Robert Cray

The Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend: Fall Out Boy, El Ten Eleven, Journey Agents, etc.

Fall Out Boy Bayou Music Center, June 7 Fall Out Boy, the emo-pop band that took the airwaves by storm in the early '00s, is back and apparently ready to save rock and roll, according to the title of their new album. They've taken the past few years off to pursue other endeavors, but now that they' ... More >>

Upcoming: Steely Dan, Selena Gomez, Alt-J, Adam Ant, LL Cool J, Metric, etc.

Adam Ant: Sat., July 27, 8 p.m., $28-$300. Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel, Houston. Air Supply: Thu., May 9, 8:30 p.m., $158-$218. Dosey Doe, 25911 I-45 N., Spring. Alt-J: CHANGED With Lord Huron., Fri., Sept. 27, 8 p.m., $30/$35. Bayou Music Center, 520 Texas, Houston. The Appleseed Cast: With ... More >>

Upcoming: Miranda Lambert, Hall & Oates, Public Enemy, Smashing Pumpkins, etc.

.38 Special: With Kansas, Blue Oyster Cult., Fri., May 31, 8 p.m., TBA. Arena Theatre, 7326 SW Freeway, Houston. Attack Attack!: With The Plot In You, Get Scared, Dangerkids, Closer to Closure., Thu., May 16, 6 p.m., $13.50/$17.00. Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak, Houston. Bret Michaels: Sat., June 2 ... More >>

The Texas 30: The Third Runners-Up, Albums 60-51

Friday, Rocks Off told you about our "Texas 30" project, compiling a list of the best 30 albums of the past 30 years. Today we're about to show you the first of three bubbling-under appetizer lists we did just to put a little oil on the gears. Here, starting with No. 60, is where it gets interestin ... More >>

Joe Ely at Dosey Doe Conroe: Not Your Average Shopping-Center Show

It has been said that the original Dosey Doe recalls a cozier, more tastefully curated Branson, Missouri. To that comparison I often joke that it's more like a giant Cracker Barrel or Saltgrass Steakhouse with world-class in-store performances. But Saturday night at Dosey Doe's new Conroe location ( ... More >>

Shemekia Copeland: Never Count Out the Blues

She's never lived here, but Shemekia Copeland is Houston blues royalty all the same. Her late father Johnny Clyde Copeland was one of the guitar princes of the Third Ward scene from the '50s to the mid-'70s, lighting up clubs like Shady's Playhouse alongside Albert Collins, Joe "Guitar" Hughes, John ... More >>

10 Iconic Final Concerts Plus The End Of Beatlemania

The Beatles' concert at San Francisco's Candlestick Park 46 years ago today was the end of an era for the band. Except for a famously unannounced appearance on top the Apple building two and a half years later, it would be the final live performance that the Fab Four would ever play together. It w ... More >>

5 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Umbrella Man, Robert Cray, Etc.

A short one this week, for the long holiday weekend. But worthwhile. Outside-the-Loop gig of the weekend: The Mighty Orq at Main Street Crossing in Tomball tonight at 8 p.m.. Ask Orq about the band's European tour last month. Soulful Space City spokesman Nick Gaitan celebrates the release of his ... More >>

Upcoming: Avicii, Buxton, Down, The Knux, Nada Surf, Etc.

311, Slightly Stoopid: Sun., July 15. Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 2005 Lake Robbins Drive, Spring. .38 Special, Blackberry Smoke, Folk Family Revival: Sat., May 19. Sam Houston Race Park, 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway W., Houston. "3rd Annual Disco Green Electronic Music Festival": Sat., May 5. ... More >>

Chafing 101: Rocks Off's 2011 Music Festival Odyssey

Music festivals are now a part of our lives, just like deadlines, angry commenters, lack of sleep, and eye fatigue. And eating at our desk. That sucks. But at least we have food and a desk, right? Rocks Off ventured all over the state -- OK, really mostly Austin -- to cover festivals for the blog. ... More >>

Old School

Musicians in their 70s and 80s are keeping Houston's traditional blues scene real.

1986: Best Musical Year Ever?

​For almost two weeks now, Rocks Off has been obsessed with the year exactly 25 flips of the calendar backward from this one. It started when Steve Earle did one of his "Time Machine" shows, where the singer-songwriter who plays House of Blues Wednesday spotlights a dozen or so of his favorite ... More >>

iFest's First Weekend Thick With Music, Humidity

GroovehouseJimmie Vaughan (left) and his band gave the large iFest crowd some saxual healing Saturday.​Lots more iFest in our slideshows: The bands, the performers, the crowds and even the food. For something that was still going on 24 hours ago, the first weekend of the Houston International ... More >>

Houston International Festival

Silk Degrees of Separation

Boz Scaggs turns to jazz, knows his Lightnin' Hopkins.

Lucinda Williams, Spearhead, Kronos Quartet Headed To iFest

​The Houston International Festival, better known as iFest, announced its 2011 lineup late Thursday night. Here are some of the highlights: FRIDAY, APRIL 29 World Stage: Kronos Quartet feat. Homayun Sakhi; Houston Youth Symphony String Quartet; Houston Grand Opera SATURDAY, APRIL 30 World ... More >>

Talking Stevie Ray Vaughan, 20 Years Gone, With The Mighty Orq

Photos by Groovehouse​"Alpine Valley, in the middle of the night," begins Jimmie Vaughan's "Six Strings Down," his account of the time heaven called another blues singer back home - namely, his brother Stevie Ray Vaughan. Shortly after he finished an all-star blues jam with his brother, Eric C ... More >>

Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010

The greatest of guitar greats dazzle during a two-hour film documentary

Beyond His Years

A bluesman since age ten, Bernard Allison has learned his lessons well.

Distant Early Warning: The Blasters, Bobby Bare Jr., Chaka Khan, Dead Confederate, Jimmie Vaughan, Julian Casablancas, Etc.

​The Blasters: Sat., May 8. Fitzgerald's. Alexisonfire, Trash Talk, La Dispute, Therefore I Am: Mon., May 3. Warehouse Live. Billy Joe Shaver: Fri., April 9. The Firehouse Saloon. Bobby Bare Jr., David Vanderveld: Tue., March 16. Rudyard's. BT, Glint: Wed., March 17. House of Blues. Chaka Khan: F ... More >>

Sunny San Leon Picks Up the Pieces After Hurricane Ike

More Warehouse Live Postponements

Navigating MySpace’s Musical Wilderness

Alan Haynes

Even in Austin, this blues guitarist stands out

The Scene Is Dead. Long Live the Scene!

Ideas toward a Houston-style musical Day of the Dead

Irie iFest

Finding the coolest runnings at this year's Jamaica-themed Houston International Festival

Gutbucket Blues, Chopped and Screwed

The North Mississippi Allstars and Houston DJ Jimmy D team up on a revolutionary EP

'Bout Time

Give it up for soul survivor Bettye LaVette

Rockin' Renewal

The imminent launch of new venue Warehouse Live makes it official: Downtown is now Houston's live music hot spot

Johnny Winter

I'm a Bluesman (Virgin)

Eric Bibb, with Ruthie Foster and Cyd Cassone

Wednesday, February 4

Another Man Done Gone

Joe "Guitar" Hughes, RIP

Pure Spunk

Del Rio-bred Radney Foster is a cowpunk both on stage and off

Robert Cray

Shoulda Been Home (Rykodisc)

Playbill

Mem Shannon

Mount Coy

South Park Mexican carves out his place in history with the 2001 Music Awards

Aim to Please

Luther and his Healers know the cure for what ails most local bands

Keb' Mo'

The Door (Sony 550/Epic)

Rotation

Quick Study

Can a middle-class Midwestern white guy play the blues? Yeah, if he's Mark May.

Still King

No More Same Old, Same Old

Buddy Guy finally gets the respect he's always wanted

Rotation

A World of the Blues

Johnny Copeland's music stretches from Houston to Africa and beyond

Dutch Treat

Rotation

A Hard Case of the Blues

Roy Ames and his Home Cooking records have spread the sound of Houston blues around the world. Some local musicians are wondering why he hasn't spread more of the wealth as well.

Wordy Jukebox

End Game

This is the way the year ends, this is the way the year ends, this is the way the year ends, not with a bang but a ... year-end roundup

The Chill is Gone

Texas guitar legend Albert Collins passes at age 61