Jim Jones’s Tragic Cult of Personality
A harrowing tale that recounts the mass suicide of the cult led by charismatic but unstable minister Jim Jones.
Ten Things to Do in Houston for $10 or Less (Nine Free), April 6-12
Check out the Houston Press calendar for even more things to do.
Art Will Be All Around Us at CounterCurrent17
Enjoy exploring performance art that’s cutting-edge, creative and, well, different? So do we.
21 Best Things to Do in Houston This Week: Menu of Menus and High-Flying Acrobats
A look at the 21 best things to do in Houston this week, including our own Menu of Menus and the Art Car Parade.
Texas Bill Would Allow Clerks to Refuse to Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses
This June will mark two years since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to legalize gay marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges, but even now Texas lawmakers are still trying to chip away the rights brought to same-sex couples by that landmark decision. When the 85th Biennial Texas Legislative Session opened in…
‘Poet-Trees’ Take Root as Fertile Form of Everyday Expression
Writers In the Schools’ program was a smashing success that deserved an encore.
With Houston Humane Society Troubles, Here Are Some Other Low-Cost Vets
Now that the Houston Humane Society’s vet clinic opens and closes randomly, thanks to an asleep-at-the-wheel executive director and an apathetic board of directors, we thought it would be good to present a partial list of other low-cost clinics to keep in mind. Most of these places can hook you…
After Rice Basketball Coach Leaves, Star Players Follow Him Out the Door
John Lennon once sang about watching the wheels go round and round, and how he loved to watch them roll. But ask a fan of Rice sports about what it’s like to watch their men’s basketball team circle around in mediocrity, and you’d probably get a different answer. Last week,…
Upcoming Houston Food Events: Spring Fling at Upstairs
Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings, from jazz and juleps to a complimentary spring fling tasting: On Tuesday, April 4 from 6 to 8 p.m., the Museum of Fine Arts Houston invites guests to Jazz & Juleps at Bayou Bend, 6003 Memorial. Hit the museum’s…
Houston’s 5 Best Weekend Food Bets: Get Your Whiskey On
Here’s a look at this weekend’s best culinary happenings, from whiskey and beer to global street eats: Tomball German Heritage Festival at Old Town Tomball Friday, 6 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Near the Historical Train Depot Plaza, 201 South…
Reviews For the Easily Distracted: Ghost in the Shell
Either the smartest dumb movie or the dumbest smart movie you’ve ever seen.
The Five Best Things to Do in Houston This Weekend: Art Pop and Insta-Hunt
Start your weekend with a trip to MECA and get in touch with Texas’ next best identity, Tex-Mex goodness. Get a look at artwork that’s meant to make you feel happy, nostalgic and maybe even like making a trip to Mexico City. Once you’re done taking a preview tour of your next vacation head to…
Openings & Closings: Hello Hawaiian Poke Company, Cali Is Moving
Local food and drink blogger and fellow Houston Press contributor, Jamie Alvear, previewed a new poke spot in her neck of the woods in Spring. Hawaiian Poke Company opened March 27 at 4334 FM 2920, suite 100, inside Howie’s Tiki Bar. The grand opening between March 23 and 25 included…
Final Four, Wrestlemania 33 and MLB Season Win Totals: This Weekend’s Best Bets
People, rejoice! It’s Friday and we are on the cusp of one of the most underrated sports weekends of the calendar year — the NCAA Final Four, Wrestlemania, MLB opening weekend, the NBA regular season winding down and even locally we have the Shell Houston Open. You know what lots…
Why These Parents Pulled Their Kids Out of the STAAR Tests
As severe thunderstorms passed through Houston Wednesday, about a dozen kids were huddled in the sanctuary of Kindred Church in Montrose, learning the major food groups. Some squealed as the lights flickered. Others told their moms to get away from the windows. Most were busy coming up with acrostic poems…
Trevor Noah: America’s New Nightlight
The South Africa-born funnyman is coming to Houston in November.
5 New Spots for the Weekend
The weekend is fast approaching, and that means more time to eat out. Maybe you’re hoping to seek out a seat at one of the best new spots in town. Perhaps carve out a new favorite eatery or two? It’s definitely hard to keep track of all the new restaurants…
Asia Society Is Ready for an Uncomfortable Public Forum on Racial Representation on Houston Stages
In January, Houston Grand Opera, which can usually expect generally complimentary reviews from the Houston Chronicle, got hit with a double whammy. Chronicle theater critic and classical/opera writer Wei-Huan Chen didn’t think much of the production of Nixon in China, and said so in two articles which were more columns…
The Oakland Raiders Are Moving to Las Vegas — 4 Winners, 4 Losers
To give you an idea of how stable NFL football has been over the last two decades, prior to the 2016 season, the last time an NFL team changed cities was when the Oilers left Houston for Tennessee in 1997. That feels like a LONG time ago, right? Hell, some…
Allah-Las: The Band That Almost Wasn’t
Early in their run, Allah-Las nearly called it quits. Nearly a decade later, they’re more cohesive than ever.
Houston Council Member Kubosh Alerted Police About Murder-for-Hire Plot
Leon P. Jacob, the man charged in a high-profile murder-for-hire plot involving a local veterinarian, apparently could not keep a secret. And because of it, the two people he was allegedly planning to have killed are still alive. While posting bail on a felony stalking charge for harassing his ex-girlfriend…
10 Best Things We Ate This Month
It’s the end of the month, and with that, comes time for deep reflection. Well, maybe not deep reflection, but at least a look back on the dishes we regarded as the best we ate during the month of March. From dense, rich desserts to wacky brunch items, these Houston…
Houston Bucket List 2017: Helping, Homers and the Holidays
In today’s installment of the 2017 Houston Bucket list we have lots of flesh, some for eating, some for conserving and some others still for sharing.
10 Acts to Watch at Houston Whatever Fest 2017
If you’re a sentimental local who still mourns the loss of ye olde Houston block parties, then this is the festival you’ve been yearning for.
Love & Other Drugs: Dustin-Prestige’s DoPe Return
If one were to attempt to match Dustin’s career path with that of a critically acclaimed but oft-forgotten show, he’d be The Shield.
I Can’t Stop Sleeping With Married Men. Help!
What’s on your mind? What isn’t? Ask Willie D!
Rest for the Weary: Should the Rockets Sit Key Players Approaching the Playoffs?
A recent injury to James Harden’s shooting wrist puts the Rockets in a tough place when deciding to rest their MVP candidate, a controversial method of preserving players for the playoffs frowned on by many around the league including Patrick Beverley.
Yauatcha Houston, a Michelin-starred Dim Sum Tea House and Patisserie, Opens Wednesday in the Houston Galleria
An introduction and preview of Yauatcha Houston, the Michelin-starred dim sum house and patisserie from London that opens in the Houston Galleria on March 29, 2017.
Justin Yu and Bobby Heugel’s New Heights Bar, Better Luck Tomorrow, Opens in Late April
Justin Yu, Bobby Heugel and Steve Flippo are finally revealing the plans for their mystery Heights bar and eatery at 544 Yale opening in late April. The new spot, called Better Luck Tomorrow (BLT for short), will feature casual eats from Yu, ten original and ‘hyper-seasonal’ Gulf Coast-inspired cocktails with…
The 10 Most Memorable Wrestlemania Matches of All Time
Earlier this week, 31 of the 32 owners approved the move of the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas. Awaiting Raiders owner Mark Davis’ team in the desert come 2020 will be a 65,000 seat domed stadium, funded in part with $750 million in public money. It’s an historic get for…
Hollywood at War: Five Came Back Illuminates the Art and Fate of Great Directors in WWII
Unpromisingly, Five Came Back, a series that surveys the military service of Frank Capra, John Ford, John Huston, George Stevens and William Wyler — who cut off their Hollywood careers to serve in the Second World War and were thereafter irrevocably changed both in profession and in life — opens…
White Men Can’t Jump at 25: No Remake Necessary
Ron Shelton’s 1992 basketball comedy is a cultural timestamp that deserves to be left alone, even if a lot of it happened by pure accident.
Search For Missing Houston Man in Gambia Ends in Tragedy
A Houston man and his friend who disappeared in their native Gambia four years ago have been confirmed dead, killed under orders of the nation’s former president, according to family members. Alhagie Mamut Ceesay, a father of two, had lived in Houston for 12 years and worked as an “infrastructure…
In The Discovery, Robert Redford Finds Heaven, So Everyone Starts Killing Themselves
The premise for Charlie McDowell’s The Discovery is so simple and poetic that it’s hard to believe it hasn’t been done before: A scientist discovers definitive proof of an afterlife, and the world responds with mass suicides. McDowell, who scored a sleeper hit with The One I Love — which…
Supreme Court Rules Texas Can’t Use “Lennie Test” To Execute Mentally Disabled
More than a decade after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot execute a mentally disabled person, the Supreme Court has nixed the Of Mice and Men standards that Texas has been using to determine whether or not a person is mentally fit to be executed. Last fall, the…
New Gelato Shop Dolce Neve Lands in the Heights on Thursday
Highly-anticipated Austin gelateria Dolce Neve opens its doors on Thursday, March 30, at 4721 N. Main, in the same building as Morningstar. In fact, Dolce Neve has already hosted a pop-up at Morningstar (and one of Fluff Bakery Bar) as its owner and coffee fanatic David Buehrer is regarded as…
The Funniest Joke in the New Beauty and the Beast: “The War”
The new adaptation has Gaston doing everything but kicking a dog and saying the n-word.
DA Ogg Testifies in Support of Bill Sparked by Jailed Mentally Ill Rape Victim
After a mentally ill rape victim fell through the cracks in the Harris County jail — languishing in general population for 27 days before prosecutors could secure her testimony against her rapist — state lawmakers are considering a bill they say would have protected the victim’s rights in the controversial…
Glass the Sky Finds Its Collective Voice on LP1
Houston’s Glass the Sky is a “supergroup” in the strictest sense of the word. The band’s long-awaited full-length, LP1, releases Saturday with a celebration at White Oak Music Hall.
A $1 Bill Has Landed a NASA Scientist in a Turkish Prison for Nine Months
When Serkan Golge and his wife, Kubra, boarded a plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to visit Turkey last summer with their two sons, they had no idea they were walking into a political maelstrom. Now, Serkan, a 37-year-old scientist employed at the Johnson Space Center and an American citizen…
The Best Brunches in Houston This Easter Sunday 2017
Easter is right around the bend (it’s on Sunday, April 16, in case you were wondering) and Houston restaurants are gearing up for some festive celebrations. From Mexican and Indian-inspired holiday spreads to prix fixe menus with live jazz and Easter eggs for the kids, here’s where to celebrate Easter…
The World of Cheech Marin Is a Good Place to Be
The former Celebrity Jeopardy! champion and 70-year-old funnyman proclaims, “There’s a Cheech for every generation!”
Houston Program Finds Housing for City’s Most Vulnerable Homeless
Jeff Gallagher has been homeless for 36 years — but two weeks ago something clicked. He had missed an appointment with the homelessness organization Compass to try to get some housing help. It was the same old, same old for Gallagher, an Army veteran who has been in touch with…
Body Count’s Ernie C. Makes No Apologies for Bloodlust
“Seems like every 25 years we manage to write a record with impeccable timing.” guitarist Ernie C. laughs.
American Football Blitzes Houston Whatever Fest
The band’s jazzy, folky, melancholic tunes have stuck a chord with younger listeners, leaving them more popular than ever.
Five Things We Learned From RodeoHouston’s 2017 Concerts
The Rodeo has come and gone, and taught us a few things about what to expect in 2018 and beyond.
Houston Veterinarian Accused in Murder-for-Hire Plot Commits Suicide
The Houston veterinarian who was accused in a murder-for-hire plot has committed suicide, police confirmed Tuesday morning. Valerie Busick McDaniel, 48, was free on $50,000 bond, living at a River Oaks condo when she reportedly jumped seven stories to her death Monday. Inside her apartment, police said they found a…
Investor Sues Treadsack Restaurant Group for Breach of Contract
An investor in the troubled Treadsack group of Heights restaurants has sued the owners, accusing them of withholding payments and blocking access to the companies’ financial records. Houston attorney Richard Rothfelder alleges in the lawsuit, filed Monday in Harris County District Court, that he invested $60,000 in exchange for a…
Hopdoddy Burger Bar to Open in Vintage Park on April 25
Mark those calendars: Austin-based burger and chicken sandwich emporium Hopdoddy Burger Bar is opening its third Houston location on Tuesday, April 25, in Vintage Park. The new location will rock the same menu as its fellow location in River Oaks and the newly opened Rice Village outpost. Expect Kobe…
In His Blood: The Blackcoat’s Daughter‘s Oz Perkins on Crafting His Standout Horror Films
The Blackcoat’s Daughter is available on demand. I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House streams on Netflix. When writer/director Osgood “Oz” Perkins asked his musician brother Elvis to score his first film — a demonic-possession horror pic starring Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton and Emma Roberts called The…
Beethoven’s Lone Opera: Was the Maestro Psychic?
The great composer’s story of a woman, dressed as a man, who fights politics and prisons, all in the name of passion.
STAAR Test Maker Spent $20 Million to Fix Last Year’s Problems
The Texas STAAR tests were already the subject of protests and boycotts last year when a series of gaffes led parents and education advocates to loathe the high-stakes standardized tests even more. First, more than 14,000 kids who had spent months preparing for the hours-long test were perplexed to find…
Sure, The Boss Baby Looks Like Your Average Kid’s Flick – But it’s Actually Horrific
The Boss Baby might look, at first, like any other major studio animation release. Directed by DreamWorks vet Tom McGrath (Madagascar, Megamind), the movie hits all the expected notes: the enduring importance of family, the persistence of untrustworthy/clueless adults, and the inherent hilarity of shoehorning David Mamet dialogue into a…
On the Lam, a Texas Sex Offender Turns to Fellow Perp for Help
As the investigation into multiple complaints of child sexual assault closed in on Dwayne Bernard Howard, the 43-year-old — already a registered sex offender — knew where he could go to lay low: Prague, Czech Republic, where his friend and fellow expat sex offender Floyd Dwayne Rice lived. Howard, who…
Watch This AstroWorld Documentary on YouTube Immediately
Astroworld was magical, even if that magic was sometimes dirty or broken.
The Astros Brought Big Bats Into the Lineup, but Will Their Pitching Hold Up?
When Astros pitchers and catchers reported to spring training on February 14 this season, they arrived at a brand-new facility, upgrading from decades in the Kissimmee swamps of central Florida to a new Taj Mahal in West Palm Beach called the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. At a total price…
Upcoming: Accordion Kings & Queens, Ann Wilson, Corey Feldman, Desiigner, Ed Sheeran, Screw Fest. The Sword, etc.
Note: Events in bold reflect highly recommended shows. 28th Annual Accordion Kings & Queens: With the Texas Tornados, Flaco Jimenez, Santiago Jimenez Jr., Step Rideau & the Zydeco Outlaws, Sheryl Cormier & Cajun Sounds, The Moravians. Sat., June 3, 7 p.m., Free. Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park, Houston, 281-823-9103…
Bar Tats: Houston Bartenders Show Off Their Ink
Back at Tales of the Cocktail in 2007, the largest spirits industry conference in the world, held each July in New Orleans, tattooed bartenders weren’t in the majority. I know this because I actually worked for the event that year and again in 2008, when the Sasha Petraske-driven Gatsby style…
Houston Bucket List 2017: Lights, Libations and Latin Dancing
For our fifth Bucket List 2017 installment, we have a random set of curiosities and oddities including huge reptiles, stunning light work, cycling and roller derby. And you thought Austin was weird.
Ultra Music Festival 2017’s Winners and Losers
A report from Miami’s annual EDM orgy, which even in Texas is never less than entertaining.
At Long Last, More Life Gives the World Peak Drake
The world could be about to see Drake on sabbatical, which both parties equally deserve.
RodeoHouston Scores Record-Breaking Attendance in 2017
More people showed up at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to ogle at cowboys riding bulls and broncs and eat fried fair food than the amount of people who live in any Texas city, according to facts and figures released by RodeoHouston. A record-breaking 2.6 million people came to…
America’s Next Top Model Contestant Reportedly Wounded in Houston Shooting
A former America’s Next Top Model finalist was among four injured in a shooting at a northeast Harris County apartment complex that left two dead Sunday, TMZ is reporting. Brandy Rusher, who was a finalist on season four, is reportedly in critical condition in the intensive care unit at an…
Seriously, The Zookeeper’s Wife Moves Despite its Glossiness
Niki Caro has the rare ability to elevate what could be emotionally manipulative schlock to earnest art. To judge by the trailer, her low-budget breakthrough feature Whale Rider (2003) seemed a straightforward children’s drama about a girl overcoming the odds — tame, commercial Disney fare. But the film itself proved…
Dish of the Week: Stuffed Artichokes
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 sharing a dish inspired by spring: stuffed artichokes. With peak season in the spring and fall, artichokes are prepared by cultures…
Playing Life Is Strange May Be Sad, but It’s Hardly Depressing
The only way to be sad is if what is happening matters to you on a primal level.
The Cleveland Browns Aren’t Welcoming Brock Osweiler With Open Arms
For former Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler, it’s been quite the 180 degree turn in just twelve months. In March 2016, his arrival at his new place of business was a celebration, with the keys to an NFL franchise finally being handed to him after four seasons of mostly backup duty…
Comedian and Activist Dick Gregory Will Set Us All Straight
Dick Gregory visits the Houston Improv.
5 New Fried Chicken Sandwiches We’re Completely Obsessed With
It’s no secret that Houston is currently in love with the fried chicken sandwich. While not everyone is a Chick-fil-A or Wendy’s fan, there are a wealth of eateries around town serving up variations of the lunchtime specialty. In fact, we’ve been noticing so many, here are five brand new chicken…
How Two Retired Teachers Invested in Alpacas and Built a Successful Business
When Donna Binder got kissed by an alpaca at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo — on the lips—Donna thought she was about to get bit by a llama. “I said to my husband, ‘Laurence, there’s a llama on my lips — what do I do?’” Donna recalled. “He said,…
10 Horrible States to Drive Through
Road-trip season is around the bend. Stay away from these states.
Zac Brown Band Closes Out Rodeo in Fine Form
Zac Brown and crew delivered yet another electric Rodeo performance.
Disgraced Expertly Examines Baylor’s Basketball Murder Scandal
Former Baylor basketball coach Dave Bliss likes to portray himself as a victim. It may have been one of his players that was murdered. It may have been another one of his players who committed the murder. And Bliss might have been caught on tape lying that the murdered player…
11 Rodeo Concerts In, Brad Paisley Still Makes It Look Easy
Making his 11th appearance, the veteran country star understands the Rodeo is supposed to feel like a party.
Shows of the Week: Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials Bring Brilliant Modern Blues
The livest live music in the Bayou City for the final week of March 2017.
Back on the Chain (Restaurant) Gang
It’s that special time again. We’re rounding up some of our top coverage of the past, and this go round, we’re taking a look into the best of our previous chain (ahem, franchise) dining coverage and its ilk. The Top 10 Dishes (Other Than Cheesecake) at The Cheesecake Factory Opening the…
Possible Discrimination Against White Straight Christian Raised in A&M Election Fiasco
When Texas A&M’s first openly gay student body president, Bobby Brooks, was elected to the post this month, the milestone was overshadowed by the scandalous nature of how his opponent, Robert McIntosh, was disqualified. McIntosh had initially beaten Brooks by 763 votes in the February election—yet Brooks landed the presidency…
Johnny Manziel Discusses NFL Return With New Orleans Saints
Recently, at a hearing in front of a Dallas judge, former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel, who has been out of football for more than a year now, told the judge that “everything has been going extremely smoothly and my life is trending upward.” None of us are with Manziel on…
In Closing Argument, Harris County Says Almost No Poor People Are Stuck in Jail
In a case that could have sweeping effects on the American money bail system, Harris County lawyers squared off against civil rights attorneys during closing arguments Thursday to defend the county from the plaintiffs’ claims that its bail system is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal will decide in…
Recharged Blink-182 Brings Many Eras of Pop-Punk Fun to Rodeo
Blink-182 made its RodeoHouston debut, and the crowd loved it, even though a lot of fans are still upset with a fairly recent lineup change.
CHIPS Asks You to Pay to Watch its Stars Prove How Manly They Are
CHIPS is the latest kitschy-yet-beloved cop show to get remodeled on the big screen as a bromantic buddy comedy. However, unlike the way the movie versions of Starsky & Hutch and 21 Jump Street played up those shows’ alleged homoeroticism for ironic, lighthearted laughs, CHIPS lets it be known from…
Would Fewer Commercials Shorten the Intolerable Length of Baseball Games?
I love baseball. But yet there is nothing worse to me than a low scoring game that drags out to way over three hours because of pitching changes, pitchers who are slow to deliver, batters who constantly step out of the box, needless pickoff throws and mount conferences. Major League…
Railroad Commissioners Struggle to Police Conflicts of Interest, Report Finds
Back in 2012 during the last Sunset Review hearing on the Texas Railroad Commission, then-commissioners Christi Craddick and Barry Smitherman claimed, straight-faced, that the heads of the agency charged with overseeing oil and natural gas regulation in Texas “self-police” to ensure they don’t accept campaign donations from any businesses that…
20 Musician Movie Roles That Bombed
It’s remarkable how many of these films were made between 1999 and 2002.
Big Little Lies Pits Some of our Greatest Actresses against Toxic Masculinity
Witherspoon is a marvel, hilarious and exasperating.
An Act of God at the Alley Upends the 10 Commandments in Fine, Irreverent Style
It was a complete coincidence that on the same day I was to review An Act of God, a comedic show about (and starring) the Judeo/Christian Lord, I found myself at an afternoon lecture about Buddhism. Interesting, this going from leaning about a deity-less religion to a play about one…
Midtown’s Club Life, a Scene of Death, Shuttered by Harris County
Harris County has temporarily closed an unlicensed Midtown club the authorities say was the scene of many crimes, including a murder. Vince Ryan, the county attorney sued Club Life for selling alcohol without a state license and secured a temporary restraining order on Monday. Judge Sylvia Matthews scheduled a hearing…
