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On Singer Jonny Craig Has Been Hanging Around San Antonio and We're Not Stoked About It // I wouldn’t wanna disappoint such a great and noble publication Hahaha @SAcurrent – @jonnycraig4L On Dave Matthews Band Isn't Coming to San Antonio and No One Cares // Frat rock? It's as though the author never listened to Dave Matthew's Band. I don't care what anyone says, Dave Matthew's has some of those most talented musicians in that band. Their drummer is a damn beast!! – Gilbert Espinoza III On Bust Out Those Leather Pants: Journey and Def Leppard are Headed to San Antonio // Says a lot about the Current when one day they are hating on Dave Mathew's Band and the next fawning over elderly hair bands. – Greg Ayres On 20 Cozy San Antonio Bars Perfect for Keeping Warm This Winter // Apparently what's "current" at this news source is the almighty quest for booze and babes. Oh, right, and of course, getting to post about another drunk driving incident or rape. – Susan Broome Thompson

Issue 18_04 /// January 24-30, 2018

NEWS

Taxman Gov. Abbott campaigns to dramatically shrink property tax rate

Open Sesame Following complaints, Alamo redesign meetings are now open to the public

SCREENS

At 96 years young, Alamo Heights icon Barney Smith is selling his Toilet Seat Art Museum, often counted among the great American roadside attractions. While there's no concrete offer on Smith's collection of 1,335 imaginatively decorated toilet seats, attendance has spiked and there's a forthcoming book celebrating his life and work — King of the Commode, dropping May 26 from Austin-based Cattywampus Press. Photograph by Bryan Rindfuss. Art direction by Carlos Aguilar. 6

CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

Our top picks for the week

ARTS + CULTURE

Being Barney Smith Celebrating the Norman Rockwell of toilet seat art Skin Deep David Alcantar blurs boundaries between fine art and tattoo culture

Lines Drawn Supreme Court rejects Texas Democrats’ appeal in partisan redistricting case

COVER

CALENDAR

Cold Blooded Texas inmates report poor heating in nearly 20 prisons during winter storm

Journey of Healing We Are Stronger makes pitch for faith to play role in treating veterans with PTSD

ON THE

MUSIC

Hit Me With Your Best Shot Local Chicana punk-rockers are looking for new members Music Calendar What to see and hear this week

FOOD

Delicious Dichotomy A Parisian bistro and a puro San Antonio cocina open this Thursday Beautiful Bowls Aside from being downright awe-inspiring, popular smoothies are growing in demand

ETC.

Savage Love Jonesin’ Crossword Freewill Astrology

NIGHTLIFE

Ready, Set, Go Liberty Bar’s Ana Cabrera heads to New Orleans for Speed Rack Southeast

sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 7

SHUTTERSTOCK

8 CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

SHUTTERSTOCK

NEWS

Lines Drawn Supreme Court rejects Texas Democrats’ appeal in partisan redistricting case

Taxman ALEX ZIELINSKI | @ALEX_ZEE

Gov. Abbott campaigns to dramatically shrink property tax rate

LYANNE A. GUARECUCO | @LYANNEALEXIA

On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by Texas Democrats asking the court to determine whether Texas Republicans had intentionally drawn political maps to suppress Democratic voters (known as partisan gerrymandering). Although the dismissal is a blow for Texas Democrats, the Supreme Court is taking up other partisan gerrymandering cases from different states — and their ruling on those cases could potentially lay the groundwork for limiting partisan gerrymandering in Texas down the line. The move comes days after the Supreme Court agreed to take up a Texas case that could determine whether the congressional and state House maps were drawn to intentionally discriminate against voters of color. Last year, a three-judge panel in San Antonio ruled that two congressional and nine House districts were crafted to suppress minority voters. The Supreme Court did not comment on the decision to dismiss the appeal. “Today, the Supreme Court ruled that it does not presently have jurisdiction to hear a partisan gerrymander claim under the unique posture of this complex case,” Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement after the dismissal. “Nonetheless, we anticipate an upcoming opportunity to continue our pursuit of justice for Texas voters.” Now that their appeal has been dismissed, any plan by Texas Democrats to revive the case will likely have to wait until the Supreme Court has ruled on partisan gerrymandering in other states.

≥

Gov. Greg Abbott has kicked off his election campaign with a promise reminiscent to the one he made in his 2014 run for governor: Tax reform. At a January 16 press conference, Abbott unveiled a proposal to dramatically shrink the amount of property taxes a city or county can collect from residents. Currently, municipalities can annually collect up to 8 percent more in property taxes than they did the year before. Anything higher must go to a public vote. Under Abbott’s proposition, cities and counties would only be able to increase that rate by 2.5 percent each year without having to go to the polls. Thanks to prior legislative lobbying, law enforcement funding and teacher salaries are exempt from the cap. Texas currently has the fifth highest tax rate in the country, mostly because it’s one of the seven states without a state income tax. But it’s been a longtime grievance for Texas Republicans. “We can no longer sit idly by while homeowners are reduced to tenants of their very own property with taxing authorities playing the role of landlord,” Abbott said. Abbott’s plan also includes mandates for local government to be more transparent about its incurred debt when asking for voter approval of major bond packages. It’s an issue that dominated the 2017 state legislature (at least, for conservative lawmakers) and will likely become the cornerstone of Abbott’s 2018 re-election campaign. Of course, his tax proposal will have to be approved by the state legislature — meaning the soonest it would go into effect would be late 2019. While this sounds like good news for property owners, these taxes directly go toward running public schools, community colleges, cities, counties, and hospitals. Higher property taxes often equate to better schools, top-notch hospitals, and responsive government agencies. Abbott said that under his proposal, the state government would instead be responsible for funding these crucial local services.

But Abbott did not offer details on how, exactly, the state would wrangle up that massive chunk of funding — especially the funds needed to keep the already-broken education system afloat. It appears the biggest losers in this proposed plan are local governments — entities that Abbott has often said should be free from any larger government control. But for Abbott, the press conference was more a campaign speech for anti-tax voters than a moment to explain a complicated tax plan. “Young families who are just starting out are having trouble affording their first home and businesses are unable to grow and hire more workers,” Abbott said. “Enough is enough.” Naturally, Texas conservatives applauded Abbott’s announcement, including Senators Joan Huffman and Paul Bettencourt. Texas’ Center for Public Policy Priorities, an independent research group, released a statement chiding Abbott’s plan. “The Governor’s misguided proposal suggests that he doesn’t trust Texans to make the best decisions for our communities,” said CPPP Director Ann Beeson. “[He] criticizes local debt, like city and county bonds, without mentioning that all local bonds are approved by voters. When we vote locally for city, county and school board officials, we are choosing how much we want to pay for schools, public safety and other services we value. We all benefit from services delivered by our city, county and other local governments.” Andrew White, one of the top Democrats running for the governor’s seat, also responded to Abbott’s announcement in a pair of tweets. “In an election year, [Abbott] is trying to show he has a solution to crushing property taxes by capping the rate of growth — while ignoring the underlying causes of it: our failing education and healthcare systems,” White tweeted. “Yet he’s had three years to do something about it and has come up short. His plan is flawed, so it’s time for new thinking. Texas can do better.” sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 9

NEWS

Cold Blooded

SHUTTERSTOCK

Texas inmates report poor heating in nearly 20 prisons during winter storm ALEX ZIELINSKI | @ALEX_ZEE

≥

In early January, inmates across Texas endured freezing temperatures due to broken or turnedoff heaters and drafty facilities. After families, advocates and even lawmakers complained to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, officials claimed all facilities were heated (one had a broken heater that had been “quickly repaired”) — that it was a non-issue. Two weeks later, in the middle of yet another unusual Texas

freeze, inmates said nothing has improved. In fact, with the flu spreading through the prison system, it felt even worse. According to reports from family members collected by the Texas Inmate Families Association, there were over a dozen different TDCJ prison units with little or no heat starting around Friday, Jan. 12. Inmates reported poorlysealed windows (some covered with tarps), no extra blankets, and heat getting cut off in the middle of the night.

One man reported a hail storm broke “many windows” in his unit. TDCJ spokesman Robert Hurst, however, reported that all units “have heat and are operating.” Meanwhile, at least two Texas prisons have been hit with this season’s especially resistant flu virus. As of Tuesday, Jan. 16, 64 prisoners at the Hodge Unit in Rusk and 18 at the Jester IV Unit in Richmond were showing flu symptoms, TDCJ told the Houston Chronicle. TDCJ is already facing a class-action lawsuit for allowing its facilities to reach sweltering temperatures in the summer (above 100 degrees on an average day). Lead Counsel Jeff Edwards argues that knowingly allowing inmates — many elderly with health issues that are worsened by extreme temperatures — to exist in these conditions constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment,” violating the Constitution. Some inmates have reported the cold air blowing through their units has come from windows that were broken by inmates struggling to stay cool during those extreme heat spells. Edwards said that the problems his case address apply to the winter months as well as Texas’s stifling summers. “I can’t say I’m surprised,” he told the Current after the first storm hit earlier this month. “TDCJ’s inability to manage these aging facilities is astounding. They don’t seem to even have the vague knowledge of a core constitutional right.” Edwards blames a lot of the problem on TDCJ’s strict reading of its budget. “The mindset is that they have a specific budget and there isn’t any money to go toward repairs. That nothing can be moved. That mindset needs to change,” Edwards said. “When people on a tight budget don’t have heat in these conditions, they move things around and find a way to pay for the heat.” It’s the kind of sacrifice a person would make for their own survival, he said. But it appears it’s not one the state is able to make for the thousands of inmates in their custody.

ALEX ZIELINSKI | @ALEX_ZEE

COURTESY OF REIMAGINE THE ALAMO

Open Sesame Following complaints, Alamo redesign meetings are now open to the public

The nonprofit group working to redesign the Alamo and its surrounding plaza has agreed to start allowing the public to attend its meetings. For months, critics have complained that the Alamo Endowment’s closed-door meetings have intentionally kept the public from knowing what the future holds for the historic property — let alone allowed the public to share their views. Ever since a design company unveiled its controversial plan to “reimagine” the Alamo in April, Texans from across the state have demanded their input on the San Antonio landmark be heard. 10 CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

On Dec. 20, the Alamo Endowment and the Alamo Trust (a subsidiary of the endowment that runs the Alamo’s dayto-day operations) passed a resolution making all board meetings public (with at least a 48-hour heads up) and all books and records of the trust subject to the Texas Public Information Act. This decision came just weeks after Texas’ Senate Finance Committee told Land Commissioner George P. Bush (whose department has overseen the Alamo since 2011) that if he didn’t increase transparency between the organization and the public, the $450 million master plan

project will face serious pushback from state lawmakers. In the past two legislative sessions, lawmakers have approved a total of $100 million in state funds to the semi-public restoration project. The city of San Antonio has independently pitched in $38 million. For Bush, the decision to follow the legislature’s direction may be more than just doing his job. Since major Alamo fans learned he was directing these under-wraps meeting about the land’s future, Bush has become a target for some Texans to unseat in the 2018 election season. Meeting schedules will be posted at thealamo.org.

FTIY

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12 CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

NEWS

“Unreasonable Risk” Federal judge says Texas’ foster care system remains broken

≥

A U.S. District Judge ruled on Friday, January 19, that the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services’ “broken system” will continue to require additional federal supervision, after the state has continually “failed to protect foster children” from “unreasonable risk of harm.” “In its December 2015 Order, the Court found Texas’s foster care system was broken. Over twoyears later, the system remains broken and DFPS has demonstrated an unwillingness to take tangible steps to fix the broken system,” U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack concluded in her 116-page opinion. In her ruling, Jack determined the state’s foster care system will continue to be overseen by a pair of courtappointed children’s rights experts, known as “Special Masters,” for at least three years. Jack first appointed Special Masters to oversee DFPS back in April 2016. Jack’s latest ruling echoes the initial ruling against DFPS she issued back in 2015, when she first determined DFPS required federal oversight because it was failing to protect children from “unreasonable risk of harm.” During the most recent legislative session, lawmakers passed numerous bills to improve the foster care system, including upping the state budget for DFPS to $4 billion from the $3.5 billion it was granted the previous session. Jack called the steps taken by the

SHUTTERSTOCK

LYANNE A. GUARECUCO | @LYANNEALEXIA

Legislature and Governor Greg Abbott “indeed admirable.” But ultimately, Jack concluded the state’s efforts still fall short. Citing a “disconnect between the written policies of DFPS and its actual practices,” the state’s “unwillingness to assist the Court in developing a remedy,” and its failure to “rectify long-standing problems with its foster care system despite decades of awareness and extensive reports and recommendations,” Jack’s ruling has once again determined that children in Texas’ foster care system are not free from an unreasonable risk of harm. Additionally, Jack lists numerous steps DFPS must implement immediately, among them: • Ensuring caseworkers and foster children meet face-to-face at least once a month, including time separate from the caregiver and other children • Updating children’s case records with photographs not more than a year old. • Ensuring DFPS maintains a statewide, 24-hour hotline for children in DFPS custody to report abuse and neglect. • Ensuring that all reported allegations of child abuse and neglect are investigated in a timely manner.

• Ensuring that all DFPS caseworkers and caregivers are trained to recognize and report sexual abuse, including child on child sexual abuse, and that investigations of abuse are conducted by staff exclusively focused on maltreatment. • Ensuring that all calls regarding abuse and neglect to the 24-hour hotline are followed up with a caseworker visit within 48 hours. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has opposed federal intervention from the beginning and has called the Special Master’s recommendations “vague” and a waste of taxpayer money, filed an appeal opposing Jack’s ruling today. In a statement, Paxton said the Special Masters’ plan was “incomplete and impractical,” and that it “fails to improve the realistic operations of the foster care system, and it causes actual harm to current families.”

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CALENDAR

‘Hello Stranger(s)’ MARK SCHLESINGER

ANA FERNANDEZ

‘St. Anthony’s Lost & Found’

THU

14 CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

Inspiring reflection and collaboration from unexpected angles, the multifaceted exhibition “St. Anthony’s Lost & Found” aims to commemorate San Antonio’s Tricentennial “through a study of poetry and how it can communicate a personal, social, and historical connection to the land, people, and cultures that make up the city’s landscape in 2018.” Organized by San Antonio Poet Laureate Jenny Browne, the project nods to an enduring prayer to our patron saint (Dear St. Anthony, please come around; something is lost and it cannot be found) while employing multiple forms of expression to “pay tribute to both the known and lost history of our city.” Anchored by a collection of 500 elegiac poems students and seniors submitted in postcard format, the exhibition invites visitors to contribute their own poems to the mix and take in four other distinct components: “Forgotten Histories” (comprised of drawings and prints by Albert Alvarez, Fernando Andrade, Lisette Chavez, Juan Zavala Castro, Joe De La Cruz, Barbara Felix, Xavier Gilmore, Joe Harjo, Kristy Perez, Jose Sotelo, Hiromi Stringer, Allison Valdivia, and Jose Villalobos — all inspired by narratives poet Rosemary Catacalos penned in the voice of St. Anthony); “Lost Structures” (celebrating bygone and existing icons — Whopper Burger, Teatro Nacional, La Gloria, and F.A. Chapa Drugstore among them — through the eyes of painters Ana Fernandez and Abraham Mojica); “Paloma” (an installation by M. Guadalupe Marmolejo investigating the dwindling use of old-school Spanish names like Ascención, Alma and Caridad); and a companion video piece artist Joey Fauerso created with Browne. Free, 6-10pm (on view through April 27), Culture Commons, 115 Plaza de Armas, (210) 206-2787, getcreativesanantonio.com. — Bryan Rindfuss ART + WORDS

TOBIN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Much like his public artworks on concrete along the San Antonio River, artist Mark Schlesinger’s recent paintings on canvas are focused on color, form and texture. Unlike most traditional paintings, Schlesinger’s canvases do not wrap around their wooden WED stretchers but are instead adhered to the front, a strategy that highlights the materiality of the artist’s constructions, leaving them exposed at their sides. Here, Schlesinger depicts amoeba-like figures, each touching, merging or perhaps overlapping, in what are heavily nuanced works begging for repeated viewings. On Wednesday, Ruiz-Healy Art presents “Hello Stranger(s),” an exhibition of new work featuring the artist’s abstract paintings and drawings. A New York painter-turned San Antonio resident, Schlesinger’s latest body of work and playful approach is a nod to modern masters Paul Cézanne and Barnett Newman. Free, 6-8pm, (on view through March 10), Ruiz-Healy Art, 201 E. Olmos Drive, (210) 804-2219, ruizhealyart.com. — Marco Aquino ART

CALENDAR

Whether your fond (albeit probably pleasantly fuzzy) memories of the 1960s compel you, or you are simply OUR TOP PICKS FOR THE WEEK looking to get to know the music of one of the most powerful voices in WED the history of American song, A Night with Janis Joplin is a show to see. While the hit musical will do little to sate longtime fans looking for new insights into the life of the troubled icon, its presentation of Joplin’s timeless music, her singular, charismatic voice, and her relationship to the blues women who influenced her all make for a worthwhile experience. From a sheer music history standpoint, let alone as an evening of penetrating song, this musical is essential, celebrating the likes of Aretha Franklin, Etta A Night with Janis Joplin James, Odetta, Nina Simone, Bessie Smith and others as it zeroes in on what made Joplin’s short career so special. $36.50-$89.50, 7:30pm, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, H-E-B Performance Hall, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — James Courtney THEATER

CALENDAR

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo THU

TOBIN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

ZORAN JELENIC

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, which bills itself as “the world’s foremost all-male comic ballet,” is heading to San Antonio for a performance at the Tobin. The “Trocks,” as the troupe is known to its fans, was founded in 1974 by Peter Anastos, Natch Taylor and Antony Bassae, who produced small, late-night shows in venues off the beaten path. After a receiving a rave review by Arlene Croce in The New Yorker and other glowing notices in The New York Times and The Village Voice, the troupe established itself as an artistic and popular success. By the mid-1970s, the Trocks had became an international sensation, performing in over 500 cities and 33 countries worldwide. Despite their comic approach, the troupe performs the full-range of ballet and modern dance with the intent of showing off each performer’s technical skills. The dancers portray both male and female roles. According to their press materials, “The comedy is achieved by incorporating and exaggerating the foibles, accidents, and underlying incongruities of serious dance. The fact that men dance all the parts – heavy bodies delicately balancing on toes as swans, sylphs, water sprites, romantic princesses, angst-ridden Victorian ladies – enhances rather than mocks the spirit of dance as an art form, delighting and amusing the most knowledgeable, as well as novices, in the audiences.” $20-$59.50, 7:30pm, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, H-E-B Performance Hall, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — Sam Sanchez BALLET

Tango Fire Since originating within European immigrant communities of Argentina in the late 19th century, the art of tango has become an international favorite with its seductive melodies and fiery footwork. Perhaps best defined in the 1998 Carlos Saura film Tango, the art form continues an evolution spurred by the rise of television dance competition shows and YouTube streaming. On Thursday, Tango superstar THU German Cornejo brings his world-renowned dance troupe, the t Tango Fire company of Bueno Aires, to the Empire courtesy of ARTS San Antonio. Cornejo, along with partner Gisela Galeassi, are best known to American audiences for their appearances on America’s Got Talent and the Jennifer Lopez-produced reality show ¡Q’Viva! The Chosen. Dancing to the music of tango master composers (including Piazzolla, Gardel and Pugliese), Cornejo and company offer a fresh glimpse into the world of Argentine tango. $29-$99, 7:30pm, Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, 226 N. St Mary’s St., (210) 226-2891, artssa.org. — Marco Aquino MUSIC + DANCE

Little Women Louisa May Alcott’s sentimental tale of the four March sisters has been touching hearts since its publication in the mid-1800s. Now it can be enjoyed on the stage as a musical production centered on the boisterous and effervescent Jo, who THU-SUN dreams big but never forgets her roots. At the March home in Concord, Massachusetts, Jo, Beth, Meg, Amy, and honorary March family member Laurie grow together and experience love, loss, and personal discovery in this timeless story that’s partly based on Alcott’s own life. Come celebrate the newly rechristened Public Theater of San Antonio (formerly The Playhouse) as it brings this uplifting story to the stage under the direction of Andy Meyers. $20-$35, 7:30pm Thu (pay-what-you-can preview), 7:30pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun (through Feb. 18), The Public Theater of San Antonio, Russell Hill Rogers Auditorium, 800 W. Ashby Pl., (210) 733-7258, thepublicsa.org. — Kelly Merka Nelson THEATER

25-28

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CULTURE

tickets

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SAKE DINNER

SAN ANTONIO FLAVOR

THU, FEB 8 • 6:30PM HANZO

TEXAS SALSA FESTIVAL

WHISKEY BUSINESS

SAN ANTONIO MUSIC SHOWCASE SAT, SEPT. 29

THURS, APR. 26

FRI, AUG. 24

SAT, MAY 26

Sell Your Event Tickets 16

CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

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SAN ANTONIO BEER FESTIVAL SAT, OCT. 20 • VIP ENTRY 12 PM

GA ENTRY 1:30 PM • END 6:30PM DIGNOWITY & LOCKWOOD PARKS

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BEST OF SAN ANTONIO

THURS, MAR. 22

VIP ENTRY 6 PM • GA ENTRY 7 PM - END 10PM SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM OF ART

CALENDAR NIGHTLIFE

Spurs vs. 76ers Earlier this month, Philadelphia phenom Ben Simmons became the latest Sixer to be honored with his own specialty beer. A joint collaboration between Philly’s Misconduct Tavern and Conshohocken Brewing Company, All About the Benjamins is a New England-style IPA brewed with Australian hops, celebrating Simmons’ Boomer roots. Between Simmons’ runaway Rookie of the Year campaign and Joel Embiid’s emergence as an All-Star, there’s plenty to drink to in the city of brotherly love. After years of being mired in the NBA draft lottery, the scrappy Sixers are knocking on the door to the post-season party and, like Simmons, fighting for respect along the way. With “injury management” remaining a key concern for the Spurs, San Antonio’s own young guns continue to contribute when called upon. Granted the opportunity, Dejounte Murray, Brandon Paul, Bryn Forbes, and Davis Bertans have the fresh legs to keep pace with Philly. $19-$737, 7:30pm, AT&T Center, One AT&T Center Pkwy., (210) 444-5000, attcenter.com. — M. Solis

SPURS SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

FRI

International Music Festival Launched in 1998 by Russian-born pianist Anya Grokhovski as a means to “promote cultural understanding through innovative, multicultural performances,” the nonprofit Musical Bridges Around the World routinely imports eclectic acts to San Antonio for its free concert series at San Fernando Cathedral and its International Music Festival, an initiative launched in 2014. In essence a condensed approach to concerts previously spread across the year, the weeklong festival celebrates its fifth anniversary with a melange of global sounds and a few familiar faces. Hosted between the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre (226 N. St. Mary’s St.) and San Fernando (115 Main Plaza), the 2018 program kicks off Saturday with a Founders’ Concert showcasing jazz pianist Valeri Grokhovski and violinist Mark Cheikhet with support from members of the San Antonio Symphony (7:30pm Sat, Empire Theatre) and continues with America’s Jazz Icons: Billy Hart Quartet, spotlighting a 1960s-era drumming legend who’s worked with everyone from Miles Davis to Herbie Hancock (3pm Sun, Empire Theatre); and Gems of China, a preservation of the age-old performance art traditions of Pingtan through the musical artistry of Zhang Jianzhen and Chen Yan (7:30pm Tue, San Fernando). Save the date for Czech This Out (Jan. 31); Tales from the Edges of Spain, featuring Galician bagpiper Cristina Prato, pictured (Feb. 1); Hexameron (Feb. 2); International Sister City Jazz Ensemble (Feb. 3); and the Russian folk dance ensemble Barynya (Feb. 4). While all performances are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, world-music fanatics can secure orchestra seats to all five Empire shows for a $95 donation. Visit musicalbridges.org for details. — BR MUSIC

SAT-TUE

MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD

27-30

Although she was born in Georgia and now calls New York home, playwright, curator, artist and activist Virginia Grise maintains strong ties to San Antonio. Besides the fact that Grise grew up in the Alamo City, her work continues to resonates here: The Guadalupe staged her Yale Drama Series Award-winning play blu to a full house in 2013; Teatro Auduaz kicked off its 2016 Nuestras Voces series with a presentation of The Panza Monologues (her anthology surrounding “that roll of belly we all try to hide”); and Trinity University closed out its 2017 Latinx Heritage Month series by welcoming Grise for a reading from Your Healing is Killing Me (a “performance manifesto based on lessons learned in San Antonio free health clinics and New York acupuncture schools; from the treatments and consejos of curanderas, abortion doctors, Marxist artists, SAT community health workers, and bourgie dermatologists”). The official opening of Jump-Start Performance Co.’s 2018 season, This Is a Manifesto sees Grise collaborating with local artists for a series of readings and performances developed through a weeklong exploration of “artistic practices rooted in the politics of imagining a better world.” $5, 8pm, Jump-Start Theater, 710 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 2275867, jump-start.org. — BR WORDS+ THEATER

NETZA MORENO

This Is a Manifesto

P.D.Q. Bach and Musical Comedy With its earliest roots planted in 1949, the nonprofit Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA) has evolved from a district-specific student symphony to a sprawling conglomerate comprising nine distinct orchestras representing 158 schools in Bexar County and environs. Under the direction of Troy Peters since 2009, YOSA has won over fans of all stripes with its Classic Albums Live series, which welcomes local musicians into the fold for start-tofinish interpretations of beloved albums (Radiohead’s OK Computer, The Beatles’ Abbey Road, Prince’s Purple Rain) backed by the YOSA Philharmonic (save the date for Hotel California Live on March 12). Drawing inspiration from composer, author, satirist and musical mixologist Peter Schickele and his comedic alter ego P.D.Q. Bach (an alleged illegitimate offspring of Johann Sebastian Bach who’s been called a “pimple on the face of music”), YOSA’s P.D.Q. Bach and Musical Comedy showcases the talents of SUN pianist Jeffrey Biegel in a program featuring MUSIC

the “last and least” Bach’s Concerto for Simply Grand Piano and Orchestra,, Leonard Bernstein’s lighthearted Candide Overture and Zoltán Kodály’s Háry János Suite — a “tuneful collection of tall tales based on the exaggerated stories of an aging Hungarian soldier.” $16-$22, 7pm, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, H-E-B Performance Hall, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 2238624, tobincenter.org. — BR

YOSA

sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 17

CALENDAR

ART Art in the Garden The San Antonio

Botanical Garden continues its commitment to the arts via its Art in the Garden initiative. On view through February 18, the garden’s latest artistic foray brings the clay sculptures of local ceramics master Diana Kersey to the Lucile Halsell Conservatory. Kersey’s work, which readers may know from her totem-like, nature-worshipping installation at VIA’s Five Points hub, or one of her other public art contributions around town, is uncannily organic, celebrating natural shapes and the patterns that emerge from the generous chaos of the Earth herself. $9-$12, 9am-5pm daily; San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Pl., (210) 536-1400.

”Common Currents” Easily among the

most anticipated aspects of San Antonio’s Tricentennial celebration, “Common Currents” is an innovative exhibition series uniting 300 artists — each of whom was tasked with creating work inspired by a single year in our city’s rich history. Employing an unpredictable, artist-driven format, the sprawling project allowed six venues (Artpace, Blue Star Contemporary, Southwest School of Art, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Carver Community Cultural Center and the Mexican Cultural Institute) to each enlist two artists; that initial group of 12 followed suit, with each artist inviting two peers — and so on until a total of 300 were on board. Admittedly, this “chain letter-inspired” framework puts artists in the driver’s seat to “make decisions that may traditionally be the role of the organization or curator.” First up to bat in a chronological string of reveals, Artpace recently unveiled a 46-person group show focused on San Antonio’s first half century (1718-1767). Taking over the institution’s Hudson Showroom, the exhibition comprises works from Mark Menjivar, Julie Ledet, Michele Monseau, Mari Hernandez, Laura Mijangos, Katie Pell, Karen Mahaffy, Raul Gonzalez and Ramin Samandari, among many others. Free, noon-5pm Wednesday-Sunday; Artpace, 445 N. Main Ave., (210) 212-4900.

Gryfﬁndor Art Walk Que Retro Arts

celebrates the magical world of Harry Potter with a weekend event combining visual art, varied vendors and costume contests. Free, 10am-6pm Saturday, noon6pm Sunday; Wonderland of the Americas, 4522 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 273-5023.

”Kunst/Arte: A Dialogue” Billed as “the

first official art exhibition” to be staged in conjunction with the Alamo City’s yearlong Tricentennial celebration, “Kunst/ Arte: A Dialogue” explores the creative

CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

common ground between “the two largest immigration groups that shaped the image and face of San Antonio.” Organized by the Lone Star Art Alliance, hosted by the Mexican Cultural Institute, and curated by German transplant Angelika Jansen (who helps facilitate the Blue Star Berlin Residency), the two-man show finds parallels in the exuberant, color-rich works of Alejandro Colunga (Guadalajara) and Klaus Killisch (Berlin). Free, 9:30am-5:30pm Wednesday-Friday, 10am-4pm SaturdaySunday, 9:30am-5:30pm Monday-Tuesday; Mexican Cultural Institute, 600 Hemisfair Plaza Way, (210) 227-0123.

"The River That Remembers: Visions of San Antonio’s Landscape" In

conjunction with UTSA’s five-part Tricentennial Arts and Culture Series, Taylor Bates curates drawings, paintings and sculpture by Justin Boyd, Carol Cunningham, Ana Fernandez, Emily Fleisher, Bobbie Markeson, Amada Miller, Nicholas Frank, Jorge Purón, Hiromi Stringer and Michelle Trahan Carson. Free, 10am-4pm Wednesday-Friday, 1-4pm Saturday, 10am-4pm Tuesday; UTSA Main Gallery, One UTSA Circle, (210) 458-4391.

FILM Indie Film Night Imagine hosts a free,

all-ages event combining indie films (by Daniela Riojas, Jacob Glombowski, Walley Films and Jason Christopher Trevino, among others), poetry and live music (by Batty Jr., Alix Williams and Dylan Alley). Free, 8pm-midnight; Imagine Books and Records, 8373 Culebra Road, (210) 239-7380.

Las Tesoros de San Antonio An obvious

labor of love by director Jorge Sandoval, this homegown documentary celebrates the story and ranchera-fueled music of Las Tesoros de San Antonio, a local supergroup organized by the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. The lives of Rita Vidaurri (“La Calandria”), Beatriz Llamas (“La Paloma del Norte”), Blanca Rosa, and Janet Cortez (“Perla Tapatía,” who passed away in 2014 at age 83) are united by a music career cut short under different circumstances — Vidaurri lost her three sons to illness and the war; Llamas lost her husband/manager at the height of her career, Blanca Rosa left music to pursue nursing, and Perla Tapatía was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1973 at age 41 and told she’d never sing again (she did, and her first performance was singing “Happy Birthday” to her doctor). The movie has each tesoro (treasure) telling their story, and the big climax comes with amazing footage of their historic show at the Guadalupe in 2011, superbly accompanied by local all-female Mariachi

CALENDAR

Mujer Internacional. $5, 7pm Friday; Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St., (210) 271-3151.

WORDS Grateful A San Antonio native playwright

who co-created the web series Namaste Bitches, Los Angeles-based Marnie Olson visits The Twig to sign copies of Grateful, “a psychological thriller inspired by a death wish.” Free, noon-2pm Sunday; The Twig Book Shop, 306 Pearl Pkwy., Suite 106, (210) 826-6411.

Pearl: A History of San Antonio’s Iconic Beer- Book Signing Big Hops Huebner

role on the Showtime series Weeds. $17, 8pm Thursday, 8pm & 10:15pm FridaySaturday, 8pm Sunday; Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, 618 NW Loop 410, (210) 541-8805.

Tony Woods Kwown for his playful and cool

demeanour, combined with sharp and mischievous subject matter, seasoned comic Tony Woods has appeared on Last Comic Standing, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Def Comedy Jam and P. Diddy’s Bad Boys of Comedy. $17, 8:30pm Thursday, 8pm & 10:15pm Friday-Saturday, 8pm Sunday; Improv San Antonio, 849 E. Commerce St., (210) 229-1420.

hosts local beer writer Jeremy Banas as he SPECIAL EVENTS signs copies of his latest, Pearl: A History of San Antonio’s Iconic Beer. Free, 6-8pm Community Market Ranger Creek and Friday; Big Hops Growler Station, 11224 Hoppy Monk San Antonio are helping to Huebner Road, (210) 877-7663. spread local goods to the area’s Northside with a collection of businesses and artists The King William Area The Twig welcomes including Cigar Pointe, Winding Road retired Air Force Contracting officer and Provisions, Sensa Float, Mobile Om Yoga, lifelong preservationist Jessie Simpson Freedom Solar Power, Jeremy Banas, and beloved San Antonio phtographer Al Hoppy Dog Treats, She’s Crafty: Talk on Rendon for a reception celebrating their Tap, BarbacoApparel, Lucio Tailoring Co., collaborative endeavor The King William Simone Schiffmacher, Shanna Kershner, Area. An updated and expanded version of and Markus Ferris. Free, 6-10pm Thursday; Mary V. Burkholder’s 1973 classic, the book The Hoppy Monk, 1010 N. Loop 1604 E., goes beyond the storied neighborhood (210) 545-3330. to explore “the history of the people who lived there throughout the years.” Free, Justin Timberlake Tribute San Antonio 11am-1pm Saturday; The Twig Book Shop, may be one of the cities snubbed by the 306 Pearl Pkwy., Suite 106, (210) 826-6411. Man of the Woods Tour, but it doesn’t mean we love JT any less. Industry pays homage COMEDY to the youngest member of NSYNC with everything Justin from Justified to the Barry Laminack A Houston-based sports talk 20/20 Experience, along with the best of the radio host who took home top honors at nineties and aughts and $1 mixed drinks ESPN Radio’s “Rock the Mic” contest in 2013, all night. Free ($10 for minors 18 and up), rising stand-up Barry Laminack is known 10pm-2am Thursday; Industry Nightclub, for his amusing perspectives on marriage, 8021 Pinebrook Drive, (210) 374-2765. pop culture and life in general. $17, 8:30pm Wednesday; Improv San Antonio, 849 E. Commerce St., (210) 229-1420.

Bret Ernst A New Jersey native currently

based in Los Angeles, Bret Ernst has made appearances on Chelsea Lately, Comics Unleashed and Premium Blend, but is perhaps best recognized for his recurring

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Richard Turner Playing the hand you’ve

been dealt isn’t just a figure of speech for Richard Turner ... it’s a way of life. Turner, 62, lives in San Antonio, Texas, and is regarded as the best card mechanic and among the best up-close magicians in the world. $50, 5pm & 8pm Sunday; Jazz, TX, 312 Pearl Pkwy., (210) 332-9386.

“Vegan Things” Happy Hour Market La

Botánica welcomes vegan vendors offering skin care, original jewelry designs and animal advocates during their “Vegan Things” market happy hour. Free, 4-7pm Friday; La Botánica, 2911 N. Saint Mary’s St., (210) 716-0702.

Who’s Bad Performing for 14 years and

counting, Who’s Bad bills itself as both the “longest-running Michael Jackson tribute band” and the “ultimate Michael Jackson experience.” $8.25-$39, 8pm Thursday; Aztec Theatre, 104 N St Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355.

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sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 19

ARTS + FEATURE: ARTS +CULTURE CULTURE

RICK WEAVER

arney Smith is selling his Toilet Seat Art Museum. Without its tour guide, the museum is a labyrinth, one that the casual pedestrian would never suspect, hidden behind two tall metal doors in Smith’s home garage at 239 Abiso Avenue in Alamo Heights. It’s open from 1 to 3 p.m., but please call first: (210) 824-7791. After some rustling, Smith gets the doors unlatched. They swing out and drag, one at a time, the corrugated metal creaking while dozens of dangling toilet seats clang against the metal, each other. One seat reads: “NOTICE — NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACCIDENT WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOUR SAFETY BE VERY CAREFUL.” The tour begins. In a free-ﬂ ow manner, Smith regales us with tales. Some of it is routine, some off-thecuff. All on point; Smith is a master raconteur with a sharpshooter’s aim. Have you seen … the Challenger? Mount St. Helens? Gregg Popovich? Brad Pitt? “Old Rip”? One million shredded U.S. dollars? Arkansas quartz? Saddam 20

CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

Hussein’s toilet? The Toilet Bomb? The Berlin Wall? The CIA? Rudyard Kipling’s poem “When Earth’s Last Picture Is Painted,” glued to a painter’s palette and surrounded by communion cups filled with Smith’s old oil paint, the poem now faded and unreadable but no matter because Smith has recited it from memory since he was 12? Olympics? Bolivia? Trolls? Pogs? PEZ dispensers? Travel the world through toilet seats — all 1,335 of them, to date. Our tour guide leads us through his long-form labyrinth, the limits of which are the seemingly limitless experiences of Barney Smith. He swings his magic wand, a bamboo walking stick, from one toilet seat to the next, making contact without a glance, generating hypnotic punctuations: bamboo on molded wood, accents amidst his amusing anecdotes. The bamboo, he grew in his yard. The toilet seats, made of molded wood, are basically “sawdust, but don’t let the guys at Bemis hear you call it that.” Molded wood is Smith’s favorite type of seat, better than plastic. It’s the easiest material to work with, especially when etching, which Smith does with a dental drill or burr. He’s worn out more than a few burrs over the years.

Toilet seat art is labor intensive. In addition to etching, Smith glues, mounts, solders, collages, scrawls, signs, burns, draws, drills, nails, paints, screws, cuts, clips, collects, combines and sticks things to toilet seat lids. A few other things too, I’m sure. Visitors participate too. We turn the seats over, take them down and handle them, sign our names in Sharpie, snap pictures, interact with, and even add pieces to the collection. Smith is inviting us to etch our own memories into the museum’s sentiment. And the museum’s sentiment is golden, owing to Smith’s golden disposition. Barney Smith is like the Norman Rockwell of Toilet Seat Art, but more natural, genuine. He’s a bit like P.T. Barnum, too, but that’s missing the point. Sure, the museum is a kick. Shtick. One of The Great American Roadside Attractions. But it also has an emotional, historical and spiritual depth beyond its initial novelty. It is a place of memories and life. Especially local memories. On Saturday, January 6, per tradition, the Randolph Roadrunners, a walking club centered around Randolph Air Force Base, stopped by to sign a new seat. Rick White leaned in to get a closer

ARTS + FEATURE: ARTS +CULTURE CULTURE

look at the past 13 years of toilet seats created for the occasion, reading out names and reminiscing, with his dog and walking partner, Chelsea, by his side. It was their 128th walk together. On that day, almost every volkssporter and visitor asked Smith where this or that toilet seat was in the museum. Almost everyone had a personal connection to Smith’s toilet seats. Toilet humor has no business here. Any roadside traveler looking for scatological kitsch will be disappointed. Those are clean toilet seats that Smith’s been using for the past 50 years, mind you. Seats so clean Clorox helped promote the sale of the museum last fall. Smith is always taking donations — he’s got an interesting list, go ask him what he needs — but one time someone donated used toilet seats. They didn’t get the memo. The bottom line is: Barney Smith is a good guy and a model citizen. He was a loving husband for 74 years. A devoted family man. A maintenance engineer at an orphanage. An illustrator for the publication Evangelica. A minister in Harahan, Louisiana. A master plumber. A volunteer firefighter for Alamo Heights (Smith, 96, and Clarence Balser, 97, are the last two firefighters from the

volunteer days). A member of United Methodist Church for 32 years, where he used to teach a ceramics class. “Daddy’s done everything but work on car engines,” his daughter Julia Murders said. He’s also persuasive, in the most charming of ways. When Smith asks you to do something, it doesn’t feel like a favor, but an opportunity to be a part of something very special. We want to help. Many do. Like Allen Rindfuss (brother of Current Managing Editor Bryan Rindfuss), who organized Smith’s 95th surprise birthday party on May 25, 2016. Like former Mayor Louis Cooper of Alamo Heights, who stopped by the party to officially declare May 25 “Barney Smith Day.” Like Carye Bye, founder of the online advocacy group “Friends of B.E.S.,” who has served as the museum assistant since 2016. She wrote that her duties include “penning over fading names on toilet seats, fixing toilet seats that have parts that have fallen off, drilling holes in license plates, penciling in ruler marks,” cutting back the bamboo, making grilled cheese sandwiches (“very rarely”), and much more. Like Smith’s daughters Julia Murders and Brenda Sellers, who help their father around the house. Murders also

negotiates with prospective buyers. Like Smith’s grandkids, Kristopher Livermore and Regina Mantooth, who moderate online content regarding the museum. “We just want daddy to be happy,” Murders said. Like Daedelus Hoffman and Lindsay Starr, who run Cattywampus Press, a micro publisher based in Austin. They spent six months documenting Smith’s work, and will publish a book about Smith’s life and work, titled King of the Commode. The book is being funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, which exceeded its goal of $30,000. Starr said they hope the book “will demonstrate to cultural institutions that [the museum] is worthy of preservation.” The book launch party will take place on Saturday, May 26, the day after “Barney Smith Day.” Speaking of King of the Commode, I asked Smith when he was first crowned. “Montel Williams is the one who first made mention of the ‘King of the Throne.’” Besides Montel, Smith has appeared on The View and The Tom Green Show, among others. He’s hand-dubbed his televised appearances onto a VHS compilation, which he shows loud and looped on a 13-inch screen in the far sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 21

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CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

ARTS + FEATURE: ARTS +CULTURE CULTURE

right corner of the museum. At one point, the video jumpcuts to a buffalo wing eating contest. “They said, ‘You want into it?’ I said, ‘No, I don’t want to be full of chicken wings before my interview.’” To an outsider, the museum is outsider art. But to an insider, there’s nobody more inside, more embedded in their community, than Barney Smith. In his own peculiar way, he has created a library of local legends and lore. True, the fine-tooth-combed city of Alamo Heights may seem an unlikely location for such an idiosyncratic attraction as Barney Smith’s Toilet Seat Art Museum. And only Smith can pull it off, if not without some minor run-ins along the way: “Whenever I would pay my water bill, I would show ‘em my latest toilet seat. So I was up there quite often. One time, the City Manager came out of his office and said, ‘Barney, we got something against what you’re doing in your museum.’ I just turned to him and said, ‘Oh, you do?’ “Then the Mayor came by one night, about midnight. He said, ‘It’s too late for you to be out here working … they’re frowning about your having a garage sale every time you open the door. They don’t mind the toilet seats, because they know you’re not selling them, but I would recommend

you take down all these oil paintings with the price tags.’ “I did that immediately. The next day, I took them down, and gave them away to my kinfolk.” And now, Barney Smith is selling his Toilet Seat Art Museum; the money will go to his daughters. To this day, there is no concrete offer for the collection. Julia Murders mentions “minor bids” from India. South Dakota. Still others mention Idaho. Baltimore. “I don’t know where they’ll be going. I think London has already mentioned that they want it, and Germany, or some other foreign country. That’s too far for the Roadrunners to come by, or for the [Fiesta] Pooch Parade. They won’t be going up to London to have a Pooch Parade,” Smith said. What has happened in spite of a sale is an increase in press coverage, a spike in museum attendance, and an urgency to document the legendary Toilet Seat Art Museum. I find it difficult to picture the museum relocated and without its tour guide. In the meantime, there’s a lot going on, too much to dwell on speculation. As they say, the future will have to wait. In the meantime, see his latest work, an homage to Star Trek. Pick up the 2018 Toilet Seat Art Museum wall calendar. RSVP for the book launch party in May. Prepare

for the Fiesta Pooch Parade. Get hypnotized by the sound of bamboo on molded wood. Sign a toilet seat. Enjoy the show. Visit the one and only Barney Smith’s Toilet Seat Art Museum! A Great American Roadside Attraction! A dynamic display that attracts visitors from around the world! Lebanon! Australia! And 80 other nations! A colorful collection of multi-disciplinary art! A History of the World as seen through the eyes of the one-and-only Barney Smith! As seen on TV! Later, toward the end of the tour: “It’s the first time I’ve been out. I got chilled the other day and I had to stay in the bed for two days. This is the first time I’ve been out, with that sun shining on my head. I’ve got to get my hair out of my eyes so I can see my way around. I tell you. But anyway, I enjoy coming out here and looking and talking about my toilet seats. But some of these days it’s going to be gone, and I’ll be gone, and I’m ready to go, to see where my wife went, and my daughter, be with them. So, I’m ready to go.” “God’s letting daddy go on because he’s having so much fun,” Murders said. “He enjoys people. He’s a people person.” He’s your neighbor, so stop by, make an offer. sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 23

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CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

Skin

ARTS + CULTURE

Deep David Alcantar blurs boundaries between ﬁne art and tattoo culture

≥

A Laredo native who moved to the Alamo City as a child, David Alcantar studied art at San Antonio College and earned a BFA from the University of Texas at Austin before relocating to Boulder to pursue an MFA at the University of Colorado. Drawn to both conceptualism and the narrative possibilities of painting and drawing, Alcantar explored “the concept of beauty” in his 2004 thesis, asserting that “the manifestation of beauty occurs only through sincere gesture.” Since returning to San Antonio, Alcantar has exhibited work locally (at Blue Star Contemporary, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and Freight Gallery, among others) and nationally (from Kansas and Louisiana to California and New York), often presenting work he’s summed up as “investigations and illuminations of the universal human characteristic of choice, or free will, with specific focus on negotiation behavior.” More specifically, Alcantar breaks

BRYAN RINDFUSS

down his “Fundamental Negotiation Interests” into four categories: pleasure, time, wealth (or accumulation), and structure/discipline. Outspoken and academic yet disarming and thoughtful, Alcantar has taught drawing and design (with an emphasis on “conceptual development and consideration”) at San Antonio College, served on the board of Contemporary Art Month and the Luminaria Artistic Advisory Committee, written for the Rivard Report and voiced concerns about weighty issues affecting San Antonio’s art scene. But despite his concentrated work and consistent contributions to our creative landscape, Alcantar still ﬂies slightly under the radar — and it’s safe to say many of us don’t know his full story or understand the breadth of his work. For starters, he’s been tattooing for 20 years (with increased dedication in the last seven) and often works out of Flesh Electric Tattoo (2110 McCullough Ave.,

ﬂeshelectricstudio.com). While he’s been somewhat weary of the intersections between his fine art and tattooing practices (and rarely presents himself as a tattoo artist in the company of fine artists), he’s also conducted research on consumer behavior — weighing the relative ease of commissioning a tattoo against the seemingly unapproachable concept of purchasing a work of art. Intentionally blurring — and questioning — boundaries between the two disciplines, Alcantar’s new solo show “Skin in the Game: Act 2” took over FL!GHT Gallery at the beginning of January with works that place “the language of tattoo into the framework of fi ne art, and vice versa.” Beyond employing tattoo aesthetics in paintings involving animals, text and popular imagery, the exhibition drops amusing references to art stars (Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Matthew Barney, Claes Oldenburg and Damien Hirst among them) as well as San Antoniospecifi c artists and objects — from Ethel Shipton and Ricky Armendariz to Alcantar himself and a certain Venetian straw boater hat that’s often on the head of King William treasure Mike Casey. But during a pair of opening receptions, the star of the show was undoubtedly Alcantar, who converted FL!GHT’s cozy, salon-style back room into a functioning tattoo parlor where guests could pick out a design from “The Local Artist Flash,” and get inked on the spot, free of charge. In essence partaking in a performative aspect of the exhibition, a handful of guests struck up longterm relationships with a balloon dog, a clothespin, the ancient sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 25

The MAS Program at Trinity University presents the 2018 ALVAREZ SEMINAR

Latina Poetry Across the Americas

t Bret Erns 8 Jan. 25-2

John Heff ron Feb. 2-3

Rashid Zakat

Thursday, February 1

Thursday, March 1

Thursday, April 19

DENICE FROHMAN

AMALIA ORTIZ

ANALICIA SOTELO ’08

poet, writer, performer, and educator

Tejana poet and playwright

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In Between Worlds: Poetry of Reclamation

The Canción Cannibal Cabaret

Virgin Territory: Latinidad, Feminity & Artistic Practice

Holt Center

Northrup Hall, Room 040

Holt Center

Refreshments at 5:30 p.m. Presentation at 6 p.m.

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Ward And erson Jan. 31 - F eb. 3

The Alvarez Seminar is made possible by the Carlos and Malú Alvarez Fund for MAS.

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sanantoniocomedyclubs.com 26

CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

ARTS + CULTURE

artifact Venus of Willendorf and, in the case of actor/man about town/Cornyation emcee Rick Frederick, Mike Casey’s favorite hat. For the remainder of the show’s run, Alcantar will be keeping semi-regular hours in the gallery (roughly 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday) to collect data from guests about “their art collection and consumption habits” (in person or via the QR code included below) and chat with them about “their tattoos and why they got them [and] what other tattoos they’re considering and why.” He’ll also be finishing up two works in progress in anticipation of the show’s closing reception (or “conclusion,” as he’s calling it) on January 27.

Not long after attending the First Friday opening (and seriously considering purchasing a smartly priced painting of a tiger pummeled with arrows ... someone beat me to it), I caught up with Alcantar to dig a little deeper into his process and artistic intentions. You normally don’t mention to folks that you work as a tattoo artist. Why is that? Prior to this artistic project, I wouldn’t tell people (particularly in the art community) about my tattooing, because I didn’t want to bias people’s opinions of me or my work by introducing a layer of information, whose visual language, largely, isn’t present in my usual artistic endeavors. Put another way, I would wish for people to consider me more as a painter who also tattoos than as a tattooer who also paints. What led you to riff on famous artists alongside locally famous icons like Mike Casey’s hat? The central question of the project is: Why do ordinary people, of the same demographic that museums and galleries are trying to target, seem to be more willing to consume, by way of purchase, tattoos over fine art? In pursuing this question, it seemed to make sense to me to translate iconic imagery from art history into tattoos to see if people might be more willing to “collect” art if it is in a format that they already seem to be willing to consume. It is important to note, however, that

these are parodies of iconic art-historical images. Within the context of the gallery, to those who are familiar with art history, the references will be obvious. But outside of the context of the gallery, and for those unfamiliar with art historical iconography, the drawings would just be weird tattoo ﬂash. Since it occurred to me that people might not be familiar with art historical imagery, perhaps they would be more familiar with the imagery of local artists and, therefore, eager to collect that. So “The Local Artist Flash” was created, of which there are currently only two sheets. What can you tell me about the exhibition title? The title for the show and the project comes from a common saying regarding investment: The more you invest into an endeavor, the more “skin” you are said to have in the “game.” This means that you have more ownership of the endeavor and more rights to its rewards. Conversely, you also have more risk of loss. In this case, the “game” is art. For those of us who take art very seriously, we have invested our entire selves into it — even at our own financial detriment, because we believe very much in it. Considering that [my] central question about art consumption and expectation was being investigated by way of tattoo, I thought a literal reference to skin was also quite clever. The show is subtitled “Act 2” because the first act was the organization of the research and survey that I used to gather data.

Can you expand a little on the research and survey? My hypotheses were: A) People were buying tattoos more than fine art because of the amount of control they had with commissioning a tattoo versus a piece of fine art. B) People were put off by galleries and museums because of the esoteric way that we — those of us [who are] closely associated with art institutions — tend to talk about art, which is not at all how tattoo shops talk about their works or their customers’ ideas. The survey that I came up with tried to collect as much data [as possible] to prove these hypotheses. Thus far, it has proven something else: that the kind of ownership one has with a tattoo, and the meaningfulness that one obtains because of that kind of ownership, is a very compelling reason to buy a tattoo over traditional fine art — despite the fact that there is absolutely no financial return on investment with a tattoo.

‘Skin in the Game: Act 2’ Free, gallery hours 10am-3pm & 7-10pm Mon-Fri through Jan. 28 Closing reception 6-9pm Sat, Jan. 27 FL!GHT Gallery 134 Blue Star (210) 363-6253 facebook.com/ﬂightsa

sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 27

REFLECTIVE MEDIA

28 CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

SCREENS

REFLECTIVE MEDIA

Journey of Healing We Are Stronger makes pitch for faith to play role in treating veterans with PTSD KIKO MARTÍNEZ

≥

Although Houston-area writer/director Robin Murray did not have any sort of experience with military veterans suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), she compares what she was able to do with her new faith-based film We Are Stronger to “building a bridge between the civilian community and vets,” especially since she feels a lot is still unknown to the public about the specific mental health disorder. According to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, there are approximately 2.8 million American veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars who are suffering from PTSD. In 2014, more than 7,300 veterans committed suicide. In We Are Stronger, Murray tells the story of Victor Raphael (Ulises Larramendi), a U.S. Army veteran who must come to terms with his PTSD when he returns home after a roadside bomb ends his career in the military. The Current caught up with Murray last week to talk about her film, which screens in San Antonio as part of a weeklong engagement (Jan. 26-Feb. 1) at the Santikos Silverado.

teaches resiliency courses with the military. It was a very good resource for me. Also, I read Rev. Chris Adsit’s book The Combat Trauma Healing Manual, which walks people through a group study. I worked through the manual myself. It has a lot of firsthand accounts and actual journal entries from people dealing with [PTSD]. Working through that manual, I got a good picture of what it looked like. Also, I watched a documentary on PTSD, [The War Comes Home], which was [hosted] by Soledad O’Brien on CNN. That gave me some great ideas of what to write in the script.

Why did you want to make a film on PTSD? We wanted to do a project on something important. The original idea was of a solider coming home and having to deal with flashbacks, but is in denial. Everyone has posttraumatic stress of some kind. People with this kind of pain need guidance in how to handle it. If you keep shoving that down, it will affect the most important relationships in your life. We wanted to show an extreme case of [PTSD] so people could use it in their own lives in some way.

What kind of feedback are you getting from veterans after they see the film? The lead actors really get a lot of the feedback. I think veterans feel like the actors really understand them. So many times, veterans will come up to the actors in tears after a screening. We’ve had veterans tell their wives that they had no idea what they were putting them through and that they needed to get help.

What kind of research did you do for this project? I read Lt. Col. [Dave] Grossman’s book On Combat. He

Did you speak to anyone with PTSD? Yes, I interviewed different people. That opened my eyes to the depths of the issue and really gave me an appreciation for our veterans and what they go through. I learned a whole lot about this vital group of people that serve our community. A lot of times they feel isolated, like no one understands. We worked with a lot of veterans [on the film] to help us legitimize it all.

Why is a religious aspect to a film about PTSD needed? I firmly believe that the key part of emotional healing is that we ask our creator who created our emotions for help.

Asking for God’s help in keeping you strong enough to continue to go to counseling and therapy is healing mercy on your heart. That’s a big part of it. Is this film for nonbelievers or veterans who are suffering from PTSD but don’t believe religion or prayer will factor into whether they get better or not? If you have PTSD and go to a counselor, they will tell you that you must work on the cognitive aspects and find a 12-step program because that is something that could heal you from the trauma. Finding a good therapist — whether they’re Christian or not — is going to help. Some people might say they’re offended if we say a person can be healed from PTSD [with religion] and others would say [the opposite]. We try to present this as a journey of healing. I think a nonbeliever could see the film. They might be annoyed that we’re bringing religion into it, but I feel like it is brought into the film in a way that is genuine.

We Are Stronger $8-$11 Jan. 26-Feb. 1 7pm Fri, 2pm Sat-Sun 7pm Mon-Thu Santikos Silverado 11505 N. Loop 1604 W. (210) 695-5279 strongermovie.com

sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 29

JAPANESE STYLE GASTROPUB

CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

FOOD

DICHOTOMY

JESSICA ELIZARRARAS

JESSICA ELIZARRARAS | @JESSELIZARRARAS

Hemisfair is slowly, but surely becoming a spot where San Antonio meets and stays a while. This December, CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bakery quietly inside the Koehler House and by the end of the month, neighbor Con/Safos Cocina Y Cantina had also sneakily opened their doors over the holiday inside the Espinoza House. Next Thursday, January 25, both shops will

R AI OR INE

celebrate the completion of a long buildout process with a grand opening party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the great deck in Yanaguana Garden. CommonWealth has already hits its stride. The place features familiar characteristics from its flagship location in Alamo Heights, but the shop gained square footage. Spacious work areas are all pleasantly lit by natural light as groups of locals and tourists

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A Parisian bistro and a puro San Antonio cocina open this Thursday

than that is a big deal. To me, it means with respect, with love, it’s a commitment. It means ‘we mean it,’” Rodriguez said. And just like the photographs and artwork on the walls hearken to growing up on the Westside with classic Chevys, weathered fruit stand owners, and playing on the front lawn with all your primos and primas, Rodriguez’s food will recall those same memories with an updated twist. There’s the chicharrones duros of “Wheacharrones” with avocado spread, cheeseburger tacos, chorizo fried rice using germinated rice, and, of course, the concha burger topped with brie mornay sauce, bacon and strawberry jam. “This is stuff we (JC & Alex) have been doing since being on tour, where we’d hang out and share our food, cooked on a hot plate out in parking lots,” Rodriguez said. A Parisian bistro and a new take on Westside living in the heart of the city (with Dough’s downtown location planning a tentative February opening), rings especially apropos as San Antonio hits its big 3-0-0. Let’s see what the future brings. 434 S. Alamo St. at the corner of S. Alamo and Cesar E. Chavez Blvd.

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take advantage of the marble tabletops to catchup or work remotely. This made location number four for owners Jose Ramon Campos and business partner Jorge Herrero in December and they’re up to five with the opening of North Central Baptist Hospital kiosk. And the growth isn’t lost on Campos who first struggled to open the original location due to zoning issues. “We went from fighting with the city, to working with the city,” Campos mused while looking around the Hemisfair location. Though the original on Davis Ct. set the standard, Campos is excited for changes each location will feature. Unlike the original location, Hemisfair will host brunch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. At the upcoming Weston Centre guests will be able to enjoy beer, a wine list with a focus on France and a full bar with six staple cocktails. Expect for Weston to open officially on February 9, though a soft opening phase is planned for the week prior to that. “We wanted to be downtown, in the city where with the growth it needs,” Campos said. At the neighboring Espinoza house, Con/ Safos opened just days shy of New Year’s Eve with a wine and beer license and a solid stash of Mexican candy, chips and agua fresca. Local beers can be found on draft, including a Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery-made Mexican lager. Opened by Danny Delgado and co., Con/ Safos (an older Chicano term meaning “with respect) will operate slightly differently than CommonWealth (which has an indoor kitchen). Instead, chef JC Rodriguez and sous Guillermo Mendez, will toil away in a Con/Safos food truck for the time being. Given those parameters, Con/Safos menu will feature six to 10 items including a couple of options for the kiddos. A Westside native, Rodriguez dubs his menu “neo Chicano food,” which matches the restaurant’s mission statement of fostering the spirit of San Antonio through art, music and food. “In Chicano culture ‘respect’ is a big deal, so using a word to sort of mean even more

sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 31

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Aside from being downright awe-inspiring, popular smoothies are growing in demand

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≥

Blame it on the need for speed. Blame it on Instagram. Regardless of why exactly açaí bowls became popular across the U.S. in the last several years, San Antonio is no home to several shops that feature the fruit-filled creations prominently. Though the berry itself is hailed as a super fruit (no FDA testing has been done), whether you’re picking up a bowl to gawk over and ‘gram, or hoping to inhale your day’s worth of fruits and fiber in a matter of minutes, the appeal is clear. Though often hailed as a treat, the bowls along with their pitaya or dragonfruit counterparts, should be considered more of a light meal as toppings of fruits, coconut flakes, hemp seeds, chia seeds and granola help fortify the bowl’s offerings. In San Antonio, Revolucion Coffee + Juice introduced both açaí and pitaya, as it often does with other products, and now the city has its fair share of places to score an açaí bowl. Here’s a breakdown of what each offers.

Acai Berry Land // Call before you visit this berry outpost owned by Brazilian couple who currently have the largest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu-Martial Arts gym in Texas, according to their website. Score any one of the four bowls (“Brazilian style,” “Rio de Janeiro,” “Bahia” or “Berryland,”) before or after a workout. Bowls are available in 12 or 16-ounce portions with prices ranging from $10 to $14. 5345 Glen Ridge Drive, Suite B, (210) 850-4218, acaiberryland.com. Jugo Juicery // A third location of this juice and bowl spot is slated to open in Leon Springs in early 2018, but for now, you can enjoy fanciful and floral bowls at the Wurzbach Road flagship or off North Main near San Antonio College. Jugo offers perhaps most control of your bowl with a BuildYour-Own option that starts at $8.25. Guests can choose between acai, pitaya or matcha base; three fruit toppings (banana, strawberry, blueberry, apple, pear, kiwi, pineapple,

or blackberry); two super food toppings (chia seeds, flax seeds, cacao nibs, goji berries, bee pollen, hemp seeds or coconut flakes); and optional granola, agave nectar or honey. Multiple locations, doyouevenjugo.com. Herb-n-Juice // The newest spot to offer acai and dragon (as in dragonfruit) bowls is tucked away in a small nook inside the history Wong Grocery Co. Owner Paul Martinez, 23, offers all organic, and plant-based bowls made-to-order so don’t visit if you’re in a hurry. What made these bowls stand out during my research was Martinez’s commitment to healthy, sugar-free bowls. Try the peanut butter crunch with acai, peanut butter, apple, banana and cinnamon topped with bananas, blueberries, gluten-free granola, coconut flakes, crushed almonds hemp seeds, cacao nibs and agave. Bowls are $9.95; all medium smoothies can be turned into bowls for an additional $2. Hours are still being fleshed

CONTINUED ON PAGE 35 ►

sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 33

FOOD

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CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

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FOOD

out, so call before heading in; the shop is closed Mondays. 1502 S. Flores St., (210) 724-6020. Pure Juice // The name suggests a focus on liquids and I should have paid heed. At $11 a pop, the acai bowls were lacking in the namesake, deep purple hue. Options include a chocolate bowl, a Hawaiian bowl, the original and lavender (with no mention of lavender inside the bowl). Multiple locations, justpurejuice.com. Revolucion Coffee + Juice // For now, bowls are only available at the Broadway location (though they will make the trek downtown when the Houston St. location opens inside the former Moshe’s Golden Falafel). At Revolucion, the bowls are served in dainty ceramic dishes. Two traditional acai bowls, a green acai (topped with cooling cucumbers), a tropical pitaya and a matcha energy bowl are all priced at $9, with available super food toppings for $1 including bee pollen, hemp seeds, chia seeds, cacao nibs, flaxseed, golden berries, mulberries, goji berries on top; or add-ins such as plant or root powders such as baobab (the fruit of Africa’s “Tree of Life”), maca, moringa; algae such as spirulina, chlorella and blue majik; and pearl powder. 7959 Broadway, Suite 500, (210) 701-0725, revolucionsa.com. Rise Up // The vegan, organic bowls were once found inside an Airstream trailer. But as bowls grew more popular, owner John Farnel expanded his reach into Alamo Heights inside a 3,200-square-foot space. Now filled with students, families and post-workout gym buddies, Rise Up features bulletproof coffee and coffee smoothies as well as nine signature acai bowls and three pitaya priced anywhere from $8.50 to $9.75. Try the ABJ with almond butter, or get your dose of kale (sans massage) with the Kale Yeah that combines acai, apple juice, blue berries, strawberries, banana and kale. 6401 Broadway, (210) 268-8009, riseupsatx.com.

If you balked at the idea of spending $10 on a bowl of fruit, there’s always the DIY route. But this isn’t for beginners. For starters, you’ll have to be a savvy enough shopper to find the acai puree packs on local shelves at either Central Market, Natural Grocers, Sprouts or Whole Foods Market. Each bag contains four packs of acai puree. Pitaya/ dragonfruit is even harder to source so I stuck with acai for this experiment. Once you’ve scored your main ingredient, you’ll want to supplement with blueberries, strawberries, and maybe a banana. I strongly suggest making sure your fruit is ripe and ready to use, freezing it overnight and using that freshfrozen fare for your bowl. Then, if you’re trying to emulate your favorite bowl from Rise Up, Revolucion, what have you, you’ll want to add some super foods to the mix, and again, this is where your at-home bowl can get expensive. Rather than buying boxed flaxseed, chia seed, or hempseed, try popping into the bulk section of your favorite grocery store and pick up what you’ll need for a bowl or two rather than a box of stuff that may go unused. As it is, you’re

only really saving between $2 and $3 by making them yourself, though I didn’t factor in shopping around for ingredients. There’s definitely an art to building a creamy bowl that’s textured and as awe-inspiring as the store-bought variety. Here’s how my at-home experiment turned out. Ingredients 1 pack acai puree 2 large strawberries, frozen 2 tablespoons blueberries, frozen 1/4 banana, frozen Splash of milk of choice (I used almond) Fruits for topping (I used bananas, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries) Extras for topping (I used chia seeds, hempseeds, coconut flakes, granola and almond butter) Directions // Combine acai, frozen fruit and milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Scrape down sides if needed. Pour half of the granola into bowl and add blended fruit. Go nuts with your fruit toppings.

sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 35

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If Ana Cabrera has gained anything from her year at Liberty Bar, let’s hope it’s speed. The bar manager at the storied institution shared what a day in the life of a bartender looks like. “I’ll be the only bartender, no barback, taking care of 15 barstools, plus a full section, and packing to-go [orders],” Cabrera says. “What I just described is a lunch shift!” Cabrera will need that speed and a whole lot more as she heads to New Orleans this weekend to compete in Speed Rack. Held for the first time ever in the Big Easy, Speed Rack is an all-female cocktail bartender showdown that pits cocktail queens from across the country against each other in a tournament-style pour off. Judges call out names of classic cocktails for the competitors to make in as little time as possible and time is added to their final score. The bartender with the final shortest time wins. Proceeds from events and competitions benefit breast cancer research. Competitions are lively, intense, and often chaotic as bartenders compete behind catering wells. Previous contenders from San Antonio include Karah Carmack (San Antonio Cocktail Conference), Elisabeth Forsythe (now with Silo), Zulcoralis Rodriguez (Paramour) and Hillary Woodhouse (The Squeezebox). For the Southeast round in New Orleans on Monday, Jan. 29, Cabrera is hoping to tap into her competitive and

creative side. Cabrera’s love affair with the service industry began long before her tenure at Liberty Bar. As a former intern for State Representative Senfronia Thompson (through the UTSA Legislative Scholars Program also dubbed the McClendon Legislative Scholars Program, named after the late Ruth Jones McClendon), the then-student worked at area bars and restaurants when the lege wasn’t in session. She graduated from UTSA in 2014 with a bachelor’s in honor studies and a minor in legal studies. She credits her time in the lege, both as a staffer and later on the lobbying side of things, as the reason she clicked with the service industry. “I was still taking people out to dinners, suggesting wine, making them feel welcome,” Cabrera says. Her gregariousness isn’t hard to note. She pairs a beaming smile and curly locks of auburn hair with serious knowledge of the craft, honed from years working as a bartender around Southtown at the now-closed Frank, Halcyon, Blue Star Brewing and now Liberty Bar. For the past several weeks, Cabrera has practiced for Speed Rack at home using an ironing board and empty wine bottles she filled with colored water in various hues. “I’m doing five to six rounds a night at home, and I think my job makes me practice daily,” Cabrera said. “I’m making

five cocktails, pouring beer, answering questions — it’s like one massive Speed Rack round.” And yes, Liberty Bar has a new cocktail menu. Though originated by Katie McKee before retiring, owner Dwight Hobart brought on cocktail guru Olaf Harmel (of The Modernist) this past summer. Harmel consulted on the menu and tasked Cabrera with revamping the spirit offerings that include an emphasis on gin, Scotch and now, Italian amaros. The dozen or so cocktails on the menu, which debuted this past December, are as accommodating as the rest of Liberty Bar’s offerings. There’s bold and boozy from the new barrel-aged portion; light and refreshing like the winter G&T with Seersucker gin, grapefruit and cucumber; or punchy and playful such as Cabrera’s Milk & Cookies, that combines Montenegro amaro, Old Overholt Rye and spiced milk infused with toasted, house-made shortbread cookies. To cap off her practice rounds before leaving for NOLA, Cabrera will host a pop-up at Rosella at the Rand from 7 to 10 p.m. this Wednesday. On Sunday, Jan. 28, Speed Rack competitors out of Texas will take over New Orlean’s Hot Tin Bar for another practice round; and on Tuesday, Cabrera will be joined by Forsythe for a Texas Tiki pop-up hosted by Seersucker gin, Campari and St. Germain at Cane & Table. sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 37

CURRENT • January 24-30, 2018 • sacurrent.com

MUSIC

R U O Y H T I W E M HIT

RAY "TATTOOEDBOY" SCARBOROUGH

T O H S T S BE Loca are lo l Chicana oking punk -r for n ew m ockers embe rs CH R IS

CON D

It all started with a Facebook post from Fea/Girl in a Coma drummer Phanie Diaz. Though it has since been deleted, Diaz had a question to the effect of: “Where my Chicana punk vocalists at?” I immediately knew that something was up with Fea, the Chicana punk band started by Diaz and bassist Jenn Alva. The pair is part of hometown heroes Girl in a Coma, who are currently signed to Joan Jett’s Blackheart label. On January 11, my suspicions were made offi cial as Diaz posted an open call for a new guitar player and new lead vocalist. “Hello y’all, Fea is currently seeking a guitarist (female preferred) and Chicana vocalist who can sing in both English and Spanish. We would need you to be able to perform the ﬁrst record and able to write a new one with us. We are currently signed with Blackheart Records and have a tour end of July with Agent Orange. This will be Fea part 2 and we will also need you to have a ﬂexible schedule and able to travel. This is an amazing opportunity and we take this project very serious. If you are passionate and serious, please inbox me to audition. Thanks.” Debuting at Maverick Music Festival in 2014, the band released their self-titled album two years later. The record was produced by big names in the industry, including Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!, Lori Barbero of Babes in Toyland

and Alice Bag of OG, LA punks The Bags. But Diaz said guitarist Aaron Magana and lead singer Letty Martinez lost passion for the band due to a few factors, including the demanding schedule and being on tour. “It just wasn’t for them,” Diaz told the Current “Because we’ve been in the band for so long, we’re very demanding. We need to practice. We need to do these things because of our work ethic. It may have been too much for them.” "I wish them all the best in everything they are doing moving forward," Magana told the Current." It just really wasn't my thing anymore. I just wanted to do something else musically." "There was a change and an irreparable strain in the relationship of the band with the band members," said Martinez, who also said she doesn't have any immediate musical plans for the future. "But I appreciate my time and experience with Fea. I have great memories and do I want to thank everybody who followed us, all of our fans. I will never forget my time there ... I really wish the band the best, and I hope they find what they're looking for." Despite losing half of the band, Diaz said they weren’t going to throw in the towel just yet. With encouragement from their label, they decided to reach out to potential new members. “Alice Bag introduced us to a guitar player that we’re trying out that also works with her,” Diaz said. “As far as

lead singers, Jessy Bulbo of Ultrasonicas was interested but didn’t work out and we’re currently speaking with Lex Flores Valentine of Magenta Lane.” Diaz said that even though they’re currently reaching out to these established artists, she explained that this is an open call to anyone interested who is willing to put in the necessary work, travel and practice to continue the band’s success. And, of course, has the same passion as Diaz and Alva. One of the perks about joining Fea is that the new members will be joining the Blackheart label family, have a booking agency and possibly work with punk icon Iggy Pop, since Pop had previously expressed interest in working with the group. But at the end of the day, it’s more than just the music – it’s about continuing a legacy that ensures the clear and accurate representation of Latin culture. “We wanted to start a Chicana punk band, especially in these times and bring forth the culture and expose people to our heritage and subjects that don’t get sung about anymore.” Here’s your shot. Do you have what it takes to lead this punk band into their new season? For more information and details about auditioning email Diaz at phanie357@gmail.com. sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 39

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Slated to bring his southern playalistic Cadillac funky grooves to San Antonio is none other than Lucious Leftfoot himself, Big Boi – one half of arguably the most influential duo in hip-hop, Outkast. Honestly, we don’t know what else to say about this dude since he’s legendary. Also on the bill is heaving-hitting alternative hip-hop duo The Cool Kids, who took the world by storm with their breakout hit “Black Mags.” If this isn’t one of the most exciting hiphop shows to happen in the Alamo City, we’re not sure what is. $30-$65, 8pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. – CC THU

UT TE RS

Often drawing comparisons to the Ramones, especially on their earlier work, Wyoming-based punk band The Lillingtons are sort of that perfect blend of punk and pop rock that could appeal to the masses. But it feels weird calling them pop-punk. This isn’t Blink-182 or Sum 41 (not that there’s anything wrong with liking those bands). These dudes just happen to utilize catchy-ass melodies and verse/chorus popsong structures that, after a listen or two, anyone would be able to sing along to. Poppy or not, The Lillingtons write some good punk rock and we’re stoked for them to be headed to town. $12-$15, 8pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. – Chris Conde

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Dedicated to sexual education, exploration and liberation, the folks behind Mushy Magazine are already about to release their fourth issue and we’re more than a little stoked, ‘cause their shit is pretty hot. In celebration of the release, the folks behind the magazine are throwing a party featuring rappers Mchl Mnt$ + Ndo Chan, Inner City Kids presents The Parish, DJ Dennis Loy, and DJ Je Von M. Also on the bill is none other than performance art collective House of Kenzo, who have been setting Texas on fire with official showcases at SXSW and Day For Night. Since their performances have becoming more rare in the 2-1-0, this is the perfect opportunity to watch one of the most exciting groups in San Antonio perform on their home turf. 9pm, $5, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. – CC FRI

Born Jon Gordon Langseth Jr., blues, gospel and rock singer-songwriter Jonny Lang has soul. The kind of soul that makes you think “How? How does this person have this much soul.” Also, on top of how sexy his music already is, the soon-to-be 37-year-old is sort of a hottie with a body. But sex appeal alone hasn’t gotten Lang this far. The artist has garnered high positions on the Billboard 200 chart and even won a Grammy for 2006’s Turn Around. Do yourself a favor and listen to “Make it Move” from 2017’s Signs. $25-$50, 8pm, Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. – CC

DANIELLA HOVSEPIAN

FRI

sacurrent.com • January 24-30, 2018 • CURRENT 41

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MUSIC

Band Merch Night, one of our favorite recent developments in local music, is going big for its third installment. For the Aztec edition of the home-spun rock and roll popup sale and show, attendees can expect a convention style setup — if the convention was also a badass concert. More than 25 local acts will be on hand peddling miscellaneous wares and music, while Alyson Alonzo, AMEA, The Black Market Club, Collective Dreams, Lloronas, PINKO, True Indigo, and Wayne E. Holtz will perform. There will also be food, drinks, artisan (and vinyl) vendors, a special DJ room, and more. All in all, this is a great opportunity to support your local music scene and get a live taste of some of its finest talent at the same time. $10-$12, 6pm, Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. – JC

MARGO PRICE

SAT

BANDMERCH NIGHT VOL 3

A San Antonio folk singer who’s twice hit the Billboard Country charts, Tish Hinojosa has been delivering charming singer-songwriter performances since the late 1980s. The youngest of 13 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, $24.50, Carlos Alvarez Studio Theatre, The Tobin Center For The Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. – CC SAT

TISH HINOJOSA

COURTESY OF MARGO PRICE

COURTESY OF WAYNE HOLTZ

Like any genre of music or medium of art, there are those artists and musicians that produce art that comes off as absolutely contrived, forced or deliberately fashioned to appeal to a certain audience. Then, there are those artists who fluidly communicate from their soul something unprentious; an organic reflection of their spirit using textures and tones that doesn’t sound like the artist is trying to be anything other than themselves (even though she does possess a similar vocal timbre to Dolly Parton). Country singer-songwriter, Margo Price is one of the best examples of what I’m talking about. With an asphyxiating amount of folks trying to make it big in the country music world, Price’s music catalog of traditionalsounding country with a hint of pop-aesthetic, minimal instrumentation and production, is a breath of fresh air reminiscent of the greats that came before her in the genre. $20-$90, 8pm, Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 East Grayson Street, (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com. – CC SUN

NATALIE RHEA

MACHINE HEAD

One thing that really set Machine Head apart from the nu-metal wave that flooded the early aughts, was they always had more of a traditional metal edge to them than their counterparts. On “Ten Ton Hammer” for instance, the opening track from 1997’s The More Things Change…, the Oakland quartet open with a groove-heavy breakdown similar to bands like Throwdown or Hatebreed but with sung vocals to match the intensity of the verse and chorus. The combination sort of sounds like a second generation of Pantera. It is a little weird that they got lumped into radio playlists alongside bands like Korn, and Limp Bizkit since their catalog reflected more straightforward metal tracks contrast to the genre-bending and experimental exploration of numerous bands in the genre. $25, 8pm, Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. – CC MON

ALBERT T ATLOCK

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MUSIC

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Aaron Stephens Soulful, singer-songwriter from McAllen plays live. Free. Gruene Hall, 6-10pm. The Doc Watkins Organ Quartet Local pianist, organist and bandleader Brent "Doc" Watkins performs live. $10. Jazz, TX, 8:30-11:30pm. Jose Amador Mainstream Latin jazz artist performs with featured vocalist Terra Nova. Free. Jazz, TX, 5:30-7:30pm. The Lillingtons Pop-punk band from Newcastle, Wyoming perform live during their Southwest Crusade tour. $12. Paper Tiger, 8pm. My Own Will Three-piece heavy-metal band from Oxford, Michigan performs with Semper Acerbus of Del Rio and local metal band The Destroyer of Worlds. $5. Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music, 8pm. Primetime Jazz Under the direction of John Magaldi, San Antonio’s Primetime Jazz Orchestra takes the stage for a night of live music. Free. The Cove, 8-10pm.

Barbara Nesbitt Band Americana artist from Austin performs originals with her band. Free. Gruene Hall, 7-11pm. D-Sould Davis ft. Art of Soul Demetrius Davis, a soul vocalist from Waco brings his own project to the Luna stage. $10. Luna, 8pm. Dave East Recently signed Def Jam Recordings artist Dave East of Harlem performs a solo set. $22-$75. Alamo City Music Hall & Club, 8pm. Eric Tessmer Guitarist and songwriter hailing from Austin performs power-packed originals. Free. The Rustic, 9:30-11pm. Flamenco Friday Featuring Flamenco troupe Flamencura with Olivia Chacon, Jose Manuel Tejeda and Celia Sellers. Free. Carmens de la Calle Café, 8:30-10:45pm. Friday Afternoon Picker Circle Country singer Hayden Whittington performs an unplugged acoustic set. Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 1pm. Jonny Lang American blues, gospel and rock recording artist of Fargo makes his way through San Antonio on his Jonny Lang Signs world tour. $25-$60. Aztec Theatre, 7pm. The Lavens A Texas family band playing a mixture of original material and classic covers. Free. The Cove, 6:30-8:30pm.

Adam and Chris Carroll Americana acoustic duo of San Marcos performs live. $7-$30. Sam’s Burger Joint, 7pm.

Matt Gilmour Original indie artist and multiinstrumentalist Matt Gilmour of Austin performs with Three Beards an alternative rock outfit from Fayetteville, North Carolina. $3. The Amp Room, 9pm.

The Adam Carrillo Quartet Featuring local jazz artists Adam Carillo, Chris Villanueva, Mike Porter and Brandon Guerra. Free. Jazz, TX, 5:30-7:30 pm

Mike and The Moonpies Austin’s premier honky-tonk band performs with garage rockers The Three Timers. $10-$12. John T. Floore Country Store, 7pm.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 25

New Orleans Night South Texas jazz The Dirty River Dixie Band Inspired by musician Doc Watkins is joined by Pierre Louis Armstrong, The Hot Five, Kid Ory and Poree of New Orleans and friends to Bix Beiderbecke, Dirty River Dixie performs perform live. $20. Jazz, TX, 8:30-11:30pm. a revved up style of 1920s and ’30s music. $10. Jazz, TX, 8:30-11:30pm. The Return Local musicians cover ’90s rock, alternative and grunge. $5. Fitzgerald’s Bar Jeff Jacobs Band Local all original country & Live Music, 10pm-2am. band founded in 2013 performs live. Free. The Cove, 8:30-10:30pm. TheGetDown Southtown 101’s Friday night

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Jesse Stratton Band Country band from Wimberly, Texas performs their new album Where It All Began. Free. Gruene Hall, 6-10pm. Sol Patch Fredericksburg soul duo Sol Patch performs an acoustic country set live. Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 5 pm. Thursday Metal Meltdown Thrash metal band Terrorform of Bristol performs with W.I.D and punk band For A Reason of Tokyo. $5. Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music, 8pm. Track N Feels Thursday Indie-pop DJ Idyll Green plays a variety of music featuring a light show, live remixing and drink specials. Free. The Bang Bang Bar, Every 7 days, 10pm.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26

party The GetDown features beats by DJ Tech-Neek, drink specials and food available from the grill until 2:30am. Free. Southtown 101, 10pm.

Vallejo and Ruben V Rock band that hails from Austin with their sonic melting pot of classic album rock mixed with contagious funky rhythms and Latin percussion. $12$50. Sam’s Burger Joint, 8pm. West Kings Highway Local band plays blues, jazz and Americana at their Friday night residency. Free. Sancho’s Cantina, 7-9pm. Wood Stove Sessions American singersongwriter Bob Livingston performs an unplugged acoustic set. Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 7pm.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27

Back to the ’90s: Round Two Brass Monkey Asleep At The Wheel Country group formed is hosting a ’90s party with a live broadcast in Paw Paw, West Virginia performs live from Jack FM. Nineties attire is encouraged. with classic country band Tessy Lou and Free. Brass Monkey, 9pm-2am.

MUSIC

The Shotgun Stars. $20. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 8pm. The Dirty River Boys Four-man Texas punk/ Americana band of Austin switches genres throughout their set. $15. Gruene Hall, 9pm. JJ Thames Self proclaimed Mississippi blues diva out of Manhattan, New York performs live at Luna. $10. Luna, 8pm. Judas X Houston’s premier Judas Priest tribute band performs with Dio tribute Mob Rules of Austin and Silent Cries, a Queensryche tribute. $8-$10. Bond’s 007 Rock Bar, 8pm-2am. Radio Moscow, Amplified Heat Hailing from Story City Iowa, Radio Moscow brings a mix of psychedelic rock and heavy blues in support of their new album, Magical Dirt and is joined by rock band, Amplified Heat of Austin. $6-$10. 502 Bar, 9pm-midnight Roland & The Roots Riddim Reggae and Rum Punch Saturday with Roland & The Roots Riddim of Austin. $20. Carmens de la Calle Café, 8-11pm. Scott Strickland Band Hailing from Austin, this jazz, blues/jam band performs live. Free. The Rustic, 9:30-11pm. Smokehouse Guitar Army Scott Mayo and his band Smokehouse Guitar Army play a mix of Texas-boogie and blues. Free. The Cove, 9-11pm. Stoney LaRue A Texas country/Red dirt artist of Taft, Texas performs with Jake Ward, a country group out of Corpus Christi. $17.50-$22. John T. Floore Country Store, 7pm. The Throwback Dance party featuring hiphop, R&B, and top 40 hits from the late ’90s and early 2000s. Free before 10pm. $5. Paper Tiger, 8pm. Tish Hinojosa Folk singer recording in both Spanish and English known for singing traditional Mexican folk songs and her own original songs. $24.50. Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 8pm. Uncle Lucius Farewell Show Americana rock out of Austin performs with Folk Family Revival of Magnolia. $12-$80. Sam’s Burger Joint, 8pm.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28 The Gibbonses Since making the move to Dallas in early 2015, the couple’s unique blend of Southern soul, Americana, and R&B has been very well received by music fans throughout Texas. Free. The Rustic, 12:30-2pm & 4-6pm. Margo Price American country artist based in Nashville, Tennessee performs live on her Nowhere Fast tour. $20-$90. Sam’s Burger Joint, 7pm. P.D.Q. Bach and Musical Comedy A

hilarious new piano concerto by fictitious composer P.D.Q. Bach (the comic alterego of musical satirist Peter Schickele) is the centerpiece of this lighthearted concert, featuring renowned pianist Jeffrey Biegel. Kodály’s Háry János Suite is a tuneful collection of tall tales, based on the exaggerated stories of an aging Hungarian soldier. And YOSA celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Leonard Bernstein with one of his most carefree, cheerful works. $5-$16. Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 7pm. Slim Bawb Performing swamp music with "a touch of everything else," Bawb sings, song-writes, plays guitar/banjo, mandolin, dobro, bass and steel. Free. Gruene Hall, 12-3:30pm. Sunday Evening Picker Circle Unplugged, acoustic jam featuring country singers, Kathy Bauer & Michael Broussard of Bandera, Texas. Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 5-9pm.

MONDAY, JANUARY 29 “French Delights” a Chamber Music Concert Laurel Heights United Methodist Church presents a concert featuring all classical French music. Mark Teplitsky (flute), Paul Lueders (oboe), Ilya Shterenberg (clarinet), Sharon Kuster (bassoon) and Jeff Garza (horn) are joined by guest pianist Christopher Guzman for music of Debussy, Saint-Saens, Poulenc, and more. $15. Laurel Heights United Methodist Church, 7:30-9:30pm. Bad Banjo Brown Swing night with traditional jazz and swing band. $7-$10. Sam’s Burger Joint, 7pm. Bret Graham Country/gospel artist Bret Graham of Canyon Lake performs and is said to have you dancing in the streets with his performance. Free. Gruene Hall, 6-10pm. Dan West Texas country artist performs an unplugged country jam under the oaks. Free. Luckenbach Dance Hall, 5pm. Eddie Saenz Country artist of the Rio Grande Valley native and a ’90s born child, Eddie Saenz grew up influenced by the sounds of previous generations, as well as his own. Free. The Rustic, 8:30-10pm. Machine Head American heavy metal band from Oakland, California performs their new album Catharsis. $25. Aztec Theatre, 7pm.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30 The Chris Villanueva Quartet Featuring local jazz artist, Jacqueline Sotelo. $10. Jazz, TX, 8:30-11:30pm. The Fred Eaglesmith Show Singersongwriter of Ontario, Texas performs with rock artist, Tif Finn of Schulenburg, Texas. $25-$70. Sam’s Burger Joint, 7pm.

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son — and sometimes to the mother — the son begins to feel responsible for his mother’s well-being and emotional support. The son becomes ‘parentified’ and is treated by his mother as a substitute husband. Occasionally, this close relationship between a mother and her son evolves into a sexual relationship, and the substitute husband becomes her lover as well. The situation described in this letter sounds exactly like that. And while I’m glad this man believes he has not been affected by this boundary violation, [the fact that he and his mother are] sending suggestive messages to each other may suggest otherwise.” Dr. Miletski prefers not to use terms like “abuse” or “trauma” unless the person involved uses those terms themselves — which you didn’t, TRUTHS, but I’m going to go ahead and use them. Here goes: You say you have no regrets, and you don’t mention feeling traumatized by the experience, but the absence of trauma doesn’t confer some sort of retroactive, after-the-fact immunity on your mother. She is responsible for her actions — actions that were abusive and highly likely to leave you traumatized. “In the mental-health field, we have a growing body of work showing that not everyone who is abused is necessarily traumatized,” said Dr. Kort. “I have seen countless men who have been sexually abused by their mothers who do not label it as abuse because they were not traumatized. But his mother seduced him, dismissing the sexual and emotional needs of a teenage boy. There is no other way to describe this other than abuse, however consensual he may have perceived it to be at the time.” But that was then, TRUTHS. What do you do about your situation now? “Unfortunately, I don’t think his wife will ever be able to put this revelation behind her,” said Dr. Miletski. “I think his best bet is to leave her, move on, and seek therapy. A therapist will help him deal with the emotional upset of the breakup with his wife, as well as process what happened with his mother.” Dr. Kort sees some hope — albeit slim — for your marriage. I’m not a professional counselor, TRUTHS, “To gain empathy and compassion from his I’m gonna climb out on a limb and say that wife, TRUTHS should be willing to listen to her The but AMPOWER Clinical Research Study a game of truth or dare isn’t the right time to concerns, fear, and anger,” said Dr. Kort. “He may be able to take part. There are other study You may be interested in the AMPOWER study. reveal an incestuous sexual relationship with a youalso needs to invite her to have compassion criteria you must meet. The parent. AMPOWER study is testing the safety and effectiveness Dr. Hani Miletski and Dr. Joe Kort, on and empathy for the vulnerable position he was ® join the study, your participation time will be of Amphora , a new, investigational, non-hormonal form of the other hand, are professionals: Dr. Miletski If you in — but he cannot do that until he has some 7 menstrual cycles with three study visits plus a phone birth control that is to be used up to 1 hour before sex. The is a psychotherapist and a sex therapist, and compassion for himself. Untreated, the abuse call with the study team. In addition, you will have one final birth control is believed to work by maintaining the pH of the Dr.in Kort a sex and therapist. suffered his mother, as well asreceive the loss visithe about 14 to 30from days after your last cycle. You will vagina order is to prevent spermrelationship mobility and preventing Both certified and grief over father, be to troubling medications andhis medical testscould at no cost you. Thereto sperm from are reaching an egg.by the American Association study Sexuality Counselors, and if wife and their Perhaps if he arehis other assessments andrelationship. tests you will undergo at each study You of may be able toEducators, take part in the AMPOWER study and both are — Dr. Miletski visit. ever has children, the reality abuse willif Additional tests and procedures will of be the explained to you you Therapists, meet the necessary criteria for authors participation. If you: youhit decide want to learn literally wrote bookofon him.you Parents don’tmore. have children to turn • are between 18 andthe 35 years agethe subject of mother-son incest: Mother-Son Incest: The them into lovers.” • are sexually active, at risk of pregnancy, and desiring NOW And, ENROLLING! Unthinkable Broken Taboo Persists. once again, people probably shouldn’t contraception Forreveal more information, please contact us: Neera Bhatia, MD, OBGYN “There’s no wonder his wife is so upset,” incestuous relationships to their current • have been in a steady relationship with the same man Amy at p. (972) 768-1141 / e. amyfeinhals44@gmail.com said Dr. Miletski. “Sexual relations between partner during a game of truth or dare. for at least 3 months mother and son are considered the most taboo Brandie You can find Dr. Miletski’s books and learn at p. (210) 665-1068 / e. brandiecharles2@gmail. form of incest.” more about her work at DrMiletski.com. You can Or find visit www.Ampowerstudy.com Dr. Miletski told me it isn’t uncommon for Dr. Kort’s books and learn more about his a woman who has been abandoned by her work at JoeKort.com and on Twitter @drjoekort. husband to turn to an adolescent son for emotional comfort. mail@savagelove.net 231564 USA Recruitment 20170706 Poster Resized English 1.0 “These women are often very insecure and @fakedansavage on Twitter needy,” said Dr. Miletski. “Unbeknownst to the ITMFA.org My father left my mother abruptly when I was 14 years old, and he hasn’t contacted either of us since. It was a crushing blow for her, and she retreated from the world. She was never bitter about it, but it was devastating. She lost the love of her life for no apparent reason and was left completely alone, except for me. We have both done our best to forget about him. We were extremely close for the next four years and actually slept in the same bed every night. Eventually, we began doing something that most people would consider evil but neither of us has ever regretted. It was just something that happened. And it wasn’t something that just happened once — it went on for two years and ended only when I left to go to university. I haven’t thought about this for years, and it is something my mother and I have never discussed. She has since remarried and seems perfectly fine. But even today, we sometimes send each other friendly messages that are vaguely suggestive. The problem is I mentioned it to my wife recently and she went ballistic. She called me and my mother sick and moved into another bedroom and refuses to have sex with me. I wish I had never mentioned it, but it was part of a truth-or-dare session we were having. This has been the situation for the last three months. I have finally lost my patience and I am thinking of leaving. I have never cheated on my wife or hurt her, either physically or emotionally, and I have supported her financially while she studies at university. I have mentioned going to a counselor, but she refuses and claims that she is married to a monster and that no woman would want me. We don’t have any children — so if I were to leave, I wouldn’t be disrupting an innocent’s life. Do you have any advice? Truthful Revelation Unmakes Two Happy Spouses

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“Portrayed-Off” — something’s lost in the interpretation. ACROSS

1 Trivia contest locales 5 Went over like ___ balloon 10 Sheep sounds 14 Racecar driver Luyendyk whose son is currently “The Bachelor” 15 How some rooms are lit 16 Shrek or Fiona, e.g. 17 Hanging around, being a particle, losing its charge, catching up on reading, etc.? 19 Like some histories 20 Piece of property 21 Gym fi xture 23 Take out 25 May honoree 26 Anticipating a little devil? 33 Furor 34 Leachman of “Young Frankenstein” 35 Caffeine-containing nut 37 “Rebel Without a Cause” costar Sal 39 “Superman” archvillain Luthor 40 Abate 41 Tennis player Wawrinka 42 Copper coating 44 “May ___ now?” 45 Nonexistent grades like “G+”? 48 “Westworld” network

49 Photos, slangily 50 Chain that sells a lot of cups 56 Time periods 60 “Free Willy” whale 61 “Give it up!” (or what the theme answers do) 63 Clock face 64 Pulitzer-winning novelist Alison 65 Spiced tea beverage 66 Gardener’s purchase 67 Streisand title role of 1983 68 Russian ruler, before 1917

DOWN

1 NATO phonetic alphabet letter after Oscar 2 Web addresses 3 Confirmation ___ 4 Iroquois League nation 5 Big bother 6 Pick-me-up 7 Abu Dhabi leader, for instance 8 Lip balm ingredient 9 Phenomenal performers 10 Soundstage equipment that hangs high 11 Cultural leader? 12 Kazakhstan border “Sea” that’s really a lake 13 Auction off 18 Exterior finish for some

houses 22 Palme ___ (Cannes Film Festival prize) 24 ___ Tuesday (“Voices Carry” group) 26 Water filter brand name 27 Kidney-related 28 “The Dark Knight” trilogy director 29 “Lady Bird” writer-director Gerwig 30 Hyphenated descriptor for a repairperson 31 Recurrent theme 32 Not-so-subtle promos 33 Contacts online, for short 36 Abbr. on military mail 38 Spellbind 40 Sumptuous 42 In a self-satisfied way, maybe 43 Little bite 46 Flow’s counterpart 47 Look forward to 50 Covers with turf 51 Muse, for one 52 Antioxidant-rich berry 53 Heavy metal’s Mˆtley ___ 54 “Freak on a Leash” band 55 Barbecue rod 57 Satisfied sounds 58 March Madness gp. 59 Make Kool-Aid 62 ___ Aviv, Israel

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