Amegy Bank Gets Hit by “Wedding Band Bandit” Who May Be Divorced Soon If His Wife Sees This
The Amegy Bank at 12130 Hempstead Highway was robbed today and the FBI hopes the public can help them find the bad guy. The local FBI likes attaching special monikers to its suspects — which we wholeheartedly approve of because otherwise writing up this stuff would be incredibly kind of…
Cover Story: Are You Human or Humanoid?
You may not know this, but nearly half the world’s population isn’t human: they may look human, but they’re another species called “humanoid.” Humanoids don’t have DNA like the rest of us; they have a Mobius strip that can create DNA. At least that’s what a self-help organization called Access…
The Draft Brings Philanthropy, Craft Beer and Fine Food to the East End
Houston Beer Week buzz has been kind of a slow burn this year. With no balls-to-the-wall epic beer dinners like last year’s Petrol Station vs. Hay Merchant battle planned for this year, one big event — The Draft — is promising to be Beer Week’s heavy hitter. The Draft is…
Meat Loaf vs. Bonnie Tyler In the Jim Steinman Power Ballad Battle
Allmusic.com describes the work of Jim Steinman as theatrical, visceral and rousing. It also describes it as campy, indulgent, and silly. They’re exactly right: His work is all of those things, which is why it’s awesome. A member of the Songwriting Hall of Fame, Steinman is best known as the…
The Candidates and Their Wives: What They Wore on Election Night
We have a new old president … and, if you’re like me, a hangover. I love election day, and found the opportunity to create not one but two themed outfits: a white tuxedo shirt with dark blue jeans and red heels for day, and a red, white, and blue shirtdress–with…
What Was Your Favorite Concert at The Summit?
It must be music-venue day today. Rocks Off would like to thank Jon Harvey of Houston (@oompahead) for alerting us via Twitter to the fact that on this day in 1975, when I was a few weeks away from turning one year old, the sports and entertainment arena then known…
The Third Ward Goes Vegan
Although the Third Ward recently lost vegan cafe and art space The Eat Gallery to the Heights, the neighborhood is still home to a small but dazzling array of vegan and vegetarian restaurants. A friend of mine raised in the area recently noted with equal amounts irony and approval that…
Les Misérables: The 25th Anniversary Production Soars With Emotion & Great Singing
Check out our interview with Andrew Varela who plays Inspector Javert. The set-up: In this 25th anniversary touring production presented by Gexa Energy Broadway, the blockbuster pop opera by Claude-Michel Schönberg (music), Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel (original French text), Herbert Kretzmer (English lyrics), James Fenton (additional material), along with…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Chris Williams of Lucille’s, On Opening a Restaurant in His Twenties and One- and Two-Man Kitchens in Europe
Chris Williams Lucille’s 5512 La Branch Tel: (713) 568-2505 www.lucilleshouston.com This is Part 1 of a three-part Chef Chat series. Parts 2 and 3 will run in this same space on Thursday and Friday. Tucked away in the Museum District on La Branch near the Children’s Museum, Lucille’s is one…
Projection: Social Media Wins Big in 2012
Thanks a lot Christians, for not showing up.You disgust me.— Victoria Jackson (@vicjackshow) November 7, 2012 Amidst the pundits and the graphics and the touch screen monitors and the iPads strapped to the arms of The Daily Show’s John Oliver, probably the most watched network on election night 2012 was…
Last Night: Dysrhythmia at Walters
Dysrhythmia, Cavernous, Ssserpentsss Walters Houston November 6, 2012 While much of the city huddled around their television sets Tuesday night to watch democracy unfold, a dedicated few Houstonians chose instead to ignore the pundits and the pageantry in favor of drowning out the nation’s political machinations in a sea of…
Bold & Brave Wine List (& Cartography) at The Pass & Provisions
Honestly, I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the bold and brave new wine list at The Pass & Provisions, the newly opened and much talked about effort by chefs/partners Terrence Gallivan and Seth Siegel-Gardner. The list, by the affable and dynamic Fred Jones (who graciously took time out…
Reality Bites: Jersey Shore & The Effects of Hurricane Sandy
There are a million reality shows on the naked television. We’re going to watch them all, one at a time. I come to praise Jersey Shore, not to bury it. That’s not entirely true. Certainly, there’s nothing to defend about the antics of eight largely terrible human beings whose sole…
Looking Back at Paul McCartney’s Wonderful, Bizarre McCartney II
Next week’s Paul McCartney show at Minute Maid Park is sure to be one for the books, as the former Beatle and lauded solo artist comes to Houston for the first time in years. Rewind: Who Is Paul McCartney?!: Rocks Off Tells You Comin’ Up: Happy 70th Birthday, Paul McCartney…
5 New Careers For Failed Reality Show Star Mitt Romney
The man above lost the election last night, and now that he no longer has dinners, fundraisers, parties, or babies to kiss, he needs something to do. He’s sewn his wild political oats and now he must find his way in this brave new world of his. And ours. He…
Celebrating Structural Impermanence at Peveto Gallery
Renée Lotenero’s works occupy an in-between space. They’re piles of rubble creating something new as sculpture, while at the same time still remnants of something that used to be. They’re photographs of tiles that once lined a floor or wall, digital replicas of these missing pieces that are now there,…
How To: Make a Hearty Bolognese Sauce
One of the best winter meals my mom makes is a Bolognese sauce over pasta. Warm, hearty pasta is always a delicious choice when the weather cools down. But when you add a creamy, meaty, cheesy sauce over the top, you’re talking my language. November is here, so it is…
Houston’s Top 10 Unsung Music Venues
There’s no other way to say this except to say it: Houston has a lot of music venues, a lot of music venues, but most of the high-profile shows around here get routed into a handful of places. This happens for any number of reasons, most of them financial: Very…
The Morning After: An Open Letter to People I Un-Followed During the Election
It’s been a particularly rough election season if you spend any time at all on social media. Worse than Farmville, worse than exercise tweets and worse than food photos, the presidential election seems to have brought out the most annoying in many, especially relatives you rarely talk to and “friends”…
Copycat Recipe: Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana
While it pains me to say this, there are actually a few things that I enjoy at Olive Garden. And no, it’s not their four-cheese lasagna rollatini topped with shrimp-sausage-and-asiago alfredo sauce (which, per the best commercials ever, seems to be how they top everything. I’ll pass). You see, the…
Casting Call: James Bond Contenders from Around the Globe
Just as Skyfall is about to see its U.S. release, it’s also about time that we should consider the fact that Daniel Craig is probably close to retiring the role of James Bond. So with that in mind, we should consider the possibilities. We could see Bond in his earlier…
College Football BCS Race: And Then There Were Six
As a Notre Dame alum and reinvigorated Notre Dame football fan, this November feels awfully strange. For the first time since I got into radio in 2007, the Irish matter in November. For the first time since 1993, the Irish are 9-0. It’s been a long, slow trip back to…
The Song Is a Lie: Mocking Manilow Is Mocking God
After spending all week thus far exposing the lies apparent in song titles from The Beatles and Kiss, it’s time to tone it down a little bit both in heaviness and in rhetoric. Nothing says tone it down like adult-contemporary music, so that’s the arena I fight the lie war…
This Week in Food Blogs: Masters of Meat and the Problem with Corn Smut
Eater Houston: I love useful maps, and Eater Houston’s recent “heat map” of the city’s best brunch destinations is just that. Old favorites such as Fountain View Cafe and Hugo’s mingle with newer hot spots like Boomtown Coffee. CultureMap: Equally useful is Sarah Rufca’s map at CultureMap of the 10…
100 Creatives: Baldemar Rodriguez, Film Director/Producer and Actor
Filmmaker Baldemar Rodriguez was studying acting at the University of Houston’s School of Theater, when he encountered the age-old problem of finding interesting and relevant roles. “I thought, ‘Instead of complaining, I’m going to do something about it. I’m going to get a different degree — I’ll learn how to…
Buyer’s Guide to Video Game Watches
It’s likely you’re never without the time these days because you’re never without your phone. Also a calculator proving all our math teachers to be shortsighted killjoys. Still, nothing says style like a good timepiece, and if you’re a gamer, you’re going to want to celebrate it at the same…
Top 10 Restaurants in the Galleria
Long the bastion of boring chain restaurants and overly expensive hot spots, the Galleria has seen a resurgence in the past few years when it comes to food. Chef-owned-and-driven restaurants are upping the ante along Post Oak Boulevard, while places like E-Tao and White Oak Kitchen + Drinks are showing…
Kittehs (And A Puppeh) Rejoice In A Post-Election Ball Of Cute Trepidation
Today is the day that all of you non-voting, convicted felon, nihilists have all been waiting for: the day after the presidential election! It’s safe to go back to social media for those of you who swore it off sometime back in the summer when friends and relatives pulled out…
Kings X Drummer Jerry Gaskill Loses Home In Hurricane Sandy
Rocks Off readers of a certain age will fondly remember Jerry Gaskill as the drummer from pioneering proto-grunge/metal band King’s X. Perhaps many of you, like us, even had tickets to trio’s show earlier this year at Warehouse Live that was cancelled after Gaskill had a heart attack. More bad…
Bronco Bama For The Win: Your Election Night 2012 Live Blog & Comment Feed
“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth or something I guess…” — Luke 13:28, A Copy Of The Bible I Swiped From A Hotel Room Hello and welcome to Hair Balls’ election night live blog and comment, where tonight I will be chronicling the mania of the 2012…
Devin Egolinsky: Hey, Let’s Call 911 And Tell the Dispatcher He’s a “Punk Bitch”!
So the other day, we were thinking to ourselves, “Self, what is the stupidest thing you could do that no one has ever done before?” We pondered for a while and hit on the jackpot: Call up 911 and scream at the dispatcher that he’s a “punk bitch.” You can’t…
Get Out Your Reading Glasses, Britney Spears Is Writing a Book
There are some days when we should all thank our lucky stars that we can read (assuming that you can because you are reading this). Reading is the cornerstone of knowledge and democracy and freedom. And today, on this day of all things related to democracy and freedom, you should…
Billy Wayne Ebarb: Short Jail Term for Latest Chapter in 30-Year Brotherly Feud
“He and his brother have been fighting for 30 years. They don’t talk to each other. They just act irrational.” So said an Angelina County cop to KTRE. “He” in this case is 50-year-old Billy Wayne Ebarb, and the latest manifestation of that decades-long irrationality was a doozy. In March…
Upcoming: B.B. King, Coheed and Cambria, Rick Ross, Zappa Plays Zappa
Adolescents, Youth Brigade, The American Heist: Sun., Dec. 30, 8 p.m., $15/$17. Fitzgerald’s, 2706 White Oak, Houston. Akina Adderley & The Vintage Playboys, Nick Greer: Sat., Dec. 1, 10 p.m., $10. Continental Club, 3700 Main, Houston. American Fangs, Southern Backtones, Deep Cuts: Fri., Dec. 14, 8 p.m., $10/$11. Fitzgerald’s, 2706…
Glitches Galore: Galveston County Parties Ask Judge to Keep Polls Open Late
CLICK on the above chart and get up to the minute voting returns throughout today. Galveston County is one of five Texas jurisdictions to allow “voting centers,” in which voters are allowed to cast their ballot at any polling place in the county. This was the first time Galveston County…
10 Oyster Dishes to Try in Houston: No. 2, Cajun Oyster Stuffing at Yapa Kitchen
You know what I love about SeptembeR, OctobeR, NovembeR and DecembeR? It’s oyster season! During these months, oysters are at their peak. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sampling the most memorable and tasty oyster dishes in Houston. No. 2: Cajun Oyster Stuffing at Yapa Kitchen While turkey is…
Multitasking 101: Beating Your Ex-Wife While Driving Impaired
Stephen Michael Place doesn’t always get accused of driving while intoxicated, but when he does, he makes sure he gives it a special twist. I mean, why just drive smashed when you can multitask and beat your ex-wife at the same time? Harlingen police report answering a disturbance call on…
Save America! Or at Least a Few Bucks: Maple Leaf Pub, Les Givrals, Suzie’s Grill
We have some big decisions to make today, but this one is easy: save money on good food! This week’s Houston Press Voice Daily Deal is good for half-off ($5 for $10) pub fare at the Maple Leaf Pub. A great place to watch the game, the Maple Leaf Pub…
Today’s DVDs & Blu-rays: Javier Bardem 3-Film Collection, Fritz Lang: The Early Works and Fire With Fire
Today’s DVDs & Blu-rays are a varied lot: There are three very serious films by Javier Bardem, three early silent works by Fritz Lang and a guilty pleasure Bruce Willis release. Bardem’s No Country For Old Men, Biutiful and Mondays in the Sun make up the first set. Biutiful (about…
Desperate Election Day Tactics: Mary Ann Perez’s Campaign Sends Dumb Letter
You know a political candidate is pretty desperate when their campaign releases an “open letter” to their rival on election day, accusing them of stealing campaign signs, without any proof. And that’s just what the campaign for state district 144 candidate Mary Ann Perez did today. The letter accused candidate…
Unidentified Armed Man Shot to Death by HPD Officers: Bayou Body County No. 191
Houston police say they were called to the home of a man who they found standing in his driveway armed with a shotgun and handgun and ended up shooting him dead after he threatened him. Houston police were not releasing the man’s identity, pending verification by the Harris County Institute…
These “Silver Paintings” Are Anything But Boring
It was 1967. The late, great Cleve Gray was angry with his painting — a semi-Cubist composition of black and a bit of green — because it was “boring.” So he threw a bucket of aluminum paint on it that he had lying around, likely from painting a tennis court…
The Voice Is Still Gone: 10 More Singers Who Have Lost It Live
Per your comments, we here at Rocks Off realized that a whole lot more singers have lost their voices over the years than just Axl Rose and the five included in last week’s look at the subject. It’s unfortunate, but it seems that many, many pop and rock singers are…
Where Are We Drinking? Clue: Get in Your Karbach and Drive
This limited release, oak barrel-aged Bodacious Double IPA from Karbach Brewing Co. has been a bit difficult to find in area restaurants, but we managed to find a bottle at this Sugar Land burger favorite. And just as with its popular growler program (which allows you to take home draft…
PB&J Permutations: Peanut Butter and Jelly Soda
There are certain combinations of foods that have become so iconic in the American food psyche (e.g., apple pie and vanilla ice cream, spaghetti and meatballs) that it seems wrong to have one without the other. The illustrious union of peanut butter and jelly — which has proved so successful…
Voting Report: Short Lines in the Northwest, a Victory for Procrastinators
Maybe all those voters who went to the polls early weren’t the smart ones after all? At least in one polling place in Houston today, there were no lines. One of our co-workers had to wait in line more than an hour last week to cast her early vote. Ah…
The Most Depressingly Brilliant Video You’ll Watch In Your Tiny, Useless Life
Not too long ago, a video arrived in my inbox. It’s above, for “Time to Be Clear, ” from Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s 2011 album Wolfroy Goes to Town. You should watch, particularly if you like to have your whole paradigm shifted by unending, overwhelming sadness. See, it’s about some bunnies,…
Murdering Marlowe Casts William Shakespeare as a Jealous, Manipulating Upstart
The setup: ‘Ods bodkins, good gentlefolk, there’s an intriguing premise at work in Charles Marowitz’s English Renaissance thriller, Murdering Marlowe. If you have a passing interest in Elizabethan theater and the world of Shakespeare, this will be your goblet of tea. There’s much to laud. The execution: Scribbler Marowitz has…
Jonathan Tyler Hudson Fled Scene of Accident That Killed 1, Injured 3, HCSO Says
According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Jonathan Tyler Hudson was the driver of a car that plunged through a ditch and a fence before striking several people in a West Harris County backyard for an October 28 Halloween party, killing a woman. Jonathan Tyler Hudson, 21, then fled the…
Putting the B Back in BYOB: Four Beers for a Night Out to Eat
Houstonians have long been comfortable bringing their own bottle of wine out to eat, but pairing a craft beer with your dinner can sometimes prove intimidating. American craft beer is now available in more than 100 different styles from literally thousands of brewers. For the average consumer, many beer labels…
Five Exceptions to Straight Ticket Voting in Harris County
In spite of several indisputably bad candidates on either side of the aisle, apparently tens of thousands of Harris County residents are still going to vote straight ticket. Maybe those people are just lazy. Maybe it gives them a jolt of pride or even spite, as in “I am going…
The Sexual Chemistry of Short Stories: A Conversation with Emma Donoghue and Signed Book Giveaway
Author Emma Donoghue says writing short stories is sort of like falling in love. “It’s almost like sexual chemistry. You can’t fake it. You can get together with the material and hope that something comes of it, but it cannot be forced,” she tells us. Donoghue, who is coming to…
Terminal Confusion: Why Are These the UK’s Most Popular Funeral Songs?
Recently, a survey conducted in the UK revealed the most popular songs played at funerals. The big news everyone seems to be talking about is that Adele’s “Someone Like You — a song all about how replaceable a person is — made it to No. 22. But we here at…
Pop Rocks: A Movie with Deadman, Swamp Thing and John Constantine? Directed By Guillermo Del Toro? Yeah, Right.
This bit of comic-related movie news hit the nerdwebs last week: Our friends over at Latino-Review have just broken one hell of a story. According to the site, Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pacific Rim) will soon begin work on a DC Comics adaptation for Warner Bros. called Heaven Sent, and…
Promote-Gate: Facebook Charges for Promoted Posts Criticized
The changes made to the timeline on Facebook over the last couple years have caused a furor among users, but what has flown under the radar is the anger over the way Facebook fan pages (simply called “Pages” now) don’t show up in the timeline of every person who “likes”…
The Eating…Our Words 100: Blanche Kinze, Murray’s Cheese Master at Kroger
Eating…Our Words has embarked on a project to profile 100 Houston culinarians of all fields, practices, careers and backgrounds. This isn’t a Best of Houston list, it’s not a 100 Favorites list and it’s not in any particular order. Instead, the Eating…Our Words 100 is a way to introduce our…
The Rocks Off 100: Tianna Hall, Singer of Sweet Songs
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. Who? You could argue that Tianna Hall is the best jazz singer in all…
Eagles QB Michael Vick’s Brother Marcus Has A Twitter Meltdown
Since getting out of prison in 2009, it’s been quite a ride for Eagles quarterback Michael Vick. Brought in as a backup quarterback and slash-style weapon in 2009, Vick eventually was tabbed the starter in 2010, and given a $100 million contract. Not bad for a guy whose career was…
Take on Our Election Night Bingo Drinking Card if You a) Dare, b) Don’t Drive Afterward
However this election turns out, for most people it’s been a rough, long slog. Besides the usual problem of finding in whom you should place your trust, there’s all the social media with its unexpected shrapnel — like the first time one of your friends endorsed a Presidential candidate who…
Art Attack Gets a Sneak Peek at the Wii U
Nintendo brought a custom airstream gaming trailer through Houston and asked if I would be interested in playing the upcoming Wii U, scheduled for release on November 18. I of course said yes. The eighth-generation home console is light-years ahead of the Wii in terms of processing power. It’s the…
A Bite Into Election Night: What the Different Parties Will Be Eating
As America is busy keeping an eye on the 2012 Presidential Election — an election that’s shaping up to be one of the closest battles for the presidency in U.S. history — we’re occupied contemplating what the people of the different parties will be munching on during Election Night (today,…
The Song Is a Lie: We Wanted the Best. We Didn’t Get It.
This week it’s all about exposing song titles that are complete and outright blatant lies. So far the Beatles have let us down. George Harrison’s guitar wasn’t gently weeping, it was breathing easy in a corner while Eric Clapton’s rig wailed like a broken-hearted banshee all over the “White Album.”…
Gustavo Arellano on Houston’s Inherent Insecurity and Insultingly Racist Food Trucks
Gustavo Arellano — a.k.a. “Ask a Mexican!” himself — doesn’t shy away from having strong opinions or expressing them. It’s what has made Arellano into a popular columnist, author and public speaker over the years and what’s bringing him to Houston on November 15 to kick off the University of…
Best Comics In October Part 1: Nao of Brown, Lovecraft, and Mars Attacks
Once a month the folks at 8th Dimension comics select the best comics for us to review. We’re splitting the round-up into two parts the month to accommodate some of the brilliant longer works that debuted in their own section. The Nao of Brown Glyn Dillon’s graphic novel follows a…
An Election Day Playlist If You’re On the Way to Vote
I love Election Day. Sure, early voting is great if you absolutely can’t make it to the voting booth the day of, but given the choice I will always vote on Election Day. There may be lines, it may be out of the way, and it may even involve casting…
Things Walmart Frowns On: Trying to Pay $2 for a $228 TV
Fans of the old BBC comedy Blackadder will remember Blackadder’s humorously idiotic servant Baldrick and his evermore ridiculous “cunning plans.” Baldrick’s spirit lives on in an Abilene Walmart, where on Friday 52-year-old William Keltner had a “cunning plan” of his own. According to KTXS, Keltner’s alleged plan was as follows…
Sampling Over 60 Restaurants at the 7th Annual Feast with the Beasts
Check out our pics from the Houston Zoo in our Feast With The Beasts slideshow. There were lions, cougars, giraffes, snakes, elephants, a rooster and more. Plenty of animals and plenty of food — exactly what you’d expect to find at the Houston Zoo’s 7th annual Feast with the Beasts…
Unidentified Woman Found Dead on Floor in Hotel Room: Bayou Body Count No. 190
A woman who appears to have been assaulted before her death was found in a hotel room at 425 North Sam Houston Parkway East last Friday and Houston police are investigating. The woman, whose identity still has not been verified by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, checked into…
3 Men Suspected in at Least 9 Robberies at ATMs in 9 Days, HPD Says
Two rifles, one semiautomatic pistol, three ski masks and three pairs of black gloves — ever wonder why police get suspicious especially after finding this in a car after a chase? Three men — 26-year-old Jamarcus Terrel White, 21-year-old Andre Nathan Howard and 27-year-old Warren Anthony Howard — have been…
666 Park Avenue: Why Do You Still Live in This Building?
Jane’s starting to looooooose it. After last week’s deadly Halloween party, everybody at the infamous Park Avenue high rise, The Drake, is on edge, especially Jane. But when she goes to show the police officers investigating her case the elevator shaft where an ax almost chopped off her head, it…
First Look at Pappa Geno’s Second Location in Bellaire and Its Philly Poutine
Just because I didn’t include Pappa Geno’s wicked Philly on my recent list of Top 10 Sandwiches (which was reserved strictly for deli sandwiches) doesn’t mean I don’t lust after the thing. I do. I have terrible urges for Pappa Geno’s at least once a week. I crave the crunchy…
Finally, a Malbec That I Can (Afford to) Drink
“No, if anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving,” says Miles in what is perhaps the most memorable line from the 2004 film Sideways. “I am not drinking any fucking Merlot!” I, too, have my issues with “Merlot” (especially when uttered between air quotes). But if there were one wine category where…
UPDATE: The Sound of Thunder: A Conversation with Ryan Kelly of Celtic Thunder and a DVD/CD Giveaway
UPDATE: The winners for our DVD / CD giveaway are: Janine W., Jennifer E., Pamela S., Pattyann M., Ruth B., and Kathie S. They have been notified by e-mail. Celtic Thunder singer Ryan Kelly knows that if he ever forgets his lyrics, he just has to look out into the…
Fun Fun Fun Fest Sunday In Review: Turbonegro, De La Soul, AraabMuzik & More
The last day of Fun Fun Fun Fest 2012 was another dusty affair. I can feel about a pound of crud in my lungs, and my ears are ringing like a mother-fluffer, which means I had a great Sabbath at Auditorium Shores. SLIDESHOWS: The Girls of Fun Fun Fun Fest…
Quilt Craziness at the International Quilt Festival
Each year thousands of people gather together in Houston with one common love: Quilts! This weekend marked the annual International Quilt Festival. The Houston festival is the largest in the country, and last year’s attendance broke records with more than 60,000 attendees. This year’s fest was nothing to shrug at…
National Guardsmen Awarded $85 Million Over KBR’s Negligence
An Oregon federal jury awarded $85 million to 12 Oregon Nation Guard soldiers who were exposed to a toxic chemical while providing security for Kellogg, Brown and Root contractors at an Iraqi water treatment plant. The company was found negligent and each soldier will receive $850,000 in non-economic damages and…
Where Are We Eating? Hint: King of Crabs
At this new cool spot, you can get King crab legs — but not served in any sort of traditional manner. Instead, the leg meat is removed and topped with a truffle oil-infused hot sauce and some fried lotus chips. It’s sweet, spicy, totally different and totally addictive. Think you…
Assassins Offers Killers in a Carnival Atmosphere
The setup: Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s disturbing and deeply inky cult musical (1990), whose main characters happen to be either presidential assassins or attempted assassins, is brought to chilling life by Music Box Musicals, a newly formed venture between our favorite cabaret quintet The Music Box Theater and MJR…
Dynamo Deliver a Win in First Leg of Series
Check out pics of the first playoff game to be held in BVAA Compass Stadium with a Dynamo win. Last year, Sporting Kansas City were the darlings of Major League Soccer. This group of high-flying kids played an attractive brand of soccer with their 4-3-3 formation. Their road to the…
Texans-Bills: The 10 Best Rapper(ish) Tweets From Sunday’s Game
Houston has a professional football team, called the Houston Texans. A lot of people like them; some are rappers. The Internet has several forms of social media; one is called Twitter. A lot of people use it. Some of them are rappers. Like we’ve done in the past, we perused…
Beards Doing Things At Fun Fun Fun Fest
The last few years at FFFF it was moustaches that were ruling the roost on the faces of men and hipster boys at the music festival. Even some girls were sporting them, albeit fake ones. This year the long and lustrous beard made its appearance, with some fellas sporting inches…
The $20 Master Chef Prix-Fixe Lunch at Philippe
The prix-fixe, or set menu, is a time-honored tradition that originated in France. Pronounced pree-fiks, it’s usually a three-course menu with appetizer, entree, and dessert, and the great thing about it is that you can usually get an unbelievable value for the price paid. That’s what I discovered when I…
If You Didn’t Get An “I Voted” Sticker, Does Your Vote Still Count?
Like most responsible, non-felon Americans, I exercised my right to (early) vote last week at a designated polling place before the hordes overtake the voting booths Tuesday because they procrastinated. I did my civic and patriotic duty over at the West Gray polling station, that building covered in garish signs…
Saturday Night: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis at House of Blues
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis House of Blues Bronze Peacock Room November 3, 2012 When he was in grade school, Seattle-born rapper Ben “Macklemore” Haggerty thought he was gay. He was artistic, kept his room tidy, and his uncle was openly homosexual, so he did what any ten-year-old boy would do:…
What’s Cooking This Week? Butternut Squash Mac ‘N Cheese + 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 ingredients I’ve bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter…
Saturday Night: Converge at Fitzgerald’s
Converge Fitzgerald’s November 3, 2012 A friend asked me recently, after hearing the new Converge album All We Love We Leave Behind, if I thought that singer Jacob Bannon was ready to hang it up. I replied no and that I felt like All We Love actually proved just how…
CORE Performance Company Offers a SHIFT in Focus
The Set-Up: On November 2 and 3, CORE Performance Company presented SHIFT at Barnevelder Movement Arts. The dance concert showcased new work from CORE Artistic Director Sue Schroeder, Leslie Scates and Tori Teague. The title of the show is taken from its movement vocabulary, that of moving weight from one…
Texans 21, Bills 9: What Stood Out From A Sluggish Seventh Win
See pics of the Texans’ win on Military Appreciation Day at Reliant Stadium. If the Texans had a trap game on their 2012 schedule, this appeared to be it. One week after a bye. Two weeks removed from an emotional matchup with long-time nemesis Baltimore. Seven days before an NBC…
DOJ Eyes Will Be On the Ground in Harris, Fort Bend counties on Election Day
Voters in Harris and Fort Bend counties will get an extra treat on Election Day: Federal poll watchers. As a result of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (now 47 years old!), the federal government attempts to make sure every registered voter regardless of race, color “or membership in a…
Friday Night: Public Image Ltd. at Scout Bar
Public Image Ltd. Scout Bar November 2, 2012 Not many shows remind you that sound has actual, physical mass, but Public Image Ltd. sure did Friday. Mass, as in something tangible and discernible, with density and volume. Especially volume. But don’t count out density. Yes, I’m talking about some Albert…
What’s Cooking on Pinterest? Donut Pancakes for National Donut Day
To celebrate National Donut Day, I decided to find a donut recipe on Pinterest. Instead of making ordinary fried donuts or baked cake donuts, I stumbled upon this blogger’s interesting rendition of donuts for breakfast: donut pancakes. Here’s how to whip up a batch…
Fleaven: Imagining an Entire Town Contained Within a Huge Shopping Mall
The setup: After Miki Johnson’s first play, American Falls, received the Best Play Award at the Houston Theater Awards this year from the Houston Press, her next play has been eagerly anticipated by theater buffs, and it arrives on the scene surprisingly different. Johnson is not a playwright, it seems,…
The Song Is a Lie: The White (Lie) Album
Song titles should speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Take it from me, I’m the guy who co-wrote “You Cannot Kill David Arquette” and he’s still completely undeniably alive despite multiple ninja attacks. That’s called credibility, children, and you might want to take notes. All…
10 Oyster Dishes to Try in Houston: No. 3, Oyster Sliders at Lucille’s
You know what I love about SeptembeR, OctobeR, NovembeR and DecembeR? It’s oyster season! During these months, oysters are at their peak. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sampling the most memorable and tasty oyster dishes in Houston. No. 3, Oyster Sliders at Lucille’s For the record, I’m not…
Yeah, That’s Right, The Cougars Lose Again
Here’s a suggestion for the Houston Cougars. Don’t play any more games on the road. Because when the Cougars play football games on the road, the Cougars lose, like Saturday where they went to East Carolina and lost to 48-28 to the Pirates. Head coach Tony Levine likes to talk…
HeTexted.com: Helpful or Hurtful?
Self-help books, such as “He’s Just Not That Into You,” “Manslations” and “Why Men Love Bitches,” profess to aid unlucky-in-love men and women with their relationship woes, particularly those concerning communication breakdowns, such as when a young woman accepts a dinner date with a lad. She, thinking the date went…
The 5 Best Shows In Houston This Week: November 5-8
Deerhoof Walters, November 5 San Francisco’s Deerhoof is the kind of band that will either drive you crazy or capture your heart, probably both at the same time. Greg Saulnier’s crew mixes experimental racket with sharp-toothed pop smarts, becoming a favorite on the oddball circuit over the past 15 years…
“Silent Shadow of the Bat-man” Now Online, in Its Entirety, with Two Star Symphony’s Original Score
Recently, Discovery Green presented something of a rarity: a premiere viewing of a new(ish) silent film complete with original score as performed live by Houston’s own invaluable symphonic oddball geniuses Two Star Symphony…
Gustavo Arellano: Has the Tide Turned Against Tex-Mex Food?
Gustavo Arellano isn’t just any Mexican. Over the years, the writer has turned himself into almost the “official” Mexican of America thanks in large part to his syndicated column, “Ask a Mexican!” and books like Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. This is his most recent book and one…
Texans-Bills: 4 Winners, 4 Losers, “Judgment Day” Edition
Check out our slideshow of the Texans vs the Bills on Sunday afternoon. So that was “Judgment Day” huh? All righty then. What was billed (by Mario Williams) as Mario Williams’ authoritative homecoming, basically turned into a fairly ho-hum day of work for the Texans, a 21-9 victory over the…
Fun Fun Fun Fest Saturday In Review: Kreayshawn, Refused, Girl Talk & More
Saturday’s FFFF was a dusty affair, with merch tables making money off bandannas and other face coverings hand over fist. Where did that phrase come from, by the way? What do hands and fists have to do with making money, aside from petty crime? SLIDESHOWS: The Girls of Fun Fun…
Fun Fun Fun Fest Friday In Review: Bun B, Bob Mould, Against Me! & More
The first day of Fun Fun Fun Fest was marked by the oddball stylings of an in-character Val Kilmer terrorizing the stage with the Black Lips, and the triumphant return of rap legends Run-D.M.C. rocking the main stage to close out the night. In between there was Bob Mould, Converge,…
Here’s Video of Val Kilmer Onstage at Fun Fun Fun Fest
Lots more photos of Kilmer, Rooney Mara, bands and fans in our slideshow. As we’ve known for at least a year now, director Terrence Malick has been making a movie in Austin. Film gossip sites say the movie is about a love triangle, set to the backdrop of Austin’s music…
Last Night: Run D.M.C. at Fun Fun Fun Fest
Run D.M.C. Fun Fun Fun Fest Auditorium Shores, Austin November 2, 2012 SLIDESHOWS: The Girls of Fun Fun Fun Fest Run D.M.C., Bob Mould and Val Kilmer: Fun Fun Fun Fest 2012 Day 1 Art Attack: Val Kilmer, Rooney Mara and Terrence Malick at Fun Fun Fun Fest (with VIDEO)…
San Antonio Cops Suspended for Attempted Cover-Up of Drunken Cop, His Wrecked Truck, and the Porn and “Sexual Device” Inside
A trio of San Antonio cops have been suspended and several more are under investigation for their roles in the cover-up of a police sergeant’s allegedly drunken wreck of a city-owned truck. According to internal police disciplinary documents released to WOAI, the cops also removed alcohol, pornography and a “sexual…
Val Kilmer on Set in Austin with Fun Fun Fun Fest on Friday
Apparently actor Val Kilmer has joined the cast of director Terence Malick’s still-filming picture about the music industry. He appeared at the service entrance at Austin’s Fun Fun Fun Fest this afternoon. Actor Michael Fassbender was also in tow, filming scenes with indie act the Dum Dum Girls. Last year…
Five Ways You Can Help Your Buddies Without Comcast Follow the Rockets Games
The saga continues with Comcast SportsNet. Game two of the very young NBA season is upon us and still no deals with U-verse, DirecTV or Dish Network to carry the sports channel that is the exclusive home to the Rockets and Astros. It’s difficult to say just how long it…
Last Night: Sharon Van Etten, etc. at Fitzgerald’s
Sharon Van Etten, Damien Jurado, Yellow Ostrich Fitzgerald’s November 1, 2012 Such a variety of entertaining shows were happening in Houston last night, I wish I could have somehow been at several places at once. I arrived at Fitzgerald’s feeling dragged from a long day, honestly poised to write a…
Billboards Say MLK Was GOP. Who Would’ve Thunk It?
Billboards in Austin proclaiming that Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican are raising more than a few eyebrows. The billboard campaign was funded by Houston conservative activist Claver Kamau-Imani, who told Hair Balls that, despite many people’s assumptions to the contrary, King was a GOP man, and that needs…
This Week in Deliciousness: Grafe-A-Tie?
Welcome back to the weekly wrap-up here at Eating…Our Words, where we’re down to the worst of the leftover candy that didn’t get handed out to trick-or-treaters. The generic Tootsie Rolls, the weird butterscotch saltwater taffy, the syrup-filled fruit pieces… our teeth hurt and our stomachs protest, but we will…
Marvin Gay, Sr., and the 10 Worst Rock-Star Parents of All Time
Twenty-eight years ago this week, Marvin Gay, Sr., received a six-year suspended sentence and five years of probation for the voluntary manslaughter of his son, the R&B legend Marvin Gaye. Gay pled guilty after shooting his namesake dead in the L.A. home given to him and his wife by Gaye,…
Top Five Things to Do This Weekend
Still haven’t planned out your weekend? We’ve got a few suggestions for you, starting with Catastrophic Theatre’s Fleaven. It was American Falls that snagged actor/playwright Miki Johnson the Best Playwright nod at the Houston Press’s Houston Theater Awards last August. Falls is Johnson’s first-ever produced work, but Fleaven, produced here…
Elven Princess: The Week in Art 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…
First Look at Cove, the New Raw Bar Inside Haven
Jean-Philippe Gaston, the sous chef at Haven, is curling vermillion-colored slices of yellowfin tuna into elegant half-rosettes with his fingers before placing them gently on a white plate, all in a gently curving row. It doesn’t take long; he plates as swiftly and surely as he cut the ribbons of…
A Playlist for Tonight’s Hurricane Sandy Telethon
The music business was hardly spared the effects of Hurricane Sandy. As reported by our New York sister blog, Sound of the City, dozens of shows in the New York-New Jersey area were postponed or canceled; the resulting travel snafu has scuttled touring plans as far away as tonight’s (former)…
DPS: Truckload of Immigrants Was Speeding Straight Toward Schools
The tale of the two suspected illegal Guatemalan immigrants killed by a DPS sharpshooter perched in a helicopter took a turn Thursday when the Department said the truck they were in was barreling toward a school and had to be stopped. “The pickup truck continued to speed recklessly toward William…
Cat Piss, Horse Sweat, Wet Dog, Barnyard (Unusual Wine Descriptors)
One of the pet peeves at our house is gooseberries. No, not the berries themselves. But the people who use the descriptor gooseberry when writing a tasting note. As one wine blogger put it, “New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc’s classic description is smelling like cats’ pee on a gooseberry bush. If…
Person of Interest: Oh, “Bury” Me Not on “The Lede” Prairie
So we all had a nice break last week; no mythology, no dangling plot threads involving Kara Stanton or Nathan Ingram, no flashbacks to Reese’s shadowy past. Kind of refreshing, in a way. On the other hand, what we got resembled most of CBS’s other procedurals, so maybe these breaks…
Corey Hayes, 22, Shot Dead by Reserve Deputy: Bayou Body Count No. 189
Houston police are investigating the death of a 22-year-old man who was shot to death by an off-duty Harris County sheriff’s reserve deputy after he fought with relatives and then forced his way into the deputy’s nearby apartment. The fatal shooting occurred just after 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 1,…
Red Fang Brings the Heat Back to Houston on Sunday
Autumn temperatures may finally be creeping into Houston at last, but Portland’s Red Fang promises to work up one last sweat in the city on Sunday when the shaggy rockers roll into Fitzgerald’s. The band had too much fun hitting the road this summer to close the books on it…
Upcoming Events: ‘Tis the Truffle Season
White truffle season has finally arrived after a delay in the harvest thanks to weather issues in Italy. And as a result of that weather delay, the white truffle supply is somewhat limited this year — so the truffles that are already Italy’s most expensive (costing upwards of $350 an…
Hey, Astros Fans, It’s Free Agency Time
Tonight’s the night Astros fans. Tonight’s the night the Astros can start snapping up free agents from throughout baseball. Tonight’s the night Jim Crane, with all of the money he’s saved by dumping the team’s high-priced veterans last season and with all of the money’s he’s going to make off…
Breaking Down the Physiological Attributes of a Gremlin
This Friday and Saturday night, River Oaks’ Midnight Movie Classic is screening everyone’s favorite Christmas-gone-awry flick, Gremlins. Gremlins is one of those ’80s movies that remain unparalleled. Can you imagine a movie like that coming out nowadays? Technically it is a horror film with blood and gore and microwaved, exploding…
Speak Out: How Far Is Too Far When Musicians Talk Politics?
Imagine this: You go to a concert to see one of your favorite artists. Suddenly, mid-show, he or she starts spewing political rhetoric. You disagree with his or her ideas, so you and many others leave. Free speech is something we claim to value in this country, but we are…
Reviews For The Easily Distracted: Flight
Title: Flight Can You Really Fly A Passenger Jet Upside Down? As my dear old great-grandmother used to tell me, you can do anything if you’re drunk enough. Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The Film: Two mini Smirnoff Vodka bottles out of five. Brief Plot Synopsis: Alcoholic pilot makes…
Shopping Obsession: Kiehl’s Galleria
Disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist, nor an esthetician. I am merely an obsessed, 35-year-old beauty fan whose skin has been in a constant state of flux since I moved to Texas. See a doctor for diagnosis and treatment — see me for shopping advice. Once upon a time I…
Black Sabbath For Kids: A New Book Swaddles Children In The Majesty Of Ozzy & Company
I remember scouring my elementary and middle-school libraries for every book I could find on music, any kind of music. Books about composers, Broadway folk, and everything in between. Sometimes you could get lucky and find a book about the ’60s with a few sentences about the Beatles, the Stones,…
Football! This Weekend’s Best Bets, Helping NBA Stars with Their Finances
To exactly nobody’s surprise, the Rockets and James Harden agreed on Wednesday afternoon to a five-year, $80 million contract extension, making Harden the first maximum contract player that Daryl Morey has inked to a deal in his tenure as Rockets general manager, and sending a clear message that Harden is…
Health Department Roundup: 888 Chinese, Maggie Rita’s & more
Katharine Shilcutt called it one of the old-school anchors of the East End. Yelp reviewers gave it a four-star average in 66 reviews. A Health inspector was not impressed with 888 Chinese (403 Winkler), however, sticking it with 19 health code violations during an inspection last week. Issues included food…
The 10 Best Songs That Were Never Released (So Far)
Not every song an artist writes sees the light of day, not officially at any rate. For one reason or another, a host of tunes by very talented individuals either don’t make it onto albums or remain stubbornly available only in live formats while fans clamor for a studio track…
Week in Photos: La Catrina
Each week, we take a dip into the Houston Press Flickr pool and see what our talented photographers have been up to. We’re looking for pictures that represent the best of Houston, from food to art to events, to secret hidden spots of beauty. Just drop them in our Flickr…
10 Best Nintendo Power Contests
Letters have gone out letting subscribers know that their last issues of Nintendo Power are imminent. The long-running game magazine was a constant presence in the homes of Nintendo fans, including yours truly. Sure, it was oft-times more advertising circular than hard-hitting critical journalism, but it was also the manifesto…
Food Truck Friday Spotlight: Kay’s Kitchen
Our third Food Truck Friday event is today! From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the House of Dereon (2204 Crawford), we’ll be featuring four of Houston’s finest food trucks — Koagie Hots, Flaming Patties, Kay’s Kitchen and Zeapod Cakery — along with free beverages from our friends at Saint…
Take-Out Fake-Outs: 5 Favorites Lightened-Up
We love Friday-night pizza or lazy-Sunday Thai delivery as much as the next guys — but we can’t say the same for the waistline. Luckily, we have a few tricks up our sleeves. By remaking your favorite take-out foods at home, you can get all the pleasure…with none of the…
100 Creatives 2012: Linarejos Moreno, Photographer
Spanish photographer Linarejos Moreno is at a slight disadvantage when discussing her research project at Rice University: She can’t say the word “ruins.” It comes out sounding like “wings” or “ewing,” anything but “ruins.” Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem for most artists; it’s just one word, after all. The…
A Tale of Two Lances
In November of 1970, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Lance Rentzel had it all. Back in college, at the University of Oklahoma, Rentzel had been a star running back. Under coach Bud Wilkinson, Rentzel never lost a single game in three years of competing for the Sooners teams, and in 1965,…
The Rest of the Best: Houston’s Top 5 Blues Clubs
5. THE SHAKESPEARE PUB Congratulations to the owner of Shakespeare Pub for the place’s spruced-up digs. Now patrons can enjoy acts like the James Reese Band and Little Terry Rogers in plusher surroundings, not to mention sliding all night to zydeco. Of the nervous sort when it comes to public…
Who Should Direct Star Wars 7? Let the Wild Speculation Begin
As you already know, George Lucas has sold Lucasfilm to Disney. In turn, Disney immediately announced plans to release a new Star Wars film in 2015, and not just any Star Wars film — not another CGI prequel, in other words — but the next installment in the ongoing saga,…
10 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: November 2-4
UPDATED (9:30 a.m.): Per @FitzLiveMusic, Rakim has canceled due to Sandy-related travel difficulties. 🙁 Indian Jewelry Walters, November 2 Houston is a better place for Indian Jewelry still being here. They could have moved somewhere hipper long ago and been welcomed with open arms, but Tex Kerschen, Erika Thrasher and…
Openings & Closings: October 2012
Once again, this week’s big restaurant news takes us to downtown, where — as mentioned yesterday — Ziggy’s Healthy Grill at 702 Main has closed. Owner Kevin Strickland has decided to take a completely different approach with the 18-year-old restaurant and is rebranding the remaining Montrose location to gratifi (pronounced…
Texans-Bills: NEW BATTLE-DRINK Bingo Drinking Card, “Judgment Day” Version
According to Wikipedia, “Judgment Day” is defined as the following: In Christian theology, it is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the Resurrection of the Dead…
Beardsanity: Rockets Stars Inspire in Win, Team Still Has Issues (with Crazy Video)
So, this James Harden kid is pretty good. He torched the Detroit Pistons for 37 points, 12 assists (a career high), six rebounds and four steals on opening night and it appears he is everything advertised and more. No doubt he isn’t going to go off for that kind of…
Some Hot Girl-on-Girl Training Videos for HPD’s Undercover Treasures Squad (NSFW)
We got a big kick out of KHOU investigative reporter Jeremy Rogalski’s story on some of the questionable tactics undercover HPD vice cops have been using in the city’s 100-year-war against titty-emporium Treasures. Our favorite part was the revelation of a police report from May where “officers negotiated for two…
Celebrate Dia de los Muertos with Pan de Muerto
In elementary school we always celebrated Dia de los Muertos in my Spanish class by making sugar skulls, and our teacher would sometimes bring in other treats, like pan de muerto. I love learning the history behind holidays, so in honor of Dia de los Muertos, tomorrow, I have made…
Notes on Nashville: Not Ready for Her Close-Up
On the fourth episode of Nashville, the past is quickly threatening to engulf the present for our stars, seasoned but conflicted Rayna and young but vulnerable Juliette. The show has officially finished introducing us to the characters, and moved on to introducing new people in the hopes of further mucking…
Robert Ramos Jr.: Ex-School Band Director Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Charges
Courtesy XKAN.comWonder what instrument this dude will be playing in prison…How do these freaks keep winding up at schools? A former middle school band director has pleaded guilty in Austin to producing and distributing child porn. Robert Ramos Jr., who’s been in custody since his January 2012 arrest, is facing…
Ziggy’s Healthy Grill Gets a Makeover and New Name: gratifi
Ziggy’s Healthy Grill has undergone a lot of changes in the past five years: Its location on West Alabama closed to make way for Sorrel Urban Bistro, its downtown location will be closing soon, and its Montrose location is undergoing a significant makeover. Starting with a fresh paint job on…
Last Night: Nas & Lauryn Hill at Bayou Music Center
Nas, Lauryn Hill Bayou Music Center October 31, 2012 Houston caught two rap greats for the price of one last night. On one corner was Nas, arguably the greatest lyricist of his generation; on the other, Lauryn Hill, the best hybrid rapper/singer hip-hop has ever seen. One show had the…
Monday Night Cocktails at Double Trouble
I’ve always been a weak drinker. I’m usually one of those nurse-a-drink-for-an-hour-plus type girls, or a “cheap date,” as I so often refer to myself. Whether it’s a glass of wine or a cocktail, I usually sip slowly, and the stronger the drink, the smaller the sip. Socially, I can…
Free for All: SHIFT, Korean Festival, “John Slaby: Inappropriate for a Public Space” and From My Mother’s Mother
There’s a good reason why CORE Performance Company, with 32 seasons to its credit, is one of the city’s longest-running contemporary dance troupes — each of the company’s members has a passion for innovative movement. The group’s latest evening-length program, SHIFT, which runs Friday and Saturday, is built on that…
American Horror Story: Asylum: Potpourri of Panic
The thing that truly makes this season of American Horror Story so much more excellent than the first season is the way it approaches horror from every direction. Whereas the first season was an almost Mayfair Witches, textbook possession and haunting scenario dabbled here and there with other facets of…
Pumpkins and Pumpkins, But No Pumpkins: Jolly Pumpkin Bam Bière
I’ll just forewarn you right now: The next several installments of Brew Blog will feature beer you can’t have. Or, more specifically, beer you can’t get in Texas. Or even more specifically, beer not currently carried by any of the licensed distributors in our area. Don’t like that? Open The…
Dustin-Prestige’s “Better Late Than Never”: Is This Fantastic?
Dustin-Prestige – Better Late Than Never (Music Video) from Ronnie West on Vimeo. Dustin-Prestige is maybe the most subtly creative force in the city today. There really don’t appear to be too many other ways to classify him. The video for “Better Late Than Never” from his impressive Plaid, released…
Krystal Cook, East Texas Firebomber, Given Ten Years Probation
A 21-year-old Diboll woman arrested late last year in connection with the firebombing of a rural home was convicted and given ten years probation on Wednesday. Cook acted as the lookout and getaway driver for 24-year-old Justin Benson, who filled a bottle with flammable liquid, lit a fuse and tossed…
Dynamo Win in Opening Playoff Round
It seems the Dynamo were tailor-made for the playoffs. Playing their usual brand of post-season soccer, the Dynamo had a professional 2-1 victory on the road over the Chicago Fire. Led by a slew of veterans, the Dynamo seemed to put their regular season mistakes behind them. Instead of falling…
Top 5 Bands Influenced by Public Image Ltd.
Public Image Ltd will be performing in the Greater Houston area on Friday, tomorrow, and as previously mentioned here, their choice of Scout Bar out in Clear Lake is a little unexpected. Rewind: Talking Politics, and Almost No Music, With Punk Legend John Lydon For those who haven’t heard of…
A Good Pair of Jeans Will Change Your Life
I don’t know about guys, but for girls, shopping for jeans is almost as painful as shopping for a new swimsuit. I sometimes refer to jeans shopping as “Proportions: Impossible” because at 4’10, jeans are never the right length and — more often than not — the placement of the…
Food Truck Friday Spotlight: Koagie Hots
Our third Food Truck Friday event is this coming Friday, November 2. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the House of Dereon (2204 Crawford), we’ll be featuring four of Houston’s finest food trucks — Koagie Hots, Flaming Patties, Kay’s Kitchen and Zeapod Cakery — along with free beverages from…
Dudepins.com: A Pinning Site for Guys
Recently, I received an e-mail about a new Pinterest-style Web site for men. Dudepins.com is laid out just like Pinterest, but instead of pins for wedding decorations, crafts and desserts, Dudepins has everything it imagines a guy might want to pin online. It’s true that women dominate Pinterest, but is…
Comment of the Day: Racial Identity and Candy at Halloween
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning or afternoon from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous…
BooTown Takes On Empire Records With Their Damn the Man Production
For the next three weekends around Houston, theater company BooTown is tackling ’90s slacker comedy Empire Records for Damn the Man, the third installment of its Benshi-style performances of cult movies. The movie Empire Records was released on October 20, 1995, making it 17 years old, which should make you…
10 Totally Played Out Wedding Songs That Will Still Pack the Dance Floor at Your Reception
Years ago, a wedding planner told me the basis of a successful wedding is remembering that primarily the ceremony is for the bride, the food is for the groom, the photos are for the family and the music is for the friends. While not 100 percent accurate, it does form…
Pop Rocks: For Dia de los Muertos, Five People Who Are Officially Dead to Us
Last night was Halloween, so most of you are either sleep-deprived from dealing with pint-sized hordes of candy junkies laying siege to your home, or you’re hung over after going drink for drink with a sexy nun or a dude claiming he was Magic Mike’s Matthew McConaughey. Yeah…”claiming.” But all…
The Eating…Our Words 100: Bear Dalton, Wine Buyer & Educator, Spec’s
Eating…Our Words has embarked on a project to profile 100 Houston culinarians of all fields, practices, careers and backgrounds. This isn’t a Best of Houston list, it’s not a 100 Favorites list and it’s not in any particular order. Instead, the Eating…Our Words 100 is a way to introduce our…
County Attorney Sues David J. Hester & His “Illegal Game Room”
Saying that owner David J. Hester is operating an illegal game room at 7304 East Freeway in Baytown, Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan has filed a lawsuit asking for a temporary injunction to shut down this “common nuisance.” According to the lawsuit, “Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia’s office has conducted…
The Rocks Off 100: Lunaface’s Hector Del Valle, Concert Promoter Extraordinaire
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. If you have ever attended an old-school or underground rap concert in Houston, chances…
Rocks Off’s Picks For This Weekend’s Fun Fun Fun Fest
First off, the entire Rocks Off team agrees unanimously that we are all excited to see Run-D.M.C. at this year’s edition of Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, even though writer /photographer Marco Torres has already seen them this year at Jay-Z’s Made In America Music Festival. REWIND: Fun Fun…
5 More Nintendo Controllers You’ve Never Heard Of
Last year I explored some of the more interesting and obscure controllers that various accessory makers had developed from the NES and SNES systems. That was a great time for peripherals because, well, everybody was completely insane and insane people do some wonderful things in addition to horrific ones. I…
Mario Williams’s Wednesday Therapy Session With Mark Berman Of FOX 26
“I didn’t want to enter free agency in the first place, but it was a one-way door given to me by the GM to leave Houston. I want the fans there to know entering free agency was not my decision.” — Mario Williams in a Wednesday interview with Mark Berman…
Flying Saucer Kicks off the Houston Beer Season with a Bang at BeerFeast
BeerFeast — the first of many craft beer events to come from the Flying Saucer chain — landed at Sugar Land Town Center this weekend, boasting a bevy of brews from across the country. BeerFeast fired on all cylinders — something few first-time festivals are capable of — and it…
Jan Merklin: Smooth-Talking Drifter and Ladies Man Swindled Woman Out of $200,000 in House-Flipping Scheme, Lawsuit Claims
A Texas City woman claims in a civil lawsuit to have lost $200,000 to a man she met via e-mail who persuaded her to back him in a house-flipping venture. The suit, filed by attorney Russell Plackemeier of Texas City, states that 55-year-old Jan Merklin met his client — “Shelly”…
10 Most Half-Ass Movie Monsters
Of all the not-hard-to-make movies out there, horror is number two on the list right under pornography…and if you’re working for Roger Corman, those might not even be separate categories. You don’t have to spend millions to be scary. One of the most frightening scenes in Nightmare on Elm Street…
When the Voice Goes: 5 Rock Singers Who Have Lost It Live
Last week, this video of Guns n’ Roses playing at the Bridge School Benefit in California surfaced on YouTube, raising a lot of eyebrows among music fans. It was an acoustic performance of “Welcome to the Jungle,” which might sound like a confusing prospect in and of itself, but what…
The Rest of the Best: Houston’s Top 10 Vegan Restaurants
It’s becoming easier than ever to go vegan in Houston, with local restaurants filling nearly every niche possible: You can get vegan baked goods from Sinfull Bakery, wedding cakes from Jodycakes or all-raw falafels at Pat Greer’s Kitchen. There are food trucks like Bare Bowls, which makes exquisite vegan meals…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Flyaway: New Work by Aaron Parazette”, “Liz Ward: Cryosphere” “Ruth Shouval: Settle,” “Andrea Bianconi: Romance” and “Anthony Thompson Shumate: Sweetly Broken”, “Tony Feher: A Work in Four Parts”, “Translucent Trajectories”
“Flyaway: New Work by Aaron Parazette” Since moving to Houston in 1990 to be a part of the Core Residency Program at the Glassell School of Art, Aaron Parazette has become one of the city’s premier artists. He’s taught at the School of Art at the University of Houston for…
Auteur Goes Amateur
Found-footage eco-horror cheapie The Bay — in which a previously harmless waterborne parasite mutates into an unstoppable human-flesh-eating scourge thanks to the march of progress and attendant environmental carelessness — is not the cash-in you might expect from a Halloween-week release from the producers of Paranormal Activity. Directed by Barry…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Body Awareness, The Italian Girl in Algiers, La Bohème, The Oldest Profession, When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder?
Body Awareness It’s Body Awareness Week at Shirley State College, a small liberal arts school in Vermont, and our typical American family prepares. Lesbian professor Phyllis (Pamela Vogel), who wears her feminism like chain mail to ward off objectification and that evil male gaze, has scheduled an exciting program of…
Join the Club
Washington Avenue was briefly the center of all things nightlife-y and clubby for a few short years, before — as always happens in Houston — the scene began to mutate and evolve into other areas of the city. Some nightlifers have moved back to Midtown, while others have set their…
Against Me!
Two thousand twelve has been quite the year for Against Me! and the Florida band’s lead singer, Laura Jane Grace. Formerly known as Tom Gabel, Grace made media waves earlier this year by shedding her male persona and embracing the feminine side she had largely kept from the public her…
Should I Go to Spain to Learn Spanish?
Dear Mexican, After a year in Spain, I speak more-than-decent Spanish, and I want to get a job in the nonprofit field where I can put it to use and pursue social justice and all that. Thing is, my Spanish is pretty peninsular. I maintained my seseo, thank God, but…
Public Image Ltd.
Allow Public Image Ltd. to reintroduce themselves. Following 1992 LP That What Is Not, the irrepressible John Lydon became a best-selling author with 1993’s childhood/Sex Pistols memoir Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs; was sued by a former bandmate on Judge Judy; reloaded an approximation of the Pistols; and…
5 Great Songs by Psy Besides “Gangnam Style”
Sometimes it’s hard for Americans to believe, but there is in fact a whole world outside of the United States. No, I’m not just talking about Alaska and Hawaii. There are whole other countries out there, and not just ones that are either a) our cute friends (England, Japan) or…
Rakim
Rap needs its own hall of fame, if only to induct people like Rakim. Beginning with albums with DJ partner Eric B such as 1987 landmark Paid In Full, the former William Griffin Jr. (a devout Muslim since age 15) has used language the way John Coltrane and Charlie Parker…
Indian Jewelry
Houston is a better place for Indian Jewelry still being here. They could have moved somewhere hipper long ago and been welcomed with open arms, but Tex Kerschen, Erika Thrasher and their accomplices have never cared a lick about being hip. For a decade now, the group has been a…
Converge
Converge’s new disc, All We Love We Leave Behind, has been bathing in major raves from metal, hardcore and even mainstream music critics alike. The praise is justly deserved, as it’s another stellar set of what can only be described as Converge music: Aggressive, intricate, barreling and harrowing. The title…
Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday is on the road behind 2002’s Tell All Your Friends, an album that thrust the group from relative Warped Tour anonymity and into the daily lives of emo kids at the turn of the century. Songs like “Cute Without the ‘E’ (Cut from the Team)” and “You’re…
Dysrhythmia
Proggish Brooklyn instrumentalists Dysrhythmia tore a hole through the infant indie-metal scene in the early ’00s with a handful of challenging, nourishing albums. A good starting point is 2003’s Pretest, whose jazz-inflected sound no doubt helped pave a path for listeners to explore more adventurous musical passages in the metal…
R. Kelly
A few years removed from being trapped in the headlines, R. Kelly is now an author, recently penning Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me. Furthermore, the Chicago R&B master’s new album Write Me Back is more a tribute to the likes of Barry White and Off the Wall-era Michael Jackson than…
Hearsay’s Byrd on the Square
Check out the downtown setting of Hearsay in our slideshow. Downtown’s revitalized Market Square on a Friday night has never been better than it is lately. Niko Niko’s in Market Square Park draws a crowd in the evenings with its open-air patio that keeps patrons cool with gentle misting fans,…
Chef Endures Cancer, Loss of Sense of Taste
It’s not yet time for lunch at Alma Ceviche & Bar in far west Houston, but the restaurant is already busy at 10 a.m. even if the tables themselves are still empty. The kitchen is gearing up for the afternoon as prep cooks bustle and servers set tables. Chef David…
Country Club Sopranos
You wouldn’t know it by watching the news or reading the paper, but America’s banks are on the largest crime spree the country has ever known. Let’s go to the highlight reel, shall we? In July, Wells Fargo paid a $175 million settlement after the feds caught its brokers systematically…
Mother Courage
Mother Courage and Her Children is acclaimed as Bertolt Brecht’s best work, often described as an antiwar play but more accurately labeled by Brecht as an anti-business play. It chronicles the trials and tribulations of Anna, a woman with three adult children who peddles wares from a cart and struggles…
Denzel Washington Sulks, Soars in Flight
The yammering about “Oscar gold” and Denzel Washington’s potential three-peat will soon reach a deafening pitch, but such noise can only embarrass a fine character study like Flight, whose prevailing tone is a heavy, elemental melancholy. The mood is there from the opening pan across the Orlando airport under gray,…
Super Unleaded
Highlights from Hair Balls We always see commercials urging folks to give blood, but there are other precious bodily fluids that can be expelled and given away to strangers in need, and certainly breast milk ranks highly on that list. And thanks to Alicia Richman of Granbury, there are 86…
