2012 Summer Olympics

US Women's Soccer Team in Town to Face China Wednesday Night

Fresh off their gold medal winning performance at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, the US Women's National Soccer is making a pit stop in Houston on Wednesday night. They'll face an old adversary in the Chinese National Team at BBVA Compass Stadium. It's been eight years since the ladies last p ... More >>

5 Great Songs by Psy Besides “Gangnam Style”

Firts Loook Inside Rice's New Swishahouse Library Archive

5 Great Songs By Psy Besides "Gangnam Style"

Sometimes it's hard for Americans to believe, but there is, in fact, a whole world outside of the United States. No, I'm not just talking about Alaska and Hawaii. There are whole other countries out there and not just ones that are either a) our cute friends (England, Japan) or b) our bitter enemies ... More >>

Inside That $14 Million Summer Fest Economic Study

Earlier this month, the producers of Free Press Summer Fest released the results of an economic impact analysis they had commissioned from the University of Houston about the 2012 festival, which took place this past June 2 and 3 in Eleanor Tinsley Park. The figure they arrived at is certainly impre ... More >>

Choice Evenings at Cafe 4212

There's a jazz renaissance in the Third Ward.

Music World Stands Up for Embattled Russian Punks Pussy Riot

Above: A burka-clad Madonna talks about Pussy Riot to her Moscow audience Rewind: Vladimir Putin: No Pussy Riot on His Watch Free speech is a valued thing in this country. It's why journalists, writers, musicians and artists exist and are able to do what they do. However, in Russia, it seems to be ... More >>

You Oughta Know Alanis Morissette Is Coming October 28

First off, did you know that Alanis Morissette's trillion-selling smash album Jagged Little Pill turned 17 years old this summer? That means that the album itself is old enough to do some of the illicit things mentioned on the album, depending of course on its state of residency. Jagged has sold ... More >>

The Nut Shot: Olympic Basketball's New Proportional Response

Policing your own. It's a concept that has been woven into the fabric of many sports since time immemorial. The methods are often painful, sometimes barbaric, but within each game they're understood and largely effective. In baseball, violation of the hallowed "unwritten rules," will often earn a ... More >>

Hunger Games, World's Worst Bob Costas, 300 Dead Pigeons: Photos From Terrible Olympic Events

The 2012 Olympics are barreling to a close, with just as few days before the most over-the-top ceremony since the opener a few months back (or so it seems, in terms of how long ago it was). There have been many highlights, from Michael Phelps winning gold medal after gold medal to a badminton scand ... More >>

¿Como se dice "Whoops?": 5 Musicians' Romney-esque Blunders In Foreign Lands

Mitt Romney had a troublesome time during his recent trip abroad, pissing off politicians and citizens in England, Palestine, and Poland (although to be fair, that last one was simply a guy who worked for Romney, not Romney himself). Besides providing a potential future Ted Nugent album name -- "Ki ... More >>

Dear Olympics: More Nudity And/Or Violence, Please

"We live in a cynical world, a cynical, cynical world..." said a very smart man once. Maybe it was Nietzsche, or Elmer Fudd. Artifacts like the Olympics -- both the summer and winter variety -- have grown boring and stale. TV giant NBC is getting torn to shreds for including haircut Ryan Seacrest ... More >>

Michael Phelps: What the Heck Is He Listening To?

When he competes, U.S. Olympian Michael Phelps is usually seen walking into the arena with headphones on, blasting music in order to get him pumped up for the upcoming race. But what the hell is he listening to? It's rumored that Phelps is a huge rap and hip-hop fan, but there's no telling what is ... More >>

Of Course Grills By Paul Wall Made Ryan Lochte's U.S. Flag Job

The other day, when U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte was showing off his collection of jewel-encrusted mouthpieces (or "grills") to an NBC interviewer, we couldn't help but wonder if Paul Wall had a hand in it somehow. Of course he did. One grill in particular, made to look like the U.S. flag is now world- ... More >>

2012 Summer Olympics: 10 Badass Houston Athletes to Watch in London

Check out our slideshow of the Texas Olympians competing in the 2012 Summer Games. ERMAHGERD, are you squee-ing with as much excitement for the Summer Olympic Games as I am? Seriously. I am counting down the minutes until I can leave work and check out the Danny Boyle-directed Opening Ceremonies th ... More >>

8 Musical Activities That Should Be Olympic Sports

After years of preparation, unprecedented security, and a Mitt Romney gaffe or two, the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London get underway about 3 p.m. Houston time. At the same time, multitudes will gather in nearby Hyde Park for a free concert with Duran Duran, Snow Patrol, ... More >>

Eight Awesome Events That Should Be Added to the Olympic Games

Every couple of years, the world turns its eyes to a country to watch the pomp and circumstance, the agony and the defeat (as the brilliant Jim McKay put it), the drama and potential glory that is the Olympic games. This year's spectacle are the summer variety being hosted by London. It will be hard ... More >>

Summer Olympics Weather Will Feel More Like Autumn for Many

Jolly ol' England with its fish and chips and beefeaters and shrimp on the barbie...wait, OK, not that last one, is hosting the Summer Olympic Games this year as everyone who isn't living in a cave probably knows (they might know as well). They've gone all out over the last ten years' building facil ... More >>

Olympic Logos: The Best and the Worst, Including Lisa Simpson's Sex Act

Heh. Lisa Simpson is giving Bart Simpson a hummer in the London 2012 Olympic logo. Uh, we mean aren't you stoked for the 17 days of glory that commences on July 27 in the United Kingdom, especially with a logo that cost £400,000 (approximately $621,000)? That's right. All of that freaking money f ... More >>

Muse Releases a New Queen-errific Track: What Ya Think?

Well, Muse's new song is not quite the dubstep massacre that we all thought it be indicated from the album teaser. But it's also the official song for the upcoming Summer Olympics in London, so it had to be palatable for the masses. No molly is needed to enjoy this cut. And whoa, is there a whole ... More >>

Join Us for Cocktails & Covers at House Of Blues Fridays This Summer

The other day, Rocks Off was researching another blog, and we stumbled across Duran Duran's 1995 all-covers LP Thank You on Spotify. Then we listened to it all the way through, on purpose. Recorded when the Birmingham-born band was at a post-"Ordinary World" fork in the road, Thank You wasn't the D ... More >>

Sonisphere UK Cancelled: Are Music Festivals in Trouble?

News emerged late last month that the U.K. date of Sonishphere, the traveling European hard-rock festival, has been canceled. It's a pretty big blow for music fans across the pond -- the headliners scheduled for the event included Queen with Adam Lambert, KISS and Faith No More, and reunited Swedish ... More >>

Game Time: Yao Ming -- My Career Advice

Yao: No sane person would retire from your gig​As NBA stars go, when healthy Yao Ming is a game changer. We all know this to be true. He's as skilled an offensive big man as there is in the league, he draws double teams, and what he lacks in footspeed defensively, he makes up for in effort and s ... More >>

Train Wreck

How Metro and its president Frank Wilson got so far off track.

Turkeys of the Year

The worst flock-ups of 2003, starting with Big Tom himself

Power House

What do Lakewood Church and its pastor Joel Osteen have that most mainline Protestant denominations don't? People. Lots of them. And in an assortment of colors.