“Carlos Cruz-Diez: Color in Space and Time
Art’s contemporary era has seen trends come and go, but one theme has maintained its supremacy throughout: color. Carlos Cruz-Diez has spent his decades-long career exploring color — and not just by painting bright stuff. In his view, according to notes accompanying “Carlos Cruz-Diez: Color in Space and Time,” which…
“Mary Temple: Northwest Corner, Southeast Light”
Walk into Rice Gallery to see the “Mary Temple: Northwest Corner, Southeast Light” exhibit, and you might think you’re walking into an empty room. That’s because Brooklyn artist Mary Temple’s work isn’t framed paintings hung on the wall or even objects sitting on pedestals. Temple has created what she calls…
“Manuel Miranda: Nearly Human. Nearly Animal”
Septuagenarian artist Manuel Miranda paints wild creatures. Often he doesn’t know what type (human, animal or a mixture of both) until it’s finished. “I use a stream-of-consciousness approach,” he says. “I’m not working with logic and logical thinking. There could be different combinations of human and animal.” That’s obvious in…
“Revenge of the World, New Work by Gabriel Dieter”
Gabriel Dieter spent four years on his exhibit “Revenge of the World, New Work by Gabriel Dieter” at Domy Books, made up of some 100 paintings that poke fun at society’s troubles. “There’s so much stuff going on around the world that we’re gonna get payback for,” says Dieter. Inspired…
Gee’s Bend
Throughout most of the twentieth century, Gee’s Bend was an isolated dot on the map of Southern Alabama, where poverty, racism and sexism were constant companions for the dwindling number of residents. Gee’s Bend made national headlines in 2002 when the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston opened an exhibition featuring…
“The Black List Project, Volumes 2 and 3, Portraits by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders”
In Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’s documentary film The Black List Project, comedian Chris Rock says, “Blacklist? Doesn’t ‘blacklist’ mean people on a list who don’t work anymore? Who get treated like…black people?” Rock is just one of some 25 prominent African Americans who discuss their life experiences in the film, though not…
Second Annual F*ck Love, Let’s Party: An Anti-Love Celebration
Think Valentine’s Day is for suckers? No worries, the Second Annual F*ck Love, Let’s Party: An Anti-Love Celebration is a happy alternative. Okay, maybe not exactly happy, since some of the activities planned include shooting down old photos of exes carnival game-style, feasting on Lorena Bobbitt skewers, and playing violent…
Tapas on the Trails: A Valentine’s Evening at the Arboretum
If you happen to be in love with an outdoor enthusiast, today’s Tapas on the Trails: A Valentine’s Evening at the Arboretum is for you. It’s a night of great food in a lovely setting, and there’s no dressing up or hefty dinner tab. The Arboretum’s Willow Oak Trail will…
Mickey Moseley with Valentine’s Day Love Songs
Houston treasure Mickey Moseley is performing at Cezanne with mega-musicians Mike Wheeler on guitar and Dennis Dotson on trumpet/flugelhorn in a show called Mickey Moseley with Valentine’s Day Love Songs. Between the combined talents of the three powerhouse musicians and the club’s intimate setting, this is the place to be…
Clay Aiken: Tried and True
It may seem like ages ago when you first heard Clay Aiken sing, but time is definitely still on his side. At only 33 years of age, Aiken seemingly has a long career ahead of him. After American Idol, Aiken set out to be a crooner on his own. A…
Kids in the Kitchen: Sweets from the Sweet
Kids can make their own tasty creations to give to their favorite valentines at Kids in the Kitchen: Sweets from the Sweet. Specially designed for 6- to 9-year-olds, the hands-on class will include chocolate truffles, heart-shaped cookies, chocolate peppermint bark and cinnamon-crusted pecans. The Central Market cooking school staff will…
Mark Sanchez Is Not Very Smart
Hilary Rhoda. Lindsay McCormick. Jennifer Mueller. Google “Mark Sanchez girlfriend” and these are the first handful of supermodel hot women linked to the New York Jets quarterback. At least they were until this morning. Now you need to wade through a half dozen or so links mentioning “Eliza Kruger.” Who…
25 Famous Bands’ Less Famous Previous Names
As promised, here are the answers to Rocks Off’s “Original Band Name” quiz from Tuesday. John St. Lee, if you’d care to email us, we’ll see what we can do about getting you a prize. Do you like Devo? 1. Chicago: At about 25 or 6 to 4, the Windy…
Comment of the Day
Today Katharine Shilcutt reported on a terrible latte from Black Hole Café, and judging from the reader comments, she isn’t the only one who’s found the coffee drinks lacking at the new Montrose hangout. For one, commenter Roxanne Werner didn’t have a great experience: I had a Chai Latte that…
Northwest Side Has a Power Outage
If you live between the Katy Freeway and 290 on the northwest side of town, you’re probably not reading this unless you’re on batteries. Ice on the power lines has caused service to go out to more than 55,000 customers in that triangle, CenterPoint spokeswoman Alicia Dixon tells Hair Balls…
Jeffery Howard Lee: Alleged Child Molester, Mugshot Hall of Fame
Jeffery Howard Lee has been charged with molesting three preteen sisters in Humble, KPRC reports. Police told the station Lee failed a polygraph test regarding the allegations, in which he allegedly visited his neighbor while she and a babysitter were temporarily not there. “They were left alone for a brief…
Health Department Roundup
Either the cold weather has kept health inspectors at home, testing the temperature of their own dishwater to stay on point, or the city has been lazy about updating its online code violation reporting page. The most recent info available is from Feb. 3. (The last Health Department Roundup covered…
Bars, Racism & Dress Codes: A Report
In this weeks cover feature, “Getting Past The Bouncer,” by Chris Gray, Shea Serrano and myself, we investigated more in-depth the Hudson Lounge Hydeout controversy from back in December, plus the other door policies at some of the nicer watering holes in town that came to light in the wake…
The Heart-Shaped Box of Chocolates: So Tacky It’s Cool?
One Valentine’s Day early in my childhood, my dad gave my sisters and me each a small heart-shaped box of chocolates with a felt circus animal on the cover. Mine had a lion. And every year thereafter (till I was about, oh, 18) my dad refilled the boxes with chocolates…
Washington Avenue, One Year Later: Not As “Wild”
Today the Rocks Off team unveils our newest cover feature, “Getting Past The Bouncer” (or, in print, “Bar Codes”), in which we investigate more in-depth December’s “Hydeout at Hudson” controversy, and examined the door policies at some of the other nicer watering holes in town. It brought to mind the…
Apollo 14 Splashed Down 40 Years Ago Today: Six Odd Things About It
Apollo 14 — the safely numbered one after that, um, other one — splashed down 40 years ago today. Since there were no dancing-on-the-edge death-defying dramatic escapes on this one, the mission is largely lost to history. It did get NASA back on track, of course, and paved the way…
Five Public Statue Suggestions for Five American Cities
Despite being the most well-thought out and perfect idea ever conceived, Mayor Dave Bing of Detroit turned down a Twittered suggestion that Detroit erect a statue of Robocop to compete with the statue of Rocky Balboa in Philadelphia. Though we’re nowhere near the motor city, we have to admit that…
Neal Uy Lim: Got Millions Through Counterfeit Postage Scheme
A Houston man has been convicted of running a multi-million scheme where he used counterfeit postage machines to rip off the post office. Neal Uy Lim, 50, owned three large pre-sorting mail businesses in the Houston area, operations that handle bulk mail and get a discount from the postal service…
Nostalgic for Green River Soda
When Katharine Shilcutt worked up her map of American sodas, she invited the wrath of dozens of sugar-addled, overly indignant sodaphiles across the land. There were complaints and accusations of soda nepotism, soda jingoism, and soda agnosticism. Okay, that might be a stretch, but it really did seem to piss…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Randy Evans of Haven
That cool restaurant tucked back off Kirby is more than a year old. This week, we speak with Randy Evans, executive chef and partner of Haven and former executive chef at Brennan’s, about his past and Haven’s present. EOW: Who were your culinary inspirations? RE: Number one, my mom… Her…
Promoter Mike Kelley: “Numbers Is Houston’s CBGB”
Numbers’ credentials as a concert venue are undeniable – everyone from Siouxsie and the Banshees to Green Day to Type O Negative has played there. It’s hard to argue, though, that the past decade hasn’t been a rough one for the old girl. An aging sound system turned many shows…
New Astros Scoreboard: It’s Installed, and Hideous
See that tiny little box to the left in the picture above? That was the TV screen at Minute Maid Park, the one that seemed so big and so annoying as it broadcast endless ads, lame before-game intros, hot-sauce races, Kiss-Cam and hilarious baseball bloopers, all needed apparently to keep…
Dear Drayton, Just Say No to Michael Young
Michael Young wants to be on the Astros?I understand that the Texas Rangers’ third baseman, Michael Young, has requested a trade. I also understand that one of the teams for whom Young has approved a trade is the Houston Astros. In years past I would most strongly approve of a…
Poor Little Rich Boys at Zimm’s Little Deck
The long and short of this week’s cafe review of Zimm’s Little Deck is that while the Cajun restaurant’s small plates (items like Croque Monsieur balls and fried calamari) are great, the poor boys are wanting. So, too, are the “rich boys” on Zimm’s menu, which is divided between standard…
Hot New York Design Firm to Renovate UH’s Blaffer Art Museum
Nothing gets us excited around here like “a dialogue between contemporary materials and the renovated elements,” and that’s likely what the Blaffer Art Museum had in mind when they commissioned young-but-renowned New York architecture firm WORKac to renovate the art museum at the University of Houston. And according to New…
Gabrielle Giffords: Get This Woman Toast STAT
There’s a breakthrough on Gabrielle Giffords’s road to recovery in Houston: She wants toast. Okay, perhaps more important, she asked for it. With her voice. “It’s very good news,” Giffiords’s spokesman C.J. Karamargin told CNN. Well, only if the toast at TIRR is any good. They burn it, we could…
Chad Holley’s Police Beating Is Subject of an Angry NAACP Town Hall Meeting
Last night around 7 p.m., the Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church was packed tighter than a month’s worth of Sunday mornings. Hundreds swarmed to attend the standing-room-only NAACP town hall meeting about the recent video release of teenager Chad Holley being brutally kicked and beaten by police officers. Many gathered…
From Australia with Love: Aussie Foods Featured at Rice Epicurean
Right now, Houstonians can get a taste of Australian cuisine without having to fly halfway across the world. Rice Epicurean is offering many enticing Australian made products at local stores. In addition to the excellent Pensfold Shiraz selection, there are also lovely citrus-infused olive oils, oven-roasted, herbed macadamia nuts, and…
Ice Storm II — It Cometh Again? (With a Closings List)
The forecasters got everything right about the big snowstorm that hit us last week, except for the fact it didn’t include snow. It did include plenty of dangerous icy road conditions, though. Get ready: The sequel is here. It’s been drizzling all day and will continue on and off, and…
Lyrics That Make Terrible Facebook Status Updates
Ever seen a nonsensical, irrelevant Britney Spears or Drake lyric on your Facebook news feed that made you cringe? We have – about 56, and the workday isn’t even over yet. Some lyrics should stay on the radio and off the Facebook circuit. Perhaps instead of simply asking, “What’s on…
The Daily Show’s Latest Texas Takedown
The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon – Thurs 11p / 10cJewish Speaker of Texas State Housewww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical Humor & Satire BlogThe Daily Show on Facebook Man, you get wrapped up in dealing with an upcoming Snopocalypse and there’s no telling what you’ll miss on TV. Last week The…
First Look at Black Hole Cafe
Does Montrose need another Inversion? The folks behind Black Hole Cafe (4504 Graustark, 713-528-0653) apparently think so. And since they’re also the folks behind popular establishments Poison Girl and Antidote — the former in Montrose, the latter in the Heights — the new Black Hole Cafe will likely be just…
Art Guys Accuse Super Size Me! Director of Plagiarism
Yesterday, the blog Unbeige reported that Jack Massing and Michael Galbreth (The Art Guys) are convinced that filmmaker Morgan Spurlock plagiarized the Houston art duo’s 1990s performance art project SUITS: The Clothes Make the Man for his new film The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, in which Spurlock donned a black…
Advice: Christian Rapper Won’t Drop It Low For The Lord
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 introducingliston@gmail.com. “This is not a popularity contest. We are…
Surrealism and Soul Train
One weird and downright disturbing bit of propaganda circulating in our national discourse via talk radio, the Internet, and Fox News, says that Black History Month (i.e. February) is actually a socialist plot designed to undermine the meaningful contributions of white people to black history. By perpetuating a culture of…
Comment of the Day: How Not to Fight Famine
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…
On the Menu: Italian Night at Sweet Tea Café and Tea Bar
Amongst the cute shops in the Heights, you’ll find Sweet Tea Café and Tea Bar (325A W. 19th Street), a two-month old restaurant serving up soups, salads and sandwiches. But the folks at Sweet Tea are also experimenting with another concept: Italian Night Fridays. The next one will be this…
Six Things The White Stripes Leave In Their Wake
In the wake of the White Stripes’ official breakup last week, the music world reeled with the loss of one of the defining bands of the past decade. Some applauded the end of a band they saw as too simplistic, buoyed by a sub-par drummer and warbling attention-addict. Different strokes,…
Emilio Villanueva: Teen Bandit Foiled by Stubborn Power Cord (Allegedly)
For a time, before he was yanked back to reality, everything seemed to be going so well in Emilio Villanueva’s restaurant heist. Yesterday in Corpus Christi, the 17-year-old runaway concealed his Dumb and Dumber hairdo under a beanie and his face behind a bandana. Clutching an Airsoft pistol, he strode…
The Funniest Sex Scenes From Nerve.com’s Sex Scene Database (NSFW)
Last week, Nerve.com updated their Sex Scene Database, a repository for all things sweaty and nude from the world of cinema. It was hard work, but I picked the 10 funniest scenes from the list, including some that aren’t supposed to be funny. And why not? Sex is funny and…
Harry Potter Fans Take on Bullying
Is this a wizard-movie poster or an indie-rock publicity shot?Say what you will about fervent Harry Potter fans who are above legal drinking age, but many of them want to use the characters and plotlines in JK Rowling’s series to make the world a better place. While they’re counting down…
10 Beatles Urban Legends: True Or False?
When you’re a band like the Beatles – who first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on Feb. 9, 1964, 47 years ago today – tall tales and urban legends spring up all around… mostly because when a band is a worldwide cultural phenomenon, anything can seem possible or even…
Sen. Mario Gallegos Files “The Terry Grier Bill,” Calling for Openness in Superintendent Searches
Update: Sen. Gallegos called us to say the name of the nominee would not be released until after the search process was over. See more at end of story. Texas State Senator Mario Gallegos has filed a bill calling for public notice of finalists for a superintendent’s position complete with…
Valentine’s Day Gifts: The Venn Diagram Gender Study of What Makes a Good Gift
The clock’s ticking on the Valentine’s Day hunt, dudes. Do you know what to get? If you are the owner of a penis, probably not. What guys think are appropriate and acceptable gifts, and what women think are appropriate and acceptable gifts, are seldom the same thing. How do we…
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. Brewtiful: Is there anyone more poised to explain and argue passionately against…
Galveston Wants to Trade Your Boob Flash for a “Mardi Gras with Manners”
Galveston is calling for this year’s Mardi Gras to be “family friendly,” but don’t get excited for topless MILFs. It’s not going to get that kind of friendly.According to the Galveston County Daily News, a new promoter called Yaga Entertainment Inc. is bringing sweeping changes to the long-standing festival. “We’re…
CNN Celebrates Houston’s Brother-Filled Marine Batallion
CNN has a piece up that celebrates the 1st batallion of the 23rd Marine Regiment that’s stationed at Ellington Field. The Texas reserve unit has gathered fame because it has five sets of brothers, as the Houston Chronicle reported awhile back. The unit is set to deploy to Afghanistan soon,…
Comment of the Day
Today Kevin Shalin reported on the city’s best bathrooms, grossing out Eating Our Words nation with the word “deuceability.” Commenter Ruthie J M chimed in: Stella Sola’s bathroom is great — It’s got the Dyson hand blowers left over from the place’s former life as Bedford. Worst bathroom in the…
From Bad to Worse: Dallas Gives Michael Vick a Key to the City
It has not been an easy week for the city of Dallas. It started with a “once in twenty years”-ish, weeklong snow and ice storm during the one week that Dallas could least afford a snow and ice storm. It continued with sheets of said ice tumbling from atop Cowboys…
(UPDATE) Anna Nicole: Everything’s Bigger In…Opera?
Update (5:24pm) Houston Grand Opera spokesperson Elizabeth Baisley returned our call about the possibility of an HGO production of Anna Nicole. Her comments after the jump. On February 17, the long-awaited new opera Anna Nicole opens at the Royal Opera House in London. With music by composer Mark-Anthony Turnage and…
Eight Songs For James Dean’s 80th Birthday
Had he lived, the original angsty hero, James Dean, would have been 80 years old today. Dean died in a violent September 1955 car crash, ending his film career after only three major roles. It only took three movies for the young man to become a brooding, enigmatic legend. Dean…
Toyota’s Unintended Acceleration Problems Not Caused by Electronics, Feds Say
The problem some Toyota drivers have had with unintended acceleration of their vehicles — a problem we first wrote about last April — is not caused by any electronic flaws in the cars, a lengthy federal study has determined. The lengthy federal study could not determine, however, just what was…
“Thai Style Whole Fish” at Reef
The “Thai Style Whole Fish” has been on Reef’s menu for at least a year, but I’ve never ordered it, opting instead for the terrific crispy snapper and many, many delicious buns. Not that I don’t find the idea of eating an entire sea creature (or most any creature for…
Luis Arturo Martinez: Pretty Good Composite Drawings in Security Guard’s Death
HPDThe suspected shooterFriends and relatives of Luis Arturo Martinez, the 22-year-old security guard who was shot to death trying to break up a bar fight, may be one step closer to finding justice. Composite drawings of the suspected shooter and his accomplice have just been released by HPD, and unlike…
Match These Bands With Their Awful Original Names
Provided they didn’t take the easy way out and name themselves after a song (Rolling Stones), their hometown (Boston) or each other (Hall & Oates), almost every band that went on to sell millions of records, get tons of radio play and sell out arenas has had some form of…
Houston: One Pissed-Off City
Ooooh, this makes us so mad. Men’s Health has looked at various factors to determine the Angriest Places in America and you know what? Dallas beats us. Sure, we came in as the eighth-angriest city in the U.S., but still….godfuckingdammit and all. Other Texas cities that make the list include…
First Look at La Casa de Frida
As my two friends and I scanned the long menu at La Casa de Frida (4002 N. Main, 713-880-1564) last Wednesday evening, we found ourselves bewildered. “Why is there a random Italian section on here?” my friend Hala asked. “Yeah, I don’t get it,” echoed friend and coworker Craig Malisow…
Valentine’s Day: Nine Awful Gift Ideas
We’re sure that the procrastinators out there just started sweating reading that headline. Yes, you only have days to get that special whoever something for Valentine’s Day, which is closing in on us, coming up on Monday. There are good gifts (all-day sex marathons, beef ribs served in bed, cash)…
Video: A Flock of Rice Owl “Replicants”
Ryan Moore, manager of networking at Rice University and a LEGO enthusiast, has begun work on building a flock of 100 “Sammy” models (the Rice mascot) made entirely of LEGOs. He hopes to have them finished for the university’s Centennial Celebration in October. The four-inch tall owls flap their wings…
Oscar Gonzalez Jr.: Valley Teacher in Hot Water After Marriage to Lolita Turns Sour
Just in time for the run-up to Valentine’s Day comes this tale of romance vengeance from the Rio Grande Valley… In April of 2009, love bloomed in a science classroom at Economedes High School in Edinburg. The girl, named “Ms. G” in the police reports that would come two years…
On the Menu: Crab Cakes at Cyclone Anaya’s
Of all the places one might have expected Houston nomadic chef Jason Gould to end up, Cyclone Anaya’s might have been one of the last. When I think of the Midtown location of the slightly upscale Mexican restaurant, my first thoughts have always been of Tex-Mex dishes that are a…
How Far Does Peer Pressure Go In Rap Groups?
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. Something you always wanted to…
Name a New Houston Theater Company; Win Tickets
Acclaimed local actors Kim Tobin and Philip Lehl, founders of Brave Dog Theatre Company, are starting a new group and they want your help choosing a name. (Art Attack knows from experience that this is a particularly challenging process. Feelings get hurt; fights break out. It isn’t pretty.) According to…
Rick Perry’s Cuts: Good for Polluters, Electricity Companies; Bad for Commissions Who Opposed His Wife’s Renovation Plans
Rick Perry’s State of the State speech today made clear that the lamestream media has it all wrong when it comes to the financial health of Texas. “Have the doomsayers forgotten that Texas added more jobs in 2010 than any other state?” he asked. The speech — and details from…
Chocoholics Unite: Chocolate Festival at Central Market
Right in time for V-Day, Central Market is hosting its annual Chocolate Festival. The aisles are filled with chocolate products of all varieties. One of my favorite local chocolatiers, Araya Artisan Chocolates, recently began selling their products at Central Market, making it even easier to get your hands on a…
Top 5: Restrooms
I’m a bit of a germaphobe, not like Jack Nicholson from As Good As It Gets, but a germaphobe nonetheless. A good restroom says a lot about a restaurant, with important aspects including cleanliness, visual appeal, and overall coolness. These are my top five restaurant restrooms in Houston. 5. Octane…
Soul City: Boogie-Woogie Godfather Amos Milburn
Black History Month is always a great time to recall some of Houston’s greatest musical innovators and leaders. Rocks Off will highlight some of them during the remainder of February. Born in Third Ward on April 1, 1927, self-taught pianist Amos Milburn was one of the true godfathers of rock…
How Much Are the Obese Costing Texas? Almost $10 Billion, Study Says
This guy is money out of your pocket, Susan Combs saysHey, Fatty McFatfat — put down that honey-glazed ham and step away from the buffet table, because you and your kind are costing Texas nearly $10 billion a year.Gravy-stained canklesaurus rexes not only raise healthcare costs but add extra expenses to “various…
Funny, Poignant Gee’s Bend Traces a Family’s Saga
The Setup: The Ensemble Theatre has brought to vibrant life Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder’s Gee’s Bend, the chronicle of a loving family, set against the background of the African-American march toward equal rights. The Execution: But this is a domestic drama, not a political one, capturing the life of Sadie, from…
With Bus Stop, Texas Rep Gives Inge a Loving Revival
The Setup: In the 1950s William Inge was lauded along with Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller as one of the three great American playwrights. His four seminal plays, Come Back, Little Sheba (1950), Picnic (1953), Bus Stop (1955), and Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1957), were critical and…
OPI’s Texas Nail Colors: Some Ideas They Missed
If you have ladyparts and have ever had a mani/pedi, odds are pretty good you’ve been adorned with OPI nail polish, and probably even bought some to take home. OPI’s built a strong reputation on not only its high-end but affordable and durable products, but also its clever little names…
Wine of the Week: 2009 Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet
It’s almost Valentine’s Day – a holiday equally dreaded and anticipated. Single folks are reminded just how single they are, and those in relationships will either flourish or be crushed under the weight of expectations. Either way, it’s a great day for wine. My latest sample came from Cupcake Vineyards,…
Yann Tiersen’s Icy Houston Odyssey
While everyone in Houston was huddled inside their homes last Friday hiding from the ice monster, Yann Tiersen and his band were exploring our city, full of hanging icicles, lonely streets, and empty rock clubs. A camera crew captured the band warming up in the backstage area of Fitzgerald’s before…
Upcoming: Bon Jovi, Dipset, JSBX, Smokey Robinson, Etc.
Bare Wires: Thu., March 10. Fitzgerald’s. Basshunter: Fri., Feb. 25. Stereo Live. Bon Jovi: Tue., May 17. Toyota Center. Dipset: Thu., April 7. Numbers. A Dream Asleep, Born Again Virgins, Cavernous, Commie Hilfiger: Thu., Feb. 24. Abbey Pub. Drowning Pool, Trust Company, Static Cycle: Sat., March 12. Scout Bar Clear…
Bloods & Crips: Harris County Gets Its Permanent Injunction Against Them
A judge has made permanent the temporary injunction she earlier granted against the Bloods and Crips gang, a first in Harris County. The civil injunction bars 47 gang members from an area around the Haverstock Hills apartment complex in northeast Harris County. “The residents of Haverstock Hills are entitled to…
Downtown Dining for a Texas-Sized Group
Reader Brian T. writes in with a dilemma: I work for redacted and have been tasked with researching a recommendation list of Downtown’s best dinner spots. My groups typically range from 20-45 people and need to stay in the midtown/downtown area. Please help! Folks, we not only read your emails,…
Comment of the Day: Commuter Rail Makes Sense
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…
Americana Pioneers Wagoneers Reuniting, Playing Houston
Overnight, Lonesome Onry and Mean received word that the Wagoneers, one of Texas’ earliest alt-country bands, are coming back from the dead. The hard-twanging roots band that was essentially a precursor to the Americana movement will perform for the first time in 22 years at the Austin Chronicle’s Austin Music…
Conversation Heart-Infused Vodka
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and for many of us, that translates to an increased desire for creative booze recipes. Why just drink when you can drink with a theme? It helps ease the alcoholic guilt of downing an entire fifth of vodka by yourself on a Monday evening. I…
New On DVD: For Colored Girls, I Spit on Your Grave, It’s Kind of a Funny Story, My Soul to Take, The Romantics, Wild Target
(Capsule reviews by Melissa Anderson, Eric Hynes, Dan Kois and Nick Pinkerton) For Colored Girls It’s a long, long way from the women’s bar outside Berkeley, California, where Ntozake Shange first presented her combustible choreopoem For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf, in December 1974, to…
Brew Blog: Boulevard Brewing Company’s Unfiltered Wheat Beer
Ever since my business unit got stuck in Austin for nearly a month during Hurricane Ike, living out of the Embassy Suites on South Congress, my kids have been deeply infatuated with the place. Not Austin, mind you, but that hotel. The “Nightly Manager’s Reception” has a lot to do…
Five Signs A Rapper May Be In Jail
When Scarface went vacationing in the iron city last October, no one seemed to notice. Everyone was stunned to later learn that Face had been in jail for three months. It got us thinking, what are some tell-tale signs that a rapper may be in the clink? 5. Static Twitter…
The Rice Owls Set Aim on Omaha
John RoyalHolt McNair tosses a pitch during practiceIf Rice Owls athletics exceed at any one thing, it’s producing an exceptional baseball squad year after year. Things are supposedly no different this year as the Owls are ranked in the top 25 of every one of the seemingly 5,000 college baseball…
Somebody Make a Charlie Sheen/Lindsay Lohan Reality Show Already
Believe it or not, writing about so-called “pop culture” has its difficulties. For starters, it’s hard to deal with the effusive praise and overwhelming respect heaped upon you by your colleagues, none of whom view entertainment journalism as an inferior professional pursuit. Never mind how often they make air quotes…
Right, Like You Wouldn’t Watch A Charlie Sheen/Lindsay Lohan Reality Show
Believe it or not, writing about so-called “pop culture” has its difficulties. For starters, it’s hard to deal with the effusive praise and overwhelming respect heaped upon you by your colleagues, none of whom view entertainment journalism as an inferior professional pursuit. Never mind how often they make air quotes…
Holy Fiction: Thou Shalt Not Mocketh Our Name
It’s a well-known fact that most band names are essentially gobbledygook, but here at Rock’s Off we’re working hard to find some meaning behind the oddest monikers. Rocks Off has one thumb firmly on the pulse of the Houston music scene, and the other hovering above the mouse waiting to…
HISD Says All Presents Aren’t Good Ones, Rejects Deeds
While going through their normal delinquent tax collections business, Houston ISD tax staff members discovered three separate property owners had gifted them with parcels of land. Wow, Hair Balls was thinking, isn’t that nice? Nope. Or as Donald Boehm, HISD’s finance attorney, told trustees at their Monday afternoon meeting: “These…
Where Are We Drinking?
Miller Lite pint glasses and a few scattered, leftover Christmas decorations. If this place doesn’t scream “come as you are,” I don’t know what does. Think you can guess where we’re throwing a few back this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
30-Hour Famine Time Is Back: Who Will Survive?
30-Hour Famine: It’s different with a deadlineEvery year, flacks for an organization called World Vision send us information about their “30 Hour Famine” fundraiser for hungry brown children in faraway lands, and every year we try our best to make fun of it. Houston church youth groups will take part…
Christina Aguilera’s National Anthem: Better Than Carl Lewis’, Anyway
Today, Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are presumably on their way to Disney World, the Pittsburgh Steelers are praying Ben Roethlisberger did not do anything in the many, many strip clubs of the greater Metroplex to bring on a repeat of his season-opening four-game suspension,…
Larry Kaiser of UT-Health Science Center Gives Up Commute and Heads Home
We’ve been telling you for a while about the sweet deal trustees have given the head of the UT-Health Science Center, who just couldn’t seem to break his ties with Pennsylvania. Larry Kaiser regularly commuted back north on UT’s dime (racking up well over six figures) and the school also…
The Best Ads of Super Bowl XLV
Aside from being entertaining, Super Bowl ads tend to reflect the cultural and economic climate of the nation. The advertisers during the big game reflect the who’s-who of money in America. Where are we spending it? Apparently, on cars. The big surprise last night came from the auto industry -…
Super Bowl XLV — At Least It Was a Good Game
Okay, so now we can put the whole Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers thing to bed, right? While Aaron Rodgers still has a ton of work to do to build the overall résumé of the Ol’ Dongslinger, yesterday’s win over the Steelers, and just as importantly, the month-long road leading up to…
Comment of the Day
Katharine Shilcutt celebrated the Chinese New Year this weekend, indulging in some tasty-sounding takoyaki. Commenter foongfest missed that delicacy, but did manage to snag something else he liked: My winner for the day? Taiwanese sausages. Yes, it was probably just cooked up pre-packaged sausages but it was oh so delicious…
Ronald Reagan: Biggest Punk Icon Of The ’80s
Forget names like Henry Rollins, Jello Biafra, Joe Strummer, Sid Vicious or even Joey Ramone. The most iconic figure of the ’80s punk and hardcore scenes wasn’t a dude with liberty spikes or a three-inch gash in his forehead. It was the retired film actor, father of five, former governor…
A Rare Request at Goode Company Hamburgers & Taqueria
In my ongoing quest to sample Houston’s burger offerings, I made my first visit to Goode Company Hamburgers & Taqueria, where I enjoyed my two-thirds-pound burger with Swiss cheese and grilled onions. But getting it cooked rare was a colossal pain in the ass. The clerk and I had the…
Westbury High Revolution: Cairo’s Got Nothing on Them
The heady whiff of freedom in Cairo has worked its way to Westbury on the southwest side today, as about 100 students are going to be disciplined for protesting about a canceled field trip. The Westbury High field trip was supposed to be to Dave & Buster’s, where students could…
Brief Encounters: A Showcase for Academy-Anointed Short Films
In past years, the theatrical release of the Oscar-nominated live-action and animated shorts (screening February 11 – 19 at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston) has provided a fun peek into intriguing bite-size cinema from across the globe. But for the 2011 edition, the series is at last making room…
Takoyaki and Taro at the 2011 Lunar New Year Festival
There were fewer food booths at the 2011 Lunar New Year Festival this year, but that didn’t mean the vendors at the Chinese Community Center were any less creative in their offerings. The longest line of the day belonged to a food stand that was turning out little egg puffs…
CEP About to Shrink to One Campus, If HISD Trustees Say A-OK
Updated: With comments from board agenda meeting at end of story. Community Education Partners will shutter its Ferndale campus as a result of an amended contract calling for it to receive $1.8 million less a year from the Houston ISD pending approval by the district’s board of trustees. Superintendent Terry…
Metro Announces a New Commuter Rail, and It Wants Your Input
If you commute from Fort Bend County to Houston, you may be in luck. Plans for a new commuter rail that will one day connect downtown Missouri City with Houston were set into motion today.Kimberly Slaughter, Senior Vice President of Service Design & Development for Metro, unveiled the project’s design…
Unidentified Male, Bayou Body Count No. 16
A man tried to escape a beating at his house by jumping out the window, but instead was stabbed to death, Sunday morning, Houston police say. Murder charges have been filed against Angel F. Cantu, 19, who is currently on the run. The name of the victim has not been…
Tequila Tasting at Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen
Sylvia Casares of Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen recently hosted a Winter Tequila Festival. Three tequila brands were represented: Riazul, Cavalino and Dulce Vida, and each offered up samples of their Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo varieties. Sylvia was on hand with delicious nibbles like taquitos, guacamole, and fajita nachos, to ensure tasters…
Four Reasons Black Eyed Peas’ Halftime Show Sucked
The best part about Sunday night’s Super Bowl halftime show was that people actually were surprised that it was bad, as if the Black Eyed Peas would pull it off without a hitch and we would all rush to our computers and download their entire catalog in converted reverence. Right…
Ingredient of the Week: Nagaimo
What is it? Other than a very lewd-looking root vegetable (at least from this picture I took), the not-so-pretty yam is also known as a Chinese yam, yamaimo, Japanese mountain yam, or Korean yam. It can grow to up to three feet long and close to four pounds. Ironically known…
Gexa Energy Broadway at the Hobby Center Announces 2011-2012 Season
Today, Gexa Energy Broadway Across America at the Hobby Center announced its 2011-2012 season, and the selections are, dare we say, edgy? The only “whatever” selection on the list is a summer engagement of The Lion King (July 10 – August 12, 2012). Every generation has its Cats. But the…
Sexting: Parents to be Punished for Their Kids’ Naughtiness if Bill Passes
If you’re the parent of a tween/teen who’s dumb enough to sext, you’ve got enough problems. You don’t need to add to them by being forced to attend a class on the whole thing. But according to a bill announced today by state Attorney General Greg Abbott and state Senator…
Ageless Lil O Talks New Album, “Screwed Up Curse”
This past Wednesday, Rocks Off ended up sitting across from Lil’ O indoors at the nearly empty Muldoon’s Patio Bar on Westheimer. We spoke with him for about an hour or so, about all sorts of things. He was polite and friendly and wore one of those puffy sleeveless vests…
Willis Petty, 29, Bayou Body Count No. 15
An argument over a woman left one man dead on the east side Saturday afternoon, Houston police say. Willis Petty, 29, was shot several times by Quentin Jerome Bell, 28, about 5 p.m. Saturday and was pronounced dead at the scene in the 1200 block of Teal. HPD says the…
What a Crock: Poached Salmon
I’ve never once considered cooking any type of fish in a crock pot. But I am constantly in search of new and different recipes for this weekly piece, and somehow I stumbled on a poached salmon concoction. How would salmon fare inside the friendly confines of a slow cooker? Let’s…
Slideshow: Soul Nite at the Eldorado Ballroom
Saturday, guest curator Peter Lucas brought his collection of live-music film to the second annual Soul Nite, presented by Aurora Picture Show and benefiting Project Row Houses. Partygoers checked out the footage, projected on a big screen, danced and enjoyed the atmosphere. Lucas’ selections included mid-1960s soul performances by Otis…
Houstonians Place High In International Blues Contest
Updated at 5:25 p.m. with Orq’s account of the weekend. This past week, Ezra Charles & the Works and The Mighty Orq, both long-running pillars of the local blues scene, each represented Houston and the Houston Blues Society at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn. The week-long competition brought…
Catastrophic Theatre Kicks Off 2011 with Paradise Hotel
On February 11, Catastrophic Theatre will open their 2011 season with Richard Foreman’s Paradise Hotel, a show, they say, that’s been a long time coming. Foreman’s unique approach to drama has attracted the Catastrophic team since their early days as Infernal Bridegroom Productions, and co-directors Greg Dean and Art Attack’s…
Magnet Schools in San Diego TwoYears Ago Got the Same Advice as HISD
UPDATE: Jason Spencer of the HISD press office contacted us to point out that Superintendent Grier has never said he was surprised at the findings of Magnet Schools of America about HISD’s magnet program. In April 2009, Magnet Schools of America reviewed the San Diego school district’s magnet schools and…
Top Five Medical Center Restaurants
Food and medical procedures may not exactly go hand in hand, but there are plenty of reasons why it’s good to know where to grab a bite going to and from the doctor. Because, hey, there’s nothing like getting a blood cholesterol test and then scarfing down a burger during…
Aeros Hockey: The Redemption of Patrick O’Sullivan
John RoyalPatrick O’Sullivan takes a shot on Friday nightGuys like Patrick O’Sullivan don’t want to play hockey in Houston. Especially not guys who, like O’Sullivan, have tasted success in the NHL. And Patrick O’Sullivan has tasted some success in the NHL. But things happen. For Patrick O’Sullivan, those things have…
R.I.P Kathryn McGuire, Houston’s Transvestite Socialite
Kathryn McGuire, who made a big splash in the Houston social scene as a transvestite before undergoing a sex-change operation and moving away, has died. Her son James tells Hair Balls she passed away at the age of 68 in Palm Springs, California, last week. We did a feature on…
The World’s Busiest Breakfast at Frank’s Grill
It’s been said before, but it bears repeating: Grabbing a seat at the counter of Frank’s Grill (1915 Mangum, 713-682-8221) and watching the men work the hot griddle like a NASCAR pit crew is one of the finest ways to spend a weekend morning. “Look at them go!” crowed my…
Which Houston Rappers Guessed Sunday’s Super Bowl Score?
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: Bun B, Z-Ro, Lil Flip, Michael “5000” Watts, Riquo Jones, Kyle Hubbard, Delo, Doughbeezy, KAB, Jack Freeman, Dante…
Weekly Web Game: Island Survival
As the city shut down last Friday for what turned out to be not much of a snowy day at all, Island Survival gave us some extra icy drama to keep our fingers warm. You play a inexplicably well-attired man stranded on various islands, trying, we’re assuming, not to get…
You Can’t Spell Thexbas Without H-E-B (Note: The H and B Are Silent) — The Fallout
If you were watching the Super Bowl in Texas, you probably saw the nicely shot ad for H-E-B stores, featuring scenes of the state and Jack Ingram singing a song called “You Can’t Spell Texas Without H-E-B.” This is troubling, on several levels. (It is perhaps not quite as troubling…
Firecracker Chicken Breast from Panda Express
Last Friday, before the great snow blast of 2011 descended upon Houston overnight (not), I grabbed lunch at Panda Express and redeemed my coupon for a free portion of its limited-time offering, Firecracker Chicken Breast, in honor of the Chinese New Year…
Super Bowl: Five Non-Football Things We Learned
It’s over. The Packers have defeated the Steelers, and now the NFL gets ready for a grim period that will probably lead to a lockout. It was a pretty good game, although not quite the all-time classic some post-game announcers were crowing about. We of course will leave the football…
Last Night: Smith Westerns At Fitzgerald’s
Smith Westerns Fitzgerald’s February 6, 2011 We’re guessing Fitzgeralds’ Sunday crowd was either comprised of pleased Packers fans or the athletically apathetic, because minus a few audible team shout-outs, one could barely even tell the Super Bowl took place. Instead, fans – of music, not football per se – crammed…
Vid Picks of the Week: The Weather
Snow In Houston The weather was the news last week, and even we at Art Attack suffered as well. Kudos to AT&T for showing up on snow day to get us back online! And a special early Valentine’s message to you, Internet. How we missed you, we promise to protest…
Drinks at the River Oaks Theatre Lounge
One of the things I miss most about Austin is the Alamo Drafthouse on Sixth Street. True, there’s a Drafthouse in Houston, but it’s far away from my house and the food isn’t as good. Sorry, Houston. Austin wins on this front. With its second-floor bar and innovative snack selection…
Comment of the Day: Fine Print on Crime Stats
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…
The Week In TV: Finished With Some Football?
I spent the weekend hiding from the cold weather and reminding everyone that there will be no human or feline ashes in either one of the time capsules. This was the week in TV Land: • Texas forever: NBC has finally set a premiere date for the final season of…
Gourds Land Dylan Vet, Levon Helm’s Studio For Next LP
With their homespun, loosey-goosey style, The Gourds have often been compared to The Band and to Levon Helm over the course of the Austin roots band’s 16-year career. Late Friday, the Gourds announced that Helm’s guitarist Larry Campbell will produce their tenth studio album, which will be recorded at Helm’s…
UTEP Mines Another Win Against the Owls
John RoyalBen Braun argues a call made against the Owls on SaturdayIt’s becoming a rather common story for the Rice Owls. Fall behind. Make a big comeback. Fall short in the closing minutes. Lose the game. It’s one that happened again on Saturday as the Owls lost to the UTEP…
Samuel Mireles, 29, Bayou Body Count No. 14
One man was killed and another critically wounded in an apparent robbery attempt north of downtown early Saturday morning, police say. Samuel Mireles, 29, was killed after being shot in the head. An unidentified man was in critical condition in Ben Taub, HPD says. A man was allowed into Mireles’s…
Where Are We Eating?
To show too much of the table underneath this fine plate of brisket and ribs would undoubtedly give this photo away. Think you know where we’re enjoying a bevy of barbecue this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
Super Bowl XLV Commercials: The 5 Best and 5 Worst
From Audi to Groupon, yesterday’s Super Bowl Commercials ran the gamut. There was less blatant sexism than previous years, and a lot more CGI, and a few commercials sure to have people talking either due to their shock value or outright offensiveness. Below, the five best and five worst of…
Super Bowl XLV: Livebloggin’ the Commercials!
For someone who watches the biggest television event in America strictly for the breaks, last year was a bummer. Betty White’s Snicker’s ad, and the Kia commercial featuring a posse of partying toys were two standouts in a year of boring, sexist and outright dumb spots. Will this year be…
Black Eyed Pleeease!: Fergie & The Gang At The Super Bowl Halftime Show
Earlier this week we chronicled for you our favorite Super Bowl halftime shows, from Petty and the Who, to the Boss and the Stones. Tonight we will be live-blogging all the musical attractions from Super Bowl XLV from Dallas, er, Arlington. Lined up in the next few minutes we…
Cold Turtles: Rescued and Headed Back to the Gulf
More than 800 sea turtles that had been stunned by the state’s cold snap are getting their release back into the wild starting today, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department says. In the past the animals were kept for weeks, but TPWD says a new philosophy says to throw ’em…
KTRU Will Air on KPFT’s HD Station Under New Deal
Rice’s legendary KTRU will live again on the FM dial — sort of. Rice has signed a seven-year deal with KPFT to have KTRU broadcast on the Pacifica station’s HD station, the achool announced today. This means the station won’t be reduced to just broadcasting on the Internet, a move…
KTRU Lives On At KPFT In Seven-Year Lease
KTRU (91.7 FM), the student-run station at Rice University sold to the University of Houston just before the start of school last fall, will begin broadcasting on Pacifica station KPFT’s (90.1 FM) high-definition channel, it was announced today. This means the station won’t be reduced to just broadcasting on the…
Four Myths About Super Bowl Radio Row
I got to cross another item off of my list of radio career “firsts” this past week, attending my first Radio Row in Dallas for this year’s Super Bowl from Monday through Wednesday. For someone that grew up on sports talk radio, the feeling I got walking around Radio Row…
This Week In Deliciousness
Welcome back to Eating Our Words, where today we’re keeping warm by burning calories screaming at our internet service provider. We won’t tell you who we use at our house, but it’s the one that slows down by a million percent every time it’s stormy, or overcast, or slightly cloudy,…
Comments of the Day
Katharine Shilcutt had a meal at the “absurd” Jimmy Changa’s, and readers weighed in with their own, diverse opinions. Said John Davis: I don’t think the Gringos people have had an original thought in their lives. Their restaurants are knock-offs of other successful places with lousy food. I can’t fathom…
Super Bowl Sunday: Live-Blogging the Commercials
You may be asking yourself WTF is going on in that wacky 1970s Laugh-In-esque commercial above, starring Joe Namath and one incredibly frightening woman. Well, that commercial is the one that started it all, the era of billion-dollar Super Bowl spots, the most coveted 30 seconds of advertising on television…
Bartender Chat: Kayla Moore of Cyclone Anaya’s
Although you couldn’t tell by looking at her, Kayla Moore isn’t from around here. In fact, the bartender, who currently slings tequila at Cyclone Anaya’s CityCentre location, is from a tiny town called Alpena, Arkansas, population 371. Why did she come to Houston? “I wanted to live in a big…
Vintage Valentines: Our Naughty Twists on the Classic Card
(Valentines designed by Monica Fuentes) You only have a week left until Valentine’s Day. By now you have no doubt made all your dinner and seedy hotel reservations in anticipation of a romantic evening with the love of your life. Obviously that only applies to women, since men will just…
Ice Storm Hooky: Why Aren’t You Spending Your Ice Day in the Bar, Houston?
It was a happy moment when Hair Balls’ editor gave us permission to leave the office and cover the ice scare in a bar. Specifically, we were asked if we would go out and see where the biggest Friday early afternoon party is, presumably comprised of people who used the…
MCM: More Local Music News Than Ice On The Roads
Rocks Off readers, if the cold weather has bogged down your day, we’ve got just the trick – a slew of local music news hot off the presses. Our soundtrack this week is the folky Sarah Neidermeyer and the Devil, the new album from Horse. It’s available now, so give…
Chef Chat, Part 3: Michael Kramer of The Tasting Room
This week we have been chatting with Chef Michael Kramer, who has trained with some of the biggest names in the business, from Wolfgang Puck at Spago to Dean Fearing at The Mansion on Turtle Creek. He brings his years of experience to both the River Oaks Tasting Room location…
Weather Closings – CAMH and MFAH Close Early
Due to the ice scare, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston have closed for the day today. No word yet on the museums’ plans for tomorrow (Saturday)…
Prada, Miu Miu and More to Open Soon in Houston
If fine Italian leather, bold colors, and sleek lines get you hot, this summer in Houston is going to be a scorcher. It was announced that the Galleria plans to up the high fashion ante in the second and third quarters of 2011 with the addition of Prada, Miu Miu,…
Call Ahead If You’re Dining Out Tonight
I was greeted with closed doors at The Sam Bar this afternoon when I tried to hit up the cozy spot in the Alden Hotel for lunch this afternoon. Its big sister restaurant, *17, was also closed — albeit because it was a smidge after 2 p.m. — and the…
Five Icy-Road Skid-Crash Videos, To Get You Ready for Your Commute Home
Okay, you waited until the ice melted and the streets cleared up a bit, then you headed into work because that’s the kind of dedicated employee you are. And you’re going to burn the midnight oil a bit to make up for that lost morning. Don’t stay too long, though:…
Weekend with Pablo Picasso: A Little Thin
The Setup: Herbert Siguenza, writer and actor in the one-man show Weekend with Pablo Picasso, has said that his purpose here is to make the audience feel “like they are spending an intimate weekend with a master.” The Execution: Siguenza is a robust, earthy presence who looks just enough like…
Ice Storm: By the Numbers
Today’s ice storm by the numbers: 0 — Number of public officials who said, “Yeah, what the hell — go in to work this morning if you feel like it” 1 — Number of Willie Nelson concerts canceled 1 — Number of roadside babies delivered 2 — Possibly sexist comments…
Ally ASL, “Mad Drummer” Discuss Internet Stardom
Rocks Off has been lucky enough to be the first to report on two people whose viral videos propelled them into that strangest of 21st century clubs; that of internet star. The term is still used with some derision today. After all, for every Ask a Ninja there’s an Afro…
Toy Story Macaroni & Cheese: My Current Kiddie Food Indulgence
With only a few more months left in my twenties, I’m pretty much an adult now. And while at this point in my life some might say I should be having a child, not eating like one, I still occasionally indulge in certain “kid foods.” Don’t worry, I haven’t regressed…
Sam Cooke’s Existential Night of the Soul
’50s and ’60s-era fans of singer, composer and producer Sam Cooke, even those who were suspicious of Cooke’s transition from Gospel as the lead singer of the successful group the Soul Stirrers to a pioneering popular musical style we know today as Soul, couldn’t resist singing along to his pop…
Think Warm Thoughts With the Dynamo’s New Stadium. The Dynamo’s Weird New Stadium
You may be cold now, but soon enough you’ll be baking as you try to watch the Dynamo. Soon, though — the 2012 season — you’ll be at least partially shaded, in the team’s new stadium near downtown. Official drawings are out from lead architect Populous and they show…a spaceship-looking…
Class Up Your Super Bowl Party
Now that the threat of Snowpocalypse 2011 has finally passed, grocery stores should be free[er] once again and you can start making your final preparations if you’re hosting a Super Bowl party. However, if you find yourself stumped this year and want to offer your guests something better than a…
Willie Nelson Show Postponed Until April 28
Well, shit. Willie Nelson just announced via Twitter that tonight’s show at Verizon Wireless Theater, which had sold out, has been postponed until April 28 due to the treacherous driving conditions brought on by the frigid weather. See you in the springtime, Stranger. All tickets for tonight’s show will be…
Texas Catfight Videos: Ferocious Filmed McAllen Brawl Bests Beaumont Battles
Well, Beaumont, your reign as Capital of Texas Catfights was short. Not ten days after the wide publicizing of the long-running BMT Brawlz series of DVDs and the debut of the now nationally-infamous Chuck E. Cheese Throwdown, a new champion has emerged. After you see it, we think you’ll agree…
Red Velvet Cake at Ruggles Bakery
I was all set to order some coconut cream cake when my eyes were drawn to the radioactive color of its neighbor. “That’s the reddest Red Velvet Cake I’ve ever seen,” I remarked to the clerk, who looked back at me oddly. (Note to self: Confine dumb observations to inner…
Community: “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons”
I’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons in my life — my nerddom takes many forms, but I’ve never been into RPGs — but that didn’t stop me from enjoying every blistering minute of Community’s “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.” The strength of the episode was that it took a stock aspect…
Remember Dee Wreck’s Allow Me To Re-Introduce Myself?
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. Dee Wreck Allow Me To Re-Introduce Myself (Self-released, 2010) We weren’t planning on running this write-up for about three…
Idol Beat: Summoning “The Big One”
I know the episodes of American Idol I’m watching were filmed months ago, and that what I’m seeing is not taking place in simulcast with this week’s…Snowphoon (seriously, do you know how hard it is to come up with a quasi-humorous pun for blizzard anymore?). Even so, it’s hard not…
Comment of the Day: Texas, Our Texas
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…
Openings & Closings: January 2011
As the first month of the new year ended, restaurant openings picked up and Houston saw a busy week for new places. At long last, Philippe (1800 Post Oak Boulevard, 713-439-1000) has finally opened its doors. And lest you think the food is out of your price range, check out…
Last Night: Free Energy At Fitzgerald’s
Free Energy Fitzgerald’s February 3, 2011 See pics from last night’s set in our slideshow. “This cold does some crazy shit to Houston,” remarked Free Energy front man Paul Sprangers to his sparse but devotedly enthusiastic Fitzgerald’s crowd Thursday. The band played to an uncharacteristically small trickle of people; it…
Rick Perry’s Brutal California Itinerary
Sure, Houston is encased in ice, Dallas is snowbound and in a deep freeze, and San Antonio is shut down from the wintry blast, but don’t worry: Governor Rick Perry is in sunny California. There’s a 100th birthday celebration for Ronald Reagan out there, and such things take precedence. His…
Idol Beat: Goodbye, You Lizard Scum
I know the episodes of American Idol I’m watching were filmed months ago, and that what I’m seeing is not taking place in simulcast with this week’s…Snowphoon (seriously, do you know how hard it is to come up with a quasi-humorous pun for blizzard anymore?). Even so, it’s hard not…
Odd Pair: Chocolate Pop-Tarts and Brachetto d’Acqui
Yes, toast-able breakfast pastries and wine. It’s come to that. I am not certain why Pop-Tarts have had an unlikely resurgence in my weekly food routine, but they have, and usually as a late night snack. That way I get the maximum amount of damage from the carbohydrate and sugar…
Masters of Southern Metal Presents: CLAY AIKEN
Blasted Serial Numbers and Eye Heart Lepers Productions have teamed up to bring Houston the first stop in the Masters Of Southern Metal tour. Singer Clay Aiken is the headliner and he wants you to LOSE YOUR EFFING MIND! After three successful seasons of his reality show Tattoos, You, and…
CAMH Show Pits British Art Duo Against Houston’s Art Guys
Houstonians may be forgiven for assuming that gentleman performance/conceptual art duos are commonplace in the art world, spoiled as we are by the creative longevity of our own hometown Art Guys. I mean, doesn’t every city have such a pair? Not so, says Toby Kamps, Curator of Modern and Contemporary…
Last Night: Tokyo Police Club At Warehouse Live
Tokyo Police Club, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Roky Moon & BOLT Warehouse Live February 3, 2011 In case you haven’t noticed, it’s freezing outside. And if you’re from Houston, like Aftermath, you’re not accustomed to it, nor do you ever know how to dress for it. So when…
Shiftwork Bites, Solo Edition: Scrambled Egg Sandwich
Sometimes, I don’t feel like putting together a full meal to share, but I still don’t want to grab a burger on the way in to the office, or order a burger once there. That’s when I break out one of a handful of easy recipes designed to make just…
Cold Weather Baby Names: Naming the Bundle of Joy You Started This Morning
No doubt all of you people who don’t work in the news industry are either off this morning or working from home. But we all know that no one gets any work done at home with all the distractions running around you. Television, NetFlix, Internet porn, food, will all cut…
Icy Roads: Don’t Go on Them
This is a picture of the West Loop in the Galleria area, at rush hour on a Friday morning. THERE’S A REASON IT’S EMPTY, PEOPLE. Like a ton of other freeways in town, there’s ice and accidents. And remember, it only takes one idiot to ruin your day. In other…
Idea Fund Announces 2011 Grant Winners
Last night at the El Dorado Ballroom, the folks behind the Idea Fund presented their 2011 grant winners at a public reception, offering a preview of 10 projects that are receiving support, and alerting the Houston art community to some fantastic upcoming opportunities. Mark your calendars. The awards were highly…
January 29 – February 4: 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. If you’ve got snow/ice/weather pics, we want to see them. Just drop them in our photo group right here. As always, for more information on a subject or…
10 Uncool Artists Primed For Hipster Rediscovery
Remember emo kids? Only a few short years ago, the nation’s venues of the nation were filled with kids in all black, wearing ultra-skinny jeans, eyeliner, white belts, and identical chopped-meat haircuts. Then, all at once, an entire generation realized, “Hey, we look kind of silly,” and the style virtually…
Girls Gone Wild Bus Learns About Houston Justice
Parking in Midtown can be risky — you have to make sure of the parking signs, or you can come back to an empty space where your car used to be. Or your bus. Even your Girls Gone Wild bus. The bus has been in town for a few weeks…
Ryan MS Principal Says He Is Not Racist or Sexist or Anti-Gay No Matter What HISD Says
Ryan Middle School Principal Michael McKenzie, who was supposed to be among Houston ISD’s best and brightest, told faculty and staff that he “preferred a black male” for the assistant principal’s position, said that a male employee “should not be with children because he is openly gay” and “used profanity…
Upcoming Events
As mentioned yesterday, Lunar New Year will be celebrated this weekend across the city and in Chinatown in particular. The city’s two biggest events will both take place near each other tomorrow, Saturday, February 5, so you can hit both if you can’t make up your mind. The Chinese Community…
Icy Rain: All of the Hassle, None of the Fun
Oy, Snopocalypse 2011 turned into the worst of all scenarios: an ice storm, with no picturesque snow. Sorry, kids. Some areas are getting a little dusting of the white stuff, but most of us are looking outside at nothing much…except very dangerous ice. You should still think very hard before…
Snopocalypse 2011: Where’s All That Highly Anticipated Snow?
Hair Balls stayed up until 2 a.m. last night waiting for the much-ballyhooed snow as if it were Christmas Eve. This morning we woke up to nothing but a thin layer of ice covering the Montrose, far less exciting than the 1-2 inches that had been predicted to fall throughout…
The Most Illegal Wrestling Move of All Time!! (with VIDEO)
Anyone who knows me well (or listens to me on the radio, which is practically the same thing as my radio persona is not exactly a closed book when it comes to my personal life) knows that I am a huge fan of professional wrestling. I’ve been to about a…
Comment of the Day
With the 2011 Snowpocalypse on the way, Katharine Shilcutt reported on Houstonians stocking up so they can hunker down. Commenter Caroline Trum was among them: I got my shopping done early, $40 for groceries at HEB, $80 for booze at Spec’s. The proper food-to-alcohol ratio for a snow day. We…
Brunch at Zelko Bistro: Shrimp and Grits
It took me a while to get to Zelko Bistro. I’d heard the good reports, read the good reviews, and thought about it many times. Unfortunately, the combination of a rather popular restaurant that doesn’t take reservations and a tight, babysitter-dictated schedule conspires against places like Zelko. Last Sunday, we…
Texas Finances in Tatters, State Tells HISD It’s “The New Normal”
Chief Financial Officer Melinda Garrett passed on the new buzz phrase coming out of the state capital at today’s Houston ISD workshop session: “The New Normal,” which is being used to explain that the current state budget crisis isn’t a transitory thing but something that will be with us a…
Byrds, Burritos, and Bluegrass: Chris Hillman Interviewed
“‘Pay attention. It’s very strange out there.'” Often overshadowed by flashier, more volatile, or more tragic bandmates, singer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Hillman’s cred as a pioneer of country-rock is nonetheless impeccable. As a co-founder of the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas and the Desert Rose Band – in addition to…
Snopocalypse : Mayor, County Judge Urge Staying Home Tomorrow
Mayor Annise Parker and County Judge Ed Emmett are urging Houstonians to stay at home tomorrow morning instead of risking their morning commute. Roads will be icy and treacherous in the morning, they said. Commuters “should stay off the roads — once that slush…stays frozen, tomorrow’s commute will be very…
Stocking Up for the Snowpocalypse
“People are panic buying!” read a half-joking email from a friend of mine at Whole Foods this afternoon. “The lines were long earlier,” it continued. “It comes in waves.” With the threat of a snow day tomorrow that’s already cancelled classes from HISD to Houston Community College, it’s no surprise…
Five Capcom Characters You Won’t See in Marvel Vs. Capcom 3
Last time we explored the Marvel characters simply too lame to be included in the upcoming Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. This time, we’ll take on the Capcom side of the equation, but with a slight difference. You see, most of the characters mentioned here are actually pretty damn awesome. It’s…
Off the Wall: Guilty Pleasures
Joanna O’Leary’s article from last week inspired several readers to comment on guilty food pleasures. One commenter in particular, csoakley, recommended the McRib and Jack in the Box egg rolls. Screw the McRib, Jack in the Box has egg rolls? I had no idea, probably since I hadn’t eaten there…
Jeff Skilling’s Son Found Dead
KUHF is reporting that the 20-year-old son of Enron’s Jeff Skilling was found dead in his California apartment. J.T. Skilling, a 2009 Episcopal graduate, was attending Chapman University in Orange, California. His body was discovered by friends Tuesday. An autopsy will be conducted, including toxicology tests, but authorities say there…
DJ Spooky Performs Tonight at MFAH (Still On Schedule)
Paul Miller, AKA DJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid, is a writer, musician, conceptual artist, and DJ, whose talk about creativity, sampling and mix-tape culture was easily the highlight of our trip to the Altitude Design Summit in Salt Lake City last month. He opened that talk by declaring, “Art is…
Scarface Jailed For Child-Support Nonpayment
For the past few months, Rocks Off has been deluged with several tips indicating that Houston rap icon Scarface may be behind bars. Those rumors were confirmed today by a Montgomery County Jail representative who spoke to XXLMag.com. According to reports, Scarface was arrested on Oct. 13, 2010, for failure…
Houston Snowmen: A Somewhat Hit-or-Miss Kind of Thing
With snow on the way, snowmen will be made. Houston has some experience with making them, but as for quality — kinda shaky. Can you do better than these six Houston snowmen? Send us your pictures and let us know. 6. The Bell Is About to Toll for Thee If…
Ten Years After: Our Favorite 2001 Albums
This hlist is kind of funny now, seeing that the dearly departed White Stripes are smack-dab in the middle with White Blood Cells. We swear this final hlist was made Tuesday afternoon, before Wednesday’s breakup announcement. Funny how the band has actually been on the tips of our lips for…
Happy Hour Scene: Little Woodrow’s
The Place: Little Woodrow’s 2019 Walker 713-222-2224 www.littlewoodrows.com The Hours: 2 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The Deals: $.25 off domestics, plus much deeper discounts on daily specials. The Scene: “I wonder what Cradle of Filth is doing in there right now?” I said. My colleague Craig Hlavaty and…
Airport Full Body Scanners: Austin GOP Takes a Bold Stand Against Them
If you’re a Republican living in Travis County, modesty comes naturally. We just never knew it extended to body issues. Apparently plagued by self-doubt about having their nekkid bodies ogled by airport staffers, the Travis County Republican Party, such as it is, has boldly come out against installing full body…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Michael Kramer of The Tasting Room
Yesterday we asked Chef Michael Kramer at The Tasting Room’s Uptown Park location about his personal food and wine pairing suggestions. Today we get the inside scoop on The Tasting Room’s new CityCentre location, set to open on February 16. Eating Our Words: Michael, you became the executive chef of…
Musicians Will Shill Literally Anything For A Buck
This Sunday, the Super (Marketing) Bowl will enlist the help of the Prince of Darkness to target a new demographic: The Glee-ber market. With Glee’s season premiere directly following the game, advertisers hope to seduce younger spectators into watching through bait like Justin Bieber and Ozzy Osbourne dressed in futuristic,…
What’s Closed: Your One-Stop List, Updated Throughout the Day
The announcements of closings due to the anticipated winter storm are beginning to roll in, the most significant so far being HISD closing all its schools and offices tomorrow. We’ll be keeping a list of what’s closed and updating it throughout the day, so check back frequently for news. Our…
Twenty Ways to Please Your Lover on Valentine’s Day
*17 – Alden Hotel (February 14) Chef Sam Beier has created a lust-worthy Valentine’s Day menu featuring Sunchoke Veloute, Roasted Lobster Salad, Shrimp-Crusted Flounder, Cane Sugar Cured Duck Breast, Petite Filet with Favas and Lobster Ravioli, and Caramelized Halibut, among others. The meal includes dessert and champagne. $95 per person…
Weather Closings – UPDATE
UPDATE: Thursday, Feb 3, 11:45 a.m. Due to the expected inclement weather, the Houston Museum of Natural Science will be closing early today, Thursday, Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. However, the Museum will be open tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 4 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The Museum will be returning…
Idol Beat: Keep Austin…Hidden
Steven Tyler dropped an F-bomb on this week’s audition episode, which definitely warrants an expression of remorse. After all, it isn’t like they spent most of last week gleefully pixelating the middle fingers and bleeping the profane exclamations of rejected contestants, or helping further sodomize the music industry by making…
25 Super Bowl Pregame Observations
The weather outside might suck really, really bad right now. But it’s time to be reminded that more important things are going on this week. It’s Super Bowl week, and we’re lucky to have the NFL visiting the Metroplex which, on Sunday, at JerryWorld, will be hosting this year’s contest…
First Look at Jimmy Changas
At 6:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night, the wait time at Jimmy Changas was already 45 minutes for a two-top. We tried waiting in the bar, but it, too, was jammed full of people. The smart ones had hovered near the stools, waiting for a couple to open up, before…
Tokyo Police Club Enter Indie Big Leagues With Champ
Though Ontario indie-rockers Tokyo Police Club might still technically be considered wet behind the ears in terms of age, their notable résumé and relentless work ethic speak a different story. Forming in 2005 after disbanding their previous group, Suburbia, the foursome, then between 18 and 19 years old, played songs…
HISD Closed Tomorrow; No Early Dismissal Today
The experts all agree: Snow, icy rain and sleet are coming our way. Which may mean nothing much, but in this case the experts seem pretty sure of themselves. If the predictions come true, rush hour this evening will be bad, but rush hour tomorrow will be worse. Unless, of…
Banana Pudding: A Kid in the Kitchen
On a recent Monday evening, still worn out after a weekend trip to Austin, we found ourselves wanting something simple to throw together for dinner. Fortunately, we’d picked up a few pounds of barbecue from Smitty’s in Lockhart on the way back to town, so dinner was just a re-heat…
What Not to Name Your Charity Event: “Pink at the Brown”
We know we’re not the only ones with dirty minds out there. On page two of a Google search for this charity event, we were treated to questions that probably wouldn’t be heard in the crowd attending “Pink at the Brown,” an annual fundraiser for the Pink Ribbons Project, March…
Top Five Rappers Turned Preachers
Much has been made about Bun B’s Religion and Hip-Hop Culture class at Rice University. But he’s not the first artist to herd a flock of hip-hop disciples. A few others have taken the gospel to the streets. The roster includes two Bad Boys gone good, a hip-hop pioneer, a…
That Long-Awaited HPD Beating Video Is Out
The video is outKTRK has managed to get its hands on the long-awaited security footage that shows Houston police officers hitting and kicking a teenaged burglary suspect as he’s in custody. From the initial reports by people who’d seen it when the incident happened last year, you might have been…
Idol Beat: Austin, So Much To Answer For
Rocks Off would like to apologize for last week’s outrageous behavior by Pete Vonder Haar. He has been warned, and assures us he will never compare Marc Anthony to an extra from Dawn of the Dead again. Steven Tyler dropped an F-bomb on this week’s audition episode, which definitely warrants…
Food Fight: Vietnamese Egg Rolls
Fatty FatBastard wanted a Vietnamese egg roll battle. And what Fatty wants, that no-bean-loving bastard gets. He suggested I head to Hollywood Vietnamese and Chinese. I chose Pho Saigon Noodle House as the opponent. Let the battle begin. Hollywood For the sake of full disclosure, I had to get these…
Top Five: Football Movies
As Super Sunday nears and we prepare for our yearly celebration of crass commercialism, it’s easy to forget there’s a sporting event involved–it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Green Bay Packers (we had to ask too). So in choosing a list of the top five football movies, we had to…
Comment of the Day: Rick Perry to the Rescue
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…
Maybe This Will Distract Everyone From the City’s Horrible Super Bowl Fiasco
Twenty years (!) after the original series ended, J.R. Ewing and company are set to return to the small screen…temporarily, at least. Larry Hagman (J.R.), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen) and Patrick Duffy (Bobby) are reportedly going to appear in the pilot for a new Dallas series on TNT. It would…
The Hell With This, Where’s My Knot’s Landing Reunion?
20 years(!) after the original series ended, J.R. Ewing and company are set to return to the small screen…temporarily, at least. Larry Hagman (J.R.), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen) and Patrick Duffy (Bobby) are reportedly going to appear in the pilot for a new Dallas series on TNT. It would be…
Ex-Clear Channel Exec Goes Online, Local With Radio Katy
John Swift was Director of Productions for Clear Channel Houston until 2009, but his latest project is taking him off the airwaves and into the world of streaming audio with the launch of his Internet station, Radio Katy. Rocks Off has a love/hate relationship with Houston’s biggest western suburb. One…
Icy Weather & Plants: Five Tips From a Decided Non-Expert
Cold weather continues to envelop Houston, although not to the degree that anyone in Chicago would notice. But any below-freezing temperatures always bring with them loud and insistent demands that everyone wrap up their plants. We wanted to do our part. We admit we may be hamstrung somewhat in this…
Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit This Lunar New Year
Today, February 3, is the first day of the Lunar New Year, celebrated throughout Asia from China to Vietnam (yes, Tết is today too). 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit, which should usher in a much calmer and more fruitful year than we experienced with the Year of the…
Auto Theft: Ten Best Houston Neighborhoods to Get Your Ride Stolen
Houston can be a tough place to live without a car. So getting it stolen is a real bummer. And here are the ten places where it’s most likely to happen. We’re not saying you need to avoid them, just be careful. The stats are from December, and as always,…
University of Houston International Piano Festival
The founder of the University of Houston International Piano Festival, Abbey Simon isn’t comfortable being called a legend. “It’s very easy for people to say things like that,” he tells us. “I’m lucky to have heard the greatest pianists, Josef Hoffman, Vladimir Horowitz and Arthur Rubinstein. Those were legends. I’m…
The Asle Roe Trio
Jazz enthusiasts will get a taste of Norwegian-influenced grooves when the Asle Roe Trio takes the stage today at Cezanne. Guitarist Asle has more than 20 years of experience performing; the first ten of those he spent in Norway playing rock and pop. He spent the last ten years in…
Texas Independent Film Network
Years before they became independent princes of Hollywood, Robert Rodriguez, Tobe Hooper and Wes Anderson were Texas-based indie filmmakers. The Texas Independent Film Network: Shorts Program offers a rare chance to see their very early work. The screening includes Bedhead from then whizkid Rodriguez. It’s a surreal little goofball made…
Visual Acoustics
Yes, the buildings captured by architectural photographer Julius Shulman are stunningly beautiful, but try not to let that distract you from the real point: He was, above all, a humanist who was drawn to modern architecture for its ability to make life better for individuals and society. “Julius was a…
Soul Nite
The heyday of soul was arguably the ‘60s, with many of the genre’s most popular artists in their prime, young and lithe, churning out not only great music but stellar performances as well. Unfortunately, many of the live shows were never documented. Thanks to Houston native Peter Lucas, though, all…
First Friday Poetry Reading: Carol Louise Munn
Houston writer Carol Louise Munn is the first guest poet of the year at the First Friday Poetry Reading Series. “My job is to select and prepare work that I hope will matter to my audience,” says Munn, who writes about “the ordinary, tragic, lost, betrayed, exuberant realities or possibilities…
Jerry’s Time to Shine
SPORTS Speaking truth, after some Jack Daniel’s By Sean Pendergast “With what the Packers are about and what the Steelers are about, it makes for a great game. If you’re in my shoes right now as far as Cowboys Stadium is concerned, I’m really proud that they’re going to be…
Mariachi Love
Dear Mexican, My gabacho friends look at me askance for being a gabacho who enjoys mariachi music. They, and even some of my Mexican friends, run and hide when I go a step further and start listening to the mournful ballads of Vicente Fernandez, backed up by — you guessed…
Capsule Art Reviews: “flickerlounge: Short Films by John Herschend, Ben Peters and Lily Sparks,” “Plenitude,” “Pteridomania,” “Timothy Greenfield-Sanders: Injured Soldiers and Marines”
“flickerlounge: Short Films by John Herschend, Ben Peters and Lily Sparks” Art of Painting 3, by Lily Sparks, is a four-minute 30-second video styled as a Bob Ross-eque painting show – which makes hostess/instructor Spark’s blunt and profane commentary on art all that more entertaining. Part of this edition of…
Clown School
Mocking Thomas Kinkade is as challenging as shooting fish in a barrel. The hamfisted, self-styled “Painter of Light” is known for luridly rendered images loaded with hokey bucolia — cottages, bridges, churches and winding paths evoking an idyllic Christian yesteryear. Kinkade doesn’t even sell the actual bad paintings, instead hawking…
Capsule Stage Reviws: Candida, Don Carlo, Lucia di Lammermoor, The Year of Magical Thinking
Candida There’s no front curtain at Classical Theater’s production of George Bernard Shaw’s sparkling comedy, so when you enter Talento Bilingüe, you’re immediately dazzled by set designer Liz Freese’s wondrous Art Nouveau living room, an airy confection that is just about the handsomest thing ever seen. Will the play match…
When We Ruled H-Town
It looks like the wheel of musical nostalgia has finally spun all the way around to the ’90s. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Nirvana’s Nevermind, groups like Better than Ezra and Soul Asylum are back up to full touring speed, and others such as Marcy Playground, The Refreshments…
Wanted More Dead Than Alive
“From Austin, Texas comes the true story of a man destined for obscurity” — Blaze Foley: The Duct Tape Messiah That’s not the epitaph on Blaze Foley’s grave marker in Austin, but it certainly could be. With newly released albums of lost or restored material, homages by the likes of…
Over One Million Served
They call him “Mr. Sam.” This term of endearment, both formal and informal, does not appear to amuse him, but it does not appear to bother him, either. His proper name is Sam Reina; his title, owner of the Northside’s historic Cedar Lounge (7237 Airline). In its 50-year existence, the…
Tokyo Police Club
One of the mid-’00s Toronto indie acts to truly break out, Tokyo Police Club have placed their career on Saddle Creek Records making twinkly, glock-infused love songs that always rest on indecision. Champ (2010) wasn’t a grave departure for the foursome, which tends to build slack mania out of Cars…
Free Energy
Free Energy’s first full-length, Stuck on Nothing, is probably the best slab of power-pop to come out in the past 12 months. The Philly-based five-piece came out of the ashes of the scuzzier Hockey Night, alumni of the defunct Lookout! Records, debuting in the summer of 2009 with a series…
H-Town Blues Festival
In a recent issue of Spin, music editor Charles Aaron did something the big-city bicoastal music media almost never does: paid some attention to the “chitlin’ circuit,” whose performers practice the heavily blues- and gospel-influenced style of soul that was popular in the ’60s and ’70s, before R&B moved on…
Rory Miggins Irish Stew Cook-off
Elsewhere on this page, you can read about Flogging Molly’s local stop on the Celtic Californians’ annual “Green 17” tour. With all due respect to Dave King’s crew, Houston seldom lacks for stout Irish rock thanks to Blaggards, and the annual Rory Miggins Irish Stew Cook-off — named for the…
Smith Westerns
One look at the tousled hair and perpetually unlined faces of Chicago popsters the Smith Westerns (all 18-20 years old) and you might write them off as another Girls, albeit ones who never spent time in a cult. Luckily, an unexpected love of T. Rex drives their ’70s rockers, such…
Flogging Molly
One of the last — and best — Celtic punk bands to emerge from the genre’s mid-’90s heyday, Flogging Molly was formed in Los Angeles by expatriate Irish singer-songwriter and former metal vocalist Dave King. The seven-strong unit fosters a more positive, inclusive vibe than brethren such as Dropkick Murphys…
Crazy, Jumbled Up and Delicious
After four incredibly filling noodle and rice entrées plus an appetizer of fried chicken, my friends looked at me like I’d lost my mind when I ordered dessert at House of Bowls. But when dessert is peanut butter-stuffed French toast covered in condensed sweetened milk, how are you supposed to…
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Since they only appeared on a couple of songs, it wouldn’t be entirely accurate to say Ladysmith Black Mambazo stole Paul Simon’s 1986 album Graceland out from under him. (It would be accurate to say that about Simon’s corresponding Saturday Night Live appearance, though.) But Ladysmith’s association with Simon helped…
A Rosary and a Laptop
Photo, Rosary and a Laptop Online readers comment on “Prized Possessions,” by John Nova Lomax, January 19: Thank you: It’s a much-needed reminder that these are real people we’re dealing with, not extras from Central Casting. It’s obvious that some folks on the streets are seriously out of touch with…
Dead Center
Shortly after Tara Sganga met and fell in love with Shawn Roberts, she became aware of the helicopters. She had never seen them before. Once Roberts pointed them out to her, and once she started on the crystal meth, she finally understood why Roberts had been so frightened. They hovered…
Seasonal Disaffected Disorder
Another Year, the tenth feature-length British soap written and directed by Mike Leigh, concerns a year in the life of Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen), the happiest post-middle-aged married couple in the whole of the London suburbs. Heading into their fifth decade together, Tom and Gerri are healthy…
