San Antonio power-pop act Manic Shuffle reunites after 30 years

During the late '80s and early '90s, Manic Shuffle was a key musical draw on the St. Mary's Strip. Manic Shuffle was a key musical draw on the St. Mary’s Strip during the early ’90s. Credit: Courtesy Photo / Manic Shuffle

Before “alt-rock” became an overused marketing term, San Antonio’s Manic Shuffle played songs that jangled, grooved and stuck in local fans’ heads long after last call.

Now, this Saturday, all four members of the storied local act will play together publicly for the first time since 1994, taking the Lonesome Rose stage for a full-fledged reunion show. Old pal Mitch Webb and longtime fans the Please Help will round out the bill.

While Manic Shuffle seldom played outside the Alamo City during its early-’90s heyday, the band built a solid hometown following, sometimes packing in as many as three weekly gigs. Along the way, it bagged showcases at SXSW and slots at the La Semana Alegre festival.

The quartet also released a 12-inch EP and a full-length cassette. Tracks from both racked up airplay on radio stations KISS and KSYM.

“What made me want to do this reunion is I recently put on some of our music, and it still sounds legit,” said Manic Shuffle guitarist Ernest Hernandez, who currently handles six-string duties for King Pelican and the In & Outlaws. “The songs are still hitting in 2025.”

The tunes bear the influence of timeless power-pop stalwarts such as Elvis Costello to R.E.M. thanks in part to vocalist Johnny Carrera’s heartfelt delivery, strummed acoustic guitar and knack for accessible hooks. But the nimble interplay by drummer Andy Toth and bassist Henry Carrera — Johnny’s brother — and the tasteful-yet-assured guitar work by Ernest Hernandez put them in a territory all their own.

Listening with fresh ears, Manic Shuffle’s blend of earnest songcraft, seasoned musicianship and rootsy twang prefigures similar material that outfits such as the Gin Blossoms and Fastball would find mainstream success with a few years later.

“It’s infectious music,” Henry Carrera said. “It’s bright, it’s hummable, and you’d see people dancing to it.”

Although Johnny Carrera served as Manic Shuffle’s chief songwriter, he credits the rest of the band with breathing life into material he often brought to practice in raw form. His brother and Toth had played together since junior high — something evident in their tight interplay. Meanwhile, Hernandez’s fretwork layered on tension, dynamics and a touch of rock swagger.

“Every time I brought a something in, I knew the band would turn it into a Manic Shuffle song,” Johnny Carrera said. “I got goosebumps just from hearing these guys play.”

Despite the ground the band covered in a few short years, Manic Shuffle drifted apart around 1994, in part due to family obligations and Johnny Carrera’s work-related relocation to Austin. Declining attendance along the St. Mary’s Strip and overzealous enforcement of the city’s noise ordinance also took their toll.

Since the band never got an appropriately grand sendoff, the members said they hope Saturday’s reunion brings a sense of closure.

Does that mean Manic Shuffle is back on the gigging circuit?

Not likely. All four members are still still busy with their own lives, and Toth is now firmly rooted in Chicago.

Still, don’t rule out periodic performances if time and travel permit. Especially because the guys in Manic Shuffle think SA audiences may want to hear more.

“There are a lot of fans who remember us well,” Henry Carrera said.

9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 455-0233, thelonesomerose.com.

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San Antonio power-pop act Manic Shuffle reunites after 30 years

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