Email Author Craig Hlavaty

Awards

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

  "Getting Past the Bouncer"

• 2009 - Lone Star Awards

  "Metallica at Toyota"

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2009 Stories by Craig Hlavaty

• He Said She Said: Songs for Your New Year's Eve Party, Part 2

  published Dec 31, 2009

  When it comes time for He Said to make a party mix, you would think he would go for some classic metal or punk rock. But you would be totally wrong. When it's time for single boys and single girls to... More >>

• Fight Pretty

  published December 31, 2009

  Houston's own Fight Pretty and Ghost Town Electric kick off a short national tour tonight over at the Mink with fellow locals Muhammadali, The... More >>

• Free Press New Year's Eve

  published December 31, 2009

  We already know that Free Press Houston can throw a helluva bash from this year's two Block Party events and the groundbreaking Summerfest... More >>

• Distant Early Warning: Alicia Keys, Alkaline Trio, Infected Mushroom, Obituary, Slaid Cleaves and More

  published Dec 29, 2009

  10th Grade Cutie, Muhammadali, Freddie Gonorrhea & The Gunz: Mon., Jan. 25. Super Happy Fun Land. Alicia Keys: Sat., April 3. Toyota Center. Alkaline Trio, Cursive: Fri., March 26. Warehouse Live... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Hit the Road, Jack: 10 More Notable Musical Deaths From the Past Decade

  published Dec 28, 2009

  Looking back, this past decade wasn't too kind to rock and roll as a whole. We lost plenty of people who weren't exactly disgustingly huge as Michael Jackson or as monolithic as Johnny Cash. This dec... More >>

• He Said She Said: "Fuck You Owl City" and the other Worst Songs of the Decade

  published Dec 24, 2009

  Sweet Jeebus, this decade had some awful pop music. You would think the Lord would spare us a little in light of all the terrorist attacks and hurricanes we got this past period. Where the past ten ye... More >>

• O Pioneers!!! Roll Bus While On Tour in California

  published Dec 23, 2009

  We got word early this afternoon through Punknews.org and our Twitter page that local indie-punkers O Pioneers!!! got into a van accident yesterday. The van rolled a few times on Interstate 80, which ... More >>

• Distant Early Warning: Fiery Furnaces, Keb' Mo, Merle Haggard/Kris Kristofferson, Warped Tour and the First iFest Names

  published Dec 22, 2009

  Billy Joe Shaver: Thu., March 11. Dosey Doe Coffee Company. Cody Canada, Kyle Hutton: Tue., Jan. 26. Dosey Doe Coffee Company. Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons, Dawes, Jason Boesel: Fri., March 5... More >>

• Aftermath: Stryper Shout At The Devil at the House of Blues

  published Dec 22, 2009

  This year, Aftermath has seen all strains of metal: From Slipknot and Mastodon's metallic beatdowns at Verizon Wireless Theater, to The Sword's kindly menacing sludge jams at the inaugural Summerfest,... More >>

• Aftermath: The Jonbenet Goes Out In a Fine Frenzy at Walter's

  published Dec 21, 2009

  Saturday night saw the last show from Houston via Sugar Land's The Jonbenet, who quite nearly tore apart Walter's on Washington with a 15-song set covering the band's history from 2003 on. Lead singe... More >>

• Reminder: Rocks Off's Free Lego Rock Band Party at Khon's Tomorrow

  published Dec 21, 2009

  Tomorrow night at Khon's, Rocks Off lets you open up your first Christmas present of the season, our brand new copy of Lego Rock Band. We promise that you won't have to kiss any of us on the cheek af... More >>

• What Would Jesus Jamr Christian Bands Who Found Secular Success

  published Dec 21, 2009

  Save for a few modern screamo bands like Underoath and the rap-rocking P.O.D., few Christian rock bands have had has as much an impact in mainstream secular music than the Bible-flinging Stryper. In t... More >>

• Aftermath: Billy Bob Thornton's Boxmasters, and Special Guest Billy Gibbons, at Fitzgerald's

  published Dec 21, 2009

  rA sad part of being a major celebrity and starting a rock band on the side is that inherently people will show up out of nowhere to see your band and ignore your music because they just want to... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  The Man Comes Around: Top Ten Big-Deal Musical Deaths of the Decade

  published Dec 18, 2009

  This past decade saw the passing of an innumerable amount of musical icons and pioneering giants. Not only did we lose the second coolest Beatle, but we lost two of the best dancers and performers the... More >>

• Sammy's at 2016 Main Announces Partial Closure Until June

  published Dec 17, 2009

  Rocks Off received an e-mail late Wednesday afternoon detailing the temporary partial closure of venerable downtown nightspot Sammy's at 2016 Main coming after the club's New Year's Eve festivities wi... More >>

• He Said She Said: Albums From the Past Decade of Our Lives

  published Dec 17, 2009

  When this decade began, He Said was but 15 years old, bored, jobless and chubby. It ends with him 26, overworked, overstimulated and chasing away his self-imposed demons with too much of everything an... More >>

• Listology: Toxic Noise DJ Bakka's Top Bone-Crushing Jams

  published Dec 16, 2009

  Every third Wednesday at Boondocks, the space upstairs turns into the most fabulous place in Houston for rockers, punks and metalheads when DJ Bakka revs the turntables for his popular "Toxic Noise" D... More >>

• Come Party With Rocks Off and Lego Rock Band at Khon's

  published Dec 16, 2009

  Next Tuesday over at Khon's (2808 Milam), Rocks Off is throwing a free Christmas party for Houston, with our new copy of Lego Rock Band. You do remember the drunken scene at our Beatles: Rock Band sh... More >>

• Distant Early Warning: Carrie Underwood, Eric Benet, Kinky Friedman, Muse, Rogue Wave, Supersuckers, etc.

  published Dec 15, 2009

  The Audition, Sparks The Rescue, The Right Coast: Thu., Jan. 28. Meridian. The Bellamy Brothers: Thu., Feb. 4. The Firehouse Saloon. The Black Dahlia Murder, Obscura, Augury: Mon., March 1. Meridian.... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  God Help Ye Merry Gentlemen: 10th Grade Cutie's Christmas Album

  published Dec 14, 2009

  Christmas came early for Rocks Off this weekend in the form of Dr. Feelgood, a vaguely holiday-themed album from our favorite little brothers in the increasingly prolific 10th Grade Cutie. You guys ca... More >>

• Our Five Favorite Punk Rock Christmas Songs

  published Dec 11, 2009

  Aside from the heavy metal Christmas songs we threw your way earlier this week, Rocks Off also loves us some punk rock Yuletide jams. Over the years plenty of punks have tried their scabby and tattoo... More >>

• He Said She Said: Our Christmas Musical Wishlists, Part 2 - LPs Nobody Can Buy

  published Dec 11, 2009

  When He Said was four years old, all he wanted for Christmas was big brown tape recorder that Play Skool put out so he could record his own imaginary radio shows and crazed ramblings about He-Man. San... More >>

• Black-Metal Documentary Sees the Light at Alamo Drafthouse This Weekend

  published Dec 10, 2009

  Starting tonight and through weekend the Alamo Drafthouse (1000 W. Oaks Mall) will be screening the documentary Until The Light Takes Us, an unflinching look at the Norwegian black-metal scene from d... More >>

• Listology: The American Heist Soundtracks Their Funerals

  published Dec 09, 2009

  rOf all the bands to emerge out of the Houston music puppy mill this year, none has been as steadfastly working class and punk rock as the American Heist. Rocks Off first spied the band opening up fo... More >>

• Our Five Favorite Heavy Metal Christmas Carols

  published Dec 09, 2009

  Every year the Christmas gods try to throw us the same old boring and tired holiday music. Mariah Carey, Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley and Hall & Oates are just fine, but this member of Rocks Off nee... More >>