BAM Zine Issue #1

BAM

southXsouthmost2015

INSTABAMCheck out these posts from folks who have checked into BAM on Instagram and don’t forget to follow us @BAM78520!

@W

HEA

TBU

NZ

@PA

STEL

DES

ORI

AN

A

@PA

STEL

DES

ORI

AN

A@

BAM

7852

0

1

BrownsvilleArtistsandMusicians(BAM)isacollaborativeexperimentthatwillinglygoesagainstthegrainoftheinstitutionalizedartsinpursuitofthemarginalizedandmisunderstoodcreativesofBrownsvilleandthesurroundingSouthTexasregion.BAMisnotanotherplayerinthe“scene,”rather,itisafacilitatorandcollaboratorforthecreativeclassandwhatcanbestbedescribedasan“authenticurbanvenue”forthedowntownBrownsvillearea.

@W

HEA

TBU

NZ

@PA

STEL

DES

ORI

AN

A@

EL_T

LATO

AN

I

@W

HEA

TBU

NZ

2

Carlos Solitaire III: Co-Owner, CEO and Booking Agent

Josh Morales: Sound Guy

Mike Quinones: Go To Guy--He Does it All

Farmertron: Promotions and Clean Up Crew

Karina Gonzalez: Promotions and Clean Up Crew

Brandi Beltran and Xavier Castaneda: Arts Coor-dinator (Brandi), Promotions and Clean up Crew

BAM101

3

Michelle “MoshiMoshi” Serrano: Co-Owner, Director of Operations

WELCOME TO

SOUTHXSOUTHMOST SouthbySouthmost,orSXSM,isatributetothesouthernmostpartofTexasandwheremanyoftheartistsperformingcallhome.ManymusiciansontheothersideofthehipandtrendyspotsoftheSouthTexasregionwilltellyouthattherehasneverreallybeenasteadyspottoshowcasetheirsoundinBrownsville,optingtotraveltoHalingenorMcAllenorevenmovingtoSanAntonioorAustin.KeepingtheflamealiveinBrownsvilleneededtohappen,butnobodywaswillingtostepuptotheplate.Manyhavetried,butrealdealcollaborationandvenueparticipationhasneverhappenedbefore.ThequestionmanyaskiswhythereissuchfragmentationintheBrownsvillemusicscene?IsitacarryoverofHaciendaculture?Aresultofpostcolonialbrowbeating?Thetruthis--wehavealwaysbeentoldtobeguiltyforhavinganymorethana“proper”goodtime.TherearemanymisconceptionsonwhatattendeesorbandsdoataBAMshowbythemainstreamestablishment.Yes,sometimespeoplemove,theydance,theysweatandtheymakecontactwitheachotherphysically.

Thesevisceralexperiencesarebeautifulandunparalleledinvenuesofestablishment.It’syouthculture,it’sBrownsville’syouth.Yourbestandbrightesthavebrokenthemoldandarenotonlybrilliantthinkers,buthavebrillianttalents.BAMconsidersthismusicshowcaseafoundationforourmusicalcompatriotstoplanttheirflagsdowntownandtoletothervenueownersknowthatjustbecausetheydidn’taskfor$500forplayinganhourset,doesn’tmeantheyaren’tGOOD.Farfromthat,themusicfromtheRioGrandeValleyandBrownsvilleisrichindiversityandbeliefs,culturesandlifestylesthatwedeeplyrespect.ThefollowingtwodayswillbeacelebrationoftheamalgamationofMexican,SouthTexasandAmericanculturethatisunlikeanythingelseyouwillfindinthecountry.Borderlifemakesusalittlebitdifferentandsometimesthatmisfitstatusmakesgreatmusic.JUSTLISTENandyouwillsee.Cheerstobreakingmolds!

WHERE’S THE

PARTY?BAM

1405 E. WASHINGTON STBROWNSVILLE, TEXAS 78520

*BYOB

EL HUESO DE FRAILE837 E. ELIZABETH ST

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS 78520*48 CRAFT BEERS, $4-$6

HALF-MOON SALOON1101 E ADAMS ST

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS 78520*$3 DRAFT, $4 MARGARITA

HAVEN1237 E ADAMS ST

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS 78520*$3 DOMESTIC, $3 WELL,

$1 HAVEN SPECIAL

5

ALL GO

OD THING

S MU

ST CO

ME TO

A SLO

PPY EN

D,Co

nrad

o Go

nzale

z

6

MARIA CANTU,Conrado Gonzalez

7

UNTITLED,Veronica Gaona 8

FRIDAY DAY 1BAM

7:00=7:30•IDLE VISION7:45-8:15•MODERN STUDIES8:30-9:00•DIGIBOYS9:15-9:45•INGRATE10:00-10:30•STANTON10:45-11:15•PINKY SWEAR11:30-12:15•BERZOI12:30-1:45•XETASMILK VINYL DJ SET BETWEEN SETS

8:10-8:35•LOZ8:40-8:55•NEW ERA HIPPIES9:00-9:15•CHARZ9:20-9:35•SOUTH COAST ARMY9:40-9:55•XELA10:00-10:15•SOKOHL10:15-10:25•Ozzy/Instrumental DJ Set10:30-10:45•LIL PAX10:50-11:05•SYCOSIS11:15-11:30•ALEX MONTANA11:40-11:55•CONSCIOUS12:00-12:15•A-DRE12:20-12:35•BILLY YOUNG12:40-12:55•EVOLVE1:00-1:15•MARQUEES1:20-1:35•FARMERTRON AUTOMATIC

7:30-8:00•RELIVING CAPE YORK8:15-8:45•MATHILDA9:00-9:30•GRAYSON9:45-10:15•RADIOBOT10:30-11:00•WINTER TEXAN11:15-11:45•OIL

Emilio Crixell & The Bluzanos

MariianaMickey

The Blitz

STUDIO1045

HAVENEL HUESODE FRAILE

HALF-MOONSALOON

881

HIP-HOPSHOWCASE *

*

*CHECK VENUE FOR START TIMES AND LINE UP

SATURDAY DAY 2

9:00-9:45•SECRETS TOLD IN SILENCE9:45-10:45•VALLES FLYING MACHINE10:45-11:30•THE BOLOS11:30-12:15•THE OBLIOS12:15-1:00•THE RICH HANDS1:00-1:45•OUTSIDE THE RAIN

Los DabsRoleros Cosmicos

7:30-8:00•PAZUZU8:15-8:45•UNDERMINE AUTHORITY9:00-9:30•DIVISION TWO9:45-10:15•INDECISIVES10:30-11:00•THE LOW ENDS11:15-11:45•THE FOLLIES

7:00-7:30•MRA7:45-8:15•PALM LEAF SKYLINES8:30-9:00•LA RATERA9:15-9:45•FANTASTICO10:00-10:30•DEZORAH10:45-11:30•TELE NOVELLA11:45-12:30•FEA12:45-1:30•PINATA PROTESTUNIPORN DJ BETWEEN SETS

STUDIO1045

HAVEN

EL HUESODE FRAILE

Juice Neo-Soul Quintet

HALF-MOONSALOON

YIPPEE KI YAY RECORDS:

TEXAS CARAVAN TOUR

BAM

*

*

10

Sex workers are laborers just like everybody else, and deserve the same basic human, civil, and labor rights as their employees and clients. The discourse on sex workers as criminals or victims is really a classist argument in disguise—all that is really argued is, “Who gets to be treated how according to their labor class?“ Those who work in the sex industry are not only often arrested for their work, fired without cause, but also denied recognition of employee status and taxed as independent contractors. Sex workers are also more prone to experience violence due to discrimination against the work they do, their class, and identity, worsened by heteronormativity and gender norms (while both are changing, they aren’t changing quickly enough). Deviance and stigma do serve a purpose, but far too often, and especially in this case, it is being misdirected, resulting in the unjust discrimination, exploitation, and ultimately, violence against those who just want to get by, all because of outdated and outmoded ways of thinking.

Because a lot of sex work is criminalized, and has historically lacked unions and similar organizations, sex workers throughout the world have very little representation against that which looms over them. By unionizing, however, some sex workers have been able to demand rights like full protection of all existing laws regardless of the context and without discrimination (including laws to protect them from harassment, violence, threats, theft, health and safety), and full access to non-discriminatory health checks and medical advice loudly and clearly.1

But, at the end of the day, these are basic labor and human rights. We must not only end stigma against sex work but stand in solidarity with sex workers and all workers as well—those who work in the sex industry are no different from the other works who are exploited under modern capitalism. How can we fight for workers to have the same basic rights if we divide labor into classes? We must consolidate to better fight class struggle, and when we do, we will come ever closer to true equality

1 “International Union of Sex Workers.” International Union of Sex Workers RSS. IUSW, 2002. Web. 20 July 2015.

11

LIFE IS A SLUT,Eduardo Martinez-Blanchard

12

SENOR CATOLICO,Veronica Gaona

13

ADAMS ST,Josie Del Castillo

14

RicardoandJustinwerecompadres.

JustinhadknownRicardoforalmosttwodecadessinceRicardohadmovedfromMercedestomakehishomeinBrownsville,orBrowntownaslocalscalledthebordercity.

Neitherhadreallybaptizedeachother’schildren,butaftersome20ormoreyearsoffriendship,bothconsideredeachothertobeascloseasafriendcouldbe.

TheyhaddiscussedbaptizingRicardo’sdaughterCristinawhenshewasjustoneyearold,butthatwasblind-sidedbyaseriesofmishapsthateventuallyledtoJustintocoolhisheelsinthecountyjailforaweek.JustinandRicardoagreedtobecompadreswhiletheysatinRicardo’sbackyardsippingonsomebeersoneSundayafternoon.SinceJustinwasnotlivingwithawomanatthetime,theyagreedtoaskJulia,Ricardo’ssister-in-lawtostandinwithJustin.

JuliawasmarriedtoAdamBeto,anoldlawyerwhosometimessatinasajudgeinthelocalcountycourts.WhenBetofoundoutthatthefriendsweregoingtobecompadresandthathiswifewasgoingtostandinasacomadrewithJustin,hetookmattersintohishands.Justinhadbeenconvictedofadrinkingwhiledrivingundertheinfluenceviolationaboutayearbeforeandwasonprobation.WhenaprobationrevocationhearingwasheldonJustin’scaseformissinganappointment,hegothischance.

WhenJustinappearedtowhathethoughtwouldbearoutinehearingwherehewouldgetachancetoarguethathehadmadeupthemissedappointmentthenext

El CompadrE or

Just thE Way I lIkE thEm

ByJuanMontoya

15

day,turnedinsteadintoadisaster.Sincehislawyerhadn’tarrived,hetoldBetoaboutthemade-upappointment.

“Ididn’taskyoutomakeexcuses,”BetofumedatJustin.“Ifyoudon’tcomplywiththetermsoftheprobation,yougotojail.We’llgiveyourlawyerachancetospeakforyouwhenhegetshere,ifhegetshere.”

Justinshouldhaveseenitcoming.Inthecaserightbeforehishearing,aclean-cutyoungmaninasuitwasendinghistwoyearsofprobationforwritingbadchecks.Hisprettywifeandnewbabysatinthebenchesbehindthedefendant’stable.

“Ihavemadefullrestitutiontoeachoneofthepersonswhogotthechecks,”saidtheyoungman.“Idon’tevenhaveacheckingaccountanymore.Iammarriednowandwejustgotanewbaby.Ihavelearnedfrommymistake,judge.Thedistrictattorneyhasalsoagreedthatprobationshouldbeendedbythiscourt.”

“Ididn’tagreewithanybodyaboutanyprobation,”shotbackBetofromthebench.“Bailiff,puthiminacell.”

Theaudiencesatlookingoninstunnedsilence.

“AndI’mnext,”thoughtJustin,lookingaroundtotherearofthecourtroomtoseeifhisattorneyLuisChuecohadarrived.Hewaslateasusual,andtoldthecourthehadaprevioushearinginaneighboringtown.Helookedasifhewerenursingahorriblehangover.

“Ionlycarewhathappensinthiscourt,”Betoretorted.“I’mgoingtorevokeyourclient’sprobation.Puthiminjail,bailiff.”

Thateffectivelycastawetblanketonthebaptismforthewould-becompadres.PleastoBetothathereleaseJustinfellondeafears,ThemoreJustin’sfriendsandpoliticalacquaintancescalledBeto,themorerecalcitranthebecame.

“Ifanyoneelsecomesandtalkstomeaboutthatcase,I’llincreasethesentence,”hetoldalocalcountycommissionerwhointercededinJustin’sbehalf.

Andso,JustincooledhisheelsforafullweekbeforeBetorelentedandreleasedhim.

Fromthereon,RicardoandJustinactedasiftheywerereallycompadres,eventhoughCristinawasneverformallybaptized.

OneoftheirfavoritepastimeswasgirlwatchingastheydrovealongElizabeth,thecity’smainstreet

Saturdayafternoon.RicardowouldslowdownastheypassedprettygirlsonthesidewalkandwouldtellJustin,“Lookcompadre,justthewayIlikethem.”

Justinknewhiscompadre’slikesbecausehehadheardthemsooften.“Lithe,brown-skinned,withlongblackhairandbrowneyes.That’sthewayIlikemywomen,compadre,”Ricardowouldtellhim.

OnoneSaturdayafternoon,theydrovealongthecity’smainstreetanddoubledbackalongtheneighboringstreetoglingatthescoresofyoungwomendottingthesidewalks.Therewasnoshortageofprettygirlsintownmostweekends.OnSaturdays,thebordertownwascrawlingwithpeople,manyofthemresidentsofneighboringMatamoros,Mexico.Thefriendsthenwalkedintoaloungetogetoutfromunderthescorchingheat.

“Theresurearealotofgood-lookingwomenouttoday,”RicardotoldJustinastheysatdownatabarstool.“And...”

“Iknow.Iknow.Justthewayyoulikethem,”Justincompletedhissentence.

Theafternoonturnedintoeveningbeforethefriendswalkedoutoftheloungeandheadedforaclubinthecity’sseedierside.Notafewofthewomenatthesebarswereonthemoredaringside,andifyouplayedyourcardsright,somethingelsemighthappenafterclosingtime.

However,despitehistalk,Justinhadneverseenhisfriendconnectwithanyofthem.Usually,theywouldoftenendupdrivinghomeafterclosingtimetosleepintheirrespectivehomes.

Nonetheless,Ricardoneverlackedoptimismthathecouldsnagababe.Whathelackedinlooks,hemadeupinbravado.

“Lookcompadre,justthewayIlikethem,”hewouldtellJustinasheelbowedJustintogethisattention.

Asthenightdraggedon,thesmokeinthebarsoondrovethemawayfromthetavernsandtheystartedforhome.

JustinwasdrivingthatnightandhetookRicardohome.Asheturnedinhisfriend’sdriveway,thefrontporchdoorcameon.Behindthescreendoor,hesawRicardo’swifestandingresolutelyinthedoorway.Shewasnotahappycamper,andsheheldsomethinglong,round,andmenacinginherhands.Itwasasighttomakegrownmencringe.Ricardoreluctantlyalightedfromhisfriend’scar.

Justincouldn’thelphimself,evenifitwashiscompadre.

“Lookcompadre,justthewayyoulikethem,”hesaidashedroveaway.

NUNCA ESTAS SOLO CON UN CIGARILLO, Veronica Gaona

17

Thebeautyofthesilenceservesonlyatransientpleasuretothedeafeningnatureoflife.

Thecoolbreeze,areminderofthatheatwhichawaits.

Sadly,themovementoflifeis,andcannevertornfromitscompanion,thestillnessofdeath.

Whythencherishthesilence,thecoolbreeze,yetbefearfulofdeath?

Forwithoutit,thewonderoflifeisnomore!

Sibilantshiveringsighs

cascadingonmycraniumfins

carryingthemerrymelodyofour

sexualsymphonyintomybrain,

burned,branded,burnished–

cryout!noonetohear,

cryout!noonetofear,

cryout!onlyushere,

turnthevolumehigher.

Thereisnosuchthingasaperfectpoem–

thereissuchathingasaperfectass.

Ihaveyettopenaperfectpoem–

Ihaveoftenmadeaperfectass;

ofmyself,manytimes–

orsoI’vebeentold.

IfonlyIcouldbecomeso

proficientwithmypoetry.

IfIcouldIwouldthenbethe

poetlaureateofperfectasses.

PERFECT ASSby Craig Price

SIBILANT SHIVERING SIGHSby Craig Price

UNTITLEDby Daniel Cantu

POETRY

18

BAM OFFICIAL ZINE, 2015EDITOR IN CHIEF / BEATRIX LESTRANGESUPERVISING EDITOR / MOSHI MOSHI SOLITAIRECONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS / VERONICA GAONA, JOSIE DEL CASTILLO, CONRADO GONZA-LEZ, EDUARDO MARTINEZ-BLANCHARDCONTRIBUTING WRITERS / MOSHI MOSHI SOLITAIRE, JUAN MONTOYA, CRAIG PRICE, DANIEL CANTU, NATALIA, ROCAFUERTEFACEBOOK.COM/BAMTEXAS