Sam Houston Race Park

Upcoming: The Zombies, Jewel, Knife Party, King Khan, Paramore, Son Volt, etc.

The Airborne Toxic Event: Mon., April 29, 8 p.m., $18/$25. House of Blues, 1204 Caroline, Houston. The Black Angels: With Hanni El-Khatib, Wall of Death., Fri., May 24, 8 p.m., TBA. Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak, Houston. Blowfly: Sun., Feb. 10, 8 p.m., $10. Walter's, 1120 Naylor St., Houston. Blu ... More >>

5 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: October 26-28

Something Wicked Sam Houston Race Park, October 27 Whether you're a dance-music fan from the days people went to "raves" or a little wetter behind the ears, Something Wicked promises to be something memorable. Megapromoter Disco Donnie and Houston's own Nightculture are hoping to bring a little Ele ... More >>

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6 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Dinosaur Jr., Some Stones, Big K.R.I.T., Optimo Radio, etc.

Dinosaur Jr. Friday, Fitzgerald's Dinosaur Jr. may be one of the most underrated indie-rock acts of the past 25 years. They weren't as sexy as Pearl Jam or as populist as Nirvana, but the music dripping from the instruments of the criminally-unsung J Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph has ... More >>

Ryan Bingham: "It's Tough to Be That Vulnerable All the Time"

Talking to Ryan Bingham, you get the impression he's just as soon not carry around the official title "Academy Award Winner Ryan Bingham" the rest of his life. One clue is where he keeps the Best Original Song Oscar he and T-Bone Burnett won in 2010 for "The Weary Kind," but we'll get to that a litt ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: Happily Ever at the Box, KOOZA, Leading Ladies, Next Fall, Our Town

Capsule Stage Reviews: KOOZA, Mr. Marmalade, Steel Magnolias, Tamarie Cooper's DOOMSDAY REVUE (the greatest musical ever), The Wrong Side of the Law

Capsule Stage Reviews: KOOZA, Life Could Be a Dream, The Lion King, Steel Magnolias, The Wrong Side of the Law

Capsule Stage Reviews: First Lady Suite, KOOZA, The Lion King, Top Shelf Shorts, Travelsty

Pat Green: "I Don't Feel Like I Needed Rebooting"

Did Pat Green save country music? That is a contentious question no matter on which side of the Red River you're standing, but it's also a little beside the point. Nurtured by the storytelling culture of legendary Central Texas singer-songwriter rooms like New Braunfels' Gruene Hall and San Marcos' ... More >>

Pat Green: "We're Still Totally In the Mix"

Earlier this morning, Rocks Off talked to Texas country star Pat Green, who plays the Coastal Conservation Association's "Concert for Conservation" Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park with his hero Jerry Jeff Walker, Sammy Kershaw, Gene Watson, and a few others. After more than a decade as both one ... More >>

Cirque du Soleil: KOOZA

7 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Prom Night, Rocky Hill, Yann Tiersen, Etc.

Sorry we're late this week, but the good ol' Allen Oldies Band wants to help you start your weekend by rocking your socks off this evening at Natachee's Supper & Punch. Also, it's Prom Night down the street at the Continental Club. Boondocks is promising "Nu Disco, Italo, Cosmic Synth, Nu No Wave, ... More >>

Angry Birds

The Big Red Cock offers a funny name but serious bar business.

This Grandpa Only Knows Five Bands On This Year's Warped Tour

It's my job to have at least a passing knowledge of what most bands and artists sound like. In my one of seven capacities here at the paper, I am in charge of music listings, those things in the back of the paper that tell you what is happening every week. (While I am on the subject, I need let yo ... More >>

Energizer® Night Race for a Brighter World

Saturday: Vans Warped Tour At Sam Houston Race Park

Photos by Matthew KeeverSimple Plan​Vans Warped Tour The Showgrounds at Sam Houston Race Park June 25, 2011 As we made our way into the barren, asphalt-covered desert that was Warped Tour 2011, Aftermath was stopped by a young woman standing just outside the gates. "If I give you my number, ... More >>

Upcoming Events

Photo by Katharine ShilcuttYou can even pose outside a mockup of Air Force One with a Secret Service dummy at the TAFR cookoff.​Last year, the Texas Association of First Responders (TAFR) Wild Game Cookoff at Sam Houston Race Park was by far the best barbecue cookoff I attended all year. With ... More >>

Mason Lankford: "Born-Again Texan" Leads A Folk Family Revival

Mark C. Austin​Tonight at Warehouse Live you can catch Robert Ellis & the Boys with Mason Lankford and the Folk Family Revival, all for free. Ellis and his gaggle of musicians are ramping up activity ahead of their weekly Whiskey Wednesdays debut at the new-era Fitzgerald's on September 29. ... More >>

Horse Racing in Texas, On Its Way to the Last Round-up?

And they're off....​Is the Texas horse race industry in a death spiral? That seems to be the concern in a report filed today by Steven Long of Horseback Magazine who spent today with the Texas Racing Commission at Sam Houston Race Park.According to Long, Andrea Young of Sam Houston said the park's ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​When you're done voting in this year's Houston Press Music Awards, head over to the new and improved 2010 Houston Culinary Awards from My Table Magazine. You'll find a whole host of new categories in which to cast your vote in a section called Houston Foodie Star awards. The usual suspects li ... More >>

How To Survive The Summer Concert Season

​You may be saying, "Rocks Off, how can you guys be doing a summer concert tips blog when it's almost July?" Well, imaginary naysayer who just had an imaginary conversation with us, here in Houston summer lasts until the trannies off Pacific Street start wearing two pairs of Spanx, which is ... More >>

More Breaking Touring News: Vans Warped Tour 2010 Houston Stop Includes Andrew WK, All-American Rejects, Etc.

Katharine ShilcuttA pensive Andrew WK at Rachael Ray's 2010 SXSW party.​ Earlier today, Sam Houston Race Park announced the Houston date for this year's edition of the Vans Warped Tour. The long-running punk-rock/emo summer tour hits the northwest side July 2. Start hydrating now. The festival has ... More >>

Distant Early Warning: Blue October, Felix Da Housecat, Hank III, Les Claypool, Megadeth and Roky Erickson Returns

​Blue October: Sat., May 15. The Showgrounds @ Sam Houston Race Park. "Choo-Choo Soul" With Genevieve: Sat., April 24. Verizon Wireless Theater. Cody Kouba: Thu., March 18. The Firehouse Saloon. Dale Watson: Wed., March 10. The Hideout @ Reliant Stadium. "Dirty Honey" With DJ Brett Koshkin, Ceepl ... More >>

Artania Isn't Easy In Texas, Russian Troupe Finds Out

Photo courtesy ArtaniaArtania, a Russian horse-show, has certainly had its ups and downs in Texas.Their first shows in April, at Sam Houston Race Park, ran into the kind of severe weather we have here every spring.Then, as we reported back in April, the trick-riding show, which got extravagant prais ... More >>

Aftermath: Vans Warped Tour at Sam Houston Race Park

Photos by Craig Hlavaty Aiden stirred up the moshers on a sizzling afternoon. For anyone out there thinking that kids don't care about music anymore, or that all they want out of it is illegal downloads and faux guitars connected to gaming consoles, Rocks Off would like to kindly direct you t ... More >>

Distant Early Warning: Asher Roth, Dax Riggs, Franz Ferdinand, Peter Frampton and More

Ace Enders, Person L, The Gay Blades, The Dangerous Summer: Wed., July 15. The Java Jazz. Asher Roth, Kid Cudi: Fri., July 31. House of Blues. "The Battle Of Sam: Battle Of The Bands": Sat., June 6. The Showgrounds @ Sam Houston Race Park. Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp: Sun., Aug. 2. Cy ... More >>

The Last Roundup: Paul Weller, South Memphis String Band, Indian Jewelry, Robert Ellis and More

www.breakfastontour.comHere's another installment of what's been blowing up other Houston music Web sites' skirts recently. If you'd like us to look yours over (your site, not your skirt, though we can talk about that too), email hprocksoff@gmail.com. Breakfast on Tour caught the brand-new South Mem ... More >>

Artania

The Russians are Coming! (The Russian circus, that is.)

Sam Houston Race Park Starts Ike Recovery -- And A Push For Casino Gambling

It's taken a while, but this week Sam Houston Race Park will finally begin the major parts of its post-Ike reconstruction -- replacing the roof.The facility has had to wait for supplies, and the availability of a company big enough to handle the job, Gina Rotolo, director of media relations, tells H ... More >>

Stageside Blogging the HPMAs

Weekend Music Part 2: Randys Travis and Weeks, Yuppie Pricks, Jackyl, Spain Colored Orange and More

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