Rotation: Yo Majesty
Yo Majesty Yo EP Out There Recordings The music industry is generally not too kind to butch black women. They’ve got two strikes against them from the start, and that third pitch headed toward home plate is a nasty curveball lathered in spit and Vaseline. Although plenty of artists may…
Time Warner Giveth, Time Warner Taketh Away
The Houston Chronicle reported today that there will be changes in the Time Warner cable television offerings, as that company completes its transition to Comcast. Seems the cable giant is dropping a few channels (Family Network, CCTV-9, Lifetime Real Women and Encore Drama/True Stories and Encore WAM), upgrading a few…
You Should See How They Greet Those Mormon Missionaries…
It was 7 p.m. and getting dark outside when I hit the bell. Kimberly Brooks came to the door and flicked on the porch light, then switched it back off and turned away. Unsure what to do, I stood there for a minute then buzzed again. This time, the husband…
Found…and Now We’re Lost
I found this flyer this morning at Diedrich Coffee on Montrose. Is this some sort of viral marketing campaign or someone with a serious eye problem who’s really into prayer? Maybe this guy is just terrified of having a bad haircut or rocking the pirate look. Hit up the comments…
A Box of Pig Meat
The portable pig-roasting box originated in Cuba. Beachside food vendors use them to prepare picnic sandwiches in Puerto Rico. The box started turning up on the East Coast a few years ago when a company in Miami started marketing them under the name “La Caja China.” The medium-size box costs…
A Box of Pig Meat
The portable pig-roasting box originated in Cuba. Beachside food vendors use them to prepare picnic sandwiches in Puerto Rico. The box started turning up on the East Coast a few years ago when a company in Miami started marketing them under the name “La Caja China.” The medium-size box costs…
Come On, Blue! What’s Your Problem?
“You blaming me?” A friend sent me a link to a story on a report investigating steroids effects on baseball. In short, the home run explosion of the late-90s had nothing to do with steroids. Or smaller ballparks. Or expansion. Or the baseball. The fault belongs with the umpires…
Push It
The Houston Press is now accepting sports photos for the second round of our photography contest for high school students. Please send all submissions to studentphotos@houstonpress.com. For complete details and required image specifications, click here. Got a question? Perhaps we answered it here. Otherwise, hit us up at studentphotos@houstonpress.com. Now…
Playbill: Brand New
Frontman Jesse Lacey of Brand New uses his guitar the same way Steven Morrissey uses his ever-present aching outstretched arm. They can both grab at the misery of youth and exorcise the pain from young hearts, like an emo-core televangelist. At least that’s what I read on some high school…
Buff Dudes
I was surfing the internets today when I came across an interesting little item. Seth Mnookin, a reporter/writer, wonders on his blog about why people don’t question Roger Clemens like they question Barry Bonds. Mnookin makes a few comparisons: Both are having their greatest years after turning 35. Both of…
A Little Update
Photos by Robb Walsh Back in May 2003, in a sidebar titled “A Dozen Brisket Sandwiches,” we offered a guide to the best Black East Texas Barbecue around Houston. One of our favorites was Little’s BBQ trailer. Since that article appeared, Little moved his trailer from the former location to…
A Little Update
Photos by Robb Walsh Back in May 2003, in a sidebar titled “A Dozen Brisket Sandwiches,” we offered a guide to the best Black East Texas Barbecue around Houston. One of our favorites was Little’s BBQ trailer. Since that article appeared, Little moved his trailer from the former location to…
We Love Cliffhangers
The Astros won a second straight game, beating the Cubs 4-2. But Dan Wheeler must have gotten the memo from Brad Lidge, because he did what he could to make the end of the game exciting. The Astros record is now 3-5. — John Royal…
This Just In: Rod Stewart Canceled
We just got this note from Rod Stewart’s PR rep. Seems fans will have to wait a week for their “Maggie May” fix. Due to severe weather, Rod Stewart’s plane has been grounded at the Palm Beach International Airport in Palm Beach, Florida and he is unable to make it…
Still Aching for Aiken?
Pat, Louisiana. The response from Clay Aiken fans to a slightly negative posting we ran recently was surprising. Since we like to keep our readers happy, we thought we’d do something nice for all you Clay-mates and make it up to you. So, here’s the deal: a two-part contest. Part…
File under: Awwwwww, yeah!
On Friday, the Houston Dynamo will announce the roster of the inaugural Dynamo Girls entertainment squad. A press release describes the Girls as “the team behind the team,” which sounds like the setup for a joke that’s best avoided. Dynamo Girls factoids: “A few of the Girls are teachers. One…
Wonder If You Could De-feather a Chicken the Same Way
We were cruising around, checking out praise for our very own Robb Walsh, when we came across this delightful little video on how to peel a hard-boiled egg in five seconds. It’s definitely worth a look-see. – Keith Plocek…
Wonder If You Could De-feather a Chicken the Same Way
We were cruising around, checking out praise for our very own Robb Walsh, when we came across this delightful little video on how to peel a hard-boiled egg in five seconds. It’s definitely worth a look-see. – Keith Plocek…
Off the Wall
USA Today reviewed Houston rapper Paul Wall’s new CD Get Money, Stay True today. The April 3 release got a lukewarm two and a half stars rating by reviewer Steve Jones, who calls Wall “a likable hustler.” Apparently, Wall is very, very likable – he’s number 207 on the Amazon…
Not to Say We Told You So, But…
I see the Astros brass finally came to their senses and demoted Brad Lidge. I can only wonder at what took Drayton McLane so long to come to this conclusion. And I say Drayton McLane because, as I wrote last week, removing Lidge from the closer’s role was above manager…
Andrea Lazar’s Passionate Picks
“What blows my mind is the passion of great winemakers trying to bring out the truth of the grapes,” says Andrea Lazar, the Wine & Spirits Director at t’afia. Here’s some of her favorite examples: $15 or less McPherson 2005 Rosé of Syrah Lubbock, Texas “Kim Mcpherson is growing some…
Andrea Lazar’s Passionate Picks
“What blows my mind is the passion of great winemakers trying to bring out the truth of the grapes,” says Andrea Lazar, the Wine & Spirits Director at t’afia. Here’s some of her favorite examples: $15 or less McPherson 2005 Rosé of Syrah Lubbock, Texas “Kim Mcpherson is growing some…
No More Mr. Nice Guy
So last night Channel 13 had a quickie on Tom Nixon, a former cop who’s running for city council. The report said Nixon was fired by the Houston Police Department after blasting the department’s chase policy. In January of last year, Nixon criticized HPD after a chase that ended with…
Trading T-Mac
Last Friday, I suggested it was time for the Rockets to trade Tracy McGrady. Just to reiterate: I love T-Mac’s game. But I believe his back is a ticking time bomb which will ultimately lead to a premature retirement, thus leaving Houston painfully ill-equipped to maximize the Yao Ming era…
Full Bluhm
Courtesy of the Station Museum Pythagorean Icon by Norman Bluhm The Station Museum has picked a mix of sacred hymns and cool jazz to complement “The Late Paintings of Norman Bluhm.” It’s a strange combination, but there’s reasoning behind the choice. The New York artist’s panoramic paintings are patterned like…
Way to Go, ‘Stros.
Well, the Astros won a game yesterday, holding on to defeat the Cubs 5-3. But the big story isn’t so much the win, as is the fact that the bullpen didn’t blow the game. In fact, Dan Wheeler actually did what a closer’s supposed to do. He shut down the…
Just Dropped Today
Lots of new CDs hit the store shelves today. Here’s a peek at a few: Rapper Brother Ali was a hit at his recent SXSW show. It will be a while before Ali sees his home in Minneapolis, he’s hit the road to support The Undisputed Truth, but Houston fans…
The Corrections
Well, one of the good things about this blog thingy is the opportunity to make corrections to mistakes that I have made. As such: In my post on Mark Cuban, I stated that the Cubs had been only five outs from the 2004 World Series. That should, of course, have…
Justice Served
As Astro fans know, Brad Lidge – who single-handedly redefined the term “closer,” mostly by not being completely unable to close games – is being demoted to set-up man. The entire world saw this coming. Especially Chronicle columnist Richard Justice, who wrote this in his blog today: April 09, 2007…
Those Crazy European Whites
Robb Walsh has been busy interviewing local experts on their favorite wines for his newest recurring column, “Five Wines That Will Blow Your Mind,” which first appeared in the Houston Press Menu of Menus guide. Look for it in the paper and on HouStoned. For this installment, he offers up…
Those Crazy European Whites
Robb Walsh has been busy interviewing local experts on their favorite wines for his newest recurring column, “Five Wines That Will Blow Your Mind,” which first appeared in the Houston Press Menu of Menus guide. Look for it in the paper and on HouStoned. For this installment, he offers up…
Everybody’s a Critic
Think you know as much about the Houston music scene as our writers? Think you can review CDs and shows as well as we can? Great. We’d like to hear from you. Send us your insider scoops, CD reviews, show reviews and music gossip and we’ll post it on our…
A Fox? Really?
It was a cold day to sit on an aluminum bench for the kind of outcome that gives non-soccer fans the chance to lecture: “See, soccer is boring.” Ninety minutes of regular play and three minutes of stoppage time tagged on and the result of the Dynamo home opener against…
Just a Little Nip Here, Perhaps a Tuck There
HouStoned is getting a facelift this afternoon, so there might be a few glitches over the next couple of days. Hang in there. We’re working on it. — Keith Plocek…
Good Karma for Carr
Carr could wind up a real winner… And now HouStoned is proud to announce the triumphant return of Steven Devadanam, former blog editor and occasional nudist. Here, the Big D weighs in on forsaken savior David Carr. Last year, I approached the PR folks at the Houston Texans about a…
Good Karma for Carr
Carr could wind up a real winner… And now HouStoned is proud to announce the triumphant return of Steven Devadanam, former blog editor and occasional nudist. Here, the Big D weighs in on forsaken savior David Carr. Last year, I approached the PR folks at the Houston Texans about a…
You Know, Because Almost Dying for the Team Would Generally Be Considered a Good Thing
The Astros have announced that Jeff Bagwell’s number 5 will be retired. For those not quite up on the lingo, that means that no other Astro player will be able to wear that number. Bagwell joins the ranks of Jimmy Wynn, Jose Cruz, Jim Umbricht, Mike Scott, Nolan Ryan, Don…
A Minor Suggestion
The Astros lost two of three games to the Cardinals. The team is now 1-5 on the season. The good news: Brad Lidge has only blown one save. The bad news: Have you seen Lidge’s ERA? There’s even speculation that Lidge is soon to be on his way to the…
Check Out the Legs on Those Dynamos
Steven Devadanam for HouStoned Images Ltd., Ulmtd. This Sunday’s home opener for the Dynamo against the LA Galaxy will come only three days after their disappointing semifinal loss against Mexico’s Pachuga team last night. It’s going to be a true test of stamina, team president Oliver Luck said Friday afternoon…
The Half a Million Dollar Question
Can you break a million? Dr. Robert Kimball, a frequent questioner of many of the Houston Independent School District’s operations, has been after it for weeks now to provide him certain documents relating to communications between and among the school board, the administration and representatives of Community Education Partners, aka…
Is It Time to Trade T-Mac?
At this point, I think even the most wildly delusional Rockets’ fan has to concede that this club is not a championship contender. But there’s no shame in that. Realistically, Houston never had a chance to compete with the Mavericks, Suns or Spurs this year. But here’s the much larger…
Tynesha Stewart Memorial Service
Despite all the press surrounding her gruesome murder, you might not know that Texas A&M engineering student Tynesha Stewart was a 2005 Linda Lorelle Scholarship winner. Back then Stewart said, “It is an honor to be part of such a magnificent organization. This is now my family.” Memorial services for…
Perchance to Dream
SI.com reports that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is one of the potential buyers of the Chicago Cubs. As a baseball fan, I say fantastic. Mark Cuban’s not the world’s most popular guy. He’s arrogant. He’s loud. He’s obnoxious. He’s pushy. And I like him. Cuban has revived the Mavericks,…
When Blood Comes to Town
Watch your back, Easter bunny, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is coming to town and it wants to kick your ass. As you may have heard, the UFC is making its Houston debut (at the Toyota Center) on this holiest of weekends and generating a significant amount of buzz in the…
Rotation: Popular Demand
Black Milk Popular Demand Fat Beats Detroit rappers/producers are entering an age of acclaim. Now that late Motown rapper/producer extraordinaire J Dilla is getting posthumous props all over the globe, the rap world seems hungry for anything with an authentic Detroit sound. It’s a fine time for former in-house Slum…
Un-Happy Hour
Before you head off to get an early start on your three-day Good Friday weekend, you have the opportunity to stick it to The Man. Residents of the Hyde Park area of Montrose are staging a rally at the corner of Waugh and Welch this afternoon at 5 pm …
Somehow the Teachers Always Get Blamed
Today’s Washington Post reports that a U.S. Department of Education study shows educational software well, basically doesn’t do anything. You give it to kids, you don’t — it’s all the same story at the end of the year. That’s bad news for all the companies that that make their livelihood…
Where Credit’s Due
It’s always fun to see a local story make national news. And it always sucks when the local journalist who broke the news isn’t properly credited. It happens all the time, but that doesn’t lessen the sting. Scott Henson is the Austin-based blogger of Grits for Breakfast. Back in February,…
Monkey See?
Olivia Flores Alvarez Christian’s Tailgate bar with a rounded tin roof… The new Texas Department of Transportation (TX DOT) Headquarters complex is going up at 7600 Washington Avenue. A sign out front says “Gensler, Architect of Ideas.” They might want to change that to “Borrowed Ideas,” since the TX DOT…
Astros Update
Well, here’s your daily Astros update. And I have good news. Brad Lidge did not blow a save. The bullpen did not blow a save. Now for the bad news. The Astros lost. Again. The team is now 0-3 on the season. Don’t worry Mr. Ortiz. There’s still plenty of…
Amy Winehouse
Mary J. Blige, Joss Stone and Alicia Keys take note: To produce an album that’s remarkably fresh, all Amy Winehouse had to do was hire a live band and have Mark Ronson put a retro, ’60s girl group/Motown spin on the sound. Nothing is really new, but because contemporary R&B…
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
Joe Strummer, the Jam and Billy Bragg are the names you most often see bandied about in comparison to East Coast power-punker Ted Leo. Those are not bad likenesses. He shares with the Jam a stripped-down and dirty power trio lineup that is occasionally augmented with keyboards and second guitar…
Devin the Dude
It’s obligatory that any Devin the Dude review include the phrase “weed, wine and women.” His individual albums’ personalities have always come from the exact balance of these elements. Waitin’ to Inhale, despite its title, is Devin’s horniest release since his debut. Three of the first five songs are dedicated…
SXSW Manifesto
Upstairs at Rudyard’s on a weeknight is as good a place as any to hatch a sweeping manifesto, and that’s just what local indie rocker Chris Kahlich (a member of Bright Men of Learning) is doing. “South By Southwest’s selection of Houston indie rock bands could be much improved,” he…
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio, fronted by Brooklyn artiste Tunde Adebimpe, is simultaneously progressive and regressive — a forward-looking throwback that’s defined by its ambiguity. Unlike all but a few recent albums, Return to Cookie Mountain, the outfit’s latest full-length release, is less a collection of songs than an overweening sonic…
Rod Stewart Trivia
Think you’re a Rod Stewart expert? Take our Rod Quiz and find out. 1. True or false, the following is a verse in “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” “He’s acting shy looking for an answer / Come on honey let’s spend the night together / Now hold on a minute…
K-os
On his previous album, Joyful Rebellion, Canadian rapper K-os shouted defensive lyrics such as “Hip-hop is not dead; it’s the mind of the MC.” That particular line got him in trouble with some critics, who saw the Toronto lyricist as a preachy preacher’s kid proselytizing the masses. K-os actually is…
Frankie G Gets Busted
McAllen radio DJ Frankie G (also known as Francisco Garcia) got fired last month. His on-air performance on his daily Wild 104 “The Mojo Morning Show” was fine — it was his driving around with 38 grams of marijuana and two high school kids in his car that got him…
KTRU Outdoor Show
The absolute perfect way of taking in the sounds of Norway’s 120 Days is to listen to the group on a late-night drive along a very dark, desolate road. Their music, fueled by an electronic engine, throbbing rhythm, percussive acceleration, seizing, winding guitars and a big, ghostly voice complete with…
Nick Cave
“Kick those white mice and black dogs out! / Kick those white mice and baboons out! / Kick those baboons and other motherfuckers out and / Get it on!” So bellows Nick Cave at the start of Grinderman, his new quartet’s self-titled debut, out this week on Anti. The disc…
Grindhouse
There exists some debate about audience familiarity with the term “grindhouse,” and even a certain confusion about the origins of the word itself — whether it refers to the movies that comprised a gilded age of exploitation cinema or to the all-night urban theaters in which they were regularly shown…
Yo La Tengo
Throughout its 22-year history, Hoboken trio Yo La Tengo has been making music that’s like a quiet storm brewing off the coastal horizon — one that casts ominously dark, turbulent clouds and stirs up the potential for a really nasty downpour, only to be broken up onshore and produce a…
The Wind That Shakes the Barley
The young men move about the muddied hillside engaging in a friendly afternoon game of that national pastime known as hurling. On their way home, they are accosted by a platoon of “Black and Tans,” the occupying soldiers sent from England to stamp out the crackling embers of Irish independence…
Relient K
In a world where the latest Next Big Thing is the subject of tomorrow’s VH1 reality show, it’s nice to have a band like Relient K around. Even after five albums — check out this month’s Five Score and Seven Years Ago — the Ohio quintet still crafts solid, frantic…
Corteo
The magical world of Cirque du Soleil is always stunning. Its gravity-defying acts, amazing costumes and imaginative stories can turn a tent full of skeptical grown-ups into wide-eyed kids. But the latest incarnation of acrobatics and clowns coming from the Canadian circus may be its most lyrical ever. Corteo features…
Wing island
Wing Island
Publisher: Hudson
Platform: Wii
Price: $39.99
ESRB Rating: E (For Everyone)
Score: 4 (out of 10)
Stage Capsule Reviews
Anna in the Tropics In this show, the heat’s on right from the beginning. Awaiting the new “lector” who’s been hired to read to them while they roll cigars, three women daub their faces and wipe the sweat from their necks during the Gulf summer of 1929. Reading great novels…
“Core Artists-in-Residence Exhibition,” “Working It Out: Studio Program Residents,” “Artadia at DiverseWorks…Reprised: The Artadia Awardees”
Artists are always on the lookout for studio space, exposure and cash — not necessarily in that order. Programs that offer one or all of the above are helping to fuel Houston’s dynamic contemporary art scene. Three current exhibitions, the “Core Artists-in-Residence Exhibition” at the Glassell School of Art, “Working…
Swift Meatpacking Plant and Illegal Immigrants
Amanda Salcido was standing in line clutching a package of ground beef when she saw the $100 bills. The man in front of her at the United Supermarket opened his wallet to pay for groceries, and she watched over his shoulder as he riffled through the bills, looking for a…
Art Capsule Reviews
“Allison Hunter: New Animals” “New Animals” is a continuation of Allison Hunter’s “Simply Stunning” series, which showed at New York’s 511 Gallery last year. The Houston-based photographer’s recent work concentrates largely on animals, and the images reflect a progression toward emancipating creatures from the worldly environment. Sheep and deer inhabit…
Crapitto’s Cucina Italiana
The unforgettable seafood ravioli ($17.95) at Crapitto’s Cucina Italiana (2400 Mid Lane, 713-961-1161) combine delicate, homemade egg pasta, cooked al dente, with what Italians call “fruit of the sea.” Small, oval-shaped pillows are stuffed with shrimp and chunky pieces of lobster bound together by cheese. A spicy rosa sauce (your…
Mexican-American Culture
Dear Mexican, What do Mexicans think about President Bush’s grandfather having a hand in getting the guy that robbed Pancho Villa’s head out of jail? Kruising Klassily in Kennebunkport Dear KKK, Ah, Villa’s stolen skull. No macabre Mexican legend is more mired in intrigue, distortions and looniness — and in…
HARD ROCK CAFE’S
Lil’ Sis and I arrive at Hard Rock Cafe (502 Texas 713-227-1392) early on a Saturday night. We sit down and slam a near-fatal series of drinks: I’m drinking Rock N’ Roll punches, and Lil’ Sis is downing Hurricanes. Later, I survey the Hard Rock’s impressive array of authentic rock…
The Big Valley
Twin Peaks: The Second Season (Paramount) So, here it is: perhaps the most infamous shark-jumping in TV history. The first season of David Lynch and Mark Frost’s comedy-horror-mystery-soap opera caused a cultural frenzy of “damn good coffee” quips and questions over who murdered prom queen/town doorknob Laura Palmer. It’s also…
Peggy Zuleika Lynch
Peggy Zuleika Lynch says poets are “the lowest on the totem pole” when it comes to artists. Lynch should know; she’s been struggling in the not quite lucrative or glamorous world of poetry for decades. But she says poets have one advantage over other creative types, as they’re the only…
The Lone Star Saloon
I wander into the Lone Star Saloon (1900 Travis, 713-757-1616) on a Thursday night and immediately notice two things: tension, and a plump-lipped transvestite two-stepping with a hipster girl. I sit down at the bar. Next to me is a guy who, without any prompting, tells me his name is…
Our top DVD picks for the week of April 5
All That Jazz: Special Music Edition (Fox) The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour (Image) Back Stage (Strand) Bong Water (First Look) The Brady Bunch: The Complete Series (Paramount) Charlotte’s Web (Paramount) Copying Beethoven (MGM) Dancing With the Stars: Cardio Dance (Lions Gate) Entourage: Season Three, Part One (HBO) Jump In!:…
The Passion of the Christ
The River Oaks Theatre has given us a get-out-of-church free card. Today, its midnight movie series brings Mel Gibson’s polarizing 2004 film The Passion of the Christ. So if you slip in after an evening of pounding beers, you can tell St. Peter you did something religious on what was…
Joss Stone
The coming-of-age-young-urban-starlet is a wondrous thing to behold, isn’t she? Well, no, not usually — since in this day and age, we associate her with multiple piercings of her nether regions, embarrassingly out-of-it public appearances and a tendency to dry-hump everything in sight. Given all that, album number three for…
Political Interns, Tom DeLay, the Astrodome, HOV Lane Violators
The University of Houston’s Center for Public Policy provides internships for students every year, giving them some great experience in the offices of local, state and federal politicians. Some of the experiences, though, aren’t so great. A group of the bright-eyed, innocent interns went to City Hall recently to meet…
“The Great Wall of China”
Aside from Pamela Anderson’s boobs, the Great Wall of China may be the most photographed man-made thing in existence. Its majestic aura, colossal size and endless crevices (yes, we’re still talking about the Wall) have fascinated countless photographers. But few have gotten as intimate with it as Chen Changfen, who’s…
The Rosebuds
Remember New Order? Well, apparently Raleigh’s The Rosebuds is trying to channel them. This happens to be a huge departure from the stereotypical indie-guitar pop-rock The Rosebuds have released over the past few years, so you can’t say they aren’t trying something new. The problem is, the electro-synth pop sound…
Mail Call
Online readers respond to our newest blog… Brad Pits In “Lights Out for Lidge?” [March 20], new blogger John Royal wrote of his growing sense that something’s just not right with Brad Lidge. Nice piece, John: Hope to see more. You may be on to something; dude’s become a head…
Café Pita +
Café Pita + on Westheimer at Wilcrest is the city’s hottest new Bosnian restaurant. Okay, it’s the city’s only Bosnian restaurant. There was another one for a while called Café Europe on Fountainview, but it no longer serves food. Now it’s a Bosnian coffeehouse. A lot of Bosnians fled to…
