Craig Kinsey

Canned Acoustica Compiles Cornucopia of Local Clips

Canned Acoustica, the popular "unplugged"-style local concerts that over six installations have raised both money and food for a variety of charities, has put the final touches (for now) on its YouTube channel, offering local music fans an easy place to browse through intimate and sometimes unconven ... More >>

Haute Wheels Houston Rolls Out This Weekend

The 3rd annual Haute Wheels food truck festival is hitting the streets this weekend. The two-day event will cover the entire parking lot at HCC Southwest's campus, with more than 30 different trucks to cater to every possible craving you could have. You know all of those fantastic food trucks we wr ... 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 >>

The Rocks Off 100: Ramblin' Chase Hamblin, the Man Who Will Be Paid

Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community -- a lot more than just musicians, but of course they're in there too. Who? Who? The very idea that I even have to tell you who Chase Hamblin is makes me fee ... More >>

Friday Night: Hayes Carll's Burlesque Circus & Sideshow Freakout at House of Blues

Hayes Carll's Burlesque Circus & Sideshow Freakout Feat. Corb Lund House of Blues December 28, 2012 "For years our shows have been PG... 13," Hayes Carll said early in his long, long, long set Friday night at House of Blues, as he headlined his own "Burlesque Circus & Sideshow Freakout." "I wanted ... More >>

10 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: December 28-30

Hayes Carll's Burlesque Circus and Sideshow Freakout House of Blues, December 28 Singer-songwriter Hayes Carll's songs are populated by widescreen people of oddity and quirk, so it makes total sense for him to put his own special twist on the holidays. At Friday's House of Blues free-for-all, Carll ... More >>

Hayes Carll's Burlesque Circus and Sideshow Freakout

Fitz Navidad's Bands Lay Out Their Favorite Christmas Tunes

Thursday night, a heavenly host of Houston's brightest and best musicians will spend a night playing Christmas music to celebrate the holiday season at Fitzgerald's. We decided to catch up with some of the musicians and find out what their favorite Christmas songs are, and why? Austin Smith (A Sea ... More >>

Hayes Carll Playing Cactus Music Next Thursday, Reissuing 2002's Flowers and Liquor

While we wait for his follow-up to 2011's damned fabulous KMAG YOYO, Cactus Music has announced that Hayes Carll will be playing in-store on Thursday, December 13 at 5:30 p.m. That's next Thursday, you turkeys. Carll, one of the most vocal Houston Texans fans on Sunday afternoons on Twitter, is ... More >>

The 5 Best Shows In Houston This Week: The Go-Go's, 2 Chainz, etc.

The Go-Go's Monday, House of Blues God bless the Go-Go's. If Monday's House of Blues show is anything like last August's all-killer-no-filler HOB date - and it should be, since the reunited five-piece isn't pushing any new "product" - you're in for a real treat. Listen to "Lust to Love," "How Much M ... More >>

7 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Bang Bangz, Praia Urbana, Greezy Wheels, Etc.

First up: Damn. According to Space City Rock (via Pegstar), the upcoming Guided by Voices show next Monday (Sept. 24) at Warehouse Live has been canceled. That would have been cool. Anyhow, if you're a fan of shimmery guitars and sad songs, get thee to Cactus Music this evening at 5 p.m. sharp, for ... More >>

Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra

Canned Acoustica VI Set For Friday at Warehouse Live

The sixth Canned Acoustica concert is coming up on Friday night on the Warehouse Live Green Room stage, and the lineup features B L A C K I E, Craig Kinsey, Second Lovers, New York City Queens, and Featherface. If you have never been to one of these shows -- which feature normally plugged-in bands w ... More >>

8 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Houston SunBurn, HPMA Showcase, Etc.

This is... impressive. It's called Houston SunBurn, and it's somehow related to famous Nevada freakfest Burning Man. It's tomorrow at Jet Lounge, the Engine Room and Last Concert Cafe, and looks like a who's who of local fringe talent - experimental electronica to Americana, and literally everything ... More >>

Hayes Carll's Burlesque Circus and Sideshow Freakout

Shot In The Dark: Put Down Your Phones And Watch The Show

Take a picture, they say. It'll last longer. But fans weren't always able to do that. Only in the last five years or so, with the rise of digital cameras and smartphones, has photography even been an option. Even now, some artists insist on no photography at their shows, and a few venues still ask ... More >>

Haute Wheels Houston: Hot VOICE Deal of the Day for Half-Off VIP Entry

Haute Wheels Houston, the food truck festival brought to you by the same creators as Brewmaster's Craft Beer Festival, will be rolling into town on May 12 and 13. The festival, now in its second year, will bring together a bunch of Houston food trucks, live entertainment by local musicians, and an a ... More >>

9 Cool & Cheap Things To Do This Weekend

Dozens of local rock, blues, jazz, folk and jam acts take over Dan Electro's Guitar Bar in the Heights for the completely free annual South by Due East festival, tonight through Monday. Door times are 5 p.m. Tonight and Monday, 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. DJ duo Ceeplus Bad Knives and Mr. Castillo ... More >>

Swamp People

Recent local releases by Screwtape, John Egan and Southern Backtones have Houston on the brain.

30 Seconds With Astronautalis

Rocks Off hitched a ride on a space whale in order to hook up with Andy Bothwell, also known as Astronautalis to see what we could learn about our biggest hope for rap in 30 seconds. paperocean​Rocks Off: What is the worst song in the world? Astronautalis: "Love in an Elevator" by Aerosmith. ... More >>

BestFest: Honky Tonk Brothers Draw Blood, Carolyn Wonderland Laps The Field

Photos by Jason WolterThe Honky Tonk Blood Brothers​The Home Brew stage served up a buffet of local talent with Johnny Falstaff, John Evans, Southern Backtones' Hank Schyma, and Craig Kinsey of the Sideshow Tramps, otherwise known as the Honky Tonk Blood Brothers. Each member of the quartet tu ... More >>

Dig This: Dig Dug, Bang Bangz, Los Skarnales, The Wiggins & Craig Kinsey

The current volume of local music is staggering, so Rocks Off wants to help you (and ourselves) keep up. Dig Dug​Dig This is back with another round of gems following some successful mining of the Internet. Here's another handful of local music acts for you to explore, including a few that yo ... More >>

Friday Night: Sideshow Tramps CD Release At Fitzgerald's

Photos by Jason WolterHayes Carll (left) and Craig Kinsey go down the road.​Sideshow Tramps Fitzgerald's September 9, 2011 If Aftermath doesn't have to be at the office first thing in the morning, sometimes we let our personal hygiene slide a little. Some days stretch well into the afternoon ... More >>

BestFest Adds Los Skarnales, The Last Place You Look, Umbrella Man & Honky Tonk Blood Trio

Half-price GA passes = today's "Deal of the Day" GroovehousePachuco Boogie: Los Skarnales' Nestor Serrano (left) and Felipe Galvan at the 2011 Houston International Festival​The first Best of Houston® BestFest is shaping up nicely. Today it gives Rocks Off great pleasure to announce four mo ... More >>

Capsule Art Reviews: "Collections: Annual HSPVA Juried Show", "Dan Kopp: TIMEAWAY" and "Josh Bernstein: Galveston", Hardbodies, Marc Swanson: The Second Story, Mitch Dobrowner: New Work, Musicians Who Make Art

Capsule Stage Reviews: Arline Fisch: Creatures from the Deep, Hardbodies, "Liz Hickok: Jiggling Geography", Lynda Benglis: Glass Masks, Marc Swanson: The Second Story, "Mitch Dobrowner: New Work", "Musicians Who Make Art"

Four More Years

After 1,661 days (and counting) of immersion in the Houston music scene, a look back.

Capsule Art Reviews: "The Clearing — Joey Fauerso," "Evergreen: Original Contemporary Prints," "Exurb: Input/Output," "George Gittoes: Witness to War," "Jackie Gendel: Fables in Slang," "Jenny Schlief Stock Photography: From the Woman Series"

Capsule Art Reviews: "George Gittoes: Witness to War" "Jackie Gendel: Fables in Slang" "Musicians Who Make Art" "Nathan Green: Fill the Sky" "Perspectives 174: Re: Generation" "Voodoo Pop: Mary Hayslip and Trey Speegle"

Upcoming: Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Peter Bjorn & John, Etc.

​Bowling For Soup, The Dollyrots, Sunderland: Fri., Aug. 19. Warehouse Live. Breathe Carolina, Chiodos, I See Stars: Thu., July 28. Warehouse Live. Craig Kinsey, Sara Van Buskirk, Benjamin Wesley: Fri., June 10. Heights Live. The Damned Things: Wed., Aug. 17. House of Blues. The Dead Revo ... More >>

More Local Music News Than Memorial Day Furniture Sales

What would your Friday be without Magnolia City Mixtape? Pretty bleak, if you're trying to keep up on all the local music here in Houston. Thankfully, we're here to make that last day of the work week just a bit better. Propain launched his music video for the Departure track, "Say I Won't." Dire ... More >>

Top 10 Musician Tweets About Bin Laden's Death

​Last night, this member of Rocks Off was sitting at a pizza parlor off Ella when he found out that our military killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. It was a monumental moment in time, as we sat back and looked at the past decade and half of our lives, since we learned his name in 1998 with th ... More >>

Last Shot Of Whiskey Wednesday Is Powerful Stuff

Steve Jansen​Rocks Off doesn't know where you went to school, but Robert Ellis & the Boys' final Whiskey Wednesday at Fitzgerald's last night felt a lot like the prom/graduation party we always wanted to have. With maybe just a little more beer. 'Tis the season. As the ceiling sagged from th ... More >>

Honky Tonk Blood A Macabrely Nice Surprise

Dawn McGee​See more photos from Thursday's premiere in our slideshow. Rocks Off will admit we were skeptical going into Thursday night's premiere of Honky Tonk Blood at the River Oaks Theatre. It's not so much that we thought the idea of a black comedy set in the Houston music scene was dubio ... More >>

MCM: More Local Music News Than Downtown Street Repairs

Rocks Off mines away all week at this mysterious mountain of Internet just to find all the precious local music news we can. ​This week's honorary soundtrack comes courtesy of HasHBrown, who dropped his Relationsh*t EP on Valentine's Day. MCM is sad to say goodbye to Weird Party and, belated ... More >>

MCM: More Local Music News Than Ice On The Roads

Rocks Off readers, if the cold weather has bogged down your day, we've got just the trick - a slew of local music news hot off the presses. Our soundtrack this week is the folky Sarah Neidermeyer and the Devil, the new album from Horse. It's available now, so give it a listen and maybe even put it ... More >>

A Few Possible Cures For Rocks Off's Acute "Can't Stay Home" Syndrome

Lev Kuperman/ myspace.com/viaaudio​ Monday night, an obviously delirious Rocks Off found ourselves upstairs at the Mink's Backroom instead of where we should have been, home in bed asleep. We enjoyed high-energy/lo-fi trio Vivian Girls, but at this point we are starting to realize we may have a pr ... More >>

Distant Early Warning: Blue October, Felix Da Housecat, Hank III, Les Claypool, Megadeth and Roky Erickson Returns

​Blue October: Sat., May 15. The Showgrounds @ Sam Houston Race Park. "Choo-Choo Soul" With Genevieve: Sat., April 24. Verizon Wireless Theater. Cody Kouba: Thu., March 18. The Firehouse Saloon. Dale Watson: Wed., March 10. The Hideout @ Reliant Stadium. "Dirty Honey" With DJ Brett Koshkin, Ceepl ... More >>

Slide Show: Sideshow Tramps and Lots More Summer Fest

Amber Roussel​ Craig Kinsey (left) and Geoffrey Muller of Sideshow Tramps led a foot-stomping hillbilly hallelujah revival at Summer Fest Sunday, inspiring a mosh pit with overstimulated takes on gospel/blues standards like "St. James Infirmary" and "John the Revelator." Lots more where that came ... More >>

Aftermath: Free Press Summer Fest at Eleanor Tinsley Park

Photos by Amber Roussel/ Click here for slideshows from Day 1 and Day 2​ They said it couldn't be done, that no one in Houston would dream of spending two days in the punishing August heat at an outdoor music festival.An anonymous Of Montreal member shows off his tiger style.​Rightfully (somewha ... More >>

HPMA: Guess What? More Winners: Sideshow Tramps, Homopolice & A Dream Asleep, DJ Sun

Chris Gray​ Well, Little Joe didn't sit in with the Flamin' Hellcats, but Scarface sure did. Dude's got some serious Chuck Berry mojo going on. Who knew?Best Tribute Band: Beetle. Thanking a multitude of Houston music royalty. Beetle really is a sight to behold, and about a minute fraction of the ... More >>

The Best Local Songs of 2008, Part 2

"Whiskey Deuce," News on the March: Oh, snap. Bet you thought we'd pick "Moving Pictures." Nope, that's a good one, but there is something a little more memorable track 2 off the country-fied/barber shop quintet's first official EP, Glory Be! "Whiskey Deuce" has pitch-perfect harmonies, two-step-r ... More >>

This One Time at BandCamp

Craig Kinsey

A Sideshow Tramp goes solo and gives H-town some props

Fried Rice: Craig Kinsey's take on Vitiman Water drink recipes

Fried Rice: In the Hot Seat with Debra from Two Star Symphony

Exclusive: Craig Kinsey's "Montrose Boulevard Blues"

Best Band Stage Show

Bluegrass Meltdown, Montrose-Style

Medicine Show, J.W. Americana and Two Star Symphony have the cure for the Monday-night blahs

The Whole Package

Medicine Show is packed with talent, youth, and charm