Thanks4Existing, San Marcos

Ashlee Harcar 

Local Music Journalist 

As the sun sank under the horizon on Friday, local screamo/skramz bands and visual artists converged to create a realm of vibrance at Mothership Studios; Excellently organized and promoted by Texas State graduate student Hannah Baratang. At Thanks4Existing, an inventive blend of the raw energies of a concert and the avant-garde creations of local art pieces transformed into a night that San Marcos will cease to forget.   

Won’t Stop Dreaming 

As the smoke machine struck the crowd and framed the guitarist with both elegance and chaos, Won’t Stop Dreaming solo debuted their new album viewfinder at Thanks4Existing. The intimacy of a one-man show cultivated a sense of belonging among attendees, accompanied by the delicacy of charcuterie boards and the eruption of mosh pits.  “Taylor is such a sweet individual and is so good at performing solo, it actually blows my mind. Such an intimate and beautiful performance,” said Baratang. 

My Dad Died 

This screamo band originated in Houston, Texas, but has localized to the Austin scene. They began in January of 2022, releasing their first EP titled Demo. The vibrance brought to the stage during their set made the night so much more memorable, igniting the mosh beautifully. “They’re sweethearts and have so so so much energy. They got the crowd going BONKERS.”  

Minor Issue 

Following their shoegaze-like single titled “mine” from 2023, Minor Issue debuted their more hardcore single titled “Heaven’s Bride” in San Marcos last Friday. The varying frequencies in guitar strums and passionate vocals spun necks and entire bodies throughout the venue. This beautiful Texas based four-piece band never fails to create a must-see experience. “As soon as I found out about Minor Issue, I told them I needed them on a lineup. They really killed their set, people were crowd surfing so much,” said Baratang.  

Threeway 

This Houston, TX “DIY skramz/hardcore” band unleashed a sonic sound, firing up the audience and leaving people to soar across the crowd. The mosh commenced as colors of the red and black guitars, painted drum sets, and passionate screaming voices filled the room. Baratang said, “I found them by lurking around looking for screamo flyers last year and loved their music on SoundCloud. I broke my dress strap during their set because I was dancing too hard.” 

 Amidst the relentless, early onset of whiplash, the transition between bands allowed attendees to explore and examine the art exhibitions. An artist from Austin, Texas, Paola Arroyo Valenzuela, placed art that they described as “female rage terror” on the studio walls. Valenzuela said, “It’s easy to make people happy with art, but it’s difficult to make people scared.” The eccentricity of their artwork caught my eye, and the prints they sold became such a beautiful addition to my own art wall.

Artist Melissa Duran, “Meli,” from San Marcos made a swift comeback to exhibitions with her expressive work. One of her paintings consisted of a “little creature.” Duran said, “Some think it’s a dog or a cow, but it’s just a little guy.” Duran said her work is inspired by “watching other people do things, opening your eyes, and realizing that nothing matters. It’s great to be inspired.”