U2

Mumford & Sons Strum Into Woodlands Pavilion June 12

This afternoon Live Nation announced that Mumford & Sons, the UK acoustic-rock quartet that has already, um, borrowed more than one page from U2's playbook -- the anthemic songs, Old Testament imagery, missionary zeal and sometimes overwhelming earnestness -- will make its Houston-area debut somewhe ... More >>

MONSTERS, INC.

Lady Gaga brought her Born This Way Ball to Toyota Center January 31.

UPDATED: Memorable Houston Concerts of 1992

UPDATE (2:03 p.m.): Alice In Chains was advertised but dropped out, and was replaced with Australia's Baby Animals. The year 1992 was an important one for me as far as Houston concerts are concerned: It's the first time I went to a concert within the Houston city limits, the "Outside Broadcast" leg ... More >>

Readers Poll: Who Is the Most Overrated Artist in Rock History?

The concept of "overrated" and "underrated" has always confused me. There are groups that are critically lauded, yet got little commercial love, like The Band. And then there are groups that were almost universally reviled by critics, like Journey, who consistently managed to sell out shows, sell mi ... More >>

Readers Poll: The Best Third Albums Ever

This week in 1980, Van Halen released their third album Women And Children First, which contained the hits "And the Cradle Will Rock...," "Everybody Wants Some!! and fan favorite "Romeo Delight." It's not the best VH album ever, but it was, in fact, their third album. Most VH super-freaks I know an ... More >>

A Very Special Message: The 10 Best Rock-Star Public Service Announcements

Ever since the Ad Council introduced the "Rosie the Riveter" poster, public service announcements have either warned us of the dangers of such risky behaviors as having unsafe sex, as well as reasons you should vote, or even to spay and neuter your pets. As rock and roll became more popular, artists ... More >>

From The Sky Down: U2's "Bittersweet Song Of Disunity"

What was the last great U2 album? Now, before you go and get your snotty Henry Rollins quotes lined up, recall that there was a period in the mid- to late 1980s when the Dublin foursome were both the biggest and most critically acclaimed band on the planet before veering off into sonic experimentat ... More >>

The Song Stylings Of The Modern Presidents

For reasons better not gone into, Rocks Off has been running around YouTube searching for presidents singing, rapping, and otherwise making music, and YouTube delivered as usual. It's like the Web site is a kind of third-rate God that answers every prayer, but only with penis jokes and Rick Astley, ... More >>

Comfortably Numb: Songs For Your Deathbed

"My ride's here."​Rocks Off has never died, it's true. Though we sometimes find ourselves dying in small doses day to day when we spy an old man clip his toenails in the nude at the gym, or we open up a dozen emails from record label PR folk touting a five-date national tour. Living humans a ... More >>

Four Comic Books That Would Make Better Musicals Than Spider-Man

superpunch.blogspot.com​Rocks Off has gotten through our lives so far without watching a single episode of American Idol, and we are justly proud of that fact. However, even we had to view the clip of the show after we heard that the most murderous musical of the modern era was going to be fea ... More >>

House Of Blues Extends Tax-Free Merch Sale Through 7 p.m. Today

​House of Blues has extended its "Great Rock 'N' Roll Sample Sale" to a second day, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today in the Bronze Peacock Room. Sales tax for all merchandise, available for as low as $3 for CDs and hats (Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, KISS) or even $1 for tour programs (Springstee ... More >>

Athlete, Carney

Top 5 Daniel Lanois Productions

​This past Saturday in Los Angeles, legendary producer Daniel Lanois, known for his trademark echo-heavy sound and work with the likes of U2 and Bob Dylan, was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle accident. Lanois was slated to soon begin work on Brandon Flowers of the Killers' solo debut and the u ... More >>

Uprising

2009 wasn't a great year for albums, but songs were a different story.

Aftermath: The Pogues Destroy House of Blues, and Rocks Off Is Ready to Move On

Photos by Daniel KramerThis is about how we feel this morning.​Attention budding music writers, assuming there are still a few of you left who think getting into shows for free is a fair trade for your health, well-being, a decent paycheck and reasonably normal social life: It's not. It's pretty m ... More >>

Season of the Witch

U2's awe-inspiring Reliant Stadium show prompts a search for the unknown — and unknowable — in music.

Aftermath: U2 at Reliant Stadium - One Love, We Get to Share It

Photos by Groovehouse/ Click here for a slideshow​A day or two before U2 (and love) came to town, a friend emailed us a joke. At least we think it's a joke. It really doesn't have anything to do with U2, except that it has everything to do with U2. "I was so depressed last night thinking about the ... More >>

Midweek Match-Up: U2 Vs. Wrestlemania In The Battle Of The Spectacles

As you well know if you've been reading our sister blog Rocks Off (and Lord knows you should be), U2 is in town tonight.The new tour requires something like 90 huge trucks to cart around the massive stage they use so as not to detract from the quiet beauty of their ballads. Or to keep the people in ... More >>

With or Without You: Memoirs of a U2 Adolescence and Young Adulthood

...I may regret this.​So there was a time, not long ago by geological reckoning, that I was a U2 fan. Growing up during the pre-Internet late 70s/early 80s in a town where the only place to buy music was a Camelot Music in the mall limited your options somewhat. Nevertheless, the Edge's loud, ring ... More >>

The Best U2 Songs Not Actually Written by U2

Anton Corbijn​U2 is one of the biggest, most influential rock bands of all time. Their sound has changed over the years, yet remains unique. Thanks mostly to The Edge's signature guitar playing, they've invented entire chunks of pop-rock along the way, and you know what that means: they've been ri ... More >>

Rocks Off's Self-Guided Tour of U2's Stage Setup, and Other Fun Stuff We Learned About the Most Gargantuan Tour In Rock History

Photos by Groovehouse/ Click here for a slideshowYes, "The Claw" is really fookin' huge.​"At a certain point, the only thing you can compare it to is the Stones. I've done the Stones. This is bigger." That's Jake Berry, Production Director for U2's 360 Tour, talking about the gargantuan "Claw" con ... More >>

U2 and Muse Set Lists from Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Monday

Pete Freedman/ DC-9 at NightIndependence Day in Arlington? Nah, just U2's ginormous 360 "Claw" stage.​ It's a little less than 36 hours and counting until U2's 360 Tour stops at Reliant Stadium, and Rocks Off is starting to get excited. Really excited. Bono and the boys were in Arlington at Cowboy ... More >>

Five Great U2 Songs Even the Band Has Probably Forgotten About

Well, now you've seen the set list from Monday's U2 Dallas show, and it's pretty short on both pre-Joshua Tree songs and surprises in general. This will be Rocks Off's eighth U2 show since 1992, and we can't remember ever having seen the band do "The Unforgettable Fire" live, but besides the No Lin ... More >>

The Quotable Bono

The loquacious Irishman is pathologically incapable of keeping his opinions to himself.

Rocks Off's Brother Once Stepped in Human Shit at a U2 Show... Got a Better Astrodome Story?

Smash Mouth had just finished playing, and not coincidentally, Rocks Off's brother John had just returned from a trip to the bathroom. It was November 1997, and we were watching the stagehands putting the finishing touches on U2's ginormous set in the Astrodome. The Irish rockers were touring behin ... More >>

Cutout Bin: Censored and "Recalled" Album Covers

The Beatles, Yesterday and Today (1966) We start with perhaps the best-known example of a "recalled" album cover. When advance copies were sent to stores and DJs, there was an immediate uproar over the cover, showing the band covered in baby parts and bloody meat. All copies were ordered to be re ... More >>

U2 Ticket Presale Going On Now

The back cover of U2's latest album, No Line on the Horizon.If you want to make sure you get tickets to U2's 360 Tour stop at Reliant Stadium October 14, your best shot is to sign up at www.reliantpark.com for the presale going on from now until 5 p.m. Thursday. Once you're registered, you'll ... More >>

Rumors Are Always True: U2 Hits Reliant Stadium October 14

U2.comJust as Rocks Off suspected, U2 and Live Nation announced Tuesday evening that the Irish band's record-smashing 360 tour will stop at Reliant Stadium Wednesday, October 14, with "Supermassive Black Hole" UK space-rock trio Muse opening. Tickets for the Houston show - and, if you must, t ... More >>

St. Patrick's Day Special: Ten Great Irish (Or Irish-American) Musicians and Bands

St. Patrick's Day is, well, today, so, rather than hit the pub to celebrate - which we'll probably still do, to be honest - we thought we'd put together a mixtape for you of our favorite Irish and Irish-American bands along with a favorite tracks by them. Pint of Guinness and shot of Jameson sol ... More >>

U2 Closer to Firming Up Reliant Stadium Date

u2.com U2's free concert last Friday at Fordham University, the BronxUpdate: No Line did indeed debut at No. 1, selling 484,000 copies. U2 has sent out the equivalent of a "Save the Date" card. Today the Irish rockers, whose new album No Line on the Horizon opened to mixed reviews but d ... More >>

Don't Stop Believin'

U2 Lace Up Their Dirty "Boots"

Among, you know, a few other things, the past 24 hours have been the start of a very, very big year for the band Rocks Off affectionately refers to as the Best Band Ever. U2 appeared alongside Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, "One" pal Mary J. Blige and many more as Barack Obama's opening acts at ... More >>

Retro Active: U2 Will Be With You Again

Bono and Luciano Pavarotti, "Ave Maria" Every year, at almost exactly this time, if you're like me, you can't get U2's goddamned "New Year's Day" out of your head. And, if you're like me, it drives you insane, not because of the quality of the song, but ... well, yeah, it is the quality of the song ... More >>

XM Nation: Catching Up and Moving On

U2

Rock’s biggest ego gets the biggest screen treatment

U23D Marq-E = OK

The Irish Tenors’ Christmas Special

The classical/pop trio makes its debut in Houston

ACL Fest: Where the Streets Have No Name

“Thunderstruck” on I-45

Them’s Fighting Words, Broseph!

Shell Hell

Shell Hell

Tech? No!

An imaginary history of electronic music

Walk Away, Walk Away

And we will follow as local music figures recall tales of U2

Bono for Pontiff

The only problem: Who could possibly replace him in the arena-rock pantheon?

Karachi Rock

Haven't heard of Junoon? They've sold 20 million albums, and they're at the Meridian this week.

The Face of Rock and Roll

A new coffee table book spotlights a vital, neglected art genre and gives a few Houston poster artists their due

How to Dismantle an Atomic Mom

A critic debates the merits of U2's latest with his mother

Flogging Molly

Friday, March 29

Rotation