Paper Tiger

This place seemed pretty cool because there was no cover just to come sit in their beer garden and chill, but when a man came from nowhere and asked me if i wanted a burger and handed it out to me, of course i said, yes.
So, thirty minutes later when a girl came out and asked me to give the burger back, i shrugged of course because it had been eaten. And when she whined, «why did you do that?!» I could only help but laugh at their terrible system for running out food and drink, and be glad that i was not a paying customer.

Paper Tiger is bringing great acts to the city, and I love them for that! (I’m SUPER pumped Frightened Rabbit is coming in May!!!) When I first moved to SA, I was kinda disappointed that there weren’t as many indie acts coming through as I thought, but it seems like Paper Tiger is really stepping it up and bringing tons more acts during this past year.
The venue itself is pretty nice; it’s not too seedy, and there’s plenty of seating, bar areas, stages, and restrooms. We’ve gone for some regular shows, as well as their Hangover Fest recently, and the place works well for both types of events.
Also, a HUGE shoutout to the person at Paper Tiger who was super nice and turned in my phone after I accidentally pre-​gamed a bit too hard… and left my phone somewhere in the venue. :) I’m thankful to you, whoever you are!!!

Pretty cool venue. There’s an outdoor bar where you can order drinks and Attaboy burgers. The Attaboy food truck is out back and makes very good burgers and even better fries. There’s a nice outdoor atmosphere and tables where you can sit. There’s an outdoor stage too. I went to see the Rocket Summer and they played inside. Very awesome concert! There is standing room only but it was cool in there and there were lights along with crazy loud speakers. My ears are still ringing. All in all, it’s a pretty cool and intimate place to view a local band.

This is a terrible venue. The beer selection is small and not very cold. The sound quality is lacking. The restrooms are not very clean and the staff is very rude. I will never go there again.

I’ve been here for a few shows and its alright. The sound isn’t the best but the drinks are cheap. It has a good atmosphere and the staff is nice. My only big negative is the bathroom, although it’s clean it seems to never have toilet paper!

We had such a blast here! Indoor/​outdoor covered concert space with reasonably priced drinks for a concert venue. The vibe was very Austin so we felt right at home plus people were a tad bit nicer than we’re used to, which was great! Made some friends, danced to The Dandy Warhols, drank lots of booze– can’t complain!
I’m docking one star because the sound seemed muffled. I saw this band at an outdoor show before and the sound was better– dunno if it was a band issue or a venue issue. I think a completely outdoor space would have been superior though, because it gives the sound somewhere to travel. Then again, maybe I’m just getting old and I don’t like super loud concerts anymore…

First time coming to the venue since it was changed to the paper tiger and it has definitely changed for the better.
Pros: Restrooms have been massively upgraded. When it was the WR the restrooms were disgusting even for a guy. The bar prices are good. 3.50 well and 6.50 for a double. There really isn’t a bad view unless you’re stuck outside. They added more bench seating in the front area and they have a lot of unused space so maybe they’ll put more seating on the side.
Cons: Security was a little slow and useless in stopping guys who were drunk and trying to mosh. The lead singer at one point had to specifically call the aggitators out. But no harm no foul.
Suggestions: two separate ticket takers for prepaid and at door purchases. Ventilation will still be an issue if you go during the warmer months.

This place is awesome! What a great music venue, I’ve only been here a few times and each time I had a blast. The bar staff will take great care of you if you open a tab. If you need to get away from the loud music there is plenty of space to hang out and chill.
The drink prices are reasonable. I met the owners in less than favorable circumstances, and we had a decent conversation, talked out an issue with respect. So they get an A+ from me!

Lots of room. If the crowd were larger it would still feel comfortable. Very well kept and Extremely clean restrooms!!!

Paper Tiger is exactly what a music venue should be. Small enough, but not too small and still tons of fun. It is an inside/​outside venue which almost looks like it used to be an auto shop. They have two bars equipped with iPads, plenty of bartenders, a set drink list, cool murals, the sound is great, bathrooms are clean, plentiful and still have that new paint smell. Did I mention the sound rocks? And George Lewis Jr. totally jumped into the crowd of screaming fans. And took pictures with fans afterwards. Intimacy! That is legit. I was 10 feet from the stage, and I wasn’t even trying that hard to be.
This venue is exactly what I miss about Austin, how it used to be. Venues like this that I used to frequent are all gone. In fact, I kept saying that I felt like I was in Austin, considering the hip crowd, laid back folks, just outside of downtown with tons of other bars/​restaurants to hit up within walking distance. And possibly even a strip club (Hard Bodies anyone?). I want to take this venue back with me to Austin. I am super jelly that SA has such a cool, unpretentious music venue in this old little neighborhood. Ticket pricing was very reasonable, and drink prices were extremely affordable as well, compared to most venues I have been to. The entire place was well taken care of and clean. Parking is easy in the neighborhood without any restrictions.
I will gladly drive to San Antonio to see a show here again. I am a fan.

I love this venue and have a ton of respect for the folks who are running it. In a city that’s so completely dwarfed by Austin, Paper Tiger brings a much needed hip music joint to the scene. They have two huge bars with cans of great local brews and a full liquor setup too. The wait for a drink is never long. They’ve upgraded from the temporary port-​o-​potties to brand new indoor bathrooms.
The only thing that’s tough about going to a show here is that there’s literally about 5 parking spots at the venue. Have no fear though, street parking in the neighborhood is plentiful and is never more than a short walk away. With any luck, Über will come back to SA soon so this won’t even be an issue!
Paper Tiger, keep booking great local and touring acts!

4.25 stars (formerly White Rabbit). I was actually quite impressed with this venue. The stage allows you to get up and close with the artists, the sound system and acoustics are quite good, the drink prices are cheap, and the bathrooms are actually really nice for a concert venue. Most importantly, the musical acts booked are quite significant, including an absolutely stunning performance from the nearly forgotten yet highly influential Detroit based punk band Death just a couple of weeks ago. Strongly recommended for the musically inclined.

Cool space open wide open garage doors so u can smoke outside and enjoy the music the way it hould he cancer nazis

Great show last night. Good crowd, good sound, good drinks, good feeling. Definitely a strong step up from the old white rabbit. The only major problem was the ventilation. Despite the layout, which currently includes a large open door on one side and an open wall on the other, heat is trapped in the area near the stage and becomes intolerable for many. A vent fan near the stage or even a simple opening in the ceiling would help alleviate this issue. I also agree with a previous review that the space seems kinda underdone. The outside area is formless and gives the impression of an afterthought. Overall great experience and I look forward to coming back soon!

Really cool concept. Have inside /​half outside. Rustic feel. Standing room only in the concert venue itself but picnic tables ouside. you can hear but not see from there. If you want a good place to stand (we stood right next to the sound booth that has a shelf in front if it separating it from the actual floor so you are higher up) get there when the doors open unless you are a concert bully and just force your way in. We had a couple folks try that where we were but the sage rockers wearn’t foe it and shut them down. It is a mad house exiting because there is only one small exit, hence the four stars. Also parking is an issue. We had to park on the residential Street but what can you do?
We had a great time and will go back for sure. You are 50 feet from the stage so that is a WIN!

Twas not so long ago that this was once a place called, «The White Rabbit.» In its heyday it established us as the metal capital of Texas. Lots of teenage angst amongst backward baseball hat wearers, nu-​metal worshippers and 24 band marathon bills. But every season as well as musical scene has a finite time to bask in the sun. So now it is the «Paper Tiger», a new music venue replacing the old that best suits its targeted demographic.
I went in anticipation first to see what was done with the space, since big names were attached to this project. And since they were offering a free concert with Roky Erickson.
The place basically has the same layout as before. The door entrance is still by the gate, where ID’s are checked. The outside area was left unchanged but with the caveat that you can purchase drinks at a small bar.(But I will come back to that point later).The interior has been gutted with the same floor design. The sound board is in the middle, still like before. Garage doors open to the left and you can smoke a stoke in that area.
The walls are painted with a dark blue hue and the room is darkly lit. The stage is more prominent now. The pa is booming loudly and there is no escape from the sound. Security in orange shirts survey the club and keep an eye out for any incident but mainly to watch out for belligerent drunks. The vibe reminds me of Emo’s in Austin. With plenty of hipsters and Sixth Street hopefuls to be found. My understanding is that the promoters of the Austin fixture «Mohawk’s» principally do the booking here.
I like the club, the idea of it. The posters on the walls of future shows tells me that it is heading in the right direction. It has the potential to change the musical landscape of our city. For me the promoters and whoever does the booking is the saving grace of this place. Any venue that books the caliber of shows this spot is getting will undoubtedly change our musical scene and above all the way touring bands perceive our city.
So why the three stars? Well:
1.) With names like owners of The Monterrey and Barbaro I was expecting a much grander vision. Its missing better lighting and more visuals in the interior. It just seems incomplete.
2.) Areas aren’t being utilized to their fullest potential. The left side of the building has a canopy for standing, why not put benches out there as well.
3.) There isn’t a bar indoors. I’m not sure if it is in the process of having one made. I’d like to see this place make a bar with at least a small tap selection. The whole serving beers exclusively in cans has gone out with Fred Durst’s sagging pants. Having a tap selection adds a sense of class; your audience is more mature now and can handle it.
4.) The sound in your smaller room is way, way too loud! All you really need to do is mic the bass drum and vocals. Dial it down.
5.) They really, really need to separate itself from the whole White Rabbit vibe in a way that says, «We are the Paper Tiger.» The whole layout, at least for me still says, «The White Rabbit.»
Time will tell if it will find its own voice. I think it is a good start, a work in progress. At least the city is rid of the whole pants with the fifty zippers look and bands that scream then sing, for now.