Slaves’ Jonny Craig Has His Issues, But His Band Is Still Great
Jonny Craig is one of the most important singers of my generation. He is also a massive douchebag. Reconciling those two facts is difficult for the best of us, but I’ve learned to love him, warts and all. His new band, Slaves, represents some of his best work yet, and…
Sumerian Records Is Throwing an Epic 10th-Anniversary Tour
This year marks the tenth anniversary of metal label Sumerian Records, which is celebrating by having a hell of a bash. The record label, notable for bringing us progressive and technical metal luminaries throughout the last decade, was founded by Ash Avildsen, already known for his work as a booking…
5 Principles to Follow for Great Vegan Food
At a pop-up dinner a few months ago, I swept my knife through a buttery sesame seed-crusted avocado adorning a plate of crisp butter lettuce, speared a seared mushroom along a savory pile of kelp noodles and grilled endive and forked bites of black bean brownie through a small puddle…
Setting the Odds: Will Your Favorite Houston Texan Be Back in 2016?
Employee turnover is a fact of life in the business world. It happens. However, if your business is contracting an NFL roster, then turnover is damn near a ritual, as most NFL teams watch roughly a third of their roster churn out the door to be replaced with either cheaper…
The 10 Most Badass Vehicles for Jamming AC/DC
There isn’t much left to write about AC/DC. The Australian rock legends have been at it for more than 40 years, eschewing nearly all critical acclaim and artistic respect in favor of head-crushing guitar riffs. We’ve heard all about their insatiable lust for booze, broads and bombastic drums. We know…
BrewFest Pre-Sale Tickets on Sale Right Now
It’s that time again to join the Houston Press and Lucky’s Pub on Saturday, April 30 from 3 p.m. – 7.p.m. at Silver Street Station as we celebrate the 5th Annual BrewFest. BrewFest is an indoor/outdoor beer-sampling event and festival that will feature more than 150+ craft beers, local food trucks…
Cochon 555 Takes Over Houston This Weekend With Copious Amounts of Food and Fun
Do you love pork, wine, bourbon, beer, music and fun? Then the return of Cochon 555 to Houston is a don’t-miss event. The main event is on Sunday, but there are events on Friday and Saturday night as well. The main event, Cochon 555 on Sunday, might be best described…
Scientists Discover Pipelines Belching Benzene in East Houston
When researchers piled into vans stocked full of testing equipment and drove around Galena Park and Manchester on the east side of Houston measuring toxic vapors in February 2015, it wasn’t exactly a surprise that they picked up benzene in the air. After all, Houston has long grappled with air pollution…
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Stark Naked Theatre Promises to be a Roller Coaster Ride of Emotion
Come over to our house and watch my husband and me fight. Sound like a night from hell? Well, famed playwright Edward Albee decided that was good material for an examination of the truths and lies in modern marriage, tossed in some humor, brilliant writing and touching moments and came…
Zapruder Analysis of the Viral Videos From the Gronk Cruise
If you are anti-meathead bro, and there is a hell, then for you that hell existed this past weekend somewhere in the Bahamas, on the business end of a four day cruise out of Miami. The cruise starred the key members of the family of New England Patriots tight end…
Former Death Row Inmate Seeking Compensation Could Test Texas’s Much-Lauded Reforms
A former death row inmate is seeking nearly $2 million from the state after he spent more than 12 years in prison following a wrongful conviction, the Houston Chronicle first reported yesterday. In 2005, Alfred Brown was convicted of capital murder after he allegedly murdered Houston Police Officer Charles Clarke,…
MFAH Presents a Pretty Classy Parking Lot for Its “Sculpted” Exhibit
OMG, cars in the art museum. Did someone take a wrong turn on Bissonnet? Have the Philistines turned our august Museum of Fine Arts, Houston into a parking lot? Over the years we’ve had pharaohs and monsters, Star Wars and baseball, so I suppose that one day it had to…
Cruz Finally Fires Someone for Dirty Campaigning
One narrative that’s nagged at Ted Cruz throughout his short political career is how much people really don’t like him – not necessarily as a politician or GOP presidential candidate, but as a person. Cruz gingerly acknowledged the problem this way in the third Republican presidential debate: “If you want someone to…
Five Actors Go Around the World in 80 Days at Alley Theatre
Imagine a play in which five people divvy up 42 characters and only one of the actors plays the same role throughout. That’s what’s going on in Mark Brown’s adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic book Around the World in 80 Days, about to start at the Alley Theatre. “There are…
This Week in Houston Food Blogs: Breakfast Ideas for Going Out or Staying In
This edition of our weekly food blog round-up is brunch-heavy, with a few recipes to help get your day started, a review of a go-to brunch eatery and a dish that includes a hearty helping of chorizo. First up is a recipe for protein-packed pancakes from Erika of the Pancake…
The Durham House’s Menu Reads as Good as Its Competitors, but It Doesn’t Quite Deliver
Dinner at The Durham House is a leisurely affair. Whether by design or by the natural course of a still newish staff working out the details of a still newish menu, a recent Saturday night meal stretched upwards of three hours, including an hour at the bar waiting on a…
Voided Montejunas Trade Adds a New Complication to a Long, Difficult Season for the Rockets
One year ago, if you asked most Houston sports fans which of the city’s three major sports franchises would win a title, most would have guessed the Rockets. They were coming off a 50-plus win season and on their way to an appearance in the Western Conference Finals, despite injuries…
Saddle Up: The 2016 Houston Rodeo Guide
This isn’t the most glorious year for Houston so far with oil prices having hit their lowest level in 13 years. That’s all the more reason to head to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. It’s acres and acres of welcome — and, in many cases, economical — distractions. Take a thrilling…
Upcoming: Alabama, Bastardfest 25, The Dictators, Oceans of Slumber, Merle Haggard, Skid Row, The Wiggins, Z-Ro, etc.
Note: Events in bold reflect highly recommended shows. 420 Sixteen: With MC Lyro, Biz Vicious, Pitter Patter, S4TF., Wed., April 20, 5 p.m., TBA. Eastdown Warehouse, 850 McKee, Houston, 832-503-5987. Absolutely Not Chicago: With The Baby Magic. Thu., March 17, 8 p.m., TBA. Black Barbie, 3621 Canal, Houston, 281-743-8328. Adam Bricks: Thu.,…
How a Bunch of Georgia Prisoners Duped Dozens of People in Harris County
The phone call from the “Harris County Sheriff’s Office” went like this: “You have an open warrant. You owe us money. Unless you pay up, we will send somebody to arrest you.” The caller would then ask the nervous victim to drive to a Kroger or a convenience store to…
The Wacky — and Lucrative — World of Vintage Concert Shirts
Concert tee shirts have become one of the most popular forms of musical memorabilia around, and for many reasons. What better way for a fan to broadcast his or her love of a band than to wear a shirt emblazoned with their name and imagery? There’s something cool about a…
EU Antitrust Regulators Delay Decision on Halliburton/Baker Hughes Merger. Again
It seemed like a minor miracle, or, you know, a result of dropping oil prices, when Halliburton and Baker Hughes officials agreed to merge their two Houston-based companies back in 2014, but it’s turning out that getting these longtime rivals — the second and third largest oil field service providers…
The Suffers Brace for Stardom as the World’s Most Dangerous Gulf Coast Soul Band
Every show, The Suffers launch their arms into the air. The plus-size Houston band always begins a performance with their arms thrust toward a limitless sky and a roar to signal their arrival. It’s their way of cutting through the tension, knifing their way through any nervousness and anxiety. Only…
Triple 9‘s Great Cast, Mean Premise and Killer Heist All Get Wasted
Bad cop movies — whether bad movies about cops or movies about bad cops — can be like those Arctic core samples from which scientists determine long-gone CO2 levels, though in this case they’re measuring American anxiety about police authority. Pop on John Hillcoat’s agonized pulp thriller Triple 9 in…
Eddie the Eagle Is No Cool Runnings
In the Winter Olympics, ski jumping is one of those sports — bobsledding and luging are others — where Joe and Jane Satellite Dish cannot tell the difference between a great performance and a terrible one unless the athlete is carried away on a stretcher. No doubt there are crucial…
Nineteen-Year-Old Pizzeria Employee Gunned Down in Bellaire
Peter Mielke, an employee at Reginelli’s Pizzeria at 5303B Bissonnet, was gunned down during an apparent robbery attempt on Sunday, February 21. According to a report by KTRK Channel 13, at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 21, Reginelli’s employees were preparing to close for the night when an armed robber…
Ted Cruz: Possibly Still Not “American” Enough to be President
Is Sen. Ted Cruz American enough to be president? Somehow there are people out there that still maintain he’s not enough of a citizen to be the Republican nominee for Commander-in-Chief. This isn’t the first time Cruz’s citizenship “issue” has come up. Fellow GOP presidential contender and (somehow) frontrunner Donald…
Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games Coming to Houston For One Night
In 1998, Michael Flatley beat his own Guinness World Record when he tapped 35 taps per second. Now he’s on his way back to Houston for a one-night performance in what he says is his last tour with Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games. “My body has taken a severe beating…
LeRon Barnes: The Perfect Cougar
LeRon Barnes didn’t have to stick around with the Houston Cougars. He could have left in April 2014, after head coach James Dickey’s departure. Six other UH players left at that time, and others considered it, especially after new coach Kelvin Sampson said he wouldn’t stop anyone from leaving who…
Old Favorites and a Newcomer Were Big Winners at 2016 Rodeo Uncorked! Best Bites
Grazia Italian Kitchen has much to be proud of after last night’s Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Uncorked! Best Bites Competition. Even though it was only their first year to enter, the Pearland restaurant grabbed not only the Best Bites Rookie award but also the top position in the Lone…
Megadeth Fights Off Glitches to Deliver Aggressive, Well-Balanced Set
Megadeth Revention Music Center February 21, 2016 It’s a standard bit of comedy in the concert world that the quickest way for a legacy band to ensure a bolt for the beer and bathroom lines is to announce from the stage “And now, here’s something from our new record.” However,…
State GOP Snubs Local Republican Marijuana Reform Group
In the past few years, marijuana reform has taken root across the country. Four states and the District of Columbia have legalized small amounts of pot for recreational purposes. Numerous other states have passed varying types of medical marijuana bills. Even in Texas, which still has some of the harshest…
Why Harper Lee Matters
As I reflect on author Harper Lee’s passing, I recall where I first learned her name and the impact her words had on me. It was something transformative and which I can never forget. About 20 years ago just south of Houston, I came of age in one of those sleepy…
Why Aren’t More of You Paying Attention to Carly Rae Jepsen?
Carly Rae Jepsen House of Blues February 21, 2016 Most of the hierarchy of pop music makes sense. You might not agree with how popular some artists are, but you can at least understand why some play stadiums, some play arenas, some play amphitheaters and so on down. Carly Rae…
Comedian Nick Cobb Debuts at Houston Joke-Joint
As comedian and native Tennessean Nick Cobb makes his Houston debut, he has a few reasons to be excited. “I’m a huge barbeque person,” Cobb concedes, “ but [west coast] barbecue is crap. I’ve honesty had better stuff at the airport than I have in LA. Good [barbeque] can make the…
Living Without Hot Water in the Fourth-Largest City in America
The large pot on the stove in Verna Billberry’s kitchen has become more like an appliance necessary for basic living rather than cooking. Around dinnertime, when her husband calls on his way home from work and says he would like to take a bath, she fills the pot with water…
This Week in Houston Food Events: Go Texan Week & Cochon555
All Week Long GO TEXAN Week It’s rodeo season, y’all! Put on your finest western wear and check out the GO TEXAN specials and celebrations around town. Phoenicia Specialty Foods, 1001 Austin, will be offering unusual Texan foods, and MKT BAR inside of Phoenicia will have a special Texan menu and…
The Landscape of Grief Is Marred by Uneven Casting in Rabbit Hole
The set up: We hear it on the news almost daily. A fatal car crash has taken the life of X. We listen. We say ‘how awful’. Our lucky stars get thanked that the person isn’t our parent/sibling /partner/friend while simultaneously imagining how we would cope if the victim was…
Clues About the Evolution of Flight and Birds Discovered in Burmese Amber
Mummification, embalming, mellification (steeping in honey), plastination (a four-stage plasticizing procedure) and cryogenics – humans are always looking for the next big idea when it comes to preserving the body, but nature always seems to do one better. Amber, as it turns out, is more than just a beautiful, translucent…
Five Quarterbacks the Texans Should Look at Making Their “Kirk Cousins”
The road to acquiring a franchise quarterback in the NFL is, oftentimes, far from simple. Sure, there are a generous handful of quarterbacks that were upper-end-of-the-first-round draft choices, but for every Peyton Manning and Cam Newton taken number one overall, there are guys like Drew Brees and Tom Brady, who…
10 Great Drone Videos of Houston
Aerial drones are becoming increasingly inexpensive and more people are flying them. Since drones equipped with cameras can be bought for less than $100, with higher quality models available for not a lot more, more and more hobbyists are taking to the skies and seeing our world from an entirely…
Hillary Clinton Slams Texas Voter ID Law at TSU Rally
Barely sticking around to celebrate her win in Nevada, Hillary Clinton took the podium at Texas Southern University late Saturday night to address a diverse crowd of college students, moms, and grandparents as old as 110. No group went unmentioned in her Get Out The Vote rally speech, less about…
Bellator 149 Brings One of the Weirdest MMA Shows Ever to Houston
There are those out there that will tell you that Bellator 149 was a Bad Show. It’s not hard to understand why someone would feel that way, especially if you’re the type that enjoys MMA as a serious sport. Neither of the main events will go down in the history…
The Best David Bowie Tribute So Far
Ever since the passing of musical icon David Bowie, a torrent of tributes has poured out from every corner of the world. Some have been absolutely horrible, some incredibly touching, but none have been as innovative and creative as the man himself. Now, we finally have the one that reaches…
Shows of the Week: A Tailgate Party Plus All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
MUTEMATH House of Blues, February 23 Picking up where the Killers left off, New Orleans’ MuteMath explores the intersection of modern rock and electronic music with an eye toward presentation, resulting in a kaleidoscopic sound that ventures from ethereal to anthemic and back again. Their sound also makes an ideal…
Houston Rappers Are Totally Upstaging the Media’s Campaign 2016 Coverage
The 2016 presidential campaign is shifting into a higher gear, and with Super Tuesday just eight days away, it’s only going to get weirder from here. Dominated thus far by the rise of so-called “outsider” candidates like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, as well as the difficulties faced by presumed…
The Trojan Women at Obsidian Offers a Modern Overlay on an Ancient Tale
The set-up: The regal and imposing Qamara Black, Houston Theater Award-winning Best Actress 2014 for her searing portrayal of opportunistic, fearless Mama Nadi in Lynn Nottage’s Ruined, registers majesty even when bowed and broken – maybe even more so. The execution: As the imperious queen of Troy in Euripides’ famed…
A Defense of Togetherness’ Blinding Whiteness
In a September interview with GQ, Constance Wu, star of NBC’s Fresh Off the Boat, observed of the HBO series Togetherness, “It’s a show about white people.” She’s not wrong: Created by indie-film luminaries Jay and Mark Duplass, along with the actor Steve Zissis, Togetherness is a low-key look at…
Trae Tha Truth Is Right at Home at Warehouse Live
Trae Tha Truth Warehouse Live February 18, 2016 Sometimes popping into Warehouse Live on a weeknight is a breeze. Other times, the trip indoors requires a little patience. Thursday night was one of those times. It was nearly 10 p.m. by the time I arrived, and a line still snaked…
Mary Poppins Gets Ready to Stick Her Landing in Houston Again
Audiences attending the upcoming Theatre Under the Stars production of Disney’s Mary Poppins can be assured that the flying nanny will, in fact, fly, to the great delight of everyone. But although many people know the movie (Julie Andrews!), fewer have seen the rewritten book , which emphasizes the fractured Banks…
HGO Premieres Prince of Players: When Men Could No Longer Play Women on Stage
As a baritone in opera, Ben Edquist says he knows he won’t get a lot of chances to do a deep emotional role. “You’re usually the villain or the sidekick,” he says. But in Prince of Players by noted composer Floyd Carlisle (Susannah) a chamber opera commissioned by the Houston Grand…
The Texas Racing Commission Kills Historical Racing (With Glenn Hegar’s “Help”)
After more than a year of defying the state legislature, the Texas Racing Commission finally, sort of, caved in on Thursday. After being deadlocked on whether to allow historical racing to remain on the commission’s books back in December, this time around Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar weighed in and helped…
Almost Too Late Discovering the Show Looking That Mirrors Real Gay Life
As with most things that are even vaguely trendy, I didn’t discover the HBO TV series Looking until it was already passé – already cancelled, in fact. For those not familiar with the series – and judging from the ratings that will be most of you – Looking is the…
For the First Time Ever, Houston Will Have a Hispanic Woman as Interim Police Chief
On Thursday, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced that Executive Assistant Chief Martha Montalvo will take over as interim chief of the Houston Police Department when current Chief Charles Mclelland steps down at the end of this month. Citing her 35 years of experience as a Houston police officer and the fact…
California’s Andre Thierry Is High on Houston’s Zydeco Scene
Zydeco accordionist Andre Thierry rumbles into town for two gigs this week, at Café 4212’s Saturday zydeco brunch and The Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club on Sunday. The soft-spoken Thierry may be based in Richmond in northern California, but he’s all about Houston and the local zydeco scene. “I’d…
Video: Kimbo Slice and Dada 5000 Exchange Verbal Jabs Ahead of Bellator 149
There’s really no better way to sell a fight than a good press conference. A great video package can tell a story and interviews might make you invested in a fighter, but there’s nothing quite as exciting as seeing two guys who don’t like each other forced to interact. Kimbo…
A Comparatively Nuanced Faith-Based Drama, Risen Still Preaches to the Choir
The centerpiece of Hail, Caesar!’s mid-century Hollywood satire is the eponymous film-within-a-film itself, an overwrought biblical epic in which a skeptical Roman centurion played by George Clooney has a literal come-to-Jesus moment. Risen, whose plot can be described in exactly the same way, never inspires one of its own. Co-writer/director…
Jesse Owens Inspires, but Race Stumbles to the Finish Line
There is precisely one attempted coup de cinema in the Jesse Owens biopic Race, which otherwise defaults to the backlot handsomeness of other Great Men tributes from Hollywood. In 1935, Owens (Stephan James), a freshman sensation on the Ohio State University track team, returns to the locker room after practice…
Deputy’s Widow Accused of Stealing More Than $100,000 From Deputies’ Union
Not long after Cathy Hill’s husband, a Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy, was killed in the line of duty, the Harris County Deputies Organization hired her on as an office manager. In 2000, her husband, Barrett Hill, was shot while chasing car theft suspects through the woods. After he died,…
