Chris Gray

The Best Concerts In Houston This Week: Imagine Dragons, fun., etc.

Imagine Dragons House of Blues, February 12 You've seen the name all over, from Blog A to Blog B, and the haircuts should look mighty familiar. This Las Vegas act has a sound in the same vein as Passion Pit and AWOLNATION, two acts with a veritable stranglehold on the rock dollar these days. Their ... More >>

The Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend: Blues Control, Loretta Lynn, The xx, etc.

Blues Control Mango's, February 8 Blues Control's Lea Cho and Russ Waterhouse make a tremendous clatter with keyboards, guitars and synths. The Queens, N.Y., duo started grabbing cool-kid support way before last year's Drag City effort Valley Tangents, which built on their already kaleidoscopic bod ... More >>

The Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend

North Mississippi Allstars Last Concert Cafe, February 1 Sons of the late Jim Dickinson, the legendary Memphis producer and sometime Rolling Stones sideman, Luther and Cody Dickinson grew up on punk but couldn't help absorbing the abundant rootsy sounds around them. Logically, their band North Miss ... More >>

The Best Concerts In Houston This Week

Punch Brothers Fitzgerald's, January 29 It's easy to call Punch Brothers a thinking-man's bluegrass band, but even that doesn't describe the kind of ambition and virtuosity we're dealing with here. After flirting with the mainstream on a few pop-tinged albums, Nickel Creek banjo prodigy Chris Thiel ... More >>

The Best Concerts In Houston This Week

The Helio Sequence Walters, January 15 The Helio Sequence's indie cred was secured when affable hipster tastemaker Fred Armisen (SNL, Portlandia) recently named last year's Negotiations to his Top 10 list, alongside albums by Bob Mould, Guided by Voices and Dirty Projectors. Only the Portland duo's ... More >>

The Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend

Scooter Brown Band Firehouse Saloon, January 4 Few bands on the Texas country circuit -- a scene largely made up of affable college dropouts -- can say that they have a true-blue U.S. Marine up front, but the Scooter Brown Band can. Lead singer-songwriter/Iraq war combat veteran Scott Brown chose ... More >>

10 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: November 2-4

UPDATED (9:30 a.m.): Per @FitzLiveMusic, Rakim has canceled due to Sandy-related travel difficulties. :( Indian Jewelry Walters, November 2 Houston is a better place for Indian Jewelry still being here. They could have moved somewhere hipper long ago and been welcomed with open arms, but Tex Kersc ... More >>

The 5 Best Shows In Houston This Week: October 29-November 1

Mike Watt & the Missingmen, Rivers Fitzgerald's, October 29 Mike Watt is like a human perpetual-motion machine, constantly in motion and usually on the road somewhere. He recently played ACL fest in Austin's Zilker Park with his "day job" of a few years now, bassist in Iggy & the Stooges, and is alr ... More >>

8 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: October 19-20

Matt & Kim House of Blues, October 19 Infectious pop, bright-eyed wonder and criminally catchy hooks have made Matt & Kim one of the best live acts to emerge out of the Aughties. The duo -- keyboardist Matt Johnson and drummer Kim Schifino -- feed off the energy of the crowd, and usually end up in ... More >>

Study: Free Press Summer Fest Brought Houston $14 Million

The Top 20 Greatest Goth Albums of All Time, Nos. 20-11

BY CHRIS GRAY AND JEF WITH ONE F Even at this late stage of the game, "goth" is a loaded word. Years and years of bad emo bands in too much eyeliner and corsets on sale at Hot Topics coast to coast will do that. Some even doubt the existence of goth as its own genre anymore, which seems strange co ... More >>

The 5 Best Shows In Houston This Week: Victor Wooten, Merchandise, etc.

Victor Wooten San Jacinto College Central Victor Wooten is the kind of musician who leaves other musicians, especially bass players, in awe. One of his four older brothers taught Wooten the four-string arts at age three, and he's gone on to a distinguished career that includes stints with both jazz ... More >>

HPMA 2012 Showcase

One night. 11 venues. 55 minutes.

The English Beat, The Romantics

Promised Land

SXSW 2012, from Bruce Springsteen to Buxton.

Chris Gray Back in the Day

​When Chris Gray rolled back into town after 10 years in Austin to work at Houston Press, my colleague, frequent co-conspirator, and editor John Nova Lomax called and asked if I'd take Gray out and show him the local ropes. It was Gray's first night in town, July 7, 2007. So I saddled up, dr ... More >>

Chris Gray Day: Auction Items and a Special Deal from Live Nation

With the Chris Gray benefit just a few days away, news is flying fast and furious. We told you yesterday about the addition of Hayes Carll to the artist line up and gave you a rundown of every artist on the bill. Today, we have news from Live Nation. Live Nation has donated two box seats including ... More >>

Chris Gray Day Finalized Schedule

The lineup is finally set for this Saturday's concert benefitting Houston Press music editor Chris Gray and it's a doozy. Tomorrow, we'll give you a rundown of all the silent auction items and you'll be even more impressed. For now, let's focus on the bands. The bonanza of bands gets started at 10 ... More >>

Chris Gray Benefit Scheduled for Saturday, January 14 at Continental Club

​Many have asked about a benefit for music editor Chris Gray and we're finally able to announce the HUGE benefit that will take place Saturday, January 14 at the Continental Club and the surrounding block we just call "the island." The bonanza of bands gets started at 10 a.m. and runs until th ... More >>

Hero Metro Cops Awarded for Helping Save Chris Gray

Our favorite Metro cops -- the officers whose quick actions helped save Houston Press Music Editor Chris Gray after he suffered a heart attack last month -- were presented with awards this morning from Metro and the American Heart Association. Officers John Zepeda and Leonard Wagner just happened ... More >>

Music Editor Chris Gray Had Luck On His Side When He Had His Heart Attack

Houston's very own Randolph Mantooth​John P. Zepeda of the Metro PD's canine squad had performed a routine bomb search at the Ensemble light-rail station October 28. Finding nothing, he tried to head back. But train after train was filled with morning commuters headed downtown, so he and his ... More >>

Chris Gray / Houston Blues Museum Benefit: How to Apply to Play

Chris Gray (right)​Many thanks to all the bands who have expressed a desire to play a benefit for Chris Gray. Now you will have your chance. We've set a date and picked a venue and now all you need to do is send your info to this link. A few facts:The show will be an all-day, all-night affai ... More >>

A Houston Press Benefit for Chris Gray

Photo by Ramon MedinaChris Gray, on the right, with musician Benjamin Wesley.​In order to help with his hospital bills, the Houston Press will be hosting a benefit for Music Editor Chris Gray, who suffered an apparent heart attack last Friday. As of today, things were looking up for Chris. He ... More >>

Houston Press to Host Benefit in Support of Music Editor Chris Gray

Photo by Ramon MedinaChris Gray, on the right, with musician Benjamin Wesley.​In order to help with his hospital bills, the Houston Press will be hosting a benefit for Music Editor Chris Gray, who suffered an apparent heart attack last Friday. As of today, things were looking up for Chris. He ... More >>

UPDATED: Music Editor Chris Gray is Holding His Own

Photo by Ramon MedinaChris Gray, on the right, with musician Benjamin Wesley.​UPDATE:On Monday afternoon, Chris Gray's dad said his son has his eyes open, is responsive to sounds and has moved around. It is still too early to determine what all has happened to him, however, because doctors sti ... More >>

UPDATED: Music Editor Chris Gray Is Holding His Own

Photo by Ramon MedinaChris Gray, on the right, with musician Benjamin Wesley.​UPDATE: On Monday afternoon, Chris Gray's dad said his son has his eyes open, is responsive to sounds and has moved around. It is still too early to determine what all has happened to him, however, because doctors st ... More >>

Summer Fest Critic's Guide: Who We're Seeing At Tinsley

Jermaine Rogers​In three very short years, Free Press Summer Fest has gone from an experiment most people thought would fail to destination music festival most people wouldn't dare miss even if it is going to be 105 degrees outside. Rocks Off has seen quite a bit of online chatter from people ... More >>

More from the Houston Press Music Awards Showcase

GroovehouseZydeco Dots at Bud Light Stage​The party's about to start at the Bud Light Main Stage, the sun is on it's way down and the night's just getting started. "Big crowd at Walter's. The Manichean are struggling towards a late start." -- John Gray "People are arriving in cabs for B L A ... More >>

iFest Aftermath: Not Bad For a Non-Music Festival

Breaking iFest news: Nigeria's King Sunny Ade & his African Beats have been forced to cancel their entire U.S. tour, including a scheduled appearance Saturday at iFest. According to a press release from the group's PR firm, Rock Paper Scissors, the U.S. Embassy has refused to grant visas to two ... More >>

Good Morning To You Too, Meridian Wired Live ???

Chris Gray​ Seems there's trouble afoot over on Chartres. Who would have guessed? That number on the flyer has been "temporarily disconnected," too. However, Mike Kelley, a former partner in Chartres Entertainment who currently promotes the majority of Wired Live's shows through his Onstage ... More >>

Which Other Local Musical Landmarks Deserve Historical Markers?

Chris Gray SugarHill Studios​Monday's announcement that the Texas Historical Commission has approved Eric Davis' proposal for an official state historical marker honoring Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins is wonderful news, but it's also only the tip of the iceberg. Plenty of other spots around town, ... More >>

2009 Concert Rewind, August: Weezy, Blondie, Depeche Mode, JoBros, Katy Perry, Mos Def, De La Soul, Blue October, Green Day and an Audience With King George

Shea Serrano​ Asher Roth, Kid Cudi, House of Blues, August 1: "[Cudi has] tapped John Goldstein, Kanye's famed stage light guy, to help him create an actual feel to his show. Hipster rappers get derided a lot as not being "real rappers," but they put on a hell of a show. The crowd is already his." ... More >>

2009 Concert Rewind, February: Killers Kill, Annuals Amuse, Hammered at Hank III, Spewing Slipknot and More

Mark C. Austin​ The Killers, Verizon Wireless Theater, February 2: "The general knock on the Killers is that they've achieved their relatively lofty position by standing on the shoulders of giants, which may well be true. But Monday night they showed that in reaching for the stars, they have yet t ... More >>

2009 Concert Rewind, January: Scott Weiland Is Still a Jackass, and More

[Ed. Note: For the next two weeks, Rocks Off will be looking back at the many, many, many shows we reviewed this year. Trust us, we've long since lost count. We'll start with this past January, as ever a slow month on the live-music front, but things picked up soon enough... trust us. Enjoy.] Chris ... More >>

ACL 2009 Snapshot: Better Than Nothing, We Suppose...

Chris Gray​ This is all the female companionship some people at ACL are going to get, but at least this guy's friends won't have any trouble finding him. If he has any, that is.

Aftermath: Fastball at House of Blues

Chris Gray​ It hasn't been that long since the '90s ended, but it sure seems like it sometimes. Like going to a concert sponsored by a radio station, in Saturday's case Mix 96.5. It doesn't matter what the station is, or who is playing, you're immediately struck by two things: "People still listen ... More >>

From the Front: Photos from Chris Gray

Chris Gray dropped up some photos from earlier in the day.​Kickin' it with Born Liars.​Fun with Benjamin Wesley.​Did you miss the Fucking Transmissions Unplugged?

Even More from the Front: Photos from Chris Gray

Chris Gray ran into some folks on the street ...​B L A C K I E ​Channel 39 came to see how things are going ...​Jim Purdell and Don Walsh discussing perhaps Rusted Shut's show today at Notsuoh...​And one quick live shot of Ozeal and the Eulypians gettin' crazy on the amps (literally).

Aftermath: Michael Jackson Tribute at Numbers

Chris Gray Well, Numbers' Michael Jackson tribute turned out to be three songs and a few arch comments from the DJ, before a typical Classic Numbers crowd that was more interested in the Cure than the King of Pop. The real action was across the street at Mango's, where the Tontons enhanced their rep ... More >>

Flashback: Something Fierce at Cactus Music

Photos by Chris Gray Houston punk trio Something Fierce put on a spirited pre-tour in-store at Cactus Music Saturday afternoon, performing several songs from its brand-new disc There Are No Answers and a Clash cover. It was a fine day in garageland, to be sure. More photos after the jump.

Aftermath: The Magpies and Sideshow Tramps at the Continental Club

Photos by Chris Gray It didn't look good at the beginning. A few minutes after 9 p.m. Wednesday, the posted start time for visiting Cleveland roots-rockers the Magpies, the "count" at the Continental Club front door was all of 16 paying customers, and the band was nowhere in sight. Two chicken t ... More >>

The Menu of Guy Clark's "Texas Cookin'"

If you're like me, you've probably, finally, eaten your way through the last of the holiday leftovers. (If you've never had deep-fried Cajun turkey, by the way...) You could always start that healthier diet you're always talking about, and exercise, but who are we kidding? It's time to re-stock tha ... More >>

Art Rock: Fishbone's December 8 Meridian Setlist

A funky, funky good time. - Chris Gray  

Happy Thanksgiving: John Lennon's "Cold Turkey"

  Some of you will be eating this for a while, Rocks Off supposes. - Chris Gray  

The Early Scene at Obama HQ

Steak Night: Under the Volcano

Over the Weekend: Sugar Hill, Summer Sin, Swami Ramdev and Houston Astros

Houston to Austin and Back Again