Proyecto PAX Showcases

San Antonio based musician and performing artist Nicolas Valdez presents the Proyecto PAX Music Showcase and a preview of his soon to be completed documentary film, \”PAX\” at the Dakota East Side Ice House on Saturday May 25th, 2024 from 7pm-11pm. The Music Showcase will feature five local bands that span a wide range of musical styles, each representing a niche in the local music scene. The event will also be filmed and included in the final version of the \”PAX\” documentary project produced and directed by Nicolas R. Valdez, a City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture 2023 Individual Artists Grant recipient. At the event audience members will be encouraged to participate in the making of the documentary in the form of community interviews to be conducted throughout the evening.

The Pueblos Avanzando Xicanísmo (PAX) documentary project explores the current struggles facing musicians, bands, and venue owners. How has the scene adapted and what have been their successes? How can musicians’ resilience and entrepreneurship be a model for others to look to? What assets does the community possess/cultivate that ensure a thriving city for current residents and tourists? The documentary would also include conversations about how culture and identity, our proximity to the US-Mexico border, and our specific regional geo-political history has affected the content of musical expression in our city. It will explore what new directions local musicians are headed and what they are aspiring to achieve moving forward. The PAX documentary will also advocate for marginalized communities, educating audiences with a more inclusive and updated analysis of the numerous contributions by Mexican-Americans to the San Antonio music scene.