Antarctica

5 Shows We'd Like to See at HMNS' Burke Baker Planetarium

Recently I decided to put down the cash and become an honest-to-God card-carrying member of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. I find that walking the halls of the HMNS is a fine way to kill a few hours before a concert. There is a part of the HMNS that I hold near and dear to my heart, even t ... More >>

Capsule Art Reviews: "Drawings & Air Conditioning," "Interstitial Spaces: Julia Barello & Beverly Penn," "Kyle Farley: Countenance," "Layover," "Perry House: Elegance/Violence," "Six Apart," "Sky, Trees and Earth"

Capsule Art Reviews: "A Golden Time of Day," "James Turrell: Holograms," "Kyle Farley: Countenance," "Layover," "New Prints: Gallery Artists," "Six Apart," "UNIT"

Capsule Art Reviews: "The Big Show," "A Golden Time of Day," "Hilary Wilder: A Northern Tale," "Interstitial Spaces: Julia Barello & Beverly Penn," "Kyle Farley: Countenance," "UNIT," "Woven Landscapes"

Capsule Art Reviews: "Kyle Farley: Countenance," "Perry House: Elegance/Violence," "Rita Bernstein: Out of Place," "UNIT," "Woven Landscapes"

Capsule Art Reviews: "Hilary Wilder: A Northern Tale", "Interstitial Spaces: Julia Barello & Beverly Penn", "Kyle Farley: Countenance", "Perry House: Elegance/Violence", "Rita Bernstein: Out of Place", "Shifting Transforming: Ideas, Shapes & Mater

Know Your Local Media: Col. St. James on the Texas Radio Hall of Fame and Naked Strippers on the KLOL Console

Getting into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame is a big deal when you consider the company includes Wolfman Jack and George Carlin among others. One local dee jay, Colonel St. James of 93.7 the Arrow, is among them. He has been on air since the 1970s and has worked at just about every rock and roll stati ... More >>

Speculation & Interaction: A Preview Of Future Music Summit 2012

Every year bloggers ask the same questions: What's going to be the song of the summer? How long before a band's reunion tour falls apart? Who is the next big thing? When we're not reviewing shows, doing interviews, waxing nostalgic, or making lists, we love to speculate. But that kind of speculatio ... More >>

Give It Away: Music We're Gifting to Friends for Christmas

​We're a generous bunch at Rocks Off. We just give and give and give until it hurts, and then we give some more. That's just how we roll. And when we give, well, it may seem obvious, but we tend to give the gift of music. Our friends and family are appreciative, though we do think grandma is j ... More >>

Your 2011 Fall/Movie Preview (Part 1)

​Note: Pop Rocks will return next week. Labor Day has come and gone, which means the official start of the fall movie season is just around the corner. In fact, two of the more anticipated releases of latter 2011 -- Warrior and Contagion -- come out tomorrow. After what has been widely rega ... More >>

SXSW Last Night: Men Without Hats Dance If They Want To

PPhotos by Chris Gray​Men Without Hats Club de Ville March 18, 2011 Every year at SXSW, Aftermath scans the schedule of hundreds and hundreds of bands and always has the same reaction: "They're still around?" This year it was Canadian synth-pop safety dancers Men Without Hats. Since Aftermat ... More >>

Free Radicals Blend Break-Dancing, Capoeira Into Fitz's Show

​The Free Radicals remain an institution of incredible sound here in H-town, having amassed 13 Houston Press Music Awards in the realms of jazz and funk since their inception in 1996, as well as making a name for themselves as one of the city's most prolific protest bands. So when founder Nick ... More >>

Staffing The Ultimate Evil Record Label

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." - Attributed to Hunter S. Thompson ​The evil record label is a staple of the public's perception of the music ind ... More >>

Richard Dawkins In Houston: Taking On the 40 Percent

Trust me, I have a large number of leather-bound books.​It's hard to argue with Richard Dawkins. A zoologist, atheist and Charles Darwin's biggest supporter, he presents and proves controversial concepts with ease, and in such convincing fashion, that it really makes you second-guess the intellige ... More >>

Manchester United: Five Reasons To Hate Them

Yeah, yeah -- tradition yadda, yadda, yadda​Manchester United F.C. will be making their first trip to Houston as they play the MLS All-Stars at Reliant Stadium Wednesday. As one of soccer's most successful and most recognizable clubs, Man U is the sole reason why a record-sellout crowd is expected ... More >>

Concrete Dreams

Preemo paints his masterpiece, but who will wake up to listen?

A Cooler Coke: Guaraná Antarctica

​Each Tuesday and Thursday for the next five weeks, we'll be taking a look at alternatives to cokes for the sticky Houston summer that lays ahead. The first beverage we're examining in this series isn't exactly a hidden treasure. Guaraná Antarctica, produced in Brazil since 1921, is not only ... More >>

Allergic To Myself: Songs Guaranteed Not To Make You Sneeze

​ If you're new to Houston, you may be wondering what all that yellow crap on your car (and on the road, and in your hair...) is. Well, it's oak pollen, and along with sweltering humidity, infuriating traffic, and the occasional hurricane, it's one of the things that makes living here such a delig ... More >>

(Don't) Book 'Em, Dano: 42 Artists Who Have Absolutely No Business Touring Together

​ When Rocks Off received word last week that indie duo The Big Pink was embarking on a 2010 tour with NYC's A Place to Bury Strangers, our initial thought was, "Cool," followed closely by, "Ew." For once, there's a promo poster we really have no desire to see. But then our next thought was, "Coul ... More >>

In Honor Of Today's Weather: Five Best Snow Movies

Hair Balls was so excited for today's predicted snowfall that we could barely sleep last night. Fortunately, a half-bottle of cheap gas-station gin and a bunch of Benadryl cured that little problem.The cozy concoction gave us a dream populated with characters and scenes from movies where snow played ... More >>

The Secret Handshake

Eat Your Vegetables: Windy & Carl

Michigan experimental duo Windy Weber & Carl Hultgren, on their first tour in quite some time, stop into DiverseWorks tonight. Their 2008 album Songs for the Broken Hearted was quite well-received, but to me, the work that's key to their career is the 1998 LP Depths. Windy & Carl had put ... More >>

“The Trilogy: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart"

Two dance companies perform three works about one man

Polar-Palooza

Web exclusive!

Making Sense of a Trying Year

Paris Falls

This group makes killer ‘60s/’70s rock

It's Freaking Hot -- So Watch Some Cold Movies

Werner Herzog Treks to Antarctica in Encounters at the End of the World

Gleaning lessons from the darkness.

2008 Houston Press Music Awards Showcase

A preview of the 60 bands and five DJs that are taking over downtown this weekend

Locals Only

“Perspectives 162: Snow”

Allie Bogle and Libbie Masterson create a chilling experience at the CAMH

Kevin Brockmeier

The author of The Brief History of the Dead fields questions about his twisted tale

Of Montreal and Outback Steakhouse

Steak Out

Werner Herzog

Herzog on his acting career, Mike Tyson, and the hearts of men.

Stars of Track and Field

Stars of Track and Field perform Saturday, May 12, at the Engine Room, 1515 Pease, 713-654-7846. Joseph Arthur also performs.

Modest Mouse

We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank CD review

Leaving the Wolfe Pack

It's Johnny Falstaff's time to "Shine"

Whale of a Tale

Björk stars in epic head-scratcher of a film

The Kidd's All Right

Cave In, with Doomriders and Lorene Drive

Friday, December 16, at Walter's on Washington, 4215 Washington Avenue, 713-864-2727.

Best Laid Plans

Michael Winterbottom delivers the sex, and not much else

Miracle on Ice

The life of the emperor penguin isn't easy, but it might make yours seem better

Buckets o' Fun

Life's a beach at the AIA Sandcastle Competition

Booking It

These travel narratives are as much about the teller as the terrain

End of a Cajun Era

Rustic Pe-Te's closes after decades of keeping Gulf Coast music traditions alive

Modest Mouse

Good News for People Who Love Bad News (Epic)

Money and Masa

A few words with underground rapper/tamale kingpin Chingo Bling

Thrown for a Loop

Plus: Hot Topic, Shooting Fish?, Sympathy - Not

Lights Out

Fireflies are dissapearing from the night sky

Journal of the Plague Years

Part two of Angels may not match part one, but it's brilliant still