Hilary Sloan

The Wayback Machine: 15, Ten and Five Years Ago in Houston Music

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 >>

Katie Stuckey & the Swagger

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 >>

9th Annual Village Bluegrass Festival

The Chapmans share the bill with Triple “L” Band and Harris County Line

Merle the Pearl

Is the Hag the greatest three-tool talent in country music history?

Hot Sounds, Summer in the City

A few local discs to sizzle with

Houston Radio Still Sucks

David Sadof shares his dream station with Racket

SXSW Manifesto

A local indie rocker hatches a scheme to get Houston its due at next year's confab

Houston Band Cartography

The launch of our blog brings forth a quixotic attempt toward a local music atlas

Miss Leslie & Her Juke-Jointers

Honky Tonk Revival

The Sick Old Man of the Festival Circuit

An open letter to the organizers and music bookers of the Houston International Festival

Playbill

An open letter to the organizers and music bookers of the Houston International Festival

Music Awards Survey

A rundown of every act on this year's bill

Medley Fool

DJ Jester mixes and mashes up Willie Nelson, Ice-T, the Carpenters and LL Cool J

Midtown Honky-tonkin'

Trains and the vintage sounds of the Swank Countrypolitans bring a time warp to the Continental Club

Go Weston

A jazz great visits Houston

Rock You like a Hurricane

The Press Music Awards Showcase brings a category-five storm of tunes

Musical Chairs

It's never the same show with the Good Luck Band

Wednesdays are Honky-Tonk Heaven In Houston, and Thursdays are Hillbilly Hell

Photos by Chris GrayRobert Ellis & the Boys, under the blue neon​ It's no secret Rocks Off is a big fan of the country music, which is why we're starting to get a little excited about the inner-loop honky-tonk scene that's taking root. Over the weekend, we caught Sean Reefer & the Resin Va ... More >>

Aftermath: Conspiracies, Prog-Metal, Gypsy-Folk, Hardcore and Remembering a Fallen Friend Sunday at Westheimer Block Party

Craig HlavatyRoom 101​ Day 2 of the Westheimer Block Party started with slightly cooler temperatures and an hour-long caffeine-fueled session speaking with the 9/11 conspiracy booth in the parking lot at Numbers. Did you know that there were three shooters at Columbine, and bombs planted inside th ... More >>

Honky-Tonk Revival

Is Houston ready for country? Again?

Blogging Bonnaroo: Meghan Hendley's Top 5 Festival Memories

Photo by Amber Roussell/See the slideshowTyagaraja performs at the Bonnaroo Music Festival​Houston artist Tyagaraja recently won the Ford Fiesta Team Houston Battle of The Bands, the grand prize of which was a trip to perform at the Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee. Meghan Hendley, keyboar ... More >>

I Am Mesmer, Hilary Sloan, Kelly Doyle

Photo by Amber Roussell/See the slideshowTyagaraja performs at the Bonnaroo Music Festival​Houston artist Tyagaraja recently won the Ford Fiesta Team Houston Battle of The Bands, the grand prize of which was a trip to perform at the Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee. Meghan Hendley, keyboar ... More >>

The Houston Sound Maps Our "No Zoning" Music Scene

Katya Horner/Downtown DistrictThe John Evans Band in Market Square Park​What is the Houston Sound? Until recently, it was a trick question. Although Houston has produced too many distinguished artists to name across a wide variety of genres from blues, country and jazz to psychedelic rock, noi ... More >>

Aubrey's In Aldine: A Honky-Tonk Time Warp

Aubrey's on Facebook​As mentioned in our honky-tonk cover story last month, Aubrey's Club in north Houston is a step back in time. Lonesome Onry and Mean drove out there last winter to catch longtime Houston country singer Country Jim Sloan, and we were most pleased with what we found. For on ... More >>

Upcoming: Amos Lee, Mogwai, Wu-Tang Clan, Etc.

​Adolescents, Lower Class Brats: Sat., Jan. 1. Walter's On Washington. A.J. Croce: Thu., Feb. 10. McGonigel's Mucky Duck. Amos Lee: Sat., Feb. 12. House of Blues. Black Angels: Wed., Nov. 17. Cactus Music & Video. Cradle Of Filth, Nachtmystium, Turisas, Daniel Lioneye: Tue., Feb. 1. Wareh ... More >>

Thankstaking

​Adolescents, Lower Class Brats: Sat., Jan. 1. Walter's On Washington. A.J. Croce: Thu., Feb. 10. McGonigel's Mucky Duck. Amos Lee: Sat., Feb. 12. House of Blues. Black Angels: Wed., Nov. 17. Cactus Music & Video. Cradle Of Filth, Nachtmystium, Turisas, Daniel Lioneye: Tue., Feb. 1. Wareh ... More >>

Upcoming: Hayes Carll, Menomena, Steve Miller Band, Etc.

​Corb Lund: Tue., Feb. 8. McGonigel's Mucky Duck. Come See My Dead Person, Hilary Sloan, Sara Van Buskirk: Fri., Jan. 14. Warehouse Live. The Cutters, The Mahas, Something Fierce: Thu., Feb. 17. The Mink. Davila 666: Mon., March 14. Rudyard's. Hayes Carll: Tue., March 1. McGonigel's Mucky ... More >>

SXSW: A Tale Of Two Cities

​Monday night, as SXSW Interactive was beginning to wind down, Rocks Off headed to Republic Live for the HoustonTXSW meet-up. Often at SXSW one is spoiled for choice, and the abundance of options when it comes to which panels to attend, where to score free food and what bands to see can be par ... More >>

Upcoming: Arctic Monkeys, Emmylou Harris, R. Kelly, Etc.

​"25th Annual Texas Crawfish & Music Festival" With Fuel, Lit, Earshot: Budweiser Crawfish Stage., Sat., May 21. Old Town Spring. Amplified Heat, The Happen-Ins: Sat., May 21. Continental Club. Arctic Monkeys: Wed., Aug. 3. House of Blues. Joe Jack Talcum, The Bassturd, Rival Wife: Thu., J ... 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 >>

Last Night: Canned Acoustica III At Warehouse Live

Deep Ella​Canned Acoustica III Warehouse Live Green Room May 26- 2011 How do you soundtrack a good cause? Why, yes, with a good dose of what our friend Haj calls "folksy acoustic stuff." There was plenty on display Thursday at Canned Acoustica III, a homegrown charity event which spotlights l ... More >>

Photographic Memory

Robert Ellis heads into the great wide open on his first New West LP.

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 >>