Music
When it comes to exposure for its music scene, San Antonio has often lived in Austin's shadow. But individual artists have certainly broken out to find bigger audiences. Here are a few making a noise that's been heard well outside of Loop 1604.
Tags:
- San Antonio,
- local musicians,
- local bands,
- local artists,
- putting San Antonio on the map,
- Texas,
- talent,
- Piñata Protest,
- Ada Vox,
- House of Kenzo,
- Blake,
- Wayne Holtz,
- Wolf Party,
- Fea,
- Lil Booty Call,
- Nothing More,
- Hacienda,
- Idyll Green
Scroll down to view images
Piñata Protest
Photo by Jaime Monzon
Much in the way Chicano Soul artists integrated regional sounds to create a fresh take on their genre, Piñata Protest has revved up punk rock with an infusion of Tejano. In addition to garnering attention from NPR, Pitchfork and the New York Times, the band’s unique sound has helped it land on high-profile tours including one opening for Brazilian metal legends Sepultura.
Photo courtesy of Piñata Protest
Nothing More
Photo by tarasheaphotography via Instagram / nothingmoremusic
Hard rockers Nothing More have spent more than 15 years making a name for themselves with a mix of metallic riffs and memorable hooks. In 2017, the band’s radio-ready recordings and constant touring paid off with three Grammy nominations.
Photo by alyssegafkjen via Instagram / nothingmoremusic
Ada Vox
Photo courtesy of Disney/ABC Press
The first drag queen to make it onto American Idol, Adam Sanders — better known as Ada Vox — made it all the way to the Top 10 in the singing-contest show’s last season. That high-profile run garnered praise from celebrities worldwide, including drag tastemaker RuPaul.
Photo via Instagram / adavox
House of Kenzo
Photo by Jaime Monzon
Part art installation, part ballroom vogue dance troupe, San Antonio’s House of Kenzo made waves in Texas’ underground club circuit for years before landing a slot at Poland’s Unsound Music Festival in 2018. The group’s performance won praise not only from the underground rave circuit but also the highbrow art world.
Photo by pawelwylag via Instagram / houseofkenzo
Blake
Photo by pkzuniga via Instagram / thatsblake
Even though San Antonio isn’t a music business hub, that hasn’t stopped artists from blowing up by using the Internet to full effect. To that end, Blake harnessed Soundcloud to build millions of streams of his mumble rap songs.
Photo via Twitter / Blake
Wayne Holtz
Photo by stilltrillstudios via Instagram / wayneholtz_
Unabashedly queer as f*ck and almost obnoxiously self-assured, Wayne Holtz doesn’t just deliver a show but an experience. Armed with a soundtrack of bass-forward indie-pop, Holtz commands audience attention with rock ’n’ roll-meets-ballet moves that often carry him on top of the bar half-naked while he croons into the microphone. Think Mick Jagger meets Lady Gaga on mushrooms.
Photo by erikgoes2shows via Instagram / wayneholtz_
Fea
Photo via Instagram / fea210
It’s not every day a San Antonio band earns praise from a punk icon. But that’s just what happened when Iggy Pop himself recently gave a shout out to SA-based riot grrrl act Fea during a Rolling Stone interview.
Photo via Instagram / fea210
Wolf Party
Photo by 5hysphotos via Instagram / wolfpartynoise
From brooding, droning hums to screeching electronic assaults, Wolf Party’s sound arsenal is vast. What separates the one-man act from other experimental noise artists is his complete understanding and control when pulling sounds out of an amalgam of guitar pedals and electronic equipment.
Photo via Instagram / wolfpartynoise
Lil Booty Call
Photo via Instagram / lilbootycall
Lil Booty Call has a baby trap vibe. In other words, he performs mumble rap minus the tough-guy lyrical themes we’ve come to expect. In fact, his delivery is almost kid-like. And while the rapper himself is cute and youthful, he’s made enough noise to sell out venues in LA just on the strength of his Soundcloud releases. That’s some real DIY clout if we say so ourselves.
Photo via Instagram / lilbootycall
Idyll Green/Hacienda
Photo via Facebook / Hacienda
Alt-R&B group Hacienda recently changed its name to Idyll Green due to some legal issues and a shift in its sound. But that’s not the only change happening for the band. Its profile has been expanding by leaps and bounds, from landing official SXSW showcases to appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman.
Photo by daveterryshotyou via Instagram / idyllgreen
`this.removeSpinner = () => {jQuery(slideshowInstance.itemContainerSelector + ' div[uk-spinner]').remove()};this.prevPageLinkHTML = ``this.nextPageLinkHTML = ``Object.defineProperties(this, {'items': { get: function() { return jQuery(this.itemContainerSelector).find(this.itemSelector)}},'currentItem': {get: function() {var foundItem = nullvar foundItemInView = nullthis.items.each(function () {var currentInView = elementInView(jQuery(this), scrollTopOffset, 0)if (currentInView) {// An in view item is already located extra logicif (foundItemInView && foundItemInView.inView) {// The entire previously found item is visible - it winsif (foundItemInView.topInView && foundItemInView.bottomInView) return// The previously found item covers the visible area - it winsif (foundItemInView.middleCoversView) return// The previously found item has more surface area - it winsif (foundItemInView.percentVisable > currentInView.percentOfViewHeight) return}foundItem = jQuery(this)foundItemInView = currentInView}})return foundItem}},'currentItemIndex': {get: function() {var currentElement = this.currentItem.closest('[slide-index]')if(currentElement) {return parseInt(currentElement.attr('slide-index'))}return null}},'currentItemId': {get: function() {var currentElement = this.currentItem.closest('[slide-id]')if(currentElement) {return currentElement.attr('slide-id')}return null}}})var slideshowInstance = this// xxx for debuggering - igwindow.slideshowInstance = slideshowInstance;var scrollTopOffset = window.innerHeight > this.smallMenuBreakPoint ? 110 : 140var originUrl = window.location.hrefthis.scrollToIndex = function (index) {var slideItem = this.items.filter('[slide-index="' + index + '"]')if (slideItem.length) { var topOffset = slideItem.offset().top - scrollTopOffset// window.scrollTo({ top: topOffset, behavior: 'smooth' })window.scrollTo({ top: topOffset, behavior: 'auto' })}else {this.fetchMore(index, function () {slideshowInstance.scrollToIndex(index)})}}this.fetchMore = function (startIndex, callback) {var currentItemOnFetch = this.currentItemvar url = '/sanantonio/10-absolutely-talented-bands-artists-putting-san-antonio-on-the-map/Slideshow/20561717'var params = {ajaxComponent: componentId,action: 'grabMore',startIndex: startIndex,oid: slideshowOid,cb: '1572678360',}if (paginate) {params.paginate = paginate;}var keywords = currentItemOnFetch.attr('slide-keywords')if (keywords) {params.keywords = keywords}if (editorView === true) {params.editor = true}// jQuery.ajax({url: url,type: 'GET',data: params,dataType: 'json',// beforeSend: function () { console.log('Fetching results') },success: function (data) {console.log('success', data.results, data.results.length, data.error, data)if (data) {if (data.error) {console.log(data.error)}else if (data.results) {console.log('slideshowInstance.items', slideshowInstance.items)for (var i = 0; i < data.results.length; i++) {var resultItem = jQuery(data.results[i])// // var resultItem = jQuery.parseHTML(data.results[i], document, true);var resultItemIndex = parseInt(resultItem.attr('slide-index'))var resultAlreadyInserted = slideshowInstance.items.filter('[slide-index="' + resultItemIndex + '"]').length > 0console.log('result', resultItemIndex)var previousItem = nullvar previousItemIndex = 0if (!resultAlreadyInserted) {slideshowInstance.items.each(function () {if (resultAlreadyInserted) returnvar currentItem = jQuery(this)var currentItemIndex = parseInt(currentItem.attr('slide-index'))if (resultItemIndex === currentItemIndex ) {resultAlreadyInserted = truereturn}else if (resultItemIndex > previousItemIndex && resultItemIndex < currentItemIndex) {var topOffsetBeforeInsert = currentItemOnFetch.get(0).getBoundingClientRect().topresultItem.insertBefore(currentItem)resultAlreadyInserted = truevar adjustedTopPosition = currentItemOnFetch.offset().top - topOffsetBeforeInsertwindow.scrollTo({ top: adjustedTopPosition, behavior: 'auto' })}previousItem = currentItempreviousItemIndex = currentItemIndex})if (!resultAlreadyInserted) {var topOffsetBeforeInsert = currentItemOnFetch.get(0).getBoundingClientRect().topresultItem.insertAfter(slideshowInstance.items.last())resultAlreadyInserted = truevar adjustedTopPosition = currentItemOnFetch.offset().top - topOffsetBeforeInsertwindow.scrollTo({ top: adjustedTopPosition, behavior: 'auto' })if (typeof instgrm === 'object' && instgrm.Embeds && typeof instgrm.Embeds.process === 'function') {setTimeout(instgrm.Embeds.process, 200);}}}}}else { console.log('How did we get here?') }}else { console.log('No result or error returned from content request.') }},complete: function () { slideshowInstance.items = jQuery(slideshowInstance.itemSelector) // Update items resultslideshowInstance.removeSpinner();if (typeof callback === 'function') { callback() }},error: function (jqXHR, textStatus, errorThrown) {console.log(jqXHR, textStatus, errorThrown);if (textStatus === 'timeout') {slideshowInstance.removeSpinner();if (paginate === true) return;paginate = true;if (slideshowInstance.items.length < totalSlides) {var firstLoadedIndex = parseInt(slideshowInstance.items.first().attr('slide-index')) || 1;var lastLoadedIndex = parseInt(slideshowInstance.items.last().attr('slide-index')) || totalSlides;if(firstLoadedIndex > 1) {var prevLink = jQuery(slideshowInstance.prevPageLinkHTML);var prevLinkUrl = new URL(url, `https://www.sacurrent.com`);prevLinkUrl.searchParams.append('startIndex', firstLoadedIndex - 1);prevLinkUrl.searchParams.append('paginate', 'true');prevLink.attr('href', prevLinkUrl.href);jQuery(slideshowInstance.itemContainerSelector).prepend(prevLink);}if(lastLoadedIndex < totalSlides) {var nextLink = jQuery(slideshowInstance.nextPageLinkHTML);var nextLinkUrl = new URL(url, `https://www.sacurrent.com`);nextLinkUrl.searchParams.append('startIndex', lastLoadedIndex + 1);nextLinkUrl.searchParams.append('paginate', 'true');nextLink.attr('href', nextLinkUrl.href);jQuery(slideshowInstance.itemContainerSelector).append(nextLink);}}}}})}// // // var lazyLoadSurroundingItemsInterval = null;// var lazyLoadTimeout = null;// var lazyLoadSurroundingItems = function (index) {// if (paginate) return;// if (slideshowInstance.items.length >= totalSlides) {// clearInterval(lazyLoadSurroundingItemsInterval);// }// if (slideshowInstance.lazyLoadMoreResults) {// // Rate limit lazyloading more slides// clearTimeout(lazyLoadTimeout);// lazyLoadTimeout = setTimeout(function () {// var prevIndex = Math.max(index - 1, 1)// var prevPrevIndex = Math.max(index - 2, 1)// var nextIndex = index + 1// var nextNextIndex = index + 2// var prevIndexLoaded = slideshowInstance.items.filter('[slide-index="' + prevIndex + '"]').length > 0// var prevPrevIndexLoaded = slideshowInstance.items.filter('[slide-index="' + prevPrevIndex + '"]').length > 0// var nextIndexLoaded = slideshowInstance.items.filter('[slide-index="' + nextIndex + '"]').length > 0// var nextNextIndexLoaded = slideshowInstance.items.filter('[slide-index="' + nextNextIndex + '"]').length > 0// if(!prevIndexLoaded) {// slideshowInstance.removeSpinner();// // jQuery(slideshowInstance.itemContainerSelector).prepend(slideshowInstance.spinnerHTML)// slideshowInstance.fetchMore(Math.max(prevIndex - (fetchMoreMaxCount - 1), 1))// }// else if(!prevPrevIndexLoaded) {// slideshowInstance.removeSpinner();// // jQuery(slideshowInstance.itemContainerSelector).prepend(slideshowInstance.spinnerHTML)// slideshowInstance.fetchMore(Math.max(prevPrevIndex - (fetchMoreMaxCount - 1), 1))// }// if(!nextIndexLoaded) {// slideshowInstance.removeSpinner();// jQuery(slideshowInstance.itemContainerSelector).append(slideshowInstance.spinnerHTML)// slideshowInstance.fetchMore(nextIndex)// }// else if(!nextNextIndexLoaded) {// slideshowInstance.removeSpinner();// jQuery(slideshowInstance.itemContainerSelector).append(slideshowInstance.spinnerHTML)// slideshowInstance.fetchMore(nextNextIndex)// }// }, 200)// }// }// // // var lazyLoadLastCheckedIndex = slideshowInstance.currentItemIndex// lazyLoadSurroundingItemsInterval = setInterval(function () {// var currentIndex = slideshowInstance.currentItemIndex// console.log(`lazyLoadSurroundingItemsInterval - currentIndex: ${currentIndex}; lazyLoadLastCheckedIndex: ${lazyLoadLastCheckedIndex}`);// if(currentIndex !== lazyLoadLastCheckedIndex) {// lazyLoadLastCheckedIndex = currentIndex;// lazyLoadSurroundingItems(currentIndex);// }// }, 1000);var onScrollLastCheckedIndex = slideshowInstance.currentItemIndexjQuery(window).on('scroll resize', function () {var currentIndex = slideshowInstance.currentItemIndexif(currentIndex !== onScrollLastCheckedIndex) {onScrollLastCheckedIndex = currentIndex// console.log(`Slide Item index: ${currentIndex}`)fireEvent('foundation:slideshow:slidechange')}});// var onScrollTimeout = null;// jQuery(window).on('scroll resize', function () {// // Rate limit lazyloading more slides// clearTimeout(onScrollTimeout);// onScrollTimeout = setTimeout(function () {// var currentIndex = slideshowInstance.currentItemIndex// if(currentIndex !== onScrollLastCheckedIndex) {// onScrollLastCheckedIndex = currentIndex// console.log(`Slide Item index: ${currentIndex}`)// fireEvent('foundation:slideshow:slidechange')// }// }, 100);// });this.initialized = falsethis.init = function () {if (this.initialized === true) return// Prevent the browser from trying to scroll to the last scroll position before reloadif (history.scrollRestoration) {history.scrollRestoration = 'manual'}var startIndex = this.items.first().attr('slide-index')var oid = window.location.pathname.match(/\d+$/)if (oid) {var grabIndex = parseInt(this.items.closest('[slide-id="' + oid[0] + '"]').attr('slide-index'))if (!isNaN(grabIndex)) {var startIndex = grabIndex}}// if (startIndex > 1) {// this.scrollToIndex(startIndex)// }// if(jQuery(this.itemContainerSelector + '[single-listing]').length === 0) {// this.lazyLoadMoreResults = true// }this.lazyLoadMoreResults = truethis.initialized = true// lazyLoadSurroundingItems(startIndex)}return this}var SlideshowItems = new SlideshowItemsObj()// Ad refresh on slide change handlingvar adSlideChangeRefreshThreshold = 10;var adSlideChangeRefreshTimeout = null;// adSlideChangeRefreshTimeout = setTimeout(function () {adSlideChangeRefreshTimeout = null; // Set timer to null}, adSlideChangeRefreshThreshold)// Timeout to prevent fast jogging from item to itemvar itemChangeTimeout = nulljQuery(document).on('foundation:slideshow:slidechange', function () {if (editorView !== true) {updateMetaDataFromElement(SlideshowItems.currentItem)}// Google Anayltics track pageviewif (typeof ga === 'function') {console.log("foundation:slideshow:slidechange event", "sending pageview navigation to:", window.location.href);ga('set', 'location', window.location.href)for (let i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {let currentDimension = jQuery(SlideshowItems.currentItem).attr('ga-dimension'+i)if (typeof currentDimension === 'string') {ga('set', 'dimension' + i, currentDimension)}else {ga('set', 'dimension' + i, '') }}ga('send', 'pageview')}// if (adSlideChangeRefreshTimeout === null) {// adSlideChangeRefreshTimeout = setTimeout(function () {adSlideChangeRefreshTimeout = null; // Set timer to null}, adSlideChangeRefreshThreshold)// if (Foundation.Ad && Foundation.Ad.slots) {if (typeof (Foundation.Ad.slots['_Footer-1']) === 'object') {Foundation.Ad.showFooter('_Footer-1');}}// if (Foundation.Gpt && Foundation.Gpt.getInPageSlotDataById) {var gptSlots = window.googletag.pubads().getSlots();var gptSlotFixedFooter = gptSlots.filter((slot) => slot.getSlotElementId() === `FixedFooter`)if (gptSlotFixedFooter.length) {Foundation.Gpt.ShowAd.refreshFixedFooter(gptSlotFixedFooter[0]);}}}});// Try to init immediatelySlideshowItems.init()// On document loadedjQuery(function () {SlideshowItems.init()})// })();