The Great Depression

Dinner and a Movie at Sundance Cinemas, Or the Only Way I'll Go to the Movies Anymore

Movie theaters still have a place for those who don't want or can't afford to build a media screening room in their homes but still enjoy the spectacle of seeing a truly great movie on the big screen. (Torrents are only good for so many things...) Increasingly, however, theaters have had to figure ... More >>

Mexican Identity and Living in the Street

Isn't DACA Just a Ruse to Identify and Deport DREAM Act Students?

And why might a Mexican family hate a wealthy Mexi-and-white couple?

Cover Story: Preppers Ready Themselves for When the Shit Hits the Fan

Preparing for Doomsday is as venerably American as cherry pie. Mormonism, America's most successful homegrown religion, even has hoarding food as one of its tenets. Some prep for a biblical Armageddon, while others do so for secular reasons. Maybe they just want to get out of the rat race and off t ... More >>

10 Best Modern Political Speeches

We'll be hearing a lot of great speeches this election season, but lets take a second to remember the true giants of political rhetoric. 10. Martin Luther King: I've Been to the Mountaintop King delivered this speech in Memphis, Tennessee the day before he was assassinated. After talking for a whi ... More >>

Crossing the Line: Love the Beans, Hate the Beaner

One of the greatest stories I ever worked on involved neo-Nazis and burritos.

Will You Turn into a Hoarder? See What the Stars Have to Say: Astrology Signs, Ranked for Hoardiness

Will you turn into a hoarder? Let's see what astrology says, courtesy of our favorite local astrologer, Figgy Jones. Here's what she told us: On June 11, the big ol' jolly planet of abundance and goodies, Jupiter, moves into the sign of Gemini -- the most garrulous sign. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, ... More >>

Houston's Babies Play Vintage Baseball

There's no gloves or batting helmets when Larry Joe Miggins and the rest of the Houston Babies regularly travel back in time to play the game by its 1860 rules.

Moonshining On The Rise in East Texas

For the second time this month, East Texas cops have broken up a moonshining operation. The latest case took place near Tyler, in tiny New Chapel Hill. Smith County Constables seized two stills belonging to one man whom they have charged with a misdemeanor, with more charges possibly pending. Cops ... More >>

Cinema Slap Fight: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter vs. FDR: American Badass

Editor's Note: Please congratulate Jef With One F for breaking the record for number of colons used in a Houston Press headline. Two presidents both alike in regard and respect, in fair Internet, where we store our trailers for upcoming films featuring chief executives that combat supernatural evil ... More >>

Tea Party Princess

Victoria Jackson went from the big leagues of comedy to the rabid right of modern politics.

Pop Rocks: Andy Rooney Is Retiring. You Won't Miss Him.

If a crabby, unpleasant nonagenarian who ceased being relevant 20 years ago retires from broadcasting, does the collective sigh of relief make a sound? Andy Rooney will announce on Sunday's "60 Minutes" that it will be his last regular appearance on the newsmagazine. Rooney, 92, has been featured o ... More >>

The Rightwing Attack Ads Coming Against Rick Perry

Rick Perry is generally not a man to be out-rightwinged, but he may see an attempt in the GOP primary. He'll keep citing his Limbaugh-Tea Party bona fides, but there are ways for opponents to put doubt, if not fear, into the hearts of voters considering him. Here's how four attack ads from the rig ... More >>

Raising the Barre

Closes June 5!

Capsule Stage Reviews: Opening the Box, Raising the Barre, The Threesome

Betting Their Lives

It's easy for a three-time felon to get $20 million for his investment company, as long as no one asks any questions.

Eldorado Ballroom: A Concise History By Dr. Roger Wood

David Bush/ houstondeco.comThe Eldorado Ballroom in 2006​Rocks Off was pleased as punch to report last week that, thanks to the efforts of the Texas Blues Project's R. Eric Davis and Project Row Houses, which has owned the historic Third Ward venue since 1999, the Eldorado Ballroom will receiv ... More >>

President's Day List: Five Biographies You Need to Read

Dutch received undeserved scorn​President's Day is a time to reflect on the people who've lived in the White House, and how best to learn more about them. Presidential biographies have always been a huge industry, with a staggering amount of trees felled for books both incredibly dense and an ... More >>

Justin Bieber Movie Reveals Pop Star Shaves, Has Hot Mom

"OMG you can reach and touch his face" ​Thursday night, Rocks Off went to the first midnight screening of Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, in 3D no less. Yes we had a chaperone, but the late hour and the theater's location wasn't conducive to masses of screaming girls. The location we saw it ... More >>

Photobombs Through the Ages

The pinnacle of modern-day photobombing​Photobombing might have reached its peak at the Golden Globes when Michael Douglas PB'd his way into a picture with his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angelina Jolie. The phenomenon has become popular on the internet, of course, and as with everything el ... More >>

Zodiac Change Day: Do Not Despair, Aquarius -- You're Not a Capricorn, No Matter What They Say

This is NOT the dawning of the age of Capricorn, dammit​Today is the first big change under the new astrology rules, or whatever they are that's riling up zodiac types. January 20 is now the beginning of Capricorn, whereas it used to be the home of Aquarius. We're sure we're messing up the t ... More >>

Laurens Hammond, True Synth-Pop Sire, Would Be 115 Today

thehammondorganstory.com​Today we celebrate the birthday of one Laurens Hammond, who basically invented everything that Edison and Tesla didn't. For instance, he designed an automatic transmission at age 14 in 1909, but French carmaker Renault rejected it. No matter; he went on to develop the ... More >>

The Devil in DMX

Can the celebrated rapper get out of trouble long enough to top the charts again?

ACL: What Could Possibly Be Worse Than Last Year's Mudbath?

Mark C. AustinCan't WAIT to go back!​In exactly one week, Rocks Off will be broadcasting live from the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin's Zilker Park. This will be our fourth spin around the grounds since 2007, and every year we swear we won't fall in love with a bartender in the me ... More >>

Post KTRU/KUHF, Possible Houston Mergers & Acquisitions To Come

Photo illustrations by John Seaborn GrayGozer has designs on the Galleria.​Rice University and the University of Houston have reached a deal to convert KTRU into a 24-hour white-noise station to help our city's insomniacs. Fitzgerald's was just bought out by the guys who made Mango's a viable ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: The Glass Menagerie, Hunter Gatherers

Pop Rocks: Go F*** Yourself, Andy Rooney

Venerable windbag Andy Rooney took a break last Sunday from complaining about Hispanic ballplayers and the number of non-functioning typewriters he owns to address the problem of unemployment: Rooney understands your problem, because he's been out of work too...though apparently not since 19 ... More >>

"Whatever was Splendid: New American Photographs"

Walker Evans and the Great Depression, Part II

Lonesome Onry and Mean: The Shadowy Depression-Era Roots of Modern Country and Bluegrass

As LOM promised in last week's blog about bluegrass, here are some precursors to that art form. These are some wonderful tunes to listen to on your boom-box or iPod while tending your illegal still. Charlie Poole: Charlie Poole is the iconic model for every hard-drinkin', guitar-plunking, Appalachi ... More >>

Vietnam Vet to America: Stick Veterans Day Where The Sun Don't Shine

​Dave Collins is a Vietnam veteran, and he wants to abolish Veteran's Day. "I would also like to see yellow-ribbon stickers outlawed along with 'We Support the Troops' signs in business and all the other feel good BS of that ilk," he adds in a personal commentary he e-mailed to his mailing list.Ha ... More >>

The Awful Truth

Attn: Wall Street. Michael Moore is a Marxist (but he's still selling the same old shtick).

Awake and Sing!

The depression hits home

Bud, Not Buddy

Web exclusive!

Dryope and Iole

Theatre Suburbia hosts a world premiere play by Nancy Kiefer

Tony Earley

Top novelist reads from his latest work, The Blue Star

Toxic Town: Cancer and Birth Defects in Somerville

In Somerville, chances are far better than normal that you will die of cancer or give birth to a deformed baby

Local Motion

Texas coin companies target elderly investors

Heads you lose, tails you lose

Fruits of Their Labor

Dish

Press Picks