Originally published in the San Antonio Current. “You’ve had a tough year, Texas,” said Lady Gaga, midway through her performance at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin during her Joanne World Tour on the night of December 5. Mother Monster herself put on probably one of the most insane live shows I’ve ever seen in…
Alyson Alonzo Sheds Light on Her Musical Roots and Her Debut EP The Romantic
It’s not exactly a surprise that Alyson Alonzo names Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald as some of her main musical influences. With a voice as big as the legends that inspired her, the 30-year-old, openly gay musician has become a well-known name in San Antonio’s indie-music circuit. From killing her set at Maverick Music Festival…
House Of Kenzo Is Throwing A Ball – And Wants You To Dress Up Like a ‘Snack’
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. Long before contemporary white pop stars began using 1980s QPOC culture to further their careers, there existed houses and balls where fierce drag queens would vogue against the confines of a patriarchal society. In the documentary Paris is Burning, Jennie Livingston chronicles mid-to-late 1980s ball culture in New…
Alyson Alonzo’s Debut EP Is Raw, Intimate and Sexy as Hell
Originally published in the San Antonio Current Watching Alyson Alonzo sing is a spiritual experience. When she’s performing at a bar or venue, you can hear a hush wash over the crowd as soon as she releases a string of breathy notes from her lungs. She’s that good. Apparently, she’s been that good for a…
Diana Ross Returns To San Antonio
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. A living legend in her own right, Diana Ross got her start in the music industry when she joined The Primettes, a group that eventually changed their name to The Supremes, signed on to legendary record label Motown and became one of, if not the most successful female…
The Omnipresence of Darian Thomas
So, first off, your hustle is crazy. Oh, thank you. It’s cool watching queer people in the music scene continue to work … to represent and do it well. I try [laughs]! Are you from here? Yeah, I was born and raised in San Antonio … I started at Clark and then my family moved,…
Wayne Holtz Jumps into the Spotlight
I’d met Wayne Holtz the photographer, shooting indie bands at Limelight and Hi-Tones. And I’d met Wayne Holtz the fashionista, kicking it with the vogue troupe House of Kenzo. But I’d never met Wayne Holtz the “pop star,” until he descended on Paper Tiger this summer, captivating an unsuspecting crowd with baritone crooning and a…