Tenor Stephen Costello Withdraws From Cosi, Norman Reinhardt Will Do Double Duty in Two Operas
Proving that real-life opera can be as dramatic as the tumultuous scenes and lives it portrays, Houston Grand Opera has just announced it is making a last-minute switch of one of its lead singers in its upcoming production of Cosi fan tutte. Stephen Costello, last seen here as the duke…
Hearst Drops an Ebola Joke
For the past couple weeks, even we’ve been like, you know what, maybe let’s not joke about Ebola just yet… Apparently Hearst feels differently…
HSPCA and Prosecutors Won’t Say How Rescued Dog Died
The Houston SPCA and Galveston County District Attorney’s Office are not revealing the fate of a dog whose former foster believes overheated and died during a highly publicized seizure in Santa Fe last month. Susan Culver says the dog’s death was disclosed at a September court hearing to decide what…
Is the Montgomery County Police Reporter More “Police” Than “Reporter”?
If you’re arrested in Montgomery County, chances are your name, charges, and maybe even mugshot will enter the wilds of the internet through the Montgomery County Police Reporter’s website. The Chron runs Police Reporter photos of drug busts, police raids, and suspect take-downs, regularly citing the Police Reporter as it…
American Horror Story: Freak Show: Greatest Show on Earth
Without delving too far into hyperbole, this is without a doubt the best season of American Horror Story yet. Though it’s the one I was the most worried about liking, it’s managed to capture the perfect mixture of horror and regular dramatic television. Let’s start with Twisty the Clown (John…
Christians Freak Out After City Subpoenas Sermons in Anti-HERO Lawsuit
In a tone-deaf moment of legal strategy, the City of Houston last month sent local pastors critical of the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance sweeping subpoenas for notes and sermons. The move comes in a lawsuit challenging the City of Houston for throwing out a petition from anti-HERO (Houston Equal Rights Ordinance)…
America’s Next Top Model’s Chris Hernandez’s Take on Reality TV
I’ll admit it… I’m a little embarrassed that I watch America’s Next Top Model, but I love it and I’m not big into watching reality TV shows. For me, ANTM is the exception because it captures the reality of the modeling world… or at least I think it does. Models…
When Parents Say, “How Can You Have a Meaningful Life Without Kids?”
If you’ve reached a stable adulthood but have not yet had any children, you’ve probably had people who have ask you when the hell you’re going to get off your bottom and shoot your own half-clone into the world. This goes double if you’re married. And depending on the tact…
The 5 Best Happy Hours in Shady Acres
If you love happy hour as much as we do, you’ll love this new series. We’re taking a look at the best happy hours in town, ‘hood by ‘hood. To narrow it down, we’re focusing on the spots with the best deals on not only drinks, but eats, too. From…
Judge Edith Jones Will Face No Judgment, Complaint Against Fifth Circuit Justice Dismissed
A federal appeals court judge underwent an incredibly rare ethics investigation, and came out the other side unscathed. After initially clearing Fifth Circuit Judge Edith Jones of any misconduct in August, the judicial counsel at the District of Columbia Court of Appeals rejected an appeal to that ruling on Wednesday…
When Wood Met Design: LeeAnn Gorman and Paula Haymond
Painter LeeAnn Gorman met sculptor Paula Haymond at the Archway Gallery, and they formed a friendship which has now led to a collaboration. In the current show, each artist has solo pieces, but also shown are works where their efforts are collaborative. The artists exchanged ideas as well as efforts,…
David Keck Pours Oregon Wines at Treadsack’s Kipper Club This Saturday
Keeper Collection, the Austin-based food and wine society, is taking its popular “Wine Ride” across Texas for the first time, including its first event in Houston this weekend. As part of a three-city, weekend-long series of tastings, the group will be hosting an Oregon wine tasting event at the Kipper…
Fan Fighting League! European Soccer Division (Including Drones And Fireworks)
Since I invented it a couple of years ago, the Fan Fighting League has been almost exclusively a football thing (with the rare baseball exception). However, if we take the world as a whole and step outside of our American cocoon for a minute, it’s logical to ask ourselves, “Why…
CBGB Survivor Cheetah Chrome’s Creed: “Honesty and Quality”
Alongside fellow contenders like Johnny Ramone, Cheetah Chrome became one of the titanic, blistering guitarists launching the first wave of CBGB-era punk into the stratosphere of American culture. Yet his origins erupted a few years earlier in down-and-out Cleveland. As an authentic, no-bullshit rock and roll soldier, he helped propel…
Girl in a Coma Grrrls Get Even Fiercer With Fea
Phanie Diaz doesn’t want you Girl watchers to worry. She’s the drummer for one of Texas’ biggest breakout bands of the past few years, Girl In a Coma. Her sister, Nina, is the band’s guitarist and vocalist. While Nina works on a solo project, Phanie and the band’s bassist, Jenn…
10 Most Controversial Houston Billboards
We still do a remarkable amount of advertising on billboards because frankly there’s not much else to do while the city apparently tries to better 290 by smashing it with hammers. Most of these are amusing and simple. Cows misspell words so you’ll eat at Chick Fil A and Jim…
DEFCON Dining: Everything’s Mellow at the Mushroom
Dining out with children is an exercise in situational awareness. Each experience is unique, with different variables leading to different possible outcomes, DEFCON-like in their escalating threat levels. Keen observation, forward planning and prior experience are critical in determining the proper strategy. Here at DEFCON Dining, we do the grunt…
The New Boom 92 Houston: A Review
About two years ago, I decided to listen to 97.9 The Box over the course of a weekend. This was before the station implemented a not-secret but widely understood policy of supporting locals. It was hypersexualized. It was gross. It dealt with more Rick Ross detailing his sexual prowess than…
I’m Ready to Lose My Virginity. Help!
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! I’M 15 AND READY TO LOSE MY V-CARD Dear Willie D: I’m crushing on a guy…
The 10 Best Girl-Power Songs Ever
Wanna know who’s badass? Women. Know what’s equally badass? Girl-power anthems. And no, we’re not talking about cheesy power ballads a la Christina Aguilera or Mariah Carey. We mean the songs that encourage women to feel proud of their badassery, while embracing what it is to be a chick. Songs…
