“Maria Smits: The Adoration of the Mystic Dog”
It’s an honored tradition for artists to take inspiration from — and reinterpret — other artists’ work. That’s what Maria Smits has done with the altarpiece The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a 1432 piece by Jan and Hubert van Eyck. Given that this is almost 600 years later, Smits’s…
The Littlest Angel
This is the season of all things sweet, and A.D. Players is offering Houston families one of the most sugary bonbons in the city with a children’s theater musical production of The Littlest Angel. The story is based on Charles Tazewell’s hugely popular 1947 children’s book, which went on to…
Plaid Tidings: The Forever Plaid Christmas Show
Silly and fun, the story behind Plaid Tidings: The Forever Plaid Christmas Show now running at Texas Repertory Theatre, goes something like this: Four singers named Sparky, Smudge, Jinx and Frankie comprise a 1960s foursome that sings in perfect harmony. One tragic night, all four die in a car wreck…
Comments of the Day: Sex vs. Sweets Edition
In the comments section of “Five Desserts That Are Actually Better than Sex,” somehow things devolved quickly into a discussion of Paula Deen’s attractiveness level, holes – wrong and right – and chocolate. Bravo to all. As for today’s major awards, we hereby bestow the leg lamp upon two commenters…
Recipe: South Texas Asian Pesto
One of the most important things in cooking is learning to let ingredients speak for themselves. Too often, we as cooks take the position of alchemists, laboring under the false belief that we must be transformative, to make things other than what they are, better in some way. When gifted…
George Wesley Ellington: Sheriff’s Deputy’s Drug Business Was Family Affair, Feds Say
In October we told you about Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy George Wesley Ellington, who moonlighted, federal prosecutors said, in the ecstasy business. The feds say he took bribes and helped drug dealers distributing the drug. New indictments came down today, and not only were more charges added against the 38-year-old…
Cowboy From Hell: Dimebag Darrell’s Best Guitar Solos
This blog is stupid, because Rocks Off – this member at least – loves everything that Pantera did. In turn, that means we like everything that the Texas metal gods’ late guitarist, Metroplex-bred “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, did. But still, let’s look back and some of the best solos the man…
Don’t Worry, We Have the Internet
Texas Medical Center neuroscientist and fiction writer David Eagleman tweeted today: “My new book has just been published today: WHY THE NET MATTERS. I’ve written it as an iPad app (the future of books?)” (In the above video, Eagleman demonstrates how the app works.) Eagleman’s book SUM: Forty Tales from…
Upskirts And Peeing Shots: Galleria-Area Shell Station Was A Hot Spot, Cops Say
View Larger MapHey gals!! You ever pay for anything at this Shell station at Westheimer and the West Loop? If so, you may have had a lovely upskirt shot taken of you! And let’s hope you didn’t ask to use the employee bathroom, or you had a chance to really…
Stirred & Shaken: Reserve 101’s Hemingway
At one end of the specialty cocktail list at Reserve 101 (1201 Caroline, 713-655-7101), there’s a drink called a Hemingway, and at the other end, a drink called a Bubble Gum Martini. I’m not all that macho, but I know what side of that scale I’d rather slide to. As…
KTRU Deal A “Black Mark” On Rice University, Says Yang
If you’ve got a spare hour or two this holiday season, Rocks Off recommends you take a gander at the petition to deny Rice University’s proposed sale of 91.7 FM’s facilities to the University of Houston system, which the Friends of KTRU filed with the Federal Communications Commission last Friday…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Robert Del Grande of RDG + Bar Annie, Part 1
EOW recently got to sit down with Robert Del Grande of RDG + Bar Annie (plus a host of other restaurants around town — The Grove, Café Express and two new ventures about to open at West Ave, just to name a few). Though we could have asked him how…
Paul Broussard: Hate-Crime Victim Lives On In Parole Fight Over His Attacker
Jon Buice was at the center of one of the most publicized hate crimes in Houston history, a 1991 attack outside a Montrose gay bar that left Paul Broussard dead. Buice was sent away, but now is the focus of an intense fight over whether he should be paroled. The…
Slim Thug Requests “Sympathy P*ssy” After Flight Diverted
Guess who was on the Continental Airlines flight from San Jose to Houston that was diverted to Albuquerque, N.M., this morning because of a “disruptive passenger”? That’s right, the Boss of All Bosses, Slim Thug. Guess how we know? That’s right, Twitter. Apparently the passenger tried to make a mid-air…
Gallery Scene: Opening This Week
This week, we recommend a “growing” exhibit at the tiny Rice U. Matchbox Gallery, animal-skin-inspired jewelry at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and gnarly graphics at M2 Gallery, among others. Logan Sebastian Beck: Grass Houses Beck begins a mysterious transformation called the “Grass House,” in which he will document and…
Meat-Up at Moon Tower Inn
In only a few months since opening, Moon Tower Inn — the subject of this week’s cafe review — is on its way to becoming a Houston legend. Mark my words. Now, whether it’s a short-lived legend or the kind of legend that becomes a time-worn and well-loved institution like…
New Galleria Office Towers: You Think West Loop Traffic Is Hellish Now?
You know what the Galleria area needs? More traffic. Luckily, that need is being addressed by developers who insist on building office towers there, office towers that will daily serve countless commuters who will be clogging the West Loop. Drivers on the Loop now have noticed cranes near Richmond, and…
The First-Ever Holiday Gift Shopping Night at Central Market
If you’re struggling to shop for friends, family, or colleagues here’s a tip: everyone loves food. On Wednesday, December 15, from 5-9 p.m., Central Market will host an evening dedicated to the season of giving with their Holiday Gift Shopping Night. The first-time event will feature wreath-decorating workshops in the…
John Lennon’s Top 10 Solo Songs
Cactus Music is hosting a Beatles & John Lennon DJ session featuring DJ Black Slacks from 5-7 p.m. today in the Record Ranch, 2110 Portsmouth. Today marks 30 years since humanity lost John Lennon. The man has haunted Craig’s Hlist since he was very little, when the man broke out…
City Employee’s Furloughs Become Un-Voluntary
Those voluntary furloughs for city employees that Mayor Annise Parker announced last week? They just became not-so-voluntary. City Council has given Parker approval to impose mandatory furlough days for the last half of the current fiscal year, beginning in January. The move is expected to save the city $6 million…
Houston’s Happiest Happy Hours
Two things make me happy during the holidays after a long day of Christmas shopping and mall crowd fighting: cocktails and saving money. Plenty of Houston bars and restaurants offer happy hours. But — as we’ve seen in Paul Knight’s series of Happy Hour Scene posts — many of them…
The Year In Houston Music, Poster By Poster
Ed. Note: The difference between “poster” and “flyer” is debatable – negligible, perhaps – but to us a flyer has always been no bigger than a sheet of notebook paper, printed in one or maybe two colors. So whether or not the following images were ever printed on paper or…
That Burning, Semi-Christmas-y Smell Last Night
If you were out and about around downtown last night, you might have noted a smoky smell. Actually, it went further than that — we were on the West Loop around 7:15 or so and the baseball lights at Episcopal High were clearly demarking a pall of smoke. No sirens…
Slideshow: Art Basel Miami Beach
Last week, over 250 galleries from around the world exhibited work at Art Basel Miami Beach, the largest art exposition in North America. Houston artists Angelbert Metoyer and McKay Otto organized a Texas contingent to present a group show there–the “Texas Positivism Project.” According to local conceptual artist Molly Gochman,…
Top Five Stoner Snacks
I’ve never been much of a pot smoker. In fact, I’ve only been high twice in my life, and both were thoroughly miserable experiences. Maybe the shit I tried is just too powerful for someone who never smokes, or maybe you’re not to smoke up while you’re also taking anti-depressants,…
Dynamo Trot Out Their New Jerseys
The Houston Dynamo unveiled their new “kit” to season ticket holders last night at The Venue in Downtown. Gone is the Space City Blue sleeve that accompanied the team’s signature orange. Also missing is the Amigo Energy logo, which was replaced by new team sponsor, Greenstar Recycling. The Dynamo went…
Glee: “Their Christmas gift was rabies.”
It’s inevitable, really: the Christmas episode. It’s a tradition stretching back to Amos ‘n Andy (still one of the best Xmas eps of all time), and one observed by classic series from Adam-12 to Who’s the Boss? For all the talk of “war” on this particular holiday, TV shows still…
Rainchild: Gigging Frogs And At A Club Near You
Perhaps their riffs were just too overpowering, their noodling too caustic. Maybe their lyrics were too poignant and personal, or their drumbeating too tribal. Or maybe the scruffy realness of their collective was just too blinding. But for whatever reason, we somehow managed to interview four-piece honest-to-goodness rock band Rainchild…
Food Fight: Battle Veggie Burger
Competition is steep in the world of veggie burgers. I decided to call my long-time vegetarian friend and get her suggestion on the best one in town. She suggested Houston’s. An Eating Our Words reader, specifically “cbear,” picked the competition: Beaver’s. Let’s see how Battle Veggie Burger played out. Beaver’s…
Top Five: Films About Lesser-Known Bands
Tomorrow night Studio Movie Grill CityCentre will screen The Secret to a Happy Ending, director Barr Weissman’s new feature-length documentary about the Georgia-based rock outfit Drive-By Truckers. The critically acclaimed yet lesser-known band was courted by Weissman for over a year to allow him access to the group, and the…
The Stories Behind Five H-Town Rap Anthems
You know the song as soon as the beat drops. You rap them better than the artists themselves do at concerts. You’ll slap your little brother for butchering the lyrics. But do you know the real life stories behind these five H-town rap anthems? Pull up a chair, grab a…
Top 10 Worst Food Comas Ever
Postprandial somnolence is the scientific term for a food coma. How do I know this? Because I looked it up on my phone on Thanksgiving Day while I was slowly getting under the covers at my parents house that afternoon, swearing to myself that I was just “resting my eyes.”…
Comments of the Day: Rice Liberals Edition
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…
Mattress Mac Finally Goes Off The Deep End
THIS is how we want our Mattress Mac: How we DON’T want him? Bizarrely pretending to be a talk-show host with a faux-Snooki from Jersey Shore. Anyone who’s watched TV in Houston lately knows it: Mattress Mac has finally lost his TV mojo…
John Lennon And Dimebag Darrell: Together In Death
On this day in 1980, Mark David Chapman shot and killed former Beatle John Lennon. On the same day in 2004, Nathan Gale shot and killed Darrell Abbott, aka Dimebag Darrell of Pantera. In the spirit of the famous Lincoln/Kennedy coincidences list, which is mostly bullshit, here is a list…
CenterPoint vs. AT&T: The Battle for Customer Service Hell
Like most people, I have spent plenty of time on the phone with utilities, credit card companies, banks and the like trying to accomplish something that seems incredibly simple but apparently is not. When I sold my house, I spent over an hour on the phone every day (sometimes as…
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. Robb Walsh: Just as only you can prevent forest fires, only you…
The 10 Worst Burglary Neighborhoods In Houston (For The Moment)
What are the best neighborhoods to live in if you want to get burglarized? We’ve gathered 10 of the finest. We looked at the most recent crime stats for HPD beats, which means the month of October. HPD generally doesn’t like “raw data comparisons between police beats” because the info…
Texas High Court Halts Hearing On Death Penalty
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, acting on its own motion, has ordered a halt in the hearings District Judge Kevin Fine is conducting into the constitutionality of the death penalty as it is applied here. District Attorney Pat Lykos’ office made the announcement, having been informed of the move…
Lord, Now Right-Wingers Are Crying About “E Pluribus Unum”
You live in the rational world, so you probably were unaware of the latest great scandal to engulf President Obama. (And no, we don’t mean agreeing to tax cuts for millionaires/billionaires.) Luckily for Houston, we have Texas Sparkle, the Houston Chronicle blogger who keeps her ear firmly tuned to the…
KTRU Color Chart Shows Local Radio’s Dull Future
Every time it seems like the story of the controversial Rice-University of Houston deal to sell Rice student station KTRU’s over-the-air facilities to U of H is slowing down a little, it always gets a little more interesting. Most recently, the activist group Friends of KTRU filed a petition to…
Two Eating Our Words Commenters Receive Major Award
You guys are the best, really. You give us a reason to get up in the morning with comments to our writers like “Eat a dick you talentless hack.” But seriously, in many ways the comments really make the blog, so we’ve decided to start honoring our favorites of the…
Lunch at Go Fish
Last Thursday, I finally made it over to Go Fish (1709 Dryden Rd.), which opened in the spot that had been Azumi Sushi. A coworker and I split a couple of dishes so we could try more things. According to the menu, they had both Vietnamese and Japanese food, which…
Time Waster Tuesday — NBA Superstars Videos (via YouTube)
“‘Remember when’ is the lowest form of conversation.” — Tony Soprano Tony was right, you never want to be “remember when” guy, and I try my best not to be. But the fact of the matter is, for many of us, what happened between the ages of 16 and 28…
Blue Cheese and Ham Macaroni & Cheese at BRC Gastropub
I don’t like the fries at BRC Gastropub: too much fry, not enough potato. But since I insist on a carbohydrate side with my burger and BRC doesn’t offer onion rings, I tried the macaroni and cheese of the day. Advertised as “blue cheese and ham,” the mac & cheese…
New Movie Theater Coming to Bayou Place?
This afternoon, Chron.com’s real estate blogger Nancy Sarnoff posted the above photo–a promising sign in the ex-box-office window of Bayou Place’s Angelika Film Center. The theater’s closing in August was a huge bummer to moviegoers that enjoyed the Angelika’s convenient mix of first-run, foreign and indie features. No word yet…
Kristin Diane Massey: Vain, Chameleon-Like Sex Offender Jailed Again In Odd Heist
For Kristin Diane Massey, the convicted sex offender we wrote about this fall after she was accused of wiggling out of the back of a police car, there’s good news and bad news. And some more bad news. The good news is that the State dropped the charges of escape…
Odd Pair: Frozen Burritos & Chilean Rose
Frozen burritos – the prefect food to eat when you’re too lazy to drive to Taco Bell. Next time you’re in that same predicament, make yourself feel better by opening a bottle of Calcu’s 2009 Rose from Chile. It retails for about $12 a bottle, which is about 50 times…
Top 10 Musical Wikileaks We’d Like To See
Ever since WikiLeaks began the publication of what is claimed to be over a quarter-million United States embassy cables last week, we’ve been pondering what secrets, phenomenon and other ephemera could be lingering out there in the music world, awaiting discovery. Here’s Rocks Off’s wish list, but we’ll wait patiently…
The Holiday Season On Stage
Christmas treats this season come in all shapes and sizes, some full of wonder when unwrapped and some sooty around the edges. To be fair, like Santa, the sampling is in alphabetical order. In past productions, Patdro Harris (director/choreographer) and Carlton Leake (composer) have always brought unparalleled sass to Ensemble…
Lawrence Marshall Accused of Rigging HISD Bid Process, HISD Also Sued Under Federal RICO Statute
Update: HISD responds; see end of article. No stranger to controversy, Houston ISD school trustee Lawrence Marshall was sued in federal court today accused of replacing contractors who’d been selected through a bid process with one of his political donors and thereby violating the federal RICO Act. In fact, according…
Allen Stanford: Too Damn Medicated To Go To Trial
Bigtime financier Allen Stanford’s lawyers are asking the court to let him out on bond, because he’s just too high to get ready for trial. They don’t use those exact words, but they tell the judge that prescription medicine Stanfard is taking for a variety of ailments, including those resulting…
5 Desserts That Are Actually Better Than Sex
Many claim the hyperbolic title – cakes, pies, layer desserts and the like – but few truly live up to the name. Here’s a list we put together (from a solicitation of all the EOW bloggers) that could claim the description truthfully. 5. Paula Deen’s “Is it really better than…
Island Of Misfit Albums: A .38 Special Christmas
For the whole month of December, Rocks Off will be scouring for the weirdest and worst Christmas albums that the Internet can offer. These will either be odd, seasonal detours from your favorite artists, or confounding monstrosities from classic-rock also-rans. .38 Special, “It’s Christmas and I Miss You” Formed in…
Houston’s Jobs Outlook Not Too Rosy, Survey Says
At least one jobs prediction for Houston is pretty gloomy, in case you were getting your hopes up. Employment agency Manpower, Inc. regularly surveys employers on their hiring plans, and the latest results, out today, show a flat market here in Houston. “Among survey participants, the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown…employment outlook is…
The Naughtier Side of Chocolate Milk
Last week it was Whipped Lightning. This week dairy takes another devious turn with Adult Chocolate Milk, a new intoxicating version of the childhood staple from California-based Adult Bev Co., tempting us with slogans like, “Re-taste your youth. At 40 Proof.” Breakfast just got more interesting…
Marcel Duchamp, Meet DJ Screw
November marked the 10-year anniversary of the passing of Houston DJ and Producer Robert Earl Davis, Jr. aka DJ Screw (b. 1971, d. 2000). DJ Screw’s music redefined Southern hip-hop in the 1990s and continues to influence the contemporary spectrum of music including electronica, indie rock, and avant-garde improvisation. There…
Michael Brown: Sex Toys And Porn Bring Dubai Trouble For TV’s Hand Doctor
Golfer Cristie Kerr knows how Michael Brown feelsWe don’t know how we missed this, but cocaine-using, wife-beating, medical-license-losing ex-hand surgeon Michael Brown was detained in Dubai earlier this year when authorities there confiscated “sexual paraphernalia, sex videos, and other objects” in his suitcase.The allegation is included in a June breach…
Juggalos: A Look Inside “The Family”
“It’s in your heart.” What is a Juggalo? We’ve all seen how Insane Clown Posse’s army of loyal fans has been portrayed in the media, typically somewhere within the spectrum bordered by “malevolent” and “moronic.” But after numerous experiences with the local chapter of Juggalo Nation over the past year,…
Cardamom, Cumin and Curries at India Grocers
A personal chef friend of mine was in need of some specific Indian spices on Saturday morning, so we headed over to the Mahatma Gandhi district (I’m so excited that this area now has a name that I use it at every available opportunity) and into India Grocers. India Grocers…
Robert Redford, Annise Parker And Terry Grier Green Up Houston Schools
Spurred on by Robert Redford, Mayor Annise Parker and HISD superintendent Terry Grier announced today a joint effort to get Houston and its schools greener and more environmentally friendly. The two officials attended a summit last month at Redford’s Utah headquarters; the Redford Center is pushing a Green Schools Initiative…
Upcoming: Cold War Kids, Diana Ross, The Sword, Etc.
American Fangs, CB Kings, Another Run, Legacy Fails, Born Again Virgins: Sun., Dec. 26. Fitzgerald’s. Arlo Guthrie: Fri., March 25. House of Blues. Authority Zero, Flatfoot 56, Lionize: Sat., Jan. 22. Scout Bar Clear Lake. “New Year’s Eve Ball 2011” With Benny Benassi: Fri., Dec. 31. Stereo Live. Celtic Woman:…
Ingredient of the Week: Quinoa
What is it? Quinoa is often used in place of a grain, but it is actually a seed. The plant it comes from is called a goosefoot, and it is more closely related to beets and leafy greens than grains like wheat or barley. Quinoa is also unique in the…
New on DVD: Inception, Restrepo, Shrek Forever After
(Capsule reviews by Ernest Hardy, Nick Pinkerton and Ella Taylor) Inception Inception is a chilling trip into the psyche…of writer-director Christopher Nolan, an action director who shattered the Tomatometer with The Dark Knight. Nolan’s follow-up offers more muted colors, gift-wrapped themes, and GQ leading men with stockbroker comb-backs–indicators of high-minded…
Rice A Hotbed Of Wild-Eyed Liberalism That Undermines Family Values, Group Says
If you dare to step onto the campus of Rice University — and we don’t suggest it, after reading the most recent report from CampusReform.org — be prepared to experience rampant liberalism dedicated to undermining family values. Not to mention a piss-poor football team. CampusReform.org (a “grassroots mobilization tool for…
Ramo: What Makes A Rapper “Fresh”?
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…
Marfa Lights Solved!! It’s A Giant Bird!!
You may have thought that the mystery of the Marfa Lights had been pretty much settled with scientific research showing that the eerie illuminations are just far-off car headlights bouncing off thermal layers. WRONG. Now comes a creationist scientist who has a new book that shows the lights are….big birds?…
Super Strong Margaritas at Tepatitlan
A friend whose advice is usually beyond reproach recommended that I head to Tepatitlan (55454 Southwest Freeway, 713-349-9681) for a good, old-fashioned Tex-Mex dinner as soon as I had the chance. He claimed it was “overlooked and underappreciated,” in part because of its awkward location underneath the tangle of the…
The Year in Video Memes: What Do They Mean??
You fell in love with all these characters this year, thrust into the limelight and five minutes of fame by just a few clicks on YouTube and a forgettable, yet exploitable, catchphrase. These were your favorite viral video memes of the year. By the time you finish reading this blog,…
Last Night: Insane Clown Posse At Warehouse Live
For a Faygo-soaked slideshow of last night’s concert, click here. Insane Clown Posse Warehouse Live December 6, 2010 Aftermath is covered in Faygo. The cell phone we hold is sticky with Faygo. Our favorite hoodie is sitting in one corner of our cubicle covered in Faygo. Jeans don’t feel good…
Top Ten Dining Etiquette Tips to Slow Your Devolution into a Caveman
Humans seem to have lost their manners as we have journeyed from the ’90s grunge era through the reality TV of the ’00s to the present. I understand that you probably learned table manners from that one part of Point of No Return when Anne Bancroft schools Bridget Fonda on…
Comment Of The Day: War On Christmas Edition
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…
Weird On Etsy: Holiday Shopping for Nerds
Is there someone on your list whose IQ exceeds his or her weight? Their vocabulary may be over your head, but thanks to the “Geekery” section of Etsy.com, handcrafted holiday gifts for the nerds in your life are well within reach. A few of or our favorite hilariously geeky products…
Getting Animated About Child Abuse
Some time ago, I noticed a number of my Facebook friends switching their profile pics to mostly classic cartoon characters (I say “mostly” because I do know a handful of people under the age of 30). Perhaps shocked by various shout-outs to the likes of Grape Ape and Dyno-Mutt, Dog…
Houston Musicians Explain Their Facebook Cartoon Pics
For the last week or so, Facebook campaign has asked users to change their profile pictures to a beloved cartoon character from their youth. Some claim it’s to bring attention to the plight of abused children. Others – like your humble reporter, who is currently sporting Link from the old…
Toons For Our Times
Some time ago, I noticed a number of my Facebook friends switching their profile pics to mostly classic cartoon characters (I say “mostly” because I do know a handful of people under the age of 30). Perhaps shocked by various shout-outs to the likes of Grape Ape and Dyno-Mutt, Dog…
WikiLeaks: Texas Company Helped Pimp Little Boys To Stoned Afghan Cops
Another international conflict, another horrific taxpayer-funded sex scandal for DynCorp, the private security contractor tasked with training the Afghan police. While the company is officially based in the DC area, most of its business is managed on a satellite campus at Alliance Airport north of Fort Worth. And if one…
Where Are We Drinking?
That’s a lot of wine! And because there’s so much of it, figuring out where we’re uncorking a bottle this week shouldn’t be too hard. Think you know where we’re drinking this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
George Clooney Bringing Enron Story To The Screen?
Enron — the semi-musical, not the company — was a hit in London’s West End and a failure on Broadway. The fact it bombed in America made it less likely we’d see a production in Houston. But now comes word out of London that George Clooney, of all people, is…
Houston Artists Bring “Texas Positivism” to Miami
Check out our sister paper in Miami’s eye-popping photos of Art Basel. Art Basel Miami this year was “more buzzing than it’s ever been,” according to conceptual artist Molly Gochman, and Houston artists were in the middle of it. Speaking last weekend from their exhibition site during the installation process,…
Meridian’s Problems Persist; Wu-Tang Moved Back To Numbers
Just when it seemed like Meridian was on the comeback trail, a mysterious power outage and shows both canceling and relocating to different venues over the weekend have raised more questions about the problem-plagued venue at 1503 Chartres. Sunday, My Onstage Events announced on Facebook and Twitter that the highly…
The Cosmopolitan at Stag’s Head
If I’m a “regular” at any Houston bar, it’s the Stag’s Head Pub. I favor the Stag’s Head for a number of reasons: It’s within walking distance of my house, it serves surprisingly good jalapeno poppers, and the waitresses are friendly and attentive. But what I like most of all…
HISD’s Magnet Schools: Independent Reviewers Weigh In
Magnet school principals resent unequal resources, are a little unsure of the independently contracted magnet school review process now going on and best practices aren’t shared across the Houston ISD, according to a review of 113 HISD magnet schools. None of the preliminary findings should surprise anyone who follows the…
Annise Parker Dons The Hard Hat Again To Demolish A Dilapidated Apartment Complex
Bob the Builder has nothing on Annise Parker, who loves to put on hard hats to watch old apartment buildings comes down. This time it was the Ella Square Apartments on Ella Boulevard near the North Loop, a complex that closed in March after numerous citations for safety and health…
What a Crock: Brown Sugar Spice Cake
I’m always on the lookout for sure-fire crock pot recipes that are guaranteed good. The Rundown It’s important to remember that great crock pot recipes shouldn’t be limited to savory dishes. Every now and then I stumble upon a dessert recipe that turns out to be a real winner. A…
Wine of the Week: Blackstone 2007 Sonoma Reserve Merlot
After feeling pretty “meh” about the 2008 Blackstone Winemaker’s Select Merlot a few months ago, I was skeptical opening this sample of the Sonoma Reserve, valued at around $20 and obviously from the same winery. Not sure whether it was the varietal or the process behind it, I thought I’d…
Big 12 Title Game — Loser Leaves Town
It’s probably appropriate that the most recognizable non-player/non-coach on the sidelines at the Big 12 Championship Game Saturday night was WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross because the final Oklahoma-Nebraska matchup (at least for the foreseeable future) had a decidedly storyline-laden, pro wrestling feel to it. The big question,…
What Were Rap’s Best And Worst Events Of 2010?
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn’t a national holiday, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week’s Panel: Lil Flip, Hollywood FLOSS, Yves of The Niceguys, Chuckway, Renzo, Kyle Hubbard, Preemo and Brad Gilmore Not Invited:…
The Heidi Chronicles at Main Street: Well-Done But Outdated
The Setup: Consider Heidi Holland. In 1988, when Wendy Wasserstein wrote about her in her signature iconic play The Heidi Chronicles, Heidi was emblematic of her generation. She had struggled with feminism, she had overcome male domination, she was independent and strong. The play was such a touchstone that it…
The Best Restaurants to Eat Chicken Fried Steak for Breakfast
Although I certainly enjoy a good piece of chicken fried steak for dinner — preferably served with homemade macaroni and cheese and fried okra — there’s something to be said for beginning your day with a plate full of it whether you’re bleary-eyed or bushy-tailed, especially when served with fried…
WAR ON CHRISTMAS: Texas Principals Still Face Lawsuit Over Banning Jesus Pencils & Candy Canes
Two Texas elementary school principals have failed in their attempt to have the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismiss a suit filed against them for trying to kill the spirit of Christmas, not to mention Jesus, in innocent young children, who are blessed in His eyes. Lynn Swanson and…
Slim Thug Pranks Mike Jones In New “Still Ringin'” Video
Besides “Still Tippin'” and the word “who?” one constant that’s become synonymous with Mike Jones’ career is “punching bag.” Trae literally punched him at the Ozone Awards a couple years back, and Slim Thug now delivers a metaphorical punch via a new parody clip. Clad in a black sweat, Slim…
Health Dept. Roundup
We stumbled over a slew of big offenders this week on Health Department Roundup, so let’s get right to it: At Taqueria El Alazan (10414 Telephone Road), inspectors found 15 violations in a November 30 visit, including paperwork errors, that food was not stored at a safe temperature and that…
Spinach and Artichoke Dip at The Black Labrador
When it comes to restaurant appetizers, spinach and artichoke dip is as standard as they come, probably right up there with Buffalo wings and cheddar cheese quesadillas. But preparation and presentation still vary significantly from place to place. Although The Black Labrador doesn’t have the best British pub grub in…
Ten ’90s Movies That Spurred Our Sexual Awakenings
A few weeks back, Jeff Balke chronicled the five `80’s movie scenes that spurred his age group’s sexual awakenings. The movies that “caused a stirring in my loins” as he said, at that precocious young age where the world is an awfully confusing and sexy place. Being younger than Balke…
KTRU’s Plight Draws National Media Attention (UPDATED)
Updated at 1 p.m. with comments from KTRU station manager Joey Yang. As time grows short for supporters of KTRU (91.7 FM) to halt the sale of Rice University’s largely student-run station to the University of Houston system, KTRU is cited in today’s The New York Times as an example…
Ninja Tunes: A Year With ICP And Houston’s Juggalos
Tonight’s Insane Clown Posse show at Warehouse Live will be Rocks Off’s second date with the duo and their Juggalo army in a little more than a year. It’s a make-up date for ICP’s October 16 gig, which was rescheduled for “legal reasons,” according to ICP’s Web site. Fair enough,…
Dinner and Dancing at Andalucia
Andalucia Tapas and Taverna is now serving up a side of singing, Spanish guitar, and Flamenco dancing along with its delicious tapas and paella every Friday night. I stopped by last weekend to watch Solero Flamenco put on a passionate performance by singer Irma “La Paloma” and guitarist Jeremías “El…
“Jeroni White Feather”: Who Is She?
Update: We’re told she has been identified. Harris County investigators are looking for information to clear up the mystery of a woman’s body found wearing men’s clothes with a plaintive note in a pocket. The woman, 5-2, 100 pounds, believed to be between 25 and 40 years old, was found…
Last Night: Smashing Pumpkins And Jimmy Eat World At Verizon
Buzzfestivus with Smashing Pumpkins, Jimmy Eat World Verizon Wireless Theater December 5, 2010 Ringing in the radio-friendly holiday spirit, 94.5 The Buzz welcomed Jimmy Eat World and Smashing Pumpkins to the first night of its annual “Buzzfestivus” holiday show Sunday night. Buzzfestivus concludes with an acoustic set from Shinedown tonight…
Beauty On the Cheap: Architecture Catches Up With Big Oil
Houston, your next big advance in architectural design is here; brought to you by…the petrochemical industry? University of Houston Professor Andrew Vrana has teamed up with other Texas academics to sponsor a competition that uses technologies from automotive, aerospace and oil and gas manufacturing to design and build structures that…
Al-Jazeera: KPFT Puts Them On The Houston Airwaves
We noted back in September that KPFT might begin broadcasting Al-Jazeera content as part of a deal by the Pacifica network, which owns the Houston station and four others in the U.S. Some of Pacifica’s supporters warned at the time against the move, but now it appears to have gone…
One Box = Four Bottles
I went to a very nice party over the weekend. My friend and her mother had slaved over jambalaya and — more importantly — authentic Cajun gumbo for days. The house looked as if it had been professionally decorated for Christmas. Everyone was in their holiday finest. And I brought…
RIP, Dandy Don Meredith: Five Reasons To Mourn
Dandy Don Meredith, the carefree Cowboy and Monday Night Football star, is dead. He died at 72 last night in Santa Fe, N.M., where he’d been living a life decidedly out of the spotlight, ignoring most interview requests. He was one of a kind, and here are five reasons to…
Gayla Ward Fulner, 44, Bayou Body Count No. 283
The body of a woman who was likely murdered and possibly raped was found near a northside bayou Sunday evening, police say. An autopsy will be performed, but HPD told reporters foul play is suspected. A couple of kids discovered the body about 5:30 p.m. Sunday in the 11400 block…
Recipe: “Winter Edition” Oreo Fudge
Ever fascinated by seasonal products, I picked up a package of “Winter Edition” Oreos ($2.99) at the supermarket. It seems Nabisco has become sufficiently PC as not to call them “Christmas” Oreos, though they don’t exactly scream Hanukkah. Like other seasonal Oreos, this variety is similar to the regular Double…
The Week In TV: The Dead of Winter
Nothing like trimming the tree while it’s 80 degrees outside. This was the week in TV Land: • Weirdly timed to coincide with the first-season finale of The Walking Dead (which I haven’t seen yet because I was writing up Boardwalk Empire, so no spoilers), news came down last week…
Saturday Night: listenlisten At The Mink
listenlisten, sIngs, Two Star Symphony The Backroom at the Mink December 4, 2010 A few hours before listenlisten’s headlining spot at the Mink Saturday night, some friends asked Aftermath to pin down the band’s sound. A visiting couple was stopping by the bar for the first time and wanted to…
Texas Bowl Gets Baylor! And, Ummm, Illinois
The 2010 Texas Bowl will give Houston a look at the surprisingly successful Baylor Bears, headed by former UH coach Art Briles. The good news: Baylor is breaking a 16-year bowl drought. The semi-bad news, in terms of the chances for a compelling football game: They’ll be playing Illinois. Illinois…
Judge Kevin Fine Back In The Spotlight With Death-Penalty Hearing
Harris County has long been known as the death-penalty capital of the United States, and the court system will be back in the spotlight this morning. Except this time it will be for the oddity of a judge who considers the death penalty, as it’s applied in Texas, to be…
Where Are We Eating?
We just couldn’t resist using another one of these gorgeous photos. If you look carefully, you may remember where this photo was taken — after all, it wasn’t that long ago. Think you know where we’re eating this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
A Memorial Video For Dead Santa
Hey kids! Bet you totally forgot that today is the anniversary of the death of Santa Claus! Well, technically it’s the anniversary of the death of Saint Nicholas, who kicked the bucket this day in 346. Nick is the best-known basis for the modern figure of Santa. The son of…
Boardwalk Empire, Season One Finale: A Return To Normalcy
Ep. 12 Preview At one point in last night’s fantastic season finale of Boardwalk Empire, Nucky tells Margaret that “we all have to decide for ourselves how much sin we can live with.” He’s talking about his own method of rationalizing the often terrible things he does, but the statement…
Gary Kubiak Deathwatch: The Needle Is Dropping
The euphoria that strangely gripped Houstonians and had them feverishly calculating playoff possibilities after the Titans game didn’t last long. The Texans, and head coach Gary Kubiak, looked pretty bad in a Thursday-night game in Philadelphia. They will not improve on last season’s record, it’s highly, highly unlikely they will…
Lori Darling David & Other Women Sexing Teens: We Get Ratings From The Playground
With Lori Darling David being arraigned on Monday for texting nude photos of herself to a teen-aged boy, and Trishana Broussard going to prison for having sex with teen-aged boys, and with an increasing number of women being arrested in Texas for sex offenses, and sentencing guidelines recognizing no difference…
This Week in Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where in ten years we’ll make a fortune when we start auctioning off our stockpile of Four Loko. We kicked the week off with a cautionary fable about destroying your palate with cinnamon, by way of the infamous cinnamon…
In Case You Got Stoned And You Missed It…
It’s Friday, it’s time to party, but in case you’re futzing around the Internet this weekend sometime, here’s Rocks Off’s week in one easy post. NEWS We don’t know how you could have missed this one, but almost exactly one week ago, Willie Nelson got busted. (Since he wrote “Me…
John Chime, 41, Bayou Body Count No. 282
Murder charges have been filed in the case of a dead body found in a truck in a southwest side convenience store parking lot, police say. John Chime, 41, might have been dead for almost a week before his body was discovered Sunday afternoon by a customer, HPD says. They…
Outsmarted By Your Smartphone? T-Mobile Wants To Help
What’s so great about the holidays? You never wear those horrendous sweaters from Grandma, all the money you get burns a hole in your pocket, and you forget to use all of your gift cards, which eventually expire. Don’t fret — a local T-Mobile store is offering you something you…
Elote – Hold the Cup and the Cream – at No Borders
I have two favorite places in town for elote, that Mexican snack you can feel at least partly good about eating because — hey! — it’s corn and corn is a vegetable (barely) and therefore good for you! Never mind the fact that you usually slather those sugary niblets with…
Our Favorite Playboy Christmas Covers
If there’s one thing I think of when it comes to Christmas, it’s Playboy. Every year, before I started stealing the Christmas issues from friends and relatives, I longed for late November when I got that first peek at the holiday issue of Hugh Hefner’s crowning glory. It was officially…
Annise Parker: Merry Christmas, Employees!! Take An Unpaid Furlough Day!!
Mayor Annise Parker, in conjunction with a municipal union, is asking City of Houston employees to take voluntary furlough days before the end of the year to ease the city’s budget crunch. “While the City has been able to withstand the current economic crisis longer than most, we are now…
Prince William’s Bachelor Party: A Snoopadelic Recap
When Rocks Off saw a press release with the subject line, “SNOOP DOGG RELEASES BRAND NEW SONG FOR PRINCE WILLIAM’S BACHELOR PARTY,” we assumed perhaps April Fool’s had arrived early. Last week, you see, when news broke of Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton, we had fun pulling together our…
Top 5 Local Ideas: The Gift of Lone Star Deliciousness
Looking to spread Texas-size cheer to friends and family out of state? Need a universally appealing present for employees or clients? Below are five suggestions for food gifts chock full of local flavor and appeal. 5. Goode Company Hall of Flame Make barbecue dreams come true with gifts packages from…
2010 Houston Texans Mad Libs
I’m busy, you’re busy, we’re all busy. The Texans’34-24 loss to the Eagles is the game that has pushed me over the edge. On a night when the Texans won literally every statistical category (save the turnover battle, which was a 2-1 Eagle win on the strength of Matt Schaub’s…
Leon’s Lounge Reopens Saturday
Rocks Off just got an email from Leon’s owner Pete Mitchell, who also owns Under the Volcano, saying the historic Midtown bar will be back open at 7 p.m. tomorrow. Mitchell leased Leon’s in January, and pretty much has been renovating it ever since. That should have given him plenty…
Film Examines Youth in Spiritual Struggle
According to a 2007 survey conducted by the Pew Forum, “44 percent of American adults have either switched religious affiliation, moved from being unaffiliated with any religion to being affiliated with a particular faith, or dropped any connection to a specific religious tradition altogether.” Modern Americans are grappling with how…
Dr. Tomifumi Onishi: Three Cases Of Woman-Beating Filed Against MD Anderson Doc In Eight Months (UPDATED)
UPDATE: Charges against Dr. Onishi were dropped on December 17. According to one court document, the reason for the dismissal is “the interest of justice.” When asked to elaborate, Dr. Onishi’s attorney declined to explain the DA’s reasoning any further. Apparently Tomifumi Onishi is having a little trouble getting the…
Tea Party Congressmen From Texas Love Their Earmarks
Brave, insightful, brilliant, not-at-all-crazy U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann founded the Congressional Tea Party Caucus to save America from Muslim presidents and stop federal spending by stopping earmarks, the modern term for pork-barrel projects. Republicans in the Texas congressional delegation scampered to sign up. They didn’t quite scamper away from earmarks,…
Openings & Closings
Last night saw the grand opening of Houston’s newest South American restaurant, the oddly named Tango & Malbec (2800 Sage, 713-629-8646). No, it’s not a supper club with cheesy dancers; it’s an Argentinean establishment run by an expat from Patagonia that focuses less on traditional Buenos Aires cuisine and more…
Nicki Minaj Has Lil Kim On The Defensive… For Now
Lil Kim lost the battle before she ever said a word to Nicki Minaj. She lost for reasons beyond her control, and some within her control. She lost the same way the VHS lost when DVDs came out. She lost the way the CD player lost when the iPod took…
$7 at IKEA
Hi, I’d like a Boren, a Barnslig, a Fixa, and French toast sticks. Where else on earth, besides IKEA, could you utter a sentence as beautiful as that and not be hauled off to the loony bin?…
Randy Jones: Throws Five Puppies Off Balcony, Killing Two (UPDATED)
Updated with new puppy-tossing info from HPD. See end of item. A few months ago we had a guy throwing a puppy off a bridge because it kept getting into the garbage. Now we have a dude throwing a dog off a balcony, motivation unknown. Big difference: The bridge puppy…
Kanye West, Meet John Cage
Avant-garde composer John Cage and pop superstar Kanye West may be two of most polarizing figures in contemporary American music. It amazes me how many people – particularly musicians – hate John Cage (“Parlour games” is how one music professor we know describes Cage’s music). And Kanye West? For awhile…
Shiftwork Bites: Thanksgiving Edition
Holidays frequently suck for shiftworkers. You either spend the entire day doing nothing but sleeping and working, or else spend half of it working and the other half of it running around like a madman, trying to scrape some semblance of cheer out of your growing exhaustion. This Thanksgiving, I…
November 27 to December 3: 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. Can you believe it’s already the end of the year? Be sure your holiday pics to our photo group — we are especially interesting in stunning photos of…
Keith Richards Does Life As Only He Can
Life By Keith Richards with James Fox Little, Brown, And Company, 576 pp, $29.99. Watch this first. It’s Keef’s own intro to Life: “It starts with a bang.” The first chapter of Keith Richards’ first-ever memoir, Life, reads like a deleted scene from the Johnny Depp movie Blow. There are…
KTRH’s “Most Influential Houstonian Of 2010”: KTRH’s Michael Berry
Who is the single most influential Houstonian of 2010? Annise Parker, who has garnered worldwide publicity for Houston? A piker. No, by far the most influential Houstonian this year has been Michael Berry, talk-show host on KTRH. At least according to a listener poll of KTRH listeners. Almost two-thirds of…
Upcoming Events
Cova Hand-Selected Wines (5555 Washington Avenue) is celebrating five years in business and you’re invited to help them do it in style. The restaurant’s 5th anniversary party is this Saturday, December 4, from 2 to 10 p.m. and there will, of course, be plenty of food and wine on hand…
Reviews For The Easily Distracted: Black Swan
Title: Black Swan Did Mila Kunis And Natalie Portman Really Lose 20 Pounds For This? That’s the story. Kunis actually went from a a chubby 115 to a svelte 95 pounds. “Chubby?” That’s A Little Harsh, Isn’t It? Not in Prima Ballerina World, pal. Director: Darren Aronofsky Why Is That…
Four Loko Madness On Rice Campus: EMS Calls Jump, Friends Left Abandoned
The scourge of Four Loko is turning Rice University into a depraved, body-strewn landscape where desperate students guzzle the possibly deadly drink with scant consideration of the niceties of society. At least that’s the only conclusion we can draw from an article in the Rice Thresher that says emergency medical…
Hanukkah Treat: Sufganiyot
Like many other Jewish holidays, Hanukkah has distinctive food that are really only eaten at certain times a year. For this holiday, most of the traditional foods are fried, which is a nice gut punch after the gluttony of Thanksgiving. Every year, I like to bring something to work to…
Margaret Cho’s New “Intervention” Video, Shot In The Suburban Wilds Of Houston
The new video for Margaret Cho’s “Intervention” is out, and it’s all about Houston. If, that is, you define “all about” as “generically standing in for any suburb anywhere.” “We shot it in Houston on a brief moment where all of us were free,” Cho says on her website. “Louis…
Z-Ro Is Now On Twitter – Both Of Him
With the other guys, it made sense. Chamillionaire: The tech junkie? The basketball fan? The guy so confident in himself that he created a whole new unit of money measurement and then named himself after it? Of course he’d be on Twitter. Bun B: He was a little late jumping…
Fr. Alberto Maullon: Priest Gets Nabbed At Adult Bookstore, Doing What Comes Naturally
The Houston Police Department, having dealt efficiently with drugs and violent crimes, has once again made time to tackle the huge, outrageous problem of guys doing it behind locked doors at adult bookstores. We hope you all feel safer. This week they nabbed a Catholic priest who was tending his…
Bartender Chat: Melissa Cantu of Bodegas Taco Shop
Melissa Cantu had only been bartending at Bodegas Taco Shop — she attends nursing school during the day — for about a week when she was approached by EOW for Bartender Chat. Despite her lack of experience at the place, she put on her game face, mixed up a tasty…
Community: A Very Special Episode
Community’s greatest strength is its ability to do the exact opposite of a traditional sitcom and get equal or better results, especially when it comes to broadcasting its intentions. What I mean is that an old-school sitcom would never announce to the viewer that it was trotting out a bottle…
Johnny Perales: Porn On Work Laptop Lands Corpus Asst. City Manager In Hot Water
We coastal Texan men are apparently a randy, lonely lot. Even as Galveston cops plucked the Seawall Spanker — a publicly masturbating surfing aficionado — from his car on the edge of the Gulf, another case of [presumably] jacking off in a manner unbecoming of a gentleman emerges from Corpus…
Last Night: Justin Townes Earle At Fitzgerald’s
Justin Townes Earle Fitzgerald’s December 2, 2010 It’s been a tumultuous year for folk-rocker Justin Townes Earle. Lucky for him, we’re fast approaching year’s end. This fall the Nashville native and recently settled New Yorker released his third album Harlem River Blues, the follow-up to 2008’s lauded Midnight at the…
Aeros Battle Fergie’s Humps and Screaming Kids
Toyota Center was packed with screaming kids and befuddled adults yesterday. But the kids weren’t there for a Hannah Montana concert. And Justin Bieber was nowhere to be found.Instead, they were there for a strange day of hockey that kicked off an hour before noon at time when most of…
Chef Chat, Part 3: Patricia Greer of Pat Greer’s Raw Vegan Kitchen
This week we’ve been chatting with raw vegan chef Patricia Greer; click here and here for more. Today we conclude our conversation. EOW: Can you describe how you’ve dealt with the times when there aren’t dietary options for you? PG: I either won’t eat or I’ll eat something small like…
Mexicans Determined to Shop in U.S. Charter a Plane
Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a group of Mexican nationals trying to fly over the drug cartel violence in the northern part of their country to get to stores in McAllen, Texas. As the amount of gunfighting and unease continues to mount in…
The 71’s Crash Great Day Houston… Now!
Actually, Great Day Houston airs at 9 a.m. on Channel 11. Rocks Off just wanted to give you an hour or two to get ready. The 71s remain a quiet but powerful force in Houston, and continue to tumble higher and higher into choice gigs. Their latest EP, Rock and…
Eagles 34, Texans 24: Defense Routinely Awful, But Schaub Also Misses Opportunities
The questions have long been answered as to whether Gary Kubiak is a championship-level coach and if the Texans defense is even at an NCAA-championship level. (No.) After Thursday night, however, another question may need to be asked. Is Matt Schaub a championship-level quarterback? Schaub’s final numbers were excellent, but…
New Dynamo Stadium May Not Change Concert Climate Much
Conceivably, today’s announcement that the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority has agreed to act as landlord for the proposed Houston Dynamo stadium in downtown’s East End could present a serious challenge to the Houston area’s reigning concert King Kong, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. The Dynamo’s stadium would be bigger, with…
“Green Houston” Hype Continues With “Green Gym”
We’re not sure how much we’re buying into all this Green Houston hype. We get that the juxtaposition of “oil capital” and “newfangled electric cars” can be irresistible to journalists, but it’s not like we’re getting rid of Pasadena or anything along the Ship Channel, right? So plug in all…
Ars Lyrica Nominated for 2011 Grammy Award
Houston baroque ensemble Ars Lyrica has been nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award (in the opera category) for its world-premiere recording of J.A. Hasse’s “Marc Antonio e Cleopatra.” It’s also the only U.S. recording nominated in the category. Nice! The other nominees in Best Opera Recording: Berg: “Lulu” (Orchestra Of…
National Recall Includes Whole Foods-Brand Nutmeg
Just in time for the Christmas holidays, nutmeg has been recalled. Unlike the seasonally inopportune great canned pumpkin shortage of November 2009, nutmeg will be scarce for at least a little while thanks to a potential salmonella contamination. And trust me on this one: You do not want salmonella poisoning…
Chuck Norris: Rick Perry Reveals His True Superpower, And It’s Boring
If you’ve noticed yourself sitting up a little straighter today, it’s because you are proud to live in a state that honors Chuck Norris by naming him an honorary Texas Ranger. Not the baseball team. Governor Rick Perry did the deed today, and his official remarks show a trenchant, entertaining…
Honeydew Tattoo: Ryan Dilbert’s Fusion-Fiction
Fusion is hip–especially when it’s one-part Texan. In Houston, Texas flounder bathed in coconut broth formulates Indian fusion. Theater performances that co-mingle opera and dance represent cultural fusion. But if anyone were to award points for the most difficult elements to meld, all in one body, the high-scorer would have…
NFL & College Football — Weekend’s Best Bets
When it comes to college football, I’m not a staunch traditionalist. I believe the season is more compelling when the longtime powers are strong (Translation: Texas, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Miami all being mediocre is, to me, a bad thing.), and yet I picked Boise State before the season…
Top 5 Kitchen Gadgets to Throw Out
Yesterday I looked at kitchen gadgets that truly have a positive impact on our culinary creations. Even though they may require some assembly and clean-up, they are well worth the energy and expenditure. Today, I’m looking at the flip side of the coin: the gadgets that collect dust in your…
Justin Townes Earle’s Musical Family Tree
Tonight Justin Townes Earle headlines Fitzgerald’s with Caitlin Rose in tow. For the past three years, Earle has been making believers out of most every audience he has come across, either converting the uninitiated or further leading his devotees down the rabbit hole. Each of his three albums – 2008…
Say Farewell to Dumpster, Tx.
A Houston holiday tradition comes to an end as Radio Music Theatre prepares to close its doors forever in April of next year. In 1985, Steve Farrell wrote an original comedy about a holiday gathering gone wrong, and the three-person company of the Radio Music Theatre has been busy ever…
Dynamo’s New Stadium To Compete With Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion For Music Acts
The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority agreed on a deal today to be the landlord for the Houston Dynamo in a new downtown stadium, an important — but not final — step on breaking ground. Dynamo president Chris Canetti tells Hair Balls the new facility won’t just be limited to soccer…
Food in Film: Top 5 Food Moments in Christmas Movies
Christmas movies aren’t all about plaintive children and heartfelt homecomings. Some of the best culinary scenes in cinema occur in seasonal flicks. Here are five to feast your eyes on: 5. Macaulay Culkin’s monstrous ice cream sundae in Home Alone. Abandoned for the holidays by his distracted family, Kevin fulfills…
Top 12 Sexiest Christmas Album Covers
Above is the cover of the new Christmas single by once-popular barroom grunge act Buckcherry. We have to say, we like it a lot better than we like their music. It continues a tradition of sexy yuletide album covers, which Rocks Off is proud to document for your ogling pleasure…
Tyjanae Moore: Mayor’s Office Makes Clear Transgendered Woman Should Not Have Been Arrested For Using Women’s Bathroom
Annise Parker clarifies things for HPDConcerning Tyjanae Morre, the transgendered woman whose attempt to use a women’s restroom in the downtown library got her tossed into the men’s jail, and briefly threw city government into confusion, Mayor Annise Parker’s office says the “misunderstanding” has been cleared up. As our story…
Happy Hour Scene: Khon’s
The Place: Khon’s2808 Milam St. 713-523-7775www.khonsbar.comThe Hours: Seven days a week, 4-7 p.m.The Deals: All drinks are $1 cheaper than normal. Except Lone Stars, which are always $2. The Scene: Our trip to Khon’s actually started about a week earlier, when someone at Spec’s told us that it was absolutely…
The 10 Most Disturbing Food-Related Tattoos (Possibly NSFW)
I’m not talking about Greg Lowry’s anthropomorphized meatball tattoo or Paul Rodriguez’s rotten apple, two of the food tattoo featured in our Chef Tats story last year. I’m not even talking about the weird Billy Mays-in-a-cupcake tattoo seen to your right (yes, Billy Mays was reincarnated as a cupcake!). I’m…
Alberto Gonzalez: Former Houstonian, Former Attorney General, Needs Your Cash
Alberto Gonzalez, the pride of Houston’s Vinson & Elkins, memorably served as Attorney General under George W. Bush. Sure, there were a few bumps along the way, what with the torture and helping Karl Rove purge the roster of U.S. Attorneys in a way that an official report declared violated…
Finally … A Sneak Peak at Houston-Filmed Tree of Life
Roughly three years after shooting began in 2008, Terrence Malick’s long-awaited film The Tree of Life, starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, has a scheduled opening date: May 27, 2011. And this weekend, moviegoers will finally get a sneak peek–the full trailer for Tree of Life will debut before screenings…
Katy Perry? For Album Of The Year? Seriously?
Don’t get Craig’s Hlist wrong, we think that Katy Perry is extremely attractive. In fact, if we think about her long enough, it makes us want to cry and punch a wall. She’s a buxom, bubbly, raven-haired pop star who dresses like she’s expensive grandma candy. We even interviewed her…
Indigenous Bounties: Foraging with Randy Rucker
Last Sunday, my wife and I woke up early and finally made the trek out to Bootsie’s Heritage Café in Tomball, but we weren’t there to eat. We were there to work. A few weeks back, Chef Randy Rucker made a titillating offer via Twitter: Come to Tomball and dig…
Clifford Lee Bradberry: Galveston County Man Really, Really Likes To Watch Surfing
Apparently, Clifford Lee Bradberry deeply enjoys whacking off, and while there’s nothing wrong with that per se, Bradberry insists on involving the public in his masturbatory shenanigans. Acting on a suspicious activity tip Sunday, Galveston Police allegedly found the chubby 33-year-old Texas City man parked on Seawall Boulevard near 61st…
Qatar: How To Pronounce It, With Help From KISS
Yeah, Houston won’t be hosting any World Cup games. Qatar will. Qatar actually has some Houston connections: HCC has a campus there, Qatar Airlines flies only to New York, DC and us in the U.S….but no one knows how to say it. We turn to KISS, as in all things…
Calming Cravings at Shiv Sagar
The bad thing about going back to read old reviews is that I start craving certain dishes from that restaurant. This happened on Tuesday with a recent review of Sweet n Namkin and dahi puri. This isn’t always bad, per se. It’s only bad when I can’t get what I’m…
Remember Z-Ro’s Crack?
Houston’s history is dotted with albums that, fairly or un, have been swept aside. We’ll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Z-Ro Crack (Rap-a-Lot, 2008) Crack was the first of Rother Vandross’s drug-themed albums, followed by Cocaine and Heroin, and…
Bluefinger: The Manager
Last night, I had the pleasure of meeting Koos Van Dijk, former manager of legendary Dutch rocker Herman Brood–the subject of Catastrophic Theatre’s Bluefinger. Van Dijk, who flew in from Amsterdam, is the ultimate authority on all things Herman, so for the cast it was even more of an occasion…
Rice Forward Calls Teammates “Scared” After Arizona Loss
The Rice Owls are in a tough stretch of games. They’ve been on the road, and they’re running up against the end of the semester, which means finals and tests and papers and no sleep. So maybe their 84-57 loss to the Arizona Wildcats can be explained away by going…
An Evening in Marrakech at Boheme
Boheme Café and Wine Bar will be hosting a Moroccan-themed dinner next Wednesday, December 8, at 7:30 p.m. Chef Heather Vaughan is preparing a four-course meal featuring one of her favorite cuisines for $25 per person. The dinner will begin with a dip sampler, including muhammara (a red pepper and…
Worst Hanukkah Ever: Gifts From Anti-Semitic Hate Websites
America X might be on the gift listIf you spent Black Friday fighting for Hanukkah gifts for your Jewish friends, chances are you completely forgot about the people who feel especially left out during the Festival of Lights: anti-Semites While Jews everywhere spin the dreidel and light the menorah, neo-Nazis…
Texans Have Down Year In Grammy Nominations
Texas artists, or artists with Texas roots, scored fewer nominations than usual when the Recording Academy announced its choices for the 53rd annual Grammy Awards Wednesday night. Perpetual nominees Beyonce and George Strait were nominated for residual tracks from I Am… Sasha Fierce and Twang, respectively, but neither released an…
HISD To Upgrade “Aging” Computer System After It’s Hacked
The Houston school district says it will spend $10 million to $15 million upgrading its computer security after a hack left some data exposed. “Fixing this will be a financially costly endeavor, but HISD parents, taxpayers and employees must be able to trust that we take protecting their private information…
Food Fight: Sante Fe Rice and Beans
As I did with my first Food Fight, I hit up the frozen section at the grocery store for this one. Being healthy was on the brain this time around, so I checked out the section for “lean” meals. It wasn’t easy finding two brands that served the same dish…
Your Meme Of The Week: Is Jesus A Jerk?
How was Christian graphic artist Larry Van Pelt to know that when he set out to depict Jesus Christ helping his followers through everyday tasks like pulling teeth, lifting weights, or driving a diesel rig that one day, with some slight but profound alterations, that they would almost make me…
2022 World Cup Host Is… Not the US
Houston city leaders, members of the Dynamo organization and soccer fans gathered at a bunting-filled room at the George R. Brown Convention Center this morning to hear the international announcement of which countries will be hosting the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The announcement was broadcast live from Zurich, Switzerland…
The Most Awesomely Bad Pink Floyd Cover Ever
A few weeks back, Rocks Off was utterly enthralled with Roger Waters’ rendition of The Wall, the masterpiece he created with his former band, Pink Floyd. Every note was pitch-perfect and the wall was strategically built onstage while the band behind Waters performed the album note for note. In fact,…
Gary Kubiak Death Watch: Signs Of Life
Boy, it doesn’t take much to get a Texans bandwagon started in this town. The frantic yearning for a winner has fans ecstatic over a home win against a crummy team, and has the Kubiak Death Watch arrow inching slightly towards positive ground. We’ll see what happens after tonight’s game…
Day Of The [Digital] Dead
Yesterday was the 23rd annual World AIDS Day, dedicated to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and remembering those who have succumbed to the disease. It’s a sobering occasion. Over 25 million have died of the disease since 1981, and some 33 million live with the infection now. Antiviral therapies have succeeded…
Bring Out Your [Digital] Dead
Yesterday was World AIDS Day. The occasion dedicated to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and remembering those who have succumbed to the disease is in its 23rd year. It’s a sobering occasion. Over 25 million have died of the disease since 1981, and some 33 million live with the infection now…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Pat Greer’s Raw Vegan Kitchen
Yesterday we chatted with the lively raw vegan chef Patricia Greer. Today we discuss some of the items she makes – some even carnivores will enjoy. EOW: Here in Houston, you definitely have a niche market, which might be more difficult than other cities, like Austin. Why Houston and not…
Which Other Musicians Should Start Tea Parties?
The continued persecution of Nelson, Willie for the smoking of weed in the name of being a laid-back national treasure has spawned the Teapot Party. Get it? Rocks Off got to wondering who else will harness Willie’s lightning…
Santa & Crying Babies: Five Great Videos
It takes a while for kids to warm up to Santa Claus — usually it takes precisely as long as it takes them to figure out he’s the guy bringing presents. But when you’re real little, and you tend to get presents randomly anyway, you don’t know anything about having…
Ruth Netscher: Whistleblower Claims UT-Health Science Center Used Mental-Health Patients As Guinea Pigs
Research done without consent, suit saysA former doctor and faculty member at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston claims that she was fired because she blew the whistle on other doctors who used mental health patients as research guinea pigs without proper or legal consent. Psychiatrist Dr…
It’s a Wonderful Life: Unscripted
Don’t walk into the ComedySportz production of It’s a Wonderful Life: Unscripted expecting a stage version of the Frank Capra movie by the same name. For one thing, Capra’s classic film had a happy ending, while Unscripted’s ending is a little bit more up in the air. The play has…
FAIR-y Tales: Mexican Macro-economics
Do undocumented migrants steal jobs from American workers? In 2007, the U.S. Senate debated the doomed McCain-Kennedy “comprehensive immigration reform” bill that aimed to secure borders, enforce workplaces, modernize the visa system, and allow non-criminal undocumented immigrants already in the country to pay a fine and stand in line for…
Frosty the Snowman
It might not be all that chilly outside, but that shouldn’t stop the kids from dreaming about snow, especially during a visit to Express Children’s Theatre’s production of Frosty the Snowman. In this story by Alex Gardner, Frosty is in a bit of a fix. He’s got to get put…
FAIR-y Tales: Bookworms
To FAIR patriarch John Tanton, The Camp of the Saints, a 1973 apocalyptic book by French novelist Jean Raspail, stimulates honest discussion. The graphic book tells the story of the downfall of Western civilization and the decline of the European white race at the hands of immigrant invaders. The setting…
Reckless
Houston theater lovers know Philip Lehl from his astonishing work as an actor at both Stages Repertory Theatre and the Alley. Now they’ll be thrilled to know he’s co-founded a new company called Brave Dog Theatre. “Brave dogs are loyal and tenacious and if you’re going to do theater in…
FAIR-y Tales: Fantasy Voter Fraud
Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was dissed by Russell Pearce over Prop 200’s dismissal. In late October, days before the election, state Senator Russell Pearce directed his e-mail wrath at retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, whom he decried as an “activist judge” with a “lack of trust…
Andrea Bocelli: My Christmas
Spend this Christmas with Andrea Bocelli in his first Houston performance in almost ten years. He’ll be making his Houston Symphony debut while singing selections from his new CD, My Christmas. Bocelli’s thundering voice might be a little overpowering for tunes such as “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and…
Cinderella
The Ensemble Theatre is offering a jazzy take on a classic story with a fresh new musical version of Cinderella, coming to Houston from the African-American Shakespeare Company. Some of the new elements in this familiar tale: the jumping 1950s dance number and the girl-on-girl wrestling match featuring none other…
FAIR-y Tales
On June 5, hundreds rallied at the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza in Phoenix in support of SB 1070, the harshest state immigration law in the nation, which had been signed by Governor Jan Brewer six weeks earlier. The crowd of mostly middle-aged, working-class Anglos waved handmade signs blaring such things…
Star of Bethlehem
There are some things scientists can’t explain but that doesn’t stop them from trying. Take the planetarium film Star of Bethlehem. Million of Christians take it on faith that a bright star rose in the sky, leading the wise men to the birthplace of the Christ child. But science requires…
H-Town Get Down
The Human Helicopter, a.k.a. b-boy Joel Martinez, will be spinning at the H-Town Get Down dance concert. “The guy can go around [on his head] like 30 or 40 times,” laughs Dance Houston founder Andrea Cody. Martinez is just one of dozens of dancers who will take the stage during…
Red Beard
The shooting schedule for master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s Red Beard (1965), a period medical drama, stretched over two years, a then-unprecedented amount of time to make a movie. The charismatic Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, whose international success was largely due to Kurosawa — they had made 15 movies together —…
Inprint: Salman Rushdie
Author Salman Rushdie is known for a very bad thing that happened to him (a certain fatwa) and a number of very good things that have happened to him (The Man Booker Prize, knighthood, Padma Lakshmi). In fact, his personal life is so scandalous and intriguing that his books have…
The Mayor’s 2010 Holiday Celebration
Welcome the winter holiday with your favorite politicos and a few hundred close friends at the Mayor’s 2010 Holiday Celebration. Local favorites Maria Todd and Brad Boooker of MIX 96.5 will be emcees for the event, which features Grammy Award winner Eddie Levert of the O’Jays. Members of the Houston…
The Best of the Fest! Children’s Film Festival Seattle 2010
The current crop of wide-release children’s movies features a guy with a big blue head voiced by Will Ferrell and a guy with a pointy nose who sounds just like Steve Carrell. Oh, and there’s a girl with a long, long tangle of blond hair. But there is more celluloid…
Tenth Annual Media That Matters Film Festival
Can you say anything important or interesting in 12 minutes or less? Can you say it with style and visual flair? The documentary filmmakers spotlighted in the Tenth Annual Media That Matters Film Festival speak up loud and clear — some even shout — on a wide range of subjects…
Family Affair
Three sisters and their father share an unspeakable family secret. It might have remained one but for their brother, who grew up to be a filmmaker. Chico Colvard’s 2010 rough-around-the-edges documentary Family Affair is unusually creepy. For 30 years, Colvard’s sisters protected their incestuous father. Pressured by him to keep…
Elf Quote-Along
You might be able to spout most of the lines, and even sing the songs, during today’s Elf Quote-a-Long, but don’t expect to keep up with Buddy the Elf’s l-o-n-g burp at the dinner table. Only masters like Will Ferrell can manage that. In case you don’t have all your…
Touring Taste of Dance Salad Festival
Enjoy highlights from the 2010 Dance Salad performance during today’s screening of A Touring Taste of Dance Salad Festival. Last spring dozens of European dance groups performed some of their most innovative and cutting-edge works over four days here in Houston. Selecting clips from those performances for the film A…
David Brown: Artist’s Eye
Most of the speakers in The Menil Collection’s Artist’s Eye lecture series select a painting or an artist to discuss. Photographer David Brown, who leads today’s discussion, will take on a slightly larger subject; he’s discussing The Menil Collection itself, from the building to the art collection to the ongoing…
Rachel Brady: Dead Lift
The author of Final Approach, last year’s winner for the Best Houston Book in the Houston Press Best of Houston® awards, Rachel Brady has just released Dead Lift. A sequel to Final Approach, Dead Lift once again sees investigator Emily Locke delving into the underbelly of Texas society. The client…
“Nacho Mama’s Fridge!”
“Nacho Mama’s Fridge!” is a collection of art ideal for the gift-giving season. (Read: It’s affordable.) The group show, curated by Emily Sloan, features small-scale works by local artists, including jewelry, photographs, comics and paintings, all showcased in Box 13’s tiny, frigid Kenmore Gallery (also a compact refrigerator). Merilee Minshew’s…
7th Jubilee of Dance
The Houston Ballet takes a break from relentless Nutcracker-ing today with its annual Jubilee of Dance, a showcase of works old and new meant to rally the dance-loving base in the heart of the holiday season. The program includes a number of favorites, including the delicate pas de deux Diamonds…
Dickens on the Strand
Galveston is 4,900 miles and 150 years removed from the Victorian London of Charles Dickens, but the first weekend of each December, the Gulf of Mexico might as well be the Thames, as holiday revelers take over downtown for Dickens on the Strand. This year’s festival — marking the 37th…
FAIR-y Tales: Whose Dole Is It, Anyway?
Unauthorized immigrants make up just more than 3 percent of the U.S. population, But they’re accused of sucking up public benefits and dodging taxes. Illegal aliens are tax dodgers. That’s one of the most shocking findings of FAIR’s most recent report on the “cost of illegal immigration. “Most illegal aliens…
Witchy Woman
La Catrin walked down the stairs at Etro, strobe lights and the refraction of a Hammer horror film her only spotlight. Nonetheless, all eyes turned to her as if she were haloed. It made this writer think of all the great, shocking entrances that have delighted us over the years…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Anthony Thompson Shumate: Cocky,” D-17, “Eduardo Gil: Extra”
“Anthony Thompson Shumate: Cocky” When you’re an artist, people offer you all kinds of comments on and advice about your work, something they would never think of doing to, say, an accountant. Anthony Thompson Shumate decided to use those remarks as fodder for his show “Cocky” at Barbara Davis Gallery…
Piola
The Piola franchise is headquartered in Treviso in the Veneto region of Italy and was started by two brothers in 1986. One of the brothers married a Brazilian and moved to Brazil, where he opened eight Piola restaurants. “The menu has many Brazilian influences, and not only the Italian community…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Bluefinger: The Fall and Rise of Herman Brood, The Little Dog Laughed, The Nutcracker
Bluefinger: The Fall and Rise of Herman Brood Catastrophic Theatre’s magnificent world-premiere production, written and directed by Jason Nodler and featuring a blistering performance by Matt Kelly in the title role, could easily be the next smash hit on Broadway. It’s got dysfunction in spades since it’s based on the…
What’s the deal with pinatas?
¡ASK A MEXICAN! Dear Mexican, This güero downloaded the Arizona S.B. 1070 bill, did a search on the document for “Mexicans,” and did not come up with a single hit. What’s up with that? So, since you are such an acknowledged expert at pointing out Mexican-hating here in the American…
Espantapajaros
Following the Star has been a long time coming — the five-song EP is Pablo Espantapajaros’s eponymous band’s first release since the guitarist extraordinaire relocated to the Bayou City from his native Argentina in 2006. In the interim, Espantapajaros and mates Diego Fernandez, Erol Kuscu and Antonio Gonzalez have become…
The Best “B-Sides”
On the monitor screen, ten young men scream at the top of their lungs. It’s the kind of testosterone-fueled yelling that happens when guys watch college football — college football they bet money on. But they aren’t watching a game. All members of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Yale…
Parade Rest
It’s hard to overstate all that the Hustlers Brass Band represents — culture, musicianship, courage, loyalty, etc. — but it’s easy to summarize: New Orleans. This makeshift seven-piece group, plucked from their homes and placed in Houston by the indelicate hands of Hurricane Katrina, represents New Orleans, inexorable and stern…
One Last Hit of K-2
November 24, 2010, Washington D.C.: Using its emergency powers, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced that it will temporarily ban five synthetic marijuana compounds,often known by brand names such as K-2 or Spice, effective in “no fewer than 30 days.” — from the DEA Website This report was written in the…
Island Style
When you eat a fresh raw oyster, it’s still alive. A month after my grandfather ate his last serving of raw oysters, he was not. Bacteria caused the fatal infection, but a weakened immune system was really to blame. Despite reminders of the health risks, he wouldn’t be denied oysters,…
Smashing Pumpkins, Jimmy Eat World
Two styles of modern rock converge at Verizon Wireless Theater Sunday night as the Smashing Pumpkins’ alternative-gold goes head to head with Jimmy Eat World’s optimistic yet world-weary indie-pop for Buzzfestivus, 94.5 FM’s annual holiday concert bash. The Pumpkins, now just Billy Corgan and some kick-ass new kids, were just…
Latin Bites
At Chef Roberto Castre’s new Latin Bites (1302 Nance, 713-229-8369), you’ll find a ceviche bar not unlike a sushi bar at Japanese restaurants, albeit a lot smaller. The ceviche mixto ($12) is a colorful dish with pink shrimp, white flounder and calamari rings, and ultra-thin strips of purple onion. The…
Gourmet Guys
See how the shakes are spun and the burgers are born behind-the-scenes at The Burger Guys in our slideshow. “Order up!” It’s a Saturday night at The Burger Guys in far west Houston — in that overlapping gray zone that’s Memorial, Westchase and Alief all at once — and the…
Lamar’s eLibrary
EDUCATION Lamar High’s Library Ousts Books Replacements: Coffee Shop and E-Books! BY MARGARET DOWNING Just adding a coffee shop to a neighborhood library so people can feel like they’re in Starbucks and ultra-hip was apparently too passé a trend for Principal James McSwain of Lamar High School. Finishing up the…
Justin Townes Earle
Justin Townes Earle’s third full-length outing, Harlem River Blues, sees the blues/country/soul singer incorporating new sounds and textures into his already formidable repertoire. Harlem is the sound of JTE getting used to the settled-down life, and incorporating new home base New York City as a character in his work. JTE…
Times Are A-Changin’
No More Books? Online readers comment on Lamar High’s Library Ousts Books, Reopens as Coffee Shop,” Hair Balls blog, by Margaret Downing, November 23: I’m a little conflicted here: While it’s sad to see the traditional library go, we do need to realize that it is a new age, and the Internet will…
Los Van Van
It’s not that often that a group credited with creating an entire musical genre comes to town, but Cuba’s Los Van Van holds that distinction. Formed in the late ’60s, Juan Formell and his troupe of conservatory-educated musicians injected the sounds of rock, funk, soul and disco they heard on…
listenlisten
On listenlisten’s newest, dog, the band goes for the throat, attaching an even grimmer sheen to their already forbidding sound. Last year’s Hymns from Rhodesia was beloved by Rolling Stone, and even got a quick mention on the magazine’s music blog as an album to watch out for. This time…
iFest Concert Series
An ancient trade route linking Europe with the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and the Far East — and now Houston, as the Houston International Festival’s 2011 theme — the Silk Road detours through South Louisiana Sunday. As with iFest itself, though, it’s not even necessary to leave the Loop…
Kim Lenz & Her Jaguars
Wanda Jackson showed she’s still the Queen of Rockabilly on her latest visit to the Continental Club in October, which makes Kim Lenz the genre’s No. 1 lady-in-waiting. Or perhaps something bigger. If it seems like it might be difficult to prompt Rolling Stone into saying you sound like old…
German Shepherd
Johnny Falstaff, who releases his new album Live in Köln Germany this Thursday at Blanco’s, has been a fixture on the Houston roots-music scene for 15 years. His original cowpunk band, The Sundowners, played all the hip joints back in the day — the Blue Iguana, Mary Jane’s, the Fabulous…
