South Africa

Come Back, Africa

iFest 2012 Heavy On Latin Rock, Funk, South Americans

The Houston International Festival officially announced its 2012 lineup this morning. The music is heavy on Latin-flavored rock, reggae and funk, with Texas well-represented as always and an exceedingly rare Houston appearance by Seun Kuti, son of Afrobeat giant Fela, and his group Egypt 80. Among ... More >>

Support Staff: 10 Of Pop History's Greatest Backing Bands

Being behind the scenes is what most musicians who don't write songs or sing expect of their lives once they start seriously playing. A career backing someone up can be extremely rewarding, particularly if you are part of a transcendent group of musicians that goes from simply backing up an artist i ... More >>

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Being behind the scenes is what most musicians who don't write songs or sing expect of their lives once they start seriously playing. A career backing someone up can be extremely rewarding, particularly if you are part of a transcendent group of musicians that goes from simply backing up an artist i ... More >>

World AIDS Day: Artists Who Have Contributed to the Cause

​Today is World AIDS Day. The theme this year is "Getting to Zero," focusing on zero AIDS related deaths. In hopes of achieving this goal, there has been many a celebrity to endorse AIDS awareness and various charities around the world. Quite a few musicians have used their celebrity status ... More >>

Today Is National Pancake Day. Plain Old Pancake Day is NEXT Tuesday.

​Whether you prefer buttermilk, wheat, blueberry, or banana nut, few things compare with the simple satisfaction of a fresh, hot stack of enthusiastically buttered pancakes, dripping with maple syrup. Variations of the dish can be found in almost every culture the world over -- from the French ... More >>

30 Seconds With Civil Twilight's Richard Wouters

​Rocks Off sat down with drummer Richard Wouters of the somber, spectacular indie band Civil Twilight to find out what we could learn about the drummer in 30 seconds. Rocks Off: What is the worst song in the world? Richard Wouters: "Happy Birthday to You"? I think they could have done bette ... More >>

Nelson Mandela Hospitalized; Five Great Speeches He's Given

A leader unlike any other​Nelson Mandela is in the hospital with a collapsed lung. Doctors say that he is in no immediate danger, but then again he is 92 years old. He has stayed largely out of the public eye for years, of course, except for big events like the recent World Cup. His time is ... More >>

"Body, Surface, Signs: New Work from Potter Albert Goldreich and Painter Becky Soria"

A leader unlike any other​Nelson Mandela is in the hospital with a collapsed lung. Doctors say that he is in no immediate danger, but then again he is 92 years old. He has stayed largely out of the public eye for years, of course, except for big events like the recent World Cup. His time is ... More >>

Die Antwoord

A leader unlike any other​Nelson Mandela is in the hospital with a collapsed lung. Doctors say that he is in no immediate danger, but then again he is 92 years old. He has stayed largely out of the public eye for years, of course, except for big events like the recent World Cup. His time is ... More >>

Nine Nation Animation

A leader unlike any other​Nelson Mandela is in the hospital with a collapsed lung. Doctors say that he is in no immediate danger, but then again he is 92 years old. He has stayed largely out of the public eye for years, of course, except for big events like the recent World Cup. His time is ... More >>

A Twist on Tailgating

​There's no denying that Texas stands out from the rest of the 50 states in size, shape and personality. We're an inherently proud and individualistic people. I often demonstrated this during a time when I worked with a group of people from more than 22 countries. In a simplistic way of catego ... More >>

Die Antwoord's "Evil Boy": More Disturbing Than Gaga?

​Wednesday, Rocks Off came across the full length video for Die Antwoord's new song, "Evil Boy," which makes Lady Gaga seem like Celine Dion. The South African hip-hop trio is poised to break big, if not majorly weird, over the next few months with their album 5. Rapping in part English and ... More >>

World Cup 2010: Spain Vs. Germany -- Starry Individuals Face A Daunting Team Of Relative No-Names

All Euro all the time​One team has been laying beat downs.The other team, well, hasn't.That pretty much sums up the difference between Germany and Spain heading into their semifinal date later this afternoon - evening in Durban, South Africa.In a rematch of the 2008 European finals, the Germ ... More >>

USA-Algeria: One Terrific Game, One Great Result

The Obama administration brings first-ever winning a group​God damn, that was a great game.Nerve-wrecking, but a hell of a game.With just a couple of minutes left in stoppage time before the final whistle was blown, American goalkeeper Tim Howard started a counterattack by throwing a Brett Favre-l ... More >>

"Because We Are"

The LGBT experience is seen through the eyes of several photographers

Five Things In Sports More Annoying Than Those Vuvuzelas

Photo by pempempie​Folks, it's time to shut up about those stupid African trumpets already: The constant drone of cheap and tuneless plastic horns is killing the atmosphere at the World Cup. Where are loud choruses of "Oooohhhs" from enthralled crowds when a shot scorches just wide of the go ... More >>

World Cup 2010: These Teams Will Make It Out Of The Group Stage. Guaranteed

Now THAT was a USA World Cup squad​The 2010 edition of the FIFA World Cup is finally here. Thirty-two teams made it to the big dance to see just who is the best in the world. Realistically though, only a handful of teams have a shot of winning the cup. It's all going to come down to matchups ... More >>

This Week in Deliciousness

Oh, okay. When we heard "designer meat" we were afraid it was going to be some ridiculously sculpted abomination, but no, we'd totally eat that.​ Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where we accidentally made a fancy dessert dish with our banana-scented sunscreen. We s ... More >>

Fake Nigerians Scamming Hispanics In Texas City

Photos courtesy GCSODaniel Johnson, not a Nigerian with cash-flow problems​Almost exactly five years ago, we were minding our own business at the Downtown Transit Center light rail stop one evening. A suave and well-dressed middle-aged black man came up to us and introduced himself and spun an out ... More >>

The 2010 New Play Reading Series: The Road to Home

Take two aspirin, and call me after apartheid

Wine of the Week - Budget-Friendly Wines

​Last December, Eating Our Words looked at two inexpensive but tasty wines. We decided it was time for a closer and more in-depth look at budget-friendly options. Just because we are still paying off credit card bills from the holidays doesn't mean we want to give up all our fun. Here are some ... More >>

If You're Still Baffled By Invictus, A Rugby Primer From Our Expert

​Yesterday Hair Balls went to see Invictus with a friend who does not understand even the concept of a "first down" in American football. Since the movie revolves around -- in addition to Nelson Mandela and post-apartheid politics -- South Africa's victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, we were curi ... More >>

Loon Star State: Gunsmoke On The Border, Pigeons Dropping In Nacogdoches, And More

​Loon Star State: Texas Small-Town Crime Round UpThe crime dates only from 1986, but the motive could be from 1886...Authorities in Rio Grande City recently arrested 53-year-old Juan Francisco Martinez for the Easter Sunday 1986 murder of Margarito Alaniz Jr. Police say that Martinez and Alaniz we ... More >>

Aida

Coming now to a theater near you, the Metropolitan Opera’s latest production

Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series: Joseph O'Neill and Marilynne Robinson

Two acclaimed authors stop in Houston to read for Inprint Series

Houstonian Going Off-Road In Africa To Fight HIV/AIDS

​What are you doing next month to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and poverty in South Africa? Hair Balls admits we didn't get around to scheduling any time for that, but Houstonian Ganesh Krishnan is heading to South Africa to participate in Enduro Africa, an eight-day motorcycle ride through the cou ... More >>

Hello, Liver

Peli-Peli prepares their liver with an expert touch.

Peli-Peli

One South African's dream of a restaurant comes true.

Trainsmash and Bobotie at Out of Africa

At this Sugar Land South African restaurant, you'll find a lot of delicious dishes you've never heard of before.

The Whole Wide World: Ladysmith Black Mambazo's Live! DVD

Ladysmith Black Mambazo Live! (Heads Up) http://www.mambazo.com Though international audiences did not discover this South African vocal group until it appeared on Paul Simon's landmark 1986 album Graceland, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has been active since the early '60s, when founder Joseph S ... More >>

Sonidos y Mas: Various Artists, "The Price of Silence"

Sixty years ago this week in Paris, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The original text was a collaborative effort from representatives from many nations including the United States (Eleanor Roosevelt was part of the team), written as a way to repudiate the atroc ... More >>

The Toasters, Los Skarnales

Sixty years ago this week in Paris, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The original text was a collaborative effort from representatives from many nations including the United States (Eleanor Roosevelt was part of the team), written as a way to repudiate the atroc ... More >>

Your Curry Home Companions

Sixty years ago this week in Paris, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The original text was a collaborative effort from representatives from many nations including the United States (Eleanor Roosevelt was part of the team), written as a way to repudiate the atroc ... More >>

Dan Zanes and Friends

The throwback folkster makes music both kids and adults can enjoy

Indie Rock Rediscovers the Motherland

Kinky Afro

History Lessons

The story of an '80s anti-apartheid activist carries overtones of the present

Rhymin' Simon

The story of an '80s anti-apartheid activist carries overtones of the present

Strange Name, Fine Dish

Leibman's Wine & Fine Foods

Get Down with Dave

Chappelle returns with a raucous Block Party

Home Style

Chappelle returns with a raucous Block Party

Baby Blak

Once You Go Blak (Rapster/BBE)

Hangover W(h)ine

La Carafe's Wine Spritzer

Eenie, Meenie, Minie...

With a menu boasting so many treats, decision-making can be difficult at Leibman's

Catching Up with Gil

A new series of reissues reaffirms the genius of rap's granddaddy

Rotation

A new series of reissues reaffirms the genius of rap's granddaddy

Sad Country

A new series of reissues reaffirms the genius of rap's granddaddy

The Horn of Africa

Trumpeter Hugh Masekela hears the beat of the music in the world