-octane musical from the creators of the films Drumline and Drumline: A New Beat embodies the soulful, high-stepping style of the

Mon – Fri, 8am – 4:30pm | (210) 625-7200 | 303 N. Frio | aarcsa.com

Karim, The Overtime's latest farce follows a young man whose routine life takes a bizarre turn when he gets involved with a beautiful ex-spy. $10-$15, 8pm FridaySaturday, 3pm Sunday; The Overtime Theater, 1203 Camden St., (210) 557-7562.

The Rat Pack Lounge Roxie Theater waxes

nostalgic with a musical revue celebrating the heyday of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. $25-$30, 8pm Friday, 7:30pm Saturday, 3:30pm Sunday; Sunday; Roxie Theater, 7460 Callaghan Road, (210) 360-9180.

SPECIAL EVENTS Casino for a Cause: A Night in Monte Carlo This “high-rolling” evening ”On the Curve” Artists Constance Lowe, Jesse Amado, Andrés Ferrandis, Nicolás Leiva, Nate Cassie, Laura Anderson Barbata and Ricky Armendariz explore the multitude of possibilities within the realm of curvilinear artwork. Free, 11am-4pm WednesdaySaturday, 11am-4pm Tuesday; Ruiz-Healy Art, 201-A E. Olmos Drive, (210) 804-2219.

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benefiting the Junior League of San Antonio combines casino games and a silent auction with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, desserts and live music by South Texas Jazz. $75, 7-11pm Friday; Pearl Stable, 307 Pearl Pkwy., (210) 225-1861.

Confucius Wishing Lanterns on the Water The Institute of Texan Cultures

celebrates the 30th anniversary of its Asian Festival with a community event inviting attendees to purchase and decorate an eco-friendly rice paper lantern ($5) and cast it into the San Antonio River in honor of loved ones, hopes, dreams and wishes.

Emceed by inspirational speaker Sonny Melendrez, the “ethereal experience” includes a dance performance and Asianinspired food available for purchase. Free, 5-7pm Saturday; San Antonio River Walk, Convention Center Lagoon, (210) 458-2300.

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First Saturday at the Alamo The Alamo

turns back the clock to the 1830s for a “living history” celebration featuring special demonstrations and crafting activities. Free, 9am-4pm Saturday; The Alamo, 300 Alamo Plaza, (210) 225-1391.

First Sundays for Families: Travel the Trade Winds SAMA invites creative youngsters to take an artistic journey through China, Japan and India while creating Lokapala vests, paper leis and paintings of cherry blossoms. $5-$10,

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CALENDAR

11am-3pm Sunday; San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones Ave., (210) 978-8100.

Geology Hike Geologist Bob Hixon

leads a morning walk covering plant identification, Hill Country habitat and the karst feature along Friedrich Wilderness Park's Water Trail. $3-$6 (RSVP required at fosana.org), 10-11:30am Saturday; Friedrich Wilderness Park, 21395 Milsa Drive, (210) 207-3782.

Pony Express Love Letters Stop by the

Briscoe to craft a love letter on a vintage typewriter or with calligraphy pens. The letters will be hand-delivered free of charge to loved ones in the downtown area via bicycle messenger, like a modernday Pony Express. Free, 10am-5pm Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-9pm Tuesday; Briscoe Western Art Museum, 210 W. Market St., San Antonio, (210) 299-4499.

STEAM Fest This fifth annual event

TALKS PLUS Centennial of the Constitution of Mexico Celebratory Conference St. Mary’s

University School of Law observes the centennial anniversary of the Mexican Constitution with a conference featuring presentations about the Mexican Supreme Court and the Mexican Federal Congress as well as the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court and considerations of legal adjudication and representation on both sides of the border. $20-$50, 8:30am-7:30pm Friday; St. Mary’s University, One Camino Santa Maria, (210) 436-3530.

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“Contemporary Spanish Culture: Encounters and Transitions” Trinity

University and the Mexico, the Americas, and Spain (MAS) program’s Alvarez Seminar brings together guest lecturers Dr. James Fernandez (NYU), Dr. Maria DiFrancesco (Ithaca College), Dr. Samuel Amago (UNC-Chapel Hill) and Dr. Barbara Zecchi (UMASS-Amherst). Free, 6-8pm Wednesday; Trinity University, Northrup Hall, One Trinity Place, (210) 999-8826.

showcases student-created science projects along with poetry readings, short theatrical presentations and performances by the School of Science and Technology’s SST rock band and folk dance troupe. Free, "Gypsy Music and Life" Presented by 9:30am-noon Saturday; School of Science Raindrop Music Ensemble director Aaron and Technology, 1450 NE Loop 410, (210) Michael, this program examines the rich and 804-0222. varied musical styles of the the Roma people through video clips from India, North Africa The Big Games Watching Party Rey Feo and Spain. Beyond music, the discussion LXIX Fred Reyes holds court at a Super covers their history, culture and lifestyle in Bowl watch party with raffles, door prizes, various countries and the difficulties they food, drinks and a chance to win a 2017 often face in interacting with their neighbors.

Toyota Tacoma. $100-$5,000, 4-10pm Free, 6:30-9:30pm Tuesday; Raindrop Turkish Sunday; Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway, House, 4337 Vance Jackson Road, Suite 203, (210) 357-1900.

(210) 377-1110.

Va-Va-Valentine Beloved burlesque troupe DANCE the Pastie Pops celebrates Valentine’s Day early with a variety show filled with “love, Dance in the Park! San Antonio Dance glitter and lots of skin.” $10-$50, 7pm Umbrella (SADU) and Yanaguana Gardens’ Friday; Sexology Institute and Boutique, First Friday collaboration continues with 727 S. Alamo St., (210) 487-0371. an evening of performances and free dance lessons covering a variety of styles.

"Worth Repeating" Powered by Texas Public Free, 6:30-9pm Friday; Hemisfair Park, 434 Radio, “Worth Repeating” combines seven S. Alamo St., (210) 212-6600. seven-minute stories expanding on the theme “Love hurts ... or does it?” $7-$10, 7pm Tuesday; Josephine Theater, 339 W. Josephine St., (210) 320-0514.

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SPORTS Girls’ & Womens’ Rugby Festival In

anticipation of the USA vs. Uruguay men’s match, USA Rugby and Texas Rugby join forces to highlight girls’ and womens’ rugby in the state of Texas via exhibition matches between youth, high school, and senior teams, as well as rugby tutorials for all ages and levels. Free, 9am-3pm Saturday; Toyota Field, 5106 David Edwards Drive, (210) 495-8686.

Pink in the Rink Dressed in pink jerseys

and playing on pink ice, the Rampage take on the Texas Stars in a game dedicated to raising breast health awareness. $10-$55, 7:30pm Friday; AT&T Center, One AT&T Center Pkwy., (210) 444-5000. sacurrent.com • February 1-7, 2017 • CURRENT 31

ARTS + CULTURE

TANGLED UP IN

DAN R. GODDARD

BLUEBONNETS

Re-examining the legacy of early San Antonio painter Julian Onderdonk

≥

“Bluebonnet painter” has become synonymous with Texas kitsch, but that’s no reason to ignore the impact of early San Antonio artist Julian Onderdonk (1882-1922). Justly famous for his flower-strewn Hill Country landscapes, the greatest damage to the genre has been done by his legions of far less-talented imitators. Instead of the state’s father of bad painting, Onderdonk should be regarded as a major American Impressionist artist of the early 20th century comparable to Childe Hassam, John Henry Twachtman or Mary Cassatt.

However, the culmination of San Antonio art dealer Harry Halff’s 20-year research project, Julian Onderdonk: A Catalogue Raisonné (Yale University Press, $100), has sparked a reexamination of the city’s most popular

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yet critically underappreciated artist.

An accompanying exhibit, “Julian Onderdonk and the Texan Landscape,” on view through April 23 at the San Antonio Museum of Art, reveals a thoughtfully observant plein air painter with exceptional sensitivity to the beauty of nature, light, textures and changing seasons.

Armed with file cards the artist kept in his studio, Halff spent two decades trying to track down every drawing, watercolor and oil painting that Onderdonk completed — more than 1,200 pieces illustrated in the catalog along with a record of ownership, or provenance.

Onderdonk sold his works for as much as $750 during his lifetime, but today his paintings command anywhere from $20,000 to more than $300,000.

More than pretty pictures, Onderdonk’s paintings provide an alternative view of the Texas myth, according to the catalog essay by art historian Emily Ballew Neff. Instead of the hardscrabble, masculine image of dusty West Texas that’s become a national stereotype (see Hell or High Water), Onderdonk’s paintings faithfully recorded the verdant, subtle beauty of the Hill Country, which Neff says macho writers such as J. Frank Dobie equated “with sensitivity and effeminacy and contrary to the rough-and-ready Western qualities” that define Texas mythology.

Several beautiful bluebonnet paintings are featured and perhaps the best is SAMA’s Near San Antonio (1918), which President George W. Bush borrowed to hang in the White House.

With looser, much more impressionist brush strokes than Onderdonk’s earliest works, a sea of blue splashes across rolling hills beneath a limestone cliff.

But other paintings, A Field of Cactus in Bloom, San Antonio, Texas (1915) and the yellow-orange Coreopsis in Bloom (1915-1916) reveal Onderdonk was interested in more flora than just the state flower selected by the Texas Legislature in 1901.

Coney Island at Night from South Beach at Staten Island (1907), from the collection of prolific early Texas art collector William J. Hill, and Twilight

by Peconic Bay, Southhampton (1901), from San Antonio collector Walter Mathis’ Villa Finale, illustrate the influence of Onderdonk’s most important teacher, William Merritt

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Chase, whose Sunset at Shinnecock Hill (Long Island) (1885) is on view in SAMA’s American gallery. From Chase, Onderdonk learned “to make the ordinary appear extraordinary.”

The mysterious yet enticing A Pool on the Guadalupe (1913) has almost translucent emerald water fl owing over the limestone river bed. The stark, preternaturally still Blue Wing Lake (1916) beneath a yellowed sky evokes the earth tones of Twachtman. The pellucid Sunlight and Shadow (1910)

has sentinel-like red oaks on a ledge overlooking rolling blue hills, while in one of Onderdonk’s best paintings, A Road in Late Afternoon (1921), a white caliche road cuts through a gray, green and brown landscape with nary a bluebonnet in sight.

Nowadays, San Antonio painters recoil from the city’s most notorious art cliché, but for a witty response to bluebonnet overkill, check out Mel Casas’ Humanscape #57 in SAMA’s second-fl oor contemporary galleries.

Julian Onderdonk and the Texan Landscape

$5-$10 // 10am-5pm Wed-Thu, 10am-9pm Fri, 10am-5pm Sat-Sun, 10am-9pm Tue //San Antonio Museum of Art // 200 W. Jones Ave. // (210) 978-8100 // samuseum.org // Through April 23

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PARANOID ANDROID Ghost in the Shell returns to theaters

≥

In the wake of this year’s glossy reimagination of Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost in the Shell, the 1995 classic anime is hitting theaters in over 100 theaters across the nation, including the humble Alamo City.

The popular manga-turned-film noir is a timely work of speculative fiction, especially in our technologically driven world. Its plot centers on the investigation of a cybernetic security agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi. Policing society in the year 2029, Major Kusanagi searches for a dangerous hacker known only as the Puppet Master. With the elusive Puppet Master inciting chaos across the Hong Kong-inspired metropolis, Kusanagi races the clock to stop the hacker in a futuristic game of cat and mouse.

The real kicker? Kusanagi herself is a creation of cybernetic artifice – her living, human consciousness is routed into a lifeless, mechanical body, or “ghost” – which is vulnerable to the hacker’s omnipotent grasp as much as the rest of her digitalized landscape.

In many ways the film is the quintessential Japanese

anime. It takes place in a post-nuclear, new-millennium world of technological sprawl, where human life and mechanization are existentially tangled. (Let’s put aside the political implications of a police officer who literally cannot die.) Beyond the dark political conspiracies, the film’s unstable backdrop is wrought with issues of identity: humans look like computers, and computers look like humans in a universe that barely seems like a work of fiction.

This strange crisis of identity is relevant now more than ever. There’s a huge effort in Japan and the United States to create robotic humanoids that interact meaningfully. Some scholars have even suggested that humans are already androids by definition, with our barest beings psychologically married to our tablets and iPhones; and, if life imitates art as they say, the cryptic parable of Major Kusanagi and the Puppet Master begs another visit.

As we witness Major Kasunagi’s battery-powered shell manufactured in the film’s opening credits, we are prompted to ask certain philosophical questions.

Where is our species left standing after the technology

boom comes to an end? How do we distinguish man from machine when our computers begin to match us cognitively? Who is really in control?

While Ghost in the Shell doesn’t offer concrete answers to these questions, it provides us with a thrilling narrative to see the nightmare of what could be. Never losing its footing in its cultural context – an ancient Japanese wedding song appears at the climax of events as a key musical motif – the film moves beyond place and time to make alarming comments on contemporary society.

As it stands, no one is sure whether the Hollywood adaptation will achieve the same impact as the anime classic. (There is an obvious problem with whitewashing the cast; the live action version stars Scarlett Johansson as an Asian character and ditches the protagonist’s name Kasunagi for the simpler title of “the Major.”) But, you’ll have to check out the original to decide for yourself.

Alamo Drafthouse Westlakes and Santikos Bijou are hosting screenings of Ghost in the Shell on Tuesday, February 7 and Wednesday, February 8.

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JESSICA ELIZARRARAS | @JESSELIZARRARAS

≥

This will come as no surprise: I literally only go to Super Bowl parties for the snacks. I couldn’t possibly tell you who won the trophy last year, but I can tell you that I once thought the first down line was actually on the field. The snackage that goes down during Super Bowl Sunday derails most resolutions and requires far too much Tums, but ‘Murica, or whatever.

And no other snack shows American ingenuity — oh, wait, they were invented in Piedras Negras, Coahuila — than the nacho. Piled high, often caving under the pressure of its own ingredients, a plateful of delicately composed nachos is a wonder. Here are a few of our favorites around town to bring to your football viewing soiree.

Brisket Nachos // The Pigpen shows no restraint in its nacho recipe that compiles fresh fried and seasoned tortilla ships with pico, chopped red onion, addictive guacamole, a velvety cheese sauce and their signature brisket smoked at sister eatery The Smoke Shack.

106 Pershing Ave., (210) 267-9136, thepigpensa.com.

Panchitos // Chips, melted nacho cheese, guac, premium fajitas and refried beans are the key ingredients to this antojito featured at Taco Palenque, which has two locations in San Antonio. Bigger appetites call for regular-sized Panchos.

Multiple locations, tacopalenque.com.

pickled onions are all part of the mix.

Although these can be made vegan or vegetarian, stick with the carnitas, which feature a cinnamon-y bite. 628 Jackson St., (210) 320-1840, sanchosmx.com.

Chilakillers // Chef Jorge Rojo brings fl avors from his native Guadalajara to Ro-Ho Pork & Bread. The Chillakillers combine perfectly fried tortillas from the neighboring Sanitary Tortilla Company with a tomato-fi lled salsa, refried beans and Parmesan shavings. Top them with pork carnitas for an extra $3. 623 Urban Loop, (210) 800-3487, rohoporkandbread.com.

brisket, chicken fajita, beef fajita, a variety of cheeses, guacamole and sour cream for $21.99. Multiple locations, chachos.com.

Classic Vegan Nachos // Vegeria may have moved locations, but their nachos have remained crowd-pleasers for vegans and meat-eaters alike. Described as a “mountain of tortilla chips,” the dish also includes vegan queso, soy bean picadillo, quinoa, guacamole, pickled carrots and onions with a sunflower seed crema tying it all together. 1422 Nogalitos St., (210) 465-9233, myvegeria.com.

> In its 30th year to date, the Institute of Texan Cultures Asian Festival celebrates the new year with all things food, drink, dance and then some. The Year of the Rooster, which began January 28 and lasts through February 15, 2018, brings together Asian communities in SA for one day of cultural performances, music, cooking, henna, palm reading, art and, most importantly, food from 15 vendors. Enjoy Japanese, Korean, Thai, Laotian, Filipino and Indian fare on the patio of the ITC. $8$10, 10am-5pm Saturday, February 4, 801 E. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd., (210) 4582224, texancultures.com.

Super Nachos // The only plate of single layer nachos on our list, the Super Nachos Monster Kong Nachos // You’ll be the from The Cove neatly present black beans, Carnitas Nachos // These nachos are star of the party if you show up with an cheese, ground beef, chopped spinach, served on a paper boat that somehow order of these legendary nachos from tomatoes and jalapeños with an avocado manages not to crumble under the weight Chacho’s made to feed five to eight hungry sour cream dip. You’ll want to pour that of these fi xin’s. Refried borracho beans, party-goers. The platter contains bean and sauce on everything. 606 W. Cypress St., Jack cheese, pico, and lightly grilled cheese, picadillo beef, shredded chicken, (210) 227-2683, thecove.us.

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> Remember the time I ate vegetarian/vegan meals for a week? Yeah, me either.

This Sunday marks the return of Meat Week to Saytown, and it seems like it’ll be a beefy one. The celebration of all things beef and smoked, which features stops at local barbecue joints for specials, kicked off this past Saturday with a stop at 2M Smokehouse & Catering.

The rest of the schedule is as follows: Wednesday, February 1: King’s Hwy. Brew & Q will celebrate their monthly First Wednesday with music by DJ Free Verse, live art sessions by Nik Soupe and friends and giant beef ribs by pitmaster Emilio Soliz. 6:30pm, 1012 N. Flores St. Thursday, February 2: Beef tips, sweet potato casserole, awesome brisket — what more do you need?

The Big Bib plays hosts on Day 5 of this meat-a-thon.

6:30pm, 104 Lanark Drive.

Friday, February 3: Pitmasters Andrew Samia and Shane Reed at Dignowity Meats are known for the Kansas City-style brisket burnt ends, but they’re cooking up something special for Meat Week’s fifth year in our fair city. Stop by for Alamo Beer Co. specials. 6pm, 1701 E. Houston St. Saturday, February 4: The Point Park & Eats, the birthplace of Meat Week SA, hosts a Saturday bash with B Daddy’s BBQ food truck, beer and wine specials, and music by Odie Wallace. Noon, 24188 Boerne Stage Road.

Sunday, February 5: If you’re still truckin’ along on Day 7, you’ll want to celebrate at Burnt Ends’ Super Bowl Tailgate Party with live music, barbecue (natch) by pitmaster JP Perez and the game on the big screen. 3pm, 1725 Blanco Road.

Carnitas Are Coming

> Souhthown’s tasty corridors are expanding into South Roosevelt these days with the upcoming opening of Carnitas Lonja, a new eatery by Alex Paredes formerly with Lüke San Antonio.

A standout at this year’s San Antonio Cocktail Conference’s Opening Night party, Paredes is one half of Gallo/Toro pop-ups, a concept he launched during his time at Lüke. With Carnitas Lonja (which means market or more colloquially, love handles), Paredes will bring a menu of carnitas, chicharron, frijoles and quesadillas along with hand-made tortillas to the 700-square-foot space.

1107 Roosevelt Ave.

Pinch’s Founders Club

> Restaurants are expensive — opening a restaurant in downtown San Antonio and serving seafood, doubly so.

•

Help Pinch build their eatery

To help reach their goal of opening sometime this spring, the Pinch Boil House & Bia Bar guys are once again reaching out to their fans.

Sean Wen and Andrew Ho, who introduced Pinch in early 2016 with Vietnamese-style crawfish boil popups across downtown, launched a Founders Club this afternoon with sweet bonuses for donors. Donations are broken down into three levels: a $50 contribution receives a $100 Pinch gift card, $99 receives a $200 Pinch gift card and $199 receives a $400 Pinch gift card.

Double the reward means double the crawfish and banh mi, and “as a Founder, you will also get your name enshrined and added to our time capsule — which will be permanently displayed in our restaurant — as well as receive early invitations to special events, tastings, discount programs and other rewards,” per the Pinch site.

Would-be founders also get a sneak peek at the menu, which includes banh mis, bowls, boils, and snacks. The campaign will end February 21.

124 N. Main Ave.

Folc Announces Bexar Pub

> According to chef Luis Colon, he and business partner Daniel Eisenhauer are taking their talents to the east side to open Bexar Pub. The Folc Burger (named the No. 1 Burger in Texas by Texas Monthly last summer) along with a menu of signature burgers, fried chicken, and other pub snacks will make their way to the space that once housed Toro Taco Bar. Toro Taco Bar closed last July with little to no fanfare.

COURTESY OF PINCH BOIL HOUSE AND BIA BAR

Meat Week’s Back

Renovations are still being made to the space, including the addition of a gas line and a new paint job. Colon shared Bexar Pub will also include a list of seven or so signature cocktails, along with 12 beers on tap and three taps for bubbles, red and white wine. Bexar Pub will also offer delivery to surrounding bars and businesses (Big Hops, Burleson, La Roca were mentioned) once the kitchen is in full swing.

114 Brooklyn Ave.

Shake Shake in SA

> Whataburger is getting more competition these days from another burger chain, this time hailing from the East Coast.

Danny Meyer-founded Shake Shack, known for its fast-casual burgers, hot dogs, crinkle-cut fries and shakes is opening a location in San Antonio later this year as confirmed by the San Antonio Express-News. Launched in 2004 in Madison Square Park, the brand currently operates 100 stores as of 2016 with locations in North America, Japan, the Middle East, Russia, Turkey, the U.K. and South Korea.

According to the Express-News, the store will be located at the southwest corner of 410 and San Pedro.

Send food- and nightlife-related events and news to flavor@sacurrent.com.

sacurrent.com • February 1-7, 2017 • CURRENT 41

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CURRENT • February 1-7, 2017 • sacurrent.com

NIGHTLIFE

FILE

COURTESY

BOOZE NEWS

Industry moves, Beer Recalls, new projects and more

•

Christopher Ware

Ware’s New Gig // A week after announcing his departure from Paramour, Christopher Ware’s next move has been shared by his new employer.

The former beverage director and general manager for Paramour will now focus his efforts as South Texas Regional Director for Azar Family Brands, makers of Cinco vodka and Seersucker gin starting mid-February.

Ware, who previously helmed bar programs at Bohanan’s Bar and Arcade Midtown Kitchen, will help expand the Azar brand, which has already seen substantial growth in recent years.

“Up over 30 percent from last year in San Antonio and the rest of Texas and expanding into a dozen new states in 2017, it is important that we take great care to stay connected to our home city.

Christopher is home-grown and brings intimate knowledge of our city’s exciting cocktail culture.

He’s the right person in the right city at the right time,” said co-founder and master distiller Trey Azar in a statement released Thursday morning.

The brand recently added Seersucker gin made with citrus, mint and honeysuckle notes (they suggest mixing it with Topo Chico instead of tonic, and they’re spot on with that suggestion) to its lineup, and will also expand its distilling and hospitality operation in 2017.

Brew Problems // California brewery Sierra Nevada announced a voluntary recall on Sunday of select 12-ounce bottles that could contain a “small glass packaging flaw,” meaning there could be broken glass in your beer.

Though the brewery believes only 1 in every 10,000 bottles have been affected, Sierra Nevada is taking precautions. According to a statement from the company, batches of Pale Ale bottled between December 5, 2016-Jan. 8, 2017; Torpedo Extra IPA, Tropical Torpedo, Sidecar Orange Pale Ale, Beer Camp Golden IPA, Otra Vez, Nooner and Hop Hunter IPA bottled between December 5, 2016-Jan. 13, 2017 could be impacted in 36 states, including Texas.

If you’re not sure how to check if your beer could contain glass, Sierra Nevada has provided a handy guide. Canned and draught beers, as well as Sierra Nevada variety packs, 24-ounce bottled beer, 750-milliliter bottled beer and Chico, California-produced Sierra Nevada beer are not impacted by the recall.

New Brews for Freetail // The staff at Freetail is staying extra busy these days. Brewer Jason Davis hosted friend and collaborator Tim Myers of Strange Craft in Denver two weeks

ago. The guys brewed their fourth StrangeTail collaboration and made it a day of firsts by brewing the lager (also a first) in the 210 for the first time ever. The beer will be showcased in Denver’s Collaboration Festival this March.

And when they’re not hanging with out-oftown pals, the staff has found time to launch a new black currant Bexarliner, as well as developing a new beer series, otherwise known as Ghost Pixel Beer Studio. The fruity sour and grapefruit saison, respectively, can be found on tap at Freetail’s taproom on South Presa.

Celebratory Brews // Freetail’s also teamed up with Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling to create three beers to celebrate the city’s impending Tricentennial. The beers will have staggered releases. The first, on February 22, will be Ranger Creek’s San Antonio Lager, an easy-drinking, approachable German lager with design nods to the San Antonio Missions and the Spurs throwback hues. Freetail’s San Antonio Pale Ale, a dry-hopped pale ale with tropical fruit and citrus aromas, will debut March 2017. Distribution will vary. The third beer, a collaborative brew between both breweries, will be released in 2018.

sacurrent.com • February 1-7, 2017 • CURRENT 43

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CURRENT • February 1-7, 2017 • sacurrent.com

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CHRIS CONDE

‘DEVIL IN THE WHITE HOUSE’ … and other protest songs from SA musicians It was only natural that a fog swept through our fair city early the morning of January 20, an omen reminding us that, at least for the foreseeable future, it’s President Donald Trump now. So in case you still need help processing, we’ve compiled a list of songs from local artists that channel the spirit of revolt as we enter this new

COURTESY OF MUTANT

United States of Protest. Here’s to solidarity.

Amygdala, “Semillas” // Referencing a quote often deployed by the Zapatista movement, the vocalist of Amygdala screams “They tried to bury us, they didn’t know we were seeds!” before launching into two minutes of emotionally charged early 90s-inspired hardcore punk.

Milli Mars, “Say Their Name” // “If black lives matter, say their names” chants San Antonio heavyweight Milli Mars as a somber trap beat rolls underneath the powerful phrase.

Released towards the end of last year as a response to racism and police brutality, the track is a testament to the range and depth of Mars’ artistry.

“Life on The Border” explores Tex-Mex identity: “Nameless, not aimless, no side to declare, no need or desire.”

Fea, “Feminazi” // Off of their selftitled album released last summer, riot grrrls (and boy) Fea explore themes like fair wages and equal rights on the track “Feminazi.” Shouting for social reform and an end to the patriarchy, they say: “I’m not trying to bring you down man, I just want us to meet in the middle.”

Lonely Horse, “Devil in the White House” // Shots fired! Released on the same day as Trump’s inauguration, Lonely Horse came out guns-a-blazing with the track “Devil in the White House.” Opening with a sludgy cadence Piñata Protest, “Life on The Border” that crescendos into a tumultuous rock // Currently on tour with the Brujeria (who and roll explosion, the desert rock duo released their own anti-Trump track, “Viva make it very clear their feelings of the Presidenté Trump!”), Piñata Protest’s song new President.

≥

It takes a lot to keep an album on repeat, especially with the unlimited access we have to music made possible through torrents and online streaming. So when an artist is able to transcend that dense sea, it feels kind of like an event that should be CHRIS CONDE celebrated. (Like, Hooray! You’re not boring!)

Joseph Caceres’ latest project Mutant is that kind of anomaly. Though Caceres didn’t throw a formal release party or show for his self-titled “demo,” he has played a string of sets in the last 7 or 8 months since he officially started the project. A sort of continuation of his former two-piece electronic band Explore the cyber-punk Xry, Mutant explores the post-apocalyptic fabric of musings of Mutant vintage sci-fi and cyber-punk through the sampling of VHS tapes and analog keyboard sounds.

Caceres, half-jokingly, says he wants listeners to imagine “some occultist living underneath an overpass with a bunch of crappy machines making trashy tape music” — which actually wasn’t that far off from the vision I got after a first listen. Mutant, though aggressive and gritty, is balanced out by just the right amount of pop — leading to a sound that is both approachable and weird as fuck. Caceres’ use of reel-to-reel tape recording adds a sort of whispering, vintage hum that ties it all together.

Caceres actually plans to re-release the project on VHS along with another collection of music and merch to follow sometime this year. In an ever-expanding wasteland of contrived “indie” rock, Caceres steps over what is safe or expected with the post-apocalyptic reflections of Mutant.

‘TRASHY TAPE MUSIC’

sacurrent.com • February 1-7, 2017 • CURRENT 45

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MUSIC PICKS

Known for their advocacy around radically progressive political groups like Greenpeace, Amnesty International and more recently, the Occupy movement, Anti-Flag have been a vehicle for punktinged political action for almost thirty years. While the band originally formed in the late 1980s, AntiFlag it took years of shows THU

2

AND YOU DON’T STOP: 30 YEARS OF HIP-HOP Exploring the development of Hip-Hop Culture, the VH1 documentary And You Don’t Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop is a look back at the inception and continued evolution of a genre that consistently pushes social and cultural boundaries. With pre-screening performances by DJ JJ Lopez and a closing performance

by The Foreign Arm, this evening of music and friends is definitely lining up to be a must-attend event for hip hop heads of all ages. 7pm, Free, Plaza De Armas Gallery, 115 Plaza De Armas #102 THU

2

and lineup changes for Anti-Flag to release their actual first album in 1996.

One major record label deal and shit ton of tours later, Anti-Flag continue to scorch the earth with their brazen punk-fueled distaste for corporate America. With Reel Big Fish, Ballyhoo!, 7pm, $22.50, Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St.E. Houston St.

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COLD CAVE ANTI-FLAG

Dark wave is on the rise again. Gaining popularity in the 80s as a darker, atmospheric alternative to new wave and synth-pop, the sound incorporates gothic rock and synths to produce a colder, sharper version of its more up-beat counterpart. Wesley Eisold (who was the singer of hardcore group Give Up The Ghost, formerly American Nightmare) fastens the elements of traditional dark wave with his project Cold Cave – music perfectly suited to be blasted at your next cold graveyard dance party. With Drab Majesty, 8pm, $15, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St. THU

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FOREIGNER If you haven’t drunkenly shouted the chorus to “Feels Like The First Time” with a crowd of equally intoxicated friends (or strangers), you might need to stop taking yourself so seriously and go do that (or not, whatever).

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Hudson Falcons deliver some all killer, no filler songwriting reminiscent of everything from Soul Asylum to Flogging Molly. The boys from New Jersey consider themselves a punk/ rock ‘n roll fusion, channeling influences like the Clash and Springsteen. Diverse but with a vintage sound, Hudson Falcons are sure to deliver waves of nostalgia to fans of multi-genre influenced punk rock.

With The Booked, Sniper 66, Smartboyz, 8pm, $7, The Korova (basement) FRI

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sacurrent.com • February 1-7, 2017 • CURRENT 47

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After gaining some national recognition with his band Blowing Trees, which featured members of the powerhouse sextuplet Fishermen, Chris Maddin continued his sonic evolution by exploring the icy depths of his synth-pop project Filmstrips. He’s also been dabbling seriously interesting, unambiguously named, songwriter material with SAT

COURTESY OF CHRIS MADDON // BAND CAMP

CHRIS MADDIN “STEREQUIEM” ALBUM RELEASE

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his eponymously named solo project. On "Stuck in Edit," a song off Maddin’s forthcoming solo album Sterequiem, the singer’s voice floats gently over a warm field of shimmering guitar chords, producing the effect of a sung lullaby before a perfect afternoon nap in the sun. With Demitasse, More Eaze, 9pm, $5$8, Limelight, 2719 N. St. Mary’s.

COURTESY O FWEAK FLESH

4

NATALI ERHEA

A San Antonio folk singer who’s twice hit the Billboard Country charts, Tish Hinojosa has been delivering charming singersongwriter performances since the late 1980s. The youngest of thirteen children, Hinojosa’s parents immigrated from Mexico and her songwriting reflects that cultural cross-bridge as she narrates stories in both English and Spanish. With a soft but sturdy soprano timbre and confident acoustic guitar strumming, the Alamo City native is sure to deliver a memorable performance. 8pm, $20, The Tobin Center For The Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle

up to be an afternoon full of some nationally recognized grindcore acts, sure to satisfy that itch for guttural roars and blast beats — and, who knows, maybe even a cathartic collective screaming of Dude, fuck you. 6pm, $12$15, K23 Gallery, 704 Fredericksburg Rd.

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COURTESY

Who among us doesn’t walk through life regularly thinking, and maybe even muttering out loud, Dude, fuck you. Now, you have a music festival to celebrate the feeling. Drawing its name from the stupidity of meme culture, “Dude, Fuck You Fest” is gearing SAT

COURTESY OF DAVID RUSSEL

DUDE. FUCK YOU! FEST

DAVID RUSSELL After falling down a rabbit-hole of hypnotizing performance videos from classical guitarist David Russell, I’ve pretty much concluded that he’s probably the best guitarist alive right now (OK, at least one of the best). He sounds like three guitarists playing in unison. Russell’s fingers dance across his classical guitar in a marvelous display of dexterity honed through years of discipline. With a Grammy for his 2005 album Aire Latino and a street actually named after him, Russell has made a lasting impact on the classical music world for his contributions with guitar. 7:30pm, $29-$49, Ruth Taylor Recital Hall, Trinity University, 1 Trinity Pl. SAT

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TISH HINOJOSA

sacurrent.com • February 1-7, 2017 • CURRENT 49

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MUSIC

MUSIC CALENDAR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1 All Sides Equal Red I.V. is joined by Noise Quota and All Sides Equal. Free.

Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music, 9pm Bru’s Tunes Live Acoustic Music by Bru’s Tunes. Free. La Hacienda De Los Barrios, 6-9pm Colin Colby Acoustic showcase with Colin Colby. Free. The Phoenix Saloon, 8:30pm Geoff Tate Geoff Tate, of Queensyrche, plays an acoustic show at Sam’s. $30$200. Sam’s Burger Joint, 8:30pm Nick Shan Showcase Local indie rock show case with Formative Fire, Saltwater Slide, and Nick Shan. Free. The Amp Room, 9pm North by North Garage pop-rockers North

by North are joined by The Black Market Club, Voodoo Boogaloo, and Backstair Satellite. $5. 502 Bar, 9pm Wednesday Evening Picker Circle w/ Jimmy Lee Jones Open unplugged acoustic jam with Jimmy Lee Jones. Free.

Luckenbach Dance Hall, 5pm

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2 210 Blues Band Every Thursday & Sunday night SoHo Martini Bar features the R&B sounds of San Antonio’s own 210 Blues Band. Free. SoHo Wine & Martini Bar, 10pm Cold Cave Electronic musician Cold Cave are joined by Drab Majesty. $15. Paper Tiger, 8pm Crush The Thirsty Camel’s alternative/ electronica/indie/retro dance night features such artists as Purity Ring, Interpol, The Smiths, M83, Crystal Castles, CSS, and Joy Division. Free.

Thirsty Camel, 10pm Disorder Goth, New Wave & Industrial music videos hosted by Ely Bat. Free. The Amp Room, 11pm Foreigner National favorite rockers Foreigner take the stage at the Majestic. $49.50$79.50. The Majestic Theatre, 7:30pm Jared & The Mill Jared & the Mill play a blend of folk, blues, and country, joined by local act fishermen. $30. Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30pm Reel Big Fish Ska-punk legends Reel Big Fish are joined by Anti-flag. $22.50. Aztec Theatre, 7pm

Tejanos for Christ Concert St. Leonard’s Catholic Church presents their Tejanos for Christ concert featuring Sonny Ozuna, Patsy Torres, Rudy Tee, Rene’ Rene’ and Javier Galvan. $15-$20. St. Leonard’s Church, 6:30 p.m.-midnight Thursday Night Picker CIrcle with Brent Ryan Unplugged, acoustic session with Bren Ryan. Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 5pm

February 3 - Flatland Cavalry

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Booze Bombs Rockabilly night with Booze Bombs and Sean Castillo Trio. Free. The Amp Room, 9pm Broken Soul Rockers Broken Soul are joined by BrokenRail, All The Time, The Mendenhall Experiment and Burning Circle. $5-$8. Bond’s 007 Rock Bar, 8pm DJ Phoenix DJ Phoenix takes the stage every Friday at 10pm. Free. Hooligan’s, 10pm

Check out fresh daily conent at sacurrent.com

February 4 - Roger Creager

The Get Down Curated by Dj Gibb and Dj Techneek, every First and Third Friday.

Free. Southtown 101,10pm Friday Afternoon Picker Circle W/ Hayden Whittington Open, unplugged acoustic jam with Hayden Whittington. Free.

Luckenbach Dance Hall, 1pm Hudson Falcons Punk rockers Hudson Falcons are joined by The Booked, Sniper 66, and Smartboyz. $7. The Korova, 8pm

February 10 - The Statesboro Revue

Hydra Melody Local indie rock band Hydra Melody play at the Mix. Free. The Mix, 9-11:55pm Jon Wolfe Country singer/songwriter Jon Wolfe is joined by Jared Deck. $10. Gruene Hall, 8pm Mozart Piano Concerti Jeremy Denk, one of America’s foremost pianists, plays two Mozart piano concertos. $15-$96. Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 8pm

February 11 Mario Flores & The Soda Creek Band

Ruben V Ruben V plays Sam’s. $10-$45.

Sam’s Burger Joint, 9pm Shinyribs Shinyribs performs country, rock, folk and blues. $25-$30. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 9pm Vegas Star Performance The Vegas Stars belt out dance/rock/rap/pop hits from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and today’s hits. Free.

Big Texas Ice House & Dance Hall, 10pm

February 17 - Hal Ketchum

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Big Balls TX Big Balls TX - Bon Scott AC/DC tribute band is joined by Violent Revenge and Target 7. $10. Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music, 7pm Bryan Wright In the Yard. Local singer songwriter Bryan Wright is joined by Mark Serna and Space WLVS. Free. Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music, 9pm

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MUSIC

Cinderella The popularly known rags to riches story will be sung in English, and performed with professional opera talent from across the region backed by a full orchestra. $15-$50. Carver Community Cultural Center, 8-10:30 p.m.

The Clever Name Band The Clever Name Band live at Hooligan’s. $5. Hooligan’s, 10pm Electric Cowboys Performance Country act The Electric Cowboys perform. Free. Big Texas Ice House & Dance Hall, 10pm Filmstrips Singer/songwriter Chris Maddin’s project Film Strips is joined by Demitasse and More Eaze. $5-$8. Limelight, 9pm Good Times Fest 5 Local Indie artists WrathTongue, Sideline Rookies, Robby Jr and Texas Two, and Last Time. Free. The Amp Room, 9pm Johnny Nicholas Johnny Nicholas plays country, rock, folk and blues. $10.

Luckenbach Dance Hall, 8pm Las Cruces Doom metal band Las Cruces performs with Necronaut and King Earth. $5. Zombies, 9:30pm Levees, Tinnarose Pop rock band locals Levees are joined by Tinnarose. $5. 502 Bar, 9pm Matt Caldwell In Concert Singer/ songwriter Matt Caldwell plays at the Roundup. $7. The Roundup Outdoor Music Venue, 7-10pm Max Stalling Texas country-songwriter Max Stalling is joined by Michigan Rattlers. $10-$50. Sam’s Burger Joint, 8pm Michael J. and the Foxes Michael J. and the Foxes perform with Brandon Cunningham and Cooper Greenberg. $5-$8. Ventura, 8pm Mozart Piano Concerti Jeremy Denk, one of America’s foremost pianists, plays two Mozart piano concertos. $15-$96. Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 8pm NeonNoah Indie rock/pop band NeonNoah play Burleson. Free. Burleson Yard Beer Garden, 9:45pm The New Offenders Southern rock artists The New Offenders play Phoenix Saloon.

Free. The Phoenix Saloon, 9pm Saturday Afternoon Picker Circle W/ Pistol Creek Unplugged, acoustic session with Pistol Creek. Free.

Luckenbach Dance Hall, 1pm

Shattered Sun Shattered Sun is joined by Shaping the Legacy, Covina, Plague, and Psycho 78, a Misfit tribute band. $5-$8.

Bond’s 007 Rock Bar, 8pm Wood Stove Sessions with Sol Patch Unplugged, acoustic show with Sol Patch.

Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 7pm

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5 210 Blues Band Every Thursday & Sunday night SoHo Martini Bar features the R&B sounds of San Antonio’s own 210 Blues Band. Free. SoHo Wine & Martini Bar, 10pm Cinderella The popularly known rags to riches story will be sung in English, and performed with professional opera talent from across the region backed by a full orchestra. $15-$50. Carver Community Cultural Center, 2:30-5pm Judivan Roots Reggae band Judivan Roots is joined by Lion Heights. $5-$8.

Limelight, 8pm MIBG Progressive metal band Memories in Broken Glass are joined by The Ansible, Halogen, Coldcasket, and Covina. $5.

Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music, 7pm Mozart at the Cathedral Members of the San Antonio Symphony perform Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro (arr. Lloyd Conley), Danzi’s Wind Quintet in G minor, and Mozart’s Serenade No.12 for Winds. $25-$50. San Fernando Cathedral, 7pm Sunday Afternoon Picker Circle w/Dan West Cowart Unplugged acoustic show with Dan West Cowart. Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 1pm

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6 Meat and Metal Mondays Zombies Bar hosts a metal night while serving meat and drink specials. Free. Zombies, 5pm Monday Evening Picker Circle w/ Stephen K. Morris Unplugged Americana session with Stephen K. Morris. Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 5pm

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Old Skool 90s hip hop/R&B vids with VJ Wooly Bully Free. The Amp Room, 9pm

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7 Claude Butch Morgan Open unplugged acoustic session with Claude Butch Morgan. Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 5pm GEN-X 80s 80s Retro/New Wave from classic to obscure Free. The Amp Room, 10pm

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ADVICE COLUMNISTS WITHOUT BORDERS SAVAGE LOVE

by Dan Savage

> I write you from Italy, where I follow you through Internazionale.

I am a guy in his 30s sexually paralyzed with his girlfriend. We are together four years, and during the last year sex has gradually faded away, leaving me alone with my skillful hand (left one).

The sexual paralysis is beginning to affect our behaviors. We don’t accept each other anymore. We are starting to mutually ignore. Verbal communication is poor. However, we are exceptional friends. I am good-looking, sociable, fit, and with plenty of semen. Girls are quite interested, but I don’t want to cheat.

I don’t believe in monogamy, but my girlfriend could never tolerate betrayal. What the fuck to do?

Literally Outta Order Penis Sometimes a relationship dies but we insist on propping the body up in a corner, LOOP, and pretending it’s still alive. We do this because even if the relationship is dead, our partner isn’t.

And we can’t declare the thing dead — we can’t break the fuck up already — without hurting someone we used to have romantic feelings for and may still very much like as a person. So we tiptoe around the decomposing corpse until the stench can’t be ignored any longer.

This relationship is dead, LOOP: You no longer accept each other, you ignore each other, and the sex dried up a year ago. On top of all that, LOOP, you don’t believe in monogamy and she can’t tolerate betrayals. Even if your relationship weren’t dead — and if it isn’t dead, LOOP, it’s so close you need to slap a Do Not Resuscitate order on its chart — you two aren’t a match. End the relationship, do your best to salvage the exceptional friendship, and stop letting all that semen go to waste. > English is not my mother tongue.

Bear with me. I’m bisexual, age 26 — I always knew I was, but like many bi girls I ended up with guys.

I had a long, serious relationship with a man when I was young and only started exploring my sexuality after I found the guts to leave him.

Then I fell in love with a girl. She’s

a lesbian, and after a long and hard-fought chase, I finally got her.

It’s been two months, I came out to my parents (whom I live with, adults living at home is acceptable in my culture, don’t judge), and they did not exactly welcome the news.

But all would seem to be going well: I love a girl, she loves me, my parents let us be. Problem is, I want cock. I want a man to grab me and have sex with me. I’ve had the chance to do it and didn’t, because I wanted to respect the exclusivity of my relationship. My girlfriend knows about my doubts but says they are part of “questioning my non-heterosexuality.” I don’t want to leave her, because she’s my princess and my goddess, and I want to adore her for eternity. But I worry about bad judgment and impulses. Where do I go from here?

Wanting A Dick Those aren’t doubts, WAD. They’re desires. You know what you want: You want your girlfriend, you want cock, you want a man to grab you, and you want to continue questioning — and shaping and defining — your non-heterosexuality.

The problem, WAD, isn’t that you don’t know what you want, it’s that you don’t know how to fuse all these wants into a coherent identity. (Possible answer: “bisexual, lesbo-amorous, likely nonmonogamous.”)

There are plenty of options you and your girlfriend can explore — together or separately. Get a fake cock and use it together. If that doesn’t slake your hunger for cock, maybe your girlfriend would be up for a threesome. If she’s not DTFAGWY (down to fuck a guy with you), discuss whether an open relationship is a possibility down the road.

That said, WAD, you and the Princess Goddess you worked so hard to land have only been together two months. If you’re wrecked over your need for cock at this early stage — if you’re not able to focus on her alone at eight weeks — maybe sexual exclusivity isn’t the right choice for you.

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JONESIN’ CROSSWORD by Matt Jones

Answer on page 31

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“Stuck on You” — so smooth, you can’t even tell.

ACROSS

1 A-list notable 6 “Big Blue” company 9 Exudes affection 14 Tell jokes to 15 Perrins’s partner in sauce 16 TV host with a book club 17 Slow reaction to making tears?

19 1980s attorney general Edwin 20 157.5 deg. from N 21 Insurer’s calculation 22 Gave bad luck to 23 ___ Lingus (carrier to Dublin) 24 Red-sweatered Ken from a 2016 presidential debate 25 Voracious “readers” of old audiobooks, slangily?

31 Responsibility shirker’s cry 32 Coyote’s cries 33 Gulf Coast st.

35 Bitty amount 36 Test versions 37 Ditch 38 “All Things Considered” co-host Shapiro 39 Ninja Turtles’ hangout 40 ___ and variations 41 Three fingers from the bartender, for instance?

44 John’s “Double Fantasy” collaborator 45 Blackhawks and Red Wings org.

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46 Montana moniker 49 1978-’98 science magazine 51 “___ death do us part” 54 Act histrionically 55 What the three longest answers are actually held together by 57 XTC’s “Making Plans for ___” 58 Adjust, as a skirt 59 Corset shop dummy 60 Newspaper piece 61 Creator of a big head 62 React to Beatlemania, perhaps

DOWN

1 Ill-bred men 2 Auckland Zoo animals 3 Fortune founder Henry 4 Strong following?

5 Doctor’s orders, sometimes 6 Societal woes 7 Bird’s bill 8 Could possibly 9 Franchise whose logo has three pips 10 Letter tool 11 “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” rockers 12 Facility 13 Leave hairs everywhere 18 Britain’s neighbor, to natives 22 Prominent part of a Nixon caricature

23 K2’s continent 24 Haunted house warning 25 Brewer of Keystone and Blue Moon 26 Top floor 27 “Quadrophenia” band 28 Pacific Northwestern pole 29 Craftsperson, in steampunk circles 30 Nickelodeon’s green subtance-in-trade 31 Actress Vardalos 34 “George of the Jungle” creature 36 First name mentioned in “Baby Got Back” 37 Jewish house of prayer 39 Carmichael who coined the phrase “black power” 40 Cannon fodder for the crowd?

42 Seafood in a “shooter” 43 Elsa’s sister 46 Folds and Harper, for two 47 Unreal: abbr.

48 Type of dancer or boot 49 “In My Own Fashion” autobiographer Cassini 50 Sticky note note 51 Pasty luau fare 52 ___ facto 53 “Sex on Fire” group Kings of ___ 55 “Weekend Update” cohost Michael 56 Haul a trailer

ETC.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY by Rob Brezsny ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Once upon a time, Calvin of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip made this bold declaration: “Happiness isn’t good enough for me! I demand euphoria!” Given your current astrological aspects, Aries, I think you have every right to invoke that battle cry yourself.

From what I can tell, there’s a party underway inside your head. And I’m pretty sure it’s a healthy bash, not a decadent debacle. The bliss it stirs up will be authentic, not contrived.

The release and relief it triggers won’t be trivial and transitory, but will generate at least one long-lasting breakthrough.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): The

coming weeks will be an excellent time to ask for favors. I think you will be exceptionally adept at seeking out people who can actually help you. Furthermore, those from whom you request help will be more receptive than usual. Finally, your timing is likely to be close to impeccable. Here’s a tip to aid your efforts: A new study suggests that people are more inclined to be agreeable to your appeals if you address their right ears rather than their left ears. (More info: tinyurl.com/intherightear)

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Here

are your five words of power for the next two weeks, Gemini. 1. Unscramble. Invoke this verb with regal confidence as you banish chaos and restore order. 2. Purify.

Be inspired to cleanse your motivations and clarify your intentions. 3. Reach. Act as if you have a mandate to stretch out, expand, and extend yourself to arrive in the right place.

4. Rollick. Chant this magic word as you activate your drive to be lively, carefree, and frolicsome. 5. Blithe. Don’t take anything too personally, too seriously, or too literally.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): The 17th-century German alchemist Hennig Brand collected 1,500 gallons of urine from beer-drinkers, then cooked and re-cooked it till it achieved the “consistency of honey.”

Why? He thought his experiment would eventually yield large quantities of gold.

It didn’t, of course. But along the way, he accidentally produced a substance of great value: phosphorus. It was the first time anyone had created a pure form of it. So in a sense, Brand “discovered” it. Today phosphorus is widely used in fertilizers, water treatment, steel production, detergents, and food processing. I bring this to your attention, my fellow Cancerian, because I suspect you will soon have a metaphorically similar experience.

Your attempt to create a beneficial new asset will not generate exactly what you wanted, but will nevertheless yield a useful result.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): In the

documentary movie Catfish, the directors,

Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, present a metaphor drawn from the fishing industry.

They say that Asian suppliers used to put live codfish in tanks and send them to overseas markets. It was only upon arrival that the fish would be processed into food. But there was a problem: Because the cod were so sluggish during the long trips, their meat was mushy and tasteless. The solution? Add catfish to the tanks. That energized the cod and ultimately made them more flavorful.

Moral of the story, according to Joost and Schulman: Like the cod, humans need catfish-like companions to stimulate them and keep them sharp. Do you have enough influences like that in your life, Leo? Now is a good time to make sure you do.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): The

city of Boston allows an arts organization called Mass Poetry to stencil poems on sidewalks. The legal graffiti is done with a special paint that remains invisible until it gets wet. So if you’re a pedestrian trudging through the streets as it starts to rain, you may suddenly behold, emerging from the blank grey concrete, Langston Hughes’ poem “Still Here” or Fred Marchant’s “Pear Tree In Flower.” I foresee a metaphorically similar development in your life, Virgo: a pleasant and educational surprise arising unexpectedly out of the vacant blahs.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): When he was in the rock band Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh took his time composing and recording new music. From 1978 to 1984, he and his collaborators averaged one album per year. But when Mothersbaugh started writing soundtracks for the weekly TV show Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, his process went into overdrive.

He typically wrote an entire show’s worth of music each Wednesday and recorded it each Thursday. I suspect you have that level of creative verve right now, Libra. Use it wisely! If you’re not an artist, channel it into the area of your life that most needs to be refreshed or reinvented.

your past that are worth taking with you into the future.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

The mountain won’t come to you. It will not acquire the supernatural power to drag itself over to where you are, bend its craggy peak down to your level, and give you a free ride as it returns to its erect position. So what will you do? Moan and wail in frustration? Retreat into a knot of helpless indignation and sadness? Please don’t. Instead, stop hoping for the mountain to do the impossible. Set off on a journey to the remote, majestic pinnacle with a fierce song in your determined heart.

Pace yourself. Doggedly master the art of slow, incremental magic.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Who can run faster, a person or a horse? There’s evidence that under certain circumstances, a human can prevail. In June of every year since 1980, the Man Versus Horse Marathon has taken place in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells. The route of the race weaves 22 miles through marsh, bogs, and hills. On two occasions, a human has outpaced all the horses. According to my astrological analysis, you Capricorns will have that level of animalistic power during the coming weeks. It may not take the form of foot speed, but it will be available as stamina, energy, vitality, and instinctual savvy.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Who

would have guessed that Aquarian Charles Darwin, the pioneering theorist of evolution, had a playful streak? Once he placed a male flower’s pollen under a glass along with an unfertilized female flower to see if anything interesting would happen. “That’s a fool’s experiment,” he confessed to a colleague. “But I love fools’ experiments. I am always making them.” Now would be an excellent time for you to consider trying some fools’ experiments of your own, Aquarius. I bet at least one of them will turn out to be both fun and productive.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): In Shakespeare’s play MacBeth, three witches brew up a spell in a cauldron. Among the ingredients they throw in there is the “eye of newt.” Many modern people assume this refers to the optical organ of a salamander, but it doesn’t. It’s actually an archaic term for “mustard seed.” When I told my Piscean friend John about this, he said, “Damn! Now I know why Jessica didn’t fall in love with me.” He was making a joke about how the love spell he’d tried hadn’t worked. Let’s use this as a teaching story, Pisces. Could it be that one of your efforts failed because it lacked some of the correct ingredients? Did you perhaps have a misunderstanding about the elements you needed for a successful outcome? if so, correct your approach and try again.

THIS MODERN WORLD by Tom Tomorrow

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21):

Many vintage American songs remain available today because of the pioneering musicologist, John Lomax. In the first half of the 20th century, he traveled widely to track down and record obscure cowboy ballads, folk songs, and traditional African American tunes. “Home on the Range” was a prime example of his many discoveries.

He learned that song, often referred to as “the anthem of the American West,” from a black saloonkeeper in Texas. I suggest we make Lomax a role model for you Scorpios during the coming weeks. It’s an excellent time to preserve and protect the parts of sacurrent.com • February 1-7, 2017 • CURRENT 57

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