Interpol (Band)

Five Great Outsider Artists and Musicians

The following creators are not necessarily mainstream in neither their music nor their art. But all are insanely prolific (sometimes literally) and driven by darkness. All of them push their creative abilities to the extreme to exercise their own personal demons, be they mental illness, emotional a ... More >>

Free Press Summer Fest Releases 2013 Schedule & Stage Times

The moment many of you have been dreading has arrived: this morning Free Press Summer Fest announced this year's schedule and stage times for its fifth year, scheduled for June 1 and 2 in Eleanor Tinsley Park. The festival's eightysomething performers this year are spread across six stages from the ... More >>

The Best Concerts In Houston This Week: The Airborne Toxic Event, Paul Van Dyk, etc.

The Airborne Toxic Event House of Blues, April 29 What happens when you layer dynamic, symphonic arrangements, painfully guttural vocals, and a wicked viola player? You wind up with The Airborne Toxic Event, the L.A.-bred indie-rock band known for its rich, lyrically moody folk-rock. Driven by nove ... More >>

5 Bands Who Pioneered Modern Indie-Rock... Besides the Smiths

Legendary guitarist Johnny Marr is set to release his first ever solo record next month after years of being a sideman for other bands, some rather important. In anticipation, he's had some choice words to say that one would have expected more from his less level-headed ex-Smiths compatriot Morrisse ... More >>

Fun Fun Fun Fest Saturday In Review: Kreayshawn, Refused, Girl Talk & More

Saturday's FFFF was a dusty affair, with merch tables making money off bandannas and other face coverings hand over fist. Where did that phrase come from, by the way? What do hands and fists have to do with making money, aside from petty crime? SLIDESHOW: PiL, Refused, A$AP Rocky: Fun Fun Fun Fest ... More >>

Looking Back On Queens Of The Stone Age's Songs For The Deaf

This past week one of the most beloved rock disc in the decade turned 10 years old. It was August 27, 2002 that the world met Queens Of The Stone Age's third LP, Songs For The Deaf, a blistering, swaggery, pummeling kick-in-the-nuts of a rock album. The band, lead by towering Ginger Elvis Joshua H ... More >>

Best in Show

Sorting out the 2012 HPMA Best CD/LP/EP nominees is easy.

Fun Fun Fun Fest 2012: A$AP Rocky, De La Soul, PiL, Santigold, X, Turbonegro, Etc.

This morning Austin's Fun Fun Fun Fest, the best music festival in Texas that isn't Free Press Summer Fest, announced their full 2012 lineup after months of teasing us and leaking a handful of names at a time -- and then hip-hop legends Run-D.M.C Tuesday morning. Scheduled for November 2-4 at Audit ... More >>

The Joy Formidable

Ten Bands From the '00s Underground That Should Consider Reuniting

All right, so they haven't been broken up as long as the bands in April's excellent look at '90s underground bands who should get back together. We still miss 'em. You know how it is: you get to remembering that album you loved from a few years back and think to yourself "Huh, I wonder when The So-a ... More >>

Some Strings Attached: Puppets In Music Videos

The Muppets had a successful and profitable opening yesterday, proving that after 30 years of television and movies, Kermit still has his acting chops. Jim Henson's premiere Muppets motion picture, The Muppets Movie, came out in June of 1979. The film was the first to feature a leading cast of pup ... More >>

The Horrors

Saturday Night: She Wants Revenge & Nico Vega At Warehouse Live

Photos by Matthew Keever​She Wants Revenge, Nico Vega Warehouse Live June 12, 2011 Aftermath made our way into Warehouse Live Saturday night, expecting to dance our pants off to some She Wants Revenge, whom we had put on the backburner after we overcame and outgrew our angsty, teenage years. ... More >>

Last Night: Agent Orange At Fitzgerald's

Photos by David Ensminger​Agent Orange Fitzgerald's January 9, 2010 In the 1987 21 Jump Street episode "Mean Streets and Pastel Houses," fresh-faced Johnny Depp goes undercover as a punk to root out vicious gangland teenage thugs lurking in the inner city. He ends up at a rowdy punk concert r ... More >>

The Most Anticipated Albums Of 2011

​NATIONAL White Lies, Ritual: They killed at festivals in 2008 and 2009, but do London's Interpol-styled lads have longevity? Dr. Dre, Detox: It's been on hold or gestating since at least Clinton was in office. Will it continue to be hip-hop's Chinese Democracy? R.E.M., Collapse Into No ... More >>

Vinyl Junkie Joins Houston's Indie Record-Store Ranks

Photos by Neph Basedow​Considering the music junkies we are, Rocks Off couldn't wait to check out Houston's newest independent record store, the aptly titled Vinyl Junkie, which opened its doors November 1. Located at 4202 E. Canal in Houston's East End, customers might need to circle the blo ... More >>

Friday Night: Interpol At Verizon Wireless Theater

Photos by Groovehouse​Interpol Verizon Wireless Theater October 29, 2010 Interpol should not have been at Verizon Friday night. Not by any traditional yardstick. A decade or so after their first release, the Fukd ID #3 EP, Interpol is a genuine anomaly. In an age when image is everything in ... More >>

Interpol

Upcoming: Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy! Slash! And Robert Earl Keen

​Alien Ant Farm: Wed., Nov. 17. Scout Bar Clear Lake. "Be A Lot Cooler If You Did: Halloween At The Moon Tower" With Black Congress, Roky Moon & BOLT, LIMB, Venomous Maximus: Sun., Oct. 31. Moon Tower Inn. Brian McKnight: Sat., Dec. 11. Arena Theatre. Cowboy Mouth, Silverleaf: Fri., Dec. 3 ... More >>

Upcoming: D.R.I., Neon Indian, LCD Soundsystem, Texas Tornados, Etc.

​The American Heist, Hell City Kings, Blackmarket Syndicate, All At Sea: Sat., Sept. 4. Walter's on Washington. Atlanta Rhythm Section: Sun., Nov. 14. Dosey Doe Coffee Company. Best Coast: Sat., Nov. 6. Fitzgerald's. Blitzen Trapper: Tue., Oct. 12. House of Blues. Bring Me The Horizon, Au ... More >>

A "National" Tour Is Not L.A. To San Francisco Or A Few Festival Dates

Pavement? Nope, not here.​Tuesday, Rocks Off was a busy beaver keeping up with all the concert announcements coming over the wire. Along with the Fitzgerald's news, it was hard to keep up with everything going on. Interpol, Stone Temple Pilots, Drake, and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros all ... More >>

Cartoon Band To Play Toyota Center

My my, we're busy today. Rocks Off this sent this into the Twitterverse earlier, but for all you non-tweeters, Gorillaz, the UK hip-hop/electronica/rock band composed of Murdoc Niccals, 2D, Noodle and Russel Hobbs - the cartoon avatars of Blur's Damon Albarn and his pal Jamie Hewlett - are pencile ... More >>

Last Night: Thrice At Warehouse Live

Photos by Marc Brubaker​Thrice, Kevin Devine & the Goddamn Band Warehouse Live July 6, 2010 Walking up to Warehouse Live for Thrice Tuesday night, Aftermath witnessed one of the most interesting spectacles we've ever seen outside of a venue. As we got there, we heard a gentleman - and we use ... More >>

Love and Theft

The decade with no name left behind plenty of memorable music.

Westheimer Block Party Listology: The Live Lights Choose 10 Albums to Take Into Space

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 >>

Tonight: Florida Indie Beach Boys Surfer Blood Sail Into Mango's

​Florida-based indie kids Surfer Blood pull into Mango's tonight, touring ahead of their upcoming Astro Coast LP. The band was recently anointed by Rolling Stone's online feature "Hype Monitor" as "bright and booming and hooky as FM radio in the late '70s." Rocks Off can hear traces of early "Blue ... More >>

Aftermath: An Exuberant Pre-Halloween Show With The Factory Party, Ringo Deathstarr and Springfield Riots at the Mink

Photos by Adam P. NewtonThe Factory Party​In Aftermath's opinion, there are few things more enjoyable than spending an evening together with friends at the beloved haunt that is the Mink. We're able to toss back a drink or four, catch up on each other's lives, and hopefully hear some really great ... More >>

Ain't No Party (Around Here) Like Houston's The Factory Party

www.myspace.com/thefactorypartymusic​ It always amazes Rocks Off how we'll start liking one band - Bunnymen-loving London post-punks White Lies, in this case - and then a little while later, stumble across a local band who could be their twin. If only, you know, they weren't from halfway around th ... More >>

ACL 2009 Day Three: Aftermath

Photos by Mark C. AustinDavid Garza​So, what happens to freshly laid grass in a public park after a day full of rain and thousands of people walking back and forth across it at the same time? Well, as anyone who was present for Day Three of Austin City Limits Festival 2009 (ACL) could tell you ... More >>

The Horrors

ACL Fest Preview: School of Seven Bells and Prescott Curlywolf

Amanda MertenSchool of Seven Bells​For the next three weeks, Rocks Off will be bringing you two or three short previews a day of artists playing the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park October 2-4. That's right, ACL is 17 days away - where is this year going? (Same place as all the ot ... More >>

Bayou Beat: A 15-Foot Sculpture of George Jones' Head, $10 House of Blues Tickets, Free Tontons Show, etc.

​Heavy metal comedy troupe Steel Panther has cancelled tonight's Warehouse Live show. What's on VH-1 Classic? Tennessee-born artist Wayne White is crafting a 15-foot puppet head in the likeness of Saratoga-born honky-tonk legend George Jones. Entitled "Big Lectric Fan to Keep Me Cool While I Sleep ... More >>

Artist of the Week: Tax the Wolf

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to introducingliston@gmail.com. Several weeks ago, we saw ... More >>

This Just In: Kings Of Leon To Hit Toyota Center In October

Mark C. AustinIn the course of five years, Kings of Leon has managed to go from playing a Camel-sponsored show at the Meridian to possibly selling out the Toyota Center. KOL was just in Houston this past fall for a sell-out at Verizon Wireless Theater, and we thought the show was middling to fair an ... More >>

Our Favorite Albums of 2007

Panning for gold in an avalanche of 2007 releases

Joy Division's Expanded Reissues

Unknown Pleasures, Closer, Still, Control Original Motion Picture Sound Track

Vinyl Heads

They're turning to needles, looking for purity

Absinthe Brasserie's

Absinthe

Bodies of Work

I Love Me

Joseph Arthur says narcissism is the only way to make real art

The Thin Gray Line

There's not much difference between a bounty hunter and a cop, save for a lot of regulation and a little respect

Radio Daze

One man, one jambox and four walls. For 24 hours.