{"id":480451,"date":"2025-12-30T16:57:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T16:57:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/480451\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T16:57:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T16:57:14","slug":"san-antonio-power-pop-act-manic-shuffle-reunites-after-30-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/480451\/","title":{"rendered":"San Antonio power-pop act Manic Shuffle reunites after 30 years"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DuringManic Shuffle was a key musical draw on the St. Mary\u2019s Strip during the early \u201990s. Credit: Courtesy Photo \/ Manic Shuffle<\/p>\n

Before \u201calt-rock\u201d became an overused marketing term, San Antonio\u2019s Manic Shuffle played songs that jangled, grooved and stuck in local fans\u2019 heads long after last call. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

While Manic Shuffle seldom played outside the Alamo City during its early-\u201990s heyday, the band built a solid hometown following,\u00a0sometimes packing in as many as three weekly gigs. Along the way, it bagged showcases at SXSW and slots at the La Semana Alegre festival.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat made me want to do this reunion is I recently put on some of our music, and it still sounds legit,\u201d said Manic Shuffle guitarist Ernest Hernandez, who currently handles six-string duties for King Pelican and the In & Outlaws. \u201cThe songs are still hitting in 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s heartfelt delivery, strummed acoustic guitar and knack for accessible hooks. But the nimble interplay by drummer Andy Toth and bassist Henry Carrera \u2014\u00a0Johnny\u2019s brother \u2014\u00a0and the tasteful-yet-assured guitar work by Ernest Hernandez put them in a territory all their own.<\/p>\n

Listening with fresh ears, Manic Shuffle\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s infectious music,\u201d Henry Carrera said. \u201cIt\u2019s bright, it\u2019s hummable, and you\u2019d see people dancing to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Johnny Carrera served as Manic Shuffle\u2019s 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 \u2014\u00a0something evident in their tight interplay. Meanwhile, Hernandez\u2019s fretwork layered on tension, dynamics and a touch of rock swagger.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time I brought a something in, I knew the band would turn it into a Manic Shuffle song,\u201d Johnny Carrera said. \u201cI got goosebumps just from hearing these guys play.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s work-related relocation to Austin. Declining attendance along the St. Mary\u2019s Strip and overzealous enforcement of the city\u2019s noise ordinance also took their toll. <\/p>\n

Since the band never got an appropriately grand sendoff, the members said they hope Saturday\u2019s reunion brings a sense of closure.<\/p>\n

Does that mean Manic Shuffle is back on the gigging circuit? <\/p>\n

Not likely. All four members are still still busy with their own lives, and Toth is now firmly rooted in Chicago. <\/p>\n

Still, don\u2019t rule out periodic performances if time and travel permit. Especially because the guys in Manic Shuffle think SA audiences may want to hear more. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of fans who remember us well,\u201d Henry Carrera said. <\/p>\n

9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary\u2019s St., (210) 455-0233,\u00a0thelonesomerose.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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