TEEN CANTEEN (1st located at our neighborhood's own Jefferson UMC) Reunion August 23, 2009

The first location of San Antonio's TEEN CANTEEN was right here in the Jefferson neighborhood at the Jefferson United Methodist Church.

Here's a link to a fantastic article, Through the Past Brightly, by Margret Moser in the August 17, 2009 Austin Chronicle about the Canteen and the SAMSTOCK, Teen Canteen Reunion show, Saturday August 23, 2009 at Floores Country Store, 14492 Old Bandera Road, Helotes Texas 78023.

Here's either an revised version of Margret's article or something completely different from the Classic San Antonio Facebook Group:

Until a few years ago, San Antonio’s Teen Canteen was relegated to “remember when?” status. The northside nightclub that catered to teenagers during the 1960s and 70s lay forgotten in the city’s musical history…almost. At Samstock: the Teen Canteen Reunion 2009 on Sunday, August 23 at Floore’s Country Store, more than a dozen bands and musicians from its heyday will reunite for fun and to pay tribute to owner-promoter Sam Kinsey.

At the behest of local civic and church groups, Sam Kinsey opened the first Teen Canteen in 1960, at Jefferson Methodist Church Hall. Kinsey played deejay to the youthful crowds, spinning 45s on a portable record player. This was the format for several years, as the Canteen moved around to several locations, including a ballroom dance studio, until it settled at Wonderland (now Crossroads) Mall in 1963.

In its new, larger location, the Teen Canteen went from records to the real thing. It housed two separate stages so bands could perform at the same time during the regular rounds of Battle of the Bands and entertain the hundreds of teens who flocked there. In 1968, the Canteen moved to its last location on Bitters Road across from Northeast Stadium, the place it would occupy until it closed in 1977, a victim of the lowered drinking age and more generous all-ages policies.

In retrospect, the Teen Canteen was the staging ground for San Antonio’s vibrant rock & roll scene before the Beatles until the dawn of punk, and its roster of local and touring bands made it a gem in the crown of Texas music. The Teen Canteen gave many San Antonio and area bands their start, including the Laughing Kind, Homer, the Chayns, the Outcasts, Swiss Movement, Virgil Foxx, the Zilches, Rocksand, Castle, Spook Julius, Mr. Moose, Meadow, Mourning Dove, Stillwater, Excalibur, Nassur Blue, United, and Island.

Those bands and/or members of them will be performing at Samstock. Teen Canteen owner and promoter Sam Kinsey will be in attendance. For website updates and band times, see http://www.mikesbandarchive.com/news

Samstock: the Teen Canteen Reunion 2009 takes place at Floore’s Country Store, 14492 Old Bandera Rd., on Sun. Aug. 23, 4-midnight. Cover is $10, the memories are free.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND PHOTOS

Neka Scarbrough-Jenkins, 210-573-6352

Margaret Moser, 512-292-3005

* www.mikesbandarchive.com, click "news" for event updates and info
* teencanteensa@gmail.com
* Friends of Teen Canteen San Antonio (facebook)