San Antonio Current - February 21, 2024

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in this issue

Publisher Michael Wagner Editor in Chief Sanford Nowlin General Manager Chelsea Bourque

Issue 24-04 /// February 21 – March 5, 2024

Tagine Triumph

Golden Meals Moroccan offers variety of Mediterranean flavors but excels when it sticks to its home turf

40 Music

Traveling Man

From living in a van to penning songs for the big screen, Dan Bern’s lived the songster’s life

Loud and Southeast Proud

San Antonio metal band Life Cycles playing hometown release for EP on new label Courtesy Image / Joe Harjo

Critics’ Picks

25 Feature

News in Brief

To Texas With Love

What Russia’s Support of TEXIT tells us about the frayed nature of U.S. politics

Anti-Progressive Potshots

There’s nothing odd about Bexar County DA Joe Gonzales’ relationship with outside reform group, experts say

Bad Takes

Texas AG Ken Paxton’s anti-cannabis crusade is the opposite of small government

CityScrapes

San Antonio’s airport touted another banner year, but a deeper look at the numbers suggests otherwise

18 Calendar Calendar Picks

Advertising Account Managers Marissa Gamez, Parker McCoy Senior Account Executive Mike Valdelamar Creative Services Creative Services Manager Samantha Serna Events and Marketing Marketing and Events Director Cassandra Yardeni Events Manager Chelsea Bourque Events & Promotions Coordinator Chastina De La Pena Social Media Director Meradith Garcia Circulation Circulation Manager Justin Giles Chava Communications Group Founder, Chief Executive Officer Michael Wagner Co-Founder, Chief Marketing Officer Cassandra Yardeni Operations Director Hollie Mahadeo Social Media Director Meradith Garcia Director of Digital Content Strategy Colin Wolf Art Director David Loyola Digital Operations Coordinator Jaime Monzon chavagroup.com

San Antonio artist Joe Harjo’s latest exhibition addresses thorny issues around Native American identity

The Opener

Contributors Abe Asher, Bill Baird, Ron Bechtol, Danny Cervantes, Macks Cook, Brianna Espinoza, Dalia Gulca, Anjali Gupta, Colin Houston, Kiko Martinez, Mike McMahan, Kevin Sanchez, M. Solis, Caroline Wolff, Dean Zach

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‘I’m Still Here’

07 News

Editorial Digital Content Editor Kelly Nelson Contributing Arts Editor Bryan Rindfuss Food and Nightlife Editor Nina Rangel Staff Writers Michael Karlis Interns Amber Esparza

San Antonio Current sacurrent.com Editorial: editor@sacurrent.com Display Advertising: marketing@sacurrent.com The San Antonio Current is published by Chava Communications Group

25 Arts

San Antonio Distribution The Current is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader.

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29 Screens

True Test of Character

ABC News veteran and San Antonio native John Quiñones delivers new season of What Would You Do?

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33 Food

Getting together for a cold one

Copyright notice: The entire contents of the San Antonio Current are copyright 2023 by Chava Group LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher does not assume any liability for unsolicited manuscripts, materials, or other content. Any submission must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All editorial, advertising, and business correspondence should be emailed to the addresses listed above.

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San Antonio’s icehouses have evolved, but they still fulfill a community need to gather

San Antonio Icehouse Week returns with giveaways, discounts and more Hot Dish

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n the Cover: Joe Harjo’s Mourning the Motherland (Praying) is one of the pieces in his latest exhibition at The Contempoary. Image courtesy of the artist. Cover design: Samantha Serna.

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U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, whose district includes a swath of San Antonio, was among the U.S. House members who filed the most pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in 2023, according to a report from the Congressional Equality Caucus.

Those included Roy’s amendments to outlaw the use of Department of Defense funds to hire diversity, equity and inclusion personnel and to ban military bases from using federal dollars to fund Pride celebrations. Republicans held more than 50 anti-LGBTQ+ votes on the House floor last year.

Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin, chef-owner of acclaimed San Antonio restaurant Best Quality Daughter, has been tapped to help Taco Bell reimagine its Crunchwrap Supreme. Dobbertin is one of three chefs named to the fast food giant’s inaugural TBX chef-collaboration program. Taco Bell will announce which locations will serve Dobbertin’s take on the Crunchwrap Supreme in coming months.

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Gov. Greg Abbott has promised to put up more razor wire and deploy additional National Guard personnel along the border as the state’s standoff with the White House over immigration enforcement continues. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal Customs and Border Patrol agents can cut through razor wire Abbott ordered strung along the border if it impedes their ability to do their work.

U.S. Rep. Greg Casar has introduced a bill to connect Texas’ power grid to the rest of the country, arguing that such a move could help prevent another catastrophe like Winter Storm Uri, which crippled the state three years ago. Casar, a Democrat whose district includes parts of San Antonio and Austin, introduced the legislation with U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. If it’s passed, the legislation would allow Texas to draw power from and sell power to other states when needed. — Abe Asher

ASSCLOWN ALERT

Watering down a condemnation of white supremacy with the Texas GOP Assclown Alert is a column of opinion, analysis and snark.

How effin’ hard can it be for the Republican Party of Texas to say it doesn’t want white supremacists in its ranks? Apparently, pretty effin’ hard.

With so much wacky shit going on right now, it might have been easy to miss that the Texas GOP’s executive committee reversed course from a disastrous December vote where it refused to condemn white supremacy. Earlier this month, the group finally passed a resolution stating that the party “opposes anti-Semitism.”

The party also won’t associate with those who “espouse anti-Semitism” or support attacks on Israel, according to the statement.

Last year’s failed resolution arose after the party faced a shitstorm of bad publicity due to the leader of one of its biggest donor groups, Defend Texas Liberty, holding a seven-hour meeting with white supremacist Nick Fuentes.

Fuentes, some may recall, is the online commentator who’s called for a “holy war” against Jews and described Hitler as “really fucking cool” — just to name a couple of his … ahem … greatest hits.

While December’s vote remains problematic for the Texas GOP, at least its executive committee finally did the right thing and issued a full-throated rejection of white supremacists,

- U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra,

presiding over the lawsuit seeking to stop Texas’ controversial “show me your papers” immigration bill.

Twitter / @TexasGOP

right?

Not. So. Fast.

As the Texas Tribune revealed in its reporting on the committee’s latest vote, the new resolution is “significantly watered down” from the one rejected in December. Notably, the latest version eliminated any mention of Defend Texas Liberty or its leader, Jonathan Stickland.

Further, the new statement slashed language from the first resolution that would ban people from the party if they “tolerate” neo-Nazi ideology, Holocaust denial and antisemitism, according to the Trib.

How hard can it be for one of Texas’ two largest political parties to do the right thing?

Unless, of course, these assclowns know they’ve allowed white supremacy to become so embedded in their base that doing the right thing is no longer a consideration. — Sanford Nowlin

Lawyers for the Biden administration and Texas again faced off in federal court last week, with the federal government attempting to stop implementation of a controversial state law that would let state and local police arrest people they suspect of crossing the border illegally.

The White House maintains only the federal government can enforce immigration and that individual states are prohibited from enacting their own immigration restrictions.

YOU SAID IT!

“That turns us from the United States of America into a confederation of states. What a nightmare.”

news

That Rocks/That Sucks

Shutterstock / Vic Hinterlang

Members of the Texas Nationalist Movement (TNM) marched into Gov. Greg Abbott’s office last week to demand he call a special session of the Texas Legislature on the possibility of Texas seceding from the United States. The visit came two months after TNM delivered a petition with 140,000 signatures to the Texas GOP demanding the party place a non-binding question on secession on the March primary ballot. The party denied the petition on procedural grounds.

Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and Travis County Judge Andy Brown met last week with Union Pacific officials as part of a renewed effort to connect San Antonio and Austin via passenger rail. Union Pacific currently owns and operates the freight line that runs between the two cities, and the company would likely be key to any project’s success. However, a similar effort in 2016 died after the railroad said such a project wasn’t feasible. — Abe Asher

Find more news coverage every day at sacurrent.com

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news To Texas With Love

What Russia’s support of TEXIT tells us about the frayed nature of U.S. politics

BY MICHAEL KARLIS

A

fter 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney called Russia the United States’ “No. 1 foe” during a CNN interview, he was subjected to mockery for the duration of the campaign.

During one debate with President Barack Obama, the incumbent even jabbed Romney over the remark, suggesting it showed he was out of touch with current events. “The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back,” Obama chided.

Fast forward to the present, and few reasonable people would dispute Russia’s threat to U.S. democracy and global stability. However, it’s not in the form of global atomic annihilation, despite reports last week that Russia has developed a so-called “space nuke.”

Instead, experts argue the greatest threat Russia poses to the U.S. is as a sower of discord. Putin’s government and its allies operate “troll farms” spreading disinformation to the American electorate, helping push what once were fringe conspiracy theories and ideologies into mainstream politics.

“If our enemies are flooding social media with all of this stuff which is not just inaccurate but harmful to democracy, then you get people, like the far-right, who are now pro-Putin. They don’t care about the Khashoggi murder, and now they think authoritarianism is good,” said Carolyn Gallaher, a professor at American University’s School of International Service who studies far-right extremism and Russian election interference.

“American democracy is at stake,” she added.

Now, as Russia prepares to pit Americans against one another amid a new election cycle, it’s taken an interest in Texas politics, specifically, the push by some for Texas to secede from the rest of the United States. Indeed, the once-fringe secessionist movement has broken into mainstream news cycle like the Kool-Aid Man through a brick wall. Hell, the question of whether Texas could become a breakaway republic even graced a recent Newsweek cover.

Although the Texas Nationalist Movement, or TEXIT, is real and made up of flesh-and-blood Texans, some of its most avid online supporters appear to be Russian trolls. What’s more, experts including Gallaher warn that those trolls are more concerned with weakening the United States’ status as a global superpower than seeing the success of a Second Republic of Texas.

North American Fella Organization A U.S. Army veteran who uses the handle @FluteMagician on social media platform X was among the first to recognize irregularities in the accounts of the most vocal TEXIT supporters. Last month, he pieced together that “TEXIT” was a keyword search frequently used by accounts suspected of spreading Russian propaganda.

The veteran, who asked the Current not to use his real name out of fear of retribution from far-right extremists, didn’t work in intelligence during his time in the military. Even so, he said he was trained to detect behaviors that appear random but are actually coordinated.

He’s also a member of the North Atlantic Fella Organization (NAFO), an organized social media group dedicated to countering Russian propaganda and disinformation, especially related to that country’s invasion of Ukraine.

“What I discovered is Russian trolls operate using keyword searches based on their specific mission or current events that Russians want to give attention to,” he explained. “I found that ‘TEXIT’ was one of the keyword searches, and I just worked backward through the trolls to find out who they were connected to.”

The accounts the online NAFO sleuth targeted had odd syntax in their messages, which frequently voiced support for TEXIT while also making out-ofplace comments about the greatness of Russia. One such X account he suspects of being of Russian origin is @ TexanIndSup, or Texas Independence Supporters.

In one tweet defending itself against

Michael Karlis

being a Russian operative posing as a TEXIT supporter, @TexasIndSup wrote, “How does Russia have any connection to Texas independence when Texas isn’t even seen as an important thing to Russia? Russia is also not the aggressors in the Ukrainian-Russian War.” In another tweet from the account, @ TexasIndSup encouraged the U.S. media to stop covering the Russia-Ukraine conflict and instead focus on issues “within its homeland.” Another tweet from the account railed against the Democrats’ “Pro Women Rights” platform.

“We will never support the whole ‘Pro Women Rights’ thing because ‘Pro Women’s Rights’ is just code for ‘Pro-abortion,” the account stated.

The account @TexasIndSup didn’t respond to the Current’s inquiry about its country of origin.

The NAFO member’s investigation of the @TexasIndSup account is one of dozens of examples of alleged Russian bots interacting with and supporting fringe right-wing movements he’s chronicled on his X profile.

Privyet, fellow Texans Such online investigations might be easy to dismiss as conspiracy theories of their own had the Russian government not shown a prior interest in Texas politics — and specifically the idea of secession.

A U.S. Senate report on Russian interference during the 2016 presidential

TNM President Daniel Miller delivers signed petitions to the office of Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this month.

M

campaign found Russian bots actively promoting TEXIT, along with an array of right-wing conspiracy theories.

Since then, some of the same conspiracies have become mainstream talking points of the Republican Party.

The 2018 Senate report zeroed in on a public Facebook page called “Heart of Texas” and the Instagram account @rebeltexas. Both were created and managed by the Internet Research Agency, a Russian company researchers described as a troll farm.

“You just have these people sitting in a building, they speak English, and they are reading and monitoring what’s going on in English-speaking social media in the United States, and they are creating these narratives and flooding platforms with shit,” American University’s Gallaher said.

The shit flooding the Heart of Texas Facebook page — which picked up hundreds of thousands of users during the 2016 election cycle — included “visual clusters included with a wide swatch of shapes of Texas, landscape photos of flowers and memes about secession and refugees,” according to the Senate report.

In May 2016, the operators of the Facebook page upped the ante 11

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news

9 in its effort to spread potential unrest, according to the Senate report.

Using the platform, they organized a rally outside a mosque in Houston to “Stop the Islamification of Texas.” Not only did the Russians behind the Heart of Texas page organize an Islamophobic protest, but another Russian-sponsored group, the United Muslims of America, helped create a counter-protest, the report notes.

In other words, both sides of a protest at a Texas mosque in 2016 were brought there, at least in part, thanks to the work of the Russian government, according to investigators.

During that same election cycle, the Russian-backed @rebeltexas Instagram account shared posts calling for an insurrection against the federal government, according to the Senate report.

What’s more, @rebeltexas parroted TEXIT talking points and drew similarities between the Texas Nationalist Movement (TNM) and Brexit. That account also tried to organize an in-person TEXIT rally, which ultimately ended up being unsuccessful, according to the federal report.

More recently, TNM President Daniel Miller also likened his group’s push to break Texas off from the United States to Brexit. However, in a recent conversation with the Current, he said his organization isn’t funded or supported by the Russian government.

Mr. Miller goes to Moscow Just the same, Miller acknowledged that his group isn’t without past ties to the Kremlin. Representatives from the TNM attended two separate political conferences in Russia in 2015 and 2016, Miller said.

The Dialogue of Nations conferences attended by TNM officials were billed as safe spaces where separatist groups from around the world — Irish republican party Sinn Féin and the Catalonian Independence Party among them — could speak about their movements and learn from colleagues abroad.

The conferences were funded by a state grant from Russia’s National Charity Fund, founded in 1999 by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and fueled by donations from stateowned public companies and oligarchs, British-based newspaper The Guardian reports.

Miller said TNM gave a presentation at one of the conferences about Article 1 Section 2 of the Texas Constitution — his group’s argument for legal

secession. The conference paid for his group’s lodging and food but nothing more, he added.

“That literally is the sum total of what was paid [by the conference], and people go around, and they spread this nonsense that somehow we got this grant money and all this kind of nonsense,” Miller said. “They covered our food and they covered a hotel. That’s it, just like any other speaking engagement or any other conference.”

Miller adamantly maintains that following the 2016 conference in Moscow, he and his group have cut off contact with the Russian organizers and haven’t spoken with them since.

Despite Miller’s insistence that TNM has ended its contact, Russian politicians have made no secret that they wholeheartedly support the movement.

In 2019, now-defunct progressive news site ThinkProgress reported that TNM’s flag hung in the office of Alexander Ionov, a prominent Russian businessman and a leader of that country’s Anti-Globalization Movement. This month, former Russian president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, vocalized his support for Texas secession.

“Establishing a People’s Republic of Texas is getting more and more real,” Medvedev tweeted, adding that Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent standoff with the White House over immigration enforcement could result in a “bloody civil war” that could cost “hundreds of thousands of lives.”

Although Miller strongly refutes assertions that the TNM is connected with the Russian government, he doesn’t necessarily oppose Moscow politicos’ support for Texas secession.

“What we care about is making Texas independent,” he said. “I don’t care about who that makes happy or who that upsets.”

From far-right to mainstream It would be inaccurate to label TNM as a Russian front to disrupt American tranquility. The group’s ranks include real Lone Star State residents who genuinely believe a Second Republic of Texas will emerge.

On Feb. 13, 70 or so of those supporters drove to the State Capitol, some from as far away as Lubbock and Houston, to watch Miller drop off a petition with 140,000 signatures verified by the Texas GOP demanding that Abbott

Michael Karlis

call a special session to discuss Texas secession. TNM officials said they verified that all the signatures came from registered Texas voters.

One of those who made the trip to the Capitol was Dean Ross, whose said his X handle @DeanRoss34 has been accused of being operated by a Russian bot. During a conversation with the Current, he confirmed that he’s an actual Texan and one of many eager to see the state return to its days as an independent republic.

Still, the NAFO member the Current spoke to for this story maintains that some of the accounts Ross interacts with via X are Russian bots. The online sleuth argues that adding that some legitimate TEXIT supporters may not even realize their followers or those commenting on their posts are doing so on Russia’s behalf.

That’s a problem, American University’s Gallaher said.

Russian bot mills not only create misinformation but also actively promote false or divisive content via “coordinated link sharing,” when one bot shares something from another bot or real person, according to the professor’s research. If they share the information enough times, the rhetoric can seep into mainstream political discourse.

Indeed, according to the 2018 U.S. Senate report on Russian election interference, the Facebook page Heart of Texas specifically emphasized and promoted unproven claims that fraudulent votes cast by migrants helped the Democratic Party during the 2016 election cycle.

With Abbott’s backing, the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature in 2021 passed a sweeping “election security” bill which civil-rights advocates have called one of the most restrictive pieces of voting legislation enacted in recent history. Lawmakers, including the governor, defended the proposal with debunked claims of rampant voter fraud.

Gallaher also points to the Republican Party’s sudden fascination with child sex trafficking as something that was talked into existence via online chatter around the far-right Qanon conspiracy mill.

“The whole child sex trafficking thing was not an issue until Qanon made it an issue,” she said. “Qanon came out of 8chan and that corner of the internet.

But then you start seeing this getting repeated over and over again, and a lot of the accounts that were repeating it over and over again were Russian.”

Indeed, Nathan Buchanan, a Republican running for Bexar County Sheriff this election cycle, told TNM members during a February meeting of the group’s San Antonio chapter that stopping child sex trafficking was among his top priorities should he be elected.

“It would be harder to [spread disinformation] before social media and it would be harder if we had some unifying place that produced news,” Gallaher said.

“That’s not to say that the news has always been completely partisan, but we could debate. Those parameters have collapsed, and I don’t think the Russians created it, but they boosted it.”

sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

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news

Sanford Nowlin

Anti-Progressive Potshots

There’s nothing odd about Bexar County DA Joe Gonzales’ relationship with outside reform group, experts say

BY SANFORD NOWLIN

O

ver the past three weeks, TV station KSAT ran roughly a dozen stories highlighting the Bexar County District Attorney’s office relationship with Wren Collective, an Austin-based criminal justice reform group.

Based on hundreds of emails and text messages between District Attorney Joe Gonzales’ office and Wren, KSAT reported that the “mysterious” outside group “wields significant influence” on the office. The station also gave air time to Gonzales’ political enemies — including Meredith Chacon, a former prosecutor who ran against him

12

as a Republican in 2022, and the head of San Antonio’s powerful police union — who suggested the relationship was unethical, if not illegal.

However, people familiar with the inner workings of prosecutors’ offices say DAs frequently turn to outside help on issues ranging from messaging to data analysis to specialized legal work.

Sometimes the offices even rack up substantial bills doing so.

“The position [of district attorney] is political. They need to get elected, and they need their constituencies to support them,” said Jennifer Balboni, a professor of criminal justice and

CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

sociology at Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts. “It makes sense for them to turn to outside groups to make sure they can communicate with the public.”

In the case of Wren, Gonzales said his office consults with the group strictly on messaging and communications strategy, adding that it has no input on how it tries cases or which charges it pursues or drops. What’s more, Wren’s work for the office is unpaid, he added.

Since being elected in 2019, Gonzales has implemented reformist policies including a cite-and-release program that lets cops decide whether to ticket people for nonviolent, low-level offenses rather than haul them to jail. He also created the office’s first civil rights division, which investigates in-custody deaths, police shootings and excessive force cases.

While Balboni said she sees nothing alarming about Gonzales’ relationship with Wren, she said she’s unsurprised to see it weaponized against a reform-minded DA.

In the wake of high-profile police use-of-force cases such as the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, voters nationwide have elected more progressive DAs, according to experts.

The response from police unions, right-wing media and some elected officials has been to paint those prosecutors as puppets of outside influences who want them to be “soft on crime,” Balboni said.

Conservative media regularly refer to reformist DAs as “Soros-backed,” for example, to invoke the name liberal donor George Soros, a boogeyman in GOP circles. The professor also points to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ controversial suspension of two progressive prosecutors as an example of the right’s ongoing pushback.

But experts note that the use of outside consultants isn’t unique to progressive DAs such as Gonzales.

The conservative Heritage Foundation regularly consults with Republican prosecutors, and the National District

Attorneys Association gives training and technical help to its 5,500 member offices nationwide. Close to home, San Antonio public relations firm KGB Texas includes the Harris County District Attorney’s Office among its clients.

‘Up the road’ In recent interviews with the Current, both Gonzales and Wren founder Jessica Brand said KSAT’s coverage mischaracterizes their relationship.

Gonzales said he became familiar with Brand because she supported his first run for the office. He said it made sense for his office to seek messaging input from a group with Texas ties, especially since Wren has done the same for DAs in Dallas and Travis counties.

“To be honest with you, she was the closest,” Gonzales said. “I mean, she was out of Austin, so it was easier to communicate with her, because she was up the road, up I-35, as opposed to somebody in New York or California.”

Although Brand is an attorney, she said neither she nor anyone on her staff has provided legal guidance to Gonzales’ office. None of the communications so far reported on by KSAT appear to include instances where Gonzales or his staffer seek the group’s legal counsel.

“I’m proud of the work we did for that office,” Brand said. “I worry about everyone who takes one of these offices, because the vitriol that comes from the right is so scary, and it’s so not based in fact.”

‘Lack of oversight’ In comments to KSAT, John “Danny” Diaz, president of the San Antonio Police Officers Association, warned that Gonzales’ interactions with Wren could put the DA afoul of Texas’ recently adopted “rogue prosecutors law.” That measure lets the state remove local prosecutors for refusing to prosecute statutes passed by legislature.

However, in comments to the Current, Diaz said he hasn’t seen the actual text messages and emails, only KSAT’s reporting on them. He also said any attempt to remove Gonzales’ via the new Texas law would ultimately come down to whether the DA is pursuing charges and not on his office’s consultation with Wren.

To that end, SAPOA is now investigating whether Gonzales’ track record opens him up for such a challenge.

“We’re looking up data on his releases, the amount of releases and dismissals that he’s done on weapons

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in the matter it’s that didn’t push BLU-RAYS 4K VIDEO GAMES HARDWARE ACCESSORIES VINYL RECORDS CDS DVDS BLU-RAYS 4K back more forcefully. That attorney, who asked not to be named for fear of political blowback, said the story blew up not because of its substance but because of the DA’s initially tepid response.

“The correct answer was: ‘Like every official, I seek out help from smart issue experts,’” said the attorney. “‘We are proud and privileged to get support from Wren Collective.’”

Even so, Gonzales said Wren will have faded from voters’ memories by the time he’s up for reelection in 2026.

He accuses SAPOA of misrepresenting the group’s work because the union’s membership is angry he created a civil rights division.

“My attitude is I’m three years away from the next election cycle, and we will see [SAPOA] in three years,” Gonzales said. “But again, I have concluded that what they’re doing is campaigning early against me. Where before they tried to recruit a Republican opponent, I think this time they’re going to try and recruit a Democrat challenger.”

Whether that holds true, recent history suggests Gonzales may not have much to worry about from voters — just his detractors on the right, according to Curry College’s Balboni.

“At this point, the public sees to be more amenable to the message of reform,” she said. “For the most part, they’re reelecting [progressive DAs].

Does that mean the headwinds are going to stop? Probably not.” sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

news BAD TAKES

Texas AG Ken Paxton’s anti-cannabis crusade is the opposite of small government

BY KEVIN SANCHEZ Editor’s Note: Bad Takes is a column of opinion and analysis.

I

f anyone could use a gigantic bong rip, it’s Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Needless to say, Paxton’s had a rough few years. First, he was picked up on felony securities fraud charges, and that case is continuing to play out in a prolonged court battle. Then, in late 2020, former staffers accused him of bribery and reported the matter to the FBI. By all indications, he’s still under investigation. And last May, nearly three-quarters of the members of his own party voted to impeach him in the House, before the Senate spared him removal from office. Even Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn mocked him earlier this month, tweeting, “Ken, your criminal defense lawyers are calling.”

But if you thought Paxton’s ongoing legal travails would compel him to lay low, you’re sorely mistaken.

The man refuses to admit disgrace. Not satisfied with incessantly suing the Biden administration — and losing repeatedly despite the most conservative judiciary in 100 years — he’s now suing Austin, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin and Denton for their efforts to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis.

“I will not stand idly by as cities run by pro-crime extremists deliberately violate Texas law and promote the use of illicit drugs that harm our communities,” Paxton said in a press statement late last month, when he filed the suit. “We don’t allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce.”

Dude, chill out. With finite resources at their disposal, municipalities must decide where to devote the attention of law enforcement. Should they focus on murderers and thieves or go after someone wearing a Keep Austin Weird T-shirt and smoking a joint in the privacy of their own home?

The president of the Austin Police Association, Michael Bullock, told Austin’s KUT News that pot charges aren’t worth the paperwork.

“If low levels of marijuana were to be decriminalized in some cases, it would make our job easier,” he explained.

Even fiscal conservatives, if such a creature still exists in the wild, have to acknowledge that we’re leaving hundreds of million of dollars in government revenue on the table by not legalizing weed. That’s money that could go to property tax relief, public

Shutterstock / rblfmr

schools and environmental cleanup, not to mention the kinds of urban renewal that address the root causes of crime.

Meanwhile, in a single year, Houston’s Harris County wasted $26 million prosecuting and jailing low-level marijuana offenders, according to its district attorney’s office. That includes costs incurred from paying public defenders and running lab analysis. Does anyone seriously contend that’s money well spent?

“The Republican drive to centralize power in Austin represents a marked departure from the traditional conservative principles of local control and limited government,” Texas Monthly Senior Editor Michael Hardy wrote last summer.

Hardy quoted a former executive director of the Republican Party of Texas, Wayne Thorburn, who explained that the GOP’s new goal is to exploit the levers of state power to impose “cultural values.”

“It’s totally different from the small-government, free-enterprise conservative values that the party represented 15 years ago,” Thorburn said.

Julie Oliver, co-founder of Ground Game Texas, the progressive nonprofit that helped to put marijuana deprioritization measures before voters suggested that Republicans’ much-touted opposition to the Nanny State seems selective.

“We shouldn’t have Big Government stepping in and saying, ‘Oh no, no, you can’t do that,’” she told KVUE Austin.

After all, suing Austin for refraining from cracking down on weed smokers is like suing the state of Wisconsin for not banning cheese. How can those who claim to love Texas display such an active disdain for the people actually living here?

After all, more than 85% of Austin voters approved their ballot measure in 2022. The levels of approval were similar elsewhere: 82% in San Marcos, 75% in Elgin, and a similar petition is currently amassing 20,000 signatures in Dallas.

The Texas House has passed several versions of amnesty for marijuana users, including expunging records from previous convictions, only to watch the

bills expire in the state Senate. But the vast majority of U.S. states have long since legalized medicinal marijuana, and almost half permit recreational use as well. A majority of Texans desire the same for our state, according to recent polling, though we remain stuck in a bygone era.

The U.S. Surgeon General estimated that the economic impact of alcohol misuse exceeds $240 billion annually. That includes alcohol-related violence, car crashes, loss of workplace productivity and healthcare costs, and it comes out to about $2 per drink. Yet no politician I’m aware of suggests returning to the failed experiment of Prohibition.

Why a different standard for puffing on the devil’s lettuce?

Believing local police shouldn’t prioritize locking up cannabis users doesn’t make someone a “procrime extremist,” to quote Paxton. That’s not only a bad take, it’s pretty rich coming from a man who’s allegedly played fast and loose with far weightier laws against corruption and the abuse of authority.

At the federal level, there’s an emerging bipartisan consensus led by Democrats including Elizabeth Warren and libertarian Republicans including Rand Paul to at least deschedule marijuana so it’s not in the same enforcement category as heroin. But the promise of progress could prove short-lived. Donald Trump, the cameo actor in Home Alone 2 who’s now frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, has pledged to seek the death penalty for drug dealers.

If your idea of democracy and freedom is revoking the will of an overwhelming majority of local voters and forcing city cops to chase pot smokers and abortion doctors around, you can’t credibly claim to be the party of liberty.

And however anti-war right-wing populists present themselves as being nowadays, until we unseat outof-control GOP officials like Ken Paxton, we will continue to fight and lose the disastrous War on Drugs.

Early voting on primary ballots for Texans began Feb. 20. sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

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news

Instagram / @satairport

CITYSCRAPES

San Antonio’s airport touted another banner year, but a deeper look at the numbers suggests otherwise

BY HEYWOOD SANDERS Editor’s Note: Cityscrapes is a column of opinion and analysis.

I

n a recent news release about San Antonio International Airport’s 2023 passenger numbers, local officials gushed with enthusiasm. The year marked “SAT’s busiest year ever in its 80-year history,” during which it served 10,676,570 passengers — or 3% more than the previous record set in pre-pandemic 2019.

“We are on cloud nine,” said Jesus Saenz, director of airports for the San Antonio Airport System (SAAS).

“This is a historical milestone for SAT with 10.7 million passengers.” The airport also had its busiest December ever, topping 900,000 passengers. The airport’s statement promised there would be more

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CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

to come in 2024, thanks to the start of new service

by Spirit Airlines to Newark and Tampa and our first direct service to Europe by Condor Airlines starting in mid-May. The impressive news was duly reported by the local media, with the Express-News headline shouting that the airport “beats pre-pandemic passenger reecord,” KSAT offering “We are on Cloud Nine,” the San Antonio Report lauding “Airport lands major milestone” and WOAI reporting “Airport hits record.”

It all sounded absolutely great. Except that it desperately lacked context.

Airline passenger demand boomed last year since

lots of folks returned to travel after the lockdown and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic came to a close. And San Antonio was far from the only airport to see a notable increase in passenger volume.

We’ll get the fullest picture when the Federal Aviation Administration publishes stats for all U.S. airports later this year. But a preliminary look at other major airports can provide a little context for understanding the 3% increase recorded in San Antonio. In Dallas, the passenger count at Love Field was up 4.8% from 2019. At Phoenix Sky Harbor, it was up 5.6% over the same period. Tampa’s airport served 6.45% more passengers than before COVID. And then there’s Austin-Bergstrom International.

Austin too set a record in 2023, logging a total of 21.1 million passengers — a whopping 20% increase from 2019.

The growth at SAT looks remarkably modest in that context.

A closer look at the 2023 numbers by airline also reveals an interesting picture. Southwest remains far and away the dominant carrier for San Antonio with a 38% share of passengers last year. But its total was actually down 1% from 2019. Among the major carriers, American was flat, while United and Alaska were down. Only Delta experienced growth in San Antonio passengers from 2019.

The real increase came from the ultra-low-cost carriers. You know, the ones where you pay extra for everything beyond a basic seat. Frontier managed a 65% increase in San Antonio passengers, and Spirit Airlines boomed, capturing 5.1% of the domestic passenger market here in 2023.

The airline shares illustrate a larger competitive reality in San Antonio. Despite the longtime pressure from the city’s business leadership for more nonstop flights, despite the generous subsidies the airport and local organizations have doled out to lure and support new air service, we remain a relatively poor city.

Low cost carriers with $39 fares can do well in serving our leisure market. A Spirit — and perhaps Condor as well — can manage here with the aid of subsidies and revenue guarantees. But we lack the kind of economy and firms that generate a large, consistent volume of business travel — the kind of travel that’s most profitable for the major air carriers.

And that’s not likely to change until our economy truly develops.

San Antonio desperately needs better, higher-paying jobs in something other than hotels and hospitality. We need corporate headquarters that choose to come here and actually stay and grow.

Then-Mayor Henry Cisneros promised those things in the mid-1980s and for the most part failed to deliver on them.

Hindered by a lack of vision and a failure to address the root causes of the generational poverty that’s long plagued San Antonio, civic and business leaders have continued to make similar promises over the following decades, and again, they have fallen short.

Until that changes, apparently we’ll have to make do with gushing press releases.

Heywood Sanders is a professor of public policy at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

MUSEUM SHOP Silver Jewelry Trunk Show: Katrina O’Day, Laura Q. Designs, and Spratling Silver Saturday, February 24 | 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Free to attend

Hosted by the Museum Shop, this trunk show will feature a curated selection of unique goods offered by fine vendors and craftsmen.

More information & SAMA events: 200 West Jones Avenue | www.samuseum.org sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

17

FRI | 02.23 SUN | 02.25

being mega-famous for his long-running TV show Seinfeld — a 2012

DANCE

the late 1970s. Clearly, he has the delivery down to a science, and he’s

60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll identified it as the best sitcom of all time — there’s a reason the comedian’s San Antonio show is sold out: he’s still remarkably good at what he does, even if what he does feels like a throwback. Seinfeld’s been performing his brand of stand-up since

BALLET SAN ANTONIO: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

in no danger of running short on trivial absurdities on which to riff.

And unlike some comedians who find success with acting roles, getting

Ballet San Antonio is debuting the world premiere of choreographer

back to the mic never seemed like a cash-in or afterthought. Seinfeld’s

Rafael Ferrera’s retelling of the William Shakespeare comedy of errors

heart remains with the art form, and his continued investment in his

A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The ballet tells of the misunderstandings

craft includes side-splitting specials such as 2020’s Emmy-nominated

between two lovers, Hermia and Lisandro, whose forbidden love is

23 Hours to Kill and his critically revered Netflix series Comedians in Cars

challenged by their family and friends. Set in Athens and scored with

Getting Coffee. Seinfeld is a stand-up great, and his continued ability to

Felix Mendelssohn’s Midsummer music, the ballet features Shake-

fill theaters is testament to that. Sold Out, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Majestic

speare’s iconic cast of lovers, actors and fairy forces, including Deme-

Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., (210) 226-3333, majesticempire.com. — Sanford

trio, Helena, Titania, Oberon and Puck. Beyond being Ferrera’s debut of

Nowlin

his retelling of the Shakespeare play, it’s also his first full-length ballet.

SAT | 02.24

The show invites its audience to venture into an otherworldly forest and fall into the dream. $25.20-$132, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, Tobin Center for the

SPECIAL EVENT

Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, balletsanantonio.

5TH ANNUAL SAN ANTONIO AFRICAN AMERICAN BOOK FESTIVAL

org. — Macks Cook

San Antonio’s 5th Annual African American Book Festival is back for a day of literature, children’s activities, food and more. The event, held on the last Saturday of Black History Month, was established to Courtesy Photo / The Witte Museum

celebrate Black writers and to advocate for African American repre-

the Witte. $175 ($150 for Witte members), White Shaman Preserve, 42535 U.S. Highway 90, Comstock, (210) 357-1900, wittemuseum.org. — Bill Baird

SAT | 02.24 COMEDY

JERRY SEINFELD Jerry Seinfeld’s brand of slightly cranky observational comedy seems quaint compared to that of the edgier, often hyper-political stand-ups who rule the circuit. He’s not looking to make audiences squirm, his material’s largely clean and it won’t include any shocking confessional material about his upbringing in Massapequa, New York. Yet, beyond

Elise Barker

FRI | 02.23 SUN | 02.25 Shutterstock / jakkaje879

ART

28TH ANNUAL ROCK ART RENDEZVOUS

sentation in literature. This year’s participating guests include writers

The Witte Museum later this month will offer a guided tour of some of

and poets of all ages from across the country, including Charlotte “CD

the world’s oldest and best-preserved rock art murals. The educa-

Giles” Aldridge (Love Blossoms series), Zariah Cherry (Lulu, the Lollipop

tional camping excursion will include a visit to the White Shaman, a

Girl), Terry L. Braddock (The Stump), Jay Harts (Contrary To Popular Be-

3,000-year-old Native American rock-art mural west of San Antonio.

lief) and more. The family-friendly event also will feature a new “Library

The artwork lays out a sophisticated cosmology some consider North

Card Challenge,” where attendees are challenged to visit the Carver

America’s first “book.” The trip also will include rare opportunities to

Library next door to sign up for a San Antonio Public Library card.

explore other rock-art sites not normally open to the public, includ-

Free, noon-5 p.m., Second Baptist Community Center, 3310 E. Commerce St.,

ing Tinaja Canyon, Presa Canyon, Upper Seminole Canyon, Meyers

saaabookfestival.mailchimpsites.com. — Amber Esparza

Spring, Bonfire Shelter and Eagle Cave, according to details shared by 18

CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

Shutterstock / Nounpusher Photography

SPORTS

SPURS VS. THUNDER The race for Rookie of the Year honors resumes for Victor Wembanyama in a showdown with Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder. In January, Wembanyama became the first Spur to earn Western Conference Rookie of the Month since Beno Udrih in 2004, and he’s averaging 16 points and 13 rebounds against the Thunder. Oklahoma City is looking for its third win against San Antonio this season and scorched the Spurs by a total of 62 points in the teams’ last two matchups. All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points in its most recent win in San Antonio last month and presents an MVP-worthy challenge for a Spurs backcourt searching for consistency.

“We’re just trying to get on the same page still, figure out what we’re trying to do,” Spur Tre Jones told reporters after a 114-113 loss to New Orleans while addressing the team’s struggles with turnovers. “That starts with me as the point guard and the leader on the court. I’m trying to be sharper.” $19 and up, 7:30 p.m., Frost Bank Center, 1 Frost Bank Center Drive, (210) 444-5140, frostbankcenter.com, KENS. — M. Solis

calendar

THU | 02.29

Courtesy Photo / Michael Guerra Foerster

FRI | 03.01 ART

CAM KICKOFF AND CAM PERENNIAL

March isn’t just the season of college basketball madness and the assassination of Roman emperors. In San Antonio, it’s time to celebrate contemporary art. Contemporary Art Month (CAM), a 31-day celebration of those at the cutting edge of artistic expression in the Alamo City, gets rolling with a kickoff event at the Contemporary at Blue Star — on First Friday, no less. The evening will feature screenings of student films selected for CAM’s 2024 student film festival, as well as the unveiling of a new exhibit at the Contemporary — Michael Guerra Foerster’s “Without a Trace,” which runs through June 9 and showcases the artist’s ceramic sculptures, called “floops.” This year’s Kickoff also will serve as the opening of the famed CAM Perennial exhibition, in which a guest curator from outside San Antonio selects powerful works from a slate of regional contemporary artists. This year’s curator is Christopher Blay, chief curator of the Houston Museum of African American Culture. On view from March 1 through June 9, the Perennial — titled “Vernacular Systems” — features works from Houston- and San Antonio-based artists which come together to critique systems that perpetrate disconnection and highlight those that might unify us. Beyond the Perennial and the Kickoff, CAM events will spark conversations throughout the month at locations around the city. A full calendar of events and exhibitions is available on the CAM website. Free, 6-9 p.m., Contemporary at Blue Star, 116 Blue Star, (210) 227-6960, contemporaryartmonth.org. — Dean Zach

Reginald Thomas II / San Antonio Spurs

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.

Asking for help from trusted family or friends is a sign you're ready to become a happier, healthier you. And if you need more options to manage your mental health struggles or substance use concerns, there are resources and organizations nearby ready to help.

Explore where to turn to

For more resources and support, visit TurnToSupportsTX.org 20

CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

calendar

MON | 03.04

Courtesy Photo / Frost Bank Center

SPORTS

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

As WrestleMania 40 nears and the competition on the WWE circuit heats up, the fireworks will pass through the Alamo City for Monday Night Raw. The road to this year’s WrestleMania isn’t without controversy, however, primarily centered around earth-shattering allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault against former chairman Vince McMahon. Brock Lesnar, a multiple-time world champion who was supposed to be featured heavily in WWE programming this year, also faces accusations in that scandal, according to Bleacher Report. So does former WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis, according to multiple reports. Add these allegations to the triceps tear of returning megastar CM Punk and the controversial insertion of retired wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson into programming as a challenger for Roman Reigns’ Universal Championship, and it’s become a messy 2024 for the WWE. Even so, as McMahon left the fold over the past couple of years, WWE’s management under the creative helm of Paul “Triple H” Levesque has been well received by fans. It remains to be seen whether things will be back on track in time for the company’s trip to the Frost Bank Center. Monday Night Raw is likely to feature talents including the eccentric World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, the dastardly and dominant Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley — alongside her teammates in the Judgment Day faction — and Royal Rumble winner and potentially soon-to-be world champion Cody Rhodes, whom fans also know as “The American Nightmare.” $25 and up, 6:30 p.m., Frost Bank Center, 1 Frost Bank Center Drive, (210) 444-5140, frostbankcenter.com. — Colin Houston

sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

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arts Courtesty Image / Joe Harjo

‘I’m Still Here’

San Antonio artist Joe Harjo’s latest exhibition addresses thorny issues around Native American identity

BY ANJALI GUPTA

M

y computer ain’t woke.

It underlines words like “placelessness” in angry red squiggles and phrases such as “culture of erasure” in double blue lines, indicating that I made a grammatical error or that something is missing. It’s not wrong.

Something is missing: roughly 25 million people.

San Antonio-based artist Joe Harjo’s work is underscored by the cognitive and emotional awareness of the genocide of an untold number of human beings — the obliteration of the hundreds of distinct nations and cultures that existed before our own on the same soil we now call the Americas.

His work includes multiple ongoing series that ruminate on this weight, a state that makes the act of merely breathing not just self-deprecating but audacious. Within every inhale and exhale resides a simple battle cry— to some an affront or ineffectual statement and to others an au fait whisper — “I’m still here.”

Harjo is a tribal member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma. Born in Oklahoma City, he attended the University of Texas at San Antonio for his Master of Fine Arts de-

gree, which brough him to our town in 2009.

A multidisciplinary artist, Harjo allows his medium to vary according to concept, and he often uses humor to tackle tough subjects like Native American identity and representation, cultural erasure and the ignorance bred by stereotypes.

Ironically, his practice is currently placeless. He lost his space at the Southwest School when it merged with UTSA. “The Southwest School was about makers breeding makers,” Harjo said. “Without my own space — although I do still have access to all the campus’ facilities — I have to work where it is convenient.”

Most recently, that was UTSA’s old satellite space at Blue Star, which he used to create his current exhibition at The Contemporary at Blue Star, “Joe Harjo: Indian Removal Act II: And She Was.” “The title of this body of work derives from the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which forcibly displaced Native nations — including my own, the Muscogee nation — to ‘unsettled’ lands west of the Mississippi River,” Harjo wrote in his artist’s statement. “Through addressing the current misrepresentations, homogenization and undervaluation of Na-

Harjo’s video performance Heretical Act of Resistance: Walking references the forced march Native Americans refer to as ‘The Long Walk.’

M

tive culture, the work brings visibility to and emphasizes Native growth, contributions, resourcefulness, adaptability and our existence within contemporary spaces.”

In this instance, Harjo is highlighting the forced break from a historically matrilineal culture to an enforced Christian patriarchy.

Harjo’s great-great-great-great-grandmother was among the Muscogee forcibly removed from their ancestral lands and ordered to march to a reservation in Oklahoma, a travesty known as the “Trail of Tears” in history books. Native people refer to the event as “The Long Walk,” and an estimated one-fourth of those forcibly relocated people died along the way.

Upon arrival at the reservation, Harjo’s orphaned great-great-great-great-grandmother’s identity was recorded simply as “baby girl” instead of her given name “Hocktochee,” because she was not yet able to spell in English and U.S. officials didn’t consider the Muscogee language legitimate.

Hocktochee was known to her family by the nickname Babygirl, and her presence in the exhibition space is palpable.

I had the pleasure of watching Harjo work when he conceived and installed The Only Certain Way at Sala Diaz in 2019, a space I curated for several years. The exhibition 27

Find more arts coverage every day at sacurrent.com

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CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

arts

communities at the hands 25 was a collection of works that spoke to the forced assimilation of Indig- of the police, including apathy in Native commuenous Peoples to Christianity through nities,” Harjo said. the lens of Spanish explorer and conIndian holding a weapon queror Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca.

(Skittles), Indian holding a Cabeza de Vaca kept a journal of his weapon (license) and Indian experiences as the leader of the first holding a weapon (loosey) European entourage to set foot in the are all from that period.

American Southwest after crashing his They refer to the murders galleon near modern-day Galveston. In of Trayvon Martin, Phireference to religious conversion and lando Castile and Michael assimilation, he wrote in his journal that Indians “must be won by kindness, Brown, respectively.

And She Was contains the only certain way.” Kindness was a group of six perforinexplicably weaponized — a tool used mance prints that refto shift belief systems. erence The Long Walk, To do so effectively, Cabeza de Vaca including the two pieces adopted practices associated with Removed from familNative religious ceremonies, becoming iar wind, deafened and a sort of twisted shaman performing Removed from fertile land, healing breath rituals and passing out starving. Indian holding a blankets infected with European pestiweapon (breath) accompalence along his path. nies a video of a converThe works included in The Only Certain Way uncovered the lack of visibility sational text between two Courtesy Image / Joe Harjo Courtesy Image / Joe Harjo women on The Long Walk. of Native American culture, identity Behind it is a massive and lived experience. The complex and Left: Here Comes the Son is assembled from ceremonially folded Pendleton installation of backlit red undeniable relationship between Nabeach towels. Right: Mark of the Beast examines colonization and assimilation. stripes excised from the tive and U.S. histories exposes the ways American flag that hang in which tribal identity has been disdivides the space of Sala Diaz — one mantled and homogenized to strip vast from ceiling to floor. The conversation design elements. Some pieces docuin the front room, one in the second. communities of their spiritual practices starts off with the two women passing ment creation myths while others tell time as they endure their 1,200-mile Together, the work references and and traditions. Forced colonization the stories of epic battles or detail the journey. They come across a body. One memorializes the whitewashing of and assimilation to Christianity led to lives of tribal elders. Each is a codex, of them notices movement and they Indigenous culture. the whitewashing of Native cultures traditionally woven by women. Native approach the corpse finding a baby in In his statement, Harjo says the two and customs, thereby removing access history wasn’t just appropriated in this its arms. They pick up the child, a girl, Pendleton works in “And She Was” to ancestors and the comfort of their case. It was corrupted and monetized. and soothe and comfort her as best omnipresence.

Pendleton once claimed a 9,000-year symbolize the duality of colonialism: they can.

Several of Harjo’s series, including history, co-opting Indigenous practices religious iconography and its apparatus of violence. He urges viewers to his “performance prints” — graphic that predated the company by thou“Hello, baby girl.” critically reflect on the true nature of red acrylic-ink footprints or sneaker sands of years. The blankets eventually Harjo also continues his use of Pendlecolonial encounters. treads on white backgrounds accomton products set in handmade triangular became status symbols — heirlooms During our walkthrough of his expanied by evocative language — carry handed down generation to generaframes that mimic memorial flag cases hibition at The Contemporary, we had on from exhibition to tion, mostly among the white populaused by families of our own encounter of sorts, meeting exhibition. The subject tion of the Pacific Northwest. service people killed two lovely young women who are matter shifts accordTo make matters more complicated, in action as keepsakes.

“Joe Harjo: Indian currently students at the San Antonio ing to what the artist those same blankets now hold high Pendleton, a business Removal Act II: And campus of Texas A&M. is ruminating on at status in Native communities, where established during She Was” One asked Harjo about his tribal present. they’re given as gifts to commemorate the 1860s in the Pacific Free, Noon-5 p.m. Wednesday, name.

He explained that prior to “This series began births, weddings, graduations and Northwest, mined noon-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, colonialism, his name would have been in 2012. I was thinking other rites of passage.

Native motifs for its 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through May 5, earned on the battlefield and given to about what people “I’ve always wanted to use Pendleton high-quality woolen The Contemporary at Blue Star, envision when they blankets in my work, but they are insanely him through his matrilineal line. Harjo, blankets and sold 116 Blue Star, (210) 227-2960, hear the word ‘Indian.’ them at top dollar. This expensive,” Harjo said. “The flag cases sold which roughly translates to “crazy contemporarysa.org. brave in battle,” is now like any other I mean, do people picin stores are also ridiculously priced.” practice is problematic Christian surname. ture someone doing During Harjo’s 2018 residency at on many levels.

The other young woman, a poet, mundane tasks while the Vermont Studio Center, he came First, referring back handed Harjo her notebook and asked wearing a ceremonial headdress?” across a suitable substitute: Pendleton to Cabeza de Vaca and his ilk, blankets for his autograph. Visibly uncomfortThe series began as such. “Indibeach towels. He then had to tackle the are now known to be a major carrier of able, he accepted nonetheless, stating an watching porn, Indian checking task of making cases to the exacting disease, be it influenza, the common that that this was the first time anyone Facebook,” he said with a laugh. “I was measurements of flag memorial cases. cold or smallpox — deadly diseases for had ever asked. He took her notebook invested in that absurdity.”

His first iteration was two crosses, one which the Native population had no and pink pen. I saw him draw a rather By 2018, it evolved significantly. made with brightly colored textiles, immunity and that became a major fey heart and turned away.

“I was really bothered by the lack of the other entirely devoid of color. They source of devastation.

The rest is between him and baby girl. attention paid to the loss of life in Black hung back-to-back on the wall that Secondly, Native motifs aren’t just

M

sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

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SAT MAY LOVE FEST 18 THROWBACK EDITION

ABC News veteran and San Antonio native John Quiñones delivers new season of What Would You Do?

BY KIKO MARTINEZ

O

ver the weekend, ABC News correspondent and San Antonio native John Quiñones returned for a historic 16th season of What Would

You Do? The hit hidden-camera series delivers a televised social experiment by putting unsuspecting people in different scenarios to see how they will react to conflict in a public setting.

Quiñones, 71, a Brackenridge High School and St. Mary’s University graduate, spoke to the Current recently about the feedback he’s received about the series over the years. He also touched on how his upbringing made him relate to some of the scenarios.

Episodes of the new season of What Would You Do? air at 9 p.m. Sundays on ABC.

Did you ever think a show like What Would You Do? would be entering its 16th season when you first started?

Early on, I thought we would probably run out of ideas. How many can you do, right?

But my son, who was working on the show back then, said that the sky’s the limit. You will never run out of ideas. And he was right.

Here we are, 16 seasons later. We took a break during COVID, but now we’re back with a brand-new season.

A few years ago, you recorded a scenario in San Antonio, right?

Yeah, it was one of the most powerful ones we filmed. It was at a supermarket where we had a soldier in uniform at the checkout counter buying groceries, but he doesn’t have enough money to buy diapers and formula. As he’s checking out, he’s $17 short. The question was, “Would anybody help him?” I have to tell you, every single person behind him said, “I’ll pay for his groceries.” It was really touching. We were all in tears.

What kind of feedback have you heard from viewers over the years?

I hear from families who watch the show together. I had a young, Latino teenager come up to me who wanted to thank me for the show. He was gay and didn’t think his father

screens

True Test of Character

Courtesy Photo ABC

would accept him. Then, they watched one of the scenarios together about a gay person coming out to their dad, and that helped him come out to his own dad. That really warms the heart. It’s just a reminder that no one should be ever denied. It really shows you the true test of character.

It feels like the mission of the show has been pretty consistent over the years, yes?

I mean, we have to remind ourselves that not everyone is as fortunate or has the same opportunities as the rest of the world. Some people need a little bit of help. Sometimes they just need moral support and someone raising their voice to defend them. That’s the beauty of What Would You Do? We’re in divisive times in America.

Do you find yourself more or less surprised at the way that people react to some of the scenarios you present?

I’m more surprised, not only by the way they react but by who reacts. We all judge by appearances. We look at someone, and we sort of size them up. That’s normal. I think psychologists will tell you that it’s embedded in our DNA to be on guard as a matter of survival. It’s normal to have the hair on the back of your neck stand up when you feel uncomfortable in certain situations. So, I’m surprised all the time not only by the actions they take to get involved but also by who is taking the action. Sometimes the person you would least expect does the right thing.

Over the years, how often have you put yourself in these scenarios and wondered how you would react yourself?

All the time. When you’ve been through hardships, that never leaves you. You always remember what it was like not to be able to afford a $15 shirt that you really wanted or having an owner of a store follow you around thinking we’re going to steal something or making faces because we didn’t speak English perfectly. That kind of pain never leaves you. So, I constantly put myself in those scenarios because I remember what it was like to be marginalized. That’s just embedded in me because that’s the way I grew up. And I’m so glad because now I can relate and connect with these issues.

You did some amazing work covering the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. How did you let the community know that they wouldn’t be forgotten?

By being there, and not leaving and always going back. We had the resources at ABC to open an office there and spend an entire year there. Early on, we said we weren’t going to leave this little town because the tragedy was so horrific that we need to stay and continue reporting on it. We did more than 300 stories. We had to give it the appropriate time necessary to let [the residents] know that we weren’t just there for a short, quick soundbite. We wanted them to know that we really gave a damn.

Find more film stories at sacurrent.com

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food

San Antonio Icehouse Week returns with giveaways, discounts and more

S

Sanford Nowlin

Getting together for a cold one

San Antonio’s icehouses have evolved, but they still fulfill a community need to gather

BY NINA RANGEL

T

oday, the term “icehouse” evokes visions of convivial conversation, shaded seating and cold longnecks slick with condensation. Back in the 1840s — when scholars agree Texas icehouses made their debut — the gathering spots were more utilitarian than social.

The icehouse phenomenon went statewide in the early 20th century, popping up in San Antonio neighborhoods to sell the ice blocks residents needed to keep their kitchen staples cool. Proprietors quickly realized they could make more money by also supplying household commodities such as milk, butter, eggs and beer.

As modern refrigeration made its way to South Texas in the 1930s, the joints’ connection to frozen blocks of ice became more figurative.

However, the beer never went away, nor did the places’ sense of community. Especially in the Alamo City, they remain gathering places for residents from all walks of life.

“A decade and a half ago, people would seriously side-eye families that had their kids out late,” said Jody Newman, co-owner of Southtown’s family-oriented The Friendly Spot Ice House and its across-the-street counterpoint, the adults-only Bruno’s Dive Bar. “But over the last few years, specifically after the pandemic, I’ve seen a shift, in that people are just more accepting of different schedules and lifestyles, different needs when it comes to gathering places.”

Welcoming and affordable Though some longtime San Antonio icehouses closed in the wake of the pandemic,

including The Texan Icehouse, which shuttered permanently in April 2023, the concept lives on in casual joints including The Friendly Spot, Dakota Eastside Ice House and Cibolo’s Old Main Ice House.

You won’t find a massive walk-in freezer stocked with huge blocks of crystal clear ice at any of these establishments, but you’ll find plenty of outdoor space that capitalizes on San Antonio’s weather. They also boast an abundance of food and drink, not to mention regular a clientele receptive to newcomers.

What’s also notable is that the prime hours have changed.

“Many years ago, icehouses would typically see those with first-shift, or banker’s hours, schedules, and they didn’t necessarily know other people with later working hours, [like bartenders and foodservice workers],” Newman added. “But now, we see second- and third-shift workers whose family schedules may have seemed less traditional meeting up later at night for some quality time together … . Of course, it’s also not uncommon to also see people posting up at noon and relaxing with a beer. I think there’s a newfound flexibility that’s being embraced more readily.”

It makes sense that icehouses’ casual, lowkey vibe would thrive in the current economic climate. After inflation did its number on food and beverage prices, plenty of people are looking for drinking spots that are easy on the pocketbook.

Beer costs rose nearly 6% from April 2022 to 2023 as brewers struggled to keep up with the increased cost of aluminum packaging and transportation, Yahoo Finance reports. Amid those price hikes, low-overhead 35

an Antonio’s laid-back attitude and day drinking-conducive weather have ensured the longevity of its icehouse tradition.

San Antonio’s Third Annual Icehouse Week will celebrate these approachable and neighborhood-focused watering holes with discounts, giveaways and parties. This year’s event will run Feb. 23-March 3.

Created in 2022 by Jody Newman — co-owner of The Friendly Spot and Bruno’s Dive Bar — and Dakota Eastside Icehouse proprietor Kent Oliver, Icehouse Week looks to support small businesses recovering from the pandemic while celebrating the open-air drinking spots central to South Texas culture.

As with previous iterations, this year’s 10-day celebration will bring together familiar participants including Bruno’s Dive Bar, Old Main Icehouse and Babcock Social Pub, which will offer drink specials and donate a portion of proceeds to San Antonio nonprofit LiftFund.

LiftFund aids small businesses by providing credit and services to entrepreneurs unable to access loans from commercial sources. The group also provides leadership and innovation within the microlending industry.

New to this year’s Icehouse Week is the launch of a free online application available via the App Store and Google Play. The app provides an interactive map of participating icehouses and gives users the ability to check in to each location, racking up points toward prizes and giveaways.

Each check-in also counts toward a special Icehouse Week competition. The first Bexar County resident to visit all participating icehouses by March 3 — or whoever visits the most by that date — will win $500.

A full list of participants and other details is available online at saicehouseweek.com.

The Current is a co-sponsor of San Antonio Icehouse Week. — By Nina Rangel

Nina Rangel

Find more food & drink news at sacurrent.com

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CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

food

Courtesy Photo Old Main

33 icehouses are often better prepared to keep their prices low than bars and restaurants dealing with escalating rents and higher labor costs.

Community spirit The owners of San Antonio’s newer icehouses said they understand the spots’ approachability and are eager to play to it.

“I never wanted to open a niche bar with a theme or specific target clientele. Each place I open, we strive for it to be approachable to all kinds of people, families, pet parents, beer drinkers, whiskey drinkers, old, young,” said Nick Marquez, owner of low-key Cibolo watering holes Old Main Ice House and The Hidden Grove. “When people ask me what I do, I say I own meeting places, because that’s what they are. It’s not so much a bar as it is a place to hang out and enjoy each other’s company.”

As proof that San Antonio hasn’t gotten too cosmopolitan for the icehouse concept, Marquez will soon open downtown’s Bar House, his first drinkery inside the Alamo City proper.

In November, Marquez’s Old Main Ice House suffered an early-morning fire that destroyed much of the building’s interior. Although the watering hole reopened in mid-January, it was still a setback. Marquez said support from the surrounding community helped soften the blow. One questions whether that would have happened had it been another kind of business.

“The first responders wouldn’t tell me over the phone how bad the damage was, so that drive from my house

to Old Main at 4:30 in the morning was honestly the worst drive ever. I was just hoping against hope that the place could be saved,” he said. “I spent the entire day there onsite, talking with city officials about how we were going to get the place back open. But the outpouring of support from the community via texts, emails, social media messages, everything, was really what helped me take a breath and think, ‘This is going to be alright.’”

The luxury to gather “There is a hazy line differentiating icehouses from cantinas and beer bars,” San Antonio-based historian Sarah Gould told Southern Living magazine in 2023. Icehouses were more prominent in San Antonio, Houston and Austin, while cantinas were king in South Texas.

“Today, the lines are less distinctive, and many of the traditional icehouses that flourished in the 1960s and 1970s have disappeared or evolved,” Gould said.

That evolution, Friendly Spot’s Newman believes, is based on a relatively newfound acceptance of differing schedules, lifestyles and social needs.

“The historic gathering at the icehouse was more a needs-based thing, you know, a social visit tacked onto a necessary household chore. Today, it’s about the choice to gather,” Newman said. “I think we cherish being together more than we every have before, and now it’s not just a luxury for those that work [a typical 9-to-5] shift. It can be a luxury for everyone.” sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

NEWS Asian-inspired beer garden Wurst Behavior, a recent addition to the area around the St. Mary’s Strip, has closed after less than a year in operation.

The fifth-annual Girl Scout Cookie Flavor Fest has returned to San Antonio restaurants such as Aldaco’s Mexican Cuisine, Magnolia Pancake Haus and Viola’s Ventanas. Each eatery is offering Girl Scout Cookie-inspired food, drinks and pairings to help raise funds for the organization’s work in South Texas. girlscoutcookieflavorfest.org.

Local favorite The Purple Garlic Italian Cafe has hinted at an upcoming second location, this one near Phil Hardberger Park, according to an online post. The business has yet to confirm the news, however. purplegarliccafe.com.

OPENINGS Swanky new Amelia Social Lounge has opened at the Creamery complex. It’s the third of five concepts to develop in the north-of-downtown space, which occupies a former Borden Creamery near the Pearl. 875 E. Ashby Place, Suite 1120, (210) 201-4204, ameliasatx.com.

Rivulet Kitchen & Bar is now open in the space that formerly housed Boerne’s Little Gretel, then The Rill Eatery and Bar. The spot will begin serving breakfast and brunch in March. 518 River Road, (830) 331-7455, instagram.com/rivuletboerne.

Arizona-based Hooked Boil House has opened, offering seafood boils as well as Cajun classics including crawfish etoufee and red beans and rice with sausage. 12485 I-10 West, hookedboilhouse.com.

All-you-can-eat steakhouse chain Avenida Brazil Churrascaria is coming to San Antonio this summer. 17660 Henderson Pass, (832) 693-5578, avebrazil.com/san-antonio.

El Paso chilaquiles concept Buen Dia is slated to open a San Antonio location inside the former Earl Abel’s space in early April. 1639 Broadway, facebook.com/EPBuenDia. Utah-based Beans & Brews Coffeehouse has opened a downtown shop across the street from Travis Park. 711 Navarro St., 210-263-9874, beansandbrews.com.

Buen Dia Instagram / chilaquiles_buendia

sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

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yuengling texas clean up beautification day Yuengling is teaming up with Keep Texas Beautiful, presenting special promotional packaging on 12-pack, 12-ounce cans of Yuengling Lager throughout Texas. Pledging one dollar per case sold, up to $50,000, Yuengling will raise funds and visibility for Keep Texas Beautiful from February through March 2024. Join us for our “Clean Up Day” on March 2, 2024, at Rosedale Park in San Antonio, TX, where we’re giving back to Texas!

When: March 2, 2024 Time: 8:00 – 9:00 Check-in 9:00 – 11:00 Clean-up 11:00 – 12:30 Complementary Lunch for Volunteers, Raffle of Yuengling Items & Check Presentation.

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Where: Rosedale Park 340 Dartmouth Street SAN ANTONIO, TX 78237

Enjoy Responsibly. © Brewed Under Supervision of D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. Pottsville, PA by The Yuengling Company, Ft. Worth, TX.

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CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

food Tagine Triumph

Golden Meals Moroccan offers variety of Mediterranean flavors but excels when it sticks to its home turf

BY RON BECHTOL

T

he North African cooking vessel known as the tagine is a culinary marvel.

Traditionally made of decoratively glazed clay with a circular base and conical top, it can go from oven to table with aplomb. Its shape encourages moist and even cooking, and the varied dishes that emerge take on the same name as the device itself: tagine. Moroccan cuisine wouldn’t be the same without it.

At Golden Meals Moroccan & Mediterranean Grill, five tagines — including one with couscous, another North African staple — anchor a menu that’s otherwise similar to that of almost any other Eastern Mediterranean or Aegean restaurant: shawarmas, gyros, kofta kababs abound. We would be happy to return for these another time.

However, for purposes of this review, it’s about being mas Moroccan and menos all-purpose Mediterranean.

A good place to start when it comes to Golden Meals’ Moroccan offerings is zaalouk, often referred to as a “cooked salad” similar to baba gannouj. In this case, the essential eggplant is grilled, giving the diplike dish with tomato, abundant garlic and parsley an appealing charred edge. Pliant flatbread for scooping will keep coming if you ask for it — and maybe even if you don’t. An unbidden, but also welcome, Saudi salsa of garlic, lemon and jalapeño also made an appearance.

A little thematic cheating followed with an order of chickpea falafel — just to how the Middle Eastern standard differed from that available in other local eateries. Formed into diminutive donuts and deep fried, Golden Meals’ version packed enough parsley to give the interior a fresh, green contrast to the crunchy crust. Though it comes accompanied by an actual salad’s worth of tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce, the zaalouk and the garlic sauce made even better bedfellows.

Then it was tagine time. From a selection that also included chicken and shrimp components, lamb shank and Moroccan beef meatballs seemed a good pairing. Both dishes arrived at the table still capped, the tops to be removed with a flourish that allowed the trapped aromas to escape and cast their spell.

The dramatic ritual provides a rush sensory stimulation. The compact and delicately flavored meat balls, for their part, floated in a rustic, red tomato sauce that was just spicy enough — and definitely worth sopping up with the spongy “French” bread we were told was a stand-in for the traditional Moroccan version.

The sauce in the lamb shank tagine wasn’t of the

Ron Bechtol

sopping sort. For this, bring on more flat bread. Impressive, whole, and slip-from-the-bone tender as it was, the shank didn’t mingle with its companions as much as the lamb would in recipes calling for chunks of the meat. Yet, who’s complaining? There were sugary prunes, buttery fried almonds, silky onions and more to keep the palate occupied. Fragrant mint tea, ceremoniously poured from high above the glass, seemed perfect as a partner.

Harira, another classic Moroccan dish gracing the menu, is a thick and hearty soup traditionally used to break the fast of Ramadan. The soup also serves as a bridge between Golden Meals’ two mom-and-pop operations — mom’s brick and mortar restaurant, located just off of Wurzbach Road behind Tommy’s Restaurant, and pop’s food truck next to a Texaco on Broadway at Mahncke Park.

While the tagines are only served at mom’s outpost, harira — along with much of the gyro, shawarma, kebab menu — is available at both locations. I picked mine up at the truck where it doesn’t come with dates and lemon, but is packed with al-dente chickpeas, lentil and slivers of beef, not to mention bits of vermicelli that act as a thickener. Think fideo loco, and give it a try while winter’s still with us.

At the truck, I had wanted to try another dish that seemed unique to Golden, namely hummus with a topping of sautéed ground beef. Since beef was missing in action that day, I took the offered substitute of strips of lamby gyro meat. Though the smooth hummus and mild meat were both good in their own right, the combo didn’t do much for me — even tucked into the accompanying flat bread.

A slice of harissa, however, will send you out with

a bang — though not quite the bang it would if the North African hot sauce of the same name were a part of the preparation. As made with variations all over the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, this is a moist and cornbread-like cake of semolina flour that’s soaked in syrup and topped with pristine, whole almonds. There was just a hint of something floral — maybe orange blossom water, if I’m not trying too hard to make something delightfully simple more complicated. It wouldn’t be the first time.

GOLDEN MEALS MOROCCAN & MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 4326 Gardendale, Suite 102, (210) 507-22024 Hours: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday Price range: $8.99-$20./99 The lowdown: Golden Meals specializes in traditional Moroccan tagines along with a wide selection of Eastern-Mediterranean dishes such as schawarmas, gyros and kababs. Burgers are also available.

GOLDEN MEALS FOOD TRUCK 3500 Broadway, (210) 350-4717 Hours: 11 a.m.-midnight Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Sunday The lowdown: The business’ food truck offers many of the same Eastern-Mediterranean specialties — schawarmas, gyros and kababs — as its brick-and-mortar counterpart but minus the Moroccan tagines. Extended hours make it a good choice for night owls.

sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

39

Traveling Man

From living in a van to penning songs for the big screen, Dan Bern’s lived the songster’s life

BY BILL BAIRD

S

inger-songwriter Dan Bern has been charming audiences for decades with his irrepressible wit, but listeners may know him best from work on the big screen.

Bern wrote the songs for Judd Apatow’s hit comedies Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Get Him to the Greek, which in turn led to writing the theme song to Amazon’s animated Dirty and Stinky series. Bern’s songs in Walk Hard, a parody biopic of a fictional early rock ’n’ roll star, in particular are hilarious, including the bullseye mid-’60s Dylan sendup “Royal Jelly.”

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico-based Bern will bring his songwriting prowess, backed by a full band, Jane’s Great Dane, to San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 24 for a performance at the Rathskellar Bar inside downtown’s Hermann Sons Ballroom. San Antonio singer-songwriter Thurman Love will open.

Before his cinematic successes, Bern spent years as a “road dog” songwriter-poet, an heir apparent to traveling folkies ranging from Woody Guthrie to Dylan.

Over that time on the road, Bern penned thousands of topical songs, including many with an emphasis on sports. His baseball songs, in particular, have struck a nerve and earned him invitations to perform at Cooperstown’s Baseball Hall of Fame and as a frequent guest of famed sports radio personality Tony Kornheiser.

Of note for Spurs fans, Bern’s recent song “Victor Wembanyama” pays tribute to the team’s rookie phenom.

We spoke with Bern recently from Toronto, where he was taking a short break from his current tour.

How many shows have you played?

In my life? I dunno. Five thousand or so? How many columns have you written? We do what we do.

After so many shows, how do you find new ways into songs? Is it just about remaining open to whatever’s happening?

It is. This run is pretty wild. Started out doing half a dozen shows by myself, then a run with my old band the IJBC [International Jewish Banking Conspiracy]. We made a record, New American Language, 20 years ago that was just released on vinyl. We played that whole record top to bottom three nights in a row. Immediately after [I hooked up] with another band, all the way to Texas. On this run, it’s more a matter of keeping it together — not letting those transitions without transition time throw ya.

In a way, not having time to think about it makes it easier. Buddy Rich famously said, “Give me a tired band. I don’t want guys to be able to think.”

That’s what Phil Spector used to do.

Ha, yeah. It’s exciting. During those pandemic years, not touring and doing other things, not sure how it would return. Now that we can hit it hard and play to folks every night, it’s great.

No complaints.

How long is a typical run?

This one will end up six or seven weeks. Back in the day when I had no home address and lived in my van, it was years. When I’m out, it’s an every-night kind of thing. More a baseball schedule than football schedule.

Speaking of which, you’ve written a lot about sports.

In the last few years, I’ve had the chance to write many songs for The Tony Kornheiser Show. When you have a specific outlet, it gives you a reason to write a bunch.

Did you ever read that Bernard Malamud baseball book The Natural?

Yes.

It’s wild how different the book is from the movie, which was made in the ’80s with Robert Redford.

I was initially very resistant to the movie, but I’ve come around to it. But yeah, I love that book. All that great baseball writing, it made me feel it was right for songs too. In a way, that’s how I came to the game. I grew up in a place in Iowa and didn’t see a big league game until I was 18. It was the literature that grabbed me.

Were you into music early on?

Oh, yeah. For a while it was all Beatles. At some point, I was handed some Dylan and some Woody [Guthrie] and some Hank [Williams]. It was a flash of light! You don’t need three other guys to do this. That opened the door.

Have you read Bound for Glory, Woody Guthrie’s autobiography? A lot of it takes place in Pampa, Texas.

Oh yeah. The great Woody book. I’ve been to Pampa! On one of my early runs, I was driving across the Panhandle, saw a sign that said

Judd Irish Bradley

Pampa. I drove into town, made some inquiries, was directed to an old woman who knew about Woody. So, I knocked on her door, stammered a bunch of stuff. She thought I was a con man at first! But we became friends, and I ended up coming back for a few Woody musical activities. Pampa has always been a special place for me.

You wrote the songs for Walk Hard and Get Him to the Greek. Was writing for those films similar to the baseball show: you get an assignment and out come the songs?

Yeah. You get a script and it says, “Song here.”

(Laughs.) In the case of Walk Hard, I worked so hard on it, and the character became so much a part of me. [I remember] going into a meeting with Judd Apatow, Mike Viola, Jake Kasdan and John C. Reilly and coming up with a list of song titles. By day’s end, all those songs would be written! And again the next day.

How many songs did you write for that movie?

Probably 200 songs. Fifteen made the soundtrack, and nine are in the movie. In my mind, there’s another movie with 200 songs in it! (Laughs.)

Do you ever play them?

Occasionally, but it’s odd, like I’m covering someone else’s songs. Dewey Cox’s songs.

That movie spoofed musical biopics but also celebrated them. Everyone who did that loves all those biopics. No malice in it. We couldn’t have made it without the love.

Do you ever get weird song requests?

Not enough! I was just on a sports radio show in Montreal. He had listeners calling in and suggesting topics. I’d take 15 minutes, write that song and perform it, then another and another. $25, 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, Rathskeller Bar (inside Hermann Sons Ballroom), 525 S. St. Mary’s St., (210) 660-1706, sahermannsons.com/bar.

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. sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

music

Loud and Southeast Proud

San Antonio metal band Life Cycles playing hometown release for EP on new label

BY DALIA GULCA

A

fter nearly a decade making waves with its frenetic brand of thrash metal, San Antonio’s Life Cycles has signed to Massachusetts-based 1126 Records.

The band will promote its first EP for the label, Portal to the Unknown, with a Texas mini-tour that culminates with a release show at Paper Tiger on Sunday, Feb. 25. LIE and Soledad will round out the bill.

The St. Mary’s Strip venue makes an ideal place to celebrate the milestone, since it stands in the same spot where Life Cycles played its first show. The band made its debut at the White Rabbit in 2014, just as that club reached the end of its lengthy run.

“That was like the last show ever at the White Rabbit,” said Xavier Rios, the band’s drummer and co-founder. “And it was our first set.”

Rios and vocalist Jeremy Cuervas were just 18 when they performed that show, but the pair had known each other since fourth grade. They’d been involved together in SA’s music scene for nearly as long.

Rios cut his teeth drumming in a cover band playing Slayer, Metallica and System of a Down songs. After he moved on to other musical projects in high school, Cuervas began tagging along to shows to sell merch and show support.

Cuervas had his chance to deepen his involvement when Rios and a guitar player began writing music for the band that would become Life Cycles.

Their first choice to sing for the band chickened out.

“It was weird. Like, he just was scared to do vocals,” Rios recalled. “So, [Cuervas] was like, ‘Well, fuck it, I’ll do it.”

Turns out Cuervas didn’t just bring his gravelly, sepulchral vocals to the party. He also gave the band its name — a moniker he’d had going through

Courtesy Photo / Life Cycles

his head long before the group even came together.

Solid lineup While Life Cycles’ first few years were disjointed and chaotic, the band — which also includes Chris Buckner and Luis Lopez Jr. on guitars and Christopher Sanchez on bass — has since settled into a lineup that’s remained solid for the past six years.

That kind of stability breeds camaraderie, according to Rios.

“A lot of people tell us it’s crazy that y’all are all friends,” he said. “You know, we’re just, we’re all homies — no, more brothers.”

A solidified lineup also helped the band relentlessly work the Texas touring circuit, opening for acts including Upon a Burning Body, Brujeria and Knocked Loose.

That involvement in the Lone Star

State metal community even led it to its current deal with 1126 Records. An introduction to the label’s boss came courtesy of friends in a Dallas-based band already releasing recordings through 1126.

Conveniently, Life Cycles was working on new songs at the time, which made the timing perfect for dropping a new EP, Rios said.

The new release sticks with the band’s aggressive formula, combining uptempo metallic riffs with the blistering energy of hardcore. The band’s inspiration by worthy forbears including Slayer, Testament, Pantera, King Diamond and Sepultura shows in its breakneck approach.

Portal to the UnCourtesy Image / Life Cycles known spotlights the members of Life Cycles’ personal struggles and frames them in an us-against-theworld mindset. The band has already dropped two singles, ”Serpent’s Kiss” and “Death from Above,” in anticipa-

tion of the EP’s official release.

Repping the ’hood Life Cycles self-released its three prior EPs via Bandcamp and Apple Music. But since signing to the new label, the band has set its sights higher, according to Rios, who said he hopes it can land on festivals and begin tackling nationwide tours.

While Life Cycles is looking for a wider audience, its members said they remain dedicated to representing Southeast San Antonio, where the group came together.

“People always look at us, and they don’t think we’re in a metal band because, for the most part, we don’t look like rocker fools,” Rios said. “We just kind of look like, you know, dudes from the Southeast side of town.”

Life Cycles embraces that origin story, incorporating it directly into the band’s tagline on social media, music platforms and merch. It’s Southeast Side metal, and it always will be.

“We just try to really push that,” Rios said. “It’s just a thing. We’ve always been proud to be from this side of town.” $10-$15, 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com.

sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

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

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FEBRUARY 22-24

FEBRUARY 29

MARCH 1-3

FEBRUARY 7-9

MARCH 14-16

Francisco Ramos

Dan Soder

Corey Holcomb

Troy Bond

Rene Vaca

CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

critics’ picks Wednesday, Feb. 21

Sunny Ozuna San Antonio living legend Sunny Ozuna’s band Sunny and the Sunliners captured some of the best moments of the city’s famed West Side Sound. This intimate performance at the beloved Mariachi Bar is paired with a special three-course chef menu, making for a Puro SA date night. $58-$106, 9:30 p.m., Mariachi Bar, 218 Produce Row, (210) 225-1262, lafamiliacortez.com/events-news. — Bill Baird

Thursday, Feb. 22 Santiago Jimenez Jr. Santiago Jimenez Jr. is a San Antonio treasure carrying on the tradition of his legendary father, one of conjunto’s modern architects. Though he stays true to conjunto’s roots and his father’s legacy by eschewing drums and keyboards, Jimenez isn’t a just a relic of a bygone era. Aside from his virtuosic mastery of the accordion, he’s a natural-born hellraiser — witty, crackling with life and taking shit from nobody. $20, 8 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com. — BB

Thursday, Feb. 22

as Juggalos, will descend on San Antonio for a two-day event sure to please ICP fans and intrigue those curious about getting a firsthand look at a dedicated but often maligned subculture. Like the Deadheads of yore, only with a lot more piercings, the Juggalo community is tight-knit and perhaps better known at this point than ICP’s grinding rap-metal. $125 per day or $200 for both days, 3 p.m., Boeing Center at Tech Port, 3331 General Hudnell Drive, boeingcentertechport.com. — BB

Saturday, Feb. 24 Winter Vibes Live The inaugural installation of this homegrown music festival will take over multiple venues at St. Paul Square and include 34 Alamo City acts including Lonely Horse, Buttercup, Mitch Webb and the Swindles, HoneyBunny, Eddie & The Valiants and more. DJ sets, artisan vendors and food trucks are also on the menu. The high-end tickets include access to a VIP lounge with an exclusive drink menu and curated food options, accordomh to organizers. $30-$100, 5 p.m., St. Paul Square, 1170 E. Commerce St., facebook. com/events/382350221042364. — Sanford Nowlin

Sunday, Feb. 25

Philip Phillips Singer-songwriter Philip Phillips doesn’t get the acclaim of his fellow American Idol winners, but he’s still managed to carve out a solid career after his TV fame. Phillips’ hit “Home” became the best-selling song in the history of the show and anchored his debut album The World from the Side of the Moon in 2012. He visits San Antonio touring behind his first independent release Drift Back, an album that came together at the intersection of the birth of his son and a global pandemic. $35.25-$99.10, 8 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — DC

Emily Rose and the Rounders, Nicky Diamonds Los Angeles-based country act Emily Rose and the Rounders has opened for artists as diverse as alt-rock trailblazers Dinosaur Jr. and rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson. The Rounders’ 2022 self-titled album is a slow waltz through themes of grief, love and yearning — a project pushed to the finish line after the tragic passing of their drummer. San Antonio solo artist Nicky Diamonds opens. $10, 9 p.m., The Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 455-0233, thelonesomerose.com. — Dalia Gulca

Friday, Feb. 23

Monday, Feb. 26

Godsmack Almost 30 years since its formation, Godsmack continues to deliver its brand of post-grunge rock to legions of fans. The group’s Vibez tour promises “an intimate evening of acoustic/ electric performances and untold stories” from frontman Sully Erna and crew. Erna suggested the 2023 release Lighting Up The Sky may be the band’s last, so this show may be the end of an era. $49.50-$319.50, 8 p.m., Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., (210) 226-3333, majesticempire.com. — DC

Noname Rapper, poet and activist Noname released one of 2023’s most anticipated albums, Sundial.

Featured on plenty of year-end best-albums lists, the work touches on hefty topics including imperialism, capitalism, critical race theory and colonialism. Noname creates provocations as deftly as she handles contradictions, situating herself in the same indictments she aims at bigger rappers and singers for playing at the Super Bowl while she’s been on stage at Coachella. Her work is refreshingly self-reflective as she lyrically tackles society’s larger ills. $30, 8:30 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — DG

Friday, Feb. 23 Saturday, Feb. 24 Juggalo Weekend Insane Clown Posse’s devoted fanbase, knows

Santiago Jimenez Jr.

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Jim Mendiola

Rosie Flores San Antonio native Rosie Flores is a cowpunk icon, deftly combining the energy of punk rock with roots appeal. A certified guitar shredder capable of jumping between rockabilly, traditional country and modern Americana, Flores has done it all over her decades in music and lived to tell the tale. For this show, she’s returning to her birth city to share the magic. $18, 8 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall. com. — BB

Thursday, Feb. 29 Large Brush Collection, Ston the Band, Eamon Fogarty Austin band Large Brush Collection paints compelling, intricate indie-rock with songs that cycle in your head long after a listen, while San Antonio’s Ston the Band melds its take on the genre with a beguiling, post-modern take on country music. For his part, Brooklyn-to-Austin transplant Eamon Fogarty croons well-crafted lyrical rock with an intriguing side-hustle of doing music for puppet shows and film soundtracks. Free, 8 p.m., Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., thelonesomerose.com. — BB

Thursday, Feb. 29 Ariel Pink, Period Bomb Chillwave pioneer Ariel Pink made his name by forging a funky but eerie brand of lo-fi psychedelic pop. More recently, his dive into right-wing conspiracy theories such as the false claims of ballot tampering during the 2020 election led to him being dropped from

his record label, Mexican Summer. Pink has soldiered on just the same, dropping the single “I WANNA BE A GIRL” after a series of releases via Substack. $29-$35, 8 p.m., The Rock Box, 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 772-1443, therockboxsa.com. — DC

Friday, March 1 Voxtrot, Jane Leo Austin indie-pop outfit Voxtrot began attracting attention with the jangly 2004 single “The Start of Something.” From there, it began spawning comparisons to The Smiths and The Strokes, but the good times ended in 2010 with the band’s Goodbye, Cruel World tour. Last fall, the reunited Voxtrot released a duo of new singles, the group’s first new music in 14 years. $20, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — DC

Tuesday, March 5 Blue Note Records Anniversary Tour Blue Note Records is the pinnacle of jazz, America’s great musical art form. Over the decades, its releases include monumental works by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman and other luminaries. This 85th anniversary show features a quintet of Blue Note recording artists — pianist Gerald Clayton, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, drummer Kendrick Scott and bassist Matt Brewer — revisiting classics from the label’s groundbreaking catalog. $30-$88, 7:30 p.m., Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, 226 N. St. Mary’s St., majesticempire.com. — BB

sacurrent.com | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | CURRENT

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7325 N LOOP 1604 W STE 101 • 210.988.3720 | 19422 U.S. HIGHWAY 281 N. STE 105 • 210.251.4058

30th Annual

People's Law School In-Person

Saturday, March 23, 2024 | 9 AM - 1 PM St. Mary’s University School of Law | Law Classrooms Building Enter from N.W. 36th Street Entrance Qualified local attorneys will share their experience in a series of classes. Each topic is presented in a 50-minute track, enabling everyone to attend four different sessions.

Room B (#102)

FREE to the public For more information, scan the QR code below or visit salawhelp.org/2024pls

Scan me!

46

CURRENT | February 21 – March 5, 2024 | sacurrent.com

9 AM

Room A (#105)

Room C (#104)

Wills & Powers of Attorney Steven Medina, Attorney at Law

10 AM

Labor, Employment & Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Trey Cammack, Harper Law Firm

Landlord/Tenant Rights & Obligations Professor Greg Zlotnick, St. Mary’s University School of Law

11 AM

Divorce, Protective Orders & CPS Cases Jacqueline Davis, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. Cindy Dyar, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc.

Constitutional/Criminal Law Rights Professor Stephanie Stevens, St. Mary’s University School of Law

12 PM

Room A (#105)

Guardianships & Trusts Dominic Negron, Law Offices of Dominic J. Negron, PLLC

E M P LOY M E N T 365 Retail Markets, LLC seeks a Software Development Manager in San Antonio, TX. Qualified applicants must have a Bachelor’s Degree and 3 years of experience.

Qualified applicants email resumes to jenny.huong@365smartshop.com IT Audit Manager Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union. Live Oak, TX 78233 Perform complex information technology (IT) engagements using a consultative approach designed to add value & improve the credit union’s operations using Windows AD, UNIX/AIX/Linux, Firewalls, Network Security, Oracle/SQL Databases. Assess IT risk exposure & recommend enhancements to IT biz systms, processes & controls to facilitate compliance w/all applicable internal policies & procedures, insurance & vendor agreements, state & fed regs, safety & soundness considerations, as well improve effectiveness of risk mgmt, control, & governance processes (NISTS, ISO, COBIT, COSO, FFIEC, NCUA). Manage IT audit operations through development & execution of annual IT audit plan w/focus on most significant risks in audit universe to incl achieving scope, timing & objectives of each audit engagement & facilitation of IT audits/projs completed by external parties in support of executing the IT audit plan. Provide guidance on performance of complex IT audit & IT consulting engagements ensuring conduct in-line w/IIA standards. Maint awareness of significant changes across the org & perform ongoing risk assessments to determine scope of IT audits; dvlp relev audit procedures designed to test the effectiveness & efficiency of key controls in mitigating IT risks. Supervise audit staff. Actively seek discussions w/IT mgmt to conduct fact finding interviews for identifying control weaknesses & oppty’s for improvement in current operating environment. Prep final audit reports to accurately summarize most significant risks impacting org w/use of consistent language & format designed to influence recommended changes. Conduct follow-up activities for all identified findings to ensure risks are mitigated to an acceptable level based on org’s risk appetite. Identify & implement new ways of approaching engagements to add value & create efficiencies as well as overall efficacy. Take active lead in employing audit staff development. 40 hr/wk. Reqs Bach’s in IT, Biz or Accntng & 5 yrs exp in IT auditing or in the alternative, Mstr’s in IT or Comp Systms & 2 yrs exp in IT auditing. Apply at: https://rbfcu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/RBFCUCareers

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