10 for 10 @ The Starlighter | San Antonio, TX
Written By Lorenzo dela Cruz | March 23, 2025
On a normal Saturday in San Antonio, Texas, ten bands from around the state—and even out of state—descended upon The Starlighter, a local DIY venue in the heart of San Antonio’s Historic Westside-Deco District. The large lineup marked The Starlighter’s biggest live music event to date, featuring performances from Chandelier, Menorah, Sugarcaine, Cannon the Dealers, and Identity Crisis. Blending alt-metal, rock, and indie, the show offered a sound to satisfy just about every music taste. With each band performing 4–5 songs, every group brought its own energy that resonated with the crowd throughout the night. Whether they were long-time local followers or first-time listeners, no one left disappointed.
The venue’s small, intimate atmosphere was perfect for the size of the crowd, allowing the bands to connect directly with the audience. Standard crowd-surfing and moshing were in full effect. Whether you participated or not, the energy was absolutely insane, and the crowd kept the night alive with a constant stream of enthusiasm.
Two standout moments defined the night. First, when Jacob Parker, the lead vocalist for one of the bands, climbed a truss piece to stage left and launched himself into the crowd. Second, during the final song, Menorah bassist Nas Caples—who had spent much of the set playing in the crowd while the mosh pit raged around him—slipped on a patch of spilled water, but without missing a beat, kept right on playing. The crowd roared in support.
Moments like these really highlight the underground metal and rock scene that’s thriving thanks to the young community in San Antonio—and Texas in general. No matter the genre, each band featured vocalists and musicians with incredible talent, but more importantly, a passion to perform and leave every ounce of emotion on the stage. This kind of raw expression and escape can only be truly felt at small, local venues—where the bands and their fans share the same unspoken understanding of what it means to grow up and live in that region.
As someone who’s relatively new to the rock scene—discovering it through artists like Wisp and the broader shoegaze movement—I only have an infantile understanding of the space. Despite this, even from my “outsider” perspective, all of my interactions—whether DM’ing some of the groups or talking to people in the crowd—were met with warmth and authenticity. I could genuinely feel the friendships and sense of community that make a space like this possible.
I look forward to continuing to explore this sound and the culture around it—and I can’t wait to see what these bands create and perform in the future.
