SAN ANTONIO – In a city better known for Tejano rhythms and country twang, San Antonio’s Roshii is busy proving that weeb culture and math rock can coexist peacefully.
And yes, they’re named after Master Roshi from Dragon Ball Z, which is a decision that current members still scoff at, considering the anime-obsessed former singer who christened the band is long gone.
“Everyone else in the band at the time outvoted us,” bassist and band co-founder Joey Patino explains with a hint of lingering mock frustration. “Which is funny because they’re not around anymore.”
The irony isn’t lost on anyone, but like getting a tattoo on a dare, sometimes you just have to own it.
From death metal to dream pop: The San Antonio shuffle
If you’re wondering how a band ends up with three guitarists (JJ Herron, Francesco Acevedo, and Chris Garcia), a lead bass player, and a drummer (Edgar Betancourt), blame it on San Antonio’s musical evolution.
As Acevedo, who previously wielded his axe in a death metal band, puts it: “You start off in death metal in San Antonio in 2012 and you end up in math rock or indie. There’s no other way.”
He paused before adding, “Or Dream Pop, that’s what it is, and Shoegaze.”
It’s the kind of genre-fluid progression that could only happen in Texas’ most underrated music scene.
The ‘kitchen sink’ approach
Roshii’s sound is what happens when you throw Minus the Bear, Tiny Moving Parts, and Hot Mulligan into a blender, then sprinkle in some J-Rock and – because why not – the Mega Man X soundtrack.
Acevedo, whose guitar work is influenced by Instagram virtuosos like Ichika Nito and Tim Henson of Polyphia, initially said he likes to add “a little Texas, more country” before quickly assuring us he was kidding about the country part.
Nine-minute jams and the art of subtraction
Their songwriting process is less mathematical than you’d expect from a math rock band.
“We tend to end up cutting off like two minutes off of every song,” Garcia admitted. “We’re just jamming. We’re like, ‘wow, this sounds amazing, but it’s been nine minutes. Like, what are we doing?’”
It’s refreshing to know that even the most technically proficient bands sometimes need to tell themselves to wrap it up.
Disc golf and other love stories
Their latest EP, “Disc Golf Honeymoon,” includes what might be the first love song ever written about professional disc golf television programming.
The title track chronicles Herron’s COVID-era honeymoon, where he and his wife found themselves entranced by disc golf at 3 a.m. while trapped in their hotel room.
Their new single “Dear Mark” is, according to the band, about “a mean guy.” When pressed for details, the room filled with knowing looks and awkward pauses.
“No one else knows Mark, it’s just JJ,” Patino clarified.
Some mysteries are better left unsolved.
The San Antonio scene: Not your abuela’s music city
“When people think about San Antonio, they think about Tejano and country,” Garcia noted. “But there is everything here, if you look for it.”
The city’s sprawling geography might be its biggest challenge.
“It’s easy to be an hour away from somebody, but live in San Antonio,” Herron pointed out, but the scene’s supportive nature makes up for it.
Gone are the competitive days of the ’90s, replaced by what the band describes as a collaborative spirit where musicians are “making music for each other.” Unless you’re Mark. He’s still not welcome.
For this SA Vibes set, Roshii performs “New Mexico,” “We Can Count To 9,” “Disc Golf Honeymoon,” and “Dear Mark.”
You can catch Roshii on Aug. 29 at 502 Bar for a stacked lineup including Donella Drive and Pop Pistol, supporting an album release from the band Scripts. They’ll also be performing with the band Flight By Nothing at Texas Public Radio’s Creekside Sessions on Sept. 27.
You can follow Roshii and find their music on their Instagram page and Spotify. You can also visit the band’s LinkTree to find a list of all their platforms! They assure us they have profiles on “YouTube, Spotify, Deezer, and OnlyFans” – though we’re pretty sure (hoping?) that last one was a joke. Check out their new single “Dear Mark” on all the streaming platforms, ready to soundtrack your next disc golf viewing party or anime marathon.
After you check out this set, the band recommends you check out Brisbane, mypilotis, Victory Lap, Lease Agreement, Medusa Complex, and INOHA.
Special thanks to Jacob Guerrero at The Starlighter for mixing and hosting this SA Vibes!
About SA Vibes
San Antonio is well-known for its culture, but the local music scene has always seemed a bit hidden.
Unless someone takes you to a local show — at venues like The Lonesome Rose, Hi-Tones, The Mix, The Starlighter and 502 Bar — chances are you’ll never even know our music scene exists. That’s what made me decide to launch this passion project that we’re calling “SA Vibes.”
My name is Valerie, and I’m a video editor at KSAT. I’ve been attending local shows for over a decade, and I want to put a spotlight on the great talent that San Antonio has to offer.
Each month, we’ll be releasing a new “SA Vibes” video across all KSAT digital platforms and our YouTube channel, showcasing a local musician performing live versions of their songs from music venues around the city and the KSAT garden.
If you’re a San Antonio musician and would like to be a part of this project, please send information about your next show to our SA Vibes email. (We can only feature original music because of licensing.)
More episodes of SA Vibes on KSAT: