It’s one thing to have a vision for undertaking a festival featuring nothing but musicians from your city. It’s another to put it on for free.
But to declare plans for a second and third annual installment before the first note of the inaugural event has even been played?
Well, that takes some major cajones. A few cascarones on Easter weekend didn’t hurt either.
Welcome to the first Chancla Academy Rock Fest.
Featuring 20 all-San Antonio artists and headlined by national homegrown metalcore quartet Upon A Burning Body, the Chancla Academy Rock Fest also invited 30-plus vendors and any metalhead who dared have a good time, and possibly discover bands with whom they may not have been familiar, upon the grounds of Alamo Beer Company on Saturday, April 8.
The brainchild of Joe Cordero of Chancla Academy and Julian “JC” Cruz of JC Productions, the festival was a rousing, nearly perfect success.
Prior to the big day, Cordero and UABB guitarist Ruben Alvarez told local Fox affiliate KABB-29 that next year’s event has already been scheduled for the Boeing Center at Tech Port. Cordero added he has aspirations to stage the 2025 fest at the Alamodome.
As he prepared to introduce UABB to culminate the noon-midnight event — did we mention it was free? — Cordero boldly told the packed crowd, “If we’re lucky, all of us Latinos will invade the Alamodome in 2025!”
Cordero was even more specific with Alamo True Metal, saying next year’s fest will be held over two days and that 162 bands have already requested to be a part of it. That’s right: 162.
But first things first.
As with any concert festival, a little luck is needed to make it a good one, and everyone benefited from a perfectly sunny day following two days of torrential downpours.
Two stages adorned the Alamo Beer Company with each band having its own merch booth spaced out among the vendors on artificial turf grounds stationed next to railroad tracks. Heck, even the train conductors slowed down and periodically checked out the festivities. Several four-legged friends, including an adorable large husky on hand as part of Horizon Dog Training, enjoyed the surroundings as well.
Some concert festivals are about specific songs and performances. This one was not only about having a good time in a large setting post-Covid but merely showcasing the musical talent.
Aztec Eagles got things rolling at 1 p.m. on the main stage. With UABB ending at 11 p.m., that marked 10 solid hours of actual live metal, San Antonio style (see 210-photo gallery to the right) and ATM videos below).
In between, the festival included Above My Enemy, Perfect Season, PRSNT, 40% Dolomite, The Broken Page, Forever For Now, Makaria, Eyes Like Fire, Skum, Grieved, The Heroine, Silent Minority, Recreating Eden, Westcreek, Cauterized, Any Color You Like, Raven’s Banquet (formerly Quaranteen) and In Balance. Click on the bold links to watch ATM’s Facebook Live footage of that band plus “King of Diamonds” and “Built From War” by Upon A Burning Body here.
A few highlights that deserve shout-outs:
— Recreating Eden vocalist Andrew Douglas has some serious pipes and clearly sings from the heart, while his bandmates created a lasting impression for this viewer witnessing them on stage for the first time
— The second stage in the parking lot was where the serious action was, highlighted by Cauterized allowing fans to come onto the platform and partake in singing
— Skum brought the energy to the main stage and arguably had the largest pits. It was the only band to attempt a Wall of Death, so that earned bonus points
— The Heroine’s longevity cannot be ignored. The group has been flying the flag for San Antonio hard rock and metal for more than 15 years — or as long as most of the Chancla Academy Rock Fest’s roster of mostly up-and-coming bands combined. Vocalist Lynnwood King, guitarist David Arias, bassist Wes “Guhlie” Vargulish and drummer Johnny Lightning bring it every time out
— Security and staff deserved major props. As is the case with most UABB shows, the barrier began to shake, rattle and roll even before the band was about to hit the stage upon P.A. completion of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer.” But the guards had the scene under control and guided all body surfers to safety without incident
— Moshers helped fallen brethren to their feet. No fights or out-of-hand situations were to be found. And the music and beer flowed freely. Literally
Sure, the festival could have kept fans up to date with set times posted the week of, or at the very least day of the show on its own Facebook events page rather than forcing patrons to ask about them or only obtain them on site for a 12-hour event. And it would’ve been great to have food-truck options rather than be relegated to Alamo Beer Company’s limited (though delicious) menu.
But for a city that was forced to bid farewell to the River City Rockfest after the sixth annual rendition in 2018, it appears the Chancla Academy Rock Fest may just be San Antonio’s saving grace for metalheads to unite on a yearly festival basis.
Its free status is sure to say goodbye at next year’s cashless Boeing Center. And the fest most certainly figures to expand well beyond the exclusively local-band flavor of this year’s showing. But those are signs of growth sorely needed for our metal scene.
So what’s the best way to sum up the inaugural Chancla Academy Rock Fest? It was a prime example of the metal community coming together.
The way it should be. In the 2-1-0.
Chanclas optional.
