(Updated) GetEQUAL TX: Gay Group’s Protest Shutting Down Austin’s 11th & Congress Intersection
A gay-rights group is trying to draw attention by shutting down a key Austin intersection this rush hour. GetEQUAL TX is sitting in the intersection, protesting the lack of legislative movement on an antidiscrimination bill. “We’ve already called these senators, petitioned them and had conversations with them to explain why…
(Updated) Jesus FTW: God-Lovin’ Kountze Cheerleaders Trounce Heathens in Court Battle
Updated with statements from Governor Rick Perry and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. In a high-profile battle based on small-town football, the cheerleaders in the little East Texas burg of Kuntze have won a court battle to praise Jesus during football games. The Kountze case drew national attention as media-savvy…
Jeffrey Skilling’s Appeals Are Over: He & Feds Agree to a Maximum Sentence of 17 Years
Still fighting his lonely battle seven years after his fraud conviction, former Enron honcho Jeffrey Skilling has reached an agreement with the feds on his sentence and will drop all his appeals, the two sides announced today. Skilling, who has been in federal custody since December 2006, has agreed to…
Workers at ExxonMobil’s Massive Baytown Plant (Almost) Went On Strike over safety
The folks over at Exxon Mobil’s Baytown refinery were facing a possible Norma Rae situation last week when local United Steelworkers representatives threatened a strike if the Exxon people didn’t put in the health and safety provisions they’d asked for in their contracts. Local USW rep Rich “Hoot” Landry said…
Food Critic/Blogger Opening at the Houston Press
Our longtime food critic Katharine Shilcutt is leaving us in a few weeks so …. The Houston Press has an immediate opening for a fulltime food critic and blogger. We are looking for a critic who can build on the success of our award-winning food coverage. The ideal candidate must:…
Reality Bites: Oh Sit!
Oh, to be a fly on the wall at a network pitch meeting: CW Exec 1: All right, what have you got for us? Producer: Picture this: extreme musical chairs. CW Exec 2: Are you high, like, right now? Producer: Drunk. Tell me, have you seen the ABC show Wipeout?…
Eight Houston Musicians Who Deserve More Love
Bassist, organist, composer, member of the infamous Homopolice, one of the Rocks Off 100, self-avowed electronic music geek, flanger aficianado, and suave Poison Girl drink slinger, Beau Beasley has been broadly immersed in the Houston music scene all his adult life. Not long ago over a cold one at Poison…
5 Beers to Try Now at Witchcraft Tavern & Provision Co.
Lately, I’ve been finding the best beers in some unexpected places. On Monday night, it was a jaw-dropping line-up at the brand-new D&T Drive Inn, where the guys behind Down House have renovated a neighborhood icehouse and installed a huge tap wall of eccentric draft beers to rival the records…
Art Car Creators on Parade: Randy Blair W/Video
The 2013 Art Car Parade starts this Saturday, May 11 at 1 p.m. In this week’s cover story “Enjoying the Ride” with story and photos by Chris Curry, we decided to highlight some of this year’s entrants. Throughout this week, we’ll run posts with video to give you a closer…
GIANT SNAILS!! GIANT KILLER SNAILS Have Invaded Texas & Targeted Gullible Children!!
Beautiful spring weather, it’s not hurricane season yet, nothing to worry about outside except the occasional mosquito, giant deadly snail and annoying neighbor kid. What-whut? Giant deadly snail? Yep — if various sightings around town are to be believed, the Giant African Land Snail (Lissachatina fulica) has made its way…
Texas Contemporary Art Fair; 2013 Sneek Peak
They say that three times is a charm, and for Max Fishko, Managing Partner of the Texas Contemporary Art Fair, no phrase could be closer to the truth. Now entering its third year, TX Contemporary, which will take place the weekend of October 10, has officially hit its stride. “We…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Riccardo Palazzo-Giorgio, on Honoring His Mother, and Selling His House and Harley to Finance the Restaurant He Named After Her
This is the first part of a three-part Chef Chat series. Parts two and three will run in this same space Thursday and Friday. What’s in a name? For Hawthorn’s Riccardo Palazzo-Giorgio, it’s a reflection of his heritage, his family, a symbol of honor and respect. Granted, the name doesn’t…
Five Pop-Culture Places You Wouldn’t Expect to See Foreigner
Did you know last week was Foreigner singer Lou Gramm’s birthday? Well, it was on May 2, when he turned 63. So what better way to (belatedly) honor him than to look back at some of the strangest places Gramm has managed to promote his musical career? Yes, Foreigner is…
Alejandra Angelita Sanchez: The Mugshot of a Woman You Don’t Want (Allegedly) Stalking You
We are not saying that Alejandra Angelita Sanchez is a stalker. Absolutely not. But judging from her mugshot, if she were a stalker, we wouldn’t want her stalking us. There’s a level of — oh, we don’t know…how you say…devilish intensity and a will to get things done once she’s…
Top 5 Easy to Pick Up Picnic Foods
When the weather is nice, I always like to head outside and eat my meals. Whether I’m sitting in the grass or on a bench in the park, or sitting on a beach blanket poolside, having a picnic is one of my favorite perks to summer. Unfortunately, some foods just…
Actor Tom Hewitt Tackles King Arthur and Dismemberment on Stage in Spamalot
Actor Tom Hewitt is getting his first chance to play King Arthur and he’s doing it in Spamalot coming soon to the Hobby Center courtesy of Theatre Under the Stars. Hewitt (Billy Flynn in Chicago on Broadway) has been a Monty Python fan since his youth, which is standing him…
Rapper to Rapper: Fat Tony and The Niceguys’ Easy Yves Saint
Houston is home to many talented rappers, and one of the most appreciated things about local hip-hop is the unity among peers. But another great thing is that, after living in Houston for a while, the Southern hospitality engulfs you so much it becomes a second home. Queens-born and raised…
This Week In Food Blogs: The Virtues of Getting Completely Wasted
B4ttlesong: “I was lecturing John Letoto about the virtues of getting completely wasted, every once in a while,” begins sommelier Justin Vann in his latest philosophical post on B4ttlesong. “The minimum number I threw out was once a year.” I’ll just let you read on from there… Eater Houston: If…
The Many Hats of Jeff Jennings
Jeff Jennings is a man of many hats. Straw hats, floppy hats, multiple black hats, the occasional fedora — over the years, he’s accumulated quite a collection and he’s ready to show it off. In “Many Hats,” a new exhibition at Redbud Gallery, his possessions take center stage. So much…
UPDATED: Is ACL Festival Ignoring Houston? Does It Even Matter?
UPDATED (Thursday, 2:50 p.m.) to reflect the Houston-area roots of a few ACL performers this year, as pointed out by reader comments. We stand by our original point, though. As most of our readers no doubt know by now, the Austin City Limits Music Festival announced its 2013 lineup at…
Drugs, Sex & the Rockets: 5 Reasons Why a Hospital Stay Sucks
No one likes a hospital stay. That’s pretty much a given. But why don’t they like it? We need research! Luckily (sorta), I’ve had some experience lately — a six-week stay that ended in January, and a surprise return visit last week. So let me offer my five reasons why…
The Five Most Bizarre Moments of the 2013 NRA Convention
There were plenty of moments that you expect from an NRA Convention. You expect to see fear-based rhetoric with the best of them — you count on hearing the murmurs of confiscation and tyranny, of the misguided concept that the only way to keep a government at bay is the…
Carl Stamitz: Music, Failure and Alchemy
Today is the baptismal anniversary of composer Carl Stamitz, who would have been 268 years old and a day today if he had succeeded in the last act of his amazingly productive but wholly disappointing life. You see, in addition to being a brilliant creator of music, Stamitz studied alchemy…
The Babies Braid Their Feelings In “Mess Me Around”
It’s been awhile since I, the last VJ, had anything of note music video-wise to share with you fine folks, but my inbox has been flooded lately with extremely quality work. Today we’re getting the ball rolling again with The Babies out of New York City and their latest video,…
Not Quite A Home Run at Reginelli’s Pizzeria
Solid crust? Check. Inventive toppings? Check. Wine by the glass and bottle, plus a casual atmosphere? Check. What else could you really ask for in a pizza place? They certainly have all of that at Reginelli’s Pizzeria, now open in Memorial City — the first Houston location of the New…
Father John Misty Is a Dangerous Man
Josh Tillman has always been a man some might describe as a malcontent, but he wasn’t always so damn dangerous. He first busted onto the scene in 2005 with a slew of hand-recorded demos sliding easily into the role of most-tortured folksinger, but he gained national recognition with a stint…
Paulina Rubio Knees Dude in Groin, Leaves Contusions, Lawsuit Says
There’s nothing like a Gran City Pop to the balls, we’re guessing. There’s one man who says he knows: Houstonian Hector Vela says Latina singing sensation Paulina Rubio delivered a knee right to his babymakers last month at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Rubio and Vela were on the same flight from…
100 Creatives: Josh Montoute, Mobile Gaming Specialist
What He Does: You may not know it, but Houston actually does have a little bit of a video game design scene. Josh Montoute is one of the people in it. He founded Thinksquirrel in 2011, with an eye toward simplifying the design process for gamemakers and programmers in the…
If You Really Love Your Mother,* Take Her Out to Dinner This Sunday
Just skip the damn brunch. First, I should say I am not a mother. To the best of my knowledge, I have not sired any children. No one asks me to sign permission slips or make them lunch or take them to T-ball practice. Some may claim then that I…
Early Betting Lines on NFL Weeks 1 Through 16
It’s always good to get in on something at the beginning, at the ground floor. In the world of sports wagering, for bettors equally long on hubris and illness (gambling is a sickness, my friends), some betting outlets realize that no time is too soon to put out lines on…
State House of Representatives Votes to Pass Texas Cottage Foods Bill
When HB 1139 — also known as the Bake Sale Bill — was signed into law in June 2011 by Governor Rick Perry, it set a precedent in Texas for so-called Cottage Food Bills that allow small, independent bakers and other culinary artisans to make and sell food from their…
Five Reasons You Need a Giant Hat, Especially in Houston
Awesome fancy hats should not be reserved for British weddings, the Kentucky Derby and Downton Abbey-themed parties. Awesome fancy hats should be worn often, and the perfect time to start is now. Why don’t people wear hats anymore? Is it because we have decided that hat etiquette is just too…
10 Other Musicians Who Should Have Said “Blow Me”
The line between rock star and cranky toddler can be a fine one; deny them their candy and you’ve got tears welling up and naughty words being shrieked at ear-bursting decibels. Every once in a blue moon, though, a rational thought will pipe up from said rock star, and it…
Brickwall Firm: Dynamo Support Group Madly Backtracks from Homophobic Twitter Remarks
The Dynamo’s outreach to the GLBT community — we assume they have one of sorts — has hit another snag with homophobic tweets from one of the supporter groups that works closely with the team. Someone with control of the Brickwall Firm’s twitter account apparently doesn’t like Landon Donovan; the…
Texas “Best State for Business” in Survey Rick Perry Touts; “Worst” States Are Pretty Damn Livable, Though
Even as the ruins of the West fertilizer plant continue to serve as a reminder of the dangers of lax regulations on businesses, Governor Rick Perry keeps bragging about how few regulations there are in Texas affecting honest, civic-minded entrepreneurs who would never, ever cut what few corners exist here…
Warrior Class: A Study of How People Respond to Power and the Lack of It
Everyone in Warrior Class is trying to win. “Some of them realize that there are very dire consequences to not winning earlier than others. There’s lots of machinations, lots of moves and positionings to be at the top,” says playwright Kenneth Lin, who’s about to see his latest work performed…
Last Chance for Half-off Houston Press BrewFest Tickets, Plus Deals on Sushi, Italian Takeout and More!
Get ’em while you can! Today’s Houston Press Voice Daily Deal, is our “last call” for half-off general admission and VIP tickets to the Houston Press BrewFest on May 18, 2013. Houston Press BrewFest will feature almost 30 participating breweries — like Lone Point, Big Sky, Karbach, Saint Arnold’s, Southern…
Perry Believes Opposing Slavery Is the Same as Opposing Gay Rights, Apparently
I don’t think there are many out there that would say Rick Perry is unprincipled. The epithets are plenty, and his mistakes are many, but there are few that would claim that Perry is anything approaching the slippery flip-floppery of Mitt Romney. He’s a man of his word. Thus, when…
Mad Men’s Don Draper Doesn’t Care About Anyone But Himself and It Makes Good TV
This week’s episode of Mad Men sure threw me for a loop, how about you? Just about at the midway point of the season, show creator Matthew Weiner picked the perfect time to do what he does best — keep you guessing. Just a day earlier, I was chatting with…
New Eagles Doc Shows Feathered Friends Didn’t Always Have Peaceful Easy Feelings
History of the Eagles Jigsaw Productions, 3-DVD, $34.99 Originally shown as a two-part special on Showtime earlier this year, History of the Eagles arrives for home consumption in a variety of formats. The most user (and wallet)-friendly is this 3-DVD version that also includes a bonus disc of highlights from…
Perry Spokesperson Welcomes Obama to Texas. Perry Himself? Not So Much
Sometimes, silence truly is deafening. Rick Perry spends an awful lot of time engaging anyone who will listen around the country on why they ought to move to Texas. It’s good for business. We got lots o’ guns. We let you live the way you want to live. We don’t…
Art Car Creators on Parade: Jill Johnson W/Video
The 2013 Art Car Parade starts this Saturday, May 11 at 1 p.m. In this week’s cover story “Enjoying the Ride” with story and photos by Chris Curry, we decided to highlight some of this year’s entrants. Throughout this week, we’ll run posts with video to give you a closer…
Blackberries: Where to Find Them, How to Pick Them & What to Make with Them
Blackberry-picking season is right around the corner. In fact, in the next several weeks, blackberries will be ready for picking at several local farmers’ markets. Don’t be fooled by the early berries growing on the side of the road because those are dewberries, not blackberries. Tommy Neal from Neal’s Farm…
Upcoming: Kelly Rowland, Black Flag, Loretta Lynn, Josh Groban, Tricky, etc.
Abbey Rode (Beatles Tribute): With Already Gone (Eagles Tribute)., Sat., May 11, 9 p.m., Free. Concert Pub — Galleria, 5636 Richmond, Houston, 713-278-7272. Abigail: With Rotten Sound, PLF, Speedwulf, Oath of Cruelty., Thu., May 30, 8 p.m., $12. Walter’s, 1120 Naylor, Houston, 713-222-2679. Alex Goot: Sat., Aug. 10, 12:30 p.m.,…
It’s Time for All These Anonymous People to Back Off Geno Smith
I suppose that news outlets can determine what exactly constitutes news. I’m just one man, one voice in the current events wilderness. With that in mind, allow me to say this: Former West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith’s precipitous tumble from potential top ten pick in the NFL Draft to 39th…
Pop Rocks: A Farewell To Pop Rocks, And One Last Request
Today’s entry will be my last Pop Rocks. Starting Thursday, the lovely and talented Abby Koenig will be taking over this recurring dissection of whatever (mostly) current, entertainment-related event is likely to get people to click on the link that is dotted. My advice: write about boobs. When I first…
Last Night: Suicidal Tendencies and Sick of it All at House of Blues
Suicidal Tendencies, Sick of it All House of Blues May 6, 2013 How will I laugh tomorrow when I can’t even smile today? That question served as the title to Suicidal Tendencies’ third album, released 25 years ago. But for a while there at their gig at House of Blues…
Rockets Report Card: Handing Out the Grades with the Season Over
At the beginning of the season, even after the trade for James Harden, I was convinced this was not a playoff team. Right before the season started, I wrote this in a blog post: “With youth comes athleticism, energy and excitement. It also brings inexperience, inconsistency and the occasional train…
Alan Ayckbourn’s Wildest Dreams Is Mesmerizing at CompanyOnStage
The set-up: English playwright Alan Ayckbourn writes plays with a proficiency that is almost freakish. His upcoming premiere of Arrivals and Departures, set for this August at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, North Yorkshire, where he served as artistic director for 37 years, marks his 77th play. Knighted in 1997, Sir…
Cafe Adobe Closes Its Montrose Location This Sunday; Readers Share Their Memories
There was a period of time when going to the massive, two-story Cafe Adobe complex at Westheimer and Shepherd meant devoting at least three hours of your day — if not more — in near-prostrate devotion to its super-strong margaritas and sprawling rooftop patio. Although those days are past for…
The Rocks Off 100: Sloan Robley, The Last Houstonian Banshee
Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community — a lot more than just musicians, but of course they’re in there too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? Sloan Robley of Silenced…
Weather Week: Ho Hum, Typical Spring Weather Returns
In case you weren’t in Houston this weekend or were living in a cave or not reading social media, it was cold outside. How cold? Well, it was cold enough that four straight days set records in Houston. The 42-degree low on Friday morning set an all-time record low for…
Today’s DVDs & Blu-rays: Starlet and Shane Carruth’s Upstream Color
Two actors make surprising film debuts in Starlet, winner of a special jury prize at SXSW. Dree Hemingway (yes, one of those Hemingways) is Jane, a 21-year-old porn film worker surrounded by a host of dysfunctional friends and co-workers (Stella Maeve as Melissa). Besedka Johnson is Sadie, an 86-year-old widow…
Where Is Lil Wayne In the Lyrical Hot Water Hall of Fame?
Proving that it is almost never wise to compare the results of rough sex to Emmett Till’s face, Lil Wayne was dropped from his Mountain Dew campaign last week. Emmett Till, for those of you who aren’t familiar, was a 14-year-old boy who was beaten to death, shot, and dumped…
Drink in the Craft Beer at Houston Press‘s Inaugural BrewFest
Trying to navigate the suddenly complex and overwhelming world of craft beer at a time when seasonal sours and bourbon barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stouts are all the rage? It’s best to lay a foundation first — building institutional knowledge of what exactly craft beer is, which styles you like and…
LeBron James Is Your Non-Unanimous 2012-13 MVP, and I’m Fine with That
I am mesmerized by LeBron James. I’ll admit, he’s converted me. I am a fan. This is coming from someone who wrote four straight posts around the time of “The Decision” in July 2010 about what an asshole LeBron was. This is coming from someone who openly rooted against him…
The 10 Worst Films Scored by John Williams
News broke last week that John Williams, the prolific film score composer who’s one of maybe three film score composers you’ve ever heard of, will almost definitely lend his talents to the all-new, all-Disney Star Wars film set to be directed by J.J. Abrams. It was Abrams himself who threw…
Here, Eat This: A Beginner’s Guide to Vietnamese Cuisine
It was only a matter of time before we hit Vietnamese food. The cuisine has become one of Houston’s favorite over the last few decades — coinciding with the large influx of Vietnamese immigrants that began following the Vietnam War — with dishes such as pho now rivaling cheese enchiladas…
Kris Kross and DJ Screw: The Lost Connection
When Chris Kelly, one-half of the teen-rap duo Kris Kross, was found dead of an apparent drug overdose last week, it was a tremendously sad day for Southern hip-hop. Not just because it provided a tragic ending to another tale of a child star struggling with post-fame adulthood, but because…
Depeche Mode, The Cure, Kings of Leon, Phoenix, Lionel Richie Head 2013 ACL Fest Lineup
Moments ago, Depeche Mode, The Cure, MUSE, Kings of Leon, Atoms For Peace (featuring Thom Yorke and Flea), Lionel Richie, Phoenix, Wilco, Vampire Weekend, The National, and Eric Church were announced as the headliners of the 2013 Austin City Limits Music Festival, which plans to expand to identical weekends in…
Survey Says Rice Is Fourth Healthiest College in the Country
Back when Hair Balls was carefully considering which college to attend (i.e., flipping a coin), we were mostly concerned with what campus had the most liquor stores within walking distance. The furthest thing from our mind was whether any dining hall menus offered chickpea masala, like Rice University, which Greatist.com…
The IRS Gave Us Lauryn Hill’s Worst Song Ever
You know the hardest conversation I’ve ever had in regards to music criticism? The one about Lauryn Hill. It feels as if every time the former Fugees star reappears into public form, there needs to be a hefty, long-form “think piece” about her and her 1998 album The Miseducation of…
Fourth Ward Activist’s Property to Be Auctioned Off Tuesday
Death and taxes are the only certainties in life, but in the case of Gladys House, the actual tax bill has been a question she’s been wrestling with since the late 1990s. House is a longtime Fourth Ward activist and head of the Freedmen’s Town Association who has fought for…
UH Creative Writing Students & Artists Unveil Their Tier One Graphc Novel Tonight
University of Houston student Zach Martin had been struggling with a literary story for years about a theater family unraveling in the middle of putting on a play. “I could never get the story to work purely as a written piece,” he says. So he decided to adapt it to…
Will the State Water Plan Funding Get Out of the House? Maybe
Last week, pretty much everybody and his grandmother thought the state water plan was deader than an Elvis Presley-era jumpsuit. Hopes were high when the 83rd legislative session opened in January. Many people who pay attention to this stuff (i.e., people like us who think water rights are interesting, and…
Saturday Night: George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars at House of Blues
George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars House of Blues May 4, 2013 George Clinton has strong ties to the city of Houston, which has been evident with the bounty of shows he’s thrown our way over the past several years. It was only a matter of time before he brought…
Game Of Thrones: “If You Think This Has A Happy Ending, You Haven’t Been Paying Attention.”
After a few weeks of murdering slavers and flaming sword fights, “The Climb” was a rare episode of build-up in a necessarily abrupt 10-ep season. The big action sequence was a literal realization of the title, and we ended on not uncharacteristically doom-filled monologue. As Game of Thrones goes, fairly…
Crawfish Borrachos at the Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
When I go to the original Ninfa’s on Navigation, I’m regularly tempted by the monthly specials, but inevitably I revert to my old favorites such as the tacos al carbon and the shrimp and chicken fajitas. Spring, however, is a time for change and growth. The last time I cowardly…
The Houston Aeros Are No More, R.I.P.
John RoyalAeros players interact with the crowd following the team’s last ever regular season home game.The Houston Aeros lost 7-0 to the Grand Rapids Griffins in Grand Rapids on Saturday night. With the loss the Aeros are done for this season, having lost the deciding game of round one of…
Burgers Off the Beaten Path: Samburger
On Thursday of last week, I drove all the way out to Bunker Hill and Longpoint to check out a taco truck called “Tacosway,” complete with ripped-off Subway logo in that familiar green and yellow font. I was as amused by the copyright infringement as I was by the play…
Friday Night: W&W at Stereo Live
W&W Stereo Live May 3rd, 2013 It’s a good time to be Ward van der Harst and Willem van Hanegem, the duo collectively known as W&W. On the festival scene, they’ve played Ultra in Miami and will be headed to EDC Las Vegas in a few weeks. Their friendship with…
The Wheels Fall Off in Act Two of Ravenscroft
ra The set-up: Once again we are in a British country manor home, this one remote, as a mystery is probed by a police inspector, interrogating the five women in the all-female household of Ravenscroft. The manor is all female because the lord of the manor died several months before…
The 4 Top Things Not to Do Before You Walk for Graduation
The four years (or maybe more) of being inside an institution that has probably cost you sleep and forced you to mutilate your liver with alcohol is finally coming to end. You’re going to be graduating! (Cue the Vitamin C song.) Everyone is going to be there! It’s going to…
The Delightfully Disturbing Assemblages of Steve Brudniak
The fact that Guillermo del Toro, master of the horror genre, is a fan of Steve Burdniak’s work tells you a lot about the Austin artist’s work. Burdniak’s assemblages use real human blood, mummified squirrels, octopus tentacles, centipedes and gyrating Mercedes hubcaps to create a mad scientist’s lair befitting one…
McDonald’s Egg White Delight McMuffin Makes Healthy Taste Good
In an effort to lighten up its menu, McDonald’s offers new breakfast sandwiches made with egg whites. With its new motto — “Turning breakfast on its head” — McDonald’s has reduced the calories in various breakfast options by employing egg whites instead of eggs and white cheddar cheese instead of…
Experience Justin Timberlake at Toyota Center December 5
Justin Timberlake, star of stage and screen, will visit Houston in early December, Live Nation announced this morning. The “20/20 Experience World Tour,” which is scheduled to visit four continents and run well into 2014, will pull into Toyota Center Thursday, December 5. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m…
R.I.P. Hotmail: Five Classic E-Mail Addresses to Honor a Fallen Comrade
As of last week, Microsoft has migrated all Hotmail accounts to their new Outlook.com platform, ending a run that has lasted nearly 16 years. It was a classic. Yes, it was abandoned by most years ago. Sure, when the box wasn’t filled with spam, it was filled with semi-lurid requests…
Tribute Tells the Story of A Show-Biz Vet Facing Not-So-Hot Medical News
The set-up: In Tribute,Scotty Templeton, an over-the hill actor and producer who has failed as a family man, is visited by his semi-estranged son, Jud, as they struggle to build a relationship. The kicker is that Scotty has just received some very bad medical news about his health. The execution:…
More Than Just Raspas at Refresqueria Rio Verde
To assume that Refresqueria Rio Verde is simply a refresqueria would be incorrect. Although the sides of its white-and-red truck are painted with the colors and flavors of the various raspas it sells, you may miss the comparatively less emphatic “tacos” and “tortas” that look like afterthoughts. You’ll need to…
Friday Night: Alkaline Trio at House of Blues
Alkaline Trio House of Blues May 3, 2013 “I don’t deserve this!” Matt Skiba shouted, his veins pushing against his neck as he strained his voice, the crowd chanting along, nearly drowning out his band, Alkaline Trio. “No, I don’t deserve this!” Donning a pink cowboy hat and pink converse…
After a Successful Season, Big Questions Loom for Young Rockets
It’s difficult to believe anyone outside of the most hardcore fans truly believed the Rockets would be a playoff team this year. Most, including myself, assumed they would finish under .500 and back in the lottery. Even with James Harden, an unproven starter, added before the season, it was tough…
Art Car Creators On Parade: Bob Wink W/ Video
The 2013 Art Car Parade starts this Saturday, May 11 at 1 p.m. In this week’s cover story “Enjoying the Ride” with story and photos by Chris Curry, we decided to highlight some of this year’s entrants. Throughout this week, we’ll run posts with video to give you a closer…
What’s Cooking This Week? Shrimp Tostadas, Steak Taquitos, Wicked Philly Cheese Steaks and More
I love cooking for my fiancé and me, but most of the time, cooking for two proves to be difficult. If I don’t make a plan, I end up running around in circles at the grocery store and wasting half the ingredient’s I’ve bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter…
Top 10 Rap-Related Items On Etsy
Rap music is forever turning out to be a fun influence on things we’d least expect. When your grandmother starts using terms like “turn up,” you realize that there is no getting away from it. Even the creative and artsy folk over at Etsy.com combine their passion for crafts with…
Palin, Santorum and Perry Remind the NRA Convention of America’s Greatness and that Greatness Comes from a Gun
There was a point in Rick Santorum’s history lesson, a point in the former Pennsylvania senator’s spiel last Friday about the horrific transition President Obama has yet in store for America, when the 20,000-strong audience at the 2013 NRA Convention sat perfectly silent. Bathed in blue flood-light, all the star-and-stripe…
Seasonal Special at Sammy’s Wild Game Grill: Camel Burger
I was intent on ordering the antelope. Sammy’s Wild Game Grill offers a variety of exotic meatstuffs, but I wanted to try something really, well, wild. The last time I remember seeing the word “antelope” on the menu was eight-odd years ago at Jiko in Walt Disney World. But at…
How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Music Festival: Actors
So Ashton Kutcher allegedly got in a fight at the Stagecoach Music Festival. I know, it’s a little mind-boggling, that whole idea. Ashton Kutcher was not only at a country-music festival, but reports say he somehow managed to stay true to his douche-roots and get into a fistfight with a…
You Pick Our Summer TV Club Show
This will be Art Attack soon without your help. This week marked the beginning of the end, the end of 2012-2013 television season, that is. It hit me last week that pretty soon we will be inundated with re-runs and late-season premieres that will probably be canceled before they even…
Tom Brady’s Latest Heat Check: Bow Tie And Bro Celebration At Kentucky Derby
When it comes to sports and championships, Boston is different than most cities. Whatever the sport, every city wants to win a championship, but very few cities hate to lose as much as Boston. They level to which fans in that town care is borderline irrational. Consequently, if you’re a…
Doctor Who: More Like the Crimson Hell Yeah!
The second half of Season 7 of Doctor Who has been, frankly, a disappointment. Only “Hide” has offered a really solid outing, and only single brilliant scenes in the first two episodes saved them from being mediocre. Sandwiched between two highly anticipated episodes I hadn’t really been paying much attention…
First Look at Federal American Grill, the Reincarnation of Branch Water Tavern
Matt Brice, the new owner of Federal American Grill, was making his rounds to all of the tables in the wood-paneled dining room last Thursday night. Tables were filling up quickly, but not all of them had come to eat at Federal American Grill. And Brice knew that. “Those two…
UPDATED: The Best Concerts In Houston This Week: The Killers, Carolyn Wonderland, etc.
UPDATE (Monday, 5:20 p.m.): Due to a flat-out mistake, we thought the Collie Buddz show at House of Blues was May 6. It was actually Sunday, May 5. Rocks Off regrets the error. Collie Buddz House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room), May 6 Just when the week is getting started,…
UHD Renders Julius Caesar in the Original English of Shakespeare’s Time
The set-up: The plays of William Shakespeare are prime sources for updating in time, and for change of locale, often well-served since many patrons may have seen several straightforward versions of, for example, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The current production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar at Houston University Downtown’s O’Kane Theatre…
NRA Convention Day 1: Hitler, Background Checks and Action Track Chairs
Jim Williams is the genial grandfather we all want. His voice is soft, and his hands are weathered and firm. He smiles when he speaks. He listens when you respond. He’s eager to share his stories, but he’s more concerned for your well-being than his remaining days. Which is why…
Community: I am Your Density, I Mean Destiny
This week’s Community addressed some of life’s most perplexing questions that philosophers have been cogitating for centuries: does life travel on a preordained course and are certain individuals destined to be in each other’s lives? Abed thinks so and he has made a “Crazy Quilt of Destiny” to depict the…
Kyle Scott: Opponents of Lone Star College System Trustee Candidate Want Everyone to Know He Was Found Liable for Punching a 78-Year-old Man in the Face
Opponents of Lone Star College School System trustee candidate Kyle Scott are circulating a YouTube clip of a man who won a civil suit accusing Scott of punching him in the face in 2009. Scott, a professor of political science at the University of Houston, had originally been charged with…
Where To Eat: Mother’s Day 2013
One of the best ways to show your mother how much you love her on Mother’s Day is to take her out to eat and treat her like the Queen she is. All throughout Houston, you will find an ample amount of opportunities to treat your mother to brunch, lunch…
What Are You Doing Inside? Talk About a Beautiful, Chilly Weekend On Tap
I am not one to lecture anyone about anything. I know enough to know just how much I don’t know, you know? But one thing I will tell you emphatically that, if you are able and not allergic to the rays of the sun, you MUST get outside this weekend…
Has Tyler, the Creator Finally Gone Too Far?
Tyler, the Creator has never been known for being a sensitive man. Quite the opposite, he’s known for unambiguous lyrics about controversial and disturbing subjects such as rape, murder, homophobia, and infanticide. One of his most infamous lyrics is from the song “Tron Cat,” where he promises to “rape a…
Beers! Burgers! Brazilian! Eat Your Heart Out with Great Deals Around Houston
Great deals on burgers and beers? Oh my yes. Yesterday’s Houston Press Voice Daily Deal, saved you a pretty penny ($7 for $14) at MytiBurger and today we’re offering half-off general admission and VIP tickets to the Houston Press BrewFest on May 18. The inaugural Houston Press BrewFest is the…
Lightning: The Week in Photos
It’s time again to check out the Houston Press Flickr Pool and see what kinds of art shots our talented photographers have added. We love street art, unique perspectives and beautiful photos of Houston’s creative community. If you think you’ve got a good eye, drop your pictures in the pool…
Upcoming Events: Cinco de My-Oh-My-Oh
If you don’t already have plans for Sunday, May 5, look no further: Houston has muchas fiestas for Cinco de Mayo — so many, in fact, that our own Abby Downing-Beaver has a whole guide to spending your Cinco in style. Activities include everything from the annual Cinco de Mayo…
Top 10 Bars, Clubs & Ice Houses In the Galleria Area
As does our sister blog Eating…Our Words, from time to time Rocks Off will be giving your our picks for the top taverns in various Houston-area neighborhoods. Of course, the lines can be porous, but here anything with a TABC license that cannot reasonably be considered either a restaurant, coffeehouse…
Person Of Interest: “Do You Even Remember Your Real Name, Harold?”
If you didn’t remember a virus was plaguing the Machine, the opening credits were nicely deranged, while figures from the past (Finch’s old flame Grace, Nathan Ingram) played significant roles and newer characters (Shaw) promise to figure prominently in next week’s season finale. It was also nice to get Sara…
Top Five Things to Do in Houston Sports This Weekend: Drinking for Sport Edition
It’s that magical time of the year when the weather starts to warm up (except for this weekend — what the hell, Houston?) and white people celebrate Mexican heritage by drinking themselves into oblivion. But if loving a margarita is wrong, I don’t wanna be right, so bring on Cinco…
Key to Game Six: Rockets Must Keep on Keeping On To Stay Alive
In many ways, the pressure is squarely on the shoulders of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sure, Friday night’s game six is yet another elimination game for the Rockets, but no one expected them to make the playoffs when they started the season. After slipping to the eighth seed, no one…
L’ots to L’ove on L’Olivier’s New Spring Menu
Here are three things I like: French food, trying new restaurants, and French food. I said “French food” twice because I really, really like it. It is so unlike the home-style, Italian-American fare I grew up on, and yet there is something so familiar and comforting about it. That I…
Last Night: Yo La Tengo at Fitzgerald’s
Yo La Tengo Fitzgerald’s May 2, 2013 It’s such a treat to see a band like Yo La Tengo perform at a club the size of Fitzgerald’s, and that was clear during their headlining set on Thursday night. Sure, they play to hundreds more people at most of their other…
After Pastor Accused of Sexual Assaulting Young Girl, Church Attempts to Whitewash Sympathy for Victim
For those under 30, it’s a distinct reality that much of what we’ve known of organized religion is one sex scandal after another. Granted, those of us raised in the Catholic Church had a closer look than most — I’m still unsure if the Father Nguyen to whom I once…
The 5 Best Things to Eat or Drink This Weekend: Derby Day at Anvil, BBQ at D&T, El Gran Cinco, Party at Paulie’s and Blake’s BBQ on Burgerland
Derby Day at Anvil Bar & Refuge Saturday, noon 1424 Westheimer Anvil will open its doors a few hours early tomorrow to host a Kentucky Derby viewing party complete with the classic cocktails of “the greatest two minutes in sports.” The menu for the Derby day will be overseen by…
RIP Jeff Hanneman: Slayer at Verizon Theater In September 2010
Ed. Note: Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman, a founding member of the band, passed away Thursday in Southern California due to liver failure, according to Rolling Stone. Hanneman, 49, had contracted the flesh-eating disease necrotizing fasciitis, which doctors believed was the result of a spider bite, and stepped away from Slayer…
Top Five Things to Do in Houston This Weekend: Latin Wave 8, Chris Tucker and More
We admit that Juan of the Dead is among our favorite films being screened on Friday as part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s Latin Wave 8 film festival. The political satire that director Alejandro Brugués infuses in this over-the-top comedy is absolutely delicious. Unemployed Juan (wonderfully played by…
Most Awkward Interview Ever: Asante Samuel Discusses Gay Athletes On ESPN
Earlier this week, NBA career journeyman center Jason Collins announced in a very well written SI.com article that he is gay, technically making him the first active athlete to come out and announce his homosexuality. I say “technically” because Collins is a 34 year old free agent, so the likelihood…
No, I Don’t Know Who Farrah Abraham Is. Yes, I Will Probably Watch Her Sex Tape
One of the stars of MTV’s Teen Mom has made a professionally produced pornographic film called Farrah Superstar: Backdoor Teen Mom, available May 6. The film is a 70-minute hardcore outing featuring veteran male porn star James Deen, and Abraham netted more than a million dollars for her performance. Photos…
Health Department Roundup: Taco Keto, Burns Bar-B-Q, Woodrow’s and More
Very disappointing news, on its surface — Taco Keto (1401 Cullen), maybe the consensus pick for best food truck in Houston, got a visit from a health inspector last week and ended up with a citation and a temporary closure order. A closer look shows that Keto’s violations were more…
Five Punk Goes… Songs That Don’t Suck
Last time in our “things that don’t suck” series, we looked at some educational songs ( ) that our children could learn from without being bored to death. This week, we’re looking at the Punk Goes… series, and some of the worthwhile tracks to grab from the series. Punk Goes…..
NASA Video Reveals Telescope Near Miss with Soviet Satellite and How Much Crap There Is In Orbit
You have to hand it to the folks at NASA. In an effort to educate — no doubt in part to remind people that, “Hey, people who think science is the devil, it is actually really important — they produce tons of videos, blog posts and other educational materials that…
100 Creatives 2013: Ty Doran, Young Actor
Young actors may not have the best reputation in Hollywood, but 15-year-old Ty Doran thinks that youth can be an advantage in the theater world. Doran, a freshman at Houston’s Kincaid School, just finished a run of Samuel Beckett’s famous Waiting for Godot with the Catastrophic Theatre playing the role…
The Czech Stop in West, Texas Hasn’t Closed Its Doors Once in 29 Years
Now that the world knows of West, Texas — and that it is not in fact in the western region of Texas — everyone should also know about the Czech Stop and Little Czech Bakery, the famous combination deli/bakery that serves over 600 hungry customers a day. One of my…
2013 Houston Press Music Award Nominations Now Open
It’s hard to believe it’s already that time of year again. People seem to say that when it comes to anything from graduation time (congrats!) to holiday shopping, but for Rocks Off it’s hardest of all to believe when it’s time for our readers to choose their favorite local performers…
Less Sports, More Boobs: Guy Talk and the De-Evolution of Sports Talk Radio
I’m a native Houstonian. I grew up a fan of Houston sports teams, and I spent a lot of time as a kid listening to sports talk radio. There were no sports-only stations in the 1970s and 1980s. Multiple stations aired games (am I the only person who remembers the…
The Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend: Red, Diana Krall, W&W, etc.
Red Warehouse Live, May 3 The latest Christian band to cross over into the “active rock” mainstream, Nashville quartet Red indeed takes its name from the blood of the Lamb, but not in an overly dogmatic way. In fact, their success among the heathens keeps right on growing, with fourth…
Weird Etsy Gifts for Your Favorite Teacher
As the school year winds down, it’s always nice to think about the teachers who put up with your nonsense all year long. The standard apple gift just doesn’t cut it anymore, so we scoured through our favorite random collection of refuse website, Etsy, to find some of the worst/best…
Openings & Closings: New Concepts from Beloved Chefs, Opening Soon
Let’s pull the Band-aid off and list the bad news first: Jeannine’s Bistro officially closed this past week after a temporary closure became permanent. On its Facebook page, the Belgian restaurant posted the following farewell: We’ve sadly decided to close, and wanted to thank all our friends & patrons for…
UPDATED: Report: Shots Fired at George Bush IAH
Update at 2:41 p.m. According to KHOU, the shooting victim fired at least shots with an AR-15 assault rifle in the air before being fired upon by an air marshal. The victime then, allegedly, pulled out a pistol and shot himself. There have been no reports of injuries. George Bush…
COPS Will Soon Be Filming Mulleted Ne’er Do Wells in Beaumont
If you’ve ever been jealous of the (alleged) perps on “COPS,” resplendent in their beer-soaked wife-beaters and mullets, shouting about how that crack rock in their back pocket wasn’t really theirs because those really aren’t their pants, as they’re forced to the ground in front of their trailer while a…
It’s Good to Be the King: Texas Renaissance Festival is Holding Auditions
Do you long to speak in a British accent all day? Do you feel comfortable in tights or cod pieces? Are you a huge fan of crying children who kick you in the shins, annoying teenagers who yank on your clothing and busty wenches? Well, my good fellow (or me…
Half-off Burgers at MytiBurger in Celebration of Burger Month, Plus Savings at Sorrel Urban Bistro, Nelore Churrascaria, and More
Celebrate Burger Month with help from today’s Houston Press Voice Daily Deal, good for half-off ($7 for $14) at MytiBurger. Established in 1967, MytiBurger has the burger down pat(ty), and you’ll dig the vintage diner feel as much as the food. Go full-on retro and pair your burger with an…
New Kyle Field: Ags Go from Poor House to Big House While Watching UT Flounder
Texas A&M University announced on Wednesday that the board of regents had accepted a plan to renovate Kyle Field, home of the Aggies. The venerable stadium has been in need of a makeover for some time now. New stadiums around Division I college sports have the bells and whistles of…
Houston Native Wine Celeb Ray Isle Returns Home, Finds Food Scene “Deeply Local While Still Cosmopolitan”
My 80-year old mother may not know his name but she knows his face. “You mean that handsome young man who talks about wine on the Today show with Kathie Lee [Gifford] and Hoda [Kotb]?” she asks when I mention that I’m having lunch in Houston with Food & Wine…
Last Night: Paul van Dyk at Arena Theatre
Paul van Dyk Arena Theatre May 1, 2013 In 1994, Paul van Dyk released a song entitled “For An Angel.” Over time it would become a trance anthem, one of the most popular and influential songs to ever come out of the genre. Flash-forward to 2013. This weekend, thousands of…
Royce White Trash Tweets Kevin Durant
When you have an NBA roster of fifteen players, and it’s playoff time where the rotation shortens up and minutes become more precious, it’s still up to every player on the roster to do their part to help the team bring home a win, night in and night out. Each…
Pho Binh by Night by Blacksmith: Pho Pop-Up Hits Montrose
The Pho Binh family of restaurants offers what’s often called the best pho in Houston, but they can also be a bit of a drive. The original Pho Binh sits in a trailer down in far south Houston, while its newer sister restaurant — Pho Binh by Night — is…
The Americans: “I Did It The Way I Wanted.”
All together now: I HOPE THE RUSSIANS LOVE THEIR CHILDREN TOO. Last night’s first season finale of The Americans saw the partial repair of one fractured family (the Jennings clan) and the further splintering of another (the Beemans). Phillip and Elizabeth failed in their objectives (meeting the Colonel — we’ll…
A Few Houston Rappers Remember Kris Kross’ Chris Kelly
Most of the music world is still a little stunned this morning after Chris Kelly, one-half of ’90s rap duo Kris Kross, was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Wednesday. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the 34-year-old Kelly was found unresponsive and taken to the Atlanta Medical Center, where he…
Nearly Half of Republicans Believe an Armed Revolution May Be Imminent. No, Seriously.
It’s been a while since we’ve experienced a good, wholesome armed revolution. We had one a few hundred years ago, birthing our nation. Texas had its own just a a few generations after that, bringing us another nation, and another state. And while the Confederacy faltered during the mid-19th-century, it…
My Co-Worker’s Sewer Breath Makes Me Want to Quit
Welcome to Ask Willie D, Rocks Off’s advice column where the Geto Boys MC answers reader questions about matters, in his own words, “funny, serious or unpredictable.” Something on your mind? Ask Willie D! REPULSED BY A CO-WORKER’S BAD BREATH Dear Willie D: I am a female working at the…
The Rest of the Best: Houston’s Top 10 Indoor Playgrounds (with Air Conditioning!)
Parents know that the best thing you can do with kids is find them someplace you can launch them like rocks from a trebuchet so they can ricochet off objects and other kids until inertia slows them to a stop. I sincerely hope that everyone knows I meant that figuratively…
How Do You Dress Your Dog?
So often while watching Mad Men I am completely gobsmacked by the way things used to be in the olden times. I mean, wow — smoking while you’re pregnant? Referring to pot as grass? Crazy pants. I thought had seen it all until season 6, episode four (“The Collaborators”) when…
The Rocks Off 100: Jack Saunders, Dealer of Grit & Jangle
Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community — a lot more than just musicians, but of course they’re in there too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? Jack Saunders is one…
Pop Rocks: Hugh Jackman Is On Twitter To Answer All Some Of Your Wolverine Questions
Got a question about The Wolverine? Of course you do, and now you can ask the man himself (or the actor who plays him, anyway): Fans are getting the special opportunity to ask Hugh Jackman questions about the highly anticipated film “The Wolverine.” Check out the Twitter pages for Hugh…
Rockets-Thunder Game 5: 4 Winners, 4 Losers
The Rockets began this series with the Thunder by falling behind three games to none, with a deer-in-the-headlights Game 1 preceding two very winnable games in Games 2 and 3. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series, and to expect an…
Historic Cookbooks for the Modern Cook: Andrews McMeel Republishing Vintage Favorites in Print and eBook Form
The moment I opened a thick, brown envelope this week and saw its contents, my heart skipped. Two jewel-toned books slipped out of the package. With hardy, fabric-covered hardcovers and gold trim on the edges of their pages, these were no ordinary cookbooks. They reminded me vividly of the first…
Ted Nugent, Who Shit His Pants to Avoid Vietnam, Blames Military Suicides on Constitutional Violation
For whatever reason, there are those among us who feel Ted Nugent is a cogent voice for Second Amendment rights. There are people who feel he’s doing a service to those seeking to maintain their right to bear arms every time he flaps his soul patch. There are those that…
The Hates, the 1970s Gas Crisis, and “Do the Caryl Chessman”
Not to brag, but I’ve got a copy of the new Hates album, People’s Temple, and it is (as usual) a fantastic little CD that every punk fan in Houston should own. We’re still waiting on a confirmed release party at Cactus, but before that happens there’s a song on…
Bug Off: The 5 Fruits and Vegetables with the Most Pesticides, and the Five with the Least
We all know that we should thoroughly wash our fruits and vegetables after buying them from the grocery store or farmers market. That doesn’t mean there isn’t still pesticide residue left on the produce items, however. According to nonprofit advocacy agency Environmental Working Group, a lot of the most commonly…
Crowdfunding Films is a Dangerous Trend
As of this post Zach Braff’s Kickstarter campaign to finance his next film, Wish You Were Here, has already garnered $2.25 million in less than a week. Braff has put together a very polished and glossy video appeal as to why “we the people” should fund his next film, which…
The Rest of the Best: Houston’s Top 10 Tex-Mex Restaurants
It’s been more than a century since the first Tex-Mex restaurant opened in Houston. George Caldwell brought The Original Mexican Restaurant to our city in 1907, influenced — most agree — by a restaurant of the same name in his hometown of San Antonio. It would be another 20 years…
The Five Best Songs That Sample the Beatles
Pop and R&B superstar Frank Ocean has recently opened up to MTV News that he’s been on a Beatles and Beach Boys binge when seeking inspiration for his upcoming second full-length record. While it’s not exactly surprising to hear of a young artist gorging himself on Beatles classics for ideas,…
Holy Hack Asik, Batman! Rockets Win in OKC to Force Game Six
The Thunder had no answer. They tried shooting threes. They tried running. They tried hard fouls. They tried flopping. Ultimately, down much of the game to the visiting Rockets, the Thunder tried fouling Rockets center Omer Asik on every possession. Asik, who shot only 52 percent from the charity stripe…
5 TV Characters That Would Make Better Doctor Who Companions Than Clara
I have to be honest with you… I’m not loving Clara Oswald as a companion. At all. This pains me to admit because I was freakin’ in love with her in “Asylum of the Daleks” and “The Snowmen.” She was wonderful, bright, spunky, and everything we needed, but the “real”…
Human Directionals
ONLY IN HOUSTON James Minor’s workday begins a lot like yours. He arrives at a work station, checks his materials, puts on a smile and readies for another day of being the face of his employer. For the most part, that’s where the similarities end. For the next several hours,…
What Is a Movie Critic’s Job in the Summer of Comic Books? A Discussion
Stephanie Zacharek is the new chief film critic at the Village Voice. Alan Scherstuhl is the Voice’s film editor. Sometimes they gab about how the review-sausage gets made. To: Stephanie Zacharek From: Alan Scherstuhl Hi, Stephanie, welcome again to the Voice! Like you, I found myself worn out by Iron…
Pizza Ballet at Pizaro’s
See the intricate steps involved in creating a Napoletana-style pie at Pizaro’s in this week’s slideshow. If you don’t believe that there’s any artistry in food, take a trip out west to Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana and watch pizzaiolo Bill Hutchison at work. A strikingly modern ballet takes place each day…
Exploring The Camera-Ready
What do ex-KPRC news anchor Linda Lorelle, former political candidate Maurice Duhon (a.k.a. Cornbreadd) and Houston Chronicle political cartoonist Nick Anderson have in common? They have all been drawn into the web of Liz Magic Laser. In her commissioned video installation at DiverseWorks, Tell Me What You Want to Hear,…
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is here again, so visit your local watering hole for a good dose of Mexican culture — which means family fun, music you can move to and of course, margaritas, tequila and cervezas. Whether you’re saluting your Mexican heritage or just trying to have a good time,…
Slow Fade: Yo La Tengo
‘Nothing ever stays the same,” sings Yo La Tengo front man Ira Kaplan on “Ohm,” the opening track from the band’s thirteenth and latest release, Fade. “The higher we go, the longer we fly.” Yo La Tengo, however, displays more consistency than those lyrics would suggest. After nearly 30 years…
Iron Man 3: Iron Deficiency
Where has Robert Downey Jr. gone? There’s no doubt he’s the star of Iron Man 3; he sprints through the picture like a neurotic panther. And yet he’s absent, detached in a Zen-like way from the whole affair. The nakedness that defines his best performances — in any role, up…
Travis Bickle and Annie Hall Deserve Better
When Michael Haneke’s sobering end-of-life drama Amour premiered at Cannes last May, many critics reflected on the presence of a shared cultural legacy. Its stars, Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant, evoked the iconography of the New Wave, the once-young faces of Hiroshima mon amour and My Night at Maud’s now…
Fear of a Shane Black Planet: The Iron Man 3 Auteur’s Career, Reconsidered
Iron Man 3 opens this week. For some viewers the film’s appeal isn’t the eponymous superhero, but the sarcastic-yet-sensitive hero behind the gravity-defying, repulsor-ray-shooting suit of armor. I refer, of course, to Shane Black. Iron Man 3’s co-writer–director recharged the buddy-cop flick in the ’80s with his screenplay for Lethal…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Alissa Blumenthal: A Small Retrospective,” “Colony Collapse,” “Eric Fischl: Cast & Drawn,” “Janice Jakielski: Constructing Solitude,” “Unwoven Light”
“Alissa Blumenthal: A Small Retrospective” Let’s get this out of the way. In “Alissa Blumenthal: A Small Retrospective,” now up at Art Palace, Alissa Blumenthal is not real. The gallery text may try to tell you otherwise. Press materials describe Blumenthal (1899-1995) as an “underappreciated American painter of the 20th…
WorldFest Profiling
FILM Our sister blog Art Attack had a story too good not to use. So we’re using it. Last month marked the end of the 46th annual WorldFest. The film festival, third-oldest in North America, bills itself as a “competitive International Film Festival” and lists as part of its mission/vision…
Ramin Bahrani: Expand or Die
Responding to the uproar earlier this month over the passage — and President Obama’s signage — of the so-called “Monsanto Protection Act,” the gene-bending agri-giant Monsanto issued a press release dismissing any attendant conspiracy theories as “worthy of a B-grade movie script.” They got it half right. Immediate in its…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Artifice Eight, The Elephant Man, Falstaff, The Night of the Iguana, Tristan and Isolde
Artifice Eight’s vivid and very varied characters are invited to a private showing of art, but trapped into an overnight stay thanks to a blizzard. Hosting the gathering is Maggie LaRue (Lindsay Smith), whose estranged husband, a talented painter, has perished, and she and his art dealer, Richard (Christopher C…
Hot to Trot
TOP 10 Since a first date is often the initial and most important impression you’ll make, you want that impression to be memorable. But how do you achieve “memorable” without also committing the cardinal sin of trying too hard? You plan an awesome, low-key, casual yet elegant first date —…
Spain: Two Sides of the Coin
Dear Mexican: Although I’m familiar with your column, I don’t read it regularly. But today, I was struck by something you said in a recent column about how Mexicans can make Americans like Mexicans. So I quote: “We called ourselves Spanish, we considered ourselves white.”I’m Mexican, and I consider myself…
Rick Perry: Mum’s The Word
The excitement was palpable as Governor Rick Perry strode into the House chamber just over two years ago to make his State of the State speech. Months before the four-term Republican governor declared his run for president, Capitol observers were parsing his every phrase and praising his uncanny political intuitions…
