Bun B’s II Trill: An Underground King, alone on the throne
Peep our slideshow of Bun B’s party at Louis Vuitton in the Galleria… Back in 1987, when Chad Butler and Bernard Freeman were first writing the rhymes that would become their debut cassette The Southern Way, neither one of them ever would have dreamed that their music would one day…
$7 at Chicago Italian Beef on Airline
Since sometimes $13 is too much to drop on lunch (or dinner, or breakfast, or brunch), we now present the inaugural installment of our $7 series, where we tell you what seven smackers gets you at various spots around town… Where: Chicago Italian Beef, 1777 Airline, 713-862-2828. What $7 gets…
Reverberations: Free EPs from Something Fierce and The Early Days
Both of these EPs can currently be downloaded for free at the given links. Go get them. When they see official release, buy them. It feels good to spend money on music. Records don’t give you hangovers. The really good ones might, but that’s a whole other matter . …
A Fall from Glory for Hruska’s Grocery & Bakery?
Has anybody noticed that the formerly spectacular burger at Hruska’s Grocery & Bakery in Ellinger has slipped a little? I stop at Hruska’s almost every time I drive between Houston and Austin by way of I-10 and Highway 71. I think it’s almost exactly half way. At breakfast time, I…
Last Night: Elvis Costello and The Police in the Woodlands
Check out our slideshow of Elvis Costello and The Police in the Woodlands… Elvis Costello / The Police May 20, 2008 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Better Than: Not seeing Elvis Costello with The Police. (See: Personal Bias.) Download: Costello’s latest, Momofuku – especially “Go Away” – and hear one Elvis…
Last Night: Little Joe Washington at Boondocks
Dialtone Records Little Joe Washington Boondocks May 20, 2008 Better Than: The inevitable Little Joe tribute concert. Download: Watch the Rolling Stones’ “Undercover of the Night” – Little Joe played as fully half of the crowd at Boondocks sat on the patio, oblivious to what they were missing. Houston almost…
Slinging Frito Pies Is Serious Business
Apparently, after Roy Turner’s team crashed when going against Morris Buttermaker’s Bears back in the mid-70s, he left Southern California and headed for Massachusetts. He changed his name to Dave Brouillette, and instead of coaching, he moved into Little League administration, where he is now the president of the Freetown…
A Tribute to Bea and the Gals
In celebration of Bea Arthur’s recent birthday, the geniuses at VH1’s “Best Week Ever” decided to put together a list of the top ten Bea Arthur clips. Now I love Bea Arthur for a lot of reasons, but I love her most because of “The Golden Girls.” For those of…
Roger Clemens Could Return to the Astros? Really?
Drayton, you’ve got to be frakking kidding me. Clemens? On the Astros? Seriously? What kind of drugs are you taking? What am I talking about, you ask? Well, Drayton McLane gave a little interview to MLB.com after last week’s owner meetings. And he answered a few questions about Rocket, and…
Horsemeat Is Not on the Menu: Sam Houston Race Park Names New Chef
Sam Houston Race Park, which has been so busy of late redefining itself as a music as well as a horseracing enterprise, has decided to renovate its menu as well, and named a new executive chef. Hugo Gomez, who most recently served as executive chef for Bistro Moderne at the…
An Open Letter to Fans of Miguel Tejada
Houston sports fan, you are a hypocritical idiot. What am I talking about? Miguel Tejada, that’s what I’m talking about. This guy can do no wrong in your eyes. So what if he used steroids? So what if he lied under oath to the Feds? So what if he committed…
The Most Demanding Songs in Rock History
ABBA: Not safe for microwave use. While doing some research for an ink-and-paper Press article, I stumbled across the Arrow’s song library, which is full of both surprises and songs the station never, ever, ever plays. (That I’ve heard, anyway.) It’s a gold mine of potential lists too, so here’s…
Slideshow: Listening Party for Bun B’s II Trill
Houston’s hip-hop community was at its most fly at Bun B’s II Trill listening party last night at the Galleria Louis Vuitton. Slim Thug, Chamillionaire, several members of the Prince family, TV Johnny Dang and Golden State Warrior swingman (and Port Arthur native) Stephen Jackson all dropped by for well-wishes…
Stubby Clapp to Play in Olympics After All
You might remember last week’s post on Stubby Clapp, the hitting coach for the Houston Astros Single-A Lexington Legends, who was denied permission by the Astros to play for Team Canada in the upcoming Summer Olympics. I come to you this week with good news. On Friday, the Astros relented,…
Houstoned Video: Texas Sinkhole
And now, we present a newscast from the heart of Daisetta, Texas, where a sinkhole is threatening to swallow all of Liberty County…..
Dewberry Time
Meet Tom, a roadside produce vendor with a lovely hat who sold me my first dewberries of the season. His pick-up truck was parked near an Exxon station on the southbound side of Route 6 south of Navasota. Tom had some big berries that were still too red and too…
Astros-Cubs: So That’s What a Good Team Looks Like…
I’ve got a confession to make. I started out listening to the Astros game on the radio last night, as I was still at work when it started. Then I got home and turned on the TV and flipped it over to watch Brownie and J.D. in the hi-def. And…
The Wayback Machine: Five, Ten and 15 Years Ago in Houston Music
15 years ago in Houston music: Global Village performed at Party on the Plaza…War was declared at Rockefeller’s, with the L.A. funksters basking in many a rap sample at the time…Sting was at The Woodlands and Carolyn Wonderland was at World Bait Headquarters on Greenbriar…The Galactic Cowboys “swaggered into Tower…
This Just In: Craig Biggio to Become St. Thomas Baseball Coach
Mark C. Austin Well, the good folks who run St. Thomas High School obviously haven’t been listening to Lance Berkman or Cecil Cooper, because it’s being reported today that Craig Biggio is set to become the school’s next baseball coach. I guess this means that the St. Thomas players will…
Relatively Well-Known Younger Sister of Fabricated Pop Star Marries Hot Topic Punk Wannabe in Non Denominational Ceremony in Encino
The relatively well-known younger sister of a fabricated pop star exchanged vows this past Saturday with an upper middle class young man from the posh suburbs of Chicago who has attempted to create a punk rock affectation although the band he fronts is quite slickly produced and well-funded. The bride,…
Over the Weekend: Nightlife Photos from Dean’s and Numbers
We’ve just loaded up a couple batches of nightlife action from photog Bill Olive. First up are these snaps from Friday night, shot during the final performance of Les Femmes de la Nuit. And then on Saturday night we returned to Numbers, one of our favorite places to people-watch. And…
Don’t Hate the Spurs, Hate the Celts
Last week I revealed my strange love affair with the San Antonio Spurs —a team hated by most people outside of the Alamo City for reasons I can’t quite comprehend. So today I’m going to focus on the team I inexplicably despise. Yeah, you might be surprised by this one…
Last Call: Les Femmes de la Nuit
We’ve just loaded up a slideshow of images from the last night of the all-female DJ event. — KP…
Slideshow: World Gyro Eating Championship at Festival of Greece
Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti (pictured right) took home first place on Saturday, May 17, at the Major League Eating event sponsored by Niko Niko’s. Bertoletti bested Joey “Jaws” Chestnut (left), who had recently beat him at a deep-fried asparagus eating contest in California. Click here for pics. — Bill Olive…
Saturday Night: Radiohead in the Woodlands
Check out our slideshow of Radiohead in the Woodlands… Radiohead May 17, 2008 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Better Than: Mindlessly spending the economic stimulus check Dubya so graciously decided to give back to us. Download: The original soundtrack for last years Daniel Day-Lewis juggernaut There Will Be Blood, in which…
Over the Weekend: Radiohead, Gyro Eating, Tom Jones Memorial and Astros
This was a weekend of opposites. Hot sun and cool breezes. Slick pop and sloppy dining. Death and rebirth. Let’s get to it. Radiohead in the Woodlands The Brits returned to Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on Saturday, May 17. We brought back words and pictures. World Gyro Eating Championship Grown…
Astros-Rangers: What Happens When Two Teams on a Roll Run into Each Other?
As magnificent and mind-bending as the Astros recent run of wins has been, there was something that everyone here in Houston forgot to watch: our neighbors up north. And just as the Astros were 13-6 since April 25 coming into Friday’s night game versus the Rangers, the Rangers also were…
Weekend Music: Setting Things Straight
Apologies to Houston’s esteemed Bright Men of Learning for my ongoing cluelessness; I plan on seeking help just as soon as I have health insurance again. Here’s the deal: I have now reported twice that the Men – part of an excellent, twangish, 75% local bill at the Mink tonight…
10 Great Moments in White Rap History
In honor of Northern State’s appearance at Warehouse Live, Houstoned Rocks is proud to present 10 of the dorkiest and funniest moments in the history of melanin-challenged rap: 1. Here’s a dorky guy who can impersonate LL Cool J, Mystikal and Digital Underground:…
The Pain in the UH to Tier I Process
Last night it was a love fest in one room of the library at the University of Houston’s main campus. The new president and chancellor Renu Khator was up there in front of the special invited guests just prior to introducing the four new regents, and she was sharing her…
Beards of a Feather: Rick Rubin to helm ZZ Top session
That’s what is going through the rumor mill. The Web site Anti-Music quotes Billy Gibbons thusly: “We just inked a deal with Rick Rubin that will be announced shortly. And I’m sure he’s got plans to make way to drag us off the touring trail back into the studio, which…
If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On
Touring bands, especially those that haven’t graduated to bus level, have a special relationship with Denny’s. The roadside restaraunt chain is always open, providing a perfect post-gig spot to sober up on free coffee refills or just get to know the townies a little better. Its locations are often located…
Review: Rockferry, by Duffy
Album: Rockferry Artist: Duffy Release Date: 5/13/08 Does the world need another Amy Winehouse? If the answer is yes, then Duffy will suffice. On Rockferry, the Welsh songstress follows the Winehouse trend of mixing neo- soul with glossy production; the outcome is light, ambling, and adult radio-friendly…
Playbill: Corb Lund and Hayes Carll at Dosey Doe
Pushing the new Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! record, Canadian country jazzers Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertans make one of their infrequent visits to the area Friday night at Dosey Doe, a new upscale coffee house in The Woodlands. Lund will be opening for Woodlands favorite son Hayes Carll, who…
Astros-Giants: Biggio Attacked? Hold Up.
It is getting to a point with Lance Berkman where his performance with the bat goes beyond words. I think I’ve hit that point. Yesterday, Berkman was two for four. The first hit was a fourth inning single down the right field line that plated Kaz Matsui and Hunter Pence…
To Do: Empty Bowls and Edible Art
This Saturday, May 17, brings the annual Empty Bowls Houston at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and Lawndale Art Center. For a donation of $25 or more, guests will receive a soup lunch provided by Sweet Tomatoes restaurants, with bread from Whole Foods Bakehouse. There will be live music…
The Ballad of Roger Clemens, a.k.a. Rocket Raccoon
I dedicate this song to my friend Frank, who gave me the idea. And I do so with all apologies to Paul McCartney and the rest of the band. “Rocket Raccoon” (sung to the tune of “Rocky Raccoon”) Now somewhere in the bright shining rays of Florida There visited the…
Why Don’t I Love Madonna?
My friend Kyle e-mailed me this past week. The subject line was Oh My God! and the e-mail itself was all about Madonna’s upcoming world tour. I guess he thought I liked Madonna. I mean, why else would he e-mail me about this? Here’s the deal. I have never actually…
Tonight: Paul Thorn at the Mucky Duck
Little birdies on the Internet told me that Paul Thorn, who is appearing tonight at the Mucky Duck, puts on a legendary, soul-cleansing, mind-blowing, ass-kicking live show. Judge for yourself after the jump…..
The Rocket’s Personal Items, Revealed…
It has been learned that Hall of Fame QB Joe Montana is suing the first ex-Mrs. Joe Montana regarding personal items of his which were sold at an auction. Among those things sold were his freshman college ID and some rather sappy love letters he wrote to the first ex-Mrs…
Astros-Giants: Big Puma, Billy Jack and Doug Rader
Okay. I’ve had it with Lance Berkman. That bum only went one for four last night. Of course, that one was a monster two-run home run in the top of the first inning that put the Astros up 3-0. But the rest of the game… Nothing. What? Does he think…
Trapped in the Closet No More
Confession time: I love the San Antonio Spurs. I know that sort of statement borders on blasphemy in these parts, but there’s no use denying it any longer. I love the Spurs. There, I said it again. It feels good to get it off my chest. Just to clarify: My…
Get Lit: Pot Culture: The A-Z Guide to Stoner Language and Life, by Shirley Halperin & Steve Bloom
In the beginning, God populated the planet with lush foliage. Then he gave us the sweet leaf and it was good…real good. And thus the weed of wonder begat Louis Armstrong…who begat Cheech and Chong…who begat Jeff Spicoli…who begat Snoop Dogg…and, well, uh, man, who’s got the Twinkies? In Pot…
The Five Best Uniforms in the History of Houston Sports
Being a longtime observer of Houston sports means that I’ve seen an awful lot of uniforms. Some good. Many bad. Here are what I consider to be the five best uniforms in Houston sports history. 5. Houston Astros, Road Uniforms, 1971-1974. This one kind of gets lost when remembering Astros…
Luling Bar-B-Q and Bar Opens in Midtown
Tom Craig, who’s used to run his dad’s place, Luling City Market, has opened his own barbecue place, Luling Bar-B-Q and Bar (138 West Gray). “Over here, we’re going to be doing the same thing,” he says, “only catering more to the younger, Midtown crowd.” The place used to be…
“Perspectives 161: Tim Lee”
Artist Tim Lee doesn’t want to be a celebrity — he wants to be celebrities. In his solo exhibition “Perspectives 161: Tim Lee,” the photographer imagines himself as actors, musicians and athletes. In one photo, he re-creates the classic image of actor/comedian Steve Martin holding a banjo and wearing a…
Vanishing Point
Vanishing Point is the greaser’s Easy Rider. Besides people, the 1971 film stars a 1970 Dodge Challenger — which makes it a must-see for all gear heads. In keeping with its on-the-road/up-to-no-good theme, the movie follows the adrenaline-hungry Jimmy Kowalski, a car delivery man who must get the muscle car…
“Rhapsody in Black and White”
By turning his lens on both the mundane and the revolutionary, Charles “Teenie” Harris captured more than fleeting moments. “Rhapsody in Black and White,” on view at Blaffer Gallery, features 31 of more than 80,000 images taken by Harris when he worked at the Pittsburgh Courier from 1936 to 1975…
Elizabeth Edwards
Sometimes life gives you lemons. Sometimes it gives you a lemon tree. Elizabeth Edwards, attorney and wife of politician John Edwards, got a grove. First, her oldest child died in a car accident in 1996. Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, during her husband’s failed run for…
Planet B-Boy
Globalization spins around and does a back flip in the documentary Planet B-Boy, a breakthrough film by Benson Lee that chronicles the battle for the best b-boy crew on the planet. Planet B-Boy features vivid imagery and fast-paced music as it takes viewers into the lives of five teams as…
“Max Neuhaus: Circumscription Drawings”
“Max Neuhaus: Circumscription Drawings” is now open at the Menil. Born in Beaumont, Neuhaus is a leading creator of “sound installations,” artistic pieces in which sound (and sound would be a more apt term than music to describe the minimalist percussion conks and electronic bleeps of his work) plays a…
“Maripolarama: Perverse City”
The influential ‘80s artist/fashion designer/filmmaker Maripol is known for her candid Polaroid snaps of New York’s underground art scene. She photographed Deborah Harry, Grace Jones, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Patti Astor and Madonna. The exhibit “Maripolarama: Perverse City” features some of these photos — blown up to larger sizes —…
Mr. Marmalade
Lucy is four years old and married (no, you’re not reading the latest news on the polygamist scandal; this is about the play Mr. Marmalade). Her husband, Mr. Marmalade, such as he is, is imaginary — and very, very busy. He can pencil Lucy in for just ten minutes on…
The Cuisine of India
Chef/cookbook author Suneeta Vaswani joins forces with the owners of Dharma Café, John Gurney and Susan Ralph, to whip up a little edible fun at The Cuisine of India party. “All of the recipes we’re doing, the six appetizers and two entrées, are from my two [cook]books,” says Vaswani. “One…
Tony Kushner
Tony Kushner knows how to get plays right. He won the Pulitzer Prize and two Tony Awards for his play Angels in America and an Emmy and a Golden Globe for its television adaptations. He also received an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s Munich. Kushner stands…
“Libera — The Joy of Believing”
“Libera — The Joy of Believing” is a show by choreographers and dancers who have “a biblical worldview.” Wait, wait, don’t run off to the hills. This isn’t “praise dancing” (efforts by well-meaning amateurs to incorporate a dance performance into a worship service, usually with results of questionable quality). It’s…
The Drowsy Chaperone
Lose yourself for a couple of sweet hours under the intoxicating charms of The Drowsy Chaperone. The 2006 Broadway musical comedy hit by a team of Tony winners including Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison features a lonely man who adores the glitz and glamour of old-time song and dance. Known…
Dido and Aeneas
As excuses to end a relationship go, “Hey babe, I gotta go build a city that will become the hub of history’s greatest empire” is pretty good. But it still must have sucked to be Dido, queen of Carthage, when her fiancé Aeneas left her behind and went off to…
Holy Dirt
Holy Dirt, the one-man show starring Martin Martinez, follows the antics of a Latino actor living in a small town. “He’s loosely based on me,” Martinez says. “He’s doing some community-based [theater], and he’s also very politically minded. But every time he goes out, he gets caught up in this…
Houston Fringe Festival
Underground theater is finally getting some spotlight time. The Houston Fringe Festival features some of the city’s most promising off-the-radar theater troupes. The three-day event starts today with the kickoff of Super-author, a project headed up by BooTown members Hem and Fitz, that will be written, rehearsed and performed during…
“Houston’s History Is Well Marked and All Around You, Explore and Enjoy”
Are you a History Channel fiend? Well, you live in the right place. Harris County has more than 300 state historical markers, and Patrick Van Pelt, the head honcho over at the Harris County Historical Commission, will discuss each and every one of them at today’s “Houston’s History Is Well…
Bobby Lee
As one of the longest-running (and one of the funniest) cast members of MADtv, comedian Bobby Lee is often mistaken for some of the people he impersonates. He says people have thought he’s from Heroes, American Idol and Grey’s Anatomy (to which he says, “That’s a chick!”). Lee has an…
Fine Hour: Short Films by Humphrey Jennings
“Pioneer,” “poet” and “propagandist” are all terms that apply to Humphrey Jennings. The early British filmmaker made stirring shorts that put together images and music more cohesively than previous directors. He shot World War II propaganda films for the UK’s Ministry of Information, and he was also involved in the…
Moulin Rouge
After reimagining William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as a Pulp Fiction-style shoot-’em-up, director Baz Luhrmann applied the same swashbuckling production values to old-school MGM musicals for 2001’s Moulin Rouge. The film has a score fashioned from a jaw-droppingly diverse array of pop and rock sources — Elton John, David Bowie,…
Best of Dallas Video Festival
The Best of Dallas Video Festival includes a wide mix of genres. Ranging from experimental film to documentaries to animation, the collection highlights the top films of the festival’s 20th year. Lewis Khlar’s animated Pony Glass is a portrait of Superman’s best friend, Jimmy Olsen, who must deal with a…
Great Taste of the Heights
Eat your way though one of the city’s most historic neighborhoods at the Great Taste of the Heights food festival. Gathering 20 of the neighborhood’s tastiest eateries, Great Taste of the Heights features food by Collina’s Italian Cafe, Molina’s, 11th Street Café and Pinks Pizza. Also joining the fun is…
The Cuisine of India
Chef/cookbook author Suneeta Vaswani joins forces with the owners of Dharma Café, John Gurney and Susan Ralph, to whip up a little edible fun at The Cuisine of India party. “All of the recipes we’re doing, the six appetizers and two entrées, are from my two [cook]books,” says Vaswani. “One…
Night of the Derby — Part Deux
Some new art cars are on the prowl. Night of the Derby — Part Deux features those mini-pinewood racers from your Scout days made over by local artists. They’ll be put to the test on the racetrack and in the display case; awards will be handed out for fastest, slowest,…
Fire on the Strings Bluegrass Festival, featuring The Claire Lynch Band
About 13 years ago, on a deep dark summer night, I was perhaps unwisely attempting to coax a 1979 Malibu Classic station wagon up and over Monteagle Mountain, halfway between Chattanooga and Nashville in southeastern Tennessee. I was tuned in to AM-650, WSM, the “air castle of the South,” and…
Culturcide: Gigs for an Imaginary Audience
Back in the early and middle ’80s, Culturcide bypassed then-prevalent synth-pop in favor of a form of electronic punk rock that evolved into industrial. This odds-and-sods collection offers 12 demos, live jams and unreleased tracks for the coroner’s inquest. It’s certainly a horrible place for dilettantes to start, as the…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Ashes to Africa, The Heiress, Time of My Life, The Wedding Singer, You Can’t Take It With You
Ashes to Africa Everything from death to sexual dysfunction troubles the Henderson family. Grandma’s about to kick it, Mom’s overworked, Dad’s got his nose in girly mags and Junior’s hooked on video games. Such are the family struggles in Mark Clayton Southers’s sitcom-style Ashes to Africa, now on the boards…
Mr. Gnome, with Fired for Walking and Treehouse Project
Drawing on a visceral mix of contrasting textures — light/dark, soft/loud — Cleveland, Ohio, duo Mr. Gnome recasts the epic menace of bands like Isis and Pelican. Nicole Barille’s ethereal voice adds a softer element that’s missing from the aforementioned combos, heightening contrasts. At times, Mr. Gnome’s languid drift veers…
New Blood in Son of Rambow
No adult has ever been able to codify what separates a good movie from a classic. In kid terms, though — those favored by Son of Rambow, a chipper tribute to the cinema as both supplier and repository of dreams — a good movie merely sends you bounding home from…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Apertura-Colombia,” “How Artists Draw,” “John Alexander: New Paintings and Drawings,” “Miguel Angel Rojas: FotoFest 2008,” “Perspectives 160: Dawoud Bey,”
“Apertura-Colombia” This survey of Colombian photography and video at the Station Museum of Contemporary Art far outshined the official FotoFest exhibitions of contemporary Chinese photography. The Station is at its best when it deals with art and politics, and this show is no exception. Angel Rojas shows Caquetá, his video…
Philippe Schmidt parts ways with Legacy Restaurants
When the Press last spoke with Philippe Schmidt, he was excited about all the plans he’d made with Legacy Restaurants, owners of Antone’s and Ninfa’s. He’d been working on the new Antone’s Market on Westheimer, and expected to open Philippe, his own restaurant, as well. But things change. Philippe and…
The Phenomenauts, with the A.K.A.’s and Maldroid
This theatrical quintet suggests They Might Be Giants abducted by Man or Astro-man? and forced to re-create old Lost in Space episodes. Fueled by an explosive mix of wit and whimsy, the Phenomenauts perform clad in custom Star Trek-style jumpsuits, wielding futuristic devices such as the Streamerator 2000, a rifle-shaped…
Angry Scots and pidgin tongues
Dear Readers, My recent column regarding the dissimilarities between Scots and Mexicans provoked a surprising amount of angry responses: Dear Mexican, Having just read Great Scot’s question and your response, I can’t help but think that he is one of those Americans who calls himself Scottish because his surname starts…
No Age: Nouns
Everybody has a different definition of “indie rock.” For this American dude who smoked mad weed and aimlessly wandered some Midwestern campus in the mid-’90s, it will always be about shattered pop buried in temperamental noise and lo-fi amateurism. That’s why I can’t fucking deal with modern indie: The music…
Flying Pigs and Presidential Politics
Houstoned blog readers respond to “Last Night: Roger Waters at the Woodlands Pavilion,” by Bob Ruggiero, May 5. Thank you: And thank god that someone actually wrote a real review of this awesome show. Let’s just say the other Houston review was chronically bad. Thomas Ruined: That song was a…
LIVE SPORTS CAFE’S BOB MARLEY
After the Astros royally kicked the Brewers’ ass, I meandered to Main Street for a victory beer. The Live Sports Cafe (407 Main, 713-228-5483) was packed because of the De La Hoya fight upstairs and karaoke downstairs. I watched the boxing fans and wannabe singers, then ended up on the…
Marcia Ball: Peace, Love & BBQ
A stalwart specialist in Gulf Coast blues/R&B/zydeco, Marcia Ball is already familiar to Texas audiences for her clear-toned vocals and pounding piano — the imaginary musical daughter of Irma Thomas and Professor Longhair. And though she rarely deviates from her formula of mixing let-the-good-times-roll romps with plaintively romantic torch songs,…
Big Boobs Revisited
A long-standing court battle between a pair of high-profile Houston attorneys has ended with a jury deciding that the lawyer who should be punished is the one who breached his contract first and who also defamed his adversary along the way. Gary Pitts, a well-respected lawyer who practices mostly in…
Bayousphere
Is that a nose cone, or is she just happy — very happy — to be entertaining the troops? This live version of bomber art is a member of the Missile Dick Chicks, taking part in the Art Car parade on their way to attempting to give an award to…
Best of the Best: High School Photo Contest
One ring. Five fingers. Seven birds. A blue sky. A touch of cloud. A fantastic photo. The judges have spoken, and it’s time to announce the winners of our yearlong photo contest for Houston-area high school students. Entries came in from all over this sprawling burg and featured fruit, veggies,…
Grand Theft Auto IV on the Floor
If you read reviews the way I do, you’ve already started by checking out the score, and now you’re back here to see what the hell my problem is. Peace, brother. Grand Theft Auto IV is a fine game, with tons of content and all the great moments you’ve come…
Grand Theft Auto X: The Screwston Chronicles
As many if not most of my literally dozens of longtime readers know, it’s safe to say that I am not a fan of the vast bulk of Houston radio. Outside of KACC’s unrepentant rock from the saltgrass prairie down in Alvin, occasional moments of clarity on KTRU and KPFT,…
Zero Tolerance, Puppy Scams and Strange Bedfellows
We don’t have a Drudge Report siren, but if we did it’d be blaring now. BREAKING NEWS (MUST CREDIT HOUSTON PRESS): High school kids can act up as the end of the school year nears. Or at least some of them can. And now 3,000 students at Fort Bend ISD’s…
Combo Meal at Thyme Table Cafe
Combo meal: The French-Korean short ribs ($18.50) at Thyme Table Cafe (11660 Westheimer, suite 115, 281-920-9620) allow Cordon Bleu-trained chef Young Cheal Kim to showcase not only his French/Korean fusion cuisine, but his outstanding presentation skills. The slow-braised beef ribs are served off the bone, presented standing on end and…
What’s in a Name?
The size of a man’s hands and feet is related to the size of his, er, penis, if you catch our drift. (Wink.) Or so claims singer Faye Robinson. “If a man has fat hands and long ol’ feet,” bellows Robinson during a Saturday-night performance of the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction”…
An evening with perennial Houston street hustlers Big Body Click
There’s something strangely endearing about someone selling you a hand-packaged, homemade CD. It may seem like just another ho-hum “artist” looking for a way to make ends meet. When you really think about it, though, the artist is trying make something infinitely more important happen. He wants his voice to…
Smoke, Mirrors and Rainbows
Dear Radiohead, It pains me to say this, but I’m afraid that, unlike several thousand of my fellow Houstonians, as well as people from all over Southeast and Central Texas, I won’t be attending your concert this Saturday in The Woodlands. Let me explain why. You had to know this…
Unintentional Surrealism at the Hunting Art Prize gala
Guests arriving for the 2008 Hunting Art Prize gala handed their car keys off to embarrassed-looking valets sporting red and green “artist” berets. As they stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the Decorative Center, a guy in a Roman soldier-style miniskirt blew a horn, while the toga-clad guy next…
Lelia Rodgers’s Matagorda Island Discs
This week’s Matagorda Island Discs comes to us from Lelia Rodgers. Officially, she’s the owner of Rudyard’s Pub, but if America was a monarchy, she’d also be the Duchess of North Montrose. “My first album was a greatest hits compilation (Time Piece, The Rascals) and I thought that I’d never…
College Immaterial for High School Students in Vocational Training
Ask 19-year-old high-school senior Andy Garza about his career plans, and he’s anything but vague. Petroleum process technician, he’ll say, then quickly add: “All it takes is a two-year degree — and the pay, I mean, it’s good.” Indeed, starting pay is as much as $20 an hour, and it’s…
Northern State, with American Princes
Maybe, maybe, maybe there’s a small chance you haven’t heard of Northern State, the N.Y.C. white girls who are, bar none, the indie world’s top all-female rap crew — if only by default. Sure, their early stuff was a little creaky. But their mike skills and hooky beats are rockin’…
Malaysian and Chinese at Hong Kong Dim Sum
9889 Bellaire Blvd., 713-777-7029. Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. “What’s that called?” my buddy John Bebout asked the hostess at the new restaurant called Hong Kong Dim Sum on Bellaire. He was pointing at an impressive-looking pile of fried noodles at the next table. “That’s chow kueh teow,”…
Alicia Keys and Jordin Sparks
The spring’s biggest R&B tour got off to a rocky start, with American Idol champ Jordin Sparks sitting out the first run of dates thanks to a vocal hemorrhage and Alicia Keys canceling two shows last month as a result of swollen vocal cords. That said, these kids are total…