Five Waylon Jennings Albums You Should Own
“Ladies love outlaws,” Waylon Jennings once sang, and well knew. Yes they do, and so do plenty of fellers, who may love the late Littlefield-born musician — who was a losing coin flip away from being on Buddy Holly’s doomed plane in February 1959 — even more. Jennings would have…
Google Fiber: What the Hell Is Gigabit Internet and Do You Want It?
There has been much ballyhoo in tech circles about Google Fiber and its gigabit Internet. The concept, boiled down, is that the service provides broadband Internet at speeds up to 100 times faster than a standard broadband connection. So, if you have Comcast or AT&T for your Internet, Google Fiber…
Social Distortion: Why Storming Off Facebook and Twitter Is Never a Good Idea
Having been on social media for quite some time now, I’ve seen my share of Facebook and Twitter flameouts. It usually begins when a person is going through a rough time personally or is forced to suffer through a public controversy. But it can be triggered by almost anything. The…
Oven Broken? Try the Dishwasher
I hadn’t regularly been watching Worst Cooks in America for fear I might see too much of myself in some of the contestants. When I did happen to catch one episode, I actually encountered a cooking technique that even I, in all my lazy unprofessionalism creative glory, had never heard…
Shock Jerks: Atlanta Sports Talk Guys Fired for Making Fun of Former NFL Player with ALS
I have gone on record numerous times saying I really do not care for the whole “guy talk” format in sports radio. I think mixing entertainment with sports talk is great, necessary even, especially in the long stretch between the end of basketball season and the beginning of football season…
Improv at Station Theater: Nerves of Steel and a Boatload of Courage
The set-up: Improvisational theater, usually shortened to “improv”, is a theater performance where actors work without a prepared script, creating characters and situations spontaneously, often on themes suggested by the audience. The performances are almost always comedic, though some troupes use improv to create drama as well. Short-form improv consists…
Big Savings on Caribbean RumFest Passes, Sparrow Bar + Cookshop, Union Kitchen, and More
How does an evening of Caribbean food, music, and cocktails sound? Today’s Houston Press Voice Daily Deal is good for half-off your choice of passes for the Third Annual Caribbean RumFest, August 16-17, 2013: • $30 for $60 off of general admission passes (four rum sample tickets per day, souvenir…
Upcoming: Atlas Genius, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Franz Ferdinand, Rancid, etc.
ADLER: Featuring Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses., Wed., July 24, 7 p.m., $15. House of Blues– Bronze Peacock Room, 1204 Caroline, Houston, 888-402-5837. Andrew Stockdale: Sun., July 28, 7 p.m., $17. House of Blues– Bronze Peacock Room, 1204 Caroline, Houston, 888-402-5837. Atlas Genius: Tue., Oct. 22, 7 p.m., $22.50…
Free Press Summer Fest Announces July 4 Free Geto Boys Makeup Show
After the much-anticipated Geto Boys reunion at this month’s Free Press Summer Fest went off at only two-thirds strengh, resulting in thousands of disappointed fans, FPSF has announced a free makeup show scheduled for July 4 at House of Blues. The Boys’ set in the high afternoon heat was delayed…
Weather Week: A Little Rain, a Lot of Sun and Plenty of Heat
The past few nights, I’ve sat outside on a patio for dinner. This was not my choice, but I gladly obliged. When the breeze did blow, it wasn’t bad. When it was still, I felt every sweat gland in my physical being activate. Summertime in Houston is like that, and…
Is Being a Couch Potato Now a Compliment?
I have always considered myself something of a movie buff. My father is a cinephile, and I was raised on a healthy dose of the classics and indie films. I went to school with a concentration in film, so I am even learned in the subject. If you describe something…
Cake Decorating 101: Baking the Perfect Cake
One of the most challenging things to make in the kitchen is a cake. It seems quite simple at first. All you have to do is mix the ingredients together, pop it in the oven, then cover it with frosting. Maybe add a little bit of sprinkles or icing, and…
Das Boot: Austin Band Films Video In Galveston Submarine
Think you’re claustrophobic? Imagine spending three hours trying to record a song and music video in a decommissioned WWII-era submarine. That’s what the Austin-based Royal Forest recently did for their single “Everyone Who Knows You.”…
Texas Media Changes: Debra Fraser Out at KUHF, TexasWatchdog.com Shutters
In a pair of unfortunate moves for journalism in the Lone Star State, KUHF let go longtime news broadcaster Debra Fraser recently, and on Monday, investigative journalism Web site TexasWatchdog.com closed down permanently. The moves leave a hole in statewide media that seems to be indicative of the continued budget…
Top 5 Spicy Supermarket Cheeses
What goes great with hot weather? Hot cheeses! Well, perhaps not “hot” in terms of temperature since the idea of eating a huge vat of fondue in June would make anyone nauseated. “Hot” in terms of “spicy,” “fiery,” caliente–a cheese that will give me the kick in the pants I…
UPDATED: Open Channel Flow: What Happens When Public Art “Breaks”?
In the fall of 2009, a piece of installation artwork called Open Channel Flow was installed just west of the Jamail Skate Park and Sabine Street Bridge, along Buffalo Bayou. The sculpture, which made use of existing piping and blended in with the nearby Sabine Street Pump Station, included an…
Rockshow: Paul McCartney’s First Marathon, But Not His Last
Rockshow Paul McCartney and Wings Eagle Vision, 139 mins., $29.98 DVD/$34.98 Blu-ray According to rollingstone.com, the act that owned last weekend’s Bonnaroo Festival was not some hirsute jam band, plaintive female singer-songwriter, or preppy indie-rockers, but a guy that much of the world has loved all of his career and…
You Don’t Get Something for Nothing: Environmentalist Still Thinks Houston’s New Recycling Project Is Wanting
The City of Houston is moving forward with plans to build a recycling project, but environmentalists still insist the project the city has chosen is, ironically enough, bad for the environment. Now city officials have opened up the field for bids on the project, and Tyson Sowell of the Texas…
Thanks to Funny or Die, Dave Chappelle Is Coming to Houston in August
There was a period of time not that long ago when Dave Chappelle became an almost mythic figure in the entertainment world. He had done the impossible: not only had he walked away from a highly successful, not to mention highly profitable, television show, but he had seemingly vanished in…
The Rocks Off 100: Shane Tuttle, Updog Owner and Album-Cover Designer
Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community — a lot more than just musicians, but of course they’re in there too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? Shane Tuttle discovered a…
Bathtime = Mealtime? Appetizing Personal Care Products
This post is not about eating and drinking in the bathroom. There is no shame is sipping a glass of wine during a luxurious bubble bath or taking advantage of a mounted television a swanky hotel’s powder room to snack on some cheetos while watching Deadliest Catch and tweaking your…
Rick Perry Reinforces ‘Dumb Texan’ Stereotype, Regales Us with Geographic Ineptitude
It seems as if Rick Perry has recently decided that his time is better spent abroad than in the state that elected him to lead. While he’s asked for a special session — giving him greater leeway to inflict abortion restrictions for reasons founded on faulty science — he’s also…
Today’s DVDs & Blu-rays: Rectify and An Insider’s Look at Art
Rectify, a Sundance Channel series that hits shelves as a DVD release today isn’t easy to like. More importantly, it’s impossible not to like. It’s gritty and raw, often unpleasant … and wonderful. From the producers of Breaking Bad, the first season of Rectify follows Daniel Holden (stoically and unknowable…
Good Neighbors: A Look Inside Houston’s House-Show Circuit
House party or house show… which are you at? There’s a difference, just as there’s a difference between the Grand Canyon and a chuckhole. One inspires awe, creativity and a sense of oneness with humankind. The other is just a chuckhole. If Kid N’ Play is around, you’re at the…
Sampling the Summer Menu at Panera Bread
Hot weather does not stimulate my appetite. The other day I was hungry, and driving around aimlessly, but nothing appealed to me. I passed restaurant after restaurant, in strip mall after strip mall, and nothing piqued my interest. Burgers? Too heavy. Chinese? Not in the mood. Grocery store? Too much…
NBA Finals: One More Chance to Sop Gambling Gravy Off the Heat’s Crazy Streak
From February 3 through March 25, the Miami Heat didn’t lose a single NBA basketball game. During that streak, they recorded 27 wins in a row, the second best run at the Lakers’ 33-game winning streak of the early ’70s in league history, and a two-month salvo that sent the…
Does The Last of Us Prove Anita Sarkeesian Right About Video Game Violence and Women?
Spoilers Ahead Before we get started, I want to set the tone of the article in the first paragraph to try real hard to head off the haters who are eyeing the comment section like a girl passed out at a party. This is in no way a knock against…
Dave Alvin & the Guilty Ones at the Crighton Theatre, 6/15/2013
Dave Alvin & the Guilty Ones, Mike Stinson Crighton Theatre, Conroe June 15, 2013 Making the relatively short trip to the Crighton Theatre can’t help but feel a bit like stepping back a few decades, but with a contemporary twist. The Montgomery County fathers (and mothers) have invested no small…
Top 5 Candy Bars Better Eaten Frozen Than at Room Temperature
The heat has managed to squelch my appetite, yet I still hunger for chocolate. Go figure. Usually, I would bake up a batch of brownies to satisfy my craving, but lately I can’t bear to turn on the oven. A candy bar is an easy, cheap and even cooling way…
Daniel Duplaisir: Guilty Plea in A&M Prof’s Extortion Case
Daniel Duplaisir pleaded guilty to one count of extortion today, admitting in federal court that he pretended to be a 16-year-old girl during sexually explicit online chats with a Texas A&M professor who later threw himself off a parking garage roof. U.S. District Court Judge Lynn Hughes scheduled sentencing for…
Despite the Missing Sign, Dunkin’ Donuts at S. Shepherd Is Still Coming
If anyone has driven by the future location of Dunkin’ Donuts at Shepherd and Fairview, he or she may be wondering where the “Coming Soon” sign has gone. No, Dunkin Donuts hasn’t changed its mind about setting up shop in what is destined to become the most centrally located Dunkin’…
Heights Yarn Installation Destroyed By Vandals
On June 8, several knitters worked tirelessly to turn a black metal structure into a colorful installation to brighten up Heights Boulevard. Exactly a week later, someone destroyed it. All that remains of the installation at 16th Street is the very top row of knit triangles, remnants of the piece…
The Final Feast: Groundbreaking Restaurant Closes With Sold-Out Night
Click to view the full, final menu from Feast. Feast’s friends and fans packed the little house at 219 Westheimer for a final taste of hearty delights such as fish and scallop pie and coq au vin. The sold-out final night was a fitting end for a place that convinced…
Second Tropical Depression of the Year Forms in the Caribbean
It is mid-June and we already have another tropical disturbance to deal with. In this case, it is a depression that has formed near Belize in the western Caribbean Sea. It formed rather quickly and is expected to traverse portions of Central America and Mexico before emerging in the Bay…
Houston Ballet Flies High with Peter Pan
The Setup: Houston Ballet brings to life J.M. Barrie’s fairy tale, Peter Pan, the first time since the ballet’s 2002 premiere. Choreographer Trey McIntyre’s interpretation is filled with the story’s usual suspects of pirates, fairies and lost boys, but expands on the original’s Victorian preoccupation with the enchantment of childhood,…
Bun B and Trae Tha Truth at Baybrook Mall, 6/15/2013
Zumiez Couch Tour feat. Bun B and Trae Tha Truth Baybrook Mall June 14th, 2013 SLIDESHOW: Summer Skate: The 2013 Zumiez Couch Tour Hits Houston Music and skateboarding have always been interconnected. The influential 2001 documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys is remembered for both the skating featured in the film and…
Rooting for Rivals: Five Reasons This Rockets Fan Is Cheering for the Spurs
Few things are more difficult for a sports fan than rooting for a rival. Even when that rival’s victory could help your team, it feels uncomfortable wishing they would win. For Rockets fans, that means teams like the Jazz, the Lakers, the Mavericks and the Spurs are absolutely off limits…
Buffalo and Turkey Burgers Make Successful Debut At Skeeter’s Mesquite Grill
Last time I attempted to go to Skeeter’s Mesquite Grill for a burger I was sidelined by a case of food poisoning. History did not repeat itself, thank goodness, and a few weeks later I was able to try their new Anniversary Burger. What made me most recently return to…
Falling Skies: “So Much for Talking.”
Last night’s epsiode, “Badlands,” offered the surviving humans (and us) a bit of a respite after the bang-zoom-pow of the two-part season premiere. That’s not to say the highly anticipated alien offensive didn’t materialize (it did, eventually) or that another minor character didn’t die (say good night, Gracie), but most…
Sex and the Space Invaders: Strip Club Slash Game Room Raided in North Houston
Normally, when two or more businesses operate out of the same location, it would be expected that they share some commonality that makes putting them both there logical. Getting Kentucky Fried chicken is great, sure, but what if your kids want pizza and your stoned buddy wants Taco Bell? Voilà!…
Top Five Foodie Beach Reads
Given the fact I loathe the word “foodie” and dislike the term “beach read” (for the way in which it relegates potentially good literature into the realm of superficial fluff), I’m surprised I’m so excited about this list. Regardless of your personal opinion on either of these terms, I hope…
Drake, Miguel Heat Up Toyota Center November 13
Canadian rap superstar Drake and R&B phenom Miguel will share a bill at Toyota Center on November 13, Live Nation announced earlier this morning. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday at livenation.com, houstontoyotacenter.com, 1-866-4HOUTIX or at most Houston-area Randall’s stores. Drake will be supporting Nothing Was the…
Is the Atlantic League Expanding to The Woodlands? Maybe
The Atlantic League exists because the New York Mets didn’t want the New York Yankees to have a minor league team in Long Island. Bud Selig had yet to become Major League Baseball commissioner for life and Fay Vincent had been forced out by the major league owners. So with…
Cheyenne Jackson’s I’m Blue, Skies Is Fun and Entertaining
Cheyenne Jackson is no stranger to a spotlight. His theater credits are extensive, including originating the roles of Chad in 2005’s All Shook Up and Sonny Malone in 2007’s Xanadu on Broadway. People may also recognize him from his stints as Danny (Jack) Baker on NBC’s 30 Rock, Dustin Goolsby…
Calling All Houstonians to Root for James Nelson on MasterChef Season 4
Here’s another reason why you should love Houston so much. Another Houstonian has made it onto the fourth season of MasterChef and it looks as if he could go all the way. James Nelson, from Victoria, has advanced to the top 15 after wowing the judges with his audition recipe…
Ariel Pink at Fitzgerald’s, 6/16/2013
Ariel Pink & Haunted Graffiti, Callinan, Purple Pilgrims Fitzgerald’s June 16, 2013 On Sunday evening, the turnout for Ariel Pink looked pretty bleak. The show, which was being held in the upstairs ballroom of Fitzgerald’s, had a crowd of about 30 people. With the bar tables and stools set out…
A Houston Web Awards Daily Deal for You
It’s time for us to host our third annual Houston Web Awards honoring the best online practitioners in the Houston area – and now we’re making it even easier for you to attend with our Voice Daily Deal cutting the ticket price in half. Starting today (June 17) through Thursday,…
Rockets on the Right Path With or Without Dwight Howard, But Landing Him Would Be Huge
In three straight drafts, the former Seattle Sonics and eventual Oklahoma City Thunder completely altered the trajectory of their franchise and became the envy of the entire NBA, save perhaps Miami. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, taken in three consecutive NBA drafts, became the core of a team…
True Blood: Mikky Ekko Makes Me Not Hate Rihanna
Alan Ball was known for his masterful use of music in Six Feet Under. He’s lost none of his touch when it comes to his current HBO series, True Blood — which happens to be set in the Louisiana swamps, not terribly far from Houston. I’ve watched True Blood from…
Clutch Delivery Brings Composting to Houston’s Masses
I live in a loft and I love to cook. I also try to be as green a consumer as possible. A few years back, our little community got those large green recycling bins, the kind where you don’t have to separate glass, and I was adamant that we all…
Bully, Ideologue, Worst – Sen. Patrick Targeted by Colleagues and Media Alike
Dan Patrick seems to have no issue with verbal altercation. The state senator, representing parts of northwest Houston, has gained quick notoriety for transferring his acidic on-air personality to the halls of Austin. He’s offered crocodile tears for the students he purports to support. He’s castigated pro-choice advocates on the…
What’s Cooking This Week? Mussels in White Wine & More
I love cooking for my fiancé and me, but most of the time, cooking for two proves to be difficult. If I don’t make a plan, I end up running around in circles at the grocery store and wasting half the ingredient’s I’ve bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter…
Reviews for the Lazy Gamer: The Last of Us
Game: The Last of Us Platform: PS3 Publisher/Developer: Sony/Naughty Dog Genre: Survival horror Describe This Game in Three Words: This will hurt Plot Synopsis: Twenty years after the world is overrun by a strange fungus that turns people into savage zombies (And worse), the survivors live under dictatorial rule in…
Five Nine Inch Nails Remixes That Don’t Suck
2013 is going to be a big year for Nine Inch Nails and their fans. Already we’ve seen the giant awaken with the announcement of a new tour, a new touring line-up (which has been in and out of chaos ever since), a new album titled Hesitation Marks, and the…
Summer of Johnny: Looks Like the Haters Got to Manziel
Every hero has his setbacks. Nothing is forever, and no story is just a perpetual arrow pointing upward, with puppy dogs and gumdrops (or, in this case, bikini-clad coeds and Jell-O shots) 24 by 7. Rocky had to get his brains splattered by Clubber Lang one time, Luke Skywalker had…
Houston’s Best Concerts This Week: Robin Kirby, C.J. Chenier, The Suffers, etc.
Robin Kirby Last Concert Cafe, June 18 Singer-songwriter Robin Kirby entered the Houston music scene in 2008 after leaving her band Robin & the Hurricanes behind in Dallas. Since then she’s been constantly on the go, offering a stripped-down and honest style that sounds absolutely timeless. Kirby’s voice has that…
Finally Discovering Down House
My first time at Down House was on a blind date. He lived in the Heights and I had never been so it seemed perfect. Sometimes there’s just a connection, an instant attraction, a chemistry you can’t deny. And that’s how I felt…about Down House. Unfortunately, I can’t say the…
Seeking Summer Skin: My mybody™ Experience
Skincare–it’s just the sexiest possible topic, right? Who doesn’t love thinking about clogged pores, wrinkles, and sloughing dead skin cells from their face and body? And then–being located in Houston–we need to consider the ravaging effects of the relentless sun. At least the humidity is a friend to our skin…
5 Foods My Dad Really Wants for Father’s Day, & Your Dad Will Want Them, Too
Father’s Day is this Sunday, for those of you who may have been living underneath a rock and haven’t seen all the buzz about the holiday dedicated to celebrating our dads. This week, Brooke Viggiano gave us five things to do around Houston with Dad, like taking him to lunch,…
Top 10 Bars, Clubs & Ice Houses In Upper Kirby
As our sister blog Eating…Our Words does, from time to time Rocks Off will be giving your our picks for the top taverns in various Houston-area neighborhoods. Of course, the lines can be porous, but here anything with a TABC license that cannot reasonably be considered either a restaurant, coffeehouse…
Here’s a Link to the New Kanye Album If You Want to Listen
Well, everyone who had today in the “Kanye Pool,” time to collect your winnings. Since it is simply impossible to just wait for an official release date, Kanye West’s much-anticipated new album Yeezus has now leaked onto the file-sharing site What.cd about an hour ago, according to Spin. The thing…
Top Five Things to Do in Houston Sports This Weekend: Father’s Day Edition
Another week behind us and another weekend of hot, humid Houston weather in front. Time to kick back in the air conditioning and watch some movies in the dark surrounded by ice packs and half a dozen oscillating fans. Now, that is how you spend a summer weekend. I’m sorry,…
Marfreless Says It Will Reopen Later This Summer In Same Spot
After closing at the end of March, Marfreless, the notorious River Oaks bar known equally for its ritzy interior and the countless clandestine assignations that happened there, has announced that it will be back later this summer under new ownership, but in the same spot. “We are thrilled to announce…
Head for the Hills — West Nile Virus Found in Harris County!
You can commence panicking: The West Nile Virus has been detected in a mosquito trapping site in northeast Harris County (ZIP Code 77346), according to Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services Mosquito Control…
Reflection Pool: The Week in Photos
It’s time again to check out the Houston Press Flickr Pool and see what kinds of art shots our talented photographers have added. We love street art, unique perspectives and beautiful photos of Houston’s creative community. If you think you’ve got a good eye, drop your pictures in the pool…
Breakfast for Dinner Is Always a Good Thing & Haven Has You Covered
Attention, Houstonians, chef Randy Evans of Haven has a new waffle iron and is serving up chicken and waffles on his new limited-time breakfast for dinner menu. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love breakfast and could eat it for every single meal, even if it is just…
What Are Walker Lukens and the Side Arms Doing In the Texans’ Practice Bubble?
If you live in Houston and are obsessed with the local pro football franchise (like most people), you might recognize the setting of Walker Lukens’ “When I Lost You, Goddamn, I Lost” video, which his people were kind enough to let us premiere right here on Rocks Off. (It’s at…
Top Five Things to Do in Houston This Weekend: A Look at the Texas Landscape, Mr. Barbecue comes to Town, Peter Pan Soars Again and More
We’d expect to find images of cactus, rugged landscapes and ranch hands in an art exhibit called “The Texas Aesthetic VI: Lone Star Heritage in Contemporary Texas Painting,” our pick for Friday. Currently on display at Williams Reaves Fine Art gallery, “Texas Aesthetic” has plenty of those. It also has…
Star Trek Shuttle Scheduled for Display at Space Center Houston
The Star Trek shuttlecraft Galileo is making a landing in Houston, coming to rest at Space Center Houston as a permanent exhibit. Star Trek fans may remember the ill-fated voyage of Galileo, sent out from the Enterprise to explore a star system with a small crew led by First Officer…
Travel Through Texas Barbecue (Good and Bad) with Daniel Vaughn
This Saturday, June 15, Daniel Vaughn, who’s the new barbecue editor for Texas Monthly and has been dubbed “BBQ Snob,” will be signing his new book, The Prophets of Smoked Meat, at Leibman’s Foods/Blue Willow Bookshop from 1 to 3 p.m. and River Oaks Bookstore from 4 to 6 p.m…
The Supremes Say No Red River Water for North Texas
If North Texans thought they’d get their hands on Oklahoma water from the Red River, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled they’ve got another thing coming. The Tarrant Regional Water District has been trying to buy water from Oklahoma to help the growing population up in that corner of Texas…
The 5 Best Things to Eat or Drink This Weekend: Saint Arnold Craft Beers for Dad & Feast’s Yard Sale
Father’s Day Weekend Saint Arnold’s Tap Takeover @ The Barrel and Brew Friday-Sunday, 5 p.m. on Friday to 12 a.m. on Sunday 12720 Southwest Freeway, Stafford This weekend, The Barrel & Brew hosts a Father’s Day Weekend Saint Arnold’s Tap Takeover starting at 5 p.m. on Friday and ending on…
Summer TV Club: The Twilight Zone: “And When the Sky Was Opened”
This week we travel way back in time, long before the Art Attack TV Club writers were even specks of dust in our parents’ loins, with the exception of Pete, who was already like ten or something, to visit an episode of one of the greatest science fiction shows of…
Kelly Rowland: A Timeline From Sweet to Grown and Sexy
Kelly Rowland has been on an incredible yet rocky road throughout her musical career. As an original member of the popular R&B group Destiny’s Child, which she joined at just 16 years old, she made multiplatinum hits and sold out tours worldwide. Eventually she stepped away from singing alongside world-renowned…
Reviews for the Easily Distracted: Man of Steel
Title: Man of Steel Will You Believe a Man Can Fly? Depends on the man: Kal-El? Sure. R. Kelly? No. Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The Film: Three Kansas Jayhawks out of five. Brief Plot Synopsis: Handsome alien battles less handsome aliens for whatever’s left of the planet after…
Guns and Hoses: How You Can Help the Families of the Four Fallen Houston Firefighters
If you’re looking for the definition of courage, a good place to start would be along Houston’s Southwest Freeway back on May 31, where a burning hotel and restaurant took the lives of four Houston area firefighters and injured five more. Most of us see a fire like that, and…
Upcoming Events: Snowballs for Charity & a Free Wine Tasting
Brennan’s of Houston is having a Snoball Fight for Charity starting Friday, June 21, and lasting until Friday, July 5. Brennan’s has partnered with five local charities — SEARCH, Alley Theatre, YDC: Youth Development Center, Hermann Park Conservancy and Scout’s Honor Rescue — that have each chosen a snowball flavor…
Your Summer Reading List — Courtesy of Houston’s Local Bookstores
When it’s as hot as it’s been outside, our minds at Art Attack turn to one thing — the summer beach read. There’s just something about soaking up some sun with a new book that you can’t put down. Rather than go it alone, we asked the good folks at…
UPDATED: Stephen King’s Five Best Rock and Roll References
UPDATED (Friday, 11:50 a.m.) to correct the ID in the top photo. This past week saw the release of Stephen King’s latest short novel of hard-boiled crime fiction called Joyland, by my count his 70th overall, not counting reprints and compilations. What fuels output like that? By King’s own admission,…
Citing “War,” Threatening Lawsuits, Fearing “Blackball”: TSU Ph.D. Students Bring Forth Claims of Program’s Suffocating Politics
Toward the end of her 2011 Race and Crime course in Texas Southern University’s Administration of Justice Ph.D. program, Natalie Hinshaw raised her hand. She, and the rest of her classmates, had not yet received her mid-term paper back. The course’s final project was coming up, and Hinshaw wanted to…
Where’s All the Whiskey? 10,000 Bottles of Chicken Cock Whiskey Bound for Texas Stolen
Anyone who is a fan of Chicken Cock Whiskey will be pretty disappointed to find out that more than 10,000 bottles of the product were stolen off of an 18-wheel tractor-trailer at a truck stop in Florence, South Carolina, as it was headed from that state to Glazer’s in San…
Your Father’s Day Shopping Guide (HURRY!)
So did you look at the calendar this week and think, “Oh shit! It’s Father’s Day!”? No? Well, aren’t you freaking super-special. Congratulations. Of course some of us aren’t so perfect, and excuse us for living! Also, let’s hope our dads will excuse us for forgetting Father’s Day was just…
Louder Than Hell: Feast Upon The Heaviest Metal Book In Recorded History
Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Heavy Metal By Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman It Books, 736 pp., $32.50 Damn, this book is big. But then again, everything about heavy metal — from its beginnings with the Stooges and Blue Cheer, through Black Sabbath to Exodus to Motley…
Who Are These Internet Racists? No, Seriously, We Should Know
I’ve been on the Internet since American Online was introduced. I got my first dialup connection in the early ’90s. So, I’ve seen more than my fair share of jackasses online. Most of them are trolls. They like to rile people up and cause a stir, probably because they have…
100 Creatives 2013: Kris Becker, Nu-Classical Composer and Pianist
What he does: It might seem like a simple question: What do you do? For composer-pianist Kris Becker, it’s not a simple answer. “First I laugh,” Becker says. “Then I consider my audience. And then I try not to confuse people out of their minds.” His success rate with that…
Hey, Lady, That Ain’t Champagne in My Glass!
A few nights ago, I cozied up to the bar at the swank Hotel ICON on Main Street downtown to wait for a friend who was staying there. I asked for a wines-by-the-glass list only to discover that there was nothing by the glass that I wanted to put into…
James Caronna Redeemed In “The Devil Made a Home”
I’m going to rip this Band-Aid right off… back when I first was introduced to singer-songwriter James Caronna I didn’t think very highly of him at all. I thought his work was unoriginal, uninspiring, and just in general not worth bothering with; “Brand X Daniel Powter” was my comparison. Still,…
Will UH and Rice Play in The Dubai Bowl?
Very few people have ever said that there are not enough college football games. Yet if the smaller, minor conferences have their way, then more college bowl games we’ll be getting. And these bowl games won’t just be in any minor location like Phoenix or New Orleans, they’ll be in…
Houston’s Best Concerts This Weekend: Bun B & Trae Tha Truth, Kelly Rowland, Caifanes, etc.
Bun B, Trae Tha Truth Baybrook Mall (1355 W. Bay Area Blvd.), June 14 These days Bun B is a multitasking pillar of the community, one of the area’s most beloved public figures: to say nothing of his high social-media profile,. Lately he’s been helping Houston Mayor Annise Parker battle…
Openings & Closings: Sad Farewells & Exciting Expansions
Let’s just get to the sad news, first. Feast is closing today. The wonderful and beloved restaurant, however, is having a yard sale to get rid of, well, everything. Head on over on Saturday, June 15 at 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.-ish and Monday, June 17 from 10 a.m. until…
The Console War May Not Be Over, But at Least It’s Finally Interesting
Monday was a big day in the world of video games, one that may go down in history depending on how the next few months play out. It was the start of E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo) and the eyes of the video game world were all looking to see…
NBA Finals: Game 4, Tony Parker Is Gonna Play!
For a series that’s featured two blowout wins in three games, including a Game 3 that was pretty much over midway through the third quarter, there have been some pretty compelling storylines in these NBA Finals. We’ve had the disappearance (or maybe better worded, the sporadic appearances) of LeBron, we’ve…
The Rest of the Best: Houston’s Top 10 Small Churches and Temples (Architecturally)
We got some notes about our The Rest of the Best: Houston’s Top 10 Churches and Temples list last week. According to readers, we managed to leave off several important houses of worship. Last week we looked at large structures; this week we look at small, intimate structures. Hopefully the…
Study: 1 in 5 Don’t Have Access to Enough Food in Houston
It’s really amazing to think that in a city that has become so renowned for its restaurant scene, nearly 20 percent of the population doesn’t have consistent access to food. But a new study from Feeding America found that to be the case. Even worse, in 18 southeast Texas counties,…
Woozyhelmet Takes Two Years to Answer an Email About Their Name
It a well-known fact that most band names are gobbledygook, but here at Rocks Off we’re trying hard to find meaning in the oddest monikers. Two years ago, when I started punching band names in the vowels until they coughed up their lunch origins, I was immediately smitten with a…
Top 5 Variations on the Arnold Palmer
There’s nothing quite as refreshing in summer as a tall, icy Arnold Palmer. So popular is this hybrid beverage (ice tea and lemonade, with some debate as to the exact proportions) that many supermarkets now offer their own premixed varieties. I prefer, however, to mix my own Arnold Palmer at…
Stylish Savings on Eyelash Extensions, Designer Maternity Apparel, and a Luxury Spa Day
Ladies and gentlemen, you are just $70 and about two hours away from thicker, darker, longer eyelashes. Yes, boys, too! Today’s Houston Press Voice Daily Deal is good for a stunning 75 percent off ($69 for $275) of a full set of women’s or men’s eyelash extensions at Enchante Day…
Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches
The Waffle Bus’s menu proffers many, many enticing options that would easily satisfy my brinner cravings on any given day. Only one thing is missing: waffle ice cream sandwiches. They have burgers in between waffles. And smoked salmon and dill cream cheese. Also Nutella and bananas. Clearly, there’s no objection…
Greenlink Marks One-Year Anniversary Driving Grumpy Downtown Workers to Lunch
If you don’t work or spend much time in downtown Houston, you probably have no idea what Greenlink is. But if you do work downtown or spend time here, particularly in the summer, Greenlink might be your knight in shining green armor. In simplest terms, Greenlink is a free shuttle…
Allow Us to Plug One of Our Photographers For a Second
We’ve said it before, and will say it again, but one of the things we’re proudest of here at Rocks Off are the gifted concert photographers we get to work with. So when one of them puts together an exhibit of work – most of which appeared in these very…
Get out the greasepaint; It’s summer in the Berkshires
When the temperature heads toward the three-digit mark, my thoughts turn to the Berkshires in Massachusetts, where the arts flourish each summer, as prevalent as dandelions. The Berkshire Mountains were formed more than half a billion years ago when Africa collided with North America, pushing up the Appalachian Mountains and…
Top 5 Restaurants Near Minute Maid Park & BBVA Compass Stadium
Sometimes you just don’t want to eat ballpark or stadium food when attending a sporting event, and I don’t blame you for not wanting to eat a mediocre hot dog piled with chili that will just make your heart burn by the middle of the game. BBVA Compass Stadium and…
Ex-Employees: Michael Brown Told Bodyguard to Blow Him, Pissed All Over an Airplane Bathroom
Alright, who wants to suck my dick?Ex-hand surgeon Michael “More Cocaine, Please” Brown once told his bodyguard to “suck my dick,” and chased his wife Rachel around the grounds of his Memorial Drive mansion with a gun, according to a former employee scheduled to testify in Brown’s upcoming trial for…
Water Taxi Service Returns to Corpus Christi (Who Needs Venice?)
Tapping into the same urge that’s lured tourists for centuries to the gondolas of Venice, Corpus Christi is getting back into the water taxi business. No word yet on whether there will be singing from the water taxi operators as they ply their trade from one side of Harbor Bridge…
DOGFIGHT (Original Cast Recording) is Stirringly Gorgeous and Emotionally Riveting
Off-Broadway’s DOGFIGHT is based on Bob Comfort’s 1991 film Dogfight, which starred River Phoenix and Lili Taylor. The musical adaptation debuted in June 2012 at Second Stage Theatre and has music and lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (NBC’s SMASH, Broadway’s A Christmas Story, The Musical) and a book…
7 Campfire Recipes to Try This Summer, Including S’mores Two Ways
While I’m not the most experienced camper (I went last weekend and am still convincing myself that whatever was crawling on my shoulder was not a scorpion), I do enjoy a night or two under the stars. The crackling fire. The darkness of the night. It’s all so peaceful. But…
My Girl Went to a Male Strip Club. Help!
Welcome to Ask Willie D, Rocks Off’s advice column where the Geto Boys MC answers reader questions about matters, in his own words, “funny, serious or unpredictable.” Something on your mind? Ask Willie D! DRUG ADDICTED SON DIVIDING FAMILY Dear Willie D: I have to lock my bedroom door at…
FEMA Denies West Rebuilding Funds
To say that the town of West has had a rough time is pretty much the understatement of the year. Since a fertilizer plant exploded, killing 15 people and leaving half the town looking like it had been wiped out by a nuclear bomb, the people of West have been…
Pop Rocks: MTV Celebrates Independence With Music and Stolen Freedoms
In the not so distant past, MTV, VH1 and CMT were entertainment destinations that viewers could go to and escape reality through music videos. Then one day someone at Viacom, the media conglomerate that owns these channels, said, “Hey, let’s stop doing that, and force them into reality programming.” Rather…
Waiter, I’d Like Some Pie in That Milkshake
A slice of pie is best accompanied by a scoop of ice cream, or, as some argue, a slice of cheese. And apparently, a milkshake is best accompanied by a slice of pie. Given we live in a country in which we deep-fry Oreos and manufacture two-pound Snickers bars, I…
The Rocks Off 100: Electric Attitude, Renegades of Funk
Who? Sitting at The Harp on Richmond with Jordan Bell, Kwesi Sackey and Blake Shepard, founding members of funk/soul group Electric Attitude, it’s easy to understand why Electric is so eclectic. Of the three, Shepard is the more straightforward, serious one. Sackey, on the other hand, gives off a more…
Developer Says He’ll Correct Clear-Cutting of Woodland Park
A Houston developer has taken responsibility for the clear-cutting of a large swath of public park property in the Heights. Bill Workman told Hair Balls that a contractor affiliated with the development of seven townhomes along Wrightwood Street, abutting Woodland Park, mistakenly razed three-quarters of an acre in the city’s…
Plumb Bobs Get Their Day in the Sun at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
A plumb bob isn’t something you’d usually see on display to admire. The typically acorn-shaped weight is used behind the scenes, by the likes of carpenters, architects and artists, to note the vertical of a surface. It’s rarely seen as a work of art in and of itself. Gary Schott…
We Are Wombat: Try Pooping In Cubes
It’s a well-known fact that most band names are essentially gobbledygook, but here at Rocks Off we’re doing our best to find meaning in the oddest monikers. My absolute favorite kind of music is stuff that isn’t in any way goth, but sounds like it should be. Especially if it…
Burger King’s Poblano Chicken Sandwich Technically Does Not Exist
I’ve been riding a recent wave of fast-food good luck that peaked when I found the Whataburger Monterey Melt. I was so enamored of that particular sandwich that I began seeking out other fast-food burgers to compare it to. So when I drove away from the Burger King drive-thru the…
Texans Tackle David Quessenberry’s Pickup Truck Recovered From Evil Smugglers
For Texans rookie offensive tackle David Quessenberry, OTA’s and mini camp have been the best of times and the worst of times. On the one hand, with injuries to incumbent starter Derek Newton and fellow rookie Brennan Williams, the sixth-round draft choice out of San Jose State has been given…
Suspect Summer Jobs From Craigslist
School is finally out for summer, and while you may have planned on spending the next three months sitting on your couch, live-Tweeting your binge watch of The Golden Girls while ordering gluten-free pizza from Pinks, your parents probably have a different idea of how you should spend your summer…
The Hottest Censored Album Covers, 1981-Present (NSFW)
Longtime readers of Rocks Off might remember that back in 2009 we ran thorough look at censored album covers that spanned the years of 1966 to 1980, with two more recent covers at the end. Of course, album covers didn’t stop being censored just as frequently after 1980, and the…
After 44 Years, Hollywood Is Finally Smart Enough to Make a Judy Blume Movie
Judy Blume’s first novel, The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo, was published in 1969, yet it’s only now, 44 years later, that the first big-screen adaptation of her work—Tiger Eyes, based on 1981’s novel of the same name—finally opens in theaters. This is a disgrace. One can…
Man of Steel: Making Sense of All That Christ and Death Stuff
Sometimes, there’s just too damn much to say about a movie than can fit into any one review. (Even Stephanie Zacharek’s exhaustive, excellent one.) So, here’s more: Stephanie Zacharek, our lead film critic, and Film Editor Alan Scherstuhl hashing over all the portentous craziness in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Call It Street Art, Call It Fine Art, Call It What You Know”, “Halls without walls, room to feel in. The door awaits you, your return within.”, “Late Surrealism”, “Maurice”, “Salt House”, “Unwoven Light”
“Call It Street Art, Call It Fine Art, Call It What You Know” In our time, there may be no art form more divisive than street art. For decades, the public has debated the merits of the genre — from the criminality of the act to the skill and creativity…
An MF Perfect Nigiri: Trust the Chef at MF Sushi
‘I’d forgotten how good the sushi rice is here,” marveled my dining companion on a recent Saturday evening as he popped a perfect bite of madai (sea bream) nigiri dusted with powder-fine Himalayan sea salt into his mouth. “The rice grains have such a great texture, and they’re so well…
Where to Eat on Father’s Day
On the Menu Unlike Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is not filled with champagne and mimosa brunches or frou-frou breakfasts in bed. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take your dad out for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even cupcakes this Sunday. Show Dad how much you love him by filling his…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Dracula, Flashdance The Musical, Malcolm and Teresa, Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club
Dracula Fog swirls underfoot and Gregorian chant reverberates. Red light bathes two blanched, debauched brides wearing dusty wedding dresses. They perch on the stairs near the Gothic windows, watching with hungry anticipation. One pets a raven on her arm, the other hisses menacingly. An old crone sheathed in garlic and…
Chemically Burned: Dow Chemical Tries to Avoid Hot Water in Worker’s Death
His skin was on fire. Brian Johns couldn’t feel exactly what was happening to him through the jolt of endorphins and adrenaline pumping through his body, but the acid was still there, sizzling through layer after layer of his skin, from the rich brown color that coated his huge muscles…
Macbeth: Real Life Couple Tackle Shakespeare’s Most Murderous Married Tag-Team
In Stark Naked Theatre Company’s season finale, Macbeth, real-life couple and the troupe’s co-directors Philip Lehl and Kim Tobin tackle Shakespeare’s most murderous married tag-team. I’m not sure who wins. Any staging of Shakespeare is required viewing, if only to experience his glorious language in action. Reading the Bard is…
There’s Greatness In Man Of Steel, Even When It Isn’t Very Good
Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is a movie event with an actual movie inside, crying to get out. Despite its preposterous self-seriousness, its overblown, CGI’ed-to-death climax, and its desperate efforts to depict the destruction of, well, everything on Earth, there’s greatness in this retelling of the origin of Superman; moments…
This Is the End: Joke Book of Revelation
From the peak of Anchorman to the nadir of Burt Wonderstone, the formula for studio comedies of the last 20 years has been simple: Dude acts like a dick for an hour, turns blandly sweet toward the end and then everyone on the DVD commentary can claim to have made…
Dear 59/610 Exchange Drivers, Seriously, WTF?
Highlights from Hair Balls Spaced City Hi, fellow Houston drivers. Listen, if you ever drive on Loop 610 or Interstate 59 and use the intersection of those two freeways, we need to talk. There’s a real problem. You should probably sit down. This week alone, there have been two serious…
Glam It Up
By day four of a recent “staycation,” my family and I had little to do and less money to do it with. My daughter suggested an afternoon of bargain-hunting in the thrift stores. Everyone piled into the family vehicle and off we went. She asked what I planned to buy,…
To Actresses on the Brink of 40: Go Bad or Go Home
Last week, EW columnist Mark Harris tweeted a statistic disturbing to anyone who cares about gender equality on the big screen: “It’s now been 61 days since the last wide release of a major studio movie starring a woman.” Unfortunately, that number will only increase—to 84 days—until Sandra Bullock and…
