La Semana es Feminina
Editor & Photographer: Zach Jewell
Despite looking forward to experiencing the wonder of La Semana Alegre for the second year in a row, excessive construction in progress around Hemisphere Park created a collectively palpable distaste for the trek downtown to Fiesta activities this year. When I finally wended my way through the labyrinth of fences and barricades, I was pleasantly surprised by the tranquil buzz emanating from Civic Park, similar to what I had experienced at the previous Semana Alegre. The celebration of local musicians on the lineup was once again top notch. Something that stood out to me this year though, was the amazing presence of all-female bands.
After the journey through evening traffic and the walk from South Alamo street to Hemisphere Park, I arrived just in time to enjoy the upbeat cumbia stylings of Llamativa. Their big, bright brass section and focus on getting the crowd going was a great way to get the night started. After dancing my way through their set, I made my way over to the main stage to wait for up-and-coming Austin sensation Die Spitz to take the stage. As I stood carefully weighing my options between chicken on a stick or corn in a cup, I caught a glimpse of a fiery orange presence in my periphery. To my delight, it was Nina Diaz from Girl in a Coma waiting backstage for the rest of the band to arrive.
I took my chances and asked if she would be willing to sit down with me for a short interview, to which she graciously obliged. We sat at a table backstage and reminisced about music in the 90s and the music scene in San Antonio. Diaz said she is excited to see more female-fronted bands in the city, and is grateful for the opportunity to be a mentor of sorts to new artists in San Antonio through her production company, Beat Girl Productions, and the regular open mic she hosts at Bar America. She shared some insights and memories about her twenty-four year music career; she entered the music scene at age thirteen and is still going strong to this day, recording solo projects and even working on a new album with Jennifer Alva and Phanie Diaz, her bandmates in Girl in a Coma. Nina told me of her gratitude to the city of San Antonio for its culture and unique personality that drove her to never give up on her music career, taking that spirit with her everywhere she plays.
Nina expressed her excitement to see the all-female Die Spitz–-who recently signed to Jack White’s label–and by god did they deliver. I was immediately transported back to my high school years when they took the stage with raw, hardcore punk energy. They had the audience on their feet the entire time. Singer Ellie Livingston left the stage at one point to incite a good old-fashioned mosh pit, standing in the center while singing one of their final songs. They left the energy turned up to ten for headlining band Girl in a Coma, who much to my disappointment got rained out at the last minute. I wasn’t the only one who was disappointed though: much of the audience stayed close by hoping the decision might change, a testament to the band’s legacy and loyalty to the city of San Antonio. I saw first-hand the positive impact Girl in a Coma has had on people in this city, and I’m grateful for the free opportunities our city provides for people to experience the joy of music no matter where they are in life. Even though they weren’t able to play, the band graciously came out to take photos and wish their fans happy birthday. Thanks, La Semana Alegre, for another great year.
