United vs. Southwest Deathcage Match: Your Campaign Donations Scorecard
Houston City Council is currently in an uproar over Mayor Annise Parker’s tentative proposal to allow Southwest to have international flights out of Hobby Airport. Councilmembers have said the proposal is rushed and would harm United Airlines, which, of course, merged with Continental and flies internationally out of Bush Intercontinental…
Tommy Tune Awards Are on for Tonight at the Hobby
You have your 15 minutes of fame and you have 15 minutes of rehearsal time and that’s all you get, as students from high schools throughout the Houston area had reinforced to them today. The Hobby Center was filled with one group after another hitting the boards and some/many/all of…
Michael Elbert Young: Sex-Offender Escapee from Halfway House Captured
Michael Elbert Young, the sex offender who became the fifth person in 18 months to escape from a privatized halfway house on the Old Beaumont Highway, has been caught. KTRK reports that Young was captured in Austin today “after an alleged robbery where he is accused of choking a woman…
What’s the Deal with Sushi Rice in Houston?
Eating sushi after watching — no, experiencing — Jiro Dreams of Sushi on Friday night was clearly a fool’s errand. But watching Jiro Ono make piece after magical piece of nigirizushi with gentle and practiced hands gave me a sushi jones the likes I’ve which I’ve never before experienced. I…
Tim Bobo, Fredericksburg Cop, Sued on Claim of Roughing Up Diabetic Man
A man says he was in the midst of a diabetic episode when a Fredericksburg cop threw him to the ground during a traffic stop. Brian Kane has sued police officer Tim Bobo over the August 2010 incident. Kane’s suit says he has Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes, and he was…
MFAH Fine Art + Food Trucks Perk Up Lunch in the Museum District
When I first heard about the MFAH Fine Art + Food Trucks program, I was extremely excited. As much as I love living in the Museum District, one of the huge drawbacks is the lack of variety when it comes to food choices. Sure, I can hop on a train…
Rocks Off Exclusive: Venomous Maximus Premiere “The Mission” Music Video
Houston’s Venomous Maximus have made their first music video, directed and edited by Bryan Forrester, for their song “The Mission” from last year’s EP of the same name. The video, a spooky black-and-white affair featuring strobe shots, raven witches, and the band playing in the woods, is Forrester’s first clip…
Rutherford Cravens: From No Country for Old Men to Richard III
Last year, Rutherford Cravens, who’s been on screen in RoboCop 2, Friday Night Lights, Ray and most recently No Country for Old Men, went to Prague in King Lear, where he says the city is filled with culture and the audience is “delightful.” “The bar is open all through the…
Tuesday April 17, 2012 Deals of the Day: Skewers and Ekko’s
Welcome to our weekly roundup of the very best Deals of the Day here at the Houston Press. Since today is the deadline to file your taxes, we thought it would be a good idea to help you save a little extra cash in case you need to pay the…
Select Elvis Presley Artifacts From Graceland Are On A Media Tour
Angie Marchese started working at Elvis Presley’s Graceland over 23 years ago while still in high school, as a tour guide. Today, she is the archival director for the museum and Presley household. The Memphis native travels the country showing items off from the Presley estate, and Rocks Off was…
Aggies Fail Geography with New SEC Shirt
The Texas A&M Aggies are really excited to join the SEC. Just think of all those great road trips to Florida, Alabama and…North Carolina? Apparently the Aggies think North Carolina has a team in the SEC, because they included it on a league map featured on a shirt that went…
DVDs & Blu-Rays: The Divide, More Roger Corman and Mega Box Sets
The Divide stars Michael Biehn, Lauren German and Milo Ventimigla; Xavier Gens directs. Two words will sell horror fans on The Divide: Michael Biehn. The actor has a rabid cult following and after his performance in The Divide, it’s easy to see why. Biehn plays Mickey, a building superintendent. When…
Go Pig or Go Home: How Things Went Down at the 1st Annual Suckling Pig Throwdown
Check out our slideshow of the Suckling Pig Throwdown. Leave it to Kata Robata Executive Chef Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi to assemble a cast of chefs worthy of an Iron Chef all-stars competition. Because that’s what happened on Sunday night at the 1st Annual Suckling Pig Throwdown, when 13 of Houston’s…
Upcoming: Kelly Clarkson, Incubus, Jonathan Richman, Unknown Hinson, Etc.
B L A C K I E: Tue., May 1. Walter’s, 1120 Naylor St., Houston. Beat Connection, White Arrows: Fri., June 22. Fitzgerald’s, 2706 White Oak, Houston. Eric Benét, Ledisi: Thu., July 5. Arena Theatre, 7326 SW Freeway, Houston. Guitar Shorty: Sat., June 2. The Big Easy Social & Pleasure…
Top 5 Mullet-Rock Bands You Might Not Expect
Last Sunday, HBO aired the Season 3 finale of Eastbound & Down, the series about down-on-his-luck minor-league relief pitcher and morally bankrupt human being Kenny Powers. Besides a certain unvarnished wisdom (“death is for pussies”) and a peculiar way with the ladies, Powers has one of the most spectacular haircuts…
Carlos Fernandez, Three Other Teens Killed Homeless Man for a Dollar
Houston police say four teenagers have confessed to taking part in the murder of a homeless man from whom they stole a dollar. Pedro Ramos, 32, was shot and killed April 4 in the 11700 block of Hempstead Highway. Four teens, including a 16-year-old female, have confessed to taking part…
Eat Like an Argentine at These 5 Houston Restaurants
The International Festival (iFest) is upon us once again. And this year, the multi-weekend festival has chosen Argentina as its spotlighted country. That means that much of the music, art and — most importantly — food that will be showcased will be Argentinean. And for meat-loving Texans, that’s a very…
Classical Theatre Company Tackles The Tempest, with Mixed Results
The setup: Classical Theatre Company’s foray into the thickets of William Shakespeare this season is The Tempest, one of the Bard’s most admired and popular plays. The execution: In shoehorning The Tempest into the intimate Obsidian Art Space, considerable inventiveness is required, and often provided. The opening shipwreck is adroitly…
Paralyzed Man Commits “Suicide by Cop” in Montgomery County, Sheriff Says (UPDATED)
A handicapped man led police on a highway chase, tried to throw his wheelchair out on the road during it, and finally committed “suicide by cop” when he shouted “Shoot me!” and then reached for a possible weapon, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says. The chase began around 1 a.m…
First Look at L’Olivier Restaurant and Bar
I am a bit of a Francophile. My brother lived in France for a year and when I visited him in the small town of Vichy I was hooked. The language, the laissez-faire attitude and in particular the food drew me in. I even took eight years of French, but…
Double Dare Ya: Author Sara Marcus Looks Beyond Riot Grrrl
To many, the term “Riot Grrrl” evokes images of impassioned, barrette-clad girls shrieking into microphones, the word “SLUT” scrawled across their bare bellies in magic marker. Those images are mostly accurate — but more notably, the Riot Grrrl movement of the early ’90s carries a passionate story of grassroots feminist…
Donald Glover and 5 Other TV Crossovers, a Wish List
We were a little too excited to read that Community’s Donald Glover will be making his way over to 30 Rock later this month. Glover was previously a writer for the Tina Fey sitcom, but his upcoming return to the show will be as an actor. Glover is slated to…
Spectral Manifest: What’s The Point Of Incoherent Metal Vocals?
A chance encounter online with Cryptos Granamyr Grimm (drums, vocals) of local metal sensation Spectral Manifest led to an in-depth conversation on the point of unintelligible Cookie Monster vocals in the world of metal. Rocks Off: Pick a tune of yours. Any tune that you look at and it looks…
Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust Pizza: UK Edition
Well, damn, I should have waited to blog about five British food traditions to embrace, because clearly a front-runner has emerged. Eh, perhaps not. For some inscrutable reason, Pizza Hut has chosen to offer its new Pizza Hut hot dog-stuffed crust pizza exclusively in the UK. Aren’t British people supposed…
George Hamilton Steps into a Dallas Strip Mall for a Haircut, Gets “a Huge Hole” Put in His Head
George Hamilton is as well known for his tan and his liaisons with assorted women as he is for his movie roles over the years. Apparently he should also be known as a man willing to take risks. Scheduled to speak to Art Attack, Hamilton was apologetically late and then…
Comment of the Day: Will the Aeros Really Go Far in the Playoffs?
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
Upstart New Braunfels Newspaper Says Its Drivers Harassed by Cops
In case you weren’t aware, a war (of sorts) has been brewing in the otherwise sleepy hamlet of New Braunfels. Late last year, Leonidas Patrick “Mark” McGonical, a critic of a new can-ban law that keeps tubers on the Comal River from bringing disposable containers, launched a newspaper called the…
Pop Rocks: You Can Ape The Ape – 10 Famous Chimps
Chimpanzee, the new documentary from Disneynature (also responsible for Earth, Oceans, and African Cats), hits theaters this Friday. The film follows three-year old Oscar, who finds himself alone in the jungles of the Ivory Coast before another chimp “adopts” him (presumably such procedures are simpler for lower primates than human…
Rachel Bradley, Sarah Adams: Changed Looks Can’t Keep Christmas-Gift Thieves from Being Arrested
Back in December, thieves broke into a storage unit in Longview and stole $20,000 worth of Christmas presents intended for poor kids. Relatively quickly, police had two suspects and published mugshots of Rachel Bradley and Sarah Adams. Within the past 11 days, both have been arrested, and it looks like…
Where Are We Drinking?
It isn’t often when dining at big chain restaurants that a person ordering tea is presented with a variety of respectable options. But here at this breakfast spot, they actually do it right. (The coffee ain’t bad, either.) Think you know where we’re drinking a spot of tea this week?…
The Secret Service at the Movies
Now that we know that 11 members of President Obama’s Secret Service detail don’t like paying hookers for services rendered, the top executive security detail is under heavy scrutiny. The elite team of guards, known in pop culture as spy-cool, levelheaded and omnipresent protectors of the president and his family,…
Syrupy Surprises: Random Selections From DJ Screw’s Personal Vinyl Collection
If you haven’t taken the time to check out the “DJ Screw and the Rise of Houston Hip-Hop” exhibit on display now at UH’s MD Anderson Library, do yourself a favor and go. Put on entirely by the UH Library System, the exhibit tells the story of Houston’s musical evolution…
Houston and Denver: Where Dreams of Being a Male Cheerleader Go to Die (w/ VIDEO!)
Check out our slideshow of Texans Cheer tryouts. It’s been a longstanding joke that since the time Gary Kubiak took over the reins of the Houston Texans, every facet of the organization here has some tie to the Denver Broncos. If the Texans pick a player up off the waiver…
Readers Poll: The Most Underrated Rock Albums Of The ’90s
For this week’s readers poll, I asked our Facebook and Twitter chums their choices for the most underrated and unsung albums of the ’90s. We all agree on things like Nevermind, Harvest Moon, Mezzanine, The Soft Bulletin, Odelay and OK Computer, but what about albums that fall through the cracks…
Kid Icarus: Upring: It’s Good, But We’re Not Sure Who It’s for
We’re a little late on reviewing the latest Kid Icarus title for the 3DS, the first game in the series in 19 years and only the third entry, not counting Smash Brothers appearances. Our hero Pit has always been something of a nostalgia character without any real history as a…
Lynn Tran: Ripped Off Breast-Cancer Charity, Cops Say
When you work for a nonprofit that provides health services to indigents, you can get inspired. Or you can get greedy. Lynn Tran, 38, apparently chose the second option, if what court documents say is true. Tran was a staffer at The Rose, a 25-year-old breast-cancer organization which provides medical…
100 Arrested in Highway Drug Crackdown After 900 Pulled Over for “Alleged Traffic Violations”
Memo to those involved in the drug trade: Follow traffic rules, make sure your car’s registration and inspection are current and don’t have any busted taillights. That’s the lesson that might be learned from the recent crackdown led by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. HCSO says it pulled over 900…
Barbecue Inn Serves Some of America’s Best Fried Chicken, Says Food & Wine
…to which Houston responds, “Well, yeah.” Also: “Now go try Frenchy’s.” We usually don’t write up every single “Best Of” listicle that comes our way here at Eating Our Words, but we considered today’s fried chicken announcement from Food & Wine a public service reminder that Barbecue Inn does, indeed,…
Graffiti Art Abounds at Summer Street Arts Festival
Remember wandering off from your mom in the store as a kid? That’s how we felt this past weekend at the Summer Street Arts Festival, only it was the other way around after artist and event coordinator skeez181 grabbed our notepad, scribbled on it a bit, then left us alone…
Charles Cannon, Two Others Guilty in Hate-Crime Beating of Black Man at Bus Stop
A Houston federal jury has convicted three men on hate-crime charges for beating up a random black man at a downtown bus stop. Charles Cannon, 26, Michael McLaughlin, 40, and Brian Kerstetter, 32 were convicted under the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act; a fourth man saw his case…
Rap Round Table: The Best Female Rapper Of All Time Is…
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week’s Panel: Zavey, hasHBrown, Scooby, Medicine Girl, Nicki Minaj, Renzo, Rob Gullatte, more. Not Invited: Hologram Tupac This Week’s Prompt: Here’s something we’ve never really…
Houston Indie Book Festival Brings Together Independent Authors, Booksellers and Publishers
See our slideshow from the Menil Community Art Festival and Indie Book Fest. Writing about writers is as daunting a task as introducing a dignitary to a room full of dignitaries; do it right, or don’t do it at all. Imagine, then, the anxiety we felt while visiting the tables…
Fast Times: Kolache Factory Ranchero and Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Kolaches
The comments you guys left for me in my recent article on my hunt for a great kolache really inspired me to start a dedicated search. I took all of your suggestions, created a list, and hung it up on my office bulletin board, so when the mood struck I…
Coachella: The 10 Most Awkward Dance Moves In GIF Form
Note: This post was written by Rocks Off’s friend and LA Weekly music editor Ben Westhoff, who obviously had a more interesting weekend than we did. See also: *”What My Spirit Hood Means To Me”: Coachella-Goers Explain *Coachella: The Black Lips’ Cole Alexander Goes Full Monty, Plays Guitar With His…
MySpace? 5 Other Things Roger Clemens’s Trial Judge Wants Jurors to Avoid
Being a juror for a long, high-profile trial can be a burden, as you’re forced to severely limit your news-reading habits so as not to be influenced by stories. The judge in the Roger Clemens lawsuit has issued the standard warning for potential jurors, but he specifically included what might…
Puppets, Run for Your Lives! — OMG, They Can’t!
No puppet is safe when Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre presents its eighth annual puppet slam, PUPPETSPLOITATION, at the Midtown Art Center, so puppets everywhere must be breathing a sense of relief that the slam ended this weekend. Fire is a constant hazard, puppets are murdered and alien puppets have ray guns…
Saturday Night: South Park Coalition 25th Anniversary At Numbers
South Park Coalition 25th Anniversary Numbers April 14, 2012 Over the past 25 years, few rap cliques anywhere have been as prolific and consistent as Houston’s South Park Coalition. To celebrate a quarter-century worth of underground rhymes and grinds on Saturday night, the S.P.C. brought both the quality and quantity…
Eat More Sushi: My Night with Top Chef Texas Winner Paul Qui
Surreal, sublime and sensual: the definition of the food at Uchi. We all agree that Tyson Cole is a master, and we are lucky he brought us Uchi. Thursday night he gave us one more gift – Paul Qui. You may know him as the Executive Chef at Uchiko in…
Coachella: 5 Signs You’re an Aging Hipster
Timothy Norris/LA WeeklyAging hipsters — the very same people Coachella targeted when it began holding the music fest in Indio — are usually easy to spot on the Empire Polo Fields. They’re the ones who can’t be bothered to walk over to Gobi and check out a new band because…
Jamail Wagner Beat the Crap Out of 4-Year-Old for Kicking Car Seat, Cops Say
Police have a charged a 23-year-old man for brutally beating his girlfriend’s four-year-old son because the kid would not stop kicking the car seat, according to court documents. Jamail Wagner is charged with injury to a child. Wagner told police he “was taking [the child] to day care when he…
Friday Night: Dick Dale At The Continental Club
Dick Dale Continental Club April 13, 2012 Dick Dale, the king of surf rock and grandfather of metal, played decades of music Friday night at the Continental with his near-thrash guitar licks. He’s the man behind that iconic riff opening the movie Pulp Fiction, which was also borrowed for an…
Wine of the Week: An Under-$10 Malbec from (Yup, You Guessed It) Argentina
When my wife Tracie P and I pulled the synthetic cork out of a bottle of Terrazas de los Andes Altos del Plata Malbec on Saturday evening at a family function, we joked that we could write the tasting note without even sampling the contents: “Bright jammy fruit, with an…
Mad Men: It’s Go Time!
Mixing business and pleasure is on the menu for Mad Men’s advertising team. Some of that pleasure is clean and wholesome and some not so much. Pete and Trudy talk Poppa Don into making his way into the ‘burbs for a dinner party, complete with tacky checkered sports jackets. Pete…
You Have to Love Your Job: Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Before you go to see Jiro Dreams of Sushi — which you absolutely should, and at your earliest convenience before it leaves town on April 22 — know one thing: This is not a movie about sushi. One could be forgiven for thinking that it is. After all, there are…
The Man Who Raped a 15-Year-Old Girl Looks Like This
Illustration by HPDThe suspectPolice have released a composite sketch of the man who dragged a 15-year-old girl into his car and raped her. The attack occurred on the south side of town near Zollie Scales Park March 21. The girl was walking along Cordray Street around 5:35 p.m. when a…
The Best & Worst-Case Scenarios For The Future Of Musical Holograms
Like most night owls, I spent early Monday morning watching YouTube clips of a holographic Tupac Shakur playing Coachella with his friends Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg nearly 16 years after his death. It was at once creepy and crass, but altogether interesting no matter how you sliced it, and…
Eric Cutler Tries to Make Two Women Happy in Mary Stuart
The biggest difference between Houston Grand Opera and many other companies is that Houston doesn’t rely on one outstanding singer to carry a production, says tenor Eric Cutler, here to sing the Earl of Leicester part in the Donizetti opera Mary Stuart. “The main thing is, with all of these…
Game of Thrones: “What Is Dead May Never Die”
I’ve talked about the issues involved in bringing a 1000+ page manuscript to the small screen. Character arcs have to be shortened (or ignored entirely), while plotlines are merged to make sure things fit into a ten hour framework. What this also means is what may have been implicit in…
Friday Night: Spoon At House Of Blues
Spoon House of Blues April 13, 2012 Spoon has two types of songs: Songs that cut and songs that groove. But they all sting. The songs that cut are choppy and a little clenched, like “Small Stakes” or “Got Nuffin’.” The songs that groove are about as fluid as I…
Damien Goss, 30, Bayou Body Count No. 45
A man was shot to death in his car early Sunday morning on the north side, police say. Damien Goss, 30, has pulled into a driveway in the 1400 block of 34th Street about 1:40 a.m., police say. ” An unknown suspect, in a late model dark gray or black…
Romanesque Roots with an American Family: Giada De Laurentiis
Her lineage destined her for culinary aspirations, but education and hard work put her on your television screen, on the covers of books and magazines and, most deliciously, on your dinner plate. Giada De Laurentiis was in Houston April 3 to publicize her new cookbook, Weeknights with Giada and drew…
Hot Flashes Are Hilarious in Menopause The Musical at Hobby Center
The set-up: Menopause The Musical turns angst into rollicking good humor as four disparate female strangers meet and bond over their common mid-life crises. The execution: The set is simplicity itself — four handsome doors in warm wood paneled with etched glass in an art deco design. Simple props are…
What’s Cooking This Week?
I’ve promised my fiancé latkes, so this week, I’ll be making potato pancakes with a twist. My sweet potato pancakes will balance perfectly with some of the other meals I have planned. Here’s what I’m making: Sundried Tomato Chicken Sausage & Peppers Spiced Pork Loin w/ Sweet Potato Pancakes Spinach…
The Borgias: Things That Shouldn’t Go in Your Butt
Since you, dear readers, responded so well to our list of Popes that make Rodrigo Borgia look fairly decent in comparison, it was decided that we’d start bringing you weekly coverage of the show. We pick up the series with the Pope having secured complete control of the Vatican, and…
Dragonetti: The Freakin’ Creepy Saint Of Bass
Bass players, I know I spend a lot of time making fun of you, though of course you may not realize it because, well, you’re bass players and the Internet hasn’t evolved to the point where I can easily use puppets to explain my points. All kidding aside, I want…
Comment of the Day: The Only Good Thing About Astros Broadcasts
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
Watch Out, AHL, the Aeros Are Back in the Playoffs
John RoyalKris Foucault appears to be a bit shocked that he scored.The Houston Aeros didn’t make things easy this season. The team’s been beset by injuries. They’ve lost important players to the parent Minnesota Wild time and time again. They tied the AHL record with 11 losses in the shootout…
Don Carlos from Houston Grand Opera: A Must-Hear
The setup: In HGO ‘s new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “grand opera” masterpiece, Don Carlos (1867), was commissioned for Paris’s Théâtre Impérial de l’Opéra, which liked its Second Empire productions big and long. It’s the magnificent singing and conducting that can be called grand. The rest of this co-production, borrowed…
Tax Day: The 5 Best Things About It
Tomorrow is deadline day for filing your federal income taxes. Normally, that’s a terrible thing. No one except Warren Buffett is eager to pay taxes. And it’s worse for us members of the hoi polloi, for while we’re handing over a big chunk of our wages, we do it knowing…
Top 10 “Cabin in the Woods” Movies
Of course one of the most anticipated horror films of this year would open on Friday the 13th. The Cabin in the Woods, penned and directed by Cloverfield and Buffy the Vampire Slayer screenwriter (TV show) Drew Goddard, opened last week with lots of hoopla behind it. It doesn’t hurt…
Missed Opportunities: 10 Musicians Who Turned Down Big Hits
Have you ever had one of those moments where you thought to yourself, “Why did I do that?” or “Why did I turn that down?” Those kinds of moments happen to all of us. It’s part of life, unfortunately. This happens all the time in the movie world, but you…
WorldFest: Writer/Director Greg Green Goes for the Jackpot with Three of a Kind
Three of a Kind stars Tom Adams, Jodi Russell and Margot Kidder; Greg Green directs. Casting is everything, says Three of a Kind writer/director Greg Green. So when he got Margot Kidder to play Claire, a supporting but crucial role, he knew the cornerstone to his movie was in place…
Where Are We Eating?
The steak tartare plating below may look very fancy, but rest assured that it’s actually quite affordable. The reason? It’s not prepared by a chef — per se. Is this enough of a hint to guess where we’re dining out this week? Leave your best guess below…
Paul Thorn Wonders What The Hell Is Going On?
Paul Thorn is in Nettleton, Miss., standing in his front yard watching his 8-year old daughter bounce on the trampoline while he takes yet another interview call. Asked if another time would be better, he demurs. “No, no, no, this is great,” drawls Thorn. “I understand and my family understands…
5 Most Embarrassing Video Game Weaknesses
Most video game characters have understandable weaknesses. Bullets kill you. Lava burns you. When a Hunter comes flying at you with its claws extended and it connects with your neck your head goes flying across the rooms exactly as heads shouldn’t. We get that. Then again, some games pick some…
The 10 Hottest IRS Commissioners EVER
Tax day. Ugh. You may moan — we’re taking the positive road. We’ve listed five good things about tax day, and we also choose to highlight those hot, hot, hawt IRS Commissioners who have taken your money so nobly through the years. Like these 10: 10. George Boutwell Oooh, ladies:…
Coachella Becomes “Coldchella”: Did Goldenvoice Hike Up Hoodie Prices?
Note: We’re running reports from our sister blog in LA, West Coast Sound, on the Coachella Music Festival. For the first time in its 13 years, the weather was the biggest thing on everyone’s minds Coachella. The word “Coldchella” was tossed around like they were the first person to think…
Coachella: The Black Lips’ Cole Alexander Goes Full Monty, Plays Guitar With His Ding-Dong
Note: We’re running reports from our sister blog in LA, West Coast Sound, on the Coachella Music Festival. The Black Lips started off Saturday at Coachella with a bang. The flower-punk band from Atlanta, Georgia decided to pull a Jim Morrison-esque maneuver during their 2:15 set at the Mojave tent…
Robin Gibb Of The Bee Gees Falls Into Coma
Robin Gibb, one-third of fraternal British/Australian ’70s disco-pop superstars the Bee Gees, fell into a coma Friday night in a private London hospital, according to wire services. Reuters reports that Gibb, 62, is surrounded by his family. He was hospitalized for pneumonia earlier this earlier this week after battling both…
This Week in Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where the leftover Peeps are finally starting to develop that intriguing leathery outer shell. We started the week off right with some chickens. That’s right, chickens. They’re tasty, and tasty things come out of them. Plus if you live…
In the Swim: Everything But Water Galleria Grand Opening Saturday, April 14
If you had told me a few days ago that I was about to have the best swimsuit-buying experience of my life, I would have laughed; if you had told me it would come just 12 hours after attending a seven-course tasting dinner at Philippe, I might have fainted dead…
Boobie & Chilly Bill: Police Want to Talk to Them About Xavier Glover’s Murder
Houston police are looking for two men they say might have information about the Wednesday shooting of 18-year-old Xavier Glover. Paul Donshea Williams, 29, is known as Boobie, and William Thomas Hickman III 39, goes by the name of Chilly Bill, HPD says. The men have not been charged with…
Here’s a List of All the Restaurants You’ll Get to Taste at Menu of Menus 2012
In my years of covering and attending our yearly Menu of Menus event, I’ve never been quite as excited for the grand tasting as I am this year. Why? In addition to the first annual Iron Fork competition — which pits two of Houston’s best young chefs against each other,…
Steven Wayne Morris: East Texas Cop Gets 8 Years for Repeatedly Sexing Teen in Back of Her Car
A police officer who had repeated sexual encounters with a 15-year-old girl in the back seat of her car has been sentenced to eight years in prison. Steven Wayne Morris, 28, was an officer for the East Texas town of Bullard when he began texting a student at Bullard High…
Last Night: Delta Spirit At Fitzgerald’s
Delta Spirit Fitzgerald’s April 12, 2012 I am concerned that younger bands these days are not learning the proper value of restraint. It’s not even a generational thing, really. I had very little appreciation for or understanding of restraint myself until fairly recently, but a heart attack at age 36…
Upcoming Events: Asparagus, Honey and Dreams of Sushi
If last week’s cafe review of Shepherd Park Draught House piqued your interest, then head over to Garden Oaks tomorrow for its Spring Fest Parking Lot Party. The party runs from noon to 9 p.m. and will feature beers from Karbach Brewing as well as music from outfits like ’80s…
Bobby Petrino’s House Is for Sale (w/ Link to Photo Montage)
We round out the week with the logical final chapter of what has been the daily saga of ousted Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino — his house is up for sale. Now, before getting overly dramatic about the home’s placement in the MLS listings and thinking that this is something…
Raymond Pecher, Late Nite Pie Manager, Accused of Arson (Read the Criminal Complaint)
The manager of Montrose’s Late Nite Pie has been charged with setting the February blaze that destroyed the semi-legendary restaurant. Court documents say Raymond Pecher, 45, was seen leaving the building a little before 4 a.m. February 8, about ten minutes before smoke was first detected. A security cam across…
Openings & Closings: Manly Cupcakes and Tiff’s Treats
This week finds two new bakeries coming to town, which couldn’t be more different from one another, as well as two extremely interesting pieces of gossip from our ever-reliable sources. Ranch Bakery (5431 Barker Cypress, Suite 500), which describes itself as “Houston’s first manly bakery,” is having its grand opening…
Southbound Pachyderm: A Mixtape For An Elephant
Elephants are awesome. Science surely has a more in depth way of expressing mankind’s fondness for our giant pachyderm friends, but, “Elephants are awesome” does the trick just fine. I postulate that if you don’t like elephants then you must be a terrorist. Scratch that — even terrorists like elephants…
Fashion Star: Do the Clothes Really Show Up the Very Next Day?
Luciana Scarabello’s small collection at Saks. Our very own Christina Uticone didn’t hold back on her critique of NBC’s new style show, Fashion Star. We have to agree; the fledgling show leaves a lot to be desired. Despite its weaknesses, however, we still wanted to see if it held true…
Garrick “Joker” Hastings: Ties Up Hooker, Beats Her, Sets Her on Fire
Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a man who told friends he had beaten and burned a prostitute for ripping him off. Garrick “Joker” Hastings said the woman had robbed him of $6,000, so he had her kidnapped and taken to a Channelview trailer where he beat “the prostitute with a metal…
The Fire That Claimed Late Nite Pie Was Arson
When late-night Midtown pizza joint Late Nite Pie burned down in February, our commenters were quick to call foul. “Two words: Stanky Arson,” said commenter LoWest, in a reference to the pizza place’s infamous Stanky Whore pizza. Chimed in commenter Padams below: “Two words: Insurance Fraud. That place has been…
Sand Art: 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…
Lionel Richie Vs. Chuck Norris: Who Would Win?
So far the musical comeback of the year has been Lionel Richie, hands down. Last week the Alabama-born crooner’s new album in three years, Tuskegee, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with sales of almost 200,000 copies. According to The Hollywood Reporter, if about 185,000 copies of Madonna’s…
Community: “Origins of Vampire Mythology”
The Chevy Chase/Dan Harmon dust-up really puts all past Pierce abuse in perspective, and as I watch the show now, I’ve come to the conclusion that the only way to deal with the situation is to get rid of Chase. I don’t say this easily; Fletch was one of the…
You’ve Been Warned: 59 in Downtown to Be a Mess This Weekend
If you’re thinking of using U.S. 59 to drive south through downtown this weekend, think again. Tonight at 9 p.m., TxDOT will close all southbound lanes between I-10 and I-45 for repairs. It will stay closed until 5 a.m. Monday, although the possible severe weather predicted for the weekend may…
Odd Pair: What Wine to Serve with Frito Pie?
There is perhaps no dish that inspires connoisseurship among Texans as much as Frito Pie. Shrouded in mystique and lore, this mighty staple of rigorously authentic Texas gastronomy, speaks to the citizens of our state like no other in our culinary canon. By combining indigenous ingredients and formulas — Fritos, invented…
Last Night: Steel Panther At House Of Blues
Steel Panther House of Blues April 12, 2012 See more Steel Panther pictures in our slideshow. In a week that saw Axl Rose decline a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and the continuation of the foggying of hard rock, it’s easy to forget that beyond all the human…
The First Ever East End Street Fest
The East End is more than just an area of town, according to Lupe Olivarez. “It’s like the beating heart where things get made so the city can conduct business and live,” he says. Olivarez, a longtime East End dweller and founder of Bohemeo’s, is one of the masterminds behind…
Dear Fox Sports Houston: Your Astros Broadcast Suck
Dear Fox Sports Houston: I realize this is your last season with the cable rights to the Houston Astros. I realize that at this time next year you’ll probably be losing cable systems while justifying that Little League game you’re putting on in primetime. I also realize that you’re tied…
Willie D: “For Black People, Being Educated Is Not Enough”
“Racism is a cancer that America does not want to cure.” — Willie D Willie D is a passionate man. About everything. About politeness as a social construct. About girls with little to no hair. About countries in South America. All of it. Any of it. Everything. But perhaps especially…
How To: Make Homemade Gnocchi
Gnocchi, or potato dumplings, are a traditional Italian staple dating all the way back to Ancient Rome. They can be made with everything from ricotta and spinach to sweet potatoes and breadcrumbs. But no matter how you make them, when done correctly, homemade gnocchi are the perfect light, fluffy and…
Reviews for the Easily Distracted: The Cabin in the Woods
Title: The Cabin in the Woods Will You Be Revealing Spoilers? Only if you highlight the one paragraph of spoilery bitching on the next page. And why would you do that? Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The Film: Three and a half conch shells out of five. Brief Plot…
Bartender Chat: John Ng of T.K. Bitterman’s
Last weekend marked the official start of baseball season, and if you’re trying to avoid the crowds, there’s no better place to catch a game than the cozy Montrose sports dive T.K. Bitterman’s. Completely lacking in pretension and douchebaggery, it’s got that comfortable, old-school vibe. It’s obvious the owners of…
Yasuaki Onishi Builds from the Ceiling Down in New Installation at Rice
Many architects have been fascinated by Yasuaki Onishi’s work, because instead of building from the ground up, the Japanese artist focuses on constructing something from the ceiling down. He uses translucent plastic sheets draped across large spaces, held afloat by strings of black glue, to create monumental structures that resemble…
A Letter To Tyga: You Made Us Wait Too Long Thursday
Dear Tyga, Look, Michael — may I call you Michael? Michael, I’ll be honest: What happened Thursday night hurt. A lot. I don’t know if you ever showed up — I heard you went onstage a little after 1 a.m., and I want to believe that, but I believed that…
Week in Photos: Morning Commute
Each week, we take a dip into the Houston Press Flickr pool and see what our talented photographers have been up to. We’re looking for pictures that represent the best of Houston, from food to art to events, to secret hidden spots of beauty. Just drop them in our Flickr…
Top 5 Liars in College Football History — A List Dedicated to Bobby Petrino
Fired and liars rhyme. Just sayin’. This week, Bobby Petrino, a married father of four, was canned from his gig as head football coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. As Hair Balls previously rapped about, Petrino was let go for lying about his motorcycle accident, his extramarital affair with a fellow…
The Bloggess Book: Apologies in Advance W/Video
The woman who is probably Texas’s most famous blogger is now also a published memoirist. Well, as of Tuesday she will be. Jenny Lawson, known around these parts at The Bloggess, is debuting her first book, a “mostly true memoir,” with a book tour that starts in New York next…
Harold McMillan: Austin Art/Music Mainstay Says He Got Roughed Up by HPD Officer at Memorial Hermann
Harold McMillan is considered a gentle soul by those who know him, which is why it was out of character for him to drop the f-bomb in an exchange with a Memorial Hermann hospital guest-relations employee last week — a poor choice of wording that, he says, resulted in him…
100 Creatives 2012: Geoff Winningham
Some would describe Geoff Winningham as a documentary photographer, but he likes to think of himself as more of a picture-maker bookmaker. He photographs a lot in mostly still pictures that contain a strong sense of place, but his specialty is bringing his pictures together with words. Winningham prefers not…
Dinner Party Etiquette: Bring Something, Dammit
“The Dinner Party.” It’s one of Seinfeld’s more classic episodes, from a television series in which nearly every show was an instant classic. Maybe because — at our core — many of us agonize as George Costanza did about the etiquette of showing up empty-handed to a dinner party. ELAINE:…
7 Cool & Cheap Things To Do This Weekend: Crawfish, Scott H. Biram, Blaggards, Etc.
It’s crawfish season, as Rocks Off may have mentioned recently. All weekend – today through Sunday, in other words – the Houston Blues Society is sponsoring the stage at the Kemah Crawfish Festival, featuring dependable locals such as Mojofromopolis, the Paul Ramirez Band, Texas Johnny Brown, Don Kesee & the…
Larry Lowery: East Texas Man Accused of Throwing Dogs into a Fire
Here’s a story that will ruin your day: An East Texas man has been arrested for allegedly throwing two live dogs into a fire April 1. One died, one managed to leap out and run away while still on fire and hasn’t been found. Wood County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Larry…
An Objective Review Of The Justin Bieber Singing Toothbrush
Brushing your teeth is important. Poor oral hygiene is gross, and has been linked to heart disease in addition to tooth loss. Dentists recommend brushing twice a day with a good brush at a leisurely pace to ensure you do a thorough job. Singer Justin Bieber is here to do…
5 Apps to Make You Feel Bad About Yourself
Just today we were perusing the iTunes App Store looking for a pointless way to waste a buck when we stumbled upon an app called “My Virtual Girlfriend.” Maybe we are a few months behind the times, but this app is nuts. Based on the description, “My Virtual Girlfriend” is…
Xavier Davon Glover, 18, Bayou Body Count No. 44
An early-afternoon shootout in a Greenspoint apartment complex left an 18-year-old dead Wednesday, Houston police say. Xavier Davon Glover and a companion had been arguing with a group of men when shots were fired about 12:45 p.m. at the apartment complex in the 16800 block of City View Drive. Glover…
Awesome Discoveries in Bobby Petrino’s Phone Records
Well, Bobby Petrino has officially been fired as the head football coach at the University of Arkansas. His coaching future is, at best, on life support, his marriage is in shambles and his mistress is supposedly in some sort of “other woman” witness protection program. In your classic story of…
Is This the Ugliest Food Truck In Town?
C’mon now. Of course it’s not. The H-Town StrEATs truck may not have a fancy wrap like Happy Endings or a slick paint job like the Rice Box Truck. But it’s still far from “ugly.” That doesn’t stop some folks from thinking so, however (and — hey — beauty is…
What’s the Big Deal About Whataburger?
I am not a native Houstonian, so perhaps that’s why I’m boggled by the cult status Whataburger has built for itself. What is so good about this burger? Why is it that people crave it? I’ve had debates and chats with several local foodie friends, who insisted that Whataburger is…
Last Night: Terry Malts At Mango’s
Terry Malts, Vivian Pikkles & the Sweethearts Über Alles, Sleuth Mango’s April 11, 2012 I’ll jump straight to saying Terry Malts is great, and possibly my best discovery this year so far. The two-year old trio played their first of many future shows in Houston Wednesday night. They’re a solution…
DO NOT Mess with Christa Nicole Parker, Unless You Want 15 Punches and Wine Bottle Upside Your Head
It’s hard to believe that a common-law marriage doesn’t always go smoothly, but it can be true. And if it is true, you don’t want to be common-law married to Christa Nicole Parker. When she gets pissed, she does something about it. Harlingen police say they got a domestic disturbance…
Vegan Cooking 101: Chef Sabali Mpozi Shows How It’s Done
Chef Sabali Mpozi making Mujaddara.Sabali Mpozi is one of Houston’s growing number of vegan gatekeepers. She makes it easy for anyone to adopt a plant-based diet with her series of basic, advanced and master vegan cooking classes and demonstrations. As the chef scooped avocados, chopped carrots and sautéed them in…
The Death Of The Greatest-Hits Album: Should We Be Sad?
There was a time when platinum albums didn’t exist. An album might sell a million units, but there was no name for that accomplishment. It wasn’t until 1976 that they gave that honor a label. The first album to be awarded platinum status? Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) by the Eagles…
Seven Disciplined for Lamar High “Riot”
Lamar High students and HISD officials are still having semantic debates over what constitutes a “riot,” but something went wrong April 5, and the punishments are beginning to come down. Seven students have been suspended, including two who received Class C misdemeanors for disrupting class, says HISD spokesman Jason Spencer…
Up The Irons!: Iron Maiden’s The Number Of The Beast Turns 30
Woe to you, oh earth and sea For the Devil sends the beast with wrath Because he knows the time is short Let him who hath understanding Reckon the number of the beast For it is a human number Its number is six-hundred and sixty-six This spring, Iron Maiden’s third…
Honey-licious: Pure, Raw Honey from the Heights Honey Bee Project
Last week, I had the opportunity to sample pure, raw honey. I’m talking undiluted, unheated, fresh-from-the-hive local honey that has not been tampered with in any way. It was mixed in with some fresh fruit — strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and grapes — and the fragrance and flavor blew my mind…
Exploring Project Row Houses’ Different Dimensions
With its “Round” series, there is one thing for certain about Project Row Houses — it invites an incredibly diverse group of artists to decorate its row of shotgun houses. The houses themselves are nearly uniform, with each entrance found on the left and the white interior largely open in…
William Johnson: Drunk When He Caused Five-Car Fatal Accident, Cops Say; Bayou Body Count No. 43
A drunk driver killed a 43-year-old man when he ran a red light and triggered a five-car pile-up, Houston police say. William Thomas Johnson, 48, was driving his GMC Sierra pickup on the northbound Eastex Freeway service road when he ran a red light at Tidwell about 11:45 p.m. Wednesday,…
South Park Coalition Celebrates 25 Years This Saturday
The rap game is not always kind to its elder statesmen. It takes an incredible amount of hard work, perseverance and sheer talent to keep fans interested as more than two decades worth of trends come and go. We can probably count the number of artists who began in the…
Local Brews Now on Draft at Bohemeo’s
Last month, I heard a rumor that beloved East End coffee shop Bohemeo’s would be closing down. Thankfully, that rumor was far from true, but it did lead me to the discovery that the popular gathering spot for live music, coffee and open mike nights had changed hands. Longtime owners…
Free for All: Art Without a Price Tag: Asia Society Texas, the Menil Community Arts Festival and Much More
The Gods of Cheap Entertainment have smiled down on us this weekend. In fact, they may have smiled a little too much; there are so many things to do, it will take some scheduling to get to them all. So, let’s jump right in. The Asian Film Festival is a…
Last Night: Black Dahlia Murder & Nile At Warehouse Live
Recent weeknight metal shows at Warehouse Live have been a tad hit-or-miss as far as attendance goes–mostly miss. Whether it’s been the hassle of driving downtown on a school night or simply fans cooling a bit on the genre as a whole, heavy touring acts have done well to fill…
Comment of the Day: You’re Worried Who’s Paying For Response To Crash That Killed 9 Illegal Immigrants?
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
An Experiment in Sound at the Orange Show
Can you immerse an audience in sound? Can you turn a musical composition into an experience akin to something visual, such as a painting or film? Houston-based composer Robert McClure thinks that you can and to prove it, he is premiering his latest project, “Untangle My Tongue,” this Friday at…
Yasso Greek Frozen Yogurt
After recently blogging about Ben & Jerry’s Greek Frozen Yogurt, a representative from Yasso contacted me to request I try their version. Now, I can’t give you an exact side-by-side review of the two products, as that’s an oranges-apples comparison: B&J’s offers its Greek frozen yogurt in pints, while Yasso’s…
Last Night: School Of Seven Bells At Fitzgerald’s
The last time we’d seen New York group School of Seven Bells, in 2009, they packed Chicago’s Empty Bottle to the brim. Last night at Fitzgerald’s, however, there were far fewer people in attendance (though the band’s 10:30pm weeknight set-time couldn’t have helped their draw). Furthermore, also instantly noticeable was…
(Possibly) On the Menu: The McGangBang
It was a lovely Sunday afternoon. I was sitting in a room full of friends as we laughed, noshed on fruit cocktail, enjoyed a non-fruit cocktail or two and finished setting out the day’s “spread” when it happened. You could smell it before it even hit the door. McDonald’s was…
Why Doesn’t NBC’s Fashion Star Work?
NBC’s fashion/reality show Fashion Star can be hard to watch, especially for a die-hard Project Runway fan. On one hand, you want to give the show a fair shake, without comparing it to its Bravo Channel counterpart; on the other, it’s a fashion design show hosted by a model and…
Shawn DeWayne Morris: Took Cash to Make Fictional Criminal Cases Disappear
Harris County Sheriff’s Office investigators are looking for victims of a man who they say took bribes to make criminal cases disappear, The cases never existed in the first place, so it’s really a service you’re probably overpaying for. Shawn DeWayne Morris, 40, was arrested yesterday and charged with impersonating…
Astrodome Decor: Which of These Superboxes Is Most Hideous? YOU Decide!!
Retrospace got its hands on a 1966 Astrodome guide (subhed: “The Astrodome is more than a stadium — it is a way of treating people”), and while it’s filled with such unimaginable wonders as $3.50 box seats, our favorite is the superbox page. There, the Dome shows off its terrible,…
Pop Rocks: The Last Ranking of Friday The 13th Movies You’ll Ever Need…Until the Next One
Tomorrow is Friday the 13th. In and of itself, that doesn’t mean much (it’s the first of two in 2012), but it’s also the opening date of Joss Whedon’s genre-twisting horror movie The Cabin in the Woods. I’ve seen it (review pending), and while it veers pretty far from what…
The Rolling Stones, King Zog: 5 Famous Exiles, in Honor of Napoleon
This week marks the 198th anniversary of Napoleon being exiled to Elba, a move celebrated by palindrome fans everywhere. (Able was I ere I saw Elba,” you know. Exiles have been around forever, people forced to leave their country of choice for one reason or another. Sometimes it’s worked out…
Best Of The Rest: Houston’s Top 5 Places To Eat At A Concert
We understand this category may initially seem a bit odd, as the words “concert food” tend to conjure up disturbing images of stale chips drowning in phosphorescent cheese, neon-orange grease pools of pizza, and the leathery hotdogs in ill-fitting buns so often found at Houston’s larger concert venues. And yes,…
Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Writing His Autobiography: What Do We Want to Know?
This week, former Calleeforneeah governor and action star Arnold Schwarzenegger took to his official Facebook page to ask fans what should be included in his autobiography, which is still in gestation. As a lifelong fan of all things Arnold, from his movies, his early work legitimatizing the bodybuilding scene, and…
Clueless — Not Old — People Writing on a Restaurant’s Facebook Page
Tumblr has given us some great food-related bits of fascination recently. Locally, it’s home to Fat City Houston, which keeps our 100 Favorite Dishes list honest. Nationally, it’s given us gems like Fuck You, Yelper, showcasing frenzied Yelp reviews as beat-style poetry. This week, it’s Old People Writing on a…
Houston in 1940: One Block in the Museum District & One in the Third Ward, According to Newly Released Census Data
Census data becomes open to the public after 72 years, so the U.S. government has just released the 1940 census for perusal. That’s the good news. The bad news is the data is put together in a maddeningly frustrating way. You can’t look up individuals by name, only by address…
Anti-Gay Groups Target EA’s Star Wars
Video game publisher EA is currently experiencing a vitriol-filled avalanche of letters and threats of a boycott for its inclusion of an optional same-sex romantic feature in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Initially, game designer BioWare had balked at such inclusions, stating in 2009 that homosexuality doesn’t exist in the…
30 Seconds With John Mills-McCoin
There is no one in Houston like John Mills-McCoin. The Rock ‘N’ Roll Circus that is scheduled to raise the bar on Houston shows this weekend was birthed from the depth of his brain’s wackiness. We waded into to see what we could learn about him in 30 seconds. Rocks…
Petrouchka and Beethoven
Symphony buffs, rejoice. Acclaimed conductor Pablo Heras-Casado — described by the San Francisco Classical Voice as “truly a conductor beyond convenient pigeonholes, with an enormous repertoire” — is returning to Houston after his debut here last July for Petrouchka and Beethoven. This time, he’ll be joined by renowned pianist and…
Asia Society Texas Center: First Look Festival
The wait is over. After years of anticipation, the Asia Society’s Texas Center opens its elaborate new doors to the Houston community with a First Look Festival. To celebrate the inauguration of the 2.3-acre building site, the center will host a weekend of Asian-themed dance performances, art exhibitions, acrobatics, storytelling…
Five Fabulous Authors for Kids
When the Texas Library Association meets this week at the George R. Brown Convention Center, the whole city of Houston will get a bit more kid-lit-friendly. A group of novelists for the junior high set will discuss and sign their books during Five Fabulous Authors for Kids at the Blue…
Eric Jerome Dickey: An Accidental Affair
Obsession. Intrigue. Murder. These are just some of the elements that make up Eric Jerome Dickey’s latest novel, An Accidental Affair, which he’ll be signing today at Barnes & Noble. The story revolves around the rocky marriage between screenwriter James Thicke and actress Regina Baptiste. After she begins an affair…
WorldFest-Houston International Independent Film Festival
Take your Benzedrine and stamp that Starbucks card, you’re gonna be up for two weeks. It’s the 45th annual WorldFest-Houston International Independent Film Festival, so prepare for klieg lights, Tinseltown luminaries and enough new indie movies to stuff a Redbox. The festival opens with the shaggy-dog story Smitty, a world…
”Deth P. Sun: New Works”
You may have seen Deth P. Sun’s work at Urban Outfitters or in Nylon magazine, or permanently inked on the skin of some of his biggest fans. The illustrator and painter from Berkeley, California, appeals to the hip, fashion-driven crowd and elite, experienced collectors alike. “New Works,” on view at…
Don Carlos
Don Carlos, the son of the Spanish king, Philippe II, is engaged to marry Elisabeth de Valois of France. It’s a political alliance designed to end the enmity between the two countries, but the pair also love each other. Ah, but then Dad, who is between wives, decides he and…
Romeo & Juliet in Space
The Red Door Theatre Company, Pasadena’s only “new works” theater troupe, has an original, family-friendly take on an old love story. They’ve sent the world’s most famous star-crossed lovers into…well…the stars with Romeo & Juliet in Space. Tragedy is banished for modern-day fun, turning this saddest of western tales into…
The Tempest
Storms rage wild in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, a gorgeous romantic comedy that just may have been the great Bard’s last play. At the center of the story is one of Shakespeare’s most compelling characters — Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, who uses his wizard powers to conjure hurricane winds…
Salt of Life
Italian actor and director Gianni Di Gregorio tells stories that lay bare the strength and vitality of the elderly. Making its Houston debut is Salt of Life, his followup to the award-winning Mid-August Lunch. The film follows an aging but charming bachelor, played by Di Gregorio himself, as he seeks…
”Drawings by Rembrandt, His Students, and Circle from the Maida and George Abrams Collection”
Though he’s best known for his oil paintings including portraiture, historical scenes and the occasional Jesus, 17th-century Dutch painting master Rembrandt van Rijn also worked in chalk and ink. It’s those works that will be on view in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston exhibit “Drawings by Rembrandt, His Students,…
The Flow of Color
It’s easy to be inspired when looking at one of Jules Olitski’s radiant paintings, in which colors have dimension and shapes practically leap off the canvas. Inspiration will come even more easily when CORE Performance Company does the leaping. CORE is taking on the new exhibit “REVELATION: Major Paintings by…
Perspectives 178: Cineplex
Cinema enters the contemporary art world in the new exhibition ”Perspectives 178: CINEPLEX,” opening this week at CAMH, whose Zilkha Gallery will transform into a unique cinematheque space for a whole season. Expect projections, screenings and events, featuring a variety of experimental works, essay films, documentaries and live cinema events…
The Devil’s Carnival
Terrance Zdunich and Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw) were responsible for releasing Repo! The Genetic Opera in 2008. And by all rights, that film shouldn’t have existed. What are the odds that you could get Anthony Stewart Head, Paris Hilton, Paul Sorvino and Sarah Brightman into a bloody rock opera that…
Menil Community Arts Festival
This weekend brings the Menil Community Arts Festival, when the museum teams up with neighboring community organizations for a heaping helping of culture — free. Not only will the Menil’s regular exhibits be on view, there will also be extra art on display courtesy of the Houston Center for Photography…
Menu of Menus Extravaganza
Calling all foodies and anyone else who enjoys some good eats: The Houston Press’s celebrated evening of food and drink, The Menu of Menus Extravaganza presented by Stella Artois, is firing up the grill. For ten years, the annual event has attracted hundreds of hungry Houstonians, who spend the night…
Cursive
Few bands can retain a dedicated following after throwing fans for stylistic loops the way Cursive has. Yet the long-running Omaha-via-Los Angeles quartet pulls it off. The genre-defying group first turned heads with its post-hardcore-meets-cello masterpiece, The Ugly Organ, before jettisoning said stringed instrument for a horn section on Happy…
An Afternoon with the Artists
“It’s all because of football,” says Steven Wallace, director of the University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance. Two years ago he was at a UH-UCLA game in Los Angeles and met actor Brett Cullen, a UH alum. From that relationship, Wallace was connected to Dennis Quaid, Robert Wuhl…
Asian Film Festival
American Pastime, the opener for this weekend’s Asian Film Festival, takes place during the sepia-toned days of pre-WWII Los Angeles. Teenager Lyle (Aaron Yoo) plays a mean sax and, with his killer pitcher’s arm, eagerly awaits a promised baseball scholarship to San Francisco State. But after Japan’s attack on Pearl…
Animal Haus
Remember that movie Das Boot? It was originally released in 1981, and is considered one of the best German-language films of all time, except perhaps if you have severe claustrophobia. It’s set mostly in a Nazi submarine in 1941 and ’42, and director Wolfgang Petersen went on to make a…
The Dome, Abandoned
SPACED CITY The Reliant Astrodome was — is — the Eighth Wonder of the World. Generations of Houston-area kids spent their days dreaming of playing on the field under that massive domed ceiling. It’s one of our city’s last non-NASA ties to the space program, this UFO-like structure in the…
Sleigh Bells
Sleigh Bells made one of 2010’s most flamboyant debuts with Treats, a mind-boggling clash of hardcore and electro; the sound earned the duo high-profile endorsements from M.I.A., Beyoncé and a slew of critics. How to follow up such a big splash? For Sleigh Bells, the answer was to use the…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Between Heaven and Home,” “Gunplay,” “Layers,” “Neurotic,” “Pictures and Words”
“Between Heaven and Home” For a while, Christopher French was known as the guy who made conceptual pieces out of Braille paper. But there’s nary an inch of it in his exhibition of new art at Devin Borden Gallery. The six works on display are all united in materials —…
La Dispute
La Dispute is a band that the younger scene will deem way more important than the old guard will, which is the way it should always be. The eight-year-old Michigan band’s brand of post-hardcore and experimental expanses has cultivated a following that hangs on lead singer Jordan Dreyer’s every anguished…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Cuttin’ Up, Ragtime: the Musical, See Rock City & Other Destinations
Cuttin’ Up The chrome on the three barber chairs gleams brightly in Janelle Flanagan’s “kitchen sink” set for Charles Randolph-Wright’s rich, if sketchy, tapestry of black life as witnessed in a contemporary Houston barbershop. Clippers buzz, scissors click and men talk as an entire panorama of everyday and extraordinary characters…
Spoon
Ah, the unflappable, unbendable Spoon. Since their Austin origins in the early ’90s, Britt Daniel, Jim Eno and crew have put their heads down, stayed out of the spotlight, written great song after great song, and inch by inch built themselves a pretty amazing career. And even better, it’s a…
Hunx & His Punx
This coed Oakland, California, garage-pop band is like a trashy, albeit imaginary, John Waters movie come to life, if the king of the campily grotesque decided to try his hand at teen flicks. Sassy lead singer Seth “Hunx” Bogart sings about cruising, crushing and carousing with the help of a…
Hispanic vs. Mexican
Dear Mexican, Why do Hispanics deny that George Zimmerman is Hispanic? He did nothing wrong and has been crucified in the media — La Raza cannot bow down to the race baiters and race traitors that call themselves African-American leaders! Brown and Down Dear Wab, This column is ¡Ask a…
Your Clever Is Showing
At the end of The Cabin in the Woods, the world is destroyed by an apocalyptic hand of fate — an actual hand, mind you — yet that is not a spoiler, not really. The real spoilers in the film are in the tricky mechanics crafted by writers Joss Whedon…
Fantasy Land
See if you can get through this without laughing. In 2005, a renowned dinosaur expert and author of children’s books, together with a self-proclaimed economic development expert with a PhD from a diploma mill, sells a community development agency in the sticks north of Houston on the idea of a…
The Taste of Trying
Take a spin through Sorrel’s bright and busy space in our slideshow. Sorrel Urban Bistro is one of the most earnest restaurants I’ve ever encountered. It wants to be loved, and seems to almost bend over backwards in its willingness to earn your goodwill. Its dining room is airy and…
The Southeast Beast
A little over a year ago, a then-unknown rapper named Doughbeezy was hustling through an open-stage showcase called Kickback Sundays at far north Houston clothing store SF2. Organized and run by the SF2’s owners, Teresa Waldon and Suzie Rivera, Kickback Sundays were a near-instant success. The event both directly helped…
Roar of the Panther
The ’80s-metal majesty of California group Steel Panther cannot be intimated in mere, puny words. The hair, the swagger, the guitars, your girlfriend backstage (and on the band’s tour bus) all make for a grand package that cannot be denied. The band, led by singer Michael Starr, just released their…
