Asia (Band)

Here, Eat This

A beginner's guide to Indian cuisine.

Beyonce Stoops to Conquer Toyota Center July 15

Hot off the heels of her electrifying Super Bowl halftime performance, which some believe had something to do with the mysterious blackout at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome shortly into the game's third quarter, Beyonce announced after the game that she will hit the road later this year for her first w ... More >>

Top 10 Restaurants in River Oaks

The last time we tackled the Top 10 restaurants in River Oaks, Tony Mandola's was still open in what is now Brasserie 19's spot in the River Oaks Shopping Center. Needless to say, things have changed a bit in three years. And in spite of its ritzy exterior, River Oaks still has plenty of inexpensive ... More >>

Witchcraft, Underdogs and Blacksmiths: November 2012 in Openings & Closings

On my way home a few nights ago, I noticed that a hunch I'd had was true: Bibas Brooklyn Express had closed after only six short months in business on Main Street. I'd noticed the lights off for a few days, and a new spread of brown paper in the windows meant only one thing. B4-U-Eat reports that th ... 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 >>

Kaskade's Moment

On-the-go DJ/producer might be electronica's very own superhero.

Be Pure and Tell the Truth: Our 5 Favorite Musical Buddhists

Today His Holiness the Dalai Lama turns 77. Although he didn't officially become the temporal head of Tibet until he was 15, he's made the most of 62 years in the position. He's won a Nobel Peace Prize, advocated for his country and countrymen, and amassed more than 4 million Twitter followers. He' ... More >>

The Best LP Side Ones Ever

Spurred on by the realization that both David Bowie's commercial breakthrough Let's Dance and Queen's News of the World had solid, sturdy side ones on their vinyl releases, I then began the hunt for other great vinyl slabs with amazing side ones. Of course, the idea is that this could only include ... More >>

Riverdance Winds Down Its U.S. Tour With a Stop in Houston

It was 1996 and Padraic Moyles was sitting in Radio City Music Hall when he got his first glimpse of Riverdance, which was just breaking out to world acclaim. An Irish dancer himself, he decided he had to be part of the mesmerizing, finely coordinated lines of dancers with their straight upper bodie ... More >>

Hunger Games Filmed in Appalachia, Music Recorded in Europe

​For most musicians who aren't playing in orchestras or as session musicians, a musicians' union is about as useful a roadie who can't lift anything over 20 pounds on doctor's orders. But, for the thousands of musicians who do work in the film, television and recording studio industry, they re ... More >>

World AIDS Day: Artists Who Have Contributed to the Cause

​Today is World AIDS Day. The theme this year is "Getting to Zero," focusing on zero AIDS related deaths. In hopes of achieving this goal, there has been many a celebrity to endorse AIDS awareness and various charities around the world. Quite a few musicians have used their celebrity status ... More >>

Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano (Part 2) On Social Media & Peter Criss

​Today Rocks Off continues our discussion with Concrete Blonde's bassist/lead vocalist Johnette Napolitano. Part One of our interview can be found here. The band will perform at Fitzgerald's this Sunday, October 30, with Girl In a Coma. RO: In talking about cultural differences between Amer ... More >>

Nothing's Shocking: Thank You, Iggy Pop

singinglamb.caA young Iggy Pop has his way with a microphone stand c. 1968​Cyberspace was all abuzz on Monday, thanks to Lady Gaga's "shocking" VMA performance of "You and I" dressed as a young Ralph Macchio, or at least that's what it looked like from here. It was creative and bold, and defin ... More >>

Ingredient of the Week: Thai Basil

Photo by John SuhThai basil in our garden​A few weeks ago, we featured Genovese basil, a staple of Italian cuisine, as the Ingredient of the Week. This week, we're highlighting Thai basil, a key ingredient in not just Thai food but many other southeast Asian dishes. What is it? Native to so ... More >>

Ramadan Iftar, Sponsored by the City, Draws Hundreds of Muslims

Photo by Mandy OaklanderMayor Parker backed Saturday's citywide iftar. ​Sealed bottles of water sit on the white-clothed tables before the crowd of thirsty fasters. It's Ramadan, so for one month, observant Muslims like those gathered here at the downtown convention center will abstain from ea ... More >>

30 Seconds With Tyagaraja

​ Jon Welch, better known to Houston audiences as Tyagaraja, remains one of our most brilliant and esoteric artists. We sat down with him to see what we could learn about the mystical musician in 30 seconds. Rocks Off: What is the worst song in the world? Tyagaraja: A song that has no one ... More >>

Jon Bon Jovi, Mayor Parker SEARCH For Youth Answers

Photos by Allison WagonerHouston Mayor Annise Parker and Jon Bon Jovi stand with their autographed plates that will be featured on SEARCH's "Wall of China."​Jon Bon Jovi has a concert at Toyota Center Tuesday, but he came to Houston a day early to do some voluntary community-service work for t ... More >>

iFest's Second Weekend Brings It All Back Home

Jason WolterTexas Connection: Joe Ely, Lucinda Williams and Townes Van Zandt (not pictured)​See lots more iFest pictures from Saturday and Sunday (and some food) in our slideshows. Yes, it was hot at iFest this weekend. Houston hot. Sunday afternoon, partway through Lucinda Williams' surprisi ... More >>

Houston International Festival

Yo-Yo Ma with the Silk Road Ensemble

Dr. Seuss' Top Five Hip-Hop Disciples

​In honor of Dr. Seuss' 106th birthday last week (March 2), Rocks Off's present to you is the most Seussical rappers of all time, MCs who excel at the art of poetic rhyming and whimsical wordplay. Their rhymes constantly remind us that Dr. Seuss could have been a platinum rapper in this lifeti ... More >>

Compagnie La Baraka

Top 10 Musical U.S. Presidents

"The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music." - Gerald Ford gwu.eduWhen else are we going to use this picture?​Today is President's Day, and if you'll think back to high-school U.S. History, you'll remember that potential Commande ... More >>

30 Seconds With Gen, Genitorturers' No. 1 AC/DC Fan

Kym O'Donnell​Rocks Off has been a big fan of the Genitorturers ever since we saw a bumper sticker that read, "My honor student got sodomized at the Genitorturers show!" We sat down with Gen, the lead singer of the long-running industrial band to see what we could learn about her in 30 seconds ... More >>

Lucinda Williams, Spearhead, Kronos Quartet Headed To iFest

​The Houston International Festival, better known as iFest, announced its 2011 lineup late Thursday night. Here are some of the highlights: FRIDAY, APRIL 29 World Stage: Kronos Quartet feat. Homayun Sakhi; Houston Youth Symphony String Quartet; Houston Grand Opera SATURDAY, APRIL 30 World ... More >>

Mariachi Love

UC Radio's Mike Yusi: How To Succeed In Podcasting

"Traditional radio is as dead as Joey Ramone." ​Last year, Rocks Off's editor - who will be played by upcoming Celebrity Apprentice contestant Gary Busey for the duration of this article - hauled us into his office and said, "Dammit, With One F! This radio on the Internet thing is blowing up ... More >>

The Peking Acrobats

Atoning for the [Cinematic] Sins of the Father

A poor *black* kid? They'll never buy it.​That rumbling you heard yesterday was the muted "harrumph"-ing of thousands of American film journalists after news of the Will Smith/Jay-Z Annie reboot was confirmed: Overbrook Entertainment has formally announced a partnership with Jay-Z for future ... More >>

Before Networking Was Social: Ten Early Social Websites That Are Dead or Dying

Who needs Classmates.com when we have Facebook?​Social networking today is a foregone conclusion. Many of us wake up and check Twitter on our smart phones or pull up Facebook on our laptops. We surf YouTube videos in our spare time, find dates on Match.com and spend hours reading music, politi ... More >>

Fiskadoro's Christmas Of The Damned

​Peace on Earth and good will towards men? We'll have none of that happy hippie horseshit here, thank you very much. Listening to Fiskadoro is like the cuddle session after a brutal orgy, and we do love every damn minute of music they infect our iPod with. Their latest release is a Christmas E ... More >>

iFest President & CEO Jim Austin Stepping Down February 1

Festival not booking Justin Beiber, interim replacement says GroovehouseGeorge Clinton at iFest 2010​Speaking of festivals... The Houston International Festival announced earlier today that Dr. James Austin will retire as president and chief executive officer of the Houston Festival Foundati ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: Body, Soul & Gershwin, The Great Storm, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Laura

FAIL: Morrissey, Scott Weiland, Whitesnake, Conspiracy Theorists

​Morrissey Loves Animals So Much It Makes Him Racist: Morrissey has been one of the biggest ambiguously snarky pussies in all of rock music for some years now, popular among 15-year-old bisexuals of all races and creeds. Sometimes, however, the former Smiths frontman likes to make a straightf ... More >>

The Top 10 Coolest Music-Video Explosions

​We like fireworks and explosions, and with July 4th right around the corner, we are sure to get our fill. Things burning or blowing up are pretty cool, except of course if it's your house, car or business. In that case, it's an awful, horrible atrocity and God is a bastard for letting it happen t ... More >>

Pickaninnies & White Trash: A Hilariously Un-PC Old Textbook From England

From the book: "'How' is the Indian's way of saying 'How do you do?'"​You never know what you'll find in a Houston antique shop. For instance, there's The Wonder Book of Children of All Nations. It appears to be intended for schoolchildren, published in Great Britain in, say, 1920 or so, and ... More >>

Upcoming: Asia, Hawthorne Heights, Natalie Merchant, Silversun Pickups, Etc.

​Ana Egge, Michael Kingcaid, Frank Smith: Wed., May 26. Rudyard's. Asia: Sat., Aug. 21. House of Blues. Asleep At The Wheel: Sat., June 26. House of Blues. Benny Benassi: Fri., June 18. Stereo Live. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: Fri., June 25. House of Blues. The Burden, Side Arms, Ghost Town Electric, F ... More >>

A Brief Guide To Super Happy Fun Land's SXSW Overflow Fest

www.myspace.com/jodyseabodyandthewhirlsHouston psych-rockers and Overflow artist Jody Seabody & the Whirls​Thursday marks the beginning of Super Happy Fun Land's SXSW Overflow Fest, two weeks of performers stopping by the East End art space/music venue/sock-monkey emporium on their way to and ... More >>

Bitten by La Bayadere

Houston Ballet debuts a rarely seen Russian classic.

Hazy Shade Of Winter: Are The Vancouver Olympians Listening To These Songs?

Rocks Off has Olympics on the brain. After hearing the theme from Chariots of Fire at the Houston Symphony and watching the bizarro Opening Ceremonies featuring Nelly Furtado, Bryan Adams and Sarah McLachlan, all we want to do when we get home from a long hard day is watch men in Vera Wang one-piec ... More >>

Happy New Year!

Photos by Groovehouse / Click here for a slideshow​What's that? New Year's has already passed? Not if you're from China, Japan, Vietnam or a number of other countries that celebrate the new year based on the lunar calendar. And to celebrate the passing of the old year, the Chinese Community Ce ... More >>

28th Annual Asian American Festival: TexAsia! Deep in the Heart of Asian Art!

Houston celebrates Asian cultures

Blue

Nona Hendryx’s music makes this production a must-see

Four Corners Music from Asia, Europe, North and South America

Mukuru raises awareness by bringing the ends of the earth to Houston

Poornam

Anjali Center for Performing Arts presents traditional Indian dance

They've Got Styles

Meet a rising star at Main Street Theater

He's "Somebody…!"

You should get to know Russell Peters

Okra Worship

Pearl's serves up real food for the soul; Fusion Café brings a little soul to Rice Village

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