National Doll Festival
Thanks to The Twilight Zone’s hateful Talky Tina and a host of nightmare-inducing films (Magic, Poltergeist, Child’s Play, etc.) dolls scare as many adults as the kids they comfort. But don’t expect to find Stephen King’s murderous Chinga (The X-Files) wreaking havoc in the Wyndham’s Fiesta Pavilion. Uniting vendors from all over the world, this five-day gathering promises to “delight the aficionado and overwhelm the novice,” with antique and vintage dolls (from “reborn baby dolls” to collectible Barbies) along with consignment tables, appraisals and a restoration clinic. $15-$50, 1-9pm Monday, 10am-6pm Tuesday-Wednesday, Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk, 111 E Pecan, (210) 354-2800, az-ps.com/ndf. Through July 18. —Bryan Rindfuss
Mon 7/14 - Wed 7/16
Wreck the Decks
Presented by the Soul Family and GTV Promotions, Wreck the Decks is a weeklong celebration of SA’s underground music scene and the DJs who make it happen. On Monday night Dor?ol Distilling Company (1902 S Flores) hosts the “Chilled & Distilled” kick-off party with beats by local favorites Sonora, Rivera and Pakman, cocktails and food truck fare available for purchase from the Fridge and Say.She.Ate (8 p.m.-midnight Monday). Night two takes over Hi-Tones (621 E Dewey) with nu-disco, chillwave and indie dance spun by “Neon Love” resident DJs Pulp and Adam Madrigal (10 p.m.-2 a.m. Tuesday). And leave it to Southtown 101 (101 Pereida) to cure the humpday blues with “The Jump Off,” headlined by DJ Jester the Filipino Fist with support from Donnie Dee and happy hour sets from Tony Phoenix and DJ MV (7 p.m.-2 a.m. Wednesday). All Wreck the Decks parties are free for 21 and up; for details and a full schedule of events, visit wreckthedecks.com. —BR
Tue 7/15
Lone Star Live Summer Concert Series
The Current, in collaboration with Maverick Music Festival, presents the July installment of the free Lone Star Live Summer Concert Series, with SA accordion-punks Piñata Protest holding down the headlining spot. Active since 2009, the self-described mojado punk quartet released their best effort yet in 2013 with the El Valiente EP. Like a lot of great punk works, El Valiente is less than 20 minutes of speed and teeth-gritting guitar intensity. But unlike most punk, Piñata Protest integrates the two-step accordion rhythms of Norteño into its tunes, helping to land the four-piece on NPR’s Austin 100—the media outlet’s playlist of the most anticipated SXSW 2014 acts. Just be careful not to mosh yourself into the river when they do “Volver, Volver.” With The Lucky Odds and Slick Dickens. Free, 7pm, Arneson River Theater, 418 Villita (210) 207-8610, sacurrent.com.
—Matt Stieb
Tue 7/15
The Urban West: Urban Cowboy
The Briscoe’s Western film series continues with the 1980 classic starring John Travolta as a West Texas farm boy who learns about love and life at Mickey Gilley’s famed Pasadena honky tonk. The screening is preceded by line dancing with DanceArt San Antonio and followed by a short discussion. $4-$5, 7pm Tuesday, Briscoe Western Art Museum, 210 W Market, (210) 299-4499, briscoemuseum.org.
Tue 7/15
Potluck Poetry Party
Alamo Sierra Club invites poetry fans to bring a tasty dish to share and enjoy presentations by San Antonio’s inaugural Poet Laureate Carmon Tafolla (above), Wings Press publisher Bryce Milligan, Voices de la Luna editor Carol Reposa, poetry teacher Jim LaVilla Havelin, author Lahab Assef Al-Jundi and emceee/poetess Mobi Warren. Free, 6:30pm Tuesday, Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway, (210) 357-1900, texas.sierraclub.org/alamo.
