Pinata Protest Delivers the Punk

San Antonio Tex-Mex punk band Piñata Protest returned to KIVA Lounge in downtown San Marcos this past Saturday night after a near seven month absence, and the crowd's enthusiasm showed. Known for their high energy performances, the band comprised of vocalist/accordionist Alvaro Del Norte, guitarist Regino Lopez, bassist Richie Brown, and drummer Chris-ruptive, blazed through a blistering hour-long set of exito after exito. working up the crowd of devoted "protestors" and never letting down. On the eve of releasing a new album entitled Necio Nights (out April 6) and embarking on a tour on Flogging Molly's Salty Dog Cruise, which will take them through the Caribbean, it is a pure treat seeing the band in smaller settings as you can be more involved in their special brand of norteno punk. Complimented by the ferocity of openers Destroy Orbison, Percocet, The Grim Folks and Sketchy Trench, the package was a non-stop party with a mix of all the punk one could handle. Sweaty crowds moshed, jumped, and sang along to Piñata Protest, even more so when they played iconic Mexican classics like "Volver, Volver" and "Tragos de Amargo Licor", at one point even inviting people onstage to partake in a tequila shot and mosh around. In short, if you enjoy high octane punk and regardless of whether you speak Spanish or not, Piñata Protest shows are one big, loving family and everyone is welcome to come on down.

photo: @mr_peefer

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The Grim Folk: As Grim as It Gets

San Antonio dark country/psychobilly band The Grim Folks have been taking the San Antonio music scene by storm, albeit in their own way. Not one to mix in with the rest, The Grim Folks deliver a fresh and exciting sound in a city obsessed with metal and Mexican regional music. It’s not to say they don’t fit the bill; simply, they aren’t the typical band you would expect to come across. That, however, is a damn good thing. At home with the punk and goth crowds, The Grim Folks play macabre songs inspired from “roots” Americana full of dark humor and superstitious folklore with an undisguised energy. They aren’t exclusive to particular crowds; they have a loose and inviting vibe anyone can enjoy. “When it comes to writing lyrics, my influence is inspired by horror movies I watched as a kid or stories of the supernatural, “said Nathan Quintanilla, the band’s vocalist and rhythm guitarist. “That enticing feeling I get when seeing or hearing these things is what I try to shape i

She Past Away and their Anxiety Disco

Turkish goths She Past Away are back with their third and long-awaited new album, Disko Anksiyete , a masterfully crafted blend of post-punk, dark wave and gothic rock (obviously). On Disko Anksiyete (Anxiety Disco in English), the duo comprised of guitarist/vocalist Volkan Caner and producer/keyboardist Doruk Ozturkan switch gears a bit and go into more pop structured/disco-y territory, but the band doesn’t completely abandon their typical sound. Easily their more accessible album, Disko is full of 80s cold wave/post-punk influence, alluding to the classic sounds of Joy Division and New Order. Caner displays unique musicianship and his singing is reminiscent of the Sisters of Mercy’s Andrew Eldritch, while Ozturkan’s keyboard washes and production are crisp, polished and solid. photo: rockallphotography.com In comparison to their previous releases, debut Belirdi Gece and the sophomoric Narin Yalnızlık , both phenomenal albums, Disko is certainly the standout

Chelsea Wolfe Births Violence

If the American Gothic movement had a sound, Chelsea Wolfe perfectly captures it. Wolfe’s latest album (and sixth overall), Birth of Violence , brings her back to her gloomy folk roots. It’s a goth-tinged acoustic album, a departure from her harder, heavier and sludgy doom-metal heard in her previous releases, Abyss and Hiss Spun , two albums that followed the more accessible Pain is Beauty , whose title sounds like an art school kid’s expressionist project. Acoustic offerings are nothing new for Wolfe. Her catalogue features a few here and there, and Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs is as stated: a collection of acoustic songs from her earlier days. Acoustic music has a tendency to be skipped over, but Wolfe’s should not. No matter how they’re performed, they are desolate, raw and impassioned. If her studio recordings can move you to the deepest bowels of a dark place, they are a whole other entity live with even more depth.

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