Carlos Santana

The 5 Worst Trends Started By the Class of '99

Chris Gray's write-up of the Brian Setzer Orchestra's "Christmas Rocks" show at the Arena Theatre a couple of weeks ago got me thinking. These days, the swing maestro seems to be comfortably settled into his own little niche in the music industry, playing swingin' Christmas carols to grown folks. Bu ... More >>

The Texas 30: Texas' 6 Best Latin Albums of the Past 30 Years

As I was reviewing the list of The Texas 30, in the back of my mind I kept thinking one thing... "Where my brown people at?!" Rewind: The Texas 30 (cover story) Slideshow: The Texas 30 album covers Listen To Our Texas 30 Picks On Rdio and Spotify Right Now Sure, Queen Selena rightfully made t ... More >>

Shape Shifter: A Conversation With Icon of Style Carlos Santana

National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed annually between September 15t and October 15 as a celebration of the positive cultural impact Hispanic and Latino Americans contribute to this country. This year, guitarist Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Carlos Santana was honored by Macy's as the Hispanic ... More >>

Macy's, Houston Celebrate Carlos Santana's Style

Twenty years ago, while digging through my father's music collection, I found an album that I still regard as one of my all-time favorites. The crying guitar notes and inspired Latin rhythms I heard that afternoon were a vast departure from the corridos and cumbias I was almost exclusively listening ... More >>

#MadeInAmerica: Jay-Z, Obama & G.O.O.D. Music Close Out Day 1

Rewind: #MadeInAmerica: The Heat, Crowds & Fireworks of Day 1 The setting was grand: One of the most iconic set of stairs in the world, in one of the most historical cities in the country, showcasing one of the most successful people in the entertainment business. The very same steps that Rocky Bal ... More >>

Musically Speaking, What Is the Best Zodiac Sign?

Sometimes some musicians just can't even be put in the same sentence as one another. Depending on people's musical preferences. It's hard to compare and can be a bit confrontational. But one thing is for sure the day on which someone is born can't be changed. And then that's where astrology comes in ... More >>

Last Night: Les & Friends at Fitzgerald's

Les featuring Slim Thug, Killa Kyleon, Mug, Doughbeezy, Propain, Amber London, Roosh Williams, DJ Mr. Rogers Fitzgerald's June 27, 2012 Twice this year already, Les, one of the new rap generation's most interesting performers, has released mixtapes. Neither of them were anything less than Absolutel ... More >>

Pulling A Cee-Lo: 11 More Contemporary Artists Who Need Their Own Vegas Residency

​Cee-Lo Green raised eyebrows a couple of weeks ago when he announced that he was settling down -- in Las Vegas. The Grammy-winning "Fuck You" singer says that his new semi-permanent show, "Loberace," will launch Aug. 29 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Vegas Strip and run at least throu ... More >>

Last Night: Los Lobos At Dosey Doe

It all seemed very dream-like: a band from East Los Angeles, playing rock and roll classics and Mexican corridos, inside of a 150-year-old barn in The Woodlands, all while I ate my dinner. Yet I wasn't dreaming, I was just at the Dosey Doe (25911 I-45 North). The intimate dining and music hall made ... More >>

Five on Five: Fender vs. Gibson, Who Had the Better Players?

​For guitar players, it's an age old question: are you a Fender guy or a Gibson guy? Over the years since both companies became popular in rock music, many other guitar manufacturers have made inroads, but none have been able to surpass the power and tradition of these two giants in the guitar ... More >>

Singing "Souleros" - A Conversation with Santana Band Frontman Andy Vargas

Photos by Marco Torres​Andy Vargas wears many hats. He is one of two lead singers for the The Carlos Santana Band. He is the son who followed in his father's footsteps by choosing music as a career. He is a dedicated dad to his 16-year-old son. He is part of an effort to replace music equipmen ... More >>

Y'all Musta Forgot: Le$'s Luminescent Settle 4 Le$ Vol. 2

"I gotta stay paid 'cause I like fly shit." -- Le$, "Gangsta" There was this time where, on Twitter, Le$ remarked that someone -- a street tough, presumably- had told him that his shoes were ugly. He Instagramed the right one. It was an Ice Cream sneaker, an explosion of colors and ideas from prod ... More >>

14 Notable Female Rock Drummers

girlscantwhat.com​Last week, we rounded up a list of our favorite female rock bassists. We'd like to continue the trend of honoring rock's finest females, by next recognizing 14 notable female rock drummers. As usual, we will focus on the live-performing, touring drummers over time, rather tha ... More >>

Top 20 Throwback TV Theme Songs Part 1

​We grew up on television. Whether it was Saturday morning cartoons, afternoon re-runs, Sunday Disney and Wild Kingdom or Thursday night "must see" TV, we saw it. We noticed that on November 2, 1985, the Miami Vice soundtrack went to number one on the Billboard charts where it would stay for ... More >>

Saturday Night: Santana & Spearhead At The Woodlands

Photos by Marco Torres​Santana, Michael Franti & Spearhead Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion September 10, 2011 Timeless. Classic. Legend. OG - all classifications that tend to be distributed loosely in the music industry these days. Yet for Carlos Santana, the skinny Mexican kid who played at ... More >>

Saturday Night: Maná At Toyota Center

Photos by Marco Torres​Maná Toyota Center July 2, 2011 It takes a special combination of hype and talent to sell out a concert, let alone two in a row. In recent memory, only two other artists have been booked to perform on consecutive nights at Toyota Center: Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga. Me ... More >>

Buddy Guy

Smokey Robinson

Shot In The Dark: The Ones Who Got Away (So Far)

UPDATE (3:23 p.m.): Promotional video by Monica Fuentes added after the jump. Jay LeeLittle Joe Washington at the Continental Club's 10th anniversary, July 2010​Slowly but surely, Rocks Off has been getting ready for our "Shot In the Dark" photo exhibition at Warehouse Live's Studio next Thur ... More >>

Everlasting House

House of Pain reignites Celtic pride that once had nation jumping around.

Soul City: The Amazing Jazz Crusaders

Black History Month is always a great time to recall some of Houston's greatest musical innovators and leaders. Rocks Off will highlight some of them during the remainder of February. "Hey, let's get back to that down-and-dirty old-school chicken-shack sound" mosaicrecords.com​While Houston ... More >>

FAIL: Carlos Santana, Anniversary Songs, Skynyrd Covers

​That's Enough, Carlos Santana: Carlos Santana has to be one of the most overrated rock artists of all time. Never once has his noodly, choogly brand of boring stoner-rock managed to ignite even the tiniest spark of interest for Fails. Yeah, the guy's got some serious guitar chops. But as any ... More >>

Westheimer Block Party Listology: Bright Men of Learning Remember Their Parents' Favorite Music

All this week, Rocks Off is previewing Saturday and Sunday's Westheimer Block Party by asking WBP performers to fill out a list from Lisa Nola's Music Listography book we're so fond of. It's not too late for your band to be up here, either; just email chris.gray@houstonpress.com by noon Thursday if ... More >>

Punk en Español

The heavily Hispanic roots — and present — of Houston's punk scene

Andy Vargas, David de la Garza

Aftermath: Latin Grammys at Toyota Center, Pt. 1

Carlos Santana backstage at the Latin Grammys/ Photo by Olivia Flores Alvarez Is music really the universal language? There was no better place to test that ragged old saw than at Thursday’s Latin Grammys at Toyota Center. As one of the few (if not the only) non-Spanish-speakers in the buildi ... More >>

Aftermath: Latin Grammys at Toyota Center, Pt. 2

Gloria Estefan meets the media/ Photo by Olivia Flores Alvarez The woman of the hour Thursday night was unquestionably 2008 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Gloria Estefan, whose “Mi Tierra” was big, brassy, jazzy, horn-heavy and as Cuban as a fine Cohiba cigar. So was “Oye Mi Ca ... More >>

Rodney Crowell, Forever the Houston Kid

Gasoline Dreams

Rotation: Out Today

Making Scents of the Stars

A buyer's guide to celebrity fragrances

Buddy Guy

Saturday, December 3, at Verizon Wireless Theater, 520 Texas, 713-225-8551.

Allman Brothers Band

Sunday, September 25, at Verizon Wireless Theater, 520 Texas, 713-225-8551.

Cr�e Cuts

On the phone with the M�tley bunch

Last Night at the Alamo

A Grammy party at a local theater turns into quiz night down at the local pub

Cope With This

Finally, someone figures out how to craft an interesting rock/hip-hop blend

San Francisco Treat

Catching up with League City's Greg Ashley in that other city by the bay

A Thin Line...

Introducing the most hated men in rock (besides Sting)

The Power of Tri

Mexico City's El Tri gives its all to the fans -- literally

Money Mark

Change Is Coming (Emperor Norton Records)

Reservation Blues

Indigenous's rock springs from the deepest roots in North America

Pepper Shakers

Los Hombres Calientes take jazz into booty-shaking territory

Native Talent

Indigenous Americans blow blues-rock smoke

Rotation

Sleight of Head

Static

Broadcast Power

What can a little radio play do? It can make you a star. Just ask Vallejo.

Everything Festival

Jazz Reconsidered

Live Shots