The 43rd Annual Houston International Festival kicks off its Brazilian-themed, two-weekend affair this evening with an opening gala at the Hobby Center featuring Grammy Award- winning pianist and musician, Sergio Mendes. Opening for Mendes will be Casa Samba, a samba school located in New Orleans. ... More >>
Here go hell come, SXSW has just released the first batch of names for the 2013 festival. I know, only a week after Fun Fun Fun Fest and a month since ACL. Did you see the FPSF blog from earlier today? Yeah, time is moving too fast. The big names on the list so far include the Zombies, Alt-J, Akro ... More >>
Madonna's Sex book turned 20 years old this week. The literary capstone on pop music's most frankly sexual career (sorry, Prince), the glossy collection of softcore smut managed to shock even the Material Girl's most ardent fans, crossing a few lines that many weren't entirely aware existed. Gay se ... More >>
Fifteen years ago this week, the greatest country music artist of all time, Garth Brooks, made history by playing a free concert to a massive crowd in New York's Central Park. Now, not just anybody gets to play Central Park, but Brooks had the megawatt stroke in the entertainment biz back then to ma ... More >>
If my gym is any indication, Olympics Fever is spurring folks into action. There used to be plenty of elliptical machines, barbells, and room in the pool available during the time of day I would go. Now it seems like every elliptical machine is taken except the one in front of the wonky TV that only ... More >>
During the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the United States Eagles had a decent shot to make it to the first quarterfinals in club history. And the Eagles played well for a half against the Italians before poor tackling did them in during a 27-10 loss. On Saturday, June 23, the two will meet for the first t ... More >>
The setup: This intimate, four-character, Off-Broadway musical revue about relationships (1996) makes you feel better when you leave than when you come in, as its visionary producer James Hammerstein once said. There's magic in that pronouncement, for this pleasant, unexciting, eager-to-please litt ... More >>
It's the weekend and we've got lots to do, so let's get to it. On Friday, Art Attack will be at the "2012 HCP Print Auction Exhibition," along with hundreds of other photography fans. Individuals and organizations from around the world donate photos for the Center to auction. Some of the images were ... More >>
The first time I went to Piola, I thought "damn, this place is bright." It had been a crappy, rainy Monday. I was hungry and in a nasty mood, but the place actually cheered me up. It was happy hour, and I ended up getting pretty happy. I ordered a few French 75s for $5 each and the Rio de Jan ... More >>
Photo By Marco TorresFat Tony at a day show at SXSW '11Sweet lord, it's not even Thanksgiving yet and South By Southwest is making us excited for March in Austin already. Today the industry festival announced a few bands coming to the capitol city next year, and a few Houston names and Rocks ... More >>
www.rio-de-janeiro-travel-information.comCaipirinhaThere are few things more enjoyable than an ice-cold beverage during the dog days of summer, except for maybe an ice-cold adult beverage enjoyed beach-side, poolside in the early evening. Although I often enjoy a simple beer on these occasion ... More >>
[Note: Now with added Ministry.] Counting down to Friday's ZZ Top/Aerosmith show in The Woodlands is starting to feel like the week Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers played there last year: a steady build of anticipation and antsiness, until Friday we're flat-out squirming to get out of the office. ... More >>
Washington PossatoSamba is not just a single musical genre; it's actually subdivided into countless sub-genres ranging from the party-friendly Carnaval beat to the highly subtle bossa nova made famous by the likes of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto. However, among the best-loved in Brazil (an ... More >>
Note: Part 1 is here. While anti-Vietnam protests escalated in both sides of the Atlantic , the scenario was quite different in Brazil: in March 1964, a military junta toppled democratically elected president João Goulart and installed a cruel dictatorship that stayed in power for two decades - in ... More >>
Ernest Barteldes Marcio Local Says Don Day Don Dree Don Don: Adventures in Samba Soul www.luakabop.comDuring the late '60s and early '70s, Brazilian songwriters like the late Tim Maia and Jorge Ben became increasingly frustrated with the creative limitations of samba, and also felt out of place wit ... More >>
See the film Brazilian police officers tried to stop from being screened
Carnaval, the four-day festival that precedes the beginning of Lent for Catholics, is probably Brazil's biggest Holiday. During this period (which officially ends at noon Ash Wednesday - people need their sleep), revelers take the streets and dance to the beat of the Afro-inspired drums of samb ... More >>
Web exclusive!
Stages brings Craig Wright back to Houston
Rice Media Center presents a retrospective of the Brazilian filmmakers work
A Greek tragedy set to the samba
Mosquitos' Juju Stulbach on love and Eskimos
A South African street fighter finds new life in the wrenching redemption tale Tsotsi
Dizzee Rascal brings grime music -- the British answer to crunk -- to the Dirty South
A Carnaval celebration, Austin-style
Mosquitos meld the Big Apple and Brazil
The brutal, brilliant City of God takes us inside Rio de Janeiro's urban decay
Most of this year's best won't be seen until next
The Cult
Michaeline's on West Alabama
Pot Pie Pizzeria, Michaeline's on West Alabama and Brennan's
Local Restaurant News
Space cadets of Man or Astro-man? go to great depths to maintain a gimmick
An affecting odd couple emerge from Brazil's Central Station
Does anybody care that I Still Know What You Did?
The Rosas brothers honor Churrasco's -- and themselves -- with a little honest imitation
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