SAN ANTONIO – In the heart of San Antonio’s music scene, PRSNT (pronounced “present”) is producing a distinct and diverse sound. For the band’s lead vocalist and songwriter, the journey to find their original sound began in 2018 after leaving a previous band.
“I was looking to just go back to my roots, and that’s pop and rock and reggae, and I just wanted to combine everything together,” said Chris Talavera, lead vocalist and songwriter.
This mix of genres, combined with earlier influences from Backstreet Boys to Britney Spears, helped shape the sound of the band. Inspired by dreams and the ideas Chris saves in his voice memos, the collaborative songwriting process begins to form.
“A lot of my voice memos are just little ideas, little snippets, and then I just turn it into a song, and then I send it to [the band], and they kind of just take the reins,” Chris said.
“Kudos to my guy, Chris, here on really steering the ship and making something that is wholly unique in the amalgamation of what, you know, his influences are,” said bassist Ray Ramirez.
The mix of influences has set the tone for the band, and they’re looking for a sense of community in the music scene.
“It’s really cool seeing a lot of local acts just kind of band together and really kind of raise each other up,” Ray said. “I was talking to a friend of mine the other day, and we were really excited about where the scene is and where the state of the bands is and how willing and able they are to help each other out and grow their fan base.”
Guitarist J.D. Estrada agrees.
“It’s cool to see people come out and support local music and to see new talent,” he said.
“When I was a teenager, if you’re bored, you just went to a show...” said drummer Stephan Estrada. “You just went to the White Rabbit, and local shows were packed door-to-door, sold out. So I think we just got to figure out a way to get kids excited or just to realize how exciting and fun these shows really are. It doesn’t matter who’s playing, just go.”
We also asked the band for a few local music recommendations! After you check out their set, they recommend you give a listen to INOHA, mypilotis and Eyes Like Fire.
For this SA Vibes set, PRSNT performs “Over It,” “Pain,” “Stay Home,” “We Ain’t Gotta Hold On,” and “Dive In.”
You can find more information and music from PRSNT on their LinkTree or their Spotify. Want to book the band for a show? Send them an email at prsntmgmt@gmail.com.
You can learn more about this SA Vibes venue, The Starlighter, on their Instagram. Special thanks to Jacob Guerrero for mixing the music for us!
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, Paper Tiger 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 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.
