Girl In A Coma Closes Chapter with Final Farewell Show
Photo by Oscar Moreno
“You asked for it,” repeated singer and guitarist Nina Diaz, her voice echoing with anticipation, as she took the stage for the last time with Girl In A Coma before a sold-out San Antonio crowd. “You asked for it!”
The San Antonio all-girl indie rock band, formed in 2001, reunited for a final run of shows this weekend in what they dubbed the “Final Curtain” tour, gracing the cities of Austin, Houston, and their hometown twice at Paper Tiger.
The trio, comprising sisters Nina and Phanie Diaz on drums, alongside bassist Jenn Alva, amassed a momentous list of accolades during their nearly 20-year lifespan. They captured the attention of Joan Jett, signed to her record label Blackheart, won awards and toured with icons such as Morrissey and Tegan and Sara. However, their upward trajectory came to a halt in 2018 when Nina, grappling with alcoholism, drug addiction, and internal band conflicts, decided to leave the band.
Since then, fans speculated and longed for a Girl In A Coma reunion, while the band members pursued other projects. Nina carved her path as a soloist, and Phanie and Alva formed the powerhouse punk project Fea. Finally, the fans' pleas were answered when the reunion tour was announced last August.
Opening for their last show was San Antonio's Ready Revolution. Like Girl In A Coma, they are also a sibling-led rock act, whose explosive high-energy sounds warmed up the "pinche crazy" crowd. Their frontman Diego Navaira, co-wrote Nina’s song, “Break The News” last year.
As Diego thanked Girl In A Coma for having them on their last show, Nina joined them on stage for a few minutes to belt out a rocking cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.”
“They’re like family to us” Nina later said of them.
Setting the stage for Girl In A Coma was a photo and video montage showcasing the trio's performances throughout the years, set to the rebellious strains of Sid Vicious' punk rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”
Soon thereafter, they launched into “The Photographer,” “Say,” and “In The Background” from their 2007 album “Both Before I’m Gone.” The performance was a commingling of rhythmic garage punk ethos drenched in maudlin fervor brought on by Nina’s alluring vibrato vocals that transported the audience back to the vibrant days of their alt-rock origins.
The playfulness of the girls was evident in their onstage banter, teasing Phanie about her finally having a microphone for their final show. In good spirits, Nina would jokingly tattle on Phanie to their mom, who was present during the show.
Perhaps it was the comforting embrace of familiarity and the cherished presence of friends and family that facilitated the reunion. Alva expressed gratitude, saying, “We went around the world and did our thing, but it's because of y'all that we got our battery recharged when we came back home.”
Among the group's closest friends in attendance were their old manager Faith Radle and childhood friend Carly Garza, who played tambourine and sang along during “Their Cell.”
Before bidding adieu with the last two songs, the band acknowledged the bittersweet sentiment, with Alva saying, “This is our closure that we needed, and hopefully you needed it too.”
In a tribute to their 2007 music video, a cadre of drag performers joined the band onstage for “Road To Home,” followed by their Spanish language track “Ven Cerca.”
But the night didn’t end there. As the band left the stage, the crowd shouted “Otra, otra, otra,” beseeching an encore.
Nina obliged, commanding the stage alone to deliver an achingly beautiful acoustic rendition of “Simple Man,” while a slideshow of photographs submitted by fans of their deceased loved ones looped behind her. Finally the rest of the band returned, closing out the night with a raucous punk cover of Selena’s “Si Una Vez.”
Witnessing Girl In A Coma for the last time was an experience layered with gratitude and nostalgia. San Antonio was fortunate to have them back for this final weekend, and the city is once again eagerly awaiting their next potential return.
