San Antonio Current — April 20, 2022

APR. 20 - MAY 3, 2022

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BLUES BROTHERS THE

ry tour 40th anniversa

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Check out: Sunshine Among The Clouds: Bouncing Between Love and Loss in Life

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

An inspirational book about a positive life perspective. Great for anyone going through loss, health issues, addiction, or someone looking to improve their happiness and view on life.

available at The Twig Book Shop, Amazon, YChrome.com

in this issue San Antonio Current

Issue 22-08 /// April 20 – May 3, 2022

from Texas artists into your 4/20 playlist

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

Editorial

Vintage Vendor

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

Eclectic instrument retailer Output Audio rides a creative wave

Music Listings

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TXOG Cultivation Rooms

13 Feature

Medical Green Light

Potential patients can follow this five-step process to obtain medical cannabis in Texas

09 News

The Opener News in Brief

High-Dollar Ride

San Antonio has reason to be skeptical about Elon Musk’s proposed hyperloop

Glitter Political

The personal and political evolution of state Rep. Ina Minjarez, candidate for Bexar County judge

17 Calendar Calendar Picks

22 Arts

Beyond T-shirts

Art, music and skateboard culture collide at San Antonio’s Cat Palace

25 Screens

Last Picture Show

Did San Antonio’s shuttered arthouse theater the Bijou do enough to keep the lights on and movies running?

APR. 20 - MAY 3, 2022

27 Food

Cannabis Cookery

San Antonio chef Edward Villarreal blazes a culinary trail for marijuana

Let’s Get Dank

San Antonio brewers are cranking out a bevy of 4/20-ready IPAs

Hot Dish

33 Music

Smoking Tracks

Roll these 12 blaze-worthy songs

O

n the Cover: This week’s cover commemorates the stoner holiday of 4/20. Cover design: Marlene Mejia.

Thank you to our Press Club members

for keeping independent local journalism alive!

publisher

$50/ M O . O R $500 O N E - T I M E D O N AT I O N

Alfa Lopez Celeste Hernandez-Minick

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Letty Sonju Nancy Rogers

Editor

$20/ M O . O R $200 O N E - T I M E D O N AT I O N

Abbie Ward Alan Brown Amy Chang Anna Luna Bill Badger

Celia Davis Christopher Sy Dale Tessman David Rodriguez Dawn Soto

Howard Marnan Jaime Diedrich Jan Volz Javier Villanueva Jose Gallardo

Beat Reporter

Judi Pianta Lolita Soto Nick Banda Patricia Gilmore Patrick Shearer

Randy Beamer Richard Wells Sean Wood Tanya Clark Teresa Garcia

$5/ M O O R $50 O N E - T I M E D O N AT I O N Adriana Vargas Allison Boerger Alyssa Montes Amber Hoey-Paul Amena Leauvano Anavel Gonzales Andrew Casillas Andrew Quiroga Angela Martinez Anna Hoelting Areetha Carter Aubree Hoffman Becky Hudson Bianca Alberty Bianca Flores Brad Johnson Brad Randle Brian Buster Carol Pope Cathey Ambush Cecily Pretty

Charla Davies Christina Cragg Craig Yugawa Cynthia Munoz Daisy Torrance Dan Yoxall Danica Murillo Daniel Kleffner Daniel Conrad Debra Cobb Desiree Martinez Diamond Eskridge Diana Blinn Diva Eytch Doug Creedon Elizabeth Farrell Elizabeth Parlato Emile Huggins Erin Baker Evan Barbosa Evan Hansen

Frank Brigante Gail Newberg Gale Mccommons Gavin Wood Greg Harman Haleigh Pena Hunter Warren Ira Babb Isidro Herrera Jan Piedad Jana Gray Jane Henry Janice Diehm Jason Davis Jen Wan Jena Wendel Jennifer Gonzalez Jerico Magallanes Jessica Ramirez Joe Kreidel John Bellett

Jonathan Stevens Joseph Yakubik Joyce Raposo Katharine Martin Katherine Diana Kathy Keevan Katie Jarl Kayla Beltran Keneth Kanagaki Kim Johnson Kimberly Gibson Kindel Hollis Kristian Persson Kurt Bergo Laura Barberena Laura Jesse Laura Barberena,Ph.D. Lea Svoboda Linda Perez Linda Suttner Linda Grace Solis

Lindsey Dodd Gooch Lisa Ayres Liz Hollingsworth Loren Busta Lori Moye Madeline Mccollom Mae Escobar Mags Jesse Manuel Ayala Manuel Iruegas III

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Marina Uriegas Marina Alderete Gavito Marissa Cardenas Mary Monroe Mary Briscoe-Cushman Melissa Benavidez Melvin Rose Michael Johnson Michael Silvas Micheal Acovio

Mindi Overman Miriam Flores Misty Downing Monica Velasquez Neff Hudson Nicholas Tamsma Nicole Foy Norma Arriola Norma Jean Garza Patrick Pringle Philip Tchou Priscilla Mejia Rachel Hegedus Reid Hackney Ricardo Gonzalez Richard Halter Richard Arredondo Robert Reese Robert L Macnaughton Roberto Alonzo Robin Overbay

Rudi Harst Samuel Shreve Sarah Erickson Shannon Carr Stephanie Plaza Suellen Ehrmann Theresa Fossier Tom Rademacher Travis Poling Vicki Hannigan Victoria Martinez Wade Cruse Wayne Owens William Perdue William Patry

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

sacurrent.com | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

H

Another piece of border showmanship by Gov. Greg Abbott bit into the livelihoods of Texans. After Abbott slowed commercial border crossings to a near standstill by ordering state troopers to inspect commercial haulers, shippers warned that companies would have to think about moving their business to friendlier states like New Mexico and Arizona. “This is destroying our business and the reputation of Texas,” the CEO of the Texas International Produce Association told CBS News.

H

The San Antonio Police Department reported that drunk driving arrests declined during Fiesta 2022. SAPD only made 129 DWI arrests between March 31 and April 10 — a nearly 43% drop from the 227 made during the last full Fiesta in 2019.

It’s even down from the 169 DWI arrests made during the scaled-back Fiesta of 2021.

H

It’s been a busy two weeks of stunts for Gov. Greg Abbott, who — in addition to torpedoing U.S.-Mexico trade — was also criticized by the top U.S. Customs and Border Protection official for his plan to bus migrants to Washington, D.C. in retaliation for President Joe Biden’s reversal of Title 42. “Assistance from the state should be carefully coordinated with us,” CPB Commissioner Chris Magnus said in a statement.

Subtext: it hasn’t been.

New Mexico has legalized marijuana for recreational purposes, and Texans are taking stock. New Mexico sold $9.9 million worth of cannabis in the first week of legalization, and dispensaries on the Texas border did especially well: Las Cruces raked in more than $530,000 in sales, Hobbs more than $335,000 and tiny Sunland Park — population 18,000 — pulled in nearly $260,000. That money will likely flow across state lines for the foreseeable future. — Abe Asher

YOU SAID IT!

“Everyone is legitimately concerned about the lack of a plan. We should hold the federal government accountable for doing its job, and they’re not doing that.”

— Beto O’Rourke

Democratic candidate for Texas governor Beto O’Rourke on the Biden administration’s border policy

news

That Rocks/That Sucks

Twitter / Chip Roy

ASSCLOWN ALERT

Reversing course on the 2020 election with Chip Roy Assclown Alert is a column of opinion, analysis and snark.

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a Tea Partier whose district includes San Antonio, fired off a string of text messages leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack that first encouraged the White House’s bid to overturn the 2020 election then warned against it, CNN reported last week.

CNN’s story, based on messages obtained by the House select committee examining the insurrection, examines the changing tone of

Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy encouraged the White House’s bid to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election before backpedaling, according to a trove of text messages reported on by CNN. Among the messages from Roy to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows the network obtained from the House select committee on the insurrection is one from Nov. 7 that reads, “We need ammo. We need fraud examples. We need it this weekend.” Roy’s office told CNN the messages “speak for themselves.”

Roy’s texts to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, which “initially supported legal challenges to the election but ultimately came to sour on the effort and the tactics deployed by Trump and his team.”

“We’re driving a stake in the heart of the federal republic,” Roy said in a Jan. 1 text to Meadows. According to CNN, the text was first released by the select committee, but it hasn’t been reported until now that Roy was its author.

That dire warning is a turnaround from a Nov. 7 communication with Meadows, in which Roy appeared to encourage the White House to throttle ahead with claims the election was a sham. “We need ammo. We need fraud examples. We need it this weekend,” Roy texted, according to CNN. Chalk up Roy’s change of heart to a case of constitutional-crisis cold feet. Or maybe just to being an assclown. — Sanford Nowlin

A San Antonio man who earlier this month pleaded guilty to a federal charge related to his participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection has also been found guilty of unlawfully using a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.

In early 2021, FBI agents raided Chance Anthony Uptmore’s home and found a loaded revolver along with a reserve of marijuana and cannabis products. Uptmore, 25, faces up to 10 years in prison. — Abe Asher

City council last week approved more than half a million dollars in grants for an untested startup that aims to resurrect the DeLorean sports car as an electric vehicle. DeLorean Motor Co. will take its $562,500 in incentives and establish its headquarters at Port San Antonio.

In exchange, the startup is required to provide 450 jobs by 2026. The council also approved the startup to apply for $1.25 million in tax refunds through a state program.

Courtesy Photo Texas Governor’s Office

Find more news coverage every day at sacurrent.com

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F E AT U R I N G

news High-Dollar Ride

San Antonio has reason to be skeptical about Elon Musk’s proposed hyperloop

BY MICHAEL KARLIS

B

illionaire Elon Musk last week made headlines with his offer to buy Twitter for $43 billion.

Although his $267.5 billion in wealth makes him the richest man in the world, questions swirl about whether the hostile takeover bid amounts to more than an effort to troll the platform. Musk doesn’t have the required cash on hand, according to reports, and no bank has come forth willing to finance the deal.

The move is typical Musk: a high-profile grift for media attention. It’s reminiscent of the billionaire’s claim he was taking Tesla private for $420 a share — he didn’t — or when he said he’d build an underground hyperloop in Las Vegas — a promise on which he overpromised and underdelivered.

But despite that history, the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority last month approved further study of a proposal from Musk’s Boring Co. to build underground tunnels connecting San Antonio International Airport to downtown — a hyperloop like Vegas’ with a price tag of up to $289 million.

But experts question the need for that scheme, pointing out that it doesn’t exactly fit the bill as a public transportation project. Public transportation works to connect people to sources of employment, essential services and reduce traffic congestion, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Although the Alamo RMA and Boring Co. both say traffic reduction is part of their mission, David Schrank, a senior research scientist at Texas A&M’s Transportation Institute, questioned whether the proposed San Antonio Loop would have that result.

“Oftentimes, when building an express service, there’s a reason for it, like congestion, which prohibits easy travel from the airport to downtown,” Schrank said. “That’s not necessarily the case with this corridor.”

He added: “North of the airport, along [U.S. Highway] 281, there is congestion, some of it due to construction, but that’s not the case here,” Schrank

said. “So, there’s not that incentive to jump into that tunnel to avoid problems on the roadways.”

How’d we get here?

Bexar County Commissioners Court created the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority as an independent government agency in 2003, whose purpose was to “address congestion and mobility concerns” throughout San Antonio.

As Bexar County’s Director of Public Works Renee Green said during an Alamo RMA Board meeting in March, the independent government agency was to be primarily funded by toll roads.

The revenue from these toll roads would further finance other infrastructure projects.

Yet, in the Alamo RMA’s 19-year existence, no local toll road has been constructed, forcing the agency to rely on vehicle registration fees to generate revenue.

“Even if we could build a toll road right now, there are no toll-viable projects,” Alamo RMA Board Member Michael Lynd Jr. said during the March meeting. “In other words, there are no roads with enough demand that have increments of it that have not already been improved with state funds.”

With hopes of generating additional revenue — and proving its own necessity — the Alamo RMA began inquiring in 2019 whether transit-industry leaders were interested in partnering on a public transportation infrastructure project. Specifically, the project that would connect the country’s 46th busiest airport with a downtown that caters heavily to tourists.

Weighing the bids Five entities bid on the project, offering up Buck Rogers plans that ranged from three-wheeled self-driving vehicles to an automated bus that would travel on elevated and underground tracks.

In the end, the Alamo RMA picked the Boring Co.’s plan to build two ninemile-long tunnels in which passengers

Michael Karlis

would be ferried from the airport to downtown in Teslas. Company officials said they could finish in just 36 months at a cost between $247 million and $289 million.

Better yet, Boring Co. told the Alamo RMA that the project would generate $25 million a year in revenue while not costing taxpayers a dime. Or so the story goes.

According to the Express-News, the Boring Co. would front between $27 million and $47 million for the first construction phase. The Alamo RMA would use ridership revenue to pay back its debt to the company.

Boring Co. also estimates the project would generate $25 million annually for the Alamo RMA, although it’s difficult to see how that number is feasible.

About 7.4 million passengers fly out of San Antonio International Airport annually. If rides on the San Antonio loop cost $5 — cheaper than a rideshare service — then 67% of all travelers at SAT would need to use the San Antonio Loop to generate $25 million in revenue, excluding operating costs.

Newest attraction There’s certainly reason to be skeptical about Boring Co.’s promises.

Remember that hyperloop Musk promised the city of Las Vegas?

Boring Co. also touted that project

as a revenue-generating public transit project. The initial proposal for the loop floated in 2019 featured plans for electric autonomous public transit vehicles that would hold around 16 passengers each and travel on a track system through underground tunnels at speeds of 155 miles per hour.

None of that happened.

Gradually, the track was replaced with asphalt. Then, the electric people-movers were replaced with Teslas.

Instead of self-automation, the vehicles were helmed by drivers, who are paid $17 an hour and barred from driving over 40 miles per hour.

In essence, the city of Las Vegas paid Musk $52.5 million — $12 million over budget — for what one Bloomberg columnist described as a 1.7 mile-long “Tesla amusement park ride.”

Instead of a hyperloop that doesn’t encourage ridership, Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Schrank suggested San Antonio consider less-expensive improvements like ensuring traffic lights effectively communicate with each other, metering entrance ramps and improving traveler information.

All of which would likely be more effective in alleviating congestion.

But it remains to be seen how interested the Alamo RMA is in traffic mediation that doesn’t yield big headlines and fill its coffers. sacurrent.com | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

news Medical Green Light

Potential patients can follow this five-step process to obtain medical cannabis in Texas

BY TRAVIS E. POLING

T

here’s a good chance a little bit of cannabis daily can ease many common ailments from epilepsy and muscle spasms to PTSD and the side effects of cancer.

Low doses of medical cannabis are legally approved in Texas, but don’t expect to swing by your neighborhood pharmacy to fill the prescription along with a vial of insulin and blood pressure pills.

The state’s Compassionate Use Program for medical marijuana, put in place by the Texas Legislature in 2015 and expanded in 2019 and 2021, is among the most restrictive in the nation. There are a lot of caveats, and it’s overseen by the state agency best known for issuing driver’s licenses and speeding tickets.

According to the Regulatory Services Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety, which oversees medical cannabis for the state, there were 22,221 patients registered for the program in March, up from fewer than 5,000 a year prior. Those numbers are expected to grow, but without a retail-like dispensary system found in other states, it takes some work to go from diagnosis to receiving the medication.

Here’s a five-step guide to navigating the Texas system.

1. Diagnosis A physician can recommend cannabis to treat a patient’s symptoms, but it takes a doctor approved by and registered with DPS to prescribe tinctures, gummies and lozenges containing state-approved amounts of THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis.

Potential patients can check the DPS Compassionate Use Program website at dps.texas.gov/section/compassionate-use-program for a list of qualifying conditions, contact a licensed cannabis clinic directly or start the process through one of the state’s few producers.

Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation, based in Manchaca on the outskirts of Austin, also has a list of approved uses on its website and an

online form people can use to obtain an appointment with a clinic.

Staff at a partner clinic will review the patient’s medical records and see if there’s anything that would qualify them for a prescription. For example, a person with diabetes might be eligible because of foot pain from neuropathy or qualify for treatment of spasticity because of a previous prescription for muscle relaxants.

“You don’t have to be eligible right off the bat,” said Rodrigo Cravey, head of patient experience at Texas Original.

By the time the updated Compassionate Use Program expanded last fall to include PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, many Texas veterans had already been diagnosed, and Cravey said there was a figurative “line at the gates.” That addition to the law has been a primary cause of the spike in medical cannabis demand over recent months, he said.

People with schizophrenia, which could worsen with cannabis, aren’t eligible. Also, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding babies can’t get a prescription because it’s unknown what effect the cannabis could have on the unborn, and THC concentrates by about 40 times in breast milk.

2. Registration A physician with a specialty in cannabis sees the patient to figure out the best route to take for their ailment, then enters the patient’s name with a state registry. While the state collects the data, it’s still covered by federal privacy laws and only authorized physicians and registered dispensary staff can access those details on their patients and clients. Both staff and physicians have gone through DPS background checks.

3. Prescription Dr. Matthew Brimberry, who opened Texas Cannabis Clinic in 2019 and now has more than 2,000 patients, said it’s important to have a relationship with a physician with abundant experience

Courtesy Photo / Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation

with the uses of medical cannabis.

Ensuring the right form and dosage of the medicine isn’t a one-size-fits-all endeavor.

For example, a child with epilepsy or a geriatric patient with anxiety from dementia might have vastly different needs than a young military veteran with PTSD who already has experience using cannabis.

Experienced physicians should take those factors into account, so a patient gets the maximum medical benefit from ingesting the THC without reaching the level of inebriation, or high, sought by recreational users. Recreational cannabis found in states where it’s legal has much higher THC levels by volume than the Texas’ medical formulation, which is capped at 1%.

Medical doses can range from 1.25 milligrams to 5 milligrams taken orally once or twice a day, Brimberry said.

For most people, inebriation from THC starts at about 7 milligrams, but the compound connects to everyone’s receptors differently.

4. Pickup Once the patient is registered, seen by the doctor and the prescription sent to a registered dispensary, coordinators for the dispensary work with the patient on what form the THC will come in, such as a chewable gummy or a drinkable tincture. The dispensary will take payment in what equates to cash, such as a check, money order, direct withdrawal from a bank account

or a bank debit card, Cravey noted.

Because cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, regulations prevent the use of credit cards.

Federal prohibition also prevents delivery by mail, and Texas law requires dispensaries to be vertically integrated.

That means the same facility grows the marijuana plants, harvests the flower buds, processes them, manufactures the delivery forms and stores them. To make products available to consumers, growers deliver to cities throughout the state at fixed drop-off points. Texas Original, for example, makes deliveries to a San Antonio pickup spot near the South Texas Medical Center every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. As demand picks up across the state, the company is adding routes, and a new facility is in the works in Bastrop.

5. Follow-up While the state doesn’t require a specific follow-up period for a patient to see the doctor, clinics schedule appointments to check how the treatment is working. Brimberry said his clinic typically schedules a follow-up and subsequent appointments every six months. The doctor must renew the patient’s spot on the state registry every year for prescriptions to continue.

For children, the elderly and first timers, also known as the “cannabis naïve,” the first follow-up is usually just two to three weeks after the substance is prescribed, Brimberry said.

sacurrent.com | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | CURRENT

13

Howard French

Please join us in welcoming journalist and professor Howard French to Trinity University where he will be speaking about his latest book, “Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War.”

Wednesday, April 27 • 7 PM • Chapman Auditorium

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

news GLITTER POLITICAL

The personal and political evolution of state Rep. Ina Minjarez, candidate for Bexar County judge

BY JADE ESTEBAN ESTRADA

I

t’s a windy Tuesday afternoon as I sit across from Texas Rep. Ina Minjarez at Viola’s Ventanas in Northwest San Antonio. Though not readily apparent to onlookers from her calm composure, the El Paso native is locked in a May 24 runoff with former district court Judge Peter Sakai to represent the Democratic Party in the highstakes race for Bexar County judge.

A silver bracelet with beads dangles from Minjarez’s right wrist. She explains that it’s a gift from Texas Rep. Jessica González, something the North Texas Democrat picked up on a trip to Europe.

I ask about one of the images on the beads.

“It’s a cross with a flower,” replies Minjarez, 46, examining it anew. “I think you can do the rosary on it.”

During her seven years as a legislator under the Pink Dome, I have twice interviewed Minjarez for this column.

The first was in 2018, the second in late 2020.

Much has transpired since then. For one, she survived the political backlash from being one of the 50 House Democrats who fled to Washington, D.C. in a bid to block a raft of Republican-led voting restrictions. That high-profile departure happened shortly after the unexpected passing of her beloved mother-in-law.

Minjarez said that death made her reexamine the balance between family life and passion for public service. I ask her how the Ina sitting before me is different from the one I first met in 2018.

“I think Ina’s grown,” she says, playing along with the third-person perspective. “Ina’s evolved. A lot has happened since we last visited.”

Minjarez’s decision to run for Bexar County judge came as a surprise to political observers, who projected a longer tenure for her in the GOP-controlled

Texas House. To run for the center seat on Commissioners Court, Minjarez wasn’t required to resign as representative, but her name couldn’t be on the ballot for re-election.

But it’s not as if she hasn’t calculated the risks. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, who assumed office in 2001, is a Democrat, and according to pollsters hired by Minjarez’s campaign, there’s a strong chance the seat will remain blue.

“It will be very difficult for a Republican to find a path, just because the dynamics of the population of Bexar County have changed so much over the years,” Minjarez says. “We are an urban core that’s predominantly Democrat.”

Though it’s a midterm election, which tends to attract fewer voters than a presidential election year, Minjarez is counting on Beto O’Rourke’s gubernatorial run to galvanize the county’s Democratic base. That would boost her campaign if she wins her party’s nomination next month.

“He’s a dynamic politician,” she says of the El Paso progressive, who lost his 2018 senatorial bid by a three-point margin. “He’s going to bring out the Democrats.”

In the eyes of some local party insiders, Minjarez’s candidacy was an unexpected disruption to the status quo.

“The old guard of the party were upset with me for running,” she says.

“They felt, ‘You needed to have asked us for permission. You should allow Judge Sakai to run because he’s been around longer. You should wait your turn.’”

No stranger to opposition, Minjarez says the local party brass isn’t necessarily reflective of the county’s “general” Democratic voters.

“I dealt with the same challenges when I ran for [House District] 124, so although I respect the party and, of course, the people in it, I know that how I win is by talking to and aggressively

Jade Esteban Estrada

meeting the Democratic voters that are on the outside of the bubble.”

Minjarez notes that the relationships she built while serving in the House would help her as a county judge.

“This position ... it’s not one that comes all the time,” she says. “I decided I can come home and work on the same policies I did up there and actually get things done on the local level.”

I ask what other ways she feels like she’s changed.

“I think I’m more assertive at times,” she replies. “Now, I’m just very direct.

Just tell me what you want. If we can’t get there, then I’m gonna find another way to get it done.”

One of Minjarez’s top priorities is property tax relief, which she says hasn’t been meaningfully addressed at the legislature. She’s also focused on infrastructure, planning responsible growth and quality-of-life issues such as housing, healthcare, mental health issues and generational poverty.

She says businesses should play a part in some of those initiatives and bring their perspectives to the table.

“If your workers are well and your people are well, we thrive economically,” Minjarez explains. “If you’re

not addressing mental health, proper healthcare, food deserts [or] housing, how do you expect people to thrive and contribute to your business?”

If I were to ask you for the best advice you’ve ever received, what comes to mind, right here, right now? I ask.

“My husband gave me some great advice that’s always stuck with me: ‘What you allow, you promote,’” she says. “There’s a way to address something that bothers you in a way that you let it be known that you don’t like something. If you don’t address it, it continues to grow. They think by your silence, you were OK with it.”

Though Minjarez is disappointed by the current leadership in the Texas House, she’s nonetheless heartened to see more women entering public office.

“Women bring a different dynamic and perspective,” she says. “For me, the more women the better. I look forward to the day when we see another female governor, but I’d like to see a female speaker or a female lieutenant governor.”

She nods.

“That’s going to be cool. I hope I’m still around for that.”

sacurrent.com | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | CURRENT

15

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Get a free mini bouquet and digital photo with your same-day purchases totaling $75 or more from at least two Alamo Quarry Market stores or restaurants. To collect your fresh Spring flowers, bring current day’s receipts to the pop-up at these locations. Plus, enter for a chance to win $100 in prizes.

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TUESDAY

MAY 3 | 1 - 3pm Kay Jewelers

One per customer. While supplies last. Employees and their families of Alamo Quarry Market and all of its tenants are not eligible.

Follow the smokestacks to San Antonio’s premier lifestyle shopping center featuring over 75 uniques shops and fabulous choices for fine and casual dining. Highway 281 at 255 East Basse Road | (210) 824-8885 | QuarryMarket.com | Follow us 16

CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

calendar

THU | 04.21 FRI | 04.22 CLASSICAL MUSIC

MUSICIANS OF THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY WITH STEFAN SANDERS The Musicians of the San Antonio Symphony (MOSAS) return to First Baptist Church for the first in a slate of three concerts presented by the recently founded MOSAS Performance Fund. On Thursday and Friday, the striking symphony musicians will perform a program featuring Giuseppe Verdi’s La Forza del Destino Overture, Claude Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6. Stefan Sanders, music director of the Central Texas Philharmonic and the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, will lead the ensemble. MOSAS will continue its series of concerts with subsequent performances at First Baptist in May and June, plus two free Family Concerts featuring shorter, kid-friendly programs on April 23 and June 4. $20, 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, First Baptist Church of San Antonio, 515 McCullough Ave., (210) 226-0363, mosas.org. — Kelly Nelson

Courtesy of Majestic Theatre

WED | 04.20 SUN | 04.24 TH EATER

SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL

FRI | 04.22 SUN | 04.24

Courtesy Photo / MOSAS

COMEDY

When Summer: The Donna Summer Musical hit Broadway in 2018, a young actress named Ariana DeBose, who just won an Academy Award for her supporting role in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, took center stage to play Disco Donna.

The character was one of the three incarnations of “The Queen of Disco” featured in the theatrical production. She’s a version of Summer as a teenager and in her early 20s. The other two main characters are Duckling Donna, who’s in her preteens, and Diva Donna, who’s in her 50s. The vibrant musical numbers include “I Remember Yesterday” and “She Works Hard for the Money,” one of Summer’s signature songs. When asked about the role, which earned DeBose a Tony Award nomination that year, the Afro-Latina actress said that when she first read the script, she could hear Summer in her head. “I could relate to every circumstance on the page,” DeBose told Broadway World. “I was reading the story of a complicated woman, which was exactly the challenge I was looking for.” DeBose isn’t part of this touring musical, but we’re sure her spirit lives on in the character. $35-$210, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., (210) 226-3333, majesticempire.com. — Kiko Martinez

AIDA RODRIGUEZ If the adage that “comedy equals tragedy plus time” is

of her act. “You can cry about it, or you can laugh about

Free tickets are required for entry to the opening reception

true, then Puerto Rican and Dominican standup comedian

it. Those are your two options,” Rodriguez told Esquire

at Musical Bridges Around the World’s art gallery, which

Aida Rodriguez has enough material in her back pocket

magazine in 2019. Since making it as a finalist on the eighth

will feature music, wine and bite-sized snacks. Free, 5-8

to last her a lifetime. When she was a child, Rodriguez was

season of Last Comic Standing in 2014, Rodriguez has gone on

p.m. Saturday, April 23, on view by appointment 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

kidnapped twice — once by her mother in the Dominican

to land a half-hour comedy special on Netflix as part of the

Monday-Friday through June 11, Art Gallery at Musical Bridges

Republic and once by her grandmother and uncle in New

2019 comedy anthology series Tiffany Haddish Presents: They

Around the World, 23705 IH-10 West Frontage Road, Ste. 101,

York to protect her from her mother’s dangerous boyfriend.

Ready. Last year, she made her first solo standup special for

(210) 464-1534, musicalbridges.org. — Ashley Allen

In the past, she hasn’t been shy about making her life part

HBO Max, Aida Rodriguez: Fighting Words, where she joked about meeting her estranged father and wokeness. $40-$160, 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, 618 NW Loop 410, (210) 541-8805, improvtx.com/sanantonio. — Kiko Martinez

Reminder:

SAT | 04.23 ART

“FRAGMENTS OF LANDSCAPES: RECENT WORKS BY MAYA SOKOVIC” Maya Sokovic’s solo exhibition “Fragments of Landscapes” explores both physical and sensory landscapes in vibrant colors and abstract representations. Sokovic’s works serve as Courtesy Photo / LOL Comedy Club

personal reflections on her previous travels and experiences.

Courtesy Image / Musical Bridges Around the World

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

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

calendar SAT | 04.23 SUN | 04.24 SPECIAL EVENT

6TH ANNUAL NOCHE DE ROMANCE Calling all the hopeless romantics in the San Antonio area. The award-winning and internationally recognized Mariachi Azteca de America will take center stage for the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center’s sixth annual Noche de Romance. The group will perform several traditional Mexican love songs, boleros, baladas and rancheras for all the sweethearts in the audience. Mariachi Azteca de America is led by GCAC’s Music Program Director Gino Rivera. The ensemble is set to perform the most romantic works from musicians like José Alfredo Jiménez, Juan Gabriel and Agustín Lara. This year, there is a special tribute to late Mexican singer Vicente Fernández. Here’s to hoping “El Ultimo Beso” (“The Last Kiss”) is one of the songs that makes the playlist and doesn’t make too many people cry. Special guest Arturo Vargas from the celebrated group Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán will also be in attendance. Plus, local musicians Rhonda Garcia and Mateo Lopez and the Guadalupe Youth Mariachi Ensemble will join the program as part of the fun-filled evenings. $25-$35, 8 p.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St., (210) 271-3151, guadalupecultur-

Courtesy of Rey Lopez Entertainment

THU | 04.28 DRAG

KORNBREAD “THE SNACK” JETÉ

You know her from season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, but now “The Snack” is here in San Antonio for an event hosted by Tencha La Jefa. If you’re unfamiliar, Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté is the stage name of performer Demoria Elise Williams, a trans woman known for hosting Drag Race viewing parties at West Hollywood’s Abbey Food & Bar. There was speculation that she would return for Season 15 of the long-running reality throwdown after exiting the current season due to an ankle injury. But that won’t be happening, which she stated “was not her decision.” Adding some luster to the Kornbread brand, the performer will appear in the pending Hocus Pocus sequel as “a drag version of Bette Midler.” A role she was born to play? No argument here. $20-$25, 10:30 p.m. and midnight, Bonham Exchange, 411 Bonham St., table reservations by text only to (210) 386-4537, facebook.com/reylopezentertainment. — Mike McMahan

alarts.org. — KM

SUN | 04.24

THU | 04.28 SUN | 05.01

CLASSICAL MUSIC

PARKER STRING QUARTET Courtesy Photo / Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center

SUN | 04.24

The Grammy Award-winning Parker String Quartet will perform live

COMEDY

in the Alamo City Sunday — the ensemble’s last springtime scheduled

RYAN DAVIS

performance in the U.S. before heading abroad. The planned program

Plenty of standups have grabbed minor TV roles, but very few can boast of having appeared on comedy legend Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusi-

SPECIAL EVENT

asm. Ryan Davis can, as he popped up on season 10. He’s also appeared

COCHINEALA NATURE AND ART SERIES

on HBO’s Insecure and All Def Comedy, for those keeping tally of such

Named after the cochineal, a small insect that lives on prickly pear

things. Some of those appearances likely come down to his wide-rang-

cacti, the Cochineala Nature and Art Series, hosted by the San Antonio

ing approach to comedy, something that’s also allowed him to open for

River Foundation and San Antonio Parks Foundation, provides the pub-

a variety of performers, including former SNL cast member Jay Pharoah

lic with an opportunity to experience a quarterly performance series

and notable oddball Tom Green. Davis, who recently relocated from LA

creatively blending together nature, science and the arts. Interdisci-

back to his hometown of Charlotte, NC, recently said, “I haven’t even

plinary activities during the event include screen printing, cochineal

been back a week and I’m 100000000000% sure that I made the right

painting with Yanawana Herbolarios, a seed exchange, kite building

decision. Feels good to be home.” Who could argue? $70-$200, 8 p.m.

Thursday, 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday,

and a “Science Under the Stars” lecture. To top it all off, there will be a Luke Ratray

performance by indie orquesta Latino Volcán. Free, 6-10 p.m., Confluence Park, 310 Mitchell St., fb.me/e/2rRBqQOz9. — AA

begins with Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Art of the Fugue BWV 1080, followed by the intimate stories told in Leoš Janáček’s “Intimate Letters” String Quartet No. 2 and György Kurtág’s Officium Breve in memoriam Andreae Szervánszky, op. 28. After a brief intermission is Robert Schumann’s Quartet No. 3 in A Major, op. 41, a journey of both stirring and heartfelt movements. Consisting of Daniel Chong and Ken Hamao on violin, Jessica Bodner on viola and Kee-Hyun Kim on cello, the quartet has been performing worldwide since its inception in 2002. Currently, the ensemble’s members are in their seventh year as professors at Harvard University, where they serve as the school’s Blodgett Artists-in-Residence. $25, 3:15 p.m., Temple Beth-El, 211 Belknap Casey Dunn

Place, (210) 408-1558, sacms.org. — Dana Nichols

Courtesy of LOL Comedy Club

sacurrent.com | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | CURRENT

19

Sunday, April 24: New Kids on the Block day In 1989, April 24 was declared NKOTB Day in Massachusetts…we are expanding the celebration to all our markets.

AT&T Center: 1 AT&T Center Parkway San Antonio, Tx 78219 For tickets visit ATTCenter.com/Events

Special Offer on April 24th only $19.89 tickets

improvtx.com/sanantonio | 618 Nw Loop 410, SaN ANTONIO, TX 78216 | 210•541•8805

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APR 22 APR 24

APR 26

APR 28 APR 30

MAY 5 MAY 7

MAY 12 MAY 14

Aida Rodriguez

Ali Macofsky

Ryan Davis

William Lee Martin

Big Jay Oakerson

CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

calendar

7:30 p.m. Sunday, Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, 618 Northwest Loop 410, (210) 541-8805, improvtx.com/sanantonio. — MM

FRI | 04.29 FI LM

NACHO LIBRE Cheer on movie characters Nacho, Esqueleto and Sister Encarnación during a screening of the 2006 comedy Nacho Libre from director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite). The movie tells the story of a Oaxacan monastery cook named Nacho (Jack Black), who moonlights as a luchador so that he can raise funds to buy better food for the orphans (and stretchy pants). He teams up with a street thief (Héctor Jiménez) to form a tag-team duo that can compete for prize money at local wrestling matches. Nacho becomes lovestruck, however, when a new and attractive nun (Ana de la Reguera) arrives at the orphanage.

Along with the movie, customized food will be served at the screening, including the “Lord’s chips” with fresh ceviche, warm chorizo salad, chicken enchiladas in brick-red mole, strawberry tres leches, palomas and Mexican street corn, although we suggest you don’t slap the latter out of someone’s hand (“Get that corn outta my face!”). During a tour stop in San Antonio in 2006 to promote the movie, de la Reguera told the Current that while on set, she would try to teach Black some Spanish Heidi May via Facebook / Henry Rollins

words but would sometimes trick him into saying the wrong ones on purpose. “I would say, ‘You should learn this. It’s a good word.’ Then he would repeat it and we would all start laughing. Then he didn’t believe me anymore.” Sold out, 6:30 p.m., San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place, (210) 536-1400, sabot.org. — KM

TUE | 05.03 SPECIAL EVEN T

HENRY ROLLINS: GOOD TO SEE YOU

Warner Home Video

SAT | 04.30 SUN | 05.01 ART

MCNAY ART MUSEUM PRINT FAIR Expand your art collection by flipping through a wide selection of prints at the McNay Art Museum’s 26th annual Print Fair. This two-day event brings together 10 dealers from all over the country to offer the San Antonio community a variety of artistic prints to choose from.

Become an art collector of your own by participating in the fair, with choices ranging from classic representations to contemporary art.

If you want to find out how old someone is, ask what Henry Rollins is famous for. Gen X and above are going to say, “Duh, he was the singer in Black Flag, and then he had the Rollins Band.” Millennials, on the other hand … Yes, we have reached a point in society where Henry Rollins has been doing spoken-word performances for longer than he sang for hardcore legends Black Flag (’81-’86) or was active in Rollins Band (’87-’03).

Though, really, he’s always been a writerly sort — a guy focused on words. For evidence, see Get In The Van, his hilarious and poignant diaries from the Black Flag years. And lest you think “spoken word” implies navel-gazing bullshit, the 61-year-old Rollins is a master of delivery and is, frankly, a helluva lot funnier than most stand-ups. Though don’t make the mistake of thinking he’s only funny. His self-deprecating style includes reminiscences of his life as well as his take on politics, life and, well, anything that grabs his attention. In addition to music and spoken word, Rollins has also appeared in a variety of movies (Lost Highway, Johnny Mnemonic) and TV series (Sons of Anarchy, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Hawaii 5-0). $34.50-$211.50, 7:30 p.m., Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org.— MM

Some dealers include: Ruiz-Healy Art, Warnock Fine Arts, Armstrong

and screenwriter Shane McKenzie, whose feature film Bingo Hell is now

Fine Art and Susan Teller Gallery. $10-$20, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday,

an Amazon original for Blumhouse Productions; and Kentucky-based

noon-5 p.m. Sunday, McNay Art Museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave., (210)

Laurel Hightower, an author who’s also compiled the scary anthologies

824-5638, mcnayart.org. — AA

We Are Wolves and The Dead Inside. For the sake of transparency, we note that Booth is an occasional Current contributor. $50, 10 a.m.-10

SAT | 04.30 SUN | 05.01

p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Hermann Sons Home Association, 525 S. St. Mary’s St., (210) 570-7224, ghoulishbookfest.com. — Sanford Nowlin

SPECIAL EVEN T

GHOULISH BOOK FESTIVAL The inaugural Ghoulish Book Festival will haunt the three floors of downtown’s early 1900s-era Hermann Sons building, bringing together authors and fans for a weekend-long celebration of literary horror. The brainchild of San Antonio publishers Max Booth III and Lori Michelle, the couple behind horror-focused small press Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing and fiction magazine Dark Moon Digest, the event will include panels, author readings, contests, autograph sessions plus more for paying attendees. Don’t feel like sticking around all weekend?

Fear not, a downstairs area for book vendors will be free for public browsing. Guests of honor for what the organizers hope will become an annual event include Chicago-based Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo, a two-time

Courtesy of McNay Art Museum

Bram Stoker Award-nominated poet and author; Austin-based author

Courtesy Photo / Laurel Hightower

sacurrent.com | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | CURRENT

21

Bryan Rindfuss

Beyond T-shirts

Art, music and skateboard culture collide at San Antonio’s Cat Palace

BY BRYAN RINDFUSS

F

inding one’s true calling in life can be an elusive challenge. But for San Antonio native Jesse Garza, that lightbulb moment arrived quite early in life.

While in middle school, Jesse found himself in his friend’s dad’s print shop. He and his pals were there to obtain T-shirts for their straight-edge hardcore band Straightforward, a scene prerequisite.

“It was a mind-blowing experience to see his dad taking our artwork and cutting the stencil out, applying that to the screen and then physically printing the T-shirts,” Garza recalled. “I don’t even know how to describe it, really. It was probably one of the most memorable things I experienced in my childhood.

And it was crazy because my buddies were just like, ‘Oh cool, we’re gonna get shirts!’ But I’m over here just fascinated with the possibilities [of screen printing].”

Garza dove straight in without hesitation. He purchased a screen-printing kit from a craft store and started making “all kinds of crazy shirts” — including a tribute to the early ’90s band Gameface that his wife Dawn still owns to this day.

“Back in 1989 or 1990, that was just something that was unobtainable,” Garza said. “To a kid, you didn’t think you could design a T-shirt. You always thought: If you want to be cool, you buy this shirt. I was like: If you want to be cool, you fucking make your own bootleg shirt. That’s the ultimate.”

Little did he know, those DIY tees would help him land a job at a professional print shop and pave the way for the Cat Palace — a multifaceted operation

22

CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

that marries his lifelong interests in art, music and skateboard culture.

Finding a balance Jesse and Dawn Garza are classic high school sweethearts. He went to Harlandale, she to McCollum, and they met through friends at a gig. In a scenario fit for an indie rom-com, Jesse gave Dawn a demo tape with his phone number on it, she called him and they’ve been together since. They married on Valentine’s Day 25 years ago and have an uncanny knack for completing each other’s sentences.

Jesse Garza started working at one of San Antonio’s busiest print shops straight out of high school. “I learned proper screen printing from them,” he said of the job. Three years and a few other gigs later, he’d gained enough experience to break out on his own and took a leap of faith with Dawn at his side.

One of their earliest jobs together was a sizable T-shirt order for the landmark Mexican restaurant Mi Tierra.

“They had faith in us, and we printed manually for them for a few months,” Garza said. “That was a major boost that allowed us to buy an automatic press right away. After that, everything just blew up.”

The Garzas expanded quickly, hiring employees and eventually moving into an 8,000-square-foot warehouse filled with expensive equipment. They chased down big contracts from high schools and once printed 10,000 T-shirts for the San Antonio Spurs. But somewhere along the way, they realized

Jesse Garza

From left: Jesse and Dawn Garza are the dynamic duo behind the Cat Palace; a before-and-after photo of a vintage skateboard deck restoration.

M

that being “big” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

“We were like, this isn’t even us,” Dawn Garza recalled.

“We really were trying to be a bigger company, and we were getting there,” Jesse Garza continued. “But it ultimately was not me to be that aggressive with trying to be successful. Everybody wants money. … But I want to be happy. I want enough money. I don’t want to have this giant business — and be responsible for so many people — just to have a lot of money.”

Those realizations inspired the couple to scale back to the smaller operation they now run with help from Dawn’s nephew PJ and two of their three sons. Situated on a rustic plot in Selma, their amusingly dubbed Cat Palace is named in honor of the felines that came with the wooded property.

“We knew that if we didn’t catch them and get them fixed that it was never going to end,” Dawn Garza said. “Jesse went to some feral cat classes, and they gave him discounts to get them fixed.”

“We’ve fixed so many cats,” added Jesse Garza, an animal lover who arguably became a “cat person” by circumstance.

In addition to assisting with pest control, the resident felines serve as spirit animals for the print shop and on-site skate park, appearing in various interpretations on artist-designed T-shirts, posters, stickers and skateboard decks.

Carving a niche “I’m not a sales guy,” Jesse Garza confessed. “And neither is my wife. But the way we survive now is from

arts Bryan Rindfuss

all those years of word-of-mouth.”

When asked about common threads between Cat Palace clients, Dawn explained, “It’s all about art now.”

“We’ve been working with people we would want to work with,” Jesse Garza followed. “I’m working with artists who I actually admire.”

While there are locals on that list — including Robert Tatum, Gilbert Martinez and Ray “Tattooedboy” Scarborough — the Cat Palace customer base stretches far and wide.

One of the factors that widened the net is Jesse Garza’s mastery with restoring vintage skateboard decks. As Thrasher magazine reported in 2017, it all started with a 1980s-era Mark Gonzales deck.

“A friend of mine asked if I could fix his board up, and I did it just because I wanted to see how good I could do it,” he told the Current. “And it was so good. … I grew up in that time. … And it even blew me away — this looked just like the original. [But] it’s a lot of work.”

A painstaking endeavor, these restorations entail upward of 20 hours of scouring sources for the original artwork featured on the often-rare decks — plus many more reconstructing the artwork in Photoshop. Then there’s the screening of the design onto the curved board — a tricky, near-obsolete process that’s been widely replaced with cheap digital transfers that fade over time.

A testament to Jesse Garza’s meticulous work, some collectors have tried to resell his restorations online as mint-condition originals. As a deterrent, he’s started stamping them and leaving tell-tale signs of repair on the tops of the decks.

In tandem with the restoration projects, he’s also collaborated with local and national artists on original Cat Palace skateboard decks he screen prints and sells online in limited editions of 50.

Proudly displayed on the walls of his brightly colored office, these aptly cat-centric

collabs include contributions from Blink-182 singer Mark Hoppus (a Tony Hawk remix starring an octopus skull), Texas tattoo artist Sean Rakos (a feline spin on the Powell-Peralta logo), Maine-based outfit Weirdwood (an homage to Gargamel’s menacing cat Azrael of The Smurfs fame) and illustrator Todd Bratrud (a Ganesh-inspired tabby holding a pot leaf and a screen-printing squeegee). Marketed and dropped via Instagram, all sold out quickly — some in as little as eight minutes.

Getting flocked While more than a few folks saw pandemic downtime as an invitation to play with sourdough starters, Jesse Garza took a decidedly different route into the realm of flocking — that fuzzy fiber that enhances vintage wallpapers and black-light posters. Since it’s a super-niche endeavor in this neck of the woods, his flocking prowess has only amped up Cat Palace’s cachet.

“The fact that I make these specialized fuzzy posters is really what saved us,” Jesse Garza said. “It’s kind of been what’s made us successful, because it’s such a unique style of poster. And there’s so many new artists out there who are rediscovering that — just falling in love with it.”

Although this style of poster can be produced overseas, the minimum orders are high, the lead time long and the quality greatly variable. By offering runs as low as 50 and delivering top-quality results, Cat Palace has become a nationwide go-to for artists looking to experiment with the tactile, retro style — which can also be applied to stickers.

In the Cat Palace’s dedicated poster room, Jesse and Dawn Garza carefully unstacked some of the flocked designs they’ve printed — which run the gamut from local runs to limited-edition tour posters for the likes of Foo Fighters and Primus.

What makes the process so tricky?

Bryan Rindfuss

From left: Logan, one of five resident felines, lounges in the Cat Palace office; a flocked Primus tour poster printed by the Garzas.

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“That’s a bit of a secret,” Jesse Garza said.

“But I can tell you that it’s very involved, and it’s very messy.”

Getting bootlegged Beyond T-shirts, Cat Palace’s super-specialized, meticulously executed offerings — the skateboard restorations, the artist-designed decks, the flocked posters and stickers — have helped place it on the radar of big names with the means to take creative risks.

One shining example is artist, producer and Jackass collaborator Sean Cliver’s skateboard venture StrangeLove. The company tapped Cat Palace for multiple projects, including a furry panda bear T-shirt that Dawn Garza painstakingly embroidered and a flocked sticker pack that accompanied one of Cliver’s sought-after sneaker collabs with Nike. Although StrangeLove gifted pairs to the Garzas, Jesse went to the trouble to purchase the bootleg — which came complete with a knockoff version of the Cat Palace sticker pack.

The bizarre irony of this is far from lost on the Garzas.

“It was interesting to see how they copied our stickers — they were horrible, paper stickers,” Jesse said with a laugh.

In stark contrast to the hype that surrounds some of their output, Jesse and Dawn both come across as humble, grateful and ultimately satisfied with their unique role in such a diverse assortment of creative projects.

“Being involved in the art part is fun,” Dawn said.

“Yeah, and that’s kind of always been my place,” Jesse echoed.

Find more arts coverage every day at sacurrent.com

NOVEMBER 10 & 11 • MAJESTIC THEATRE TICKETS AVAILABLE AT MAJESTICEMPIRE.COM

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

Did San Antonio’s shuttered arthouse theater the Bijou do enough to keep the lights on and movies running?

BY KIKO MARTINEZ

T

he Bijou, located in the Wonderland of the Americas mall, shut its doors early this month, ending the 35-year stretch during which it served as San Antonio’s primary arthouse cinema.

Theater owner Santikos didn’t respond to the Current’s request for comment, but Andrew Brooks, executive director of sales and marketing for the Alamo City-based chain, told KSAT News a “changing dynamic of art films and our lease coming up for renewal” prompted the closure.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic reached U.S. shores in early 2020, it was evident that the way audiences were watching movies had changed amid the boom in streaming platforms. But understanding the nature of that change doesn’t make the Bijou’s closure any easier for local cinema buffs.

The first film I ever saw at the Bijou was the Academy Award-nominated 2001 Mexican film Y tu mamá también by director and co-writer Alfonso Cuarón. At that time, going to the Bijou was the only option for a young cinephile to see the critically acclaimed, coming-of-age drama before it ended up on VHS months later. Today, you can catch the film with a subscription to Amazon Prime. The industry was still a couple of decades away from watching a studio and a platform such as HBO Max or Disney+ cut a deal to release a movie on a streaming service the same day as its theatrical release.

When the spread of COVID-19 forced theaters to temporarily shut down two years ago, the movie-watching landscape was reshaped forever. While a global pandemic became the impetus for studios adjusting the way they released projects, the health crisis didn’t create the shift, merely accelerated it.

‘Sooner or later’ The writing had been on the wall for years suggesting movie theaters could be left behind as technology advanced.

As theaters slowly began to reopen when COVID numbers declined, it was evident that arthouse venues like the Bijou were in trouble. Not only was there low attendance at the Bijou, Santikos began booking tentpole movies alongside the few independent

screens

Last Picture Show

Google Street View

films that had the prospect of pulling bigger audiences.

“The Bijou closing was something that I had expected was going to happen sooner or later,” said Nathan Cone, vice president of cultural and community engagement at Texas Public Radio and the curator of the Cinema Tuesdays series, which screened at the Bijou pre-pandemic. “Traffic at the Bijou had always been lighter than other [local] theaters, but it was definitely sparser than before when it reopened.”

While films such as The Power of the Dog and The Lost Daughter might have drawn fans to the Bijou if they weren’t also accessible on Netflix, the idea that audiences won’t go to an arthouse theater to see a movie already on streaming platforms is, at best, misguided.

Numbers game Whether they’re exclusive to a streamer, high-profile indie films like CODA and Nomadland will always find an audience — especially when they start winning awards.

But these aren’t the only films that arthouse theaters such as the Bijou can book.

Given release schedules, the Bijou could have easily booked a new indie film on each of its six screens monthly. According to research from statista.com, an annual average of 724 movies were released in the United States from 2011 to 2019. That number goes down to 661 when you average in the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.

Santikos may argue that audiences aren’t likely to visit the Bijou to see recent critically acclaimed indie, international and documentary films such as Language Lessons, Mass, Son of Monarchs, Shiva Baby or Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time. But they can’t argue that there aren’t enough to go around. Indie films streaming exclusively on platforms are only a small fraction of the content out there that the Bijou could have supported.

Not expanding the base

Over the past 35 years, it felt as if Santikos was championing those independent and international films by devoting an entire theater, the Bijou, to audiences looking for something beyond the latest Marvel fare. The chain pledged to support independent filmmakers by booking art films through a “Bijou Series” at some of its other theaters — Aline and Mothering Sunday are currently screening at Santikos Embassy, for example — but is that enough?

Doesn’t a city the size of San Antonio deserve at least one arthouse cinema devoted to new releases? Who better to manage it than a locally owned theater chain that already prides itself in supporting the community through its charitable giving?

As much as I have loved going to the Bijou since seeing Y tu mamá también there 20 years ago, I always had one beef with the theater.

And that’s how little it engaged the audience. I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve talked to San Antonio residents who either had no idea that the Bijou still existed or that an independent film they were interested in seeing had already been pulled from the marquee the week prior. Why didn’t Santikos cross-promote the Bijou at its other theaters? Why did company officials think giving a screen to Spider-man: No Way Home was going to keep the Bijou alive?

The Bijou never had a problem booking the indies that appealed to a certain segment of SA’s filmgoing public, but Santikos never seemed interested in expanding its core base.

Now, unfortunately, those loyal moviegoers are left without an exclusive theater to cater to their specialized cinematic tastes.

If arthouse cinemas really are a thing of the past, let’s hope art film aficionados don’t stop seeking out those hidden gems.

It will certainly be more difficult now without the Bijou around to make that connection.

Find more film stories at sacurrent.com

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

food

Cannabis Cookery

San Antonio chef Edward Villarreal blazes a culinary trail for marijuana

BY NINA RANGEL

W

hat started as an effort to help someone find relief from Parkinson’s disease has become a specialty for San Antonio chef Edward Villarreal.

Since first cooking with cannabis five years ago to develop a pain remedy, Villarreal has expanded his experiments while also hosting an online video series called Homegrown Chef, where he cooks a signature dish with a guest culinarian and discusses their journey.

By day, he cooks high-end fare at The Palm downtown, but at night, he works on new ways to expand his culinary cannabis repertoire. We caught up with him for a few lessons that may resonate with those looking to sate their sativa craving.

Tell me about your journey as a chef. What inspired you to follow that path?

I started washing dishes in 1997 at Grey Moss Inn. From there, I was recruited for another dishwashing job at Oak Hills Country Club, where I was given an opportunity to cook.

I can remember a huge party that we were hosting in one of the ballrooms. There was talking and drinking going on everywhere.

But the moment the food was served the room went quiet — all that could be heard was the low mmms of the guests, and the clinking of the forks and knives. I found that amazing, how food could bring a bustling crowd to a hush. That’s when I knew that I wanted to be a chef and do this for people with my own food.

When did you start infusing food with cannabis?

I started infusing foods about five years ago, when I got the idea I could help a friend deal with the pains of Parkinson’s disease. The very first thing I infused for him was honey. My friend, who’s in his 70s, was really pleased. He said it helped with the pain, that the honey helped him more than any medication he had ever been on. That comment let me know I was on to something. From there I started helping veterans with PTSD and other friends with ailments like arthritis, muscular dystrophy and insomnia. It’s a whole new experience when someone says, “Your honey helps me feel like a person. Thank you so much for helping me live again.” The fulfillment and reward are 10 times as grand — and on a whole different level.

Courtesy Photo / Edward Villarreal

Eventually, [local video producer] Kimberly Suta and I co-founded Homegrown Chef, an online video series that features chefs from all around San Antonio. After gaining more knowledge of infused foods, we came up with the idea to throw “underground” dinners with foods infused with cannabis. After the first dinner was a success, I knew this was a great idea. We traveled all the way to Colorado and filmed [Netflix’s] Cooked With Cannabis. After seeing the success that people were having in Colorado with cannabis, I knew I wanted to eventually be a part of this industry.

What are your top three rules in the kitchen when cooking with cannabis?

1) Low and slow all day. When cooking with cannabis everything must be temperature controlled.

2) Know your dosage! I can’t stress this enough. People who claim to know — and don’t — give people bad experiences. Too much of anything is a bad thing.

3) Know your strain, and really research what you are using. Is it an indica strain, sativa, hybrid, and if so, which is its dominant side?

What were challenges you faced when you first started cooking with cannabis?

I didn’t know those three rules. I’d over-decarboxylate (the process that activates the psychoactive compounds in the cannabis plant), and I would waste product because I didn’t know how to treat it properly. I’d just cook things too hard and make them ineffective. There were many learning curves, that’s for sure.

Out of the infused dishes you’ve developed so far, what’s been your favorite?

Gorgonzola cheesecake with pecans candied in canna sugar, topped with a canna butter sugar cookie crumble and drizzled with indica honey. The savory, sweet and citrus notes I was able to pull from the cannabis strain at the time went so wonderfully together.

How do you turn people on to your cannabis-infused food?

When people ask me about the infusions — and are curious first timers — I usually suggest infused honey. Everyone likes honey, and even more so when it takes away your pains and aches. People are always so gracious about the relaxing, anti-stress properties.

CHEF EDWARD’S SIMPLE INFUSED BUTTER 1 pound butter | 7 grams cannabis Preheat oven to 240 degrees. Break up cannabis, leaving in stems and making sure it’s still chunky, not reduced to shake.

Place a foil liner on a baking sheet, and spread cannabis chunks across the surface.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Pull from the oven and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Add one pound of butter and dry-roasted cannabis from the freezer to a 32-ounce mason jar.

Boil about 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Once at a rolling boil, turn the heat down to a simmer. Place the jar, uncovered, in the pot and allow to simmer for about two hours Strain out the cannabis and chill your butter in desired container. Chill completely and use as you would normal butter.

Find more food & drink news at sacurrent.com

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

food Let’s Get Dank

San Antonio brewers are cranking out a bevy of 4/20-ready IPAs

BY JEREMY BANAS

W

hile the ranks of potheads and hopheads don’t always overlap, one place where they do is the realm of “dank” IPAs. Craft brewers have flooded the market with an array of brews with hop bouquets resembling the dense, sometimes piney, scents of high-grade weed.

Which makes sense given that cannabis and humulus lupulus, or the common hop, are related.

Yes, the heady flavors present in hop-heavy malted beers and the finest ganja come from plants in the same family.

Since 2017, when the flavor profile became popular in IPAs, specific hop varietals such as Ekuanot, Idaho 7 and Nelson Sauvin have been used to create that wet-blanket, musty flavor — and lovers of anything dank have flocked to this sub-style of IPAs, which includes both traditional clear IPAs and the hazy kind.

To get a get a wider perspective on just what’s pouring dank in the Alamo City, we made the rounds of local breweries to get the blunt details on these distinctive ales.

The first local iterations of dank IPAs were Freetail Brewing Co.’s (4035 N. Loop 1604., freetailbrewing. com) Buffalo Hump 1840 — brewed with Nelson Sauvin and Rakau hops — and Velocihoptor, which employs the Falconer’s Flight hop blend. An exclusive blend from grower Hopunion LLC, the Falconer’s Flight blend features Pacific Northwest hops meant to honor the legacy of late brewing legend Glen Hay Falconer. Each hop in the blend features resounding aromatic qualities of tropical fruits, citrus, floral, lemon and grapefruit.

Though Buffalo Hump and Velocihoptor are legendary — at least among stank-seeking locals — Freetail also produces less-intense IPAs, including the more approachable fan favorite Soul Doubt. Buffalo Hump isn’t on tap at the moment, but Velocihoptor can be found at the Loopland brewpub. Six-packs of Soul Doubt cans are available at retail and convenience outlets across San Antonio.

Tucked away on the city’s Northwest side, Mad Pecker Brewing (6025 Tezel Road, madpeckerbrewing. com) has become known San Antonio’s primary haze dealer, thanks to periods when that variety of IPAs dominated its offerings.

Some of Mad Pecker’s hop-heavy IPAs include 2020’s AKA Johnny Haze, whose name leaves little doubt as to what the brewer was going for. It’s a reference to Wu-Tang Clan member and reefer aficionado Method Man’s oft-used nickname “Johnny Blaze.”

The brewer’s current dank offering, Dank SimHoptra, is brewed annually for 4/20 and features Apollo, Simcoe and Citra Cryo hops. Dank SimHoptra is also double dry-hopped, meaning the flowers are added

Jeremy Banas

late in the brewing process — either during fermentation or conditioning — for a stronger flavor. That accentuates the ale’s resinous grapefruit character and tropical fruit notes. It’s available only at the brewpub.

Black Laboratory Brewing (1602 E. Houston St., blacklaboratorybrewing.com) has earned a rep for experimentation thanks to its pickle Margarita sours and honey- and juniper-packed amber ales. However, the brewery also blasts its love for musty IPAs from the rooftops, offering its Mox’s IPA year-round. An American IPA brewed with Mosaic, Azacca and Citra hops, Mox’s offers a definite dank character, a result of copious amounts of dry hopping. And it’s named for the brewer’s canine mascot.

The brewery’s Space Force IPA series, which graces its taps on a seasonal basis, uses a different hop for each batch. The most recent version, released just in time for 4/20, is brewed with Ekuanot and concentrated Citra hops, which lend a noticeable musty and damp character with tropical fruit notes. Both are only available at the brewery taproom.

A trek along SA’s Dank Trail wouldn’t be complete without a stop by Weathered Souls Brewing Co. (606 Embassy Oaks, weatheredsouls.beer). Though increasingly known for pastry-style stouts, Weathered Souls loves the dank and juicy too. Past favorites such as Who’s Got the Juice Now?, brewed with Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic hops, have flown off the shelves.

The mega-sticky SpottieOttieHopalicious IPA, brewed with Galaxy, Citra and Mosaic hops, is currently flowing from Weathered Souls’ taps. The name, inspired by legendary hip-hop duo’s Outkast’s song “SpottieOttieDopaliscious,” says it all.

Second Pitch Beer Co. (11935 Starcrest Dr., secondpitchbeer.com), located just a couple of miles up the road from Weathered Souls, is best known for its takes on classic styles with no deviations. However, if called upon, the crew can turn out the dank and musty. Not My First Rodeo, brewed with Sabro, Idaho 7 and Mosaic hops, checks all the boxes when it comes to the dank side of IPAs. This is a taproom-only offering — for now, at least.

Last December, Second Pitch’s Hometown Lager, Summer Lightning Ale and Meet in the Middle IPA won space on H-E-B shelves, so NMFR may be getting some retail love soon enough.

These examples should give any dank-curious beer fan an opportunity to explore some of the city’s stankiest beers. But by no means is it a comprehensive list. Other area breweries — Southerleigh Brewing at Pearl, Adkins-based Cactus Land Brewing and Alamo Beer Co. — also offer hop-heavy IPAs worth checking out.

Grab a buddy, load up on munchies and lose yourself in the dankness. sacurrent.com | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | CURRENT

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In the heart of the San Antonio Riverwalk, El Camino is a beacon for the downtown community to join and enjoy a range of selections from our guest gourmet food trucks paired with precisely created cocktails.

El Camino is the perfect spot to bring together friends, family and furry companions under our eco-consciously designed covered seating with a fully stocked bar that includes, frozen drinks, craft brews, and top-shelf cocktails.

ElCaminoSA.com | Downtown SATX 1009 Ave. B 30

CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

food

OPENINGS Panfila Cantina is now open, offering elevated takes on Mexican street food. 22250 Bulverde Road, Suite 114, (210) 455-0702.

Houston-based Dimassi’s Mediterranean Buffet has opened a second San Antonio location near Interstate 10 and De Zavala Road. 12858 Frontage Road, (210) 251-2124.

Vintage Wine Bar & Specialty Foods, the anticipated second concept from local culinary dream team PJ and Lindsey Edwards, has opened in the Alley on Bitters. 555 W. Bitters Road.

Austin-based Summer Moon Coffee has opened a new location in the Stone Oak area. 21134 U.S. Highway 281 North, Suite 105, (210) 598-0025.

the state, assuming it’s approved by the Senate, according to the Texas Restaurant Association.

Boiler House and Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling will partner on an April 28 dinner that includes four courses with whiskey pairings. The dinner is $125 per person.

Shaquille O’Neal will bring his fried-chicken chain Big Chicken to Texas, including a San Antonio store, sometime this year.

StreetFare food truck park will host an April 30 Lucha Libre Nacho Throwdown with tequila tastings, local vendors, music, games and live wrestling. Tickets are $20.

NEWS

Upcoming River North food hall Make Ready Market has landed LA’s Pouring with Heart brewery and Mila Coffee as its first tenants.

H-E-B and Texas Beer Co. have teamed up with Hill Country Conservancy for an Earth Day benefit brew dubbed Wild Texas Kolsch. The 4.8% ABV sipper is available at select Texas bars and H-E-B stores.

The annual Hill Country Craft Beer Festival will take place in nearby Gruene on Saturday, April 23, showcasing more than 150 beers from 35 breweries. General admission runs $35.

DoorDash has launched DashPass for Students, a half-price option for undergrads and graduate students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities.

Brunch and lunch hotspot Full Belly Cafe + Bar will open a second location at 4212 McCullough Ave. in Olmos Park this fall.

A bill to add new funding for the federal COVID-19 restaurant relief fund has passed the U.S. House. It could help 12,000 businesses in

PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans is set to open its fourth San Antonio location at 10630 Braun Road this fall.

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sacurrent.com | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

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music

Smoking Tracks Roll these 12 blaze-worthy songs from Texas artists into your 4/20 playlist

BY SANFORD NOWLIN

T

exas music is as diverse as the state itself. It’s yielded an amazing bounty of blues, conjunto, hip-hop, country, jazz and rock artists who create world-class work.

And an interest among musicians that appears to cross all those genres is getting high. After all, one performer’s jazz cigarette is another’s blunt is another’s hierba, or something like that. Little surprise that this applies to Texas musicians, who seem to have recorded a lot of songs extolling their love for weed.

So, if you’re looking to fatten your 4/20 playlist with new tracks, consider adding some or all of these fine smoker’s anthems by Texas artists.

1. Chamillionaire “Ridin’”

At the risk of starting with the obvious, Houston rapper Chamillionaire may have penned the ultimate song about puffing while driving — along with a bevy of other moving violations. This one resonated with plenty of listeners, becoming a No. 1 Billboard hit and earning a 2006 Grammy for Best Rap Performance.

2. Sweet Smoke “Mary Jane Is to Love”

Fort Worth’s Sweet Smoke rose from the Texas ’60s garage rock scene to become unapologetic purveyors of a psychedelic lifestyle. The name of the band and the name of this, their first single, left no question as to where they stood, which probably explains why they blew conservative Texas for Europe not long into their career.

3. Butthole Surfers “The Bong Song”

The San Antonio-birthed Butthole Surfers’ post-punk psychedelia was steeped in weed worship, but nowhere more overtly than in this song which features the gurgling of an actual bong loud in the mix.

4. Sam Price and His Texas Bluesicians “Do You Dig My Jive”

This 1941 jazz classic may not be the most overtly weedy tune in the lyrical department.

Folks had to be a little more subtle then. But by the end of the tune, it’s obvious just what kind of “jive” they mean.

5. Peter Rowan with Flaco Jiménez — “The Free Mexican Air Force”

Although he no longer calls the Hill Country town of Blanco home, bluegrass icon Peter

Creative Commons / Larry Philpot

Rowan was nonetheless a longtime Texan.

This track he cut with conjunto legend Flaco Jimenéz is pro-weed, anti-war and a counterculture classic that remains one his most-requested tunes.

6. Randy Garibay and Cats Don’t Sleep “Toke y Toke”

San Antonio’s Randy Garibay was adept at sweetening his Chicano blues with influences ranging from jazz and doo-wop to a variety of south-of-the-border sounds. He went for the latter on this infectious, singalong-ready tribute to the devil’s lettuce.

7. The Asylum Street Spankers “High as You Can Be” Austin acoustic blues and jazz traditionalists the Asylum Street Spankers recorded an entire 2000 album, Spanker Madness, devoted to weed songs. While every tune’s a winner, this slinky number’s sultry chorus and wailing harmonica make it an undisputed high point.

8. Mitch Webb and the Swindles “H.E.B.”

The opening track from this long-running San Antonio garage rock outfit’s 1997 debut is a catchy homage to the working folks forced to forgo both their weed and their dreams to hold down a job. Sometimes we’ve got to tip our hats to those who want to get high but can’t.

9. Sir Douglas Quintet “Stoned Faces Don’t Lie” This track penned by San Antonio music

legend Doug Sahm may be one of the finest Sunday morning wake-and-bake songs ever written. The laidback delivery and beautiful piano work make it a highlight of The Return of Doug Saldaña, a 1971 album many consider the band’s finest.

10. Fearless Iranians from Hell “Iranian Hash”

San Antonio’s prime ’80s-era punk export had a blast satirizing fundamentalist fuckheads both at home and abroad while hammering audiences with pulverizing riffs.

For those who enjoy “uneasy listening” while getting blazed, this song packs a lot of firepower into two minutes.

11. Mark Weber y Los Cuernos “Where’s the Weed?”

While San Antonio conjunto singer-accordionist Mark Weber never really lets us know whether he’s pro-weed in this country-inflected song from his 2019 album Moonshine and Mexicans, he uses biting humor to make it clear what bullshit it is to be pulled over for driving while Brown.

12. Willie Nelson “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die”

Come on, you knew we had to throw at least one Willie tune on this list. While there are more than a few to choose from, this 2012 song has become a crowd-pleaser and set-closer for the country legend for good reason.

Reminder:

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

April 23, 24, 30 and May 1

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

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music Vintage Vendor

Eclectic instrument shop Output Audio rides a creative wave

BY BILL BAIRD

A

new retail shop tucked into a resurgent stretch of Fredericksburg Road’s Deco District is vying to become a hub for San Antonio’s creative music community.

By combining repair services, DIY electronics and vintage gear sales with electronic music workshops, shows and a recording studio, Output Audio is emblematic of a wave of creative, independent and optimistic SA natives working to reclaim the city and create the world they want to see.

“Our ethos is: make it happen, do it yourself and if you can’t afford it, build it,” owner Luis Faraklas Trevino said.

“And even if you can afford it, build it!

That’s one thing that sets us apart as a repair shop. If something is broken and there’s an expensive way to fix it or a creative way to fix it that’d be fun to explore, we opt for the latter. We take the creative route.”

That creativity extends beyond standard repair work. The shop itself, and the shopping center housing it, are classics of Alamo City design. Trevino is clearly excited to put them to new use.

“This was the original Jefferson State Bank,” he said. “And that back room where the recording studio is ... that’s the old bank vault. Still got a six-inch concrete slab all the way around.”

The shop’s studio, dubbed Countdown Sound, is run by Michael Goodwin, who started the shop with Trevino.

“Above us was a 17,000-square-foot bowling alley,” Trevino added. “It was converted into a ballroom at some point. And it’s still there! A truly incredible space. It would be perfect for a venue.”

Turning point Trevino isn’t the only young entrepreneur who’s latched onto the potential of that stretch of Fredericksburg.

The Woodlawn Theatre and its

Bill Baird

Matisse. My mom was an art major, so adjoining Woodlawn Shopping Cenit’s all embedded in my brain.” ter, built in 1946, have long felt like overlooked San Antonio gems in need of polishing. Not for much longer, ‘Creative energy’ though. Youthful energy is transforming the space. Hello Tallulah Vintage, The family inspiration doesn’t stop Black Gold Bike Shop and recently there. Trevino comes from a long line opened music venue the Starlighter of San Antonio entrepreneurs. now occupy the complex, while Way “Growing up, my grandfather had an Out Kombucha and Mexican snack engineering business over on Woodshop Elotitos Corn Bar have sprung up lawn [Avenue],” Trevino explained. “He across the street. worked all over, even worked on the A recent concert at Countdown Tower of the Americas and Hemisfair.

Sound by Oakland sound artist And on my dad’s side, they ran Trevino Evicshun felt like a turning Printing Press on the West point for the area, Trevino Side for 60 years. I was a said. shop kid.”

Output “It brought in some of An accomplished bassist, Audio my favorite San Antonio Trevino came up in the 1904 Fredericksburg musicians, like Diego from San Antonio music scene, Road A.M. Architect,” he said. playing his first gig at the (210) 990-3625 “There was also a show next White Rabbit at the ripe outputaudioshop.com door at the Starlighter and, age of 11. After receiving well, it felt like something classical training and was really happening here.” working as a jazz bassist for four years It’s hard not to be struck by Trevino’s in New York City, Trevino moved back openness and infectious enthusiasm. home. He was inspired by the changes The eclectic business is clearly a labor taking place. of love, and that love shines in every de“When I came back, I fell in love with tail — starting with an open layout and San Antonio,” he said. “Just so much welcoming air of experimentation. All exciting creative energy in this city.” the instruments being sold are plugged In starting Output Audio, Treviin and ready to play. no modeled the vibe after the sadly “Bauhaus is a huge, huge influence departed and now legendary Krazy Kat on our design,” says Trevino, pointing Music. As a young musician, he spent to the geometrical shapes painted on hours in the shop shooting the shit the shop’s walls in primary colors. “And with store employee and music-scene

Luis Faraklas Trevino shows off a vintage synthesizer on the floor of Output Audio, which also includes a recording studio.

M

fixture “Bob Dog” Catlin.

“One time, I took him a fancy pedal I bought — he took it apart and showed me how it was a totally passive circuit,” Trevino recalls. “That blinking light?

It literally did nothing. It was a hoax.

That really opened my eyes and stuck with me. I just loved the openness of Bob Dog and Krazy Kat. We want to do that here.”

Output Audio is filled not only with vintage electronics but also inexpensive custom cabling and accessories, designed for budget-minded working musicians. Trevino’s personal approach feels old-school, in the best way. It stems, he said, from his focus on community and family.

“What’s cool now is that my nieces live down the street and they come hang out here after school. That’s the apex for me — my nieces being excited to come hang out and learn something,” he said.

Through his nieces, Trevino has learned the joys of passing his knowledge to the next generation by teaching classes at the Circle School and Young Woman’s Leadership Academy.

“It’s spiritually satisfying.” sacurrent.com | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | CURRENT

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localculturecreative.com

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CURRENT | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | sacurrent.com

music listings Thursday, April 21

Arc Angels Arc Angels coalesced in the early ’90s around emerging bluesrock hotshots Charlie Sexton and Doyle Bramhall II, who were backed by Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon, formerly Stevie Ray Vaughn’s rhythm section. Arc Angels struck paydirt with a self-titled debut LP in 1992 before splintering the following year. They have reunited infrequently since, though without Shannon, before this their recent decision to get back together on what appears to be a more permanent basis. $45, 7 p.m., Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, (830) 606-1281, gruenehall.com. — Mike McMahan Beth Hart Edgy blues singer-songwriter Beth Hart uses her voice to convey melodic yet gritty tunes akin to those of Amy Winehouse.

Given her emotional delivery, it’s little surprise she’s topped the Billboard Blues Chart six times and works with guitar ace Joe Bonamassa, who can afford to be picky about which vocalists he chooses to collaborate with. $39-$49, 8 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — Brianna Espinoza

Friday, April 22 Cooper Greenberg and Favorite Son Coming on the heels of last year’s excellent Silverbelly LP, SA’s Cooper Greenberg plans to record this gig for a live album with his band Favorite Son. Expect special guests Patrick Marr and Nick Pfeiler, Greenberg’s wistful country-meets-indie stylings and some guitar fireworks. $12-$45, 9 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com. — MM Jerry Cantrell Whatever Alice in Chains guitarist and singer Jerry Cantrell needs to “Atone” for may be revealed on his tour away from the rest of the band. It’s been years since Cantrell has released any solo work, but he ended that 19-year hiatus with a new album last October. Support comes from other solo artists Lola Colette and Phillip-Michael Scales. $47.50-$150, 8 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — BE

Saturday, April 23 Eve 6 Alt-rock band Eve 6 had hit singles “Inside Out” and “Leech” in 1998 and even made the late-night rounds at that time, shaking hands with Jay Leno, David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel. They broke up after that promising run, but the law states that all rock bands must reunite. So, Eve 6 released the EP Grim Value in June of 2021 and publicly supported Neil Young earlier this year in his Joe Rogan-fueled feud with Spotify. $23-$89, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — MM Tanner Usrey Independent country-rock singer-songwriter Tanner Usrey has a busy schedule right now, having dates all over the Southwest through August. The Prosper, Texas native has racked up an impressive 2.5 million online streams, and his song “The Light” even popped up in Yellowstone’s fourth season finale, making him a Texas country artist to keep an eye on. $15, 8:30 p.m., Floore’s Country Store, 14492 Old Bandera Road, (210) 6958827, liveatfloores.com. — Enrique Bonilla

Sunday, April 24 Citizen Cope The handle of singer-songwriter Clarence Greenwood, Citizen

Cope specializes in chill, positivity-driven music that blends folk, blues, hip-hop and other styles. While Greenwood is primarily known for his own albums, his compositions have also been recorded by Carlos Santana and Dido, among others. $29.50$55, 7 p.m., Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — BE

Wednesday, April 27 The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Mercury Rev After a high-profile brush with fame in the amazing 2004 rock doc Dig!, the Brian Jonestown Massacre soldiers on with eccentric frontman Anton Newcombe at the lead. The band’s discography is expansive, currently sitting at 19 LPs with two more due later this year. Its sound mixes anything from psych to shoegaze to dream pop to experimental, and the LPs sport some of the best titles in history, including Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request and Who Killed Sgt. Pepper? Get there early to see long-running indie-psych outfit Mercury Rev who open the show. $25, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx. com. — MM

Friday, April 29 The Wailers If you’re wondering whether we mean those Wailers — you know, the ones who backed reggae legend Bob Marley — yes, we do. Even though the group’s primary claim to fame was supporting a true musical icon, its members have proven their talent and staying power. As evidence, the Wailers’ latest release, One World, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2021. Expect to spend an evening with reggae royalty. $35-$40, 9 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com. — EB Circle Jerks, 7 Seconds, Negative Approach Fans of the original wave of U.S. hardcore punk have no excuse for missing this one — not even the fact that it’s a sold-out show.

(Scalpers suck, but sometimes you’ve just got to bite the bullet.)

These three icons from punk’s early ’80s suburban uprising will ensure an evening of stagedives and circle pits at the Paper Tiger. Just watch out for the oldsters and pick ‘em up when they fall. Don’t want to risk any broken hips. Sold Out, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — Sanford Nowlin

Saturday, April 30 Built to Spill With a mix of simmering emotion, quirky songwriting and wide-open jamming reminiscent of Neil Young, Built to Spill emerged as one of the ’90s most revered indie-rock acts. Still led by singer-guitarist Doug Martsch, the trio has matured over the years sound-wise, but at the core, Built to Spill is still about dressing wistful and reflexive songs with impressive instrumental interplay. $25, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — BE Snow Tha Product San Jose, California native Snow Tha Product has been carving out her name in the rap world for 15 years, starting with early mixtapes that landed her a deal with Atlantic Records. Along the way, she parted with the label to operate independently and received a 2021 Latin Grammy nomination for Best Rap/ Hip-Hop Song. Her next release is due to drop later this year, so expect to hear new material when she takes the stage in SA. $35, 8 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com — EB Fozzy, John 5

Built to Spill Courtesy Photo / Built to Spill

Ever thought, “Gee, I really want to hear some rock music performed by a former WWE star?” If the answer is yes, have at it, just don’t get close enough to the stage to wind up in a headlock. Fozzy arose from a collaboration between pro wrestler Chris Jericho — who, naturally, fronts the band — and Atlanta-based rap-metal act Stuck Mojo. Versatile guitarist John 5, whose resume includes work with Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, David Lee Roth and more, will open. $30-$32, 7 p.m., Vibes Underground, 1211 E. Houston St., (210) 255-3833, facebook.com/ vibesunderground. — BE

Sunday, May 1 The Cult Though they first hit the ’80s scene as gothic post-punkers, Britain’s The Cult made their biggest splash when they embraced an AC/DC-influenced hard rock sound on 1987’s Electric, which produced the mega-hits “Love Removal Machine” and “Wild Flower.” The band continued riding high on 1989’s Sonic Temple — arguably a better record — which included the smash “Fire Woman.” Still fronted by Jim Morrison-esque figure Ian Astbury and his introspective foil, guitarist Billy Duffy, the Cult dropped its most recent album Hidden City in 2016 but has been promising new music for a while. $55-$105, 8 p.m., Aztec Theater, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — MM

Monday, May 2 Smashing Pumpkins Iconic ’90s rockers Smashing Pumpkins are finally resuming a series of road dates they started 11 days before the first big COVID lockdown of 2020. As a bonus, the group’s San Antonio date will christen the city’s newest live music venue, the 3,200seat Tech Port Arena. So, what’s the expectation music-wise?

The Pumpkins’ latest setlist is made up of songs from their 2020 release Cyr as well as a lot of early material the band hasn’t played since the mid ’90s, so expect some deep dives that may warrant seeking out a ticket on the secondary market. Sold Out, 6:30 p.m., Tech Port Arena, 3331 General Hudnell Drive, (210) 600-3699, techportcenter.com. — EB

Tuesday, May 3 Bob Log III One-man band Bob Log III’s live schtick involves wearing a red, white and blue human-cannonball suit and helmet while singing through a telephone receiver and making a big racket with a slide and a resonator guitar. He does this while his feet keep the beat using a modified percussion set. Expect Delta blues put through a garage rock filter and layered with loads of camp. $12-$15, 8 p.m., Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 4550233, thelonesomerose.com. — EB sacurrent.com | April 20 – May 3, 2022 | CURRENT

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La Regia Tortilla Factory, LLC is seeking a Corn Tortilla Manufacturing Line Supervisor in San Antonio, Texas to Confer with other departments including marketing, accounting, receiving, and shipping to coordinate operations and activities within departments including production goals. Review production line processes and procedures, including employee assignments and job duties in relation to utilized equipment, equipment maintenance, corn tortilla product preparation techniques, ingredient selections and product packaging. Select ingredients and combination techniques to better formulate corn tortilla products and expand product selection. Interpret specifications, incoming orders, and company policies and procedures for production line workers. Determine how best to structure the production line and adequately select and maintain the proper equipment and specialized machinery based on production needs. Assess labor and equipment requirements and production specifications and direct and coordinate the activities of employees in the corn tortilla production line. Conduct production line employee training on the functionality, proper handling/equipment operations, maintenance, sanitation, and safety procedures. Monitor and place orders for raw materials, supplies, equipment parts, and repair services as needed.

Obtain and analyze data regarding corn tortilla factory equipment to better guide and advise management on equipment selection based on needs. Identify growth opportunities, including planning and developing new products and production processes. Ensure that finished products are consistently manufactured meeting prescribed standards and compliant with quality, safety, and good manufacturing practices, on time and meeting consumer expectations. Send resume via email to jose@laregiatortillafactory.com and reference job for Corn Tortilla Manufacturing Line Supervisor