San Antonio Current - September 2, 2026

NEWCOMERS GUIDE | WHY SA HAS A BUDGET DEFICIT | PRAISING SATAN WITH TWIN TEMPLE | SEPTEMBER 2 - 15, 2026

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CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

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September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

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Publisher Michael Wagner Editor in Chief Sanford Nowlin General Manager Chelsea Bourque Editorial Digital Content Editor Stephanie Koithan Contributing Arts Editor Bryan Rindfuss Staff Writer Michael Karlis

in this issue Issue 26-18/// September 2 - 15, 2026

pushes through health setbacks to make faith-based drama Anxious Mark

Contributors Abe Asher, Bill Baird, Ron Bechtol, Danny Cervantes, Amber Esparza, Brianna Espinoza, Anjali Gupta, Colin Houston, Kiko Martinez, Mike McMahan, Kevin Sanchez, M. Solis, Dean Zach

29Food

Advertising Account Manager Parker McCoy Social Media & Marketing Coordinator Jehanna Pena

Elevated Expectations At Aleteo, the view is spectacular, but the Yucatán is harder to find

Creative Services Lead Graphic Designer Ana Paula Gutierrez Events and Marketing Events Director Chelsea Bourque

35Music

Chava Communications Group Founder, Chief Executive Officer Michael Wagner Co-Founder, Chief Marketing Officer Cassandra Yardeni Vice President of Operations Hollie Mahadeo Digital Operations Coordinator Jaime Monzon Revenue Operations Manager Rachel Gold Project Manager Megan Nally

Unholy Rollers

Ahead of its San Antonio gig, Twin Temple finds common ground between Satan, Danzig and Bing Crosby

chavagroup.com National Advertising: Voice Media Group 1-888-278-9866, vmgadvertising.com San Antonio Current sacurrent.com Editorial: editor@sacurrent.com Display Advertising: marketing@sacurrent.com The San Antonio Current is published by Chava Communications Group San Antonio Distribution The Current is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader.

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Doc_3 (2)

31 Still Swinging

How pianist ‘Doc’ Watkins turned his basement bar Jazz, TX into an unlikely hit

07 News

The Opener News in Brief

Going for Broke

TV Eye

Dining Discounts

Where to find 10 of San Antonio’s best restaurant specials

Labor Pains

Check out these San Antonio venues to fully enjoy the city’s music scene

19Arts

Comedy’s Sharpest Road Warrior

Kathleen Madigan brings her jokes and Tex-Mex cravings to San Antonio for Empire Theatre show 4

CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

Here’s where to take in San Antonio’s amazing visual art scene

There are more than 10,000 Flock cameras in Texas. Gina Hinojosa blames Gov. Greg Abbott.

Our picks of things to do powerful

Auditor’s Certification:

Scott Aukerman brings Comedy Bang! Bang! live show to Aztec Theatre for night of absurdist humor

Where to Get an Eyeful

14 Calendar Circulation Verification Council 12166 Old Big Bend Road, Suite 210 St. Louis, MO 63122 www.cvcaudit.com

Laughing Before Dying

While some blame San Antonio’s budget deficit on careless spending, experts say it’s more complicated​

Texas restaurants struggle to find workers amid Trump deportation crackdown

Approved auditor info as required for public notices per section 50.011(1)(e), F.S.

Critics’ Picks

NEWCOMERS GUIDE | WHY SA HAS A BUDGET DEFICIT | PRAISING SATAN WITH TWIN TEMPLE | SEPTEMBER 2 - 15, 2026

Music for Your Ears

10 Must-Try San Antonio Dining Experiences

Here’s how newcomers can eat their way through an overview of our city’s diverse food scene

27Screens

A Role Worth Fighting For

San Antonio comic Cleto Rodriguez

O

n the Cover: Pianist Brent “Doc” Watkins’ Jazz, TX club celebrated 10 years in business as he expands the concept into other cities. Cover design: Ana Paula Gutierrez.

sacurrent.com | September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

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About the size of your truck.

Don’t risk your life driving through floodwaters.

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CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

The labor shortage faced by Texas restaurants is worsening in the wake of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. A new report from the Texas Restaurant Association found that more than a third of restaurants surveyed across the state said they had lost workers this year due to increased immigration enforcement, while more than half said they don’t have enough workers to be most successful. Immigrants make up nearly a quarter of Texas’ restaurant workforce.

A San Antonio federal judge last Friday temporarily halted the construction of border barriers in Big Bend National Park. U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia stopped construction until Sept. 15, an order that could be extended depending on the federal government’s plans for the park. Contractors have received $1.7 billion for construction work in the park, which has been condemned by Texas lawmakers on both sides of the partisan divide.

Wondered what happened to the additional $1 Texans have paid for auto insurance since 2023? A chunk of the state-imposed fee has gone to fund the expansion of the Flock surveillance network. A state agency called the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority has devoted at least $30 million of the funds to install at least 3,200 of the controversial cameras across the state.

A 9-year-old San Antonio girl and her father were released from the South Texas Immigrant Processing Center in Dilley last week following a meeting with U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro. During their meeting, Castro presented the girl, Katherine Bracho, with a box of letters from her classmates at Northside ISD’s Bonnie Ellison Elementary School. Castro said ICE agents apprehended the girl’s father, then “forced him to lure his daughter out so they could take her too.” — Abe Asher

YOU SAID IT!

“The reason property taxes keep going up is that the state continues to shrink its share of public school funding. If it were an equal partner with our local school districts, we wouldn’t see our property taxes going up.”

—Texas Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, who’s running for the state’s lieutenant governorship

ASSCLOWN ALERT

Calling out James Talarico as a ‘backdoor to Al Qaeda’ with Texas pastor Lance Wallnau Assclown Alert is a column of opinion, analysis and snark.

If Christian nationalist preacher Lance Wallnau ever tires of pretending Donald Trump is carrying out God’s personal to-do list, there’s always work waiting for him at an IMAX. Because nobody projects quite like this guy.

During a recent appearance on the pro-Trump religious TV program FlashPoint first reported on by the Right Wing Watch blog, the Dallas-area preacher unloaded on Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico, calling the Presbyterian seminarian the “very best of the idiotic cocktail the left tries to put together to reach Christian America.”

Wallnau alleged Talarico is “being groomed” by mysterious left-wing “labs” and inexplicably accused the Austin-area state rep of representing a “progressive Antifa link” that provides “a back door to Al Qaeda” through the Democratic Party.

We’re guessing the Illuminati, lizard people and the Great Pumpkin are also somehow involved.

What apparently sent Wallnau’s MAGA Underoos into maximum bunch was Talarico comparing Christian nationalism to other forms of religious extremism.

And that’s rich coming from Wallnau.

After all, this is the schmuck who’s spent years promoting the Seven Mountains Mandate, which urges conservative Christians to gain control over government, education, media, business and other institutions. Wallnau’s own website describes the mission as transforming the “latent potential” of Christianity into “actual power.”

A Silicon Valley company is set to build a $200 million manufacturing facility at the Brooks development that’s expected to bring 3,000 jobs.

Industrial Electric Manufacturing will use the million square-foot plant to produce power-supply gear for data centers, the healthcare industry and more. If the plant meets its employment targets, the facility would be the biggest single economic development in the San Antonio area since Toyota built a plant here in 2003.

A federal judge last week ruled that the majority of the claims made by ex-Alamo Trust CEO Kate Rogers in her lawsuit against Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham can proceed. Rogers sued the two Republican elected

news

That Rocks/That Sucks

Screen Capture / Right WIng Watch

Sounds a little more ambitious than a Wednesday-night Bible study.

Wallnau’s also helped sell evangelicals on Trump by portraying the thrice-married reality-TV star as a modern-day King Cyrus chosen by God. And when political events don’t go Trump’s way, the pastor has a history of blaming supernatural forces. For example, he attributed both the success of the 2017 Women’s March and Kamala Harris’ forceful 2024 debate performance against Trump to witchcraft. Ooh, spooky.

In other words, the guy warning that Talarico is part of a sinister ideological plot to infiltrate American Christianity is himself a prominent advocate of a movement seeking Christian control over American institutions.

Maybe that explains the panic.

When Wallnau looks at Talarico, he apparently sees a calculating religious partisan using faith to advance an extreme political agenda and remake America according to his ideology.

The reality is this assclown is looking in a mirror.

— Sanford Nowlin

officials last fall, alleging they violated her free speech rights by removing her from her position at the trust. Rogers resigned last October after Patrick publicly criticized her dissertation’s focus on the importance of Indigenous people in the Alamo’s history.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare last week said he will take evidence collected in ICE’s fatal shooting of Houston resident Lorenzo Salgado Araujo to a grand jury in the coming weeks.

Teare said federal officials have thus far declined to provide his office with any details about the death of Araujo, who was killed on July 7, and that he may sue the Department of Homeland Security for information as well. — Abe Asher

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CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

news Going for Broke

While some blame San Antonio’s budget deficit on careless spending, experts say it’s more complicated​

BY MICHAEL KARLIS

W

hether it’s drama on the dais at City Hall, heated online debates or heckling at council members’ town halls, they all point to rising tensions over San Antonio’s pending $158 million budget deficit.

Earlier this month, City Council narrowly rejected a proposal from Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones to put the city’s $489 million contribution toward a new Spurs arena on the November ballot — a move proponents said makes sense as residents face rising financial uncertainty.

“You feel the anxiety,” Jones told the Current during a recent sit-down interview. “There is anxiety in the community not only with the city’s financial situation, but ‘How did we get here?

What are you spending our money on?

Oh, and by the way, you better answer our questions.’”

Although some on council argue the city’s budget deficit comes down to unchecked spending, other experts point to rapidly rising health care and pension costs, along with the expense of servicing debt.

What went wrong?

One explanation is that San Antonio’s past leadership was way too eager to write big checks. And, if that’s the case, so were leaders at other big Texas cities.

Virtually every other major Lone Star State city — Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and Houston — also faces a budget deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year. San Antonio’s is the second-worst, trailing only Houston, records show.

To some, the data suggests Texas cities have been spending like teenagers with their parents’ credit cards.

The total operating budgets of all five of those cities have grown by an average of 78% over the past decade, according to a report published this month by right-leaning news org The Texan.

During that same time, though, the price of goods nationally has grown only about 40%, while the total population of

these cities has grown by around 8%, the publication states, citing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau.

City Manager Erik Walsh blames stagnant revenue from both property and sales taxes for San Antonio’s budget deficit. However, former District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo, who served on the dais from 2021-2023, calls bullshit on that explanation. ​ According to a TikTok Bravo posted last week about San Antonio’s budget deficit, San Antonio’s population has grown by about 8% since 2016 while inflation climbed by 42% over that period.

Bravo said the budget should only have grown by 50% during that time. Instead, it jumped by 76%.

“This is just not economically sustainable,” Bravo said in the clip. “You can’t raise your city budget year after year at a rate that exceeds your population growth and inflation combined. Are there other factors that are affecting the budget? Absolutely. But, I think this is the biggest factor, and I’m surprised not to hear this being discussed publicly.”

Current District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte agrees.

“We do not have a revenue problem here in the city; we have a spending problem,” Whyte told the Current during a sit-down interview over the summer.

“I’ve been through three budget cycles now, and it’s very clear to me that if we could get more efficient in how we spend our citizens’ tax dollars, we could fix more of our citizens’ problems.”

However, experts remain skeptical that the solution is just more sensible spending.

Health care expenses UT-San Antonio political science professor Jon Taylor argues the end of the Biden-era COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act plays a big part in cities’ current struggles to balance their budgets.

“It’s definitely that COVID relief funds have run out, and cities probably

should have been planning for that in advance,” Taylor said. “Many of them did not do that.”

Beyond that, population growth has driven up the cost of providing city services, according to the professor. And that’s come as cities have grappled with inflation and a litany of federal cuts to grant and aid programs.

Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political scientist, agrees that COVID-19 relief funds were propping up many Texas cities’ budgets. However, he argues exploding health care costs and pensions for city employees, along with the cost of servicing debt, are likely the biggest factors behind the budget deficits of San Antonio and other Texas cities.

“Inflation has been increasing, so everything’s more expensive,” Rottinghaus said. “That, in particular, includes things like staff salaries, which are exploding, and health care costs are really high too.

So, there’s a kind of natural increase of what things cost as a driver for this.”

The City of San Antonio exceeded its employee health care budget by $40 million.

That comes as the city this summer reached a tentative agreement on a three-year labor agreement with its police union that includes a 16.5% base pay increase for officers as well as generous health care benefits, including near-zero monthly premiums for their health plans.

What’s more, cumulative health care costs have surged by roughly 76% over the past decade — more than double the rate of general inflation — according to a 2026 survey conducted by the Business Group on Health.

Debt load Sheryl Sculley, who served as San Antonio city manager from 2005 to 2019, repeatedly warned that overly generous collective bargaining agreements with the city’s police and fire unions, particularly their health benefits, would bankrupt San Antonio by the 2030s. Indeed,

Screen Capture / Right WIng Watch

she spelled out that concern in her memoir, Greedy Bastards: One City’s Texas-Size Struggle to Avoid a Financial Crisis.

Sculley tried to curb the power and influence of both unions during her tenure and received enormous pushback.

In response, the fire union organized a three-pronged public referendum that successfully restricted her power and limited pay for future city managers.

“I warned the council [that] this is going to be very difficult, but it’s something we need to do, or it will bankrupt the city,” Sculley told KSAT-TV in a 2018 interview. “Not during my tenure, but I felt like that was the financial legacy I couldn’t ignore.”

An independent study conducted before the city entered into its most recent contract negotiations with the police union ranked the San Antonio Police Department among the top three in Texas in total compensation, including salary, health care and pension.

Beyond that, San Antonio’s municipal debt hit $21.2 billion in fiscal year 2024 — the highest per capita debt load among Texas cities. Although city officials frequently boasts about San Antonio’s AAA bond rating, the city still pays interest on its outstanding debt.

Just last week, the City of San Antonio refinanced $534.6 million in debt through a bond buyback program. Although the buyback saved taxpayers $5.8 million in interest costs, the city still must pay interest on the refinanced debt at a rate of 3.1% to 3.27%, according to city officials.

“A significant chunk of city revenue is spent on the service of the debt,” Rottinghaus said.

Council is set to vote on the upcoming budget on Sept. 17. sacurrent.com | September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

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NOTICE OF PROPOSED ACTION ON APPLICATION FOR CONVERSION OF BASE IRRIGATION GROUNDWATER TO UNRESTRICTED IRRIGATION GROUNDWATER The General Manager of the Edwards Aquifer Authority (“EAA”) proposes to grant applications to convert Base Irrigation Groundwater to Unrestricted Irrigation Groundwater under § 711.342(c) of the EAA’s Rules. A copy of the applications, the technical summaries, the General Manager’s proposed actions, and the proposed amended regular permits are available for public inspection at the EAA’s offices at 900 E. Quincy Street, San Antonio, Texas Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Electronic copies may also be obtained by request to Jennifer Wong-Esparza at jesparza@edwardsaquifer.org or (210) 222-2204.

The General Manager proposes to approve the following applications to convert Base Irrigation Groundwater to Unrestricted Irrigation Groundwater under § 711.342(c) of the EAA’s Rules: Continental Homes of Texas, L.P. – Filed application on June 18, 2026. The application seeks to convert 92.200 acre-feet of Base Irrigation Groundwater to Unrestricted Irrigation Groundwater based on the development of the Historically Irrigated Land (HIL).

Meritage Homes of Texas, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company – Filed application on July 30, 2026.

The application seeks to convert 37.660 acre-feet of Base Irrigation Groundwater to Unrestricted Irrigation Groundwater based on the development of the Historically Irrigated Land (HIL).

The applicants or any other Edwards Aquifer permit holder may file a written request for a contested case hearing on the proposed action with the EAA by no later than Monday October 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. in accordance with § 707.603 of the EAA’s Rules. The EAA’s Board of Directors will consider approval of the applications and issuance of the proposed amended regular permits within 60 days of publication of this notice unless a request for contested case hearing is timely filed. If no timely requests for contested case hearing are filed, the applications will be presented to the EAA’s Board on the date of the hearing for final action.

This notice is issued pursuant to § 707.525 of the EAA’s Rules.

ISSUED THIS 2nd DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 10

CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

news

TV Eye

Wikimedia Commons / Tony Webster

There are more than 10,000 Flock cameras in Texas.

Gina Hinojosa blames Gov. Greg Abbott.

BY STEPHANIE KOITHAN

D

emocratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa has released a new attack ad accusing her opponent, Re-

publican Gov. Greg Abbott, of robbing Texans of their freedom by opening the door to mass surveillance through a major contract with Flock Safety.

“Greg Abbott wants you to believe Texas is the ‘freedom capital of America,’” Hinojosa said via email. “But here’s the reality. Under his watch, there are now 10,000 Flock cameras across Texas — reading your license plate, logging where you sleep, where you pray, and where you go. All without a warrant.”

That number actually could be as high as 13,000, according to a report in the Texas Tribune.

“A few years ago, Republican electeds were opposed to mass surveillance. Now? They’re embracing it,” said Hinojosa’s email promoting the ad, titled “Welcome to Texas.”

Last year, Abbott handed Flock a largely state-subsidized $26 million contract to operate in Texas. The proliferation of the surveillance company’s automatic license plate readers in the state has prompted bipartisan concerns over their invasion of privacy.

“Abbott has turned Texas into a surveillance state — and he’s using our tax dollars to do it,” Hinojosa’s email continued.

The privacy concerns around Flock cameras have been exacerbated by reports of law enforcement abuse.

In 2025, a Johnson County sheriff’s

deputy used the nationwide network of more than 83,000 Flock cameras without a warrant to track a woman suspected of attempting to get an abortion.

Earlier this month, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office admitted three of its deputies had been blocked from using Flock cameras while it investigates possible misuse.

As a result of the growing backlash, a number of Texas counties and cities have cut ties with the company and its cameras.

Guadalupe and Hood counties have formally ended their contracts with Flock. Cities including Bandera, Lago Vista and Magnolia dropped Flock this summer. Austin and San Marcos have also banned the cameras. Other municipalities such as Conroe and League City are floating the idea.

Locally, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has installed 35 Flock cameras throughout the county, according to the Express-News. Bexar County’s contract with Flock began in May 2025, and its equipment was installed by November.

The San Antonio Police Department has a contract with a different automatic license plate reader vendor, Axon.

Labor Pains

Texas restaurants struggle to find workers amid Trump deportation crackdown

BY SANFORD NOWLIN

T

exas restaurants are the latest businesses to warn that the Trump administration’s mass-deportation crackdown is cutting into the bottom line.

A new economic report by the Texas Restaurant Association found that 36% of restaurants surveyed statewide said they lost employees this year due to increased immigration enforcement. Another 28% said they experienced a drop in job applicants.

Those warnings come as fewer than half of Texas restaurants said they have the workforce they need to be successful.

“We can’t get the labor to run our restaurants,” Texas Restaurant Association CEO Emily Williams told Houston TV station KHOU. “It’s leading to the loss of businesses across the state.”

Beyond the trouble keeping and

recruiting workers, 28% of the surveyed businesses said they have experienced a decline in traffic because some customers are afraid to go out in public.

“People are afraid to go out, afraid to work, and they’re not spending money,” Williams also told the station.

TRA has urged the White House and Congress to grant work permits to longtime immigrant workers. Other top food-industry organizations, including the National Restaurant Association and the James Beard Foundation, have made similar requests.

Immigrants make up 22% of Texas’ restaurant workforce, according to TRA, which notes that the figure doesn’t include undocumented people, whose employment status is harder to track.

Williams told KHOU the worker shortage isn’t just hurting restaurants

Wikimedia Commons / Infrogmation

but also harming related industries such as hotels, meatpacking and agriculture.

Despite the Trump administration’s repeated claims that U.S.-born workers will step up to fill the positions, Williams

said that’s not happening.

“No, we have not seen a major resurgence of U.S.-born workers taking these jobs — especially in agriculture,” she said. sacurrent.com | September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

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BUY LOCAL SAVINGS PASS

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SPECIAL EVEN T

SAN JAPAN

calendar

THU | 09.03 - SUN | 09.06

San Antonio’s annual celebration of anime, gaming and Japanese pop culture is returning for another sprawling Labor Day weekend takeover.

San Japan will pack parts of the Henry B. González Convention Center plus neighboring venues with cosplay, gaming tournaments, panels, an idol festival, J-fashion events, late-night electronic dance parties, 24-hour tabletop gaming and enough vendors and artists to put serious strain on attendees’ wallets. Highlights include Saturday night’s massive Cosplay Show, J-Pop and K-Pop performances, an anime-themed car show and seemingly endless opportunities to geek out with fellow fans who flock to the event from across the state — and sometimes from even further afield. $38.34 and up, including multi-day passes and various add-ons, 8-10:30 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, multiple locations, san-japan.org. — Sanford Jaime Monzon

THU | 09.03 - THU | 10.10 VISUAL ART

“ANTITHESIS IN CONTEMPORARY COLLAGE”

Nowlin

Collage, bricolage, assemblage — media that skew perspective, create surreal objects and environments, and generally mess with your head — feel like the visual equivalent of automatic writing made manifest. In actuality, however, they are highly refined and deliberate constructs intended to corrupt one’s visual acuity by disrupting the field of view and traditional paths of visual association. UTSA’s “Antithesis in Contemporary Collage” exhibition presents 16 local, regional and national artists working in these creative arenas. Grappling with notions as antithetical as nostalgia and destruction, this group exhibition falls under the category of brain food. Free, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. daily, UTSA Main Art Gallery, 1 UTSA Circle, (210) 458-4352, colfa.utsa.edu. — Anjali Gupta

Courtesy Image / UTSA

calendar WED | 09.09 SPECIAL EVEN T

THE CADDO NATION: ARCHAEOLOGICAL & ETHNOHISTORIC PERSPECTIVES

The Hill Country Archeological Association (HCAA) is a group of avocational and professional archaeologists who preserve and study the Texas Hill Country’s prehistoric and historical heritage.

This season’s book club meeting will discuss The Caddo Nation: Archaeological & Ethnohistoric Perspectives by Timothy K. Perttula. The Caddo Nation was a massive Indigenous confederacy of agriculturalists that once stretched through Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Deeply connected to the earth, this society created uniquely large, flat earthen mounds upon which they built their domestic structures. The author has dedicated his life to the preservation of this society and currently serves as consulting archaeologist for the Caddo Nation. Free, 1:30 p.m., Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library, 505 Water St., Kerrville, (830) 257-8422, buttholdsworth.librarycalendar.com. — AG

Courtesy Image / Marcy McChesney

SAT | 09.12 VISUAL ART

MARCY MCCHESNEY: “THE END OF EVERYTHING, THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING ELSE” San Antonio native Marcy McChesney, who has been exhibiting paintings and collages internationally for more than 25 years, is presenting an evolved and refined body of work in her solo exhibition “The End of Everything, The Beginning of Something Else.” Focused on the cyclicality of life — the never-ending circle of creation and destruction that inevitably colors a person’s worldview — McChesney rides her chosen medium to the fullest effect. This is a do-not-miss for visual art fans, especially those who have been following McChesney’s career path for a quarter of a century. Free, 7-10 p.m., Enzminger Studio, 1906 S. Flores St., (646) 912-4165, annenzminger.com. — AG

Coutresy Image / University of Texas Press

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calendar SAT | 09.12 - SUN | 09.13 SPECIAL EVEN T

ESPERANZA SERIES

In an era where screens seem to have all but replaced face-to-face interaction, the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center continues to cultivate personal connections and real-life experiences, foster community pride and encourage the exchange of intergenerational knowledge. The center’s Esperanza Series is designed to do all of the above, combating the isolation that defines the information age. This two-day series across two iconic venues includes an array of music, visual art and talks featuring singer-songwriter Azul Barrientos, the Agarita Chamber Ensemble, visual artist Mauro de la Tierra and activist Rebecca Flores. Day one takes place at UTSA’s downtown campus, with day two moving to historic venue Lerma’s Nite Club on the near West Side. Free, 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 300 Augusta St. (Saturday) and 1612 N. Zarzamora St. (Sunday), (210) 2280201, esperanza.org. — AG

Public Domain

WED | 09.16 - SUN | 09.27 TH EATRE

I SAW THE LIGHTS

100A Productions’ mainstage season opens with I Saw the Lights, written by and starring Jaston Williams and directed by Chris McGarry (The Sopranos). Inspired by the infamous mass UFO sightings over Lubbock in 1951, this re-envisioned multi-character play explores how different people interpret singular events according to their individual beliefs, predispositions and deeply personal recollections. Williams is joined by a stellar group of local thespians who bring both humor and wonder to the stage for this series of performances. $24.50-$47.50, check website for showtimes, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org. — AG

Courtesy Image / Trish Simonite

sacurrent.com | September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

arts

Comedy’s Sharpest Road Warrior

Kathleen Madigan brings her jokes and Tex-Mex cravings to San Antonio for Empire Theatre show

BY VALERIE LOPEZ

“

I really love San Antonio”, Kathleen Madigan told the Current within a minute of our phone call. “If it wasn’t so, so, so, so, so hot.”

Those of us enduring endless days of 100-plus-degree heat might be suspicious of her restraint to avoid an expletive, but Madigan’s relationship with Texas and San Antonio in particular runs deep. She frequently headlined the long-gone Rivercenter Comedy Club before graduating to theater stages.

Madigan told the Current she considers herself a “history freak” who makes a pilgrimage to the Alamo every visit. On her most recent trip, she found herself stopped cold inside the new visitor center next to a massive portrait of an unexpected donor: Phil Collins.

“Why is a British guy hoarding Alamo stuff?” she asked before falling down a rabbit hole and discovering the Genesis drummer grew up obsessed with Davy Crockett.

That’s the kind of detail that frequently comes up in her long-running podcast, Madigan’s Pubcast, a vehicle that allows her to explore her curiosity for snacks, history, pop culture and the Midwest’s favorite obsession — sports.

Mexican food is the other constant. Madigan, who lives in Nashville, told the Current that good Tex-Mex is nearly impossible to find there. So, a San Antonio stop — followed by one in Austin — on her Flying Cats & Marching Armadillos tour means a queso-filled weekend of eating her way through Central Texas.

Nearly 40 years into stand-up, Kathleen Madigan still tours. A lot. Some years, she’s onstage 250 nights. That kind of schedule requires a work ethic for joke-writing that pairs perfectly with her natural, relaxed delivery.

Longtime fans, affectionately known as “termites,” know she doesn’t need crowd work, forced wackiness or pursuit of an algorithm to succeed. In an industry that’s gotten increasingly bro-ified, watching a woman who’s never lost a step do exactly what she does best feels almost radical.

If you’re curious, Madigan shared with the Current the history of the “termites” nick-

Courtesy Photo / Kathleen Madigan

name tracing back to a running bit with her friend Ron White, whom she calls “Mr. Texas.”

He used to sign off after their hangouts with a gravelly “night, night, termite.” Madigan liked it enough to keep it.

Last December, Madigan’s latest comedy special, The Family Thread (2025), made the New York Times’ list of five specials to get you through the holidays — a fitting nod for a comic whose 2023 special, Hunting Bigfoot, won Interrobang’s Comedy Special of the Year.

Her road to stand-up began with open mics in her native St. Louis, nudged along by her father. She never stopped. Her impressive list of credits includes appearances on Leno, Letterman, Conan and Last Comic Standing along with a stint writing for Garry Shandling’s Emmy-hosting gigs. If you dig deep, she even held down a seat on Hollywood Squares between Ed McMahon and Alf. Madigan’s Last Comic Standing run in the 2000s says a lot about how her peers see her. After reaching Season 2 semifinals, she returned for a best-of Season 3 and held the distinction as the only comic in the show’s history that no other contestant dared challenge to a head-to-head face-off. Nobody wanted to bet they were funnier.

That kind of respect tracks with her approach to the business of being funny. Rather than treat standup as a launchpad to chase Hollywood fame, Madigan has built her career on keeping things simple by writing, touring and recording on repeat.

She’s happy to stay in her own lane because she dominates the lane and fans are happy to ride along.

Another charming quality is what Madigan won’t do: gouge her audience. Madigan keeps her ticket prices reasonably low, so a night out doesn’t turn into a $300 gamble.

“I don’t want it to be a thought, really,” she told the Current. “Just sort of like, OK, we’ll do it.”

Will you see flying cats or marching armadillos at Madigan’s show? Maybe not, but you’ll see a comic 40 years into a road-tested career who writes relatable and laser-sharp observational comedy.

“I view my act like that movie Arthur. You don’t really remember everything, but you just forgot about everything for an hour and a half and laughed,” she said. $37-$167, 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, 226 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 226-5700, www.empiretheater.com.

Find more arts coverage every day at sacurrent.com

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CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

arts

Laughing Before Dying

Scott Aukerman brings Comedy Bang! Bang! live show to Aztec Theatre for night of absurdist humor

BY KIKO MARTINEZ

W

hen Scott Aukerman launched the live radio show and podcast in 2009 that later became Comedy Bang!

Bang!, he was still searching for his place in the industry.

Aukerman had already been a performer in the 1990s alternative comedy scene and as a writer and actor for Mr. Show, but he spent much of the 2000s wondering what came next.

“I was trying to figure out, ‘Am I a movie writer? Am I a TV writer? Can I be on a TV show?’” Aukerman, 56, told the Current during a recent interview. “When Comedy Bang! Bang! came around, it locked into place.

It was like, ‘Oh, here’s something I’m good at — finally.”

The 17-year journey as a podcast host has led him to the Comedy Bang! Bang! Ground Beefing Tour, a live, touring version of the Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast.

On Thursday, Sept. 10, Aukerman, joined by longtime guest Paul F. Tompkins and other comedians, will bring his brand of improvised humor to the Aztec Theatre for a night of absurdity and laughs.

During our interview, which happened a couple of days after the deaths of octogenarians Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, Aukerman talked about the need for more silliness in our lives, the miracle of making an unscripted live show work and the possibility of dropping dead on stage in San Antonio.

Comedy Bang! Bang! has evolved over the years.

Why do you think the live-show tour format works so well?

That’s such a big question. I think it boils down to people really needing to see people being silly and having a good time — or hear it, or watch it, or using any of their five senses, or six senses, if you ask some people. I just think being silly is something we don’t see enough of these days. So, I think the format works really well because it’s me speaking to some of the best comedians around, who improvise silly characters. At its core, it’s just people goofing around, and I think that’s in short supply these days.

Do you have that sixth sense?

Yes. I am psychic in the sense of I know what day I’m going to die. I may have scheduled [my death] on one of the tour dates [where] I’ll die on stage. It might be

San Antonio. I don’t want to spoil it, but if anyone you know is into that kind of thing — watching someone die in front of them — there you go.

As the host of a live show this unpredictable, at what point do you have to accept that you have no control over anything?

I think people would be surprised to learn that the performers and I have not talked about anything we’re going to talk about on stage. So, the fact that it comes out as well as it does is a minor miracle. I’m not saying that I’m like Jesus — making miracles out there — but you know, it’s not that far off. But yeah, I don’t have control over any of it. Sometimes I’ll be sitting on stage just thinking to myself, “This is crazy that we don’t have anything planned.” I think part of the fun is knowing we’re all just making it up as we go along.

Has anything weird happened on stage during a live show where you didn’t think you’d be able to recover?

You know, we can always dig our way out of any hole.

There were a couple of shows where I got some things wrong early on the tour. I forgot what city I was in on the third show, which is way too early to be in a Spinal Tap-type haze. But there’s always a way out of everything. For me, it’s about finding the best endpoint around the one hour, 45-minute mark. What’s the funniest line to go out on? That’s what I’m preoccupied with.

Do you think of yourself as a writer who performs, or as a performer who writes?

I feel more like a podcaster who dabbles in everything. When I first started, I was like, “Oh, I’m a performer.” And then I got hired on Mr. Show as a writer, not as a performer, initially. So, I was like, “Oh, I guess I’m a writer now.” What I love about [my] career is I get to do a whole bunch of things. If I was focusing on writing 100% of the day, it wouldn’t really grab my attention and hold it the way that I wanted it to.

Do you think it’s harder to stand out as a weird comedy podcast today than it was when you started the show in 2009, given how many podcasts there are now?

Yeah, weird comedy is always out there. It used to be late-night talk shows. That was the only place you could get it. With the proliferation of podcasts, it’s hard for every podcast to make noise. You have celebrities out there stealing the attention away from normal people like me who started out with nothing but a dream — and a professional writer’s salary and a Rolodex featuring the names and numbers of every professional comedian in Los Angeles. It was very hard.

What’s something you still feel you haven’t figured out about comedy? Does it intimidate or frustrate you in any way?

I feel like I’ve gotten better at everything. I know how to do my podcasting job better, and I know how to do these live tours really well. It’s just such a shame that

Liezl Estipona

it’s coming as I enter my 79th year on this earth and am about to perish when I turn 80 next week on stage in San Antonio.

Comedy Bang! Bang! Ground Beefing Tour 2026. $53.00 -$196.50, 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. sacurrent.com | September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

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arts

Courtesy Photo / McNay Art Museum

Where to Get an Eyeful Here’s where to take in San Antonio’s amazing visual art scene

BY KAT MCKINNEY

S

an Antonio is a city rich in visual art.

The scene sprawls across museums, warehouses, riverbanks, parks and even the sides of corner stores.

If you’re new to town or just want a quick refresh, consider this your crash course to the city’s most essential art spaces.

Ruby City The late Linda Pace’s crimson contemporary art museum is one of the most striking landmarks in town. The Southtown-based space is always free to visit, and it’s filled with rare works from Pace’s vast personal collection. In addition to the rotating exhibitions, Ruby City also hosts a wide array of events, including dream circles, monthly meditation, film nights and more. 150 Camp St., (210) 227-3400, rubycity.org.

McNay Art Museum San Antonio’s jewel box of modern art sits inside a Spanish Colonial Revival mansion that’s a testament to artistry itself. The 22

Hopscotch McNay’s collection spans early 20th-century masters and contemporary works ranging from video to needlefelting. Its lush grounds are perfect for an afternoon stroll. 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave., (210) 824-5368, mcnayart.org.

San Antonio Museum of Art Housed in a former Lone Star Brewery is SAMA, the city’s encyclopedic museum and largest single collection of artworks.

Whatever your artistic taste, SAMA’s got it, including ancient Mediterranean and Egyptian artifacts, Latin American modernist works, Asian porcelain art and rotating contemporary shows featuring Georgia O’Keeffe and other greats. It’s the best single stop for breadth. 200 W. Jones Ave., (210) 978-8100, samuseum.org.

Briscoe Western Art Museum If you want a sense of our region’s cultural backbone, the Briscoe’s focus is Western art from a variety of perspectives. This July, the museum opened “Tejano Legacy: Another American Origin Story,” its most ambitious exhibition yet, which includes more than 100 artworks and artifacts tracing 400 years of Tejano culture and its deep, complex roots. 210 W. Market St., (210) 299-4499, briscoemuseum.org.

San Antonio Street Art’s Mural Walk This self-guided tour shows off the city’s most vibrant murals by local artists — works that turn warehouses, alleys, highway underpasses and neighborhood blocks into giant open-air galleries. 313 Chestnut St., (210) 935-8213, sanantoniostreetart.org.

CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

Hopscotch offers an immersive art playground downtown featuring trippy, interactive large-scale installations spread across different rooms. Depending on your perspective, it’s part funhouse, part gallery. 711 Navarro St., Suite 100, (833) 4779229, letshopscotch.com.

Artpace is one of San Antonio’s most influential contemporary art spaces, known for its international residency program that brings three artists — one Texan, one national and one international — to the city each cycle. The resulting exhibitions are consistently jaw-dropping. 445 N. Main Ave.,(210) 212-4900, artpace.org.

Ruiz-Healy

Along the “Museum Reach,” you’ll find site-specific sculptures and mosaics integrated into the river landscape. It’s one of the city’s most peaceful ways to experience contemporary art and nature all at once. 802 River Walk, (210) 206-2787, thesanantonioriverwalk.com.

Ruiz-Healy Art is another powerhouse contemporary space, but with a strong curatorial focus on Latinx and Latin American artists. Its exhibitions typically blend conceptual rigor with political and cultural nuance, touching on some of the most pressing issues facing the Latino community and the nation at large. 201 E. Olmos Drive, (210) 804-2219, ruizhealyart.com.

Poet’s Pointe Park

Sala Diaz

Poet’s Pointe, a small but meaningful stop on the Southside, blends public art, poetry and community storytelling into a quiet riverside park for everyone to enjoy. 2509 W. Mistletoe Ave., (210) 207-6000, sa.gov.

A beloved, scrappy gallery, Sala Diaz is housed in a converted Southtown residence and is completely artist-run.

Despite its small size, the gallery is well known for its experimental programming. It’s become a rite of passage for emerging artists and a hub for the city’s DIY creative community. 517 Stieren St., San Antonio, (210) 275-4903, saladiazart.org.

River Walk Public Art Garden

Contemporary at Blue Star While the entire Blue Star Arts Complex is a wonderful array of creative enterprises to explore, the Contemporary stands out.

The non-profit gallery champions experimental work from local, national and even international artists. The installations and performances push the boundaries of form in an accessible format open to art enthusiasts at all levels. 116 Blue Star, (210) 227-6960, contemporarysa.org.

Artpace

Presa House Located on the Westside, Presa House is a gallery dedicated to Chicanx, Latinx and other borderland artists whose work considers the intersections of identity, place and community. The exhibitions often feel like cultural conversations, for their grounded yet politically charged quality. 725 S. Presa St., (210) 913-5842, presahouse.com.

This Asian fusion stalwart’s $15 lunch specials include a portion of a popular entree — such as sesame chicken, pineapple chicken, hot fried chicken, sweet and sour pork belly, honey walnut shrimp or beef and broccoli — along with a choice of white or fried rice, an egg roll and egg drop or hot and sour soup. 1101 Broadway, Suite 140, (210) 940-4488, hotjoysa.com.

Ray’s Drive Inn Credited by many for inventing the puffy taco, Ray’s Drive Inn has plenty of taco options under $3 apiece. The classic bean taco wins in terms of pricing, ringing up at just $2.55 each. All the restaurant’s plate options, from enchiladas to chicken fajitas, are priced under $20. 822 SW 19th St., (210) 432-7171, raysdriveinn.net.

Barbaro

Facebook / Hot Joy

Dining Discounts Where to find 10 of San Antonio’s best restaurant specials

BY KATHERINE STINSON

E

ven though the economy stinks right now, San Antonio remains an affordable place if you know where to look.

Here’s a rundown of some of the most affordable meals foodies can find in the Alamo City.

Selda Mediterranean Kitchen A hearty two-course lunch at Selda Mediterranean Kitchen runs just $20.

The special is available from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Starter dish options include a beet salad, hummus,

tzatziki and more. For a main course, choose between falafel, beef shish kebabs, chicken adana, pistachio meatballs, grilled salmon and more. 9955 I-10, (210) 236-5230, seldarestaurant.com.

Eddie’s Taco House This homegrown mini-chain offers a great way to start the day with breakfast taco specials under $5. Monday’s special includes a bean and cheese taco plus a papa ranchera taco for $2.99. The early bird taco special offers any breakfast taco for only $1.69 each before 10:30 a.m. Multiple locations, eddiestacohouses.com.

Burger Boy A lasting tribute to Burger Boy’s enterprising founder, the $8.99 Bates Special continues to keep San Antonio fed across the locally owned burger chain’s 10 locations. The classic combo keeps it simple — a classic Burger Boy, regular fries, and a regular drink for less than a ten spot.

Multiple locations, burgerboy.com.

Hanzo One of the best stops on the Broadway corridor for a happy hour deal, Hanzo offers delicious sushi at an affordable price. Snag a 210 roll or other specialties for only $7 during the all-day happy hour Sunday and Monday. Other deals include $7 pork gyoza, $10 tori katsu and other light bites and discounted drinks. Happy hour even runs from 4-7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 4-7 p.m. and 10 p.m.-midnight Tuesday through Thursday. 7701 Broadway, Suite 124, (210) 231-0716, hanzobar.com.

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille For a fancier lunch break, Perry’s Steakhouse offers a popular Friday lunch special for $24. The deal includes a lunch-cut version of the spot’s famous pork chop, served with mashed potatoes and applesauce on the side along with bread and butter. The special is available from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. every Friday. 15900 La Cantera Parkway #22200, perryssteakhouse.com.

Hot Joy

Boozy beverages at this Monte Vista hotspot naturally call for carb-heavy bites. But why pay full price for both when you can indulge during Barbaro’s stellar happy hour? From 4-6 p.m. daily, Barbaro offers half-off pizzas and $6 classic drinks and frozens. The restaurant also runs a 10 p.m.-midnight reverse happy hour with the only changeup being discounted pizza slices for $4 and $6 instead of a whole pizza. 2720 McCullough Ave., (726) 268-1780, barbarosanantonio. com.

Las Palapas The San Antonio-based chain always has a calendar full of meal specials for its Las Palapas Club members — in addition to other seasonal offerings such as its 45th anniversary drink discounts and backto-school meal deals. The best way to check the most up-to-date specials is by checking the Las Palapas website. Multiple locations, laspalapas.com.

The Hayden Jewish deli The Hayden offers a substantial $16 lunch special from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday. For the fixed price, enjoy a half-sandwich from a selection of favorites on the menu — the Ted Danson, the whitefish salad or the chicken salad — plus chips and a side of soup or salad. 4025 Broadway, (210) 4374306, thehaydensa.com.

sacurrent.com | September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

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arts

Music for Your Ears Check out these San Antonio venues to fully enjoy the city’s music scene

BY KAT MCKINNEY

N

ewcomers to San Antonio may have heard the hype about Austin being the “live music capital of the world,” but they’ll soon find out their new home city is no slouch either.

The Alamo City boasts a wealth of live music venues, from arenas that host massive touring acts to intimate joints showcasing the best local and regional acts. Whatever vibe you seek, our music scene has something to match it.

Get to know these important venues to get a head start on enjoying SA’s wealth of musical offerings.

Alamodome Like the historic Spanish Mission for which it’s named, the Alamodome is an integral part of the San Antonio landscape. The venue has made its mark on San Antonio history by attracting major tours starting with Paul McCartney in 1993. Britney Spears, George Strait, AC/ DC, Bad Bunny and more have also come through over the years. This fall’s lineup includes Karol G, My Chemical Romance, Guns n’ Roses and Bruno Mars. 100 Montana St., alamodome.com.

Frost Bank Center Although the Frost Bank Center holds 19,000 compared to the Alamodome’s staggering 72,000, the San Antonio Spurs’ arena hosts plenty of high-profile musical talent, from Lil’ Wayne and Doja Cat to the Jonas Brothers. 1 Frost Bank Center Drive, (210) 440-5000, frostbankcenter.com.

Boeing Center at Tech Port Current readers named the Boeing Center at Tech Port the city’s best music venue in our 2026 Best of San Antonio 24

Jaime Monzon

issue — and for good reason. The Boeing Center hosts acts as diverse as the Smashing Pumpkins, Incubus, Modest Mouse and Los Tigres del Norte and presents them in a state-of-the-art facility with amazing sound and visuals plus a food court showcasing homegrown flavors.

3331 General Hudnell Drive, (210) 6003699, boeingcentertechport.com.

The Aztec Theatre The Aztec Theatre opened its doors in 1926 as one of Texas’s first exotic-themed motion picture palaces. It reopened in 2014 as a mid-sized music venue that kept the kitschy Mesoamerican flourishes of the original decor. It’s a fun place to see touring acts ranging from Carly Rae Jepsen and Lauryn Hill to Cannibal Corpse and Bullet for My Valentine. 104 N. St. Mary’s St., theaztectheatre.com.

Majestic Theatre Another vibrant downtown venue that got its start as a movie house, the Majestic was designed in the Spanish Mediterranean style by prolific Austrian-American architect John Eberson in 1929. While the gorgeous woodwork and starry interior dome are reason enough to visit, the theater hosts a diverse array of musical entertainment from blues legend Buddy Guy to classic rock stalwarts Chicago to Broadway shows. 224 E. Houston St., (210) 226-5700, majesticempire.com.

CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Around the block from the Majestic, the European palazzo-style Empire Theatre was relaunched in 1998 as a music venue.

The Empire’s seating layout gives it the intimate feel of a club show, which explains why it attracts performers as diverse and wide ranging as influential punk band X and the jazz duo of Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. 226 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 226-5700, majesticempire.com.

Stable Hall Since the historic Pearl complex was redeveloped in the early 2000s, Michelin star restaurants, the luxurious Hotel Emma, and other upscale establishments have come to call the space home. One of the more recent additions, Stable Hall, is a music venue that is unlike any other in town. It channels the feel of an oldtime theater, a country dance hall and a deluxe concert space all at once. 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com.

The Starlighter Nestled in San Antonio’s Deco District, the Starlighter is a unique, homegrown music venue that elevates emerging talent along with underground touring artists while also finding time to host local drag and comedy shows, mercados and more. 1910 Fredericksburg Road,

thestarlighter.com.

Rah Rah Room True to its name, the Rah Rah Room is a loud-and-proud DIY venue on San Pedro Avenue. It’s a rare space where queer and punk voices can gather to scream, snarl and sing in protest, but its diverse booking policy also includes a variety of other showcases. 6322 San Pedro Ave., instagram. com/therahrahroom Paper Tiger Any roundup of San Antonio music venues would be incomplete without Paper Tiger. Although it only opened its doors in 2015, the St. Mary’s Strip space has become a go-to for nationally recognized alternative and indie acts, including Jack White, Coco & ClairClair, Yo La Tengo, Macseal and more. Recently, it’s also become known for their free music-themed pulga markets, hosted monthly. 2410 N St Mary’s St, papertigersa.com.

Rock Box The Rock Box complex started as an East Side shoe factory, but has since been redeveloped into a sprawling music venue that boasts four stages and regularly hosts touring acts ranging from rap and metal to all varieties of alt-rock. 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 803-2101, therockboxsa.com.

10 Must-Try San Antonio Dining Experiences

eager to return for more. 1602 E. Houston St., Suite 106, (210) 389-1584, magpie.us.

Bucán Rodeo

Here’s how newcomers can eat their way through an overview of our city’s diverse food scene

Experiencing San Antonio’s food scene isn’t complete without checking out some of its best food trucks. Bucán Rodeo excels because it takes something San Antonio is known for — barbecue — and adds a Puerto Rican-inspired twist. Traditional brisket gets a tropical glow up with a guava barbecue sauce. Pernil, or slow-roasted pulled pork, joins mofongos, tostones, chicken and other rotating dishes that pay tribute to Puerto Rican cuisine with a classic South Texas twist. The truck is located at Three Star Bar. 521 E. Grayson St., instagram.com/bucan_rodeo.

BY KATHERINE STINSON

Clementine

or those seeking to understand what San Antonio’s diverse food scene is all about, the array of choices may be overwhelming.

Sure, there’s the Tex-Mex the city is known for, but what else is worth adding to the list if you’re new to town?

Alamo City restaurants are often at their best when focusing on creative spins on classic cuisine — and serving them up with down-home hospitality and charm.

These restaurants represent a good cross section of San Antonio cuisine and earn raves from local diners.

Castle Hills neighborhood gem Clementine is a testament to San Antonio’s underrated fine dining scene. Founded by husband-and-wife duo John and Elise Russ, this dining spot’s menu is a love letter to true Southern hospitality. The “Feed Me” option grants the Russes permission to craft a dining experience for you, from starters to dessert. The menu rotates seasonally, but the Clementine commitment to outstanding hospitality and jaw-dropping dishes has been true since the doors opened in 2018. 2195 NW Military Highway, (210) 503-5121, clementine-sa.com.

F

Mare e Monte

Miles Bistro

This Medical Center Italian food bastion offers up an unreasonable level of hospitality — owner Prince Blakaj is a constant presence in the intimate space, where guests indulge in fresh pasta, chicken bathed in lemon butter sauce and juicy lamb chops with creamy mashed potatoes. The wine flows and smiles are guaranteed, thanks to the top-notch Italian cuisine and welcoming dining experience. 9390 Huebner Road, (210) 2671233, mareemonte.com.

A newcomer to the San Antonio dining scene, Miles Bistro came in hot when it opened in a pivotal corner of St. Paul Square. Inspired by foundational jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, this is one of the rare cocktail lounges where the food almost outshines the drinks. Steaks are cooked to perfection, and the fun Adult Happy Meal is served with a choice of martini instead of a fountain soda. Get the french fry service and stay for the atmosphere. 1170 E. Commerce St., Suite 100, (210) 201-3716, milesbistro.com.

The Magpie

Shiro

The term “hidden gem” gets tossed around too casually in some circumstances, but Korean-fusion restaurant The Magpie lives up to it. Chef Sue Kim’s brilliant East Side eatery excels with plate after plate. The milk bread is an essential starter and entrees such as the dak galbi and Magpie ribeye leave diners satisfied and

A Japanese bistro hidden away in the River North District, Shiro’s outstanding sushi rolls are among the best in the city. Chef Grey Hwang brings in fresh fish sourced straight from his native Japan, and the quality is obvious. From truffle hamachi and Chilean sea bass to God’s gift (seared Wagyu beef tartare) and an award-win-

Courtesy Photo / Pearl

Pearl District

ning sushi menu, Shiro is a must-visit. 107 W. Jones Ave., (210) 585-1863, shirossan.com.

Taquitos West Avenue For San Antonio newcomers, the number of taquerias can be overwhelming. However, the best in town don’t try too hard and keep their menu prices low — which explains why Taquitos West Avenue has nearly 11,000 Google reviews. This family-owned and -operated joint keeps things simple with its menu which focuses on street-style mini tacos inspired by the owner’s upbringing in Jalisco. Opt for bistek, chorizo, suadero or lengua mini tacos, with a side of Mexican Coke or a Jarritos soda to wash it all down. 2803 West Ave., (210) 5259888, taquitos-west-ave.com.

Leche de Tigre Leche de Tigre has won copious praise for its delicious take on modern Peruvian cuisine served up with a side of hospitality.

This chic Southtown eatery, co-founded by brothers Emil, Alec and the late Axel Oliva, is all about fresh, bold flavors.

Grab a handful of fresh salted canchitas (Peruvian popcorn) and dive into freshly made cebiches and anticuchos or Leche de Tigre’s famous lomo saltado. Pisco, the official spirit of Peru, makes for a solid base for a range of creative cocktails that almost look too pretty to drink. Everything at Leche de Tigre looks just as good as it tastes. 318 E. Cevallos St., (210) 2655933, lechedetigretx.com.

It’s impossible to name one restaurant at Pearl as its top food destination — the dining and shopping district is best explored slowly, and with a large appetite. Best Quality Daughter is a standout Asian-American eatery, and its sister bar Jue Let offers exceptional libations. Pullman Market is a one-stop shop for grocery needs and also houses Michelin-starred sit-down restaurants. Connected to the Hotel Emma, Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery offers an extensive menu inspired

by Southern cuisine with Cajun influences. Supper, the hotel’s flagship restaurant, continues to stay true to the property’s reputation for elegance with a clean, American-inspired menu. Meanwhile, Brasserie Mon Chou Chou stays true to French-style cafes with elegant ambience and a killer croque monsieur. 303 Pearl Parkway, atpearl.com.

Jots Hotel restaurants get a bad rap for under-seasoned, overpriced food. Jots at the Gunter Hotel flips that stereotype upside down thanks to stellar offerings from start to finish. A pork belly starter braised with locally sourced Devils River Whiskey is sheer decadence, while the Bordeaux-braised short ribs are nothing short of outstanding. This restaurant is a must for a meal before a show at the Majestic Theatre or other entertainment venues a short walk away. 311 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 227-3241, jotsatgunter.com.

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San Antonio comic Cleto Rodriguez pushes through health setbacks to make faith-based drama Anxious Mark

BY KIKO MARTINEZ

W

hen San Antonio comedian and TV personality Cleto Rodriguez cries in his new film Anxious Mark, those tears are

the real deal.

“That’s not acting,” Rodriguez, 55, told the Current during a recent interview. “I was really in pain.”

Over the past few years, Rodriguez’s health has been marked by a series of serious setbacks, including stage 5 kidney disease, which has dramatically changed his life.

“My kidneys are not functioning, so that’s why I had to start doing dialysis,” he said. “It’s been an overwhelming experience.”

Earlier this year, between dialysis treatments, Rodriguez decided to do something he had never done before: play the lead role in a movie. Anxious Mark, which premieres at City Base Cinemas on Saturday, Sept. 5, follows a comedian and faith leader whose life begins to unravel when anxiety forces him to confront past trauma.

Along with the challenges of dialysis during production, Rodriguez also underwent surgery after glaucoma caused him to lose sight in his right eye.

“It was the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life,” he said. “I was popping Tylenol like crazy just to deal with it.”

Nevertheless, Rodriguez stuck with the production because he’d made a commitment to star in Anxious Mark. The role was written specifically with him in mind.

“The guy’s a warrior,” co-director and co-writer Bert Lopez said of the comedian.

“He was going through so much health-wise when we made the film. We shot some long scenes in Woodlawn Park, and he just battled through it.”

During our interview, Rodriguez — whose past Where’s Cleto? news segments on WOAI and KABB brought him into many SA households — talked about what attracted him to the role, which Oscar winners he studied for inspiration and what he learned about himself through the process.

Most people know you as a comedian and TV personality. When did you first become interested in acting?

I’ve always wanted to make a film. I’ve done

little parts in other films, like playing a funny police officer, but that was right up my alley. I didn’t have to stretch at all. But when Bert asked me to be part of a drama, I thought, “You know, I wouldn’t mind trying this to see how it goes.”

Being a faith-based film was also a plus for me.

How did you prepare for the role since your acting experience was limited?

All I did was channel my inner Denzel [Washington]. (Laughs.) I just tried to keep up with all the actors on set. Playing the lead was a bit intimidating, but I wanted to act like I’d been there before. I did a lot of research by watching movies with [Robert] De Niro and [Al] Pacino. The other actors on our set like Jacinto Rodriguez, Nino Brown and J.J. Perez were so accommodating and helpful. They were really patient with me. This film came at the best time and worst time, because I was coming out of the hospital.

How do you think you did in the lead role?

My directors — Lopez and Rogelio Cirilo — told me that I’d be shocked when I see myself because my performance is Hollywood-caliber. I was like, “From your mouth to God’s ears.” I invited a lot of people to the premiere, so I told [Bert and Rogelio] to let me know if I look like a clown. If I do, I might have to be in the restroom during the whole movie.

screens

A Role Worth Fighting For

Courtesy Image / Keep It Texas Productions

days where I didn’t know how I got through it. But playing one of the leads in the movie, I knew I couldn’t phone it in. I had to bring everything. I had to work through the pain.

Did you see similarities between you and your character?

Yeah, at first I thought it was a biopic! You have this guy looking for acceptance from his dad. Doing those scenes took me to another place. I thought I would have to start therapy all over again. My character is a good guy.

He defends his brother and sister. He finally reaches a point where he’s like, “I’ve taken care of everybody, but who is taking care of me?” That’s when his faith comes in and takes over.

What did you learn about yourself making this movie during a difficult time in your life?

With all my health issues, everything seemed so doom and gloom. Making the film was the only light I saw. It was the only thing that got my mind off myself. I saw that the strength within myself came from a higher power. I leaned on God to get me through this one.

Will you be disappointed if you don’t win an Oscar?

(Laughs.) Yes, because I already have my speech written!

Where’s Cleto? He’s been in the restroom for the last hour!

Yeah! Where’s Cleto? But from what they tell me, I’m going to be surprised. We’re about to sell out our fourth theater. According to City Base, this is going to be one of the biggest premieres they’ve ever had. I’m honored to be part of that.

Do you think the physical and emotional things you were going through at the time helped your performance?

I was definitely vulnerable at that time, and I was overwhelmed. I would go to dialysis in the morning and then go film after that. Dialysis takes a lot out of you. There were some

Find more film stories at sacurrent.com

Named Best Cocktail Bar three Years in a Row! Cheers, San Antonio!

28

CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

At Aleteo, the view is spectacular, but the Yucatán is harder to find

BY RON BECHTOL

T

he display of automotive pulchritude outside downtown San Antonio’s newly opened Monarch Hotel can be impressive.

On a recent visit, I hazarded a guess that at least some of the occupants of the Porsches, Maseratis and even a Rolls-Royce were headed to Oak & Amber, the hotel’s flagship street-level venue featuring an open hearth and a “robust steak menu” along with caviar.

However, my dining guests and I were headed for the 17th floor and Aleteo — more of an intermediate, Audi kinda place with an advertised Yucatecan theme.

The views to both east and west are truly special; the two flanking sides consist of a bar and an open kitchen. The space is dominated by ersatz árboles draped in a variety of suspended light fixtures. The trees give the space a festive, backyard-in-Mérida aspect. If you have a good imagination.

Though the Yucatecan cast was advertised in early publicity, it seemed to have already been soft-pedaled by the time of our visit. I had been looking forward to a pepita-based sikil pak dip, but it had been replaced by the decidedly Tex-Mex Queso Aleteo. The only important difference, besides price ($24), from a local rendition was a scattering of pristine picadillo that contributed little. That and baskets brimming with crisp chicharron and really good tortilla chips.

It might seem ridiculous to rhapsodize about chips, but they also almost overshadowed another house dip, the Fire Roasted Red Pepper.

What to say: the texture was plush, there was a pleasant smokiness about the taste, and there were accessories of pomegranate seeds and tiny Marcona almonds. Yet the end result was nothing special.

The menu’s Raw & Cured section fared better.

Though the ceviche, served in a thin, coconut leche de tigre, wasn’t notably bountiful, the snapper and shrimp at least whispered of the sea. A plate of yellowfin tuna, fresh and punctuated with bits of puckery yuzu and a splash of chile oil, took the whisper to a murmur.

A lime, grapefruit and soda mocktail titled Paloma Santificada, with an abundance of pink peppercorns and an undertow of rosemary syrup, was refreshing on its own and downright exuberant with the seafood.

food

Elevated Expectations

Ron Bechtol

Nothing on the Starters list suggests the Yucatán. A since-86ed fried-carrot mole with chicatana ants may have scared off the Audiphiles.

Aleteo’s Mains section has also shed cochinita pibil, the only traditionally Yucatecan item on the early menu. So that left us with black garlic skirt steak, tomahawk chuleta and grilled whole — mostly, anyway — sea bream.

The skirt may run $47, but it was the best version of this unassuming cut I have eaten in recent memory. Grilled to a perfect medium rare and not a minute more, the meat was crusty, the flavor deeply beefy, and the side of salsa blanca — whipped garlic, coriander and vinegar — made a welcome booster. Fresh corn, its kernels almost popping with delight, was far more than a colorful bit player.

Coming in second was the pork chuleta — again, perfectly cooked to pork standards.

The faintest blush of pink was still apparent.

Thoughtfully sliced from the bone, the prodigious chop was faintly suggestive of earthy achiote — at least part of the Yucatecan flavor pantheon. More of the grilled pineapple in an accompanying salsa would be appreciated.

Split and boned, the sea bream flaunted a perfectly crisp skin and a flaky texture that

would be the envy of many home cooks. It’s a mild fish, though, so it needed the fruity South American aji amarillo and a generous squeeze of lime. An excellent tequila and mezcal Oaxaca Old Fashioned played nicely as well.

In honor of both Mexico and Texas, we tried the Abuelita pecan pie for dessert. Abuelita merits a capital A because it’s a brand of Mexican chocolate with a grainy texture and cinnamon undertones. The chocolate appeared judiciously in a filling that could have used a few more pecans.

The evening wrapped up with Xocolatl. This name references the chocolate the Yucatecan Maya consumed in astonishing quantities, according to early historians. Aleteo employed it in chocolate mousse layered with a strangely crumbly version of devil’s food cake. A grainy texture throughout suggested Abuelita again.

A scoop of mildly flavored corn ice cream adorned the confection. Good try, but I first had this in Mérida, Yucatán’s capital, many years ago, and I recall a more assertively corny flavor — actual kernels even populated the scoop.

So, would I wash my not-a-Lamborghini and go back? Weighing good entrees against indifferent dips and desserts, maybe no time soon.

Though there is that view …

ALETEO AT THE MONARCH HOTEL

222 S. Alamo St., (210) 903-7140, themonarchsa.com/aleteo.

Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 7 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday Prices: $17-$60 The lowdown: Aleteo perches atop the new Monarch Hotel, and its 17th-floor vantage point offers impressive views east and west. The menu faintly suggests south — the Yucatán Peninsula, to be precise. There’s little overtly Yucatecan on the menu, though, but a splash of habanero salsa might serve to suggest that link. An expertly rendered Tomahawk Chuleta does sport a little earthy achiote as well, and Black Garlic Skirt Steak with exuberant fresh corn and a pungent salsa blanca with garlic can hold its own regardless of provenance. Desserts include a Mexican chocolate and pecan pie, fusing Mexico and Texas in its embrace.

Find more food & drink news at sacurrent.com

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CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

music

Still Swinging

How pianist ‘Doc’ Watkins turned his basement bar Jazz, TX into an unlikely hit

BY SANFORD NOWLIN

T

o hear Brent “Doc” Watkins tell the story of Jazz, TX, the basement nightclub at Pearl, the project almost didn’t happen because of his own cold feet.

As he worked with an architect and the executives behind the high-profile dining and shopping development, he worried the spot originally planned for the venue — a corner inside the first floor of Hotel Emma — would end up being too cramped.

It wasn’t a business decision based on research and spreadsheets, just a hunch.

Nonetheless, at nearly the last minute, and at a table surrounded by project backers, the pianist, vocalist and bandleader withdrew.

“I could just see the look of disappointment on their faces. I thought I might have

Courtesy Photo / Jazz, TX

screwed up the greatest opportunity of my life,” Watkins told the Current in a recent interview. “But a few months later, they came back and said, ‘OK, we realized that you’re not happy with the size of the space we offered. What if we dig a hole in the ground under the Bottling Department food hall and build a basement?’”

And that’s where Watkins’ Jazz, TX, landed.

The supper club hosted its first gig on Aug. 23, 2016, with Watkins as its resident pianist and bandleader — roles he still fills today. The club defied the odds, overcoming early rough patches and the pandemic, all while figuring out how to turn a profit while centering on a musical genre that many consider a niche interest.

Over its 10-year run, Jazz, TX, has evolved into a music destination that provides good-paying gigs for local and regional talent while booking high-profile touring acts, from TV star-turned-crooner Tony Danza to Grammy-winning avant-garde jazz guitarist Bill Frisell.

More recently, Watkins turned his attention to expanding the concept outside of San Antonio. He and his partners opened the jazz club Doc’s in Houston’s Montrose district last fall, and a second Doc’s will debut early next year in Chicago.

And while it occasionally hosts other forms of acoustic music, jazz is still the mainstay at Jazz, TX, and Watkins performs 100 or so gigs a year there, often two a night. Just don’t call him an entrepreneur. For Watkins, the word conjures thoughts of tech bros all too eager to lose other people’s money.

“I’m a piano player that’s figured out how to wrangle musicians,” Watkins said. “I don’t know anything about finance. I never took a business class in my life.”

Even so, the business side of Jazz, TX has increasingly taken up Watkins’ attention.

In addition to releasing a book titled Jazz, TX: A Love Letter To Live Music, Community And The Little Club That Could, which dropped in conjunction with the club’s 10-year anniversary, the bandleader is focused on expanding TurnTable, a ticketing platform he co-founded.

The roots of TurnTable go back to the COVID-19 crisis, when Jazz, TX was operating at reduced capacity and customers grew particular about where they sat. Watkins discovered that existing ticketing platforms let customers select individual seats but weren’t designed to let a party reserve an entire table.

So he and a software developer built their own.

Through a serendipitous online meeting,

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music TurnTable caught the interest of British management consultant and venture capital investor Richard Koch, and it’s since been adopted by a growing number of jazz clubs and other small live-music venues across the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Watkins said the platform’s success stems from pent-up demand for such a tool.

“People do not want communal seating at a jazz club,” he said. “And when I see communal seating in a jazz club, I think this manager must be the stupidest person on the planet for implementing this.”

Earning a living Watkins’ “Doc” handle stems from a PhD in music he earned at UT-Austin. Although he studied classical music, his father was a jazz musician and that music also left an early imprint when he was growing up in St. Louis.

“My parents separated before I was even born, but I always had some jazz in my blood,” he said. “My dad had these albums with bossa nova tunes and Sinatra tunes and Cole Porter.”

Even though Watkins earned his doctorate in a city that touts itself as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” he found it impossible to make a living playing music there. Gentrification from the tech boom had made Austin too expensive, and there were simply too many musicians scrambling for the same low-paying gigs.

So, he took a church job in San Antonio, and a university teaching position quickly followed.

Neither paid much, but he realized the Alamo City might make a solid base of operations as he scrambled for gigs to support his growing family.

“San Antonio was kind of what I dreamed that a city in Texas could be like — really friendly people, great food, a slower pace of life,” Watkins said. “People are very family oriented here. And I also realized that it was unlike Austin, where musicians just constantly undercut each other to the point where gigs don’t pay anything. It’s an impossibility to make a living as a jazz musician in Austin anymore.”

Eventually, Watkins figured he could turn his love of jazz into a source of income. He approached an Italian restaurant owner about playing the piano in the corner of the dining room for tips. The first night yielded $60. Eventually, though, the gig led him to assemble a combo and land other performances at restaurants, bars and weddings.

Over time, that expanded to include high-profile slots at downtown steakhouse Bohanan’s and the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre. Watkins also grew his network of fellow jazz musicians, whom he’d book for gigs he couldn’t take because of other commitments.

By 2012, Watkins and the 50 or so musicians under his South Texas Jazz network were playing more than 500 gigs a year. Suddenly, jazz became a living — and his network attracted the attention of the Pearl real-estate honcho Bill Shown.

“We do have the ability to build the world that we

Courtesy Photo / Jazz, TX

want to live in,” Watkins said. “I don’t think we think about that enough when we build a real estate development and just put in a bunch of Olive Gardens and Starbucks. Is this where you want to live?”

A fine balance To that end, Watkins has found success, said JJ Lopez, general manager of Trinity University’s jazz radio station KRTU-FM. Lopez credits the bandleader and club owner with finding a way to balance art and commerce.

“All venues have their place in the jazz ecosystem,” Lopez said. “Jazz, TX has been able to balance the localism, which is really important to the scene — they’re doing that well — and they’re starting to figure out who on the national scene fits to their program.”

Lopez noted that the club’s for-profit model and Pearl rent means it can’t just rely on diehard jazz fans.

He pointed to special theme nights at the club that focus on jazz interpretations of Disney music or Vince Guaraldi’s compositions for the animated Charlie Brown TV specials as ways to draw in jazz novices.

“If you’re going to be at the Pearl and a premier place like that, your programming has to be a fine balance of specially curated programs that draw a wide appeal and also bookings that attract serious jazz heads,” Lopez added. “I think they’re finding that balance.”

Watkins acknowledges that Jazz, TX and Doc’s can’t be all things to all jazz fans. The clubs offer an elevated experience, and they lean into retro vibes.

What’s more, Watkins’ personal approach to the music favors the more familiar and accessible tropes of classic jazz.

Still, Watkins said he’s willing to take chances and give music fans another place to broaden their horizons and find a sense of community. He sees the clubs as an alternative to a mass-market entertainment industry that’s pushing culture into a corner with little to offer beyond Taylor Sheridan-style episodic TV and bubblegum arena tours.

And he added that other musicians are noticing what he’s building.

Watkins recently brought premier New York bassist Neal “Sugar” Caine into the house band at Doc’s in Houston. Caine spent the past 30 years in Harry Connick Jr.’s group and will continue that gig from Houston.

In the end, Watkins’ business ventures circle back to the problem he confronted as a young pianist: how does someone devote his life to music without struggling to pay the bills?

“Every time we make a new hire like that, it’s like that’s one more musician that would’ve ultimately quit,” he said. sacurrent.com | September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

music

Unholy Rollers

Ahead of its San Antonio gig, Twin Temple finds common ground between Satan, Danzig and Bing Crosby

BY MIKE MCMAHAN

I

f you’ve somehow missed all the recent hoopla, “Satanic doo-wop” act Twin Temple has been everywhere.

But look beyond the shtick, and it’s clear the husband-wife duo isn’t just about image or philosophy. They possess serious songwriting chops.

Look no further than the new Twin Temple album, Doomed Lovers, due out on Oct. 9, or their recent performance of “Haunt Me” on The Daily Show for evidence.

The pair — and their accompanying band — will open for Danzig at San Antonio’s Boeing Center at Tech Port on Friday, Sept. 11. Burning Witches and ANA round out the bill.

Is it strange that the duo is touring with Danzig, given that its music is more accurately described as a dark take on late-’50s and early-’60s roots rock and

Courtesy Photo / Comedy Central

Americana-flavored pop?

“We’ve been influenced by shock rock of all kinds, and I would file the Misfits (Glenn Danzig’s punk band) as a blending of shock rock and classic American rock ’n’ roll,” Twin Temple guitarist Zachary James said. “We’ve had many discussions with Glenn about all of our shared loves, you know, from Roy Orbison to Elvis.”

Twin Temple has haunted music blogs lately due to a largely one-sided dispute with country artist Charley Crockett. He dropped the act as an opener on tour dates after stating he was unaware of their Satanic beliefs.

Music writers and fans have generally greeted Crockett’s story with skepticism given the overt Satanic imagery the duo employs in both attire and performances. As a result, rock legend Jack White tapped them to open one of his gigs.

And Charley Crockett kept posting and posting … and posting about it.

The Current spoke to vocalist Alexandra James and guitarist Zachary James via Zoom on Aug. 18, the very day the social-media-obsessed Crockett posted yet another screed — this time aimed more at White — and we got to break the news to the pair. Suffice to say they didn’t seem terribly surprised.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length. As Zachary likes to say, “Let’s get evil.”

What is the smallest town you guys have ever played? And what was the reaction like?

Zachary: That’s a good question. I can’t say geographically or population-wise what the smallest is.

But I would say one of the smaller towns with a fun turnout was Omaha, Nebraska. And we had a lot of protesters. That was the second time we’d ever had protesters. And there were some police officers there who felt it necessary to protect the protesters who were harassing our fans. So that was fun. I really love playing Omaha, though. And I love the fans out there.

It’s an interesting juxtaposition of a lot of support and a lot of vitriol from the local religious community.

Is there anything that could be said about the Charley Crockett controversy or that you want to say or that hasn’t already been covered? It’s a bit of a dead horse at this point. Yet he posted another statement about it this morning. I don’t know if you guys saw that.

Alexandra: Oh, no. (Laughs.) Still?

It’s a huge block of text. Do you want to go through that statement or are we all moving forward on it?

Zachary: I mean, he isn’t, obviously.

Alexandra: It seems like he’s kind of the only one really dwelling on this. Obviously, at the time, it was sacurrent.com | September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

35

music kind of surprising. In this day and age, to be removed for Satanic imagery? Zach and I have always been very unabashed in who we are as artists and the themes that we explore on- and offstage and through our music. And, you know, it’s kind of core to what we do. I see us as a very American band in every way. We believe in the First Amendment very strongly. We believe in freedom of speech, artistic freedom, freedom of religion. These are the things that make our country great and that aren’t gone yet and that we believe are worth fighting for. I thought we were kind of aligned in that regard with Charley.

We were just focusing on our music, our tour, doing what we love, which is bringing people together with music. I think it’s a shame because that’s what music does best: bring people together.

You don’t even need to speak the same language. You get in a room with people and you watch a great concert. It’s transcendent. It’s magic. We’re just passionately in love with classic American music and American ideals on the whole.

Zachary: I feel like it’s an issue with the First Amendment. It’s freedom of speech, freedom of religion. And I feel like it’s under attack.

Alexandra: And that’s like why we push those buttons, why we fight for these things and why we think they’re really important to protect. So, yeah, I mean, we’re not really interested in getting into the back-and-forth with Charley. We still respect him as an artist and his contributions to American music. I’m not really sure why he’s still trying to punch down on us over this.

You may or may not be familiar since you don’t live in Texas, but a law was passed recently requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. Is it fair to say that that’s the sort of thing that you’re pushing back against?

Alexandra: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think we’re big believers in separation of church and state and in the religious freedom that this country is predicated on. Part of the button we’re pushing is it’s religious freedom until you practice a religion or you have a spiritual belief that isn’t in line with the Christian agenda. And then all of a sudden, it’s a problem. You know what I mean? It 36

seems a little bit more like it’s religious freedom for Christians.

What is an album that you enjoy that might surprise other people?

Alexandra: I know the exact album Zach’s going to say right now. Should we say it at the same time? Let’s see.

Alexandra and Zachary: (Counting together.) Six, six, six, six. Phil Spector’s Christmas album. (Laugh.)

All right. What’s the hook? What do you love about it?

Zachary: What is there not to love?

Alexandra: The production is stunning.

I mean, I love that it was made in LA’s Gold Star Studios. We love Christmas music.

Zachary: Yeah. Christmas music is great. It’s like trad pop. You know, we like traditional pop. And I think it’s just really cool that Phil — along with the singers and the arrangers and the instrumentalists and all — they concocted this, at the time, super-hip Christmas record. Before that, it’s all Bing Crosby, which is cool, too. But Phil was like, “We’re going to make Christmas really hip.” And it’s funny, because the record sounds so antiquated today.

But back then, that was a real fresh, hip record. And he was trying to make Christmas cool.

And there’s also the original song on there, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” What a great tune sung by Darlene Love. Great singer. She’s still out there doing Late Night every year with that song. You know, it’s become this iconic piece of American culture.

People think, “Oh, you must hate Christmas or you must hate Christmas music,” you know, that whole thing.

But again, it’s like, no, we love it. And that’s a great record.

Alexandra: We actually really love traditional pop, the Great American Songbook, all the great Christmas records like Bing Crosby, you know, ’40s and ’50s. And I think, like what Zach was saying, we also super love all the Brill Building stuff, everything in the early ’60s that was taking all this great American Songbook material and infusing it with a new rock ‘n’ roll energy. I think that record really encapsulates kind of the mixing of what was happening

CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

TravisShinn

in American culture and music at the time. And beyond that, they’re just great songs. It’s not Christmas if you’re not playing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” off that record.

I saw in an interview that you have a pug, Ziggy, but he was getting older at the time. Do you all still have him?

Alexandra: Well, that’s kind of a complicated question, actually. He was the love of our life. He did pass in June a year ago, which was really difficult for us.

I’m sorry.

Alexandra: But as to the question whether he’s still with us, he sort of is because we actually made the choice to have him freeze-dried. We actually have to go pick him up.

Zachary: But yeah, he’s ready. It’s a form of taxidermy, but it’s not invasive.

As Alex said, it’s a freeze-drying process. So he’s mummified, basically.

Alexandra: Yeah, he’s freeze-dried. So he’ll be coming home. We’re probably going to get him before tour. He was basically a son to us.

It’s a very difficult thing to lose an animal.

Alexandra: You know, I really miss being his mommy. And he was such a good boy. And we were lucky that he got to complete a number of U.S. tours with us. He got to be in a couple of magazines. He was in Metal Hammer with us. Fans would kind of see him on tour sometimes, too. And we got a couple of nice paintings of him. I think he touched people’s hearts in his own way.

critics’ picks Wednesday, Sept. 2 The Browning Self-proclaimed “rave metal,” The Browning does exactly what it says on the tin — the act blends deathcore, electronicore and occasional rapping into dance-worthy tracks. Expect headbanging breakdowns and double bass drumming then 808 beats, all within the same song. The Missouri natives just rereleased their debut album Burn This World, which includes an eccentric cover of Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee).” $27.52, 6:30 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx. com. — Brianna Espinoza Karol G Colombian superstar Karol G is one of the world’s biggest international stars, and a leading light in reggaeton. She’s collaborated with Manu Chao — one of the all-time greats — and was named Billboard’s 2024 Woman of the Year. The RIAA even certified the Grammy- and multi-time Latin Grammy-winner’s single “Tusa” platinum 28 times over. Chances are, if you know and love her work, you already bought your ticket. $83 and up, 7 p.m., Alamodome, 100 Montana St., (210) 207-3663, alamodome.com. — Bill Baird

Friday, Sept. 4 Paida and Cybr.grl Here are a pair of internet-famous San Antonians making an international splash. If you like your pop ultra-sweet, super-catchy and in over-the-top technicolor, this is your show. Paida makes ADHD pop that verges on having too many hooks, too many changes and too much energy, but that’s precisely the appeal. Cybr.grl similarly overloads. This is fun pop maximalism at its best. $30, 8 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com. — BB

Sunday, Sept. 6 San Antonio Funk Fest with Zapp, Bar-Kays, Klymaxx, Lakeside This stacked tour of funk acts seems like a good way to boogie on a long holiday weekend. Zapp is bringing hits including “More Bounce to the Ounce” while the Bar-Kays are known for the dance-floor standard “Soul Finger.” All-woman group Klymaxx is another reason to get your groove on. $53.73-$122.14, 7 p.m., Boeing Center at Tech Port, 3331 General Hudnell Drive, (210) 600-3699, boeingcentertechport.com. — DC

Wednesday, Sept. 9 Kany García Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Kany García’s poignant, melodic and deeply affecting songs seem to transcend language. García has a deep and dedicated English-speaking fanbase and numerous Grammys to prove it. Her recent Tiny Desk Concert for NPR went viral, bringing new fans into the fold. $48 and up, 8 p.m., Majestic

Karol G jjm7737

Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., (888) 811-5040, us.atgtickets.com. — BB

Thursday, Sept. 10 Drink the Sea Superstar collaboration bands sometimes come across as crass money grabs by long-forgotten rock dinosaurs, but Drink the Sea seems legit.

Featuring members of R.E.M., Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age, the group seems remarkably grounded in good songwriting and solid musicianship. They augment their sound from time to time with unusual instrumentation such as the oud and sitar, which deepens the vibe with a sense of exotic mystery. $20, 8 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com. — BB Sevendust, Theory of a Deadman Sevendust sits in a sweet spot between rock and metal, and the band also benefits from frontman Lajon Witherspoon’s soaring vocals. Meanwhile, many have written off Theory of a Deadman’s alternative country-rock sensibilities as “butt rock,” perhaps because the act was first signed to

Nickelback vocalist Chad Kroeger’s record label. $55.07-$92.03, 7 p.m., Boeing Center at Tech Port, 3331 General Hudnell Drive, (210) 600-3699, boeingcentertechport.com. — BE Thee Sacred Souls, La Lom, The Womack Sisters The San Diego trio Thee Sacred Souls is known for a soothing brand of throwback soul and R&B grooves, a sound that makes a fitting post-summer salve. The group jumped from near obscurity thanks to an assist from Gabe Roth of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and emerged as a leading light in the new soul revival. For its part, La Lom blends Mexican, Cuban and Peruvian into its take on classic rock and soul, and the Womack Sisters are the nieces of legendary soul man Bobby Womack. $35.20-$76.90, 6:30 p.m., Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E. Houston St., (210) 226-1177, freemancoliseum.com. — DC

Friday, Sept. 11 Molecular Steve, Hacienda

Austin’s Molecular Steve is an intriguing multi-generational nine-piece band that crafts muscular, wry pop-rock with a ton of heart and a bit of swagger. The Austin act really seems to be hitting its stride right now. San Antonio indie-rockers Hacienda have been laying low for a few years but remain one of the brightest lights to emerge from the city’s mid-aughts scene. $10, 9 p.m., Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 455-0233, thelonesomerose.com. — BB

Saturday, Sept. 12 Sweeping Promises Sweeping Promises bash out refreshingly direct punk rock embellished with a healthy heaping of singalong pop bliss. Which is to say this group is out ahead of almost anyone doing the proper “rock band” thing right now. Fittingly, Sweeping Promises’ newest album, You Say I Romanticize, is out on the venerable Sub Pop label — one of the best that’s ever existed. $21, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — BB sacurrent.com | September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | September 2 - 15, 2026 | sacurrent.com

EMPLOYMENT Senior Cost Accountant. San Antonio, TX. Anlyz, monitor, & report on prodn costs.

Dvlp & maint cost acctg systs & procedures to ensure accurate financial reporting.

Perf financial anlys of operations & expansn projs. Prep & anlyz financial stmts.

Ensure compliance w/ U.S. GAAP & applicable int’l acctg & tax regs, particularly for operations in S.A. Generate detailed financial reports & provide recommns to support biz decision-making. Utilize & support SAP systs. Collab w/ mgmt on financial planning & operational efficiency initiatives. Req Bachelor’s in Acctg, Finance, or rltd field & 5 yrs exp as Cost Accountant or rltd occup; fluent in Spanish; Exp w/ SAP systs for financial & cost acctg; exp in prodn cost anlys & financial evaln of projs; exp in financial consolidatn processes; knowl of int’l acctg & tax stndrds, particularly rltd to S.A. $101,899/yr. Send resume to: El Regio Antojitos LLC, 5238 De Zavala Rd, Ste 114, San Antonio, TX 78249.

NOTICE Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Mixed Beverage Permit by The Paradox Bar LLC, to be located at 2243 E Commerce Street Bexar County, Texas 78203.

Officers of said corporation/LLC are Bryanna Nicole Rivera, Owner/Managing Member “Magazine Covers”--it’s all on the outside.

by Matt Jones © 2026 Matt Jones Across 1. Insect stage 6. Ovo-___ vegetarian 11. Sea-___ (Washington airport) 14. Cookies in sleeves 15. Circumvent 16. Offline, initially 17. Like some turbines 19. Abbr. after Elizabeth Warren’s name 20. Curious person 21. Big name on LinkedIn, perhaps 22. “Heaven Can Wait” actress Cannon 23. Nitric or boric 25. Contributing some chips 27. Thanksgiving tuber 30. Sped along 32. Carlos Alcaraz’s sport 33. Org. that provides financial services to military families 35. Word often seen on kids’ art supplies 37. “The Divine ___” (Bette Midler album) 39. Lines from Keats 40. Pop culture cliche 43. Chipmunk in the green shirt 46. Leave out 47. Gracefully slender 49. Sandwich alternative 51. Means justifier 52. “So soon?”

54. Mars, to Greeks 56. Like doilies 57. “___ genius!”

59. Teletubby spelled with only two letters (no, not that one) 63. ___ precaution 64. Caribbean area where pirates plundered 66. Tire filler 67. Coat material?

68. Old Treasury offering 69. 1400, in old Rome 70. Narrow street 71. Foul Down 1. Valleys, mood-wise 2. “I Am Not My Hair” singer India.___ 3. Philosopher Descartes 4. Moscow Mule ingredient 5. Appearance 6. “The Good Wife” field 7. Sans opposite 8. Jazz pianist Chick 9. Connect with, in a way 10. Like seven, but not six 11. Respectable earnings 12. Fashion’s Giorgio 13. Loud, metallic sounds 18. Constellation with a belt 22. Robert of “Killers of the Flower Moon” 24. “The Mystery of Edwin ___” (Broadway musical based on an unfinished Dickens book) 26. Send a message 27. “Tasty!”

28. “___ was saying ...”

29. Credit company with a logo resembling a Venn diagram 31. Financially support 34. Actress Benson of “Pretty Little Liars”

36. ___ firma 38. Facebook owner 41. Wrestling win 42. Abbr. at an airport terminal 44. Complex word?

45. “Downton Abbey” extras 47. Arabic word meaning “peace” 48. Pickle brand with a stork mascot 50. Mate of a “proud” avian 53. Bygone Yahoo address option that was easily confused with the Google version 55. Ballroom dance from Brazil 58. Only daughter of Elizabeth II 60. Asian country with no coastline 61. “___ Misbehavin’” 62. Serkis of “Animal Farm” 64. Relaxation spot 65. Suffix after conform

Answers on page 27.

sacurrent.com | September 2 - 15, 2026 | CURRENT

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