Five ’60s Soul Stars Jay-Z & Kanye West Should Hit Next
Say what you will about Watch the Throne – and people, including several members of Team Rocks Off, have said a lot – but it’s all anyone in music seems to be talking about these days. Which makes sense; it’s not every day that two megastars (the very biggest) are…
Chris Bosh’s Hideous Back Tattoo Gives Me an Idea
My views on tattoos have been made clear in this space before: I don’t begrudge people getting a tattoo, or even several tattoos. It’s legal, it’s your body, do what you want with it. I just would like to be around to see the people who cover every inch of…
Comment of the Day
Well, damn. Stacy Zane made a Treebeards Buttercake and got EOW Nation drooling. Wrote commenter Trish: I’ve had that recipe taped to my refrigerator door for years, but I can’t bring myself to make it because I know I’ll eat the whole pan in one sitting and immediately make another. …
Comment of the Day: Why Can’t We Be Friends?
On Monday, we posted a rather favorable review by Jim Tommaney of Playhouse 1960’s latest production, Three Murders and It’s Only Monday. Sure, the overblown plot and overblown characters were probably a little much, but hey, this is a spoof of the mystery genre, and we thought it worked. DKaste…
Luis Daniel Colon: Littered Beltway 8 With Illicit Cash While Chased By Cops
Oh to have been a motorist in the 5900 block of the West Sam Houston Parkway South on the night of December 30 of last year… According to court documents, that was when a Harris County Constable saw a northbound 2010 Jeep go whizzing past at well above the speed…
Inprint’s 2011-2012 Reading Series Includes Margaret Atwood and Michael Ondaatje
Inprint’s long-running Margarett Root Brown reading series will return in September with readings by heavy-hitting authors, including Man Booker Prize winners Margaret Atwood and Michael Ondaatje and Pulitzer Prize winners Jeffrey Eugenides and W.S. Merwin. “The love of great books remains unabated, and we are thrilled to be presenting such…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 45, Dahi Puri at Sweet ‘n’ Namkin
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Stephen Colbert’s PAC Gets Its Rick Perry Ad Up
Stephen Colbert had made clear he wants Rick Perry to be the Republican nominee, and his Super PAC is putting its money where his mouth is. Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow began running this ad in Iowa today, urging straw poll voters to write in “Rick Parry?” Parry? That’s…
Call For Artists: Andy Warhol Foundation and The Idea Fund Will Award $4,000 to Ten Texas Artists
An Andy Warhol namesake is all up in Houston’s stuff, and that’s a good thing for Texas artists. The Idea Fund, a grant opportunity funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, is currently seeking applicants for its 2011-2012 program. Ten Texas-based artists will each receive $4,000 that…
Bad Poetry Day 2011: Help Us Write Houston’s Worst Poem
There was an old woman named Millie Mart, She baked a tart in the shape of a heart. When it was finished, all the kids said “That good old Millie Mart.” This was my seven-year-old self’s idea of what good poetry was. I mean, it rhymed, and it involved food…
Riot Riot Upstart: Songs For The UK Riots
A few days ago, in the midst of the worst of the rioting going on around London, which has now dominated the headlines for the better part of a week, someone on Twitter remarked “If Americans rioted every time the cops shot somebody we’d have no time for cocaine and…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Hicham Nafaa of Majorca Bistro & Tapas
The walls of Majorca Bistro & Tapas are deep red, accented with hand-painted bullfighting frescoes. Soft flamenco music pulses through the low-lit dining room. Majorca is Midtown’s brand-new tapas restaurant, and from the food to the décor, it’s sexy as hell. We sat down with owner and executive chef Hicham…
Hatice Cullingford, 65: Says She Was Roughed Up and Wrongly Jailed in Dog-Poop Argument
A 65-year-old woman who worked for NASA and the Los Alamos nuclear lab is suing two Houston police officers for allegedly roughing her up and throwing her in jail for 15 hours because of an argument over dog poop. Hatice Cullingford got in an argument with a 26-year-old resident of…
What Hip-Hop’s Cash Kings Should Buy With All That Loot
Forbes has unveiled its annual list of hip-hop cash kings. The Top 20 includes 21 big shottas – who said math was a requirement to work at Forbes? – with whom we’d gladly trade bank accounts. Pop the hood to see Rocks Off’s breakdown of the Top 10 earners and…
Tasting Notes: This Week in Wine Blogs
Know a Houston-based blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. Vintage Texas: Once again this week, we lead with top Texas wine blogger and Houstonian Russ Kane, who contemplates the age-old conundrum of the modern era: “Can a red wine pair…
Attention Artists: This Bud’s For You
This very well may be one of the only times in history that a keg stand will be considered performance art. The Monsters of Beer Festival, scheduled to go off in mid-November, is looking for creative types to transform ten empty and functional kegs into some sort of art piece…
How to Ike Jime a Fish, and Why You’d Want To
In this week’s cover story, we examine the many reasons that sushi-grade fish isn’t pulled from the Gulf of Mexico. When it comes to sushi, you can pretty much forget about “eating local” in Houston — or the rest of Texas, for that matter. One of the most significant reasons…
4 Great Character Themes from Classical Music (And What They Really Mean)
Entrance music is important. Get the right tune and people will forever have a dual-sensory impression of your character. Most people like to craft original music to help fully embody the characters they create, but some people just lift classical themes to get the job done without all that pesky…
The Art of Ike Jime: How to Properly Kill a Sushi-Grade Fish
In this week’s cover story, I examine the many reasons that sushi-grade fish isn’t pulled from the Gulf of Mexico. When it comes to sushi, you can pretty much forget about SLGT’ing in Houston — or the rest of Texas, for that matter. One of the most significant reasons that…
UPDATE: Art Attack Still Looking For Interns
So maybe it’s not that much of an update. It’s like saying “Kafka Still Modernist” or “Arrested Development Still Off the Air.” And if you understood both sentences I just wrote, you might fit in here. Are you a college student taking journalism classes? Do you love art galleries, movies,…
Houston Is North America’s “Placemaking Capital,” Which We Think Is a Good Thing
Houston, you’re no longer just the capital of awful baseball, bad air and crushing summers. You are officially The Placemaking Capital of North America, according to the Project for Public Spaces. This inestimable honor is unquestionably deserved, unless you count as a question “What the hell is a placemaking capital?”…
Cinema Slap Fight: Sarah Connor Vs. Ellen Ripley
In which maternal prowess is demonstrated by skill with firearms. It’s a pretty lousy time for female action stars. Go ahead: Name two. Scarlett Johansson? Her Black Widow benefited greatly from stunt doubles and nifty camera work. Angelina Jolie? Debatable, but her recent efforts (Salt, ) haven’t exactly lived up…
Christy’s: A Mom-‘n-Pop Donut Shop
Nestled at the edge of the River Oaks and Montrose neighborhoods for as long as I can remember, Christy’s Donuts is a small, independently owned shop selling typical breakfast goods: donuts, croissants, and kolaches. I’ve stopped by on occasion to grab a snack as they’re one of the few donut…
How Jay-Z & Kanye West Kept Watch the Throne From Leaking Online
The kingdom is safe. The throne has been watched. In an age where albums spring leaks like baby diapers, Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne arrived on the appointed date without even as much as a drip. For the first time in over a decade, we witnessed a major…
Rebekah Sanders: The Facebook Updates of a Suicidal Mom Who Killed Her Two Kids
Horrible news from northwest Harris County, where a troubled mother killed her two young children and then turned a gun on herself, the sheriff’s office says. Rebekah Dawn Sanders is in the hospital in serious condition, HCSO says, and the two kids have been identified as Gabriel Nathan Sanders, three,…
Whole Foods vs. Ramadan: The Original Email
Since our post yesterday on Whole Foods’s reluctance to promote Ramadan this year after a few customer and blogger complaints, the story unexpectedly went viral. Saffron Roads CEO Adnan Durrani called the post “a tempest in a teapot” when interviewed by CNN. And NPR reported: “Looking to set the record…
Purple, Possessed & Pervy: Rock’s Top 10 Houses
Celebrity homes will always be a source of fascination, offering a glimpse at the intimate, private side of those who live their lives in the public eye. And it’s particularly interesting to note the impact of everyday surroundings on a person and their work, and how they in turn influence…
We’d Live Here: Houston’s 6 Coolest, Smallest Houses
In this economy, you hear the word “downsize” a lot. And that word tends to have a negative connotation, invoking dreary images of yard sales, moving vans and trading in a 5,000-square-foot home for a shotgun shack or basement apartment. But living in a small space doesn’t have to be…
Texas Tech’s Chancellor Gives Longhorns a Big Middle Finger, Maybe
Everyone who doesn’t love burnt orange hates the Longhorn Network, the lucrative collaboration between UT and ESPN. Among those haters: Texas Tech chancellor and former congressman Kent Hance. UT’s deal with ESPN calls for one Big 12 conference game to be aired on the new channel, but the Longhorns are…
Hello, Dolly: 4 Strange Art Forms Involving Dolls
Art Attack fears dolls. Naturally, when it came time to reproduce we had a girl because Slayer was right and God hates us all. So now we’re surrounded by dolls, their glass eyes full to the brim with the restless souls of murderers, rapists and guys named Marty. We hear…
Off the Wall: Treebeards Buttercake
In last week’s Tunnel Explorer, Nicholas Hall provided us with an interesting look at a new, but old favorite – Treebeard’s in the tunnel. Perhaps his slightly more than adequate meal of catfish, dirty rice, and squash casserole lacked excitement because he forgot to order the most important part of…
Introducing Hazy Ray, By Decree of #Thurogod
Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group “Artist of the Week,” bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn’t awful? Email their particulars to sheaserrano@gmail.com. All praise be to #Thurogod. About two weeks…
No, a Houston Playground Is Not Melting in the Heat
The webz are alive with this picture of a “playground melting” in Houston. Sorry (or very glad?) to say, it’s not true. Sharp-eyed Houstonians have identified it as a piece of equipment near this fire in Mission Bend last year. We can’t say for sure that it is, but we’re…
Brew Blog: Left Coast Una Mas Amber Lager
I’ll be perfectly honest about this. I picked up a bottle of Left Coast Brewing Co. Una Mas out of simple confusion. Even as I sat down to write this column, bleary-eyed from not enough sleep and still clearing the cobwebs from my brain, I confused myself. I penned an…
Comment of the Day: You Could Have Married Newt Gingrich!
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…
HGO Needs a Lot of Good Men (and Some Women, Too)
Over the last ten years, Keenan Manceaux has sung out strongly in Italian, French, German, Czech and, yes, occasionally English, while working his way through costume fittings and wig adjustments and holding down a day job. Other than a little Italian, Manceaux doesn’t have a firm grasp on any language…
Blue Hair and Mohawks: Notes From the Rice Owls Media Day
Pity the fool who mocks the Mohawk.The Rice Owls’ media day on Saturday was a bit looser than the media day held by the Houston Cougars on Friday afternoon. There were more players available. There was more laughter. The coaches mingled with the press. Spirits were high. It’s not that…
2 Become 1: Musical Match-Ups We’d Like To See
Kanye “Hitler” West and Jay-Z released their (overused music writer word alert) epic Watch the Throne album this week, to mostly great reviews. This fall the first fruits from the recently announced Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration should be on the store shelves, which still sorta weirds us out. Bob Dylan was…
11 Sultry, Sexy Cowgirls on World War II Planes (NSFW)
One of the great things about World War II airplanes, beyond their role in bringing down two savage dictatorships, was the nose art. Officers were given pretty much carte blanche on what they could paint on the side of their aircraft, and many used women, scantily clad to one 1940’s…
Sampler Plate: This Week in Food Blogs
Each week, we put together a sampler plate of the most interesting links from both local and national food blogs. Know a blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. Talking Tolerance: The fallout continues from the story that we broke yesterday…
Billy Gene Childress: After Daughter Allegedly Brings Him Teen to Rape, He Gets Shot, then Arrested for Child Porn
An extremely bizarre sex crime case even by the lofty standards of rural Deep East Texas has been unfolding over the summer in San Augustine County. Back in May, Billy Gene Childress, 55, and his 22-year-old daughter Margaret Ann Childress were arrested and charged with sexual assault of a minor…
Comment of the Day
Today Katharine Shilcutt reported on a Whole Foods email which advised stores not to promote Ramadan. Commenter “My money where my mouth is” shared some thoughts: Not that i particularly care whether a store advertises its products to me at Ramadan or any other time with little placards saying “Ramadan…
6 Wrestling Finishing Moves That Would Suck at Stopping Riots (w/ Video)
I am admittedly not always the most up to speed on current events. I’m a generally selfish person. If it has nothing to do with my a) job, b) family, c) friends, d) bank account or e) need to satisfy hunger pangs, then whatever “it” may be gets thrown on…
Unidentified Male, 23, Bayou Body Count No. 119
The body of an early-morning shooting victim remained undiscovered on an apartment-complex driveway for hours before a passerby saw it at 9 a.m. this morning, police say. The name of the male victim, 23, has not been released. He was found in the 10200 block of Forum West Drive, dead…
Bun B, Deer Tick Come Aboard BestFest Lineup
Rhode Island rockers Deer Tick do so wish they were from Houston. They have a deep-seated ZZ Top fetish that manifested itself in a cover of “Cheap Sunglasses” at SXSW a couple of years back, nearly causing a couple of members of Team Rocks Off to grow beards on the…
A Dozen High-Priced Arabian Horses Die in Barn Fire
At least 12 high-priced Arabian horses died in a barn fire this morning in Magnolia, city fire chief Gary Vincent says. The average horse killed at the Goslin-Nix Stables blaze was worth about $60,000 and included one world champion valued at $100,000. The Arabian horses, which are known for their…
Today’s DVDs: Dead Man and The Battle of Algiers
Dead Man stars Johnny Depp, Gabriel Byrne, Robert Mitchum and Crispin Glover, with Jim Jarmusch directing. The setup: There have been lots of terms tossed around in describing Dead Man, from “disappointing” to “cinematic masterpiece” to “the ultimate postmodern Western.” Our personal favorite is “acid Western.” That most completely captures…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 46, Sicilia Salad at Trevisio
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Extreme Heat Unlikely To Affect Future Concert Seasons
Is the heat getting to you yet? Rocks Off is not going to say this week or two of consecutive 100-plus-degree days is affecting our judgment, but earlier today we approved one of our writers’ pitch to make a playlist of songs about Hell. Seemed right on the money to…
George Greanias Signed No-Porn Policy Right Before Porn Binge
Here’s one thing we didn’t notice in all the hubbub: The biggest binge of porn-viewing by Metro CEO George Greanias came just days after a new policy emphasizing against such behavior — signed by him — went into effect. The new policy went into effect June 15 and features Greanias’s…
Treating Magic With Historical Respect: Author David Liss and Historical Fantasy
You may know David Liss as the author of the Black Panther comic books, but today we talked to David Liss, the author of historical fiction novels. It’s the same guy, using the same writing muscles, just with a slightly different focus. San Antonio-based Liss is in Houston today to…
The Drought Is Absolutely Killing Memorial Park’s Trees
The never-ending drought hitting Houston and the rest of Texas is having a devastating effect on one of the city’s favorite things: the trees in Memorial Park. Barry Ward, executive director of Trees for Houston, took a tour yesterday to assess the damage and was dismayed at what he saw…
Hostel at Universal Studios and 4 Other Horrifying Attractions We Want to Experience
Now that we have successfully procreated through luck, love, breakthrough scientific procedures and medical-grade pornography, Art Attack is greatly looking forward to using our adorable little hostage as an excuse to finally head to Florida and tackling Disney World and Universal Studios. Not that you need an excuse to blow…
Wine Tip: How to Open a Bottle with Wax Seal
An old-school wax seal (closure) on a bottle can be intimidating — even for experienced wine professionals. Very few bottlers still use a wax seal and of the few that do, many have converted to faux wax seals that are actually very easy to remove. (For one type of faux…
Our Jeff Balke Talks Apps On Great Day Houston
Jeff Balke, our stalwart expert on all things apps (and weather), took his vast and imposing quantities of knowledge to the TV this morning, appearing on Great Day Houston. We won’t mention how they screw up his name the first two times they get the chance. Well, guess we just…
Jeremy Kaelin, Accused ‘Roid-Dealer/Woman-Beater, Loses Fancy Breitling Watch to State. What a Pity.
With last Friday’s default judgment favoring the plaintiff, the case of The State of Texas vs One (1) Watch with Clear Stones has come to an end. A court found that Jeremy Kaelin’s silver-colored Breitling for Bentley watch found after a drug raid on his apartment was contraband and therefore…
God and Death: The Back Porch Players Tackle the Big Questions
The topics for Woody Allen’s plays God and Death might seem a bit heavy, but Nicholas Collins, director for the two one-acts currently being produced by The Back Porch Players, says both plays are filled with humor. “In these dark and brooding dramas…we get some real gut-buster laughs,” says Collins…
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 Deals of the Day
Today’s VOICE Daily Deal from the Houston Press is good for 50 percent off ($20 for $40) authentic Thai cuisine at Bangkok Chef. You’ll find Thailand in the middle of Downtown Houston with Thai classics including noodles, fried rice, curry, seafood, duck specialties and vegetarian options all cooked to your…
We Caved: Join Rocks Off On Turntable.fm All Day
If you are lucky enough to have already gotten a Turntable.fm invite, and you work somewhere that is down with your listening to streaming jams, then right now you could be listening to the Stone Roses and Stereo MC’s in Rocks Off’s new Houston Press Rocks Off Spin Off on…
Riot Gear: 5 Iconic Movies About a Postapocalyptic London
It’s been hard not to be glued to my computer and television, watching images of violence and looting in one of the world’s most storied cities flicker across the screens. The riots that have been going on since Saturday don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. People’s homes have…
Kelly Rowland Gives Jersey Nip-Slip A “Kanye Shrug”
From the Very Important News That You Need To Know RIGHT NOW Dept: Former (current?) Houstonian Kelly Rowland, who has gone from Destiny’s Child second banana to R&B’s leading summer seductress behind smash single “Motivation,” popped out of her dominatrix-like outfit during a show in West Orange, N.J., Sunday night…
The World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods, and Where to Find Them in Houston
It can be argued that there are some dreadfully underappreciated and generally underrepresented cuisines in the Bayou City (try to find Portuguese or North African or Russian food here). But on the whole, it’s widely accepted that Houston’s broad and easily accessible ethnic dining scene offers a spread of restaurants…
Comment of the Day: This Marriage Can’t Be Saved
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…
Longtime Art Instructor Patrick Palmer Appointed Glassell School’s Faculty Chair/Dean
Patrick Palmer, who has taught art classes for almost 20 years at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s Glassell School, has been appointed the newest faculty chair/dean of the studio school and art history department. He will succeed Suzanne Manns, who is retiring. Palmer’s an accomplished artist in his own…
The Modular Trailer v. Guest Chef: Throwing It Down at Grand Prize Bar
Despite the growing number of “gourmet”-type food trucks in Houston, the fact that I follow most of them on Twitter, and the many crave-worthy Facebook posts by friends, I haven’t really been inclined to chase down food trucks in Houston. I think it’s partly because of the heat. Do I…
Joan Ginther, Serial Lottery Winner: Lucky Or a Genius Who Gamed the System?
You may remember Joan Ginther, the woman who’s racked up four Texas Lottery million-dollar-plus wins over the years. The lottery said she had just gotten lucky, but now one expert thinks she might have figured out how to game the system in a completely legal way. Nathaniel Rich, writing in…
Houston Rapper Aims To Win Nigerian Contest
The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place – lots of times, you’re even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good – so once a week we’re going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Have something you always wanted…
The Double Meaning of “Woody”: R.W. Northcutt’s “Indigenous Genius” Mixes Wooden Shoes, Sex Toys
This exhibit comes off as an elaborate joke, as well as an intellectual treatise on the natural world’s influence on building and sculpture. As a result, it’s a little too busy being clever for one to completely enjoy the joke or the art. All of the “artifacts” on display come…
UPDATED: Most HISD Trustees Say Give the Money Back to the Schools Now
Update: HISD spokesman Jason Spencer says Superintendent Terry Grier always meant to give the restored overcut of funds back to the schools and that the only difference of opinion was whether principals should be limited in how they used that money. See bottom of story for more. A majority of…
O’Death: “Bugs” Challenges Nick Cave For Most Disturbing Video
And loses, but keep in mind that Nick Cave, whose latest incarnation Grinderman is responsible for “Heathen Child”, has never really said for certain whether or not he is in fact a demon toying with our souls until he consumes them. So no, O’Death doesn’t beat the creepiest man in…
Tomato Stripper: Serrated OXO Swivel Peeler
The OXO Swivel Peeler has always been an impressive instrument. I’m no Fruit Ninja, but I can remove the peel from an apple, sometimes as one long spiral, in less than 30 seconds. It’s useless on tomatoes and peaches, so when I saw the serrated model–on sale–I snatched it off…
Photos: Ghosts of the Gulf’s Art Deco Scene
It’s hard to think of a pool hall, with its slick sharks and low lights, as a “glamorous” setting. But if you step outside the Slick Willie’s pool hall at 1200 Westheimer and just look up, you’ll see Egyptian motifs and intricate geometric designs, calling cards of the glamorous art…
Upcoming: Black Angels, Dolly Parton, J. Cole, Mates Of State, Etc.
Aaron Neville: Sun., Dec. 11. House of Blues. Carbon Leaf, Alpha Rev: Wed., Oct. 26. Fitzgerald’s. Between The Buried And Me, Animals As Leaders: Thu., Nov. 17. House of Blues. Gunslinger, Black Queen Speaks, Sheila Swift, Tyburn Jig, Tyranny Of Bella: VIP ROOM., Sat., Sept. 10. Verizon Wireless Theater. Black…
Top Five: Offal Dishes
When looking up the word “offal,” I came across many definitions, most of them not very appetizing. And the name itself — most widely believed to have originated from the words off and fall, as in the parts that fall off the butcher block — does little justice to how…
8 Memories from Congressional Page Land: Sandwiches with the Speaker, Shaking Bill Clinton’s Hand and Stealing KFC Decals
Today, it was announced that the House of Representatives Page Program, a program both steeped in history and marred by scandal, is coming to an end. According to USA Today, House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi cited the $5 million annual expenditure for cutting the program, which…
Pop Rocks: The 5 Prayers We Didn’t Hear at Perry’s Rally
As you may be aware, Governor Rick Perry held a prayer rally last Saturday at Reliant Stadium. Dubbed “The Response” (and redubbed “Prayerapalooza” by some, or “Reliant’s Preseason Concession Test Run” by us just now), the event attracted some 30,000 folks drawn by Perry’s call to pray for “a nation…
Pop Rocks: 5 Prayers We Wish We’d Heard at Perry’s Rally
As you may be aware, Governor Rick Perry held a prayer rally last Saturday at Reliant Stadium. Dubbed “The Response” (and redubbed “Prayerapalooza” by some, or “Reliant’s Preseason Concession Test Run” by us just now), the event attracted some 30,000 folks drawn by Perry’s call to pray for “a nation…
Who Is The Best Comedian Out Right Now?
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn’t a national holiday (or thereabouts), Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week’s Panel: Bun B, Renzo, Kyle Hubbard, Mr Wired Up (Oh Boy), Chuckway, Chingo Bling, Mac, Delo, Jack…
Whole Foods: “We Should Not Highlight Ramadan” – UPDATED
UPDATE: View the original, unedited internal email from Whole Foods. Under pressure from right-wing bloggers who blindly associate Ramadan and Muslims with terrorism and burqas, Whole Foods has sent an email to its stores across the United States in which it specifically tells stores not to promote Ramadan this year…
Anthony Rochell Foster, Disgraced Ex-Cop, Can’t Explain $350K in His Chevy
When an HPD patrolman pulled over Anthony Rochell Foster on the North Freeway earlier this year, he had to be a little surprised when Foster’s Texas Driver’s License picture showed the 45-year-old in the Columbia blue of a fellow Houston cop. The patrolman had to be still more surprised when…
Where Are We Drinking?
This health food cafe might not be known for its bellinis, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good. Can you guess where we’re sipping this summer brunch cocktail patio-side? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
100 Creatives: Sandra Lord
What she does: Also known as the “Tunnel Lady,” Sandra Lord is the founder of Discover Houston Tours, and for a quarter-century she’s been helping Houstonians and visitors alike find the hidden charms of the city. She also created the first ghost tours in Houston, featuring lock-ins at the supposedly…
Metro’s George Greanias on Escorts and the Reaction of the Board, Employees and the Mayor
Metro CEO George Greanias returned to work Monday after a one-week suspension for viewing adult Web sites on his laptop in the office, which uses the agency’s wi-fi system. We were allowed a brief interview, so here’s ten questions with Greanias: Hair Balls: How has the reaction from employees been?…
Comment of the Day
Katharine Shilcutt is already more than halfway through her 100 favorite dishes in town; today’s entry was on pho ga. Commenter Foster Janet took a moment to admire the list so far: One thought after reading list as of now….isn’t it fantastic how most of the list is ethnic in…
According to His HOF Bust, Deion Sanders Is Troy Aikman’s Identical Twin
Just getting back into the swing of things after a weekend wedding in San Antonio. The wedding actually took place on the Riverwalk, marking the first time I’ve ever done anything sober on the Riverwalk other than “walking to the place where I’m having my first few round of drinks.”…
Comment of the Day: Falling Skies Is the New The Killing
This morning, Pete Vonder Haar wrote of the disappointing season finale of Falling Skies; I was myself an on-again, off-again viewer, but even I watched last night for the promised aliens vs. humans battle that never happened. Had I been watching the entire season, my disappointment, I’m sure, would have…
Cake, Buxton Confirmed For First-Ever BestFest
Saucy rockers Cake and Houston’s own alt-country insurgents Buxton are the first two acts confirmed for the inaugural Houston Press Best of Houston® BestFest, or “BestFest,” the two-day festival scheduled for September 24 and 25 at the Midtown “superblock” between McGowen, Main, Travis and Anita streets, near the McGowen light-rail…
The Response Criterion Collection: More Pictures From Saturday’s Prayerapalooza
Photos By GroovehouseJust like a concert, but with no alcohol and merch, and a little less moshing. Since coming back from The Response event at Reliant Stadium on late Saturday afternoon and posting my blog about the event, which I spent almost eight hours at, the comment section on the…
Ramadan Iftar, Sponsored by the City, Draws Hundreds of Muslims
Sealed bottles of water sit on the white-clothed tables before the crowd of thirsty fasters. It’s Ramadan, so for one month, observant Muslims like those gathered here at the downtown convention center will abstain from eating and drinking during the day, trading gratification for patience and restraint. At the city…
Public Art on Display: Watch Artist Edgar Bustillos Create His NASA Mural
The space shuttle program may be history, but motorists on NASA Road in Webster can still see rocket ships and the beauty of space, courtesy of area artist Edgar Bustillos. Bustillos, who also teaches P.E. at McWhirter Elementary School, designed and painted a mural, an homage to the space program,…
Watch The Throne: Two Self-Appointed Supermen, Acting Normal As Can Be
Kanye West is a rapper from Chicago and Jay-Z is a rapper from New York. They made an album together and they called it Watch the Throne and DAS CCRRAAAZZZYYY!!!! It’s silly to pretend like Throne isn’t good, or at least interesting. Or at least rich. Or at least contemplative…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 47, Pho Ga at Pho Ga Dakao
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Piña Colada: Tropical Relief
The piña colada is the tropical drink associated with palm-shaded plazas of Puerto Rico and resort beaches in the Caribbean, where it provides icy pleasure against the blazing tropical sun. The reality is that San Juan averages around 85º this time of year, while a thermometer in Houston punches towards…
FBISD Says Don’t Worry, We Took Care of That Austin High Mold
One of the lesser joys of getting ready for a new school year comes when teachers return to the classroom and flip on a switch. At Austin High School in the Fort Bend ISD, last week a few teachers were greeted with the unwelcome discovery of what one person described…
Your Musical Word of the Day: Calenture
Definition: A fever, specifically a fever that was supposed to affect sailors on long sea voyages to the tropics. The fever caused hallucinations that the ocean was actually a green field, and sailors would attempt to jump down to it only to drown. The hallucinations may have some connection to…
With Authentic Acting and Superb Staging, RENT Rocks
The setup: The rock musical RENT, inspired by Puccini’s La Bohème, recreates the artistic and social life of Manhattan’s East Village, and adds to poverty and artistic drive the ever-present specter of AIDS. But in the Stage Door production, the exuberant joy of living bursts through the grime to make…
How To: Store Cheese
The best way for a cheese monger to wrap cheese is with clear plastic. You can see exactly what the cheese looks like, and make sure there’s no mold. So what’s the worst way to wrap cheese? Clear plastic wrap. It traps evaporating moisture that condenses into tiny pockets of…
Thomas Fortenberry: Former Youth Pastor, 30, Admits to Girlfriend He Video’d Her and Other Girls Taking Showers Four Years Ago When They Were Teens
You think you’ve met the man of your dreams, a man you first knew when he was the cool and hip youth pastor at your church. Things seem to be moving towards marriage, and then — well, a conversation that allegedly goes like this: Him: “Remember that Fear Factor game…
Mildred’s Umbrella to Gauge Audience Interest for New Production
It sounds a bit like a reality competition show along the lines of American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance: From dozens of submissions, Mildred’s Umbrella has chosen a “final four” plays for its Fresh Ink series, meaning they will be performed as staged readings over the course…
Kanye West Vs. Adolf Hitler: Tale Of The Tape
Godwin’s Rule of Nazi Analogies, formulated by humorist and writer Mike Godwin, states that eventually, any heated discussion (especially online), will lead to someone comparing either the situation or the principals to Nazis or Adolf Hitler. Saturday night at The Big Chill Festival in England, rapper Kanye West compared the…
The Single Worst Person to Pick Up a Buddy Stopped for Driving Without a License Gets Arrested
When you’re pulled over and the cop discovers you don’t have a valid driver’s license, he’s generally not going to let you drive away. So you call a friend. Or a co-worker. That’s what one Montgomery County man did, and that co-worker showed up to take over driving duties. That…
Three Murders and It’s Only Monday a Delightful Send-Up of the Mystery Genre
The setup: Prolific playwright Pat Cook, a resident of Houston, knows the mystery genre to a fare-thee-well, and spoofs it entertainingly in Three Murders and It’s Only Monday. Revered conventions are shattered to smithereens, as the fourth wall is not only breached, it is assaulted with devastating comic force. The…
Wine of the Week: Pinot Noir Isn’t the New Merlot
Three years ago, when I attended a talk by Wine & Spirits Magazine editor-in-chief Josh Greene at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento, California, he discussed the rising popularity of Pinot Noir and its eclipse of Merlot as the by-the-glass go-to grape among young wine professionals. The “I’m…
Sunday: Girls Rock Camp Showcase At Fitzgerald’s
Girls Rock Camp Houston showcase Fitzgerald’s August 7, 2011 Now available for your viewing pleasure: Our GRC showcase slideshow. The six bands formed at this year’s Girls Rock Camp Houston filled the upstairs area at Fitz Sunday afternoon with a youthful energy that Aftermath hasn’t experienced there since high school,…
The Week in TV: Louie Stays Alive, Charlie Sheen Still Dead
Louis C.K. lives to hate another day. This was the week in TV Land: • Pickup news out of FX: The cable network has renewed Wilfred and Louie for a respective second and third season, with both comedies looking to return in summer 2012. They’ve also picked up It’s Always…
Cafe Luz Offers More Than Just Coffee: Handmade Sodas and Fresh Food Head Downtown
Downtown has a new coffee shop as of this morning at 6:30 a.m. That’s when Frank Freeman opened the doors of Cafe Luz at 907 Franklin, his new venture with Lucrece Borrego and Jesus Acosta, who also own Kitchen Incubator. Cafe Luz is located in the retail storefront area of…
Red-Light Cameras: In First Six Days Back On, 2,700 Citations Issued
The money machine has been cranked up in full: The Houston Police Department reports that in the first six days of returning to operations, the city’s 67 red-light cameras racked up more than 2,700 citations issued to drivers. Those lucky drivers will be getting notices from American Traffic Solutions, the…
True Blood: A Taste of Houston in Bon Temps
Alan Ball was known for his masterful use of music in Six Feet Under. He’s lost none of his touch when it comes to his current HBO series, True Blood — which happens to be set in the Louisiana swamps, not terribly far from Houston. Johnny Bush, ladies and gentlemen…
Salem Saif Al Mazrouei, 28, Bayou Body Count No. 118
A man was killed in a robbery near Reliant Park as he was taking his father home from treatments at the Texas Medical Center. Salem Saif Al Mazrouei, 28, is an officer in the army of the United Arab Emirates, reports UAE publication The National. He and his father were…
Friday Night: AWOLNATION & Wallpaper At Warehouse Live
AWOLNATION, Wallpaper Warehouse Live August 5, 2011 How can one appropriately describe AWOLNATION? Truthfully, we’re still asking ourselves that very question this morning. And we haven’t made too much progress since Friday night’s sold-out show at Warehouse Live’s studio. Here’s one thought we’ve come up with since then: Had Trent…
Ingredient of the Week: Greek Yogurt
What is it? Greek yogurt is a strained yogurt that has been filtered to remove whey, which means it has twice as much protein but less carbohydrates than regular yogurt. In addition to protein, it is a good source of probiotics, calcium, riboflavin, and vitamins B6 and B12. Greek yogurt…
Falling Skies: Hey Man, Nice Shot
Thanks — again — to Caroline Evans for covering my ass last week. I’m sure there will be no more problems now that a four-month construction project has started on my house. TNT awkwardly crammed together the final two episodes of Falling Skies to produce its alleged cliffhanger season finale…
Hayden Fosdick’s “Paper Compounds”: Compelling Cut-And-Paste
Hayden Fosdick’s small, minimalist collage works feel right at home on the walls of downtown urban boutique The Tipping Point. The little cut-and-paste jobs, utilizing imagery and paper from a collection of old books the artist inherited from his late father, look like tiny wheat-paste street-art works. Most contain only…
Comment of the Day: Lying About Rape
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…
Top Five Under-Appreciated Fowl Meats
All fowl should be fair game for eating, but many Americans, me included, seem fixated on chicken and turkey. Next time you’re in the mood to eat some feathery friends, consider this list of under-appreciated fowl. Hunting down some of these birds will have to be a figurative rather than…
Friday Night: Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Devin & Friends At Warehouse Live
Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Devin the Dude, Afroman, Fat Tony, Killa Kyleon, Jack Freeman, UZOY, Mezou Warehouse Live August 5, 2011 9:08 p.m.: Oh my. So, the show tonight – Slim, Ro, Devin, Afroman and openers – is mostly guys you can see in Houston just about anytime. Also, it’s only…
Hack the Planet: The Best Guilty Pleasure Movies of the ’90s
Truth be told, I don’t believe in the term “guilty pleasure” because I don’t feel any guilt getting pleasure out of watching Last Action Hero once a month or listening to the Bee Gees without irony. Whether you’re a brother, or whether you’re a mother, you can’t deny the power…
Fast Times: Breakfast at Burger King Surprises
As I was pulling into Burger King on Kirby I noticed the McDonald’s across the street. My husband had requested a McMuffin, but since I was in a hurry and already approaching the BK drive-through, I decided to stick with BK. When I placed my order for a Breakfast Muffin…
Case Keenum and the Favre Rules: Notes from UH Media Day
The Cougars would like Case Keenum to be a bit more like Brett Favre this season.It’s safe to say that the 2010 football season didn’t pan out the way the Houston Cougars imagined it would. That team, to be paced by senior QB Case Keenum, was poised to take UH…
R.I.P. Marshall Grant, Johnny Cash’s Tennessee Two Bassist
Marshall Grant, the Memphis bassist who along with guitarist Luther Perkins, were the members of Johnny Cash’s seminal band the Tennessee Two, died early Sunday in Jonesboro, Ark. Cash’s daughter Roseanne reported via her Twitter account Sunday that Grant had died of aneurysm, and that she had visited him the…
True Blood: A Bit Of Houston, A Bit Of Magical Murder
Alan Ball was known for his masterful use of music in Six Feet Under. He’s lost none of his touch when it comes to his current HBO series, True Blood – which happens to be set in the Louisiana swamps, not terribly far from Houston. Johnny Bush, ladies and gentlemen…
Reece Daniel Gonzales, 24, Bayou Body Count No. 117
A man was killed in southeast Houston early Sunday morning, and his assailant is on the run. Reece Daniel Gonzales, 24, was attacked in an apartment in the 8400 block of Winkler, Houston police say. He stumbled out of the place trying to escape; he was taken to the hospital…
The Five Astronaut Autobiographies Everyone Should Read
Astronaut autobiographies can be a very mixed bag. On the one hand, that should be surprising given the harrowing, thrilling life-and-death stories which are inherent; on the other hand, the authors are generally not very good writers. And even if they are working with ghost writers, the ability to eloquently…
Where Are We Eating?
At this Middle Eastern buffet, the food isn’t the only draw — look at those fine and fancy light fixtures. Does this little bit of glitz look familiar to you? Think you know where we’re eating this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
Terry Grier Doesn’t Want to Hire Back HISD Teachers
Right up to the end of the lengthy budget process this spring, Houston ISD trustees were assured by Superintendent Terry Grier and his administrators that if the district’s calculations were off, if HISD got more money from the state than expected, then of course, any excess would be restored to…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 48, Sojok Mana’eesh at Cedars Bakery
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Prayerapalooza: The Response at Reliant Stadium With Rick Perry and a Packed House
GroovehouseGovernor Rick Perry leads Reliant Stadium in prayer on Saturday morning. Our country’s credit rating was downgraded just less than a day before The Response event at Reliant Stadium opened its doors. The world is scary and getting more so by the day. People are afraid of the future, like…
VIDEO: The Response at Reliant Stadium With Rick Perry and a Packed House
While I put together my thoughts from the day, be sure to check out my Twitter stream, which acted as my reporter’s notebook of my Saturday at Reliant Stadium. For now, check out these two clips I took from the floor of the stadium. It was a packed house for…
Prayerapalooza: Our Slideshow of The Response
Do you feel better now? If not, it’s your fault, because Rick Perry and 30,000 attendees of The Response prayed their hearts out for you today. We have a slideshow of the event here; our Craig Hlavaty tweeted throughout and we’ll have his report soon…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 49, Nova Fish Box at New York Bagel & Coffee Shop
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Police Use Free Football Tickets to Capture Deadbeat Dads
For a divorced parent, paying your child support should be one of those simple, automatic tasks each month. First and foremost, it pays to feed and clothe your children, who should be the most important people in your life (even when they’re acting up in the back seat or spill…
Comment of the Day
Today Mai Pham wrote about the great pizza and people-watching at the new Alto Pizzeria at West Ave, which led everyone’s favorite EOW commenter, SirRon, to discover a weird photo on the restaurant’s web page. Commenter Florida63 kindly broke the photo down for us: Clearly they are a hot couple…
This Week in Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where a halfway decent heartburn remedy should net you a Nobel Peace Prize, as far as we’re concerned. If your definition of starting the week off right is starting it off with a one-sided ass-whomping, then we definitely started…
Pedro Rosales: Allegedly Tried to Convince Kid to Take The Rap for His Child Porn
A Houston man caught with a computer full of child porn tried to convince “a juvenile family member” to take the rap for it, the U.S. Attorney’s Office says. Pedro Rosales, 32, thought “that if the juvenile claimed the images/videos, the family member would not be prosecuted because of age,”…
Screwed Up Records & Tapes Vacating Shop At Month’s End
…there you have it, folks. When Rocks Off talked to Bun B at the Houston Web Awards, he said the shop will be relocating somewhere nearby, so all is not lost. And that’s all the news that’s fit to print. Have a nice, slow, draped-up and dripped-out weekend…
Jerry Lewis Barrett: Alleged Gun-Toting, Crack-Dealing Bootlegger Reminds Us of Epic Houston Blues Tale
Yesterday afternoon police in Tyler raided the East Locust Street home of 56-year-old Jerry Lewis Barrett. They say they found crack, prescription pills, a short-barrel firearm (possibly a sawed-off shotgun) and evidence of bootlegging. (Just what constitutes evidence of bootlegging we can’t say: whiskey and boots, maybe?) Barrett was charged…
Food Interns Wanted
The Houston Press is looking for interns with excellent writing and/or photography skills to contribute to Eating Our Words and our other dining coverage. Interns must be enrolled in college presently; this program is for course credit only. You must be able to work at least 12 hours per week,…
100 Years of Lucy: 7 Great Guest Stars
Tomorrow marks what would have been the 100th birthday of comedy legend Lucille Ball. If you grew up with a TV in your home, chances are you watched at least one episode of I Love Lucy, Ball’s wildly popular (and revolutionary three-camera technique) show about a mischievous ’50s housewife trying…
VIDEO: Watch Art Attack on So You Think You Can Dance
We were jumping for joy last night while watching So You Think You Can Dance, not just because Melanie and Sasha made it through to the finale, but also because our video of our National Dance Day event in the Houston Press parking lot last weekend made it into the…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 50, Whole Catfish at Saigon Pagolac
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Mary Ellis Randle: Woman Cashes Aunt’s Retirement Checks For Seven Years After She Died
The five stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. And by “acceptance,” we mean continuing to accept — and cash — your aunt’s monlthly retirement checks for a full seven years after she died. Mary Ellis Randle, 63, just couldn’t bring herself to let go of her probably…
A Scorching Playlist For This Massive Heat Wave
This morning a childhood friend of Rocks Off’s who happens to be moving back to Houston texted us to say “64 degrees as I leave LA this morning. Better relish this moment ’cause I won’t be experiencing this again for a while.” To which we replied “Fuck no you won’t…
Gov. Rick Perry May Have Used Taxpayer Dollars to Promote “The Response,” Says ACLU
Diversity-minded, Constitution-abiding folks are pissed at tomorrow’s one-day Jesus camp called “The Response.” Governor Rick Perry, of course, is the belle of the ball. It’s a little complicated since he’s primarily our governor, not Jesus-seeking missile. An open records request muddied the holy waters a bit more. Last night, in…
Chef Chat, Part 3: Kiran Verma of Kiran’s
Usually, after the conversation portion of the Chef Chat (covered in parts one and two), the chef brings out a few of her specialties, or some seasonal dishes, or whatever catches her fancy that day. I then write about those dishes in part three (the post that you are now…
Twin Four-Year-Olds Discuss Music, Existentialism
Two furious, monstrously wonderful boys, whom we occasionally consider punching, live in our home. They have been there for four years now, and have spent a majority of their days doing and saying ridiculous things. One time, one of them pulled a poop out of the toilet. One time, one…
Wilfred: Venturing Into Premium Network Territory
It had to happen. Given the show’s proclivities for narcotics, pornography and stuffed animal humping (always with the stuffed animal humping), it shouldn’t have come as a surprise last night when Wilfred veered into territory barely suited for the premium networks, much less a basic cable network like FX. Instead…
Project Runway: “My Pet Project”
Longtime PR watchers know that the unconventional materials challenges are often the most entertaining, giving the designers the opportunity to shine bright or bomb big. Heidi gives the group a clue, saying that this week they will “unleash their creativity.” Joshua McKinley’s word association immediately has him musing about the…
If You’re Going to Falsely Tell Cops a Guy Sexually Assaulted You, Don’t Get Caught on Camera Announcing Your Plans
“Gotcha” moments don’t come more classic than the one that happened in Montgomery County recently. The Sheriff’s Office blotter says two officers were called to an apartment to investigate a sexual assault. “The alleged victim stated to the deputies that her 26-year-old male friend had sexually assaulted her,” the report…
Upcoming Events: Welcome Back, Brownstone Cafe and An Historic Pub Crawl
Ghost hunters and professional drinkers, you’ll want to sign up for tonight’s Historic Pub Crawl starting at the Lancaster Hotel. The tour will take you through five area pubs (with half-off happy hour fare at each) as well as stop at the Spaghetti Warehouse, which is said to be the…
Giant Phones, Bad TV and Clear Drinks: 10 Things We Will Never Miss About The ’90s
Those of us that more or less came of age around the turn of the Millennium are victims of a fabricated nostalgia for times and places we only barely remember. Sure, most of us were born in the ’80s, but if we’re truly honest with ourselves, we really don’t remember…
Swagometer: Brawling Strippers & Fat Tony’s Filthy New Band Name
Despite what you may have heard, swag isn’t dead yet; at least not in Houston. Have any swagged-out projects or general ideas? E-mail alliswagoner@gmail.com. Aside from working every day at Girls Rock Camp Houston, this week provided Rocks Off with its usually consistent amount of swag, and even a new,…
Cover Story: Austin Strikes Back? Travis County Hunts Me Down For 3 Bad Checks From 22 Years Ago
When my ex-wife called about a month ago to tell me that Travis County had sent me a hot check warrant to my old address here in Houston, I thought there had to be some kind of mistake. Maybe my identity had been stolen — at South By Southwest in…
Two Star Symphony Rosin Their Bows With Blood
Back in 2008, Houston premier pop string quartet Two Star Symphony was tapped to provide the soundtrack for the Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre’s ballet version of Shakespeare’s most bloody work, Titus Andronicus. The play is pretty much Julius Caesar as conceived by Eli Roth, featuring mutilation, rape and cannibalism in…
The Week in Art Photos: Street Art and Neon Signs
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…
Odd Pair: Spaghetti and Meatballs and a High-Plains Greek Rosé
Who can resist classic, homemade spaghetti and meatballs? Even the most snooty Italophiles among us, those who turn their noses up at blasphemous Italian-American cuisine citing the god of Authenticity, are easily corrupted when it comes to this dish, which evokes a cinematically rich swath of our shared American cultural…
Rick Perry in College: Getting C’s in Just About Every Course You’d Want a Potential President to Do Well in
Rick Perry has made no bones about the fact that he wasn’t the most studious college student, and a transcript obtained by the Huffington Post bears that out. Among the courses Perry got a C or lower in: History of the U.S. Composition & Rhetoric World Military Systems Principles of…
Comment of the Day: TexasSparkle?
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…
Diary Of A Girls Rock Camp Counselor: Best Week Ever
Today is the last day of Girls Rock Camp Houston and Rocks Off has already cried twice. It’s only 7 a.m. We never thought we’d get so emotionally involved – psych, we’re babies – but being surrounded by these gifted girls from 8 a.m. to 5p.m. every day has forced…
Happy Hour Scene: Coaches Pub
The Place: Coaches Pub 2204 Louisiana 713-751-1970 www.coachespubmidtown.com The Deals: $2.50 domestic pints, $3.25 premium pints, $7 domestic pitchers, $2.50 wells, $4 cosmos and $3 Bud Select (the Bud Select special is all of the time) The Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day The Scene: It’s a Thursday…
So You Think You Can Dance: Top 6 Results, Pia Toscano Performs and Art Attack Shows Up
Last night, two more talented dancers were sent home while four dancers were chosen to go into next week’s finale. It’s been an emotional week, filled with powerful choreography, tearful verdicts from the judges and cameos from the contestants’ proud parents. But let’s focus on the me for a second…
Anna Eastman: HISD Board May Be Losing the Public Trust
Acknowledging that “the public trust that we’ve had is really waning” and that “there’s an appearance of impropriety,” Houston ISD board trustee Anna Eastman said today she believes the district should have “a third party to audit our bidding and procurement procedures.” In recent months, increasing questions have been raised…
Reviews for the Easily Distracted: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Title: Rise of the Planet of the Apes Quick: Without Looking, How Many Apes Movies Can You Name? The original Planet of the Apes, the shitty Tim Burton remake, Beneath the, Escape from, and…uh, Beyond the Valley of the Planet of the Apes. How’d I do? You Forgot Battle For…
Pizzas and More at the New Alto Pizzeria
Pizza. For me, it’s the ultimate comfort food. It’s what I crave when I’m down, when I’m ravenous, when I get late-night hunger pangs. The only problem is that it’s not exactly the healthiest of dining choices, and with my abundant lack of self control, when I eat pizza, I…
Remember Le$’s The Beautiful Struggle?
Houston’s history is dotted with albums that, fairly or not, have been swept aside. We’ll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Le$ The Beautiful Struggle (Self-released, 2010) Le$, the least burly, most modern Boss Hogg Outlaw, released The Beautiful Struggle…
We Want Interns (in the Best Way)
We are very glad to report that there are still a ton of young people looking to get into journalism, in whatever form it might take as the years go by. We’re looking for a few of them to be interns this fall. You have to be taking a journalism…
Austin Restaurant Mocks Amy Winehouse: Bad Taste?
This photo has been making the rounds on Rocks Off’s Facebook feed for the past couple of days, so we thought we’d run it up our own flagpole. It’s El Arroyo, an Austin Tex-Mex restaurant popular with… oh, shall we say, the “ballcap” crowd. In other words, they sell a…
Bringing Back Mr. Rogers: 6 Other Kids’ Shows That Deserve to Be Rebooted
For a moment we thought we had just entered the Land of Make Believe when we read that Mr. Rogers is coming back to television. This is no imaginary world — the man, the myth, the sweater will return to PBS Kids this coming fall as a part of a…
Clouds Are Ghosts: What Is Dark Is Also Uplifting
It’s a well-known fact that most band names are essentially gobbledygook, but here at Rocks Off we’re trying hard to find meaning in the oddest monikers. The music of Clouds are Ghosts is hard to quantify. At first we were comparing the Austin group to the Legendary Pink Dots except…
Health Department Roundup
We’ve noticed that places with dirty kitchens can escape citation or closure even after pretty damning inspections, but establishments without the proper paperwork on hand are almost certain to face punitive measures. We’re not saying it’s all right to try and get around certifications, etc. We’re just saying that apparently…
July 30-August 5: The Week in Photos
Each week, we take a dip into the Houston Press Flickr pool and see what our talented photographers have been up to. The doldrums of summer are here. We want to see photos of how you’re spending your hot days and nights. Just drop them in our photo group right…
Out in the Street: PG Contemporary Gallery and Local Artists Give Back with “Street Science”
PG Contemporary partnered with Aerosol Warfare and the nonprofit organization ArtBridge Houston at the closing reception of “Street Science” on Thursday, with the hopes of raising money for art classes benefitting the homeless and indigent children of Houston. The exhibition featured works by Aerosol Warfare founder GONZO247 and Sacramento-based artist…
For the Nixon Resignation Anniversary: 8 Pictures of Him Looking Extremely Awkward
Our long national nightmare ended 37 years ago Monday, when Richard Nixon became the only president (so far) to resign from the office. Nixon’s career has always been fascinating, and modern audiences have a difficult time understanding how someone who was so not made for the camera could win the…
10 Things You May Not Know About The Beatles’ Revolver
First released in the UK on August 5, 1966, the Beatles’ Revolver was born into tumultuous times for the band. The “Bigger Than Jesus” debacle was reaching its height in the United States, as some fans who took John Lennon’s flippant remark about his band’s popularity as heresy burned Beatles…
No More Juveniles Isolated in Harris County Jail?
Two years ago we wrote about how Harris County incarcerates juveniles who have been certified as adults for trial while they are waiting their day in court. It wasn’t pretty — they were kept in the county jail, but left in isolation for 23 hours a day. Legislators, particularly State…
100 Creatives: Scarlett St. Vitus
What She Does: Scarlett St. Vitus is a driving artistic force in Houston’s goth community. As a model, she’s appeared in advertisements for Mr. SINched Corsets, as Miss October in the Gothic Swimsuit Calendar and in Gothic Beauty Magazine; she’s also the winner of the 2007 Gothic Beauty Pageant. She…
Openings & Closings: July 2011
Another busy week in the city where good things happen in threes: Three coffee shops are opening soon, three chefs have moved into new positions, and three restaurants are fast on their way to opening (or reopening, in one case). And bad things happen in twos, I guess: two notable…
Free Break-In and Giant Dump With Your Heights Car Repair
Last week, Chris Lawless dropped his car off at Tech Auto Maintenance in the Heights for a repair. He stopped by the next day to find it fixed but picked clean of loose change, hundreds of CDs and his limited-edition Public Enemy hat. At first Lawless suspected the mechanics had…
Comment of the Day
Today Katharine Shilcutt continued counting down the list of her favorite dishes in the city, and coming in at No. 51 are the sno-balls from MAM’s House of Ice. Although commenter Eric S is also a fan, he has an issue with the place: I love Mam’s, but that line…
Do NOT Call This Announcer a Homer (w/ Hilarious Video)
Texans play-by-play guy Marc Vandermeer gets accused sometimes of being a “homer” for the Texans. True or not, it doesn’t really matter to me. I consider Marc a friend and one of the nicest people in our business. The “homer” thing kind of comes with the territory when you’re (a)…
Some HISD Schools Face Big Changes From No Child Left Behind
Step aside, Apollo 20. A slew of Houston ISD high schools are going to have to undergo serious overhauls to satisfy requirements of No Child Left Behind. Federal school and district ratings were released this afternoon. In a subsequent press release, Houston ISD touted the fact that three-quarters of its…
Comfortably Numb: Songs For Your Deathbed
Rocks Off has never died, it’s true. Though we sometimes find ourselves dying in small doses day to day when we spy an old man clip his toenails in the nude at the gym, or we open up a dozen emails from record label PR folk touting a five-date national…
Astronaut Suicides: Funny, Tasteless or Both?
The end of the space shuttle era affects everyone differently. One group of creatives from Portland, Oregon put together a Web site called Astronaut Suicides, which is pretty much as advertised — a slide show of an astronaut, faceless behind his spacesuit, reading about the closing of NASA, and then…
100 Favorite Dishes: No. 51, Sno-Ball at MAM’s House of Ice
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
The Texas Show 2010: Houston Film Commission’s First Thursdays Screening
Texas-made short films fill the schedule of today’s Houston Film Commission First Thursdays screening. The Texas Show 2010 follows the same lineup as the closing night of last year’s Dallas VideoFest and includes a few hits and a couple of misses. On the hits side is Red Wednesday by Nazanin…
Sneak Peek: Houston House to Showcase Work By Emerging Designers
Houston House is in the middle of a $10 million renovation, but that’s not keeping the historic high-rise apartment building from showing off its luxury living spaces. In September, the building will offer tours of four apartment homes, each designed by a local up-and-coming designer, according to a release. The…
Brian Culwell: All That Glitters May Not Be Gold at Gold and Silver Buyers
Correction Correction: Brian Culwell was not convicted of a crime in relation to the DreamKids / Olajuwon Internet jewelry sales. Instead, in April of 2005, he was convicted of state jail felony theft for his role in fraudulently using his power-of-attorney over Dolores Hawkins’s affairs to settle his debt with…
Why The Bloggerati Turned On The Watch The Throne Leaker
Things just ain’t the same for bloggers. A couple of events transpired in the last few weeks that may completely change the way most people view music bloggers. First, there was the incident where a writer from The Fader got kicked out of a media-only listening session for Jay-Z and…
Build-A-Bar: Absinthe
Absinthe is the victim of one of the worst smear campaigns in alcoholic history. To this day, La Fée Verte is believed by many to be a hallucinogenic terror, as likely to drive its drinker mad as to inspire genius. I suppose it’s not entirely unearned and, as they say,…
Houston GLBT Caucus: The Council Candidates Who Got Their Thumbs Up
The influential GLBT Political Caucus has issued their list of endorsements for the city council races, including the new so-hip-it-hurts Montrose/Heights district. There, the caucus endorsed Ellen Cohen over Montrose Realtor Karen Derr and others. For the At-Large 2 seat, they chose Jenifer Rene Pool over former state rep Kristi…
Attention College Students: Art Attack Is Looking for Interns
Are you a college student taking journalism classes? Do you love art galleries, movies, pop culture and the occasional oddball assignment? Have you been known to skip out on a date because you needed to update your blog? Do you frequently make obscure references to Arrested Development or Airwolf that…
Aggie Orgasm: A&M a Top 10 Team, UT Barely in Top 25
We kid the Aggies a lot, but we guess every once in a while they deserve a big day. Such as today, when the USA Today Coaches Poll came out and found them to have a far, far better football team than those orange-loving dudes in Austin. A&M is ranked…
4 Fictional Alcoholic Beverages We Want to Order (And Actually Can!)
We’re writers, which means the steps of our food pyramid are slick with sweet, delicious booze. Ah, Brother Booze. Without you we never would have had the confidence to correct an editor on the difference between “shuriken” and “shoryuken,” nor would we have made whoopee with a girl who said…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Kiran Verma of Kiran’s
In part one of our Chef Chat with chef/owner Kiran Verma of Kiran’s, we discussed how she came to create Houston’s first restaurant combining fine dining and Indian cuisine. Today, we talk about sourcing ingredients, making baby food, and more. EOW: I understand that you purchase a lot of your…
H.I.S.D.: Metaphysical Rappers Go Superhero In New Comic
Last year, local rap group H.I.S.D. (Hueston Independent Spit District) released The Weakend, an extra-meta album that was directly aimed at enlightening smart people and indirectly aimed at confusing dumb ones. Here’s the bulk of what Rocks Off wrote about it then:…
The Caipirinha: Straight Outta Rio
When he texts from Brazil, my brother Robert usually mentions the caipirinha he is enjoying at the moment. I didn’t know if it was actually a great cocktail, or just one of those “Ha ha, I’m on the beach at Ipanema and you’re not!” sort of things. I was wary;…
Unidentified Female Killed By Alleged Drunk Driver, Bayou Body Count No. 116
A woman driving a Honda Civic was killed about 3 a.m. today when an allegedly drunk driver ran a red light and smashed into her. Jonathan Lacier Davis, 22, has been charged with intoxication manslaughter. He was driving a PT Cruiser southbound on the West Sam Houston Parkway South service…
Family Business: Christina Yao and Empire of Silver
There are two empires in flux in Empire of Silver, the debut feature film from director Christina Yao. The first is the Qin Empire, China’s ruling dynasty at the time the film takes place in 1899, an ancient empire struggling to change in the face of Boxer rebels and European…
Katy Perry To Beat Michael Jackson, Destroy Earth
Mason Lankford said, “There will come a day when we forget the Rapture ever even happened,” but Rocks Off is keeping an eye out for signs of our impending Armageddon. We were wrong last time, but we’re totally right this time! Whether you like her or not, and Rocks Off…
F*** You, Yelper: Yelp Reviews as Beat-Style Poetry
Perhaps it wasn’t the intention of the person who started Fuck You, Yelper to frame random snippets of sadly hysterical Yelp reviews for comparison to anti-intellectual Beatnik poetry. But I can’t help seeing each post — a few lines plucked, sometimes but not always, from a longer review — stark…
Glenn Beck Blames Obama for Long History of Multiracial Spider-Men
Walking down the path of Glenn Beck’s logic is kind of like trying to catch a rattlesnake with your eyelids, but here we go anyway. What has Mr. Beck all a tizzy lately is the fact that Spider-Man has gone multiracial. Marvel has begun portraying the famous hero as a…
How to Celebrate the Day of Debauchery & Gluttony (Plus: Oh Noes! TexasSparkle Doesn’t Like Us!)
The Houston Chronicle’s TexasSparkle, perhaps the nation’s most insightful and trenchant right-wing blogger, or perhaps not, takes us to task today for daring to be “hypocritical” about Rick Perry’s Prayerapalooza. Her compelling argument: President Obama talks about his faith and we don’t make fun of it. She’s absolutely correct, of…
Connie Smith: Classic Country Queen Returns With New Heartaches
People often get a bit confrontational with Lonesome Onry and Mean about “country music,” like the last time we went to the bank in our father’s little ranching town in Central Texas. As soon as we were introduced as a “music writer,” one fellow – the local tractor dealer -…
So You Think You Can Dance: Top 6 Perform, Christina Applegate Judges and Everybody Cries (Again)
We’ve only got a week to go before the finale, which means emotions are running high for the dancers, their families, the judges, the choreographers, the host, behind-the-scenes-staff, drivers, caterers… Last week, Marko’s spellbinding performance brought everyone in attendance to tears; this week, it was Sasha, whose emotional performance of…
Jack Freeman Lensing “Lynnie’s World” At Big Star Tonight
Last October, Jack Freeman, perhaps Houston’s most preternatural R&B singer, released Dark Liquor, his debut EP that eventually registered as one of the most auspicious bits of music the city saw in 2010. Since then, he’s been busy. He recorded a gorgeous rap/R&B hybrid with Killa Kyleon called “Make Me,”…
Getting Breaking NFL News on Twitter — Five Locals to Follow
When the NFL finally ended its lockout, there was not only a collective sigh of relief from football fans, there was a deep breath taken by media and team staff as the free agent frenzy — normally lasting weeks — would be condensed into days. Teams, players, fans and the…
Lunch at Palazzo’s Trattoria
Italian cafes and restaurants abound in Houston, but I keep coming back to Palazzo’s Trattoria. I still remember my first visit some 10 years ago. It was the beginning of a farewell evening for one of my friends, and we met at the location behind the House of Pies on…
The Voice Auditions Come to Houston
Auditions for the NBC hit singing competition The Voice have been underway since mid-July, and Houstonians will have a chance to follow in Javier Colon’s footsteps. Auditions will be held at the Reliant Center on August 17.To register for an audition, visit NBC.com and create an artist account. According to…
Blacksmith Opening This Spring: Mary’s Goes Mocha
Coffeesmiths David Buehrer and Ecky Prabanto are moving on up — literally and figuratively — from their current digs at Greenway Coffee & Tea, located in the subterranean Greenway Plaza food court, into a new space in Montrose. Blacksmith, the pair’s new coffee shop, is set to open this spring…
Last Night: Arctic Monkeys At House Of Blues
Arctic Monkeys, Young Buffalo House of Blues August 3, 2011 See the Arctic Monkeys’ chav-y chic in our slideshow. Five years since their first stateside splash in February 2006 with their debut Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, we’ve watched the Arctic Monkeys grow into a sturdy,…
Keep on Truckin’: Taqueria El Palomo
With food trucks being all the rage these days, one can easily forget that they — specifically, taco trucks — have been around for a long time. Back in 2007, Robb Walsh even named his Top 10 Taco Trucks in Houston. These taquerias on wheels don’t have fancy fusion food,…
Comment of the Day: The Pros & Cons Of Panhandling
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…
Pop Rocks: Season of the Witches — 10 Shows That Keeping Up with the Kardashians Outlasted
In the course of writing Pop Rocks, I’m often exposed to information so horrific, so atrocious, so…repugnant it defies human comprehension. I first stumbled upon this particular tidbit several months ago, but only now has my sanity recovered from the eldritch horror of it all: There is about a month…
Pop Rocks: 10 Shows the Kardashians Outlasted
In the course of writing Pop Rocks, I’m often exposed to information so horrific, so atrocious, so…repugnant it defies human comprehension. I first stumbled upon this particular tidbit several months ago, but only now has my sanity recovered from the eldritch horror of it all: There is about a month…
What “Exhaustion” & Other Cancellation Excuses REALLY Mean
Shit happens. It’s a fact of life. We’re willing to bet that every single person reading this blog has at one time taken a sick day or left work unexpectedly due to an emergency of some kind. And while we may see them as rock gods, musicians are people too,…
Top 5 Worst C-USA Football Games of 2011 (With Suggested Alternatives)
We suppose that everything has its less-than-stellar companion. However, Conference USA’s ugly twin is really freaking gross. The best games involving C-USA programs in 2011 are something to look forward to. The worst games? Never. Seriously, why do these sucky things exist?…
Starbucks Closes 600 Stores in 2008; Opens 800 More in 2011
In 2008, Starbucks moved to close 600 stores nationwide, a decision by the coffee giant to eliminate stores that weren’t contributing to the bottom line and cannibalizing the business of other, closer Starbucks locations that had long since paid for their own overhead and were being dutiful profit-generators. In all,…
100 Creatives: Wayne Stevens
What He Does: To quote one of Stevens’s fans who commented on a recent story… “Wayne Stevens suffers from the Boris Karloff syndrome of being so good as a villain that it never occurs to anyone that there is an actor behind the makeup.” Stevens stars as the villain in…
RIP, Bubba Smith: The 10 Best Miller Lite “Tastes Great” Ads
Yesterday was a bad day for Miller Lite. Ad Age reported they’re in a serious sales slump, and ex-NFLer Bubba Smith died. The defensive end (who spent some time with the Oilers) was part of Miller Lite’s famous “tastes great / less filling” ads, which featured retired athletes and offbeat…
29th Annual Juried Membership Exhibition
The Houston Center for Photography has chosen the art for its “29th Annual Juried Membership Exhibition.” The photographs are by 30 artists selected by juror Ariel Shangberg, the executive director of The Center for Photography at Woodstock. “The chosen photographs have seduced me,” says Shangberg via press materials. There’s an…
Two Star Symphony
It hardly seems possible, but Houston’s classical music rock stars Two Star Symphony have been together ten years. Comprised of Margaret Lejeune, Jo Bird, Jerry Ochoa and Debra Brown, the group that walks off with some Houston Press music award each year has carved a niche for itself among hipsters…
The Change-Up
A uniquely Freudian entry in the body-switching comedy canon, The Change-Up stars Jason Bateman as standard-issue anal-retentive lawyer/family man Dave, and Ryan Reynolds as Dave’s classically anal-expulsive stoner/playboy childhood friend Mitch. When sober, Dave begrudgingly tolerates Mitch’s wild-animal routine. One night, when both are drunk, Dave admits he’s secretly jealous…
Star Chef Faces Child-Sex Charge
CRIME Star Chef Faces Child-Sex Charge Will plead insanity By Craig Malisow Former Tony’s chef Bruce McMillian is planning an insanity defense to charges of sexual assault of a child. McMillian, 49, was arrested in Fort Bend County in January and charged with two counts of sexual assault, one count…
Polarizing Playhouse
Polarizing Playhouse Online readers comment on h”This River Oaks Playhouse Is Better Than Your Crappy Apartment,” Hair Balls blog, by Richard Connelly, July 21: Wow! Well, I guess showing kids the meaning of “integrity” is long gone. That money could have been used to build houses for the homeless around…
H Is for Haters
It’s a breezy night in late April, and Houston MC Victor Gurrola Jr., known as V-Zilla the Monster, is showing that he’s an embattled, tortured soul. He’s giving the Houston Press an exclusive listen to his developing album, Interview With a Monster. He does this in a drippy and dark…
Shakespeare Infusion
I hate to say this, but summer trips to Miller Outdoor Theatre’s — and UH’s — Houston Shakespeare Festival had come to have a whiff of duty to them. The productions faced so many challenges, from the very un-Globe-like August heat to the technical challenges of playing both to the…
Full House
Get the down low on Down House in our behind-the-scenes slideshow. A white plate holding a prodigious piece of grouper arrived at the table at Down House last Saturday night, completely halting the conversation I was having with my dining companion as we both pondered its immense size. “Do you…
Lips First
Facing a large black canvas in a sunny kitchen, Natalie Irish puckers her painted white lips and cocks her head to the side, leaning closer to her target. People say it’s rude to kiss with your eyes open, but Irish’s baby blues are wide and concentrated. Crosseyed, Irish plants a…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Collections: Annual HSPVA Juried Show”, “Dan Kopp: TIMEAWAY” and “Josh Bernstein: Galveston”, Hardbodies, Marc Swanson: The Second Story, Mitch Dobrowner: New Work, Musicians Who Make Art
“Collections: Annual HSPVA Juried Show” This popular annual exhibit is an interesting look at the up-and-coming artists at Texas’s premier arts magnet school. The works span a broad range of media and technique (painting, sculpture, photography, collage, printmaking, drawing, mixed media, Photoshop), and there’s terrific skill on display, but nothing…
Do Mexicans Hate the Spanish?
Dear Mexican, A few years back when I was in high school, my social studies teacher and the leader of our high school M.E.Ch.A. club had deep resentment toward the Spaniards/conquistadors that killed hundred — probably thousands — of Aztecs. He went so far as to deny that his own…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Don Juan in Hell, Oklahoma!, Who Was That Masked Man?
Don Juan in Hell Inside literary lion G.B. Shaw’s philosophical comedy Man and Superman (1903) stands a dream scene like no other. Known as Don Juan in Hell (officially Act III, sc. II), it lasts about an hour and a half and is a complicated intellectual debate between Don Juan…
Dex Romweber Duo
Sorry folks, but if Jack White calls you an icon and rock and roll force, and deems you worthy of the same mantle where Little Richard and Gene Vincent both reside, then you must be doing something hellaciously correct. The Dex Romweber Duo, made up of siblings Dexter and Sara,…
Rev. Horton Heat, Nashville Pussy
It wouldn’t be summertime in Texas without a visit from the Lone Star State’s No. 1 psychobilly preacher, the Rev. Horton Heat. This year, the demon of Deep Ellum is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his Sub Pop debut Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em (“Psychobilly Freakout,” “Eat Steak,” “Marijuana”),…
Sia
Owner of one of the sexiest voices in pop, jazzily sultry where the dominant style is tough, Australian-born New Yorker Sia Furler has been performing and recording since she was a teenager in the ’90s – her “Breathe Me,” from a mellower period, soundtracks the final scene of HBO’s Six…
Co-Pilot, The Calm Blue Sea
If you’re into instrumental rock, great washes of guitar and thrilling cymbal-heavy drum climaxes, you might as well bring a sleeping bag to the Mink Saturday. Topping the epic bill of hard prog and instro-metal are Houston/Austin warlords Co-Pilot, who drift between metallic aggression and piano-laced serenity on this year’s…
Girls Rock Camp Showcase
It’s hard to believe 2011 is only Girls Rock Camp’s second year in Houston. Last year the week-long series of seminars where local musicians teach the next generation (ages 8-18) the fundamentals of stagecraft and songwriting – as well as workshops on body image and women in rock history –…
Weasel Walter Ensemble
John Zorn is indeed amazing, but the saxophonist/composer/record-label owner tends to be the token name that’s thrown out when talking about modern avant-garde or so-called improvised weirdo music. Weasel Walter, even though there’s nothing token about him, arguably needs to be included in this discussion. A former Chicago and Oakland…
