San Antonio Music Is Entering Its Viral Era
Last month, I went to Mohawk to see Wisp perform as part of an assignment. I was delighted to hear that San Antonio’s own Temachii was opening the night, and I knew I had to be there from the beginning. It seemed like most crowd there for Wisp was also there to witness the elusive artist who’s shrouded herself in mystery through drawings and rare appearances over the years. Everyone seemed to know her songs, screaming “Temachii, I love you!” throughout her set. It made me stop and think about the silent impact she’s created in the local music scene, or maybe it was just the famous warm embrace of Austin’s music community, which had seemingly adopted her as one of their own.
Fast forward to last week: Temachii headlined a show at the Paper Tiger side stage with Orca and Mypilotis. The response? Louder. Fans flooded the cramped room to the point where it was hard to move, with people spilling out through the open garage entrance. The show sold out the small stage, and if it weren’t for the four-band hardcore show happening on the main stage, I have a feeling their combined draw could’ve packed that room too.
Temachii sells out Paper Tiger
Their openers aren’t strangers to big crowds, either. Mypilotis has been relentlessly playing shows around town and hitting larger venues with positive reception. Their ringleader and songwriter, Chesca Umeno, commands the stage with confidence. Her call-and-response moments dissolve any hesitation in the crowd. From “What if people think I’m cringe for dancing?” to “I’m dancing with friends I haven’t met yet.” the set ended with Chesca crowdsurfing into the timid crowd before she was gently placed back on stage. Mypilotis has only a limited catalog on streaming platforms, but their three releases have already amassed nearly 90,000 plays. Their reach is even wider on social media, with millions of combined views on TikTok alone.
They’re not the only San Antonio bands leveraging platforms to reach massive audiences. Indie rock sweethearts Inoha have ridden the wave all the way to their first U.S. tour, a run in the UK, and even a spot on the ACL lineup. Meanwhile, desert-rock-turned-delta-blues artist Nicky Diamonds is also having a moment, potentially leading a digital revival of delta blues for the chronically online masses. Cumbia songstress Vanita Leo is on the cusp of stardom with features in remezcla and being on the roster of SXSW artists.
Inoha sells out Stable Hall
In my years in the San Antonio music scene, I’ve witnessed its ebbs and flows, times when the community comes together, genre boundaries dissolve, and artists share stages in support of one another. But eventually, the momentum fades, and musicians go their own ways. Cultural epicenter eras like Tacoland and The White Rabbit (now Paper Tiger) once nurtured the rise of now-established acts like The Butthole Surfers, Nothing More, and Upon a Burning Body, among others.
Upon a Burning Body sells out Paper Tiger, 2016
Now, musicians are finally tapping into the full potential of their platforms. We're seeing more local artists being discovered through playlists, Discord servers, and subreddit threads, without needing a set venue. Less physical word-of-mouth, and more algorithm-fueled discovery during a late-night doomscroll. Maybe this wave of rising talent and the ones up and coming will finally put the city on the map. San Antonio isn’t some C-list music market. We’re the 7th largest city in the country. It’s time we started acting like it. The potential to become a real music capital is already here, we just have to keep it going.
Nicky Diamonds sells out Lonesome Rose