The Hidden Meaning Behind “Enter Sandman”
My only tattoo depicts a skeletal figure above a banner which reads “Vaya Sin Miedo,” or “go without fear.” I thought about it quite a bit on a recent round-trip excursion to Colorado. I had plenty of time to consider the tattoo and other random thoughts while driving 34 hours…
Houston’s Newest Acoustic Ingénue Is Mason Ashley
I have a place in my heart for the sad sweet songs that tend to come out of the young women who record at the Red Tree Recording Studio. I still hold Kathryn Hallberg up as one of the best acts to have ever graced Houston, and I continue to…
This Week in Houston Book Events: Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter is Dead, Kathy Reichs and More
Of the novelists reading in Houston in the coming week, Jeff Lindsay, the author of Dexter series, is perhaps the most anxiously anticipated. Fans are eager to discuss his latest release – and final installment in the Dexter story – Dexter is Dead. Lindsay will no doubt face questions from…
The 10 Most Epic Moments From San Diego Comic-Con 2015
10. Con Man Fan Makes Costume That Barely Exists If there’s a Most Dedicated Fan Award, it could go to the woman who somehow managed to make a costume based on actor Alan Tudyk’s flight suit from the upcoming film Con Man. The thing is, the costume hadn’t even been…
Art Inspired by the Spirit World Connects Three Artists at Nicole Longnecker Gallery
Art inspired by folklore and the spirit world is the connecting thread for three artists now exhibiting at Nicole Longnecker Gallery in “May the Rainbow Always Touch Your Shoulder,” featuring works by sculptor Meredith “Butch” Jack, printmaker Helen Gerritzen and painter Ricky Armendariz. The theme is most obvious in Armendariz’s woodcuts,…
Eat This: Coconut Curry Popcorn and Oreo Popcorn at The Popcorn Bar
First of all, there will be no cliché comparisons in this article between these two mind-blowingly addictive popcorn varieties at The Popcorn Bar and cocaine, because, well, the only “crackers” in this reporter’s life are Ritz. That being said, it is still imperative to convey how even a small sample…
Sara Van Buskirk’s Son Will Have Great Taste In Music One Day
Adam P. Newton recently became a father for the first time, so he has decided to explain the entirety of post-WWII Western pop music to his new daughter, “Fig”…one genre at a time. Hello again, Fig. What did you think about that recent installment on traditional blues and folk music?…
20 Businesses Houston Can’t Afford to Lose
Houston isn’t exactly a bastion of historic preservation. In fact, you might say we are the exact opposite of a city that strives to protect its history. At least that has been the case for decades. But as more Houstonians embrace the need for saving iconic spaces and preserving historical…
Between the Buried and Me Maul a Monday Night Crowd
Between the Buried and Me, Animals as Leaders, The Contortionist Warehouse Live July 13, 2015 Packing out Warehouse Live on a Monday night is no easy feat. The club is as cavernous as its name suggests, and the sad reality of work the next morning rarely leaves concertgoers feeling like…
WR Dez Bryant Issues Cowboys Ultimatum: “Pay Me Or I’ll Miss Games”
In this day and age, it’s a date on the NFL calendar that doesn’t get a lot of attention, but July 15 has a small modicum of significance when it comes to the business side. For the handful of NFL players whose employers have placed the “franchise tag” on them…
Houston Ballet Gives a Triumphant Guest Artist Performance in Germany
An acquaintance of mine, a German native who now lives outside Hamburg, warned me about that city’s ballet audience. They’re reserved and quite cool, and don’t make a lot of noise. Usually they won’t applaud when a scene is over or even after an especially dramatic pas de deux. You…
Paul Barclay Explores How Technology Unites Us in “Into the Light”
Houston-based science fiction author Paul Barclay recently saw his short story “Into the Light” published in the anthology Only Disconnect from Third Flatiron Publishing. It’s a remarkable short that imagines a world where terminally ill and badly injured people can be transported through holograms to attend events out in the…
People Still Think the U.N. is Trying to Steal the Alamo
Those who were betting that the big Alamo-UNESCO controversy wouldn’t get any more ridiculous obviously bet wrong. Texans greeted the news that the Alamo was formally accepted as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization last week with a protest. Over the weekend people responded…
This Week in Houston Food Blogs: The Mad Scientists at Dunkin’ Donuts
This week, we check out a downtown barbecue joint, celebrate everyone’s right to marry and enjoy some lobster at Liberty Kitchen. Hank of Hank on Food sat down for donuts and coffee with Jeff Miller and Paul Racicot, part of the culinary and research teams that create the menu of…
Calling Alley Theatre’s The Foreigner Good May Be Pushing it, but It is Fun and Stuff
Larry Shue’s 1985 farce The Foreigner is one of those pickle plays to review. As critics, we generally dislike it. We’ve called it a “contrived television sitcom” (Ben Brantley in The New York Times), accused it of “shallow plotting” (Joel Hirschhorn in Variety) and labeled it “simply mindless” and “dimwitted”…
Semi Stoned: It’s Not Illegal to Take Opioids if You’re Behind the Wheel of a Big Rig
Sometime between 11 and midnight on January 3, 2014, Latasha Allen is talking with her husband, Robert Smith, who has just returned home after burying his older sister in the Carolinas. They’re in the downstairs bedroom of their suburban Cypress dwelling when Allen’s cell phone rings. The ER at Conroe…
Boy Wonder Chef Omar has Come Up With Some Exciting Dishes at Peska Seafood Culture
Some of the dishes at sleek Peska Seafood Culture are a thrill ride of flavors. Take, for example, the yucateco ceviche with slices of octopus, their exteriors the color of iris blooms, firm cubes of conch and dense shrimp. A daring sting of habanero shines through — more of an…
Some NFL Players are Stepping Away From the Game, Choosing Health Over Money
The play was innocent enough, a simple drill in training camp back in August of last year. San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Chris Borland, then a rookie trying to make an impression on his new employer, made a hit on a teammate in which his own head took the brunt…
10 Myths About San Diego Comic-Con
For people who have never been, most clues about what San Diego Comic-Con is like are only conveyed though the entertainment and social media channels. Some of that is really great information. Still, there are aspects that no one really talks about and so the perception isn’t 100 percent accurate…
100 Favorite Houston Dishes 2015: No. 80, Hummus Supreme At Al’s Quick Stop
Al’s Quick Stop and Meat Market looks kind of dumpy from the outside, but inside all sorts of surprises await. It’s no ordinary convenience store, having long catered to the needs of the Montrose community. Here, you can find good Belgian beer, a bottle of Vouvray, Pepperidge Farm Cookies and…
5 Ways to Celebrate the Takeover of Texas After Jade Helm
If you believe the more tinfoilier parts of the Internet, the takeover of Texas and establishment of Barack HUSSEIN Obama as our new God-King is nigh. Jade Helm, the massive military exercise that will take place here and in four other states, starts this week, and everyone from Alex Jones…
HFD Records Show Rescue Boat That Capsized During Memorial Day Flood Had Problems For Years
The Houston Fire Department was ill-prepared for the Memorial Day flooding that killed seven people, according to rescue boat maintenance records and one HFD captain’s post-flood incident report. An internal report filed after the Memorial Day flood by HFD Sr. Captain Wes Hurst said the HFD did not have enough…
Here, Eat This: Mobile Mug’s Cinnamon Roll
If you haven’t caught up with Mobile Mug yet, you’ll probably want to. That’s because not only does the caffeine-fueled food truck – the brainchild of Clark Cooper Concepts, the guys behind places like Brasserie 19, Coppa Osteria, and the soon to open The Dunlavey – bring European-style illy coffees to the streets…
Upcoming: All Time Low, AWOLNATION, David Allan Coe, Lenny Kravitz, Misfits, Patti LaBelle, Peaches, Taylor Swift, etc.
Adam Hood: Fri., September 4, 8 p.m., TBA. Main Street Crossing, 111 E. Main, Tomball, 281-290-0431. Adelitas Way: With Bad Seed Rising, A Midnight in Chicago, Daylight Down., Thu., July 30, 8 p.m., $12 to $15. Scout Bar, 18307 Egret Bay Blvd., Houston, 281-335-0002. Alan Haynes: Sat., July 25, 8…
The Decline of Western Civilization Reaches the Digital Age at Last
If you’ve been lying to your friends for years about seeing the seminal punk documentary The Decline of Western Civilization, now is your chance to get off the Schneid. The classic film (and its two pretty damn good sequels) have finally been released on Blu-ray and DVD (remember them?). The…
Houston’s Blues Scene Has a Big Booster In Sparky Parker
The next time you’re at one of his shows, feel free to tell Sparky Parker “You’re welcomed.” Like most musicians, the blues guitarist respects those who have influenced his own musical pursuits. He even lists them on his Facebook page for all to see. And, the very first influence listed is “Houston,” which…
The Lonesome Ballad of Houston’s Smilin’ Jerry Jericho
In 1949, Hank Williams’ signature tune “Lovesick Blues” was at the top of virtually every music chart in America. While the song spent a few weeks at No. 1 in Houston, in a matter of weeks ole Hank was knocked from the top slot by a relative newcomer on the…
David Temple’s Family and Lawyers Call for His Release on Bond
David Temple’s lawyers and family members called for Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson to release the convicted murderer on bond in light of a judge’s findings that the chief prosecutor in his 2007 trial withheld evidence from the defense. Flanked by Temple’s parents and brother, attorneys Stan Schneider and…
Celebrate 7-13 Day With the Houston Rap Songs of the Week
Do you know what today is? It’s 7-13 Day. It’s the official holiday of Lil Keke who received an official proclamation from Mayor Annise Parker, becoming the latest rapper to receive an official day from the City of Houston after Bun B, Slim Thug and Trae Tha Truth. That’s the short…
Apologies, Anger, Despair: The DeAndre Jordan Aftermath
It’s been almost a week now since DeAndre Jordan’s indecisiveness shook the very foundation of the NBA’s free agency system. We’ve had a chance to process the whole thing, we’ve now been privy to bits and pieces of truth revealed, and we’ve been able to re-analyze the 2015-2016 NBA landscape…
Delay for the Halliburton-Baker Hughes Merger
Just as everybody was starting to wonder if the merger between the second and third largest oil field service companies in the United States was ever going to make it to the next step, Halliburton and Baker Hughes announced a delay in the process. The two companies are now giving…
Lawndale Art Center’s “The Big Show” Breaks All the Rules
It was definitely shaping up to be something BIG over at Lawndale Art Center, with 355 artists submitting 972 works – all vying for a shot at $3,000 in cash awards. With guest juror George Scheer, co-founder and director of a Greensboro, North Carolina living museum called Elsewhere, reviewing the…
Trae Reveals ‘Tha Truth’ On Long-Awaited New Album
I’m a sucker for catered food. Doesn’t matter the opportunity or moment, if someone provides cuisine that is tiny yet effective, I’m going to devour it with a smile. When Trae Tha Truth — the Houston rap mainstay to the point where his normally gravel-like voice feels disarming and calm —…
Ringling Brothers Mostly Lives Up to Its Legends
I’ve attended the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus three years out of the last four they’ve been in Houston, so I get a pretty good idea of how the show changes from year to year. The theme this season is Legends, and through the various acts we travel…
Dish of the Week: Quinoa Burgers
From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts, we’ll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. Find other dishes of the week here. This week, we’re lightening up summer with a healthy burger alternative: quinoa burgers. Quinoa is a grain crop that is known for its edible…
Don’t Worry About the Astros, Be Happy
The Houston Astros lost 4-3 to the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday. It was the team’s sixth straight loss, and the eighth loss in the last 10 games. The Astros are 3-8 for July, were 15-14 in June, and just 18-22 for the last 40 games. And after being far out…
Kaptara Mocks GamerGate in Issue 3 and It’s Glorious
Kaptara is the new comic books series from Chip Zdarsky of Sex Criminals. It’s exactly as insane as anything you would expect from someone with that pedigree. The book follows Keith Kanga, a scientist who was part of a Mars exploration team but who ended up crashed alone on an…
5 Things to Known About the Pluto Probe
Tomorrow NASA’s New Horizon probe is going to fly within 7,750 miles of the mysterious (because we’ve never seen it) icy dwarf planet known as Pluto. That may not seem like a huge deal, but there are reasons that NASA scientists and regular old space geeks are giddy about what…
100 Favorite Houston Dishes 2015: No. 81, Red Oil Dumplings At Mala Sichuan
Ask just about anyone who has been to Mala Sichuan Bistro what the must-order items are and they’ll likely mention these big, chewy pockets of goodness. The dumplings are handmade and quite sizable. They can even be a bit unwieldy, but that just means there’s more dumpling for swiping up…
6 Types of Texas Bugs Most People Should Avoid
Texas has a deserved reputation as a rugged state, and it certainly has its fair share of wildlife that it’s best to avoid when possible. Texas also scores high in the creepy critter department, with countless varieties of insects and spiders choosing to live in the Lone Star State alongside…
11 Popular Songs We Just Can’t Stand
Most of the time when we listen to music, we’re the ones who call the tune. But if not, a special kind of hell can be unleashed. It could happen anywhere and at any time, but once an unwelcome song gets in your head, it can take days to replace…
This Week in Houston Food Events: Bastille Day, A Book Launch and A Butchering Demonstration
Monday, July 13 The Cocktail Chronicles Launch Party Paul Clarke, executive editor of Imbibe, is hosting this book signing and celebration for the release of his new book, The Cocktail Chronicles, at The Nightingale Room. The book is a guide to the new world of craft cocktails, which you can purchase…
2015 Fantasy Crime League: Buffalo Bills Coach Arrested For Assaulting Neighbor’s Son
If you are a previously anonymous assistant coach for a mediocre NFL team, the day that your name becomes commonly known for something is probably not a great day for you. Chances are, your newfound fame is not due to entirely flattering reasons. Think about it — of the coordinators…
The 2015 HPMA Reader’s Choice Nominees Are…
This is only the second year, but the Reader’s Choice Award is quickly becoming one of our favorite parts of this whole process, if for no other reason than because it leads to comments like this one: “Did whoever was putting this together just happen to miss all of the…
The Wheels of Soul Tour Makes One Smooth Ride
“Wheels of Soul” Tour Feat. Tedeschi Trucks Band, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Doyle Bramhall II Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion July 10, 2015 The idea behind the “Wheels of Soul” tour is a laudable one. Take three acts with similar (but not too dissimilar) fan bases, put them on the…
The Five Best Concerts In Houston This Week: Between the Buried and Me, Marilyn Manson/Smashing Pumpkins, etc.
Between the Buried and Me Warehouse Live, July 13 Between the Buried and Me don’t know the meaning of the word “enough.” Each song crafted by the North Carolina five-piece rewrites the rules of progressive metal – which doesn’t have that many to begin with — by setting their formidable…
SDCC Thursday Recap—Doctor Who Surprises; Con Man On The Way
San Diego Comic-Con got into full swing on Thursday with lots of surprises. Doctor Who actor Peter Capaldi delighted fans who spent the night camping out in the Hall H line for Thursday’s panel. Probably the biggest surprise though, was the completely unexpected appearance of actress Maisie Williams at the end…
Donald Trump Is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Rick Perry
Welp, Donald Trump has finally gone and done the impossible. Remember former-Gov. Rick Perry back in 2012? He was making an awkward attempt to grab the GOP nod for president but it wasn’t exactly working out, to put it mildly. Between his infamous “Oops” moment, his many embarrassing-for-him-but-hilarious-for-us gaffes and…
OSHA Slaps DuPont With More (Potentially Meaningless) Fines
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has finally gotten around to taking DuPont to task for the conditions that led to the deaths of four workers at DuPont’s LaPorte facility last year. Back in May OSHA finished up a six-month investigation into DuPont and proposed a $99,000 fine for eight…
Backlog Leads to Sex Offenders’ Release Without Civil Hearings
Two sex offenders who were expected to undergo hearings to see if they warranted further supervision and confinement even after leaving prison have been released without undergoing those hearings, thanks to a backlog of cases caused by a reprimanded state judge. Joseph David Miller and Rodney Steve Haines had been…
Reviews For The Easily Distracted: Minions
Title: Minions Describe This Movie In One Simpsons Quote: “Mein Kriecher sagte mir, dass ich bin nie aufhoere, zu erstaunen. [My lickspittle told me I never cease to amaze him.]” Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The Film: Two-and-a-half “I-gors” out of five. Brief Plot Synopsis: Tiny agents of evil plot to enslave mankind…
Balcones Whiskey Tasting at Reserve 101
“Start with good ingredients, distill carefully, pick good barrels, and make sure it tastes good in the barrel.” A simple but effective statement of philosophy from Balcones’ head distiller, Jared Himstedt. At Reserve 101 (1201 Caroline) this week, Himstedt and Balcones brand ambassador Winston Edwards were on hand to discuss…
Gambling! 2015 Heisman Trophy Odds Are Out!
The calendar flips over to July, and certain things just start happening that remind you that college football season is almost here — Phil Steele’s preview magazine showing up in the mail, a Florida State quarterback getting arrested for assault, and yes, gambling odds beginning to trickle out on futures…
Another Period’s Male Rape Joke Wasn’t Funny
I’ve been getting into Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome’s Another Period on Comedy Central. If you haven’t caught it, it’s basically Keeping up With the Kardashians if it took place in Downton Abbey. Leggero and Lindhome play turn of the century rich women who are hilariously over-the-top caricatures of wealth…
Houston’s 5 Best Weekend Food Bets: Cool Off With a Beer Cocktail
All Things French Bake Sale @ Fluff Bake Bar Saturday, 10 a.m. 314 Gray The funky Midtown bake shop will be celebrating an early Bastille Day by cooking up all things French. Hit it first thing if you want to get dibs on their heavenly croissants, decadent quiches, and buttery…
KHOU Falls for the Old “Huge Rattlesnake” Hoax
Maybe the good reporters over at KHOU were simply too dazzled by the Fourth of July fireworks to take a good hard look at the photo. Maybe they were having an off day. It’s unclear what happened over at KHOU on the Fourth of July but the end result was…
Motown the Musical Heads for Houston’s Hobby Center
In 2013, Jarvis Manning went to New York City to audition for a show armed with more personality than dance moves, he readily admits. But they liked the graduate of Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and he got a call back and a place. Now, equipped…
Upcoming Houston Food Events: Indulge in a Spanish Wine Dinner
Heading to a concert at the Toyota Center this summer? Quattro, 1300 Lamar, has introduced a new two-course Quattro Concert Dinner, available for $34 (plus tax and tip) on the nights of the big concerts. In addition to the two-course dinner – which includes choices such as hand-cut potato gnocchi…
Openings and Closings in Houston: Plans for Killen’s Burger, Spring Water Bagels Have a (Temporary) Home
Ronnie Killen of Killen’s Barbecue at 3613 East Broadway and Killen’s Steakhouse at 2804 South Main, each a mecca for carnivores across the state, has been discussing plans for a burger joint pretty publicly. Those ideas have come to fruition not in the form of a gas-station burger joint, as originally…
The Best Owner in Astros History Is…
The Houston Chronicle started an online poll earlier this week on the best owner in Astros history. The choices are Roy Hofheinz, John McMullen, Drayton McLane, and Jim Crane — seems Ford Car Credit/GE Credit Corporation got the short shrift. Cases can be made for each of these, especially Ford…
5 Best Things To Do in Houston This Weekend: Assassins and Ringling Bros.
Director Rachel Landon has loved Stephen Sondheim’s musical Assassins since she was a teenager. “I found it in a bin at Half Price Books,” she said of the recording, “and it blew my mind.” It’s our pick for this Friday at Obsidian Theater. Directing a production of it became an…
Our Fascination With Amy Winehouse Is Only Growing Stronger
With the documentary Amy opening in wide release today, Amy Winehouse is more popular now than at any time since her death in July 2011, and arguably even more than at any time she was alive. Her myth has now had four years to grow, while the very limited amount…
The 10 Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend: Shuggie Otis, Breelan Angel, Meg Myers, Houston Summer Jam, etc.
Shuggie Otis Continental Club, July 10 A child prodigy who came up under the influence of his legendary father, bandleader, and producer Johnny Otis, by his teens Shuggie Otis was both recording and hanging out with Frank Zappa. A pro since he was 12 playing in his father’s band –…
“Bear” the Alligator-Killer Avoids Criminal Charges
A man known to the public as “Bear,” who killed an alligator who killed a moron last week, has been issued a “warning citation” by the tough-as-feathers Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “Investigators concluded that the unprecedented circumstances of the case, believed to be the first fatal alligator attack in…
The DeAndre Jordan Fiasco: 4 Winners, 4 Losers
I got to admit, when it comes to compelling nights to be on social media, following an unfolding story simultaneously on television and Twitter, I did not see this one coming. How could I? How could any of us? I mean, how often does an NBA player back out of…
Blue Bell to Start Test Production at the Alabama Plant
Only months after Blue Bell yanked all of its products off the market due to a listeria outbreak linked to the Brenham-based company’s ice cream, Blue Bell officials have announced they’ll start making ice cream again at the Alabama plant. As we wrote in our cover story last week, Blue…
In Address, Sid Miller Defends His War On the War On Obesity
With Ken Paxton’s nascent attorney general administration making headlines on an almost daily basis, it can be easy to forget about the caricature that is Sid Miller. Here are some highlights from Miller’s first six months at Texas Agriculture Commissioner: In his first official act, Miller granted “amnesty” to cupcakes,…
Pride and Prejudice Becomes a Musical
In Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy was hampered by his pride while Elizabeth Bennet had to overcome her prejudices. Now in a special staged reading at Houston’s Main Street Theater, the couple’s struggles to find each other and their true selves will have an added dimension: music…
J.J. Watt Named Top Player In NFL Top 100
Because the Houston Texans’ run at a potential playoff spot in 2014 kind of snuck up on all of us — they won four of their last five using approximately 36 different quarterbacks to finish at a surprising 9-7 — the “will they or won’t they, will he or won’t…
The 10 Best Houston Band Logos
If you’re in a band a brand is what your band is going to want to brand all over the land so that the land will know your band by its brand. Try saying that ten times fast. All joking aside, a great band logo can transcend a band itself…
San Diego Comic-Con Fun For Everyone
San Diego Comic-Con draws more than 150,000 attendees from all over the world, but that’s just a drop in the bucket of all the people who want to go. Not many actually can swing it. Attending is a costly endeavor. This year, a four-day pass was $185 (prices have gone…
Sunny Side Swine: Berryhill Baja Grill’s Taco of the Month
Berryhill Baja Grill’s inaugural taco of the month featured a deep fried tamale. Needless, to say a tough act to follow. The July taco, “Sunny Side Swine” is no fading violet, however, and will appeal especially to fans of brinner (and clever alliteration). A supple, warm flour tortilla serves as…
Houston Baptist University Wants Supreme Court to Overturn Birth Control Mandate
Last month the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Houston Baptist University couldn’t block birth control coverage for its employees just because the college’s religious leaders have a “moral” objection to certain types of contraception. With the backing of two conservative legal big shots, HBU appealed its case…
The Raunchy Side of Shuggie Otis
Shuggie Otis, who cruises into the Continental Club Friday night with Miss Trudy Lynn — yeah, you read that right — began performing with his empresario father Johnny Otis when he was 12. By the time he was 14, he’d played guitar on two somewhat famous bawdy R&B albums on…
3 Trashy TV Shows That Are Way Better Than They Have Any Right to Be
We really are living in a golden age of television, so much so that I would argue that TV and not film is currently the greater moving picture art right now. Hannibal, Game of Thrones, Halt and Catch Fire, Orphan Black, and many, many more have taken serialized storytelling on…
5 Reasons the New Texas Social Studies Textbooks are Nuts
Now that the new social studies textbooks are set to start hitting Texas classrooms this fall, it’s time to remember why that’s an alarming move. The new textbooks were drafted according to standards set up by the State Board of Education back in 2010. This is the same board that…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Alberto Baffoni of Mascalzone
As we covered at the end of Part 1 of our Chef Chat with Alberto Baffoni, after a highly successful run at his first Houston restaurant, Simposio, he sold his interest. Not every endeavor is a success story, though. His second place, Sapori, only survived about eight months. Sometimes a…
The Most Underrated Houston Rap Projects of 2015 So Far
We’re well past the halfway mark when it comes to music releases in 2015. In a year where the city has banded together to promote whate ver music galvanizes people to swear allegiance, almost all sections of Houston rap has felt heard. Incumbents have treated the year as a proving ground…
Should I Have Sex With My Ex? Help!
I CAN’T STOP NAGGING Dear Willie D: I confess, I’m a nagger. I didn’t realize how bad it was until I was watching a TV show the other day, and a woman was talking about all the things she does to nag her husband. I was sitting there thinking, “Oh…
Judge Says Ex-Prosecutor Kelly Siegler Withheld Evidence in David Temple Case
A visiting judge has accused former Harris County prosecutor Kelly Siegler of withholding evidence in the murder case against David Mark Temple, who was convicted of killing his wife in 2007, and has recommended that Temple be granted a new trial. Judge Larry Gist’s findings, which were issued Wednesday after…
Probable Cos: Bill Cosby Admits To Drugging Women For Sex
How’s your week going? Probably better than Bill Cosby’s (and possibly Jared from Subway’s), as newly-released court documents pertaining to a civil lawsuit alleging Cosby drugged and assaulted Andrea Constand in 2004, show the comedian admitting to obtaining drugs to give women he wanted to have sex with. And not…
No Openly Gun-Toting Customers at Whataburger
Whataburger isn’t getting on board with the open carry bandwagon. That’s right, even though an open carry law was passed by the 84th Texas Legislature in May and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in June (at a shooting range, of course), open carry enthusiasts won’t be able to…
Addictive Maná Thrills Arena Full of Trump Haters at Toyota Center
Maná “Cama Incendiada” Tour Toyota Center July 7, 2015 Maná is one of those bands that is undeniably addicting. They lure you in with driven, fast-paced Rock En Español, soothe you with ballads of love and lust, and inspire you with socially conscious anthems of struggle and triumph. The title…
Attorney General Ken Paxton Mentioned in SEC Probe
Ken Paxton has had, well, an interesting first six months as state attorney general. He’s emerged a national political figure in the Culture Wars after giving state employees the thumbs up to openly defy last month’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. Meanwhile, special prosecutors tasked with investigating Paxton…
Elvis Depressedly & Mitski Top a Stacked Indie Bill at Walters
Elvis Depressedly, Mitski, Eskimeaux, Middlechild Walters Downtown July 7, 2015 It’s rare for a touring bill to be stacked with not just two, but three, equally impressive bands all bringing something different and exciting to the stage, but that was the case last night at Walter’s. Featuring Elvis Depressedly from…
Titans QB Signs His Own Death Warrant, Calls Out J.J. Watt (w/ VIDEO)
We’re a couple decades removed now from Nashville stealing our professional football team, so we tend to forget that we are supposed to “sports hate” that city and their beloved Titans. It’s hard to fabricate that “sports hate,” but unfortunately that’s what we find ourselves doing the last few years,…
Doctor Who: 5 Non-Television Companions Who Need to Be On the Show
I don’t know if you heard, but the ENTIRE DOCTOR WHO UNIVERSE RECENTLY EXPLODED! Big Finish Audio announced that they were releasing new radio plays that continue to wed the audio universe to the proper television one. Post-2005 monsters will start making their appearances in classic Doctor stories, such as…
Spring Street Studios Hosts a Party and 1st 150 Guests Get a Free Dreambar
The various artists who work out of the studios at Spring Street are opening their doors once again, this time for an event called “A Miidsummer Night’s Dreambar” complete with a free ice cream bar for the first 150 visitors in the door. Scheduled for 5 p.m. to 9 p.m…
NASA’s Pluto Probe Is Getting Close to Pluto, Despite That Glitch
Despite a recent technical glitch, NASA’s big Pluto adventure is still on. That’s right, more than a decade after the New Horizon spacecraft was approved to go to the only unexplored planet in the solar system, the probe will be approaching the dwarf planet next Tuesday. Keep in mind that…
The 2015 HPMA Nominees, Cross-Referenced and Linked
I’ve always been fascinated with those “laid end to end” factoids, like how it would take almost 7,600 nickels (or $3,795.60) to reach a mile. That’s the sort of thing that was running through my mind when putting together the HPMA ballot last week — that laid end to end,…
Stark Naked Theatre Co, Announces 2015-16 Season Starting With Small Mouth Sounds
The regional premiere of Small Mouth Sounds, playwright Bess Wohl’s dramedy about six people who meet at a yoga retreat, will start off the 2015-16 season for Houston’s Stark Naked Theatre Co., it was announced today by co-Artisitc Directors Philip Lehl and Kim Tobin-Lehl. Returning to the Studio 101 stage…
Ali Irsan Sentenced to 45 Months for Fraud
Ali Irsan, the patriarch of a family whose members were accused of federal fraud schemes and murder, was sentenced Monday to 45 months in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government. The 58-year-old Jordanian native, who pleaded guilty April 3, was also ordered to pay $290,651 in restitution,…
Minions Are Darling, but Lose Their Magic When They’re Front and Center
Hollywood lives by the simple, sad axiom “Where there’s money, there’s more money,” which is how we get remakes of movies that sometimes shouldn’t have been made in the first place, two Spider-Man reboots within five years, and a Star Wars franchise that ensures our children’s children will revere George…
