Email Author Chris Gray

Awards

• 2012 - Best of the West/First Amendment Funding, Inc., published February 10, 2011

  "Getting Past the Bouncer"

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2012 Stories by Chris Gray

• The Mastersons

  published March 22, 2012

  After years of polishing their résumés with some of the biggest names in roots-rock and Americana, it's time to meet the Mastersons.... More >>

• Downfall 2012

  published March 22, 2012

  Downfall 2012 is celebrating its 15th anniversary at the top of its game. Liberally drawing from industrial, progressive and alternative rock, the... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Sinead O'Connor's Top 5 F-Bombs

  published Mar 20, 2012

  Sinead O'Connor may be one of my oldest pop-music crushes. I remember being fascinated with her close-cropped haircut in the "Nothing Compares to U" video, but I think it was watching her tear up that... More >>

• Promised Land

  published March 22, 2012

  It's hard to bat an eyelash at SXSW sightings anymore. Kanye West hanging out with Hammer (yes, the Hammer) at the Belmont? Yawn. Lionel... More >>

• How To Be In A METAL Band: The Blunt Version

  published Mar 20, 2012

  With the SXSW trash bags barely at the curb, some musicians are licking their wounds. Discouraged perhaps by a bad sound system, disappointing turnout or their ham-fisted (or shit-faced) fellow bandma... More >>

• SXSW: Echoes Of Festivals Past In A Vastly Different Landscape

  published Mar 19, 2012

  The most telling, most poignant comment about SXSW 2012 came on Twitter. Texas Monthly music writer Jason Cohen tweeted something to the effect that watching the band with the current No. 1 song in th... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  SXSW: Why Are We Herer

  published Mar 17, 2012

  That headline is not any kind of existential plaint; Rocks Off was legitimately curious. We know why we're at SXSW - it's our job. But it's a broad, broad spectrum between those of us doing some kind ... More >>

• SXSW: Shitty Is Not Here -- For Real

  published Mar 17, 2012

  Shades of Cheech & Chong. Rocks Off saw this sign posted outside the Dirty Dog bar Friday afternoon and knew we had to post it. We have no idea who "Shitty" is, but he was definitely not in the build... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Rumor: Eminem To Perform At Tonight's Shady Records SXSW Party

  published Mar 16, 2012

  Most of the world's biggest rappers - Jay-Z, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, T.I., 50 Cent - have performed in Austin within the past week, are about to perform, or are at least in the city partaking in the S... More >>

• SXSW: Tom Morello, A Vigilant And Emphatic Nightwatchman

  published Mar 16, 2012

  Besides Music World Gospel, New West Records is probably the most locally connected sub-major record label, and owner/partial Houstonian George Fontaine has long worn his heart on his sleeve about loc... More >>

• RodeoHouston Wants To Send You To Vegas

  published Mar 16, 2012

  The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is well on its way to drawing a couple of million more (mostly) country-music fans to Reliant Stadium again this year. Now the rodeo and Reliant Energy want to send ... More >>

• 7 Cool & Cheap Things To Do This Weekend -- In Houston, Not At SXSW

  published Mar 16, 2012

  T-Bone Walker heir Don Kesee, one of the area's Houston's most underheralded bluesmen - which unfortunately is saying something, but watch a little bit of the above clip at Navasota's Blues Alley fe... More >>

• SXSW: The Niceguys & ADD Have A Ball, And Throw Some Too

  published Mar 15, 2012

  It's easy to tell the Niceguys really like each other. The three MCs and one DJ seemed to be Houston's more buzzed-about bands coming into the festival. Besides their spot on the SXSW Next Stage at th... More >>

• Verizon Wireless Theater Now Known As Bayou Music Center

  published Mar 15, 2012

  Verizon Wireless Theater will no longer be known under that name, because owner Live Nation's sponsorship deal with the communication provider has expired. The venue, which holds about 3,000 people wi... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Last Night: The Jesus And Mary Chain At House Of Blues

  published Mar 14, 2012

  The Jesus and Mary Chain House of Blues March 13, 2012 The Jesus and Mary Chain must be the definition of "acquired taste." According to my admittedly brief research - which consisted of searching s... More >>

• White Rabbits Have Some Very Strange Ideas About Spring Break Songs

  published Mar 14, 2012

  White Rabbits aren't your run-of-the-mill hipsters. The New York Times recently likened the New York band's third album, Milk Famous, to "Radiohead's technique of surrounding a sustained vocal melody ... More >>

• Cactus Music Sees Record Number Of SXSW Spillover Shows

  published Mar 13, 2012

  Talking about Busby Marou, the Australian folk-pop duo that plays Cactus Music at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, owner Quinn Bishop sounds a familiar tune for this time of year. "Who knows when they'll ever play... More >>

• Band of Skulls

  published March 15, 2012

  It's tempting to say Band of Skulls could be the biggest thing launched out of Southampton, England, since the Titanic, but surely they're... More >>

• KTRU Spring Outdoor Show

  published March 15, 2012

  Saturday will be KTRU's 21st Spring Outdoor Show overall, but first since it left the FM airwaves last April. Luckily, the beloved Rice student... More >>

• Lucero: Memphis Band Loves Horns, Texas "Knuckleheads"

  published Mar 12, 2012

  It's always reassuring to know that some things never change - like Houston concert audiences' loutish reputation. "Houston is notorious for its knuckleheads," says Lucero lead guitarist Brian Venabl... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Alert: SXSW Coverage Ahead -- 50 Cent And Much More

  published Mar 12, 2012

  "What I want from each and every one of you is a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area." -- Tommy Lee Jones, The Fugi... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Last Night: ZZ Top At Reliant Stadium

  published Mar 09, 2012

  ZZ Top RodeoHouston, Reliant Stadium March 8, 2012 See more photos from Thursday, even some without beards, in our slideshow. I admit, I had almost given up on waiting for ZZ Top to show me somethin... More >>

• 9 Cool & Cheap Things To Do This Weekend

  published Mar 09, 2012

  Dozens of local rock, blues, jazz, folk and jam acts take over Dan Electro's Guitar Bar in the Heights for the completely free annual South by Due East festival, tonight through Monday. Door times are... More >>

• Top 5 Bands We'd Like To See At The Ballet

  published Mar 08, 2012

  Tonight, Houston Ballet performs Rooster, Associate Choreographer Christopher Bruce's dance interpretations of eight Rolling Stones songs including "Little Red Rooster," "Paint It Black" and "Sympat... More >>

• Seeking Date To Jesus And Mary Chain: Oral Service Required

  published Mar 08, 2012

  The things you find on Craigslist. Rocks Off photographer and contributor Marc Brubaker passed this our way: Free ticket for JESUS AND MARY CHAIN concert March 13 in House of Blues Houston. ONLY for ... More >>