Lone Stars

Hipster Garbage: The Indie Band Drinking Challenge, Round 2

It's no longer a secret that I hold a deep disdain for most of the hipster music that runs across my desk. I try to give it a fair shot, but I just can't get into it. And a ton of it has come across my desk as of late, further igniting that fire of dislike while leaving me to wonder just what my pro ... More >>

8 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Another HPMA Deal, We Were Wolves, Ceremony, Etc.

For the next few days, general-admission tickets for the Houston Press Music Awards showcase -- perhaps you may have heard us mention it recently -- are available at the two-for-one price of $10 through the Living Social network. Just thought we'd mention that. DJs Ceeplus Bad Knives and Mr. Casti ... More >>

Saturday Night: Dr. Dog At Fitzgerald's

Dr. Dog Fitzgerald's March 10, 2012 Houston weather was balmy and wet Saturday night, but that didn't stop Philadelphia harmonic rockers Dr. Dog from sporting their trademark wintry wool beanies and shades. Kicking off their set with the "That Old Black Hole" from this year's Be the Void, the ban ... More >>

The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 10 Sports Bars

If food and a clear line of sight to a fancy television were all it takes to make a good sports bar, you might as well build up those plaque reserves at home. Judging sports bars involves more utilitarian considerations than usual - some of us have even ended up at Buffalo Wild Wings at some point b ... More >>

Upcoming Events: A Week Full of Beer

Read on for our picks of the best beer dinners next week.​In case you hadn't heard, it's Houston Beer Week, y'all. The week-long celebration of craft beer and local breweries kicks off tonight with a kick-off happy hour at Ziggy's Downtown, from 5 to 7 p.m. The restaurant will be offering $2 ... More >>

Houston Beer Week 2011: Bigger, Better, Beer-ier

Read on for a full -- and we do mean FULL -- schedule of HBW events.​The second annual Houston Beer Week kicks off this year on an auspicious date: 11/11/11. That's when the big craft beer festival will celebrate its sophomore year with a kick-off happy hour at Ziggy's Downtown, from 5 to 7 p. ... More >>

Bartender Chat: Mike Marquez of Big Star Bar

​If you haven't been to Big Star Bar but think that Mike Marquez looks familiar, it may be from one of his previous gigs in Houston. A California native, Mike has been in Houston off and on for about 20 years, working in establishments such as Emo's, the Vatican, and Griff's. In fact, he's b ... More >>

Touch of Grey News: Greatfull Taco Loses Its Chef

Photos by Troy FieldsThe "mystery meat" taco is actually ground bison, and it's damn good.​The Grateful Dead once said that "the first days are the hardest days," and owner Paul West is finding that out firsthand at his new restaurant, Greatfull Taco (named for, yes, the Dead). Chef Riccardo ... More >>

Counter Culture

Belly up to the bar for a build-your-own-burger and a milkshake at this California import.

Happy Hour Scene: The Usual

The younger Livet: Future lawyer, current "casual" dresser​The Place: The Usual 5519 Allen @ T.C. Jester 281-501-1478 www.theusualpub.com/specials.htm The Deals: Discounted wells and domestics from at least 4 to 10 p.m. during the week - check website for details. The Scene: The last time I ... More >>

Rodeo Houston a Bit Too Highfalutin for the Wall Street Journal

Cowboys don't drink wine? Thems fightin' words.​The Wall Street Journal on Friday ran a story about the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo containing two things we thought we would never see. First, we never thought anyone would accuse the rodeo of being erudite. Second, we never imagined it w ... More >>

In a Pinch?

We've got you covered this St. Paddy's Day.

Happy Hour Scene: Khon's

Photo by Paul Knight​The Place: Khon's2808 Milam St. 713-523-7775www.khonsbar.comThe Hours: Seven days a week, 4-7 p.m.The Deals: All drinks are $1 cheaper than normal. Except Lone Stars, which are always $2. The Scene: Our trip to Khon's actually started about a week earlier, when someone at Spec ... More >>

Saturday Night: Roky Moon & BOLT At The Mink

Photos by Marc Brubaker​Roky Moon & BOLT The Backroom at the Mink November 27, 2010 When we were all little, we had a piles of shoes and clothes that we outgrew, or those little tics on the kitchen wall where mom or dad would mark off how big we were getting. The same thing happens to bands ... More >>

Loko Oh No

Testing the new fad drink

A Fire, Karaoke Or Ex-Brothel: Where Were We In Drag?

Pull up a chair, start a tab and order a round of shots, because this is Rocks Off's weekly roundup of the goings-on in the Houston bar scene. Ups and downs, openings and closings, we will cover it all. Hit us up with any hot tips at craig.hlavaty@houstonpress.com. Photos by Craig Hlavaty​Op ... More >>

Four Loko: We Investigate Just How Bad It Is (UPDATED With Morning-After Reflections)

Science!!!!​The latest bit of juvenile delinquency that has the authorities up in arms is Four Loko, a powerful caffeinated beer that's sending kids to hospitals.The "powerful" part -- 12 percent alcohol in a 24-ounce can -- gets you wasted, and the "caffeinated" part keeps you up instead of passi ... More >>

Grand Prize's Vieux Carre

Stirred & Shaken: Grand Prize's Vieux Carre

Troy Fields​Compared to other big cities, Houston does not have a hipster problem - if you feel otherwise, either your definition is too broad or you just got off a Greyhound from somewhere like Odessa. Still, when neighborhood sports bar Ernie's closed and news broke that slightly more polish ... More >>

The Hideaway's Boilermaker

Stirred & Shaken: The Hideaway's Boilermaker

Troy Fields​I drove out to the Hideaway on Dunvale (3122 Dunvale, 713-977-3515) with a couple friends for Tuesday steak night and to see a blues guitarist named Rick Lee. When we opened the side door of the barn-style building, he and his band, the Night Owls, were getting started on the Meter ... More >>

Never Let Goat: "Manimals" Git Down in New Hell City Kings Video

​Today, Houston's Hell City Kings officially premiere their new clip for "Never Let Go". The music video was directed by director Bryan Forrester, who previously helmed the listenlisten clip for "On The Water" from last year's Hymns From Rhodesia. Rocks Off was an extra on the set for the fil ... More >>

9 Places We'd Send The New York Times

Mark C. AustinJandek (right) and trio at Rudyard's... who says we're not hip?​ As we may have mentioned, Rocks Off was none too pleased when we read The New York Times' most recent article on Houston in this past Sunday's travel section and found exactly zero mentions of anything music-related. Th ... More >>

Happy Hour Scene: Darkhorse Tavern

​ It was sometime during our field sobriety test that we remembered how much we absolutely love Washington Avenue. We were thinking a lot of things when the officer asked us to step out of our vehicle, but chief among them was all the fun that we'd have at jail and who would be calling Tyler F ... 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 >>

The Saddle Dog at Blanco's

​When we were at Blanco's Bar & Grill last weekend, listening to some honky-tonk and watching friends get glared off the dance floor by superior two-steppers in Stetsons, we noticed a peculiar item on the menu. The Saddle Dog is a hot dog wrapped in cheese and a flour tortilla, then deep-frie ... More >>

The 10 Best Places to Eat in Memorial

Although it's undergoing some massive growth in the form of redevelopment and expansion at Memorial City Mall and the construction of the nearly finished CityCentre "town square" off Beltway 8, Memorial is still in many ways a sweetly sleepy suburb. But sleepy doesn't necessarily mean boring. And su ... More >>

LOLA'S GEORGIA PEACH at LOLA'S DEPOT

Stirred and Shaken: Lola's Georgia Peach

​Houston isn't my hometown, but I've lived here for 10 years now. And yet, horror of horrors, until recently I'd never been to Lola's Depot (2327 Grant St., 713-528-8342). Hey, jerks! I can see you all shaking your heads. Gimme a break. It's not like the place is real easy to find or anything. ... More >>

Monday MP3s: Two from LL Cooper's Tucson

When it comes to salt-of-the-earth working-class roots-rock, groups (especially around Houston) don't come much more solid than LL Cooper, the semi-eponymous band led by Houston/Austin roots vet Larry Cooper. "For my money, very few acts sound better accompanying a round of Lone Stars in a smoky bar ... More >>

A Long Way to Mango

Photos by Katharine ShilcuttThe Burger at Mango'sIn the mood for something light, I made a trip over to the newly-reopened Mango's at lunch to try their new all-vegetarian menu firsthand.The freshly-painted exterior with its charming patio and the sunny interior seemed like they'd be the perfect day ... More >>

Community Bar

A new Midtown bar caters to — gasp! — mature adults

Rocks Off Crashes KTRH's 10th Inning

Crashing KTRH's 10th Inning

Three Nights Ago: Meat Puppets in My Living Room

Rudyard’s 29th Anniversary

The Sword pumps things up for Montrose’s favorite neighborhood bar

L.L. Cooper

L.L. Cooper performs Thursday, July 19, at Rudyard's, 2010 Waugh, 713-521-0521. Big Swifty also performs.

Medicine Show No Mo

Breaking the seventh seal at the Sideshow Tramps' CD release party

Loony Zunes

Universal Music helps Microsoft set a crappy precedent

Unholy Getdown

Stevie Wonder, Prince and Martin Sexton combine in the Mighty Orq's tasty blues-rock stew

Los Super 7

Heard It on the X

Back in the USSR

Break out the vodka -- The Nightfly tours Houston's Russian-themed bars

Robert Randolph and the Family Band

Just a Little Nip and Tuck

The Tavern's Red Headed Slut

Blueprint in Blood

Restored and recut, the Coen brothers' debut film provides clues on the gruesomeness to come

Not Your Average Angst

Cowboy Convoy

New Old 97's

Night & Day

July 30 - August 5, 1998

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