"Halloween and Día de los Muertos are officially behind us, but it's a poor denizen of the Alamo City who can't extend celebrations. So this time around we offer more Day of the Dead observances and a record, yes, record, release party. Music and visual arts have long been complementary in S.A. Musicians make visual art, and vice versa. Art openings and art walks are often accompanied by a backbeat. And the Artslam! outings always feature musicians teaming with visual artists.
Friday on North St. Mary's Street, music and visual art will come together for the second annual Red Bull Mapa de los Muertos, a four-venue, multimedia extravaganza designed to pay tribute to the Day of the Dead while generating some fun.
An array of bands and DJs will supply the soundtrack while noted artists construct altars to salute those who have gone on. Mapa de los Muertos is set to start about 9 p.m. at four venues, Saluté, Limelight, Lava Lounge and Hi Tones.
At Saluté, it'll be Piñata Protest, Los Nahautlatos, DJ Plata and an altar by Toomer. Piñata Protest brings its punk/conjunto fresh from a tour and a welcome-home party with Girl in a Coma that drew thousands to the amphitheater at Pearl Brewery last weekend. Here's betting they shake the Saluté walls.
Grammy-winning Latin rock/funk/alt/etc. band Grupo Fantasma will take over Limelight with Master Blaster Sound System and DJ Dus. Adriana M. Garcia is handling altar honors.
At Lava Lounge, DJ/producer Mexicans With Guns will get together with Peligrosa Allstars. Jimmy James Canales will build the altar.
The newest entry on the North St. Mary's block, Hi Tones, building buzz with its eclectic booking policy, Friday will welcome Los de Esta Noche, Viet-Ruse, Que Padre, Bombasta's DJ El Robotico and an altar by Cruz Ortiz.
Celebrations always go better when everyone cooperates. When music makers and makers of the visual arts cooperate, feasts for the eyes and ears are the result, making for smoother sailing for the living and for the dead.
And one of the main ramrods of the Mapa de los Muertos is Steve Balser, the artist formerly known as DJ Scuba Gooding. Balser/Scuba lives and works in Dallas as creative events marketing manager for Red Bull. You can see he hasn't lost touch with S.A or lost his S.A. touch.
A green release
The music-meets-visual art action continues Saturday on North St. Mary's Street when a real-deal record-release party hits Limelight. The party will celebrate the release of a split 7-inch, green, glow-in-the-dark, hip-hop record with Beer Face on one side, Pointing Fingers on the other.
Beer Face is the latest alter ego of LouieDollars, the long-running emcee and the man who keeps the equally long-running Clogged Caps graffiti art events moving along. Beer Face's song “Number One” is big, goofy fun — a boastful workout, but a boastful workout not about bling, sexual conquests or firearms, but about beer-drinking prowess.
Pointing Fingers, aka producer Progeny from the group Chisme, offers up “Goes So Hard” with help from Vega Knami and Abagail.
The party entertainment roster also will include DJs L.A. Jae, Ninja, Tech-Neek and Certain Sickness. Mad-One will play host.
Cover, $5, includes a copy of the single. And the record indeed glows well in the dark."
Jim Beal Jr.'s Night Lights covers the area music scene. He also plays bass in the San Antonio band Miss Neesie & the Ear Food Orchestra. Send email to jbeal@express-news.net. Beal is the host of the “Third Coast Music Network” show from 3-7 p.m. Thursdays on KSYM, 90.1 FM. Check the Music Beat blog at mySA.com. @jimbealjr on Twitter.