DiMassi’s Mediterranean Buffet Is Voluminous and Mostly Very Good
Despite the fact that DiMassi’s Mediterranean Buffet has nine locations in Texas, five of which are located in Houston I have never once visited this establishment in my nearly decade of living in the Lone Star State. Buffet restaurants are hit or miss; absolutely amazing versions exist in Las Vegas…
The 10 Best Beards in the Houston Music Scene
Mashable recently declared the beard dead, but Houstonians ignored the memo. Beards are industry in this town in 2015. They just seem to be everywhere, dangling freely from the faces of our once clean-shaven neighbors, co-workers and friends. When one drops off the radar for a bit (sorry James Harden…
Jaws: A Blockbuster Looks At 40
This Saturday will mark the 40th anniversary of the release of Jaws, Steven Spielberg’s gripping tale of oral and maxillofacial surgeons learning to live and love while performing reconstructive surgery on the high seas. Wait, let me start over. Jaws is about a great white shark that terrorizes a small,…
Houston Needs Its Own Emojis, So We Created a Set
Emoticons have been around the Internet since before the actual web was invented. Nerds used them when trying to convey that, no, they did not seriously think Spock was in Star Wars instead of Star Trek. 😉 It could be argued that these subtle little icons have prevented or been…
Earth-Father Activist Creates Art Through Space, Time and Decay
In an almost compulsive drive to create, Jeff Forster has produced a warehouse full of ceramics, sculptures, photographs and time-based installations; the resulting body of work can be seen at Mother Dog Studios in his retrospective exhibit, “A Decade of Decomposition and New Growth.” Along the greenbelt behind his Kingwood…
Finding Hope for the 2015 Houston Rockets Draft in the 2011 NBA Draft
The NBA offseason, which in the past few years has become far more exciting than the NBA’s regular season and nearly as exciting as the postseason, is almost here. Much like the dark clouds and slight drizzle ahead of a tropical storm, we are starting to see a smattering of…
Is Raising Children As Free-Range Kids A Responsible Choice For Parents?
Recently, I was surprised to see news articles about two parents in Maryland who landed in hot water when they allowed their young children to walk home from a park about a mile from their suburban home. Danielle and Alexander Meitiv are practitioners of the Free-Range Kids movement, and believe…
Julianne and Derek Hough: Move Live Comes to Houston
Champion dancers Derek and Julianne Hough bring their newest show, Move Live on Tour 2015, to Houston. “It’s a really fun, high energy show,” Derek Hough tells us during a rare break between rehearsals. The brother-sister pair, famous for their work on “Dancing With the Stars,” co-created, choreographed and produced…
Supreme Court Rules Immigrants With Crappy Lawyers Can Appeal Their Cases
Immigrants fighting deportation often don’t know they had lousy legal help until it’s much too late to appeal to reopen their case. But according to immigration lawyers, a ruling Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court should make it easier for immigrants to appeal when a bad lawyer has botched their…
Eat This: Honey Goat Cheese Macaron at Central Market
At one point last year there was a glut of articles proclaiming the macaron the “new cupcake” in terms of pop baked goods. Is this (still) true? Unclear. However, when supermarkets start offering their version of items normally only found in specialty purveyors (see the pretzel bun, the cronut, etc.),…
First Date has Biting Humor, Tenderness, Quirk and a Strong Cast
It was Jerry Seinfeld who said, “Let’s face it: A date is a job interview that lasts all night. The only difference is: Not many job interviews is there a chance you’ll end up naked at the end of it.” A musical comedy about a first date also has an…
Ticket Scalping for an Astrophysicist? Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s Houston Appearance Sells Out
I was excited at the prospect of seeing astrophysicist and all around super-smart guy, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson this Wednesday at Jones Hall. Tyson is appearing in Houston as part of his lecture tour, for what will surely be an interesting evening with the award winning scientist and author discussing…
Court-Appointed Attorneys in Harris County Take On Massive Caseloads
Criminal defense attorney Joshua Hill was going to trying something new this year. Rather than spend his time chasing down clients, caught up in the business side of things at an office, Hill was going to “lawyer” around the clock. The former mixed martial arts coach liked the idea of…
Sweetwater Seafood: Get Messy and Eat Good, Unpretentious Seafood
The hefty, hot Dungeness crab arrived bathed in the orange-red “Sweetwater Sauce,” a mixture of melted butter, Cajun seasoning mix, orange juice and lemon juice. The presentation was utilitarian, not fancy — crabs and sauce nestled in a clear plastic bag lining a steel bowl. Crab crackers sat alongside, ready…
Johnny Manziel Attends Monday Night RAW, WWE Champion Calls Him “Idiot Face” (VIDEO)
Johnny Manziel, in all of his newfound sober glory, is not even close to the treasure trove of content that he’s been the last two summers. He rarely shows up on our radar anymore, and when he does, he is signing his autograph on a baby or hitting home runs…
In Case You Missed it: “Art Worth the Trip” at Local Galleries This June
Beginning collectors are finding that prints offer a unique opportunity to collect professionally curated art at affordable prices. In association with PrintTX 2015, Nicole Longnecker Gallery is showcasing more than 30 juried works from Texas artists including lithography, relief, intaglio, monotype and serigraphy. Houston-based sculptor Nelda Gilliam’s Untitled 7 is…
This Week in Houston Food Blogs: Summertime Is Here, and the Bloggers Know It
This week, we’ve got reviews, summer menus, barbecue and a dessert recipe you won’t want to miss. Yep, it’s definitely summertime, according to these Houston food bloggers! Let us show you where you’ll want to be and what you’ll want to be eating this week. Joanna O’Leary at Urban Swank…
Getting Paid To Play: Thanks to Live-Streaming, Video Games are a Massive Spectator Sport
When most people play FIFA 15 on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 and beat another player, they get a sense of accomplishment. When Houstonians Michael LaBelle and Aman Seddiqi beat other players, they get five-figure checks. Only if they are the best of the best, that is. LaBelle started his…
Upcoming: A-Trak, Brand New, Death Grips, Devin Tha Dude, Of Montreal, Rock Baby Rock It, Swervedriver, Zomboy, etc.
2-Bit Palomino: With Eric Taylor. Thu., July 2, 7 p.m., $10. Last Concert Cafe, 1403 Nance, Houston, 713-226-8563. A-Trak: With Surain, Albert Fix. Sat., June 27, 9 p.m., $15 to $25. Stereo Live, 6400 Richmond, Houston, 832-251-9600. Adam Fears: Thu., July 30, 8:30 p.m., $15. Dosey Doe Music Cafe, 463…
UPDATED: Keg Deposit Cost Hikes Result in Boycott by Several Houston Bars
There are 12 beers that The Hay Merchant has on tap year-round. Right now, seven of those aren’t available, including those from local Houston breweries Karbach and Saint Arnold. The missing brews include Saint Arnold Lawnmower, Karbach Hopadillo, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter and Firestone Walker Union…
Tropical Storm Bill Is About to Ruin Your Morning
What officials are now calling Tropical Storm Bill was hovering just off the Texas Gulf Coast Tuesday before dawn, and according to the National Hurricane Center will make landfall this morning. As the storm hits the coast and moves inland, National Weather Service officials are predicting the Houston area could…
Geto Boys Offering Custom Casket In Kickstarter Campaign For New Album
Last week when the Press talked to Geto Boys MC/advice columnist Willie D before the hometown date of the legendary Houston trio’s “Office Space” tour, he didn’t say much about the recent rumors that they’ve been working on new music, beyond some trash-talking about the current state of hip-hop: “Hip-hop…
Tougher Than Leather: RIPCORD Endures Through An Ever-Changing Montrose
“I took a leave of absence from US Airways and took a part-time job at RIPCORD,” says Brad, eight years later the bar manager of the Montrose leather institution. “[I] thought it would be six months.” It’s the middle of June, hot as blazes out, and RIPCORD is filling up…
Tropical Weather On the Way: How Bad Will It Be?
Most people associate tropical weather with wind. This is likely because it is the scariest element of storms for us. Wind means flying debris, trees falling on homes and general mayhem beyond what we typically see from thunderstorms. In a city like Houston where heavy rainfall is often the norm,…
Christopher Owens Leaves Girls Behind For the Solo Life
Christopher Owens Fitzgerald’s June 12, 2015 Last Friday night, Christopher Owens returned to Houston for the first time since leaving his former band, Girls, in 2012. But the fact that he was performing as a solo artist did not seem to deter the crowd one bit, and the San Francisco-based singer-songwriter…
Game Of Thrones S05E10: “For The Watch.”
Took last week off from recapping, fortuitously enough, so let me just say this about the penultimate episode’s … unpleasantness. First, I understand this was a show that started with a guy throwing a kid out a window after he just got caught having sex with his sister, but what…
Houston Rap Legends Come On Strong at Otherwise Chaotic Houston Beer Fest
Houston Beer Fest. Just the name alone conjures up a bad taste — and probably heat stroke — for most Houstonians. The festival, notoriously ill-managed in years past, was held for its fifth year over the weekend. But while the name may have been the same, HBF’s fifth go-round touted…
NBA Finals Game 5: Warriors 104, Cavaliers 91 — 4 Winners, 4 Losers
When the postscript on the Golden State Warriors’ now inevitable NBA crowning is written — and trust me, it took a little longer than I thought it would, but it is happening — the biggest theme woven into the tapestry of their title run will be the versatility of this…
UPDATED: 100 Favorite Dishes 2015: No. 89, Perry’s Steakhouse Pork Chop vs Perry & Son’s Pork Chop
Phaedra Cook is eating her way through Houston and counting down her 100 favorite dishes of 2015. It’s a collection of personal favorites that is also indicative of Houston dining. It’s a scene where a vast range of dishes coexist: highbrow and lowbrow; local and international; cheap and expensive; modern…
This Week in Houston Food Events: Tastings, Special Menus and Father’s Day (Updated)
All Week Vinoteca Introduces a Trattoria Menu Vinoteca, the wine bar at Four Seasons Houston, is unveiling a brand-new Trattoria menu, and, from June 15 to 21, it’s pay what you want, within limits. Executive Chef Maurizio Ferrarese designed the menu, which includes a scapece bar (scapece is marinated mixed…
Photography that Takes Flight: Lori Vrba Exhibits Strength and Vulnerability in “The Moth Wing Diaries”
When asked to describe her work in one word, photographer Lori Vrba is ready with an answer. “The word is always personal,” she says. And it’s easy enough to understand why. Drawing on rich visuals from her own life, self-taught Vrba produces black-and-white photographs and photo-based assemblage works that feature…
Get Ready For Another Soggy Week, Houston
Please someone tell Rick Perry he can stop praying for rain. All eyes are on a not-so-well-defined disturbance in the Gulf that, from the looks of it, could dump even more heavy rains on the already water-logged Greater Houston area. According to the National Weather Service, there’s an 80 percent…
The Latest CSN Houston Lawsuit Makes For Fun Reading
Art Bell hosted the greatest conspiracy-laden, late-night radio talk show of all time. Comets as hollowed-out spaceships? That was a nightly discussion at one time. Area 51, government control of the weather, faces on Mars, and reverse-engineered alien technology being used for everyday life — all fodder for Bell’s show…
Dish of the Week: Moules Marinières (Sailor’s Mussels)
From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts, we’ll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. Find other dishes of the week here. This week, we’re taking a look at Moules Marinières. Also known as Sailor’s Mussels or Mariner’s Mussels, moules à la marinière is a classic…
Sunset Boulevard: Big Dreams Crammed Into a Small Space by Bayou City Theatrics
The set-up: Audacious. Obsessive. Crazed. This describes silent movie star Norma Desmond, neurotic center of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s epic musical adaptation of Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett’s classic 1950 noir tribute to old Hollywood. Or it could equally apply to Bayou City Musicals and its current production of said Sir…
Try These 5 Seriously Awesome Lobster Dishes in Houston
In honor of Lobster Day (which is today!), we’ve compiled a list of Five Seriously Awesome Lobster Dishes To Try in Houston. From lobster tacos to butter-loaded numbers fried with beer, check them out: Shanghai Lobster Where to get it: Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar, 1050 Studewood; Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette, 4224 San…
Houston’s 10 Best Gay Bars
Houston Pride Week is coming up and runs from June 21 to 28 so this seems like the perfect time to present this list of the best gay bars in Houston. With the Houston LGBT Pride Festival and Parade’s move to downtown this year, away from its traditional location along Westheimer…
Rhettie Won’t Rest Until the World Sees His Swagger
The world is full of aspiring performers whose ambition and hustle far outweigh their talents. These unfortunate souls knock on the right doors, send out all the necessary social-media blasts and, if they’ve got any money, burn though thousands in expensive demos and PR consultants in the hopes of making…
The Five Best Concerts In Houston This Week: D’Angelo, Blackgrass Gospel, Turnpike Troubadors, Jodeci, etc.
D’Angelo and the Vanguard Warehouse Live, June 17 It’s a little tough not to snicker at some of the “second coming” talk surrounding D’Angelo’s Black Messiah sometimes, but he’s also the about the only R&B performer whose reemergence from one of his periodic sabbaticals legitimately qualifies as an event. Released…
UPDATED: Houston Ballet Cancels Performance After Water Found on Stage
Today’s performance of The Taming of the Shrew by the Houston Ballet was cancelled at the last minute after they discovered flooding on the stage. On a Sunday with a lot of downtown activity, people hoping to make the 2 p.m. showing of the ballet were instead handed a slip…
Houston’s Main Street Theater Announces its 2015-16 Season With Premieres Galore
Main Street Theater today announced its 2015-16 season complete with world, regional and Texas premieres, along with a two-play visit from the Prague Shakespeare Company doing its versions of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and David Ives’ Venus in Fur. The productions will be staged in Main Street’s newly renovated space in…
Complaint Claims Sen. Huffman Violated Ethics Law She Just Fought to Change
Poor Senator Joan Huffman — last week, The Houston Press listed her as a legislative “loser” for, among other things, pushing for provisions to allow lawmakers not to report their spouses’ business interests in state filings, and a complaint filed this week with the Texas Ethics Commission suggests why: Huffman hasn’t…
Texas Releases Hundreds of Prisoners Straight From Solitary Every Year
Every year, Texas prison officials take hundreds convicts that have spent, on average, three-and-a-half years confined to a 60-square-foot box for 23 hours a day and sends them right back to the streets. This abrupt transition from total isolation to total freedom isn’t good for prisoners. According to an investigation…
The Geto Boys Own House of Blues at Tour Kickoff
The Geto Boys House of Blues June 11, 2015 “H-Town, we belong to y’all,” said Willie D last night toward the end of the Geto Boys’ set at House of Blues. I think that simple declaration of love got the biggest cheer of the evening. Any Geto Boys concert in…
Beth Hart Sure Can Wail
Beth Hart is talking standards. Not necessarily the pages from the Great American Songbook she sings in her usual set (there aren’t many), just the songs she “absolutely adores.” One is Cole Porter’s “I’ve Still Got My Heal th,” recorded by Peggy Lee and Bette Midler, among others. She likes…
Reviews For The Easily Distracted: Jurassic World
Title: Jurassic World Describe This Movie In One Simpsons Quote: “You know, you’re right: this truly was the best vacation ever. Now let us never speak of it again.” Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The Film: Two big piles of shit out of five. Brief Plot Synopsis: God destroys…
WWE Legend Dusty Rhodes, the American Dream, Owned the Ring Like Nobody Else
If you read my posts, you know that I am a huge professional wrestling fan. This is no secret. Metaphors to that entertainment form are a staple of what I do here. They’re my go-to move, like Kareem’s skyhook. Everybody has something they “dork out” for, something that they like…
When Wealth Meets Taste: A Preview of “Habsburg Splendor: Masterpieces from Vienna’s Imperial Collection”
“Sometimes wealth meets taste,” Gary Tinterow, director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, told a group of visitors during a Thursday preview of the newly installed “Habsburg Splendor: Masterpieces from Vienna’s Imperial Collection” exhibit. The 90 works from the historic Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna seen in the exhibit are among…
Melody Mennite and Connor Walsh Delight in The Taming of the Shrew
The Setup: Houston Ballet closes its 2014-2015 season of Shakespeare with John Cranko’s beloved The Taming of the Shrew. Opening night saw Melody Mennite and Connor Walsh reprise the roles of Katherina and Petruchio, which they previously danced in 2011, with Lauren Strongin as Katherina’s sister, Bianca, and Jared Matthews…
Wait? The Texans Want to Run the Tony Levine UH Offense?
It’s a Friday night in August 2014, hot and humid with a chance of rain. But for the 40,000 people cramming into TDECU Stadium, none of that matters because this is a very special night. It’s opening night for the new stadium, and it’s the first game of the season…
7 Christopher Lee Films That Fans Should Seek Out.
Sir Christopher Lee , who has died at the age of 93, had a movie career that spanned nearly 70 years, beginning in the late 1940s, after his service in World War II, where he’d been among other things, an intelligence agent who hunted Nazis towards the end of the…
Houston’s 5 Best Weekend Food Bets: 3 Ways to Brew (Plus Dessert & Chili, Too)
Pop Up Bake Sale (feat. Philip Speer) @ Fluff Bake Bar Saturday, 10 a.m. 314 Gray Chef Rebecca Masson is launching a pop up bake sale – the first in an ongoing series – at newly opened Fluff Bake Bar in Midtown, this Saturday. Chef Philip Speer, visiting from Austin,…
Report: De Facto Quotas Are Driving the Mass Incarceration of Immigrants
On June 3, 19-year-old Lilian Yamileth was discovered slumped against the bathroom floor in a pool of her own blood at an immigrant detention center in Karnes County, Texas. She had tried to commit suicide because her asylum claim was rejected by an immigration court judge. Now, the young mother knew, she…
Upcoming Houston Food Events: How You Can Help 86 Cancer
On Monday, June 15, local non-profit 86 Cancer and Batanga Houston, 908 Congress, are hosting a muti-pop up with some of Houston’s best chefs to benefit Chef David Guerrero and his family in his fight against cancer. Raise funds while enjoying excellent bites from the city’s culinary stars, including masterminds like…
Openings & Closings in Houston: Welcoming Some Franchises and Some Originals
There’s a new Caribbean restaurant and music venue coming to downtown, and, best of all, it’s got a tropical-themed Rhum Bar. Don’t worry if rum isn’t your cuppa, because there will be plentiful draft beer options as well. Calabash Island Eats at 1515 Pease will open on June 13 for dinner, with…
Explaining Grownup Music to Kids: Children’s Music
Nearly every music fan dreams of the chance to mold a brand-new acolyte from scratch. You have the opportunity to impart your years of accumulated knowledge and perspectives upon someone. So when my newborn arrived in the world (let’s call the kid “Fig”), I decided this was my grand chance…
Police Seeking Man Who Allegedly Takes Photos of Boys in Public Restrooms
Houston police are asking the public’s help to identify a man who allegedly photographed a 13-year-old boy in a public library restroom. The boy was using the restroom at 1050 Quitman “when he saw a cell phone appear under the stall,” according to a Houston Police Department press release. “The…
The 10 Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend: Sideshow Tragedy, Colin Gilmore, Kings of the Mic, BettySoo, etc.
Sideshow Tragedy Continental Club, June 12 Who knew the White Stripes would spawn a bunch of guitar-drums duos? Austin garage-rockers Sideshow Tragedy — Nathan Singleton on resonator and Jeremy Harrell on drums — didn’t start out as a duo, but when their bass player quit they just never replaced him…
UPDATED: Rockets and Astros Broadcasting Partnership Sues Comcast (w/ Lawsuit PDF)
When Comcast Sports Net Houston was launched in October 2012, the hope was that it was the dawning of a new day for sports television in this city. The game coverage of the Houston Rockets and Houston Astros, who were also partial owners of the network, would be supplemented by…
Gov. Abbott Throws a Party for a Pointless Bill
At first, the 84th Texas Legislature, which wrapped at the beginning of the month, looked like it was going to be a banner year for lawmakers who oppose LGBT rights. The die hard anti-gay wing of the Texas Republican party managed to file at least 20 anti-LGBT proposals at the…
Willie D Is Back Up in Your Ass for the Geto Boys’ Latest Resurrection
Like dark, faceless shapes in your favorite recurring nightmare, they just keep coming back. More than 26 years after the legendary Geto Boys first hacked and slashed their way on to a national rap radar that had tuned the South out entirely, Willie D, Scarface and Bushwick Bill are reuniting…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Manabu Horiuchi of Kata Robata — Japan in Houston
In Part 1 of our Chef Chat with Manabu Horiuchi (called Hori or Hori-san by his friends and best customers for short), we learned how and why he came to Houston. From the age of 12, Horiuchi knew he wanted to be a sushi chef and achieved that dream. Most…
Joe R. Lansdale Finally Gets to Write the Book He Wanted to Do in the 1980s
When East Texas author Joe R. Lansdale tried to interest publishers in a tale about black cowboy Nat Love (aka Deadeye Dick) in the 1980s, he was told “Blacks don’t read and whites don’t want to read about blacks.” He went on to write other books to considerable acclaim (The…
Seasonal Special: “Midnight in Paris” Dog at James Coney Island
A hot dog for francophiles at James Coney Island? Mais oui. Okay, that’s the last cheesy French phrase to be used in this post. In May, James Coney Island revealed that their Funky Dog #2 would be “German-style”; June’s Funky Dog #3 has a French connection. And let us not…
The Restaurant Reviews of 2015 (So Far), Ranked
Welcome to the second half of 2015, where “Kitchens” are the new restaurants and a plus sign is the trendy way of saying “and.” Now that it is June and nearly the midpoint of the year, I thought it would be interesting to take a look back and see where…
It’s Probably Christmas in June From HISD Trustees Tonight
Can the Houston ISD (and other local districts Cypress-Fairbanks and Spring ISDs) continue to play Santa Claus to local property-owning voters? It appears that HISD wants to. In a press release advancing tonight’s meeting, the district noted that it plans to continue the local property tax homestead exemption it grants…
5 Ways Some People Irritate Others On Facebook
Most of us have probably been to a party or other social event where another person made an ass out of themselves or acted in a manner that made other guests want to avoid them. Social networking sites can be a lot like a dinner party, and with more and…
Jordan Vs. Morrison: A Two-Way Tie For Best/Worst ’90s House-Party Song Ever
Here’s a question: how often have you gone to a house party? Better yet, how often have you gone to a house party where late-‘90s-early-‘00s Rockets legend Moochie Norris is dancing with complete strangers and enjoying the atmosphere? OK, that’s humble-bragging but let me explain. See, there are rules to…
My Wife Is Spending All My Money. Help!
MY TROPHY WIFE IS BURNING THROUGH MY MONEY Dear Willie D: I hate to say it, but I went out and got myself a trophy wife. When I first met her, it wasn’t a big deal spending money. We vacationed impulsively, dined at the finest restaurants, and shopped till we…
New Harris County Sheriff Axes LGBT Liaison Program
Last month, after finally announcing his candidacy for mayor of Houston, Adrian Garcia stepped down as Harris County Sheriff and county leaders appointed someone strikingly different – an older white Republican lawman who’s been itching for job ever since Garcia hinted he might resign to run for mayor. As with…
Spoiled Lunchmeat and Low Threadcounts: Biker Tales From a Waco Jail
More than half of the 175 bikers arrested in May’s Waco Twin Peaks shootout have been released from McLennan County Jail, and based on a stack of complaints to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, many feel they’ve been freed from a Soviet bloc gulag built on filthy bedding and…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Manabu Horiuchi of Kata Robata — Japan in Houston
Houston is known as a multicultural city — a true melting pot of people and cuisines from around the world. This continues a series where we take a look at the chefs responsible for creating authentic dishes from several different nations right here in Houston. His name is Manabu Horiuchi,…
Zapruder Analysis of Two Women Brawling at Walmart (w/ VIDEO)
I don’t know if fighting in the wild is occurring more these days or if it just feels like it’s occurring more because every fight between two redneck pieces of tatted-up garbage gets captured on someone’s iPhone and posted to YouTube within minutes of happening, but the bottom line is…
Jurassic World Will/Will Not Be The Greatest/Worst Movie Of The Summer, Maybe
Jurassic World opens this Friday. The fourth movie in the series spawned by Michael Crichton’s novel (you forgot there was a Jurasssic Park III, didn’t you?) takes place more than two decades after the … unpleasantness most cognitively functioning people assumed would make Isla Nublar a forbidden zone forever. Funny…
Jim Sauter (Borbetomagus) and Kid Millions (Oneida) Debut Houston
Jim Sauter and Kid Millions are an unlikely pair for a music duo. Sauter is a saxophone veteran of the long-running Borbetomagus, the sax-sax-electric guitar noise wall that’s both wonderful and horrible in the most amazing way. Millions is a younger drummer of rock-grounded projects Oneida, People of the North,…
Harris County Judges Turned to Facebook in Absence of Flood Plan
When criminal defense attorney Murray Newman woke up on the morning of Tuesday, May 26th, he felt simultaneously relieved that he didn’t have any cases on the docket that day and worried on behalf of the attorneys who did. Newman knew that if this were a typical morning, lawyers, judges,…
The Musical and Cinematic Origins of the Geto Boys
The Geto Boys are unequivocally one of the best and most famous musical groups to ever come out of Houston. The founders of the hip-hop subgenre known as horrorcore created macabre street anthems linked inextricably to the horror movie-influenced, “Helter Skelter”-style modus operandi of H-town’s post-Scorsese version of Mean Streets…
Alley Theatre Announces 2015-16 Season Adds As Renovation Nears Completion
An ex-minister is leading a tour group of Texas women into Mexico in a sort of second existence and if that’s not complicated enough, he’s accused of improper relations with its youngest member. Tensions of all sorts seethe through the hotel they’re staying at and yes it’s Tennessee Williams’ famous…
Try These 5 Outrageously Awesome Doughnuts in Houston
We don’t know about you, but last week’s National Doughnut Day got our mouths watering for some of the doughy, freshly-fried goodstuff. Thankfully, awesome doughnuts seem to run rampant in this city. From beignet-like delights to something called “the Macon,” here are 5 Seriously Outrageous Ways to curb your doughnut…
Author Laurell K. Hamilton Says the Zombie Porn in Her Books Isn’t Symbolic
Charlaine Harris’s paranormal characters, she’s said, are symbols for othernesses. We asked paranormal author Laurell K. Hamilton if her vampires, zombies and other other-worldly beings were sometimes symbols for otherness and we got a surprising answer. “One of my degrees is in English literature so I pretty much hate symbolism,” she told…
Acts We’d Like to See at FPSF 2016
How about Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys? They would be a rock and roll good time for sure. On the rap side, I assure you that booking Trae Tha Truth most certainly means he will bring all of his rap friends with him: T.I., B.O.b, Mystikal, Waka Flocka, Lupe…
Five Ways to Make FPSF Better Next Year
*** Donde esta mi gente?! That seems to be the question being asked concerning the lack of Latino or Spanish-language acts in the Free Press Summer Fest lineup this year. Aside from the outstanding Gio Chamba, there were no other Latin acts in this year’s selections. Yes, I know DJ/producers Hiram…
Recap: 4th Annual Curry Crawl Competition – Chefs Show Their Creative Side
Sunday afternoon: It’s hot, humid and sunny. Not to be deterred, curry lovers across Houston arrived in droves for a taste of the 4th Annual Curry Crawl Competition, hosted by Straits Restaurant in CityCentre, Memorial City. As in years past, 10 competitors set up on the sprawling, two-sectioned patio, offering samples…
Dribbling Nonsense: FIFA Plays to Distract in the Risible United Passions
Frédéric Auburtin’s absurdly hagiographic drama United Passions purports to tell the history of FIFA — the world’s governing institution for soccer — from its 1904 founding up until its announcement of South Africa as the host country for the 2010 World Cup. Auburtin takes pains to paint FIFA in the…
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Might Win You Over as It Makes You Cry
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl may not be the best teen cancer weepie ever made, if there even is a best teen cancer weepie. But it’s surely the most adorable, for better or worse — less like The Fault in Our Stars and0x00A0more like Diary of a Wimpy…
Not Extinct Yet: Jurassic World Capably Stomps, Roars and Awes
In Jurassic World, Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic Park reboot — set 22 years after dinosaurs started walking the Earth, again — brontosauruses, stegosauruses and velociraptors have become old hat, sort of like the mechanical Abe Lincoln at Disneyland. Meanwhile, the habitat around them has gone Vegas: Isla Nublar, home of the…
Love & Mercy Lets Us Hear Brian Wilson Turn Pain Into Sound
What does the world sound like when you’re Brian Wilson? When you’ve made a record that sounds like cirrus clouds look — as Wilson did with the Beach Boys’ small modern miracle of harmony, the 1966 Pet Sounds — all bets are off when it comes to the way ordinary…
