Eli Josef & The Sounds of Paper Tiger’s Second Stage

Story by Jake Smoorenburg

Many artists making their way in the music world are given the label ‘garage rock.’ It’s easy to understand why - for many, the garage is an accessible place to begin rehearsing their craft. 

When I visited Paper Tiger earlier this month, for my first show on the second stage, I wasn’t expecting to see the term ‘garage rock’ taken literally. A San Antonio staple venue, Paper Tiger has hosted the likes of Band Suns and I Don’t Know How But They Found Me. These shows, of course, occupied the main stage of the venue. Anticipation was high to see a show on the hidden second stage. I was here to see San Marcos-based indie group Eli Josef, on tour supporting Housecall and Sisyfuss. 

The accessibility of indie music is tantamount to the success of musicians across the world. Paper Tiger, situated just off of Saint Mary’s, allows easy access to shows right from the street. No lines, just a quick stop at the front desk. Upon entry, I was greeted by a large courtyard adorned with murals. A dimly lit bar sits right next to the stage, and eager audience members gather on the park benches. This casual environment allowed myself and other fans to simply relax, something hard to come by at larger, structured concerts.

While visiting with others in the courtyard, a voice calls out - “It’s time!” Those around me stop what they’re doing, rushing into the stage area. I joined them. Looking around the garage, spared of intricacies, I was reminded of what indie music was all about. 

Eli Josef, a five person group, first appeared on the radar after releasing their single I Love You Aubrey Plaza. Recorded by the band in their college years, it’s a humorous yet catchy track that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The song, gaining over a million plays on Spotify, even spurred a video response from actor Aubrey Plaza herself - and no, she didn’t say she loves Eli back.

Eli Josef shattered my expectations for how loud a garage concert could be. The vibes of their studio recordings, beachy and lively, became fierce and exciting - making crowd movement basically compulsory. Perhaps the most entertaining aspect of Eli Josef was their unique ability to simply enjoy themselves on stage. In the middle of their hit Broken Bones, the instruments died down as the members joked amongst each other. Unexpectedly, they began to play Creep by Radiohead. Not just one verse – the entire song. By the end, the band was at their loudest. During the height of the musical chaos, one of the members threw himself into the crowd, forming a moshpit that engulfed most of the audience. Just as quickly as the band transitioned into the Radiohead rager, they took a breather -- changing tunes and finishing out the final verse of Broken Bones.

By the end of the show, both the band members and audience were exhausted in the best way. Eli Josef and other bands playing on Paper Tiger’s second stage serve as a reminder of what music is really about: expression, freedom, and comradery. Those looking for an authentic indie-garage rock experience should look no further than the second, lesser known stage at Paper Tiger. 

And don’t forget to check out Eli Josef’s music at Elijosef.com!

KRTUFest 2023

KRTU Indie Overnight presents KRTUFest 2023 on Friday, April 14, 2023 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Prassel Lawn on the campus of Trinity University. Food and drinks provided by Mr. Meximum. The event is FREE and Open to the Public. Parking available in the Prassel Garage. This inaugural music festival produced by KRTU student interns with support from Trinity University’s Student Government Association features music performances by:

5 PM - DJ Chris Galvan

6 PM - Dylan Lee

7 PM - Collective Dreams

8 PM - Retro Cowgirl

9 PM - NASA Country

Live and Local: January 2023

January 5th - Short Shorts

We are tap-tap-tappin into the New Year the with newly formed San Antonio math-rock quartet, Short Shorts.  We listen to their debut releases, talk about how they’ve managed to hit the ground running, and get tips on advanced calculus… JK about the calculus.  Tune in to get your fill of musical mathematics!

January 19th - Brandon Padier 

This week we go deep into the wilderness with singer-songwriter-all around solid dude Brandon Padier.  This country western Texas rocker has been on quite a journey since we last spoke with him in 2020, both musically and personally.  We listen with open ears and open hearts as he is kind enough to share thoughts on gigging, recording, life in general, and the importance of actively participating in the local music scene. 

January 26th - Any Color You Like 

More brand new music on this week’s episode of Live and Local!  San Antonio scene veterans Any Color You Like join us to share their debut recorded work “Indigo.”  We are lucky enough to speak with each member of the band about their journey thus far, the importance of vibes in studio, and what makes this track something they are truly proud of. 

Omar Apollo Concert Review by Sabrina Enriquez

Omar Apollo, a Mexican-American singer, was born in Indiana to immigrant parents. His

music is a mix of R&B and indie rock. He released his first song “Ugotme” on soundcloud in

2017. Since then, he has released 2 studio albums and has toured all across the world. His first

studio album Apolonio, which was named after his middle name, was released in 2020 and

includes features with Ruel and Kali Uchis. His second album, Ivory, was released this year and

includes songs such as “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All),” “Invincible (feat. Daniel

Caesar),” and “Killing Me.” Although many of his songs are in English, he does have a few

songs that he sings in Spanish. “Frio,” “Dos Uno Nueve,” and “En El Olvido” are just a couple

of those songs.

This year, Omar Apollo is touring all across the US with his The Prototype tour. On the

27th of October, Omar performed at the Aztec Theatre along with an opening performance from

Ravyn Lenae. Omar’s performance had the entire crowd dancing and singing along with him. He

sang a mix of chill, slow, and playful songs. He was energetic and extremely interactive with the

audience. After a few songs, he would point out people in the crowd and talk with them for a few

seconds. He encouraged audience members to sing along with him and never failed to amaze

with his stunning vocals. The crowd was filled with devoted fans that had Omar smiling the

entire time.

Host Spotlight: Tommy Newman

By Madyson Martinez

What do you call the space between the last track on a vinyl record and the label? No, this isn’t a riddle or a trick question. That space is called a runout groove—the same name as Tommy Newman’s show on KRTU Indie Overnight. 

We sat down with Newman, host of The Runout Groove, to find out more about him and his radio show. 

“The Runout Groove focuses on music that is primarily from independent labels and DIY artists and spans genres like alternative/indie rock, post punk, indie dance, synth pop, cold wave, and so on,” Newman said. 

He can trace his love for indie music back to the 1990s when he first listened to a mixtape from his friend’s older brother. On it, songs from Black Flag, NWA, Public Enemy, and RevCo. spurred his appreciation for music that most people may not know. After that, he would scour record stores and hunt down mixtapes to try to find more indie music.

“I still actively seek out the fringe stuff rather than passively stumbling upon it (i.e. letting Spotify tell me what it thinks I’d like),” he said. “All of that opens up a whole new world of underground music to me, and I love sharing it with whoever will listen. And that’s the ethos that I hope characterizes the show.”

Now as the owner of the record store Southtown Vinyl, he draws a parallel between sharing new songs and artists with his KRTU listeners and his customers and staff at his store. He prioritizes playing songs that he loves on The Runout Groove and tries to have every song add something to the next. 

“I want each song to flow effortlessly into the next song,” Newman said. “But I still want to present a broad spectrum of sounds. So, while I wouldn’t necessarily play an upbeat indie dance tune right after a punk song, you might still hear the two in the same show if the mix happens to go that way.”

Newman has been a KRTU listener since the 90s and began sponsoring KRTU shows after opening Southtown Vinyl. When he was approached to host his own show on the station, he was excited to start. 

“I love the fact that KRTU is a boon to our community,” he said. “They do so much for our city, our musicians, our people. I love the fact that it is listener supported and not beholden to any outside interests. I also love that KRTU has a mutually beneficial relationship with small businesses –they support each other.”

Between running his record store, hosting The Runout Groove, writing for the Southtown neighborhood newsletter, and working as a board member of the SA Parks Foundation, Newman spends his free time listening to music. When he can, he enjoys going to see live music shows, repairing turntables, and making his own music with modular synthesizers. He said that music has always been a friend to him no matter where he was in life.

“The songs you listen to and love really are the soundtrack to your life,” Newman said. “That feeling you get when you hear a new song that blows your mind doesn’t change as you get older. It’s a constant, and it’s always there waiting for you.”

Remember how a runout groove is the space between the last track on a record and the label? Well, The Runout Groove airs Friday nights on KRTU from 11 p.m. to 12 a.m.—the space between the last hour of the work week and the first hour of the weekend. 

Southtown Vinyl is open Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. and is located at 1112 S. St. Mary’s Street just south of downtown San Antonio.

Check out Tommy on this episode of What’s On My Turntable?

Jed Craddock @ The Little Carver Theatre

The Carver Community Cultural Center presents the Little Carver Intimate Series with Jed Craddock on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022 at 8pm in the Little Carver Theatre.

Watching Jed Craddock on stage is an experience that feels timeless and authentic. A San Antonio native, the singer-songwriter best defines his music as Soul Pop, although he consistently bends genres to incorporate his favorite elements from almost every kind of music. Craddock’s vocal style and song writing approach delivers powerful narratives that take listeners on a journey back to the roots of our shared human experience. Active in the Texas music scene since 2010, Craddock is no stranger to the grit required to thrive as an independent musician and producer. His unique blend of soul, R&B, electronic, rock, and hip-hop elements deliver an experience that captivates audiences and inspires them to dance while his voice shifts between a tender timbre to gritty belting. Joining him on the Little Carver stage will be local band members Joey Berrios, Simon Nicholson, and other special guests.

Tickets available here.

Mexstep & Friends @ The Little Carver Theatre - 10-22-22

Hip-Hop artist, producer, and University of Texas at San Antonio Professor, Marco Cervantes, better known as Mexstep (Mexican StepGrandfather), has released numerous recorded projects, both solo and as a part of groups (most notably the trio Third Root), including albums, EPs, and mixtapes. Hardly a stranger to the hip-hop scene, Cervantes began rapping in middle school and credits early influences like KRS-One, Public Enemy, and Poor Righteous Professors, for illustrating the intentionality of hip-hop. Ultimately, he found his calling linking Chicano activism to rap music. Since 2009, he’s released three solo projects while also performing with the group Third Root. For his Carver debut, Mexstep and special guests will feature songs from his solo albums Resistir and Vivir, both produced by Grammy Award winning Adrian Quesada (Black Pumas, Brownout)

Mexstep & Friends will be at The Little Carver Theatre on October 22, 2022.

Tickets available here.

Beach House Concert Review @ Tech Port Center

Beach House Concert Review
By: Sabrina Enriquez and Madyson Martinez

Beach House is an indie duo formed by Victoria Legrand, the vocalist and keyboardist, and Alex Scally, the guitarist. This duo was formed in 2004, after Victoria and Alex met in Baltimore. Their first self-titled album came out in 2006 with reviews comparing them to Mazzy Star. Since then, they have released 8 more albums. Their most recent album being Once Twice Melody, released in February of 2022. After releasing their 9th album, Beach House went on a world tour during the spring and summer of 2022. After a short break, they continued the fall leg of their tour, which included performing at the Tech Port Center and Arena here in San Antonio on September 22nd.

Beach House’s performance at Tech Port Center and Arena was ethereal. Their delicate music was accompanied by a brilliant show of colored lights, faux stars, and just enough smoke to add to the otherworldliness of the experience. The band pushed through technical difficulties not once, not twice, but three times during their performance. Victoria Legrand’s keyboard failed twice and had to be replaced by another one, and Alex Scally’s guitar failed once. Despite these obstacles, Legrand entertained their audience throughout the lulls in music. She made jokes, interacted with fans, and helped pass the time while technical support swarmed the stage. Once the issues were sorted out, Beach House got right back to the music, but the way they handled unforeseen circumstances shows how professional they really are.

The fans in attendance helped create the rest of the atmosphere that the music and technical directors worked toward. It was easy to tell how devoted the fans were to the band and how much it meant to them to be there watching the music unfold. Not one person on the floor could stay still. Everywhere people were swaying, dancing, or singing along to their favorite song, and a faint smile was always present on anyone’s face.

Host Spotlight: Ryan Menefee

By Madyson Martinez

Picture this: You wake up at noon, binge watch a season of your favorite tv show, and curl up with your cat and a good book. It’s a relaxing Sunday. As you get ready for bed that night, you settle into your cozy space, make yourself a warm mug of tea, and turn on your radio to KRTU to enjoy the “calmest hour of the week.”

San Antonio native Ryan Menefee, host of KRTU’s Moonlight Meditation, sat down to talk with us about his radio show.

“[It showcases] the many styles and genres of ambient and electronic music that I find compelling, contemplative, hypnotic, and soothing,” Menefee said. “For those familiar with soma.fm, my program is like a mix of Drone Zone, Deep Space One, and Space Station Soma.”

Menefee first fell in love with meditation music at the age of 16 after watching the movie, Pi. Once he got hooked on the ambient track featured near the end of that movie, he took it upon himself to search for more similar music. Later in his thirties, he used ambient music to help concentrate and relieve his anxiety.

“There’s certain qualities of ambient and electronic music that have attracted me for years, and they can invoke a spirit of calm watchfulness or a sense of mystery and wonder - those are the tracks I tend to gravitate toward,” he said. “The pandemic reinforced this appeal even greater, as the existential anxiety I felt during that time was met with albums by Stars of the Lid, Joanna Brouk, and Warmth, to name but a few.”

In 2009, Menefee started listening to KRTU in his car. It quickly became his go-to station. When he accepted a job at Trinity University ten years later, he was interested in producing his own radio show.

“By then, I was making a lot of playlists for myself and friends, and I knew I had enough experience with the ambient genre to contribute something unique in the indie overnight lineup,” he said. 

Moonlight Meditation features new material in almost every show. Menefee compares arranging his program to crafting a collage.

“I just go with the flow,” he said.

Menefee currently works for Advancement at Trinity while being an independent music producer. In his free time, he enjoys creating and listening to music, eating breakfast tacos, and hiking. In the future, he hopes to have some of his own music on a record label.

“I truly appreciate the folks in Advancement, as well as the entire KRTU staff for being so supportive of my program and giving me the opportunity to spread the love of music,” Menefee said.

Moonlight Meditation airs Sunday nights at 11:00 p.m. on KRTU San Antonio. All of Ryan Menefee’s broadcasts with playlists are available at http://www.mixcloud.com/MoonlightMeditation .

Check out this video segment of “What’s On My Turntable”, a new series produced by KRTU interns featuring hosts sharing stories about their favorite vinyl albums. Episode 1 - Ryan Menefee - host of Moonlight Meditation.