Simon Moon Teaches Korean BBQ 101
Chef Simon Moon is the owner of Korea Garden Grille, the subject of this week’s Café review. If you have never eaten Korean barbecue before, this is a great place to try it, because chef Moon makes the experience really easy. When several people in our party confessed that they…
Late Night Scene: Brasil
Finding a parking spot 15 feet from the front door of Brasil is always a good omen. It’s Saturday night just after 11, and with no special event or performance, the place is at that serendipitous time when there are enough tables to make the place feel lively, but few…
A Few of Our Favorite Disturbing Album Covers – Tell Us Yours and Win Tickets to Our Halloween Party
Halloween is Friday, so to help you get into the proper spirit, Rocks Off has selected some of our favorite creepy, disturbing album covers. We decided to go for a more “unsettling” vibe rather than “disgusting,” because we didn’t want this thing to turn into a Cannibal Corpse slide show,…
Houston One Of Safest Cities In The Country, If You Look At It A Certain (Wrong, Houston Proud) Way
Houston may be fat, polluted, sprawling and ugly, but it’s got one thing going for it, according to Forbes magazine — it’s one of the safest cities in the country.Say what? Don’t they read our Bayou Body Count? What, you go ten days without a murder and all of a…
Health Department Roundup
The Thierry Andre Tellier Café and Pastry Shop (2515 River Oaks) was closed last week because of a health code violation but has reopened. There was a consultative visit by the Houston Department of Health and Human Services last Thursday, during which inspectors found that food was not protected from…
No, We Haven’t Forgotten About That Other Guy Playing House of Blues Thursday
Amidst all the rum, sodomy, and lashing going on this week about the Pogues hitting House of Blues Thursday, it’s easy to forget that they have a pretty stellar opener warming up the crowd. Hmm, kinda reminds us of another Irish band that brought a really kick-ass young band with…
Midweek Match-Up: My Black Pastors Are Better Than Yours, Punk
Houston’s boring excuse for a mayoral election is now officially ON FIRE!!! It’s EN FUEGO!!!!Why? Because there’s some dull sparring between Peter Brown and Gene Locke over who has the best-est bunch of black pastors endorsing them. Locke is claiming that Brown, a multi-millionaire who is largely self-financing his campaign…
All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Comedy
My brother Dave is a restaurant purveyor, and he once specialized in Chinese restaurants. Dave memorized the funniest lines from portly stand-up comic John Pinette’s hilarious bit about being banned from the all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. Dave launches into the outraged Chinese restaurant-owner routine whenever the family gathers — especially when…
The Pogues’ Rum, Sodomy & the Lash Answers Famous Musical Questions
Dear Rum, Sodomy & the Lash, Who wrote the book of love? – The Monotones, Newark, NJ Dear Monotones, I’m going to make me a big sharp axe, shining steel-tempered in the fire. I’ll chop you down like an old dead tree. Dirty old town, dirty old town. Dear Rum,…
Game Time: Sex For World Series Tickets
There are people who like to go to sporting events, there are people who would pay anything to go to sporting events, and then there are people who would pleasure a complete stranger for World Series tickets.Meet Susan Finkelstein. If you haven’t heard her story, she is a diehard Phillies…
Southern Hospitality at Ginza Japanese Restaurant
It’s far from the Heights, miles from midtown and could never double as a nightclub. Unassuming as ever, my favorite sushi in town — Ginza Japanese Restaurant — makes me proud to dine in a shopping center next to Jack’s Carpet. The meal begins with hot towels and ends with…
Win Passes To See The Fourth Kind And Discover The Five Sexiest Aliens In The Movies
Those who “want to believe” that extraterrestrials have interacted with human beings are doubtless familiar with J. Allen Hynek’s three classifications of “close encounters.” You’re probably also familiar with Jacques Vallee’s addition of “the fourth kind” which, according to Vallee, refers to actual abduction by aliens.Coincidentally, it’s also the subject…
Barbecue and Banchan
For this week’s Cafe review, I visited Korean Garden Grille with a dining companion who was more interested in the appetizers than the barbecue. I took the same dining companion to a little mom-and-pop eatery called Korean Diner because I figured the place would have her favorite Korean item –…
Artist of the Week: Ball-Busting, Dexter-Loving Metal Maniacs BloodVoid
Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group “Artist of the Week,” bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn’t awful? Email their particulars to introducingliston@gmail.com. In all honesty, before we started working for…
Hot-Button Immigration Issue Gets Little Discussion Among County Commissioners
It only took 15 seconds for the Commissioners Court of Harris County to approve three additional years of participation in 287(g) after hours of public testimony, mostly in opposition, to the program.The two Houston Garcias, who, by the way, were not included in the Garcia segment of CNN’s Latino in…
Aftermath: Eliot Fisk and John Gibbons’ Guitar/Harpsichord Rhapsody at the Menil Collection
Can you actually use the word “shazam” in a review? Because that’s what Aftermath was thinking at one juncture Tuesday night while watching John Gibbons and Eliot Fisk perform adapted Baroque pieces for the harpsichord and classical guitar. And yes, we did just say harpsichord. The concert was held in…
Coogs Hope To Keep Grabbing Those Turnovers
“As a team, I still don’t think we’ve played our best game,” Houston Cougars head coach Kevin Sumlin stated at yesterday’s media luncheon. “It’s still out there for us. I think we can be better.”The Cougars are 6-1 on the season, and if the team’s best game is still out…
Australian Oreo Cookie Ripoff Ignites Debate Over “Creole,” To The Bafflement Of Houston Creoles
It’s a never-ending debate around these parts. What is Creole? Is it the same as Cajun? If not, why not? And let’s say you were an Australian supermarket chain and were looking for a name for your in-house generic rip-off of the Oreo, and you decided to call it the…
Another Chapter of the Rocks Off Beatles Rock Band Saga Is In the Books
Despite some technical difficulties that got things off to a late start, Rocks Off and several of our friends had a fine time at our “Helter Skelter Halloween” party Tuesday evening at Coffee Groundz. Special thanks to the one or two of you who actually showed up in costume -…
Texas Court Of Criminal Appeals Agrees With The Houston Press
You know, when the Houston Press names someone the Best Criminal Defense Attorney, we expect that the high honor will result in further good works — it’s the whole Obama-Nobel Prize train of thought.So it should come as no surprise this morning that recent winner Brian Wice won a slam-dunk…
Chef Talk: Mother Rucker
Cutting-edge chef Randy Rucker doesn’t even have a kitchen. Eating Our Words crashed a private event he booked to get a look at what keeps him the most sought-after renegade around. Eating Our Words: What made you interested in molecular gastronomy? Randy Rucker: I’m not a boxer, so don’t put…
Dr. Roger Wood to Discuss Spirituality and the Blues With I.J. Gosey and Diunna Greenleaf Tonight
For the past few weeks, local blues scholar and Down In Houston author Dr. Roger Wood has been interviewing several of Houston’s leading blues musicians about their experiences in “The Soul of Houston Blues Stories.” For Wednesday’s concluding program, a conversation with I.J. Gosey and Diunna Greenleaf about spirituality and…
Dancing With the Stars: The Michael Irvin Conspiracy
Last night’s Dancing With the Stars results show kicked off in an even more insanely dramatic fashion than normal. The montage of clips from the competition ep featured fireball cuts and blood and heavy metal! It’s like Stephen Colbert without the irony. It was all because this week saw the…
Australian Cookie Ignites Debate Over “Creole,” To The Bafflement Of Houston Creoles
It’s a never-ending debate around these parts. What is Creole? Is it the same as Cajun? If not, why not? And let’s say you were an Australian supermarket chain and were looking for a name for your in-house generic rip-off of the Oreo, and you decided to call it the…
Stirred and Shaken: The Tavern’s Bay Breeze
I had been asked to leave establishments for unbecoming conduct, but never for trying to cover a place for the paper. So I was surprised when that happened at Dirt Bar (222 Yale, 713-426-4222), where media types are apparently not welcome — at least not while on the job. The…
Lonesome Onry and Mean: The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” and the Tragic Ballad of Kirsty MacColl
Lonesome, Onry and Mean has never hidden our distaste for Christmas music. So if we were ever called on to choose our favorite Christmas song, the Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” would win hands down. We can still remember the day – we were still Pogues virgins – when the…
I Wanna Be Your Dog (Or Cat): Listen Up, Class
Alright class, settle down. We have a lot of work to do, as we were all off last week. Today’s vocabulary lesson only includes canine breeds available for adoption at the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care — we didn’t want to blow anyone’s mind the first day back. But you…
Game Time: Woke Up This Morning, Got Myself LeBron
Those of you who listen to my show know that I am fond of placing the “occasional” friendly wager. While handicapping the day-to-day and week-to-week ebb and flow of a football, basketball, or (if you’re really sick) baseball season can be enjoyable and, at times, lucrative (especially when betting against…
A Vegan Dinner at a Meatatarium
Vegans may take our cheese (and milk and meat and butter and even honey), but they may never take…our truffles. This seemed to be the rallying cry on Monday night at Beaver’s Ice House as seven of Houston’s most intrepid chefs embarked upon an ambitious 12-course meal (full menu here) made…
Obama’s Screwing Texas Out Of Swine Flu Vaccine!!!! Or Maybe Not
Is Obama trying to kill Texans as revenge for not voting for him?Quite possibly, if you believe a list of swine-flu vaccine information getting e-mailed around. (And yeah, we’re calling it swine flu, you H1N1 snobs.)What’s being e-mailed is a list of vaccine doses shipped, broken down by state. California…
Like to Go Clubbing? Can You Write? Rocks Off Might Be Able to Use You
Rocks Off figures if you’re even reading this far, you probably go out from time to time. But can you write about it? We’re looking for three or four people to write a rotating nightclub column online similar – but not identical – to the Nightfly we already run in…
Banh Cuon: Tay Ho 18
The barbecued pork in the banh cuon thit nuong at Tay Ho 18 in Hong Kong City Mall isn’t as charred and crispy as the barbecued pork in the banh cuon thit nuong at Thien Thanh on Bellaire, but it’s still pretty tasty. At Tay Ho 18, you can watch…
Beef Cheeks at Gerardo’s Drive-in
A surprising number of people don’t know what beef cheek is. Several times I’ve been in a fancy restaurant with “braised beef cheeks” on the menu and someone will ask, “Those are the cheeks from the rump of the cow, right?” Wrong. Beef cheek comes from the head of a…
Congratulations to Our Live Nation Club Passport Winners, and More Background on That John Entwistle Photo
We finally have a winner in Rocks Off’s photo contest for those Live Nation Club Passports we started giving away back when George W. was president. Not really, but it seems like it. Congratulations to Houston’s Mitsy Parsons, whose shot of her with NYC up-and-comer Ryan Star at September’s Collective…
John Connolly Takes A Kid To The Gates Of Hell, Just For The Fun Of It
John Connolly, the Dublin-born author of Every Dead Thing and The Killing Kind, is in Houston today to promote The Gates, his new young adult title. While many of his adult novels are dark thrillers featuring ex-cop Charlie Parker, The Gates is a horror story with touches of comedy that…
The Shameless Chef: Pan Sausage Spaghetti
If you’re like me, spaghetti was one of the very few dishes you would eat as a child without complaining. However, by the time you developed a taste for steak, you’d eaten so much spaghetti, you’d gotten kind of bored with it. That’s where this week’s recipe comes in; it’s…
Our Condolences To New Astro Manager Brad Mills
Let me be the first to offer my condolences to Brad Mills. Now I’m sure Mills doesn’t think he needs my condolences. After all, he just achieved his dream, which is becoming the manager of a major league baseball team.But that team is the Houston Astros.Mills, who accepted the job…
Piss Up a Rope: Songs R. Kelly Probably Won’t Sing In Concert Friday, but Should
Get out your towels: R. Kelly is coming to town. The singer would be best known as “that guy who sang that song in the Michael Jordan/Bugs Bunny movie” if not for the allegations in 2002 that he engaged in sex with an underage girl. Kelly was found not guilty…
CenterPoint Hits The Jackpot At The Federal Stimulus Feeding Trough
Let them bitch all they want in Chicago about getting shut out of federal stimulus funds for “smart-grid” power projects. Here in Houston, we’re kicking ass.The federal gummint, that socialistic, fascist Big Brother, announced today how it is spending $3.4 billion of your grandkid’s money, and Houston’s two largest power…
Donut Patrol: Churros at Arandas Bakery
A plate of churros and a mug of hot chocolate is the best dessert on the menu at Hugo’s, the upscale Mexican restaurant on Westheimer. A churro is a Mexican donut made by pushing dough through a nozzle into a deep fryer. The nozzle gives the long, stick-shaped donut pronounced…
There Are No Coincidences In The Rat(t) World
We here in Houston are going to be besieged by rats — not just the four-legged kind, but the ten-legged, ten-armed, sucking-talentless kind, too.How else to interpret two announcements? One: “New Report Ranks Cities At Risk For Rodents This Year — Houston Is Number Three.” Two, from the official website…
Lonesome Onry and Mean: All Hail the King of Irish Rock and Soul, Van the Man Morrison
Obviously with U2 and the Pogues alone, the Irish scene has had a huge effect on the pop music of the past half century. But no list of Irish influences on 20th century rock and roll can be complete without Van Morrison. In 1968, LOM’s senior year in high school,…
House of Enchiladas
Deep in Friendswood (it isn’t that far away, people) is an establishment that has ballooned into an enchilada institution. It’s called La Casita (18043 County Rd. 127), and Tom Hanks ate here during the filming of Apollo 13 at Space Center Houston. It’s also the local dive of a recent…
She’s Suing To Make Sure Prayers Get The Hell Out Of City Council Meetings
To Houston realtor Kay Staley, religion and organized government mix about as well as tequila and jagermeister. That is to say, not very well. And so she has launched a federal lawsuit against the City of Houston and city council member Anne Clutterbuck in an attempt to sever the two…
Top 10 Restaurants in EaDo
Last weekend the neighborhood formerly known as Chinatown or Eastside had a coming-out party, and like a confirmed Catholic or a geisha, they celebrated with a new moniker–EaDo, short for East of Downtown. The townhouses have already started arriving, so check out these gems before a developer tears some of…
Come to Rocks Off’s “Helter Skelter Halloween” Party Tonight at Coffee Groundz
Come on Houston, start your Halloween week off right with us, the mighty he-men of Rocks Off and Beatles Rock Band. Yes, it’s been just over a month and a half since we saw all of your faces at Coffee Groundz (2503 Bagby) playing our newish toy, and we miss…
Gypsies, Tramps and Faeries: The Hottest Chicks of Ren Fest
Despite appearances, the Texas Renaissance Festival isn’t all chihuahua butt-plugs and rampant insults. There are plenty of activities to do each weekend, such as chug ale, gnaw on turkey legs, try out your longbow skills and ogle beautiful women — just like they did in Ye Olde Tymes! To assist you in…
Ask a Rapper: Much Luvv’s Tre9 Remembers Late Christian Rapper Juan “Enock” James
The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place – lots of times, you’re even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good – so once a week we’re going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Have something you always wanted…
Aeros Breaking Out Of Their Funk, Maybe
Last Wednesday, the Houston Aeros lost a tough 1-0 game to the Lake Erie Monsters at Toyota Center. It was disappointing not only because of the loss, but because it dropped the team below the .500 mark on the young season.Worse, the team appeared to be lost, drifting about in…
Crisper Drawer Cast-Offs: Christmas Jelly
The jalapeños I bought a couple of weeks ago turned red and started to shrivel, so I figured I might as well make a big batch of red and green jalapeño jelly and put it in little jars for Christmas gifts. Jalapeño jelly got its lowbrow reputation from the holiday…
Distant Early Warning: Bobby Bare, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Mariza, Green Jelly, Randy Rogers, etc.
Between The Buried And Me, Devin Townsend Band, Cynic, Scale The Summit: Mon., Jan. 11. Meridian. Billy Dean: Fri., April 16. Dosey Doe Coffee Company. Bobby Bare: Sat., May 22. Dosey Doe Coffee Company. “The Canvas Grand Opening” With Chase Hamblin, listenlisten, Sideshow Tramps, The Mighty Orq: Sat., Nov. 7,…
Dancing With the Stars: Hey, Mambo!
Holy crap, you guys! It’s week six of Dancing With the Stars! I thought I’d be dead by now. Tom Bergeron’s trademark breathless intro made it sound like the celebrities on this show have been at war or something instead of just wearing sequined shirts and soaking up some free…
Why Notre Dame Will Win The BCS And Texas Won’t, Part 8
We didn’t watch the Longhorns this weekend, we have to admit. Subjecting the country to a prime-time match-up of UT and Missouri seemed unnecessarily cruel, but such is the heartless world we live in these days.But we’re assuming two things: First, UT won, because come on, it’s Missouri. And second,…
Where Are We Drinking?
Owing to the enormous popularity of our weekly Where Are We Eating? feature and in an effort to acknowledge all the drinkers among us (what? we’re not AA), we’re introducing another weekly post for your guessing glee: Where Are We Drinking? We’ll ease into this gently. Even the teetotalers should…
Eyeballin’: The Willie Nelson Special featuring Ray Charles
This 1985 TV special was filmed at the Austin Opry House, and finds the two music icons sharing the stage – and a lot of laughs – for part of the proceedings in a 14-song set. Not surprisingly, it’s the tunes with both of them side-by-side at the piano, that…
Pop Rocks: Finally Understanding, For Better Or Worse, Criminal Minds
I think I finally get Criminal Minds.At first I assumed the people who watched it with any regularity were just sick freaks. Because while at first glance it isn’t a lot different from the other seven hundred crime procedurals on TV any given week, what sets the show apart from…
The Dallas Observer Learns About Interviewing Bill White
Our sister paper the Dallas Observer tagged along recently as Houston mayor Bill White visited a suburban deli and learned what it’s like to deal with the generic, content-free answers the big man uses when he doesn’t want to reply to what you’re asking.The headline? “Will Senate Hopeful Bill White…
Art Rock: Rocks Off’s “Helter Skelter Halloween” at Coffee Groundz
Come play with us… absolutely, totally, 100 percent free. Happy Halloween!…
Tamale Time: A Hot Tamale Sandwich
Forget the dollar menu at Taco Bell, the tamale torta at Doña Tere on Bissonnet is a full meal for $1.79. I got the chile beef tamale and doused the bolillo with salsa to lubricate the rather dry-looking combo of starch on starch. It tasted better than it looked. But…
The Weekend In Photos
From the tame to the terrifying, this weekend was full of thrills. Check out the weekend in photos below. Photo by Craig HlavatyStar Wars In Concert came to the Toyota Center on Sunday night, bringing an entire symphony orchestra, chorus, laser show, cases of memorabilia and even Anthony Daniels with…
Friday Night Lights, Houston Style: The Difference Between High School Football In Texas And Pennsylvania
Hair Balls traveled to a high school football game this weekend with a native Pennsylvanian to see how high school football in that state matches up against high school football in Texas. We went to Rosenberg to watch a Saturday night match up between the B.F. Terry Rangers and the…
Ain’t No Party (Around Here) Like Houston’s The Factory Party
It always amazes Rocks Off how we’ll start liking one band – Bunnymen-loving London post-punks White Lies, in this case – and then a little while later, stumble across a local band who could be their twin. If only, you know, they weren’t from halfway around the world. That’s what…
I Would Rather Be Raped Than Work Any Longer On Your Campaign, Sir
Breach of contract suits are ordinarily dry, boilerplate affairs, which is why Hair Balls tips our hat to the colorful complaint filed last Friday by Donald Large against City Council At-Large Candidate Carlos Obando. Large, who is also chairs Harris County Republican Precinct 411, tells Obando in his suit that…
Lonesome Onry and Mean: The Clancy Brothers, or the Pogues of the ’60s
Wonder what the Pogues show Thursday is going to look like? Here’s our guess… “I had the good fortune to meet Liam Clancy of the Clancy Brothers once and while talking with him over a cup of tea I mentioned my affection for the Pogues to which he replied, ‘The…
How To Make The Perfect: Marinara Sauce
If you’re looking for an authentic marinara sauce recipe, or one that only requires a few minutes of your time, you should probably stop reading right now. The following recipe is neither authentic nor is it a time-saver. It is, however, very simple to cook, uses ingredients that are (most…
Private-Security Firm Sued Here For (Allegedly) Shooting Up A Cab In Iraq
It was the morning of October 18, 2007, and three Iraqis were taking a cab from the city of Erbil to Sulaimaniya in northern Iraq, near the border with Iran. About halfway through the journey, at about 10:30 a.m., the taxi passed through the village of Kara Hanjir, when the…
Game Time: Inside The Mind Of The Houston Texans Fan
Pretty much every social instinct I employ comes from George Costanza of Seinfeld fame. (… and yes, the fact that it’s been 11-plus years since the Seinfeld finale means I officially have to remind people who George Costanza was.)*”Whatever your instincts tell you to do, do the opposite.””It’s not a…
Aftermath: John Williams’ Score, Crafty Editing Redeem the Prequels – Somewhat – at Star Wars: In Concert
Shortly after the release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace in 1999 – indeed, about 15 minutes or so into the movie – many (if not most) fans’ hearts sank as they realized the 15-something years they had waited for George Lucas to fill in the narrative…
Donut Patrol: You Tiao at Classic Kitchen
Dip your you tiao (Chinese doughnuts) in your dou jiang (warm, sweetened soy milk) at Classic Kitchen in the 9888 Bellaire shopping center near Beltway 8. This is probably the most popular place in the city for a Taiwanese-style breakfast. It’s also a great place to eat dumplings, tofu soup…
Bayou Body Count: Houstonians Finally Get Back To Killing Each Other
Less than a week ago, Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt zipped off a news release proudly reporting that for the first time in memory there had been no reported murders in the city for 10 straight days.”HPD’s veteran Homicide investigators cannot recall a single week in the past decade without…
They Live! Houston’s 2nd Annual Zombie Walk
Photos by Katharine ShilcuttThe undead arose from their graves and took to the streets of Montrose (where else?) on Saturday night, shuffling and moaning their way through the city in support of Tillman Troops, organized by Zombie Walk Houston. In between scavenging the flesh off dead bodies and searching for…
Turning the Screw: Lil Keke, Trae, Dre vs. Rush Limbaugh, Weezer, Weezy, Chamillionaire, 50 vs. Jay-Z, The Kanye, Nas, DMX, Big Pokey, etc.
Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off’s weekly rap post. It probably won’t rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: “Still Here,” Lil’ Keke Wire To Wire Again, congratulations to Trae and the newest tiny Trae. Hey, Rush: Fuck…
Chef Chat: Monica Pope of t’afia
Arguably the most admired chef in Houston and probably the most lauded in the past decade, the ubiquitous Monica Pope runs t’afia restaurant (3701 Travis Street), hosts the Midtown Farmers Market every Saturday morning, presides at Beaver’s, and teaches weekly classes at the Green Plum Cooking School. As this interview…
Dynamo Get Set For Playoffs With A Win
The Houston Dynamo know how to finish a season, beating Chivas USA 3-2 on Sunday afternoon. With the three points, the Dynamo secured second place in the Western Conference Playoffs, as only a head-to-head tiebreaker separates them from first place Los Angeles Galaxy.The Dynamo broke the game open with a…
It’s Gruesome, But Terrific
The male lead blows out one of his eyes with a firecracker. The scene plays funny, for the most part.The female lead slices her stomach open to get rid of everything that’s been troubling her. As sad and horrific as this is, people laugh. And they’re supposed to.Playwright Rajiv Joseph…
Aftermath: Wanda Jackson, Queen Mother of Rock and Roll, at the Continental Club
Wanda Jackson, unquestionably the true Queen Mother of rock and roll, was fashionably late getting on the stage Saturday night at the Continental Club. It was her seventy-second birthday, and she had played Austin the night before. Who could blame her for being a little slow to the drawl? Miss…
Taco Truck Gourmet: The Southwest Comisaria
The Houston Health Department requires that every taco truck must visit a commissary to dump waste, refill the tanks with potable water and sanitize the kitchen every 24 hours. Each truck has to carry receipts for these daily services and display a current Health Department inspection sticker. There are 12…
Blue October Cancels Club Tour as Frontman Justin Furstenfeld Is Hospitalized
Live Daily reported Friday that former Houston alt-rockers Blue October have canceled a club tour that was scheduled to start Thursday in Columbia, S.C., because front man Justin Furstenfeld has been hospitalized for “an extreme mental anxiety attack,” according to a press release from the band’s management. Ironically, this month-long…
The Texans: Mission Not Quite Accomplished
Perhaps it was appropriate that the former president Bushes were in attendance for yesterday’s Houston Texans game. Especially Bush the Younger. Because just as the Younger stood on an aircraft carrier with a “Mission Accomplished” banner displayed proudly behind him long before the mission was actually accomplished, so to did…
Coogs Grind Out A Relatively Unimpressive Win
“I still don’t think we’ve played our best football yet,” Houston Cougars head coach Kevin Sumlin said Saturday night. “To be 6-1,and as a coach, to think that you haven’t played your best football yet is pretty encouraging.”Sumlin’s statements came not long after Houston’s 38-15 defeat of SMU at Robertson…
Aftermath: Dutch Superstar DJ Tiesto at Reliant Arena
www.youtube.com/user/aquariuz By any number of measures, Dutch born DJ/producer Tiesto is an international musical superstar. He’s been voted “Best DJ in the World” by DJ Magazine three years in a row. He performed at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Athens, making history as the first DJ to…
Luling City Market Fail
For some reason, Luling City Market (4726 Richmond Ave) is constantly balls-to-the-walls packed with suits at lunchtime. It also sucks beyond compare. Never have we had pork ribs so horrendously rubbery — Buc-ee’s jerky is more tender than this garbage. Less than average potato salad failed to garner more than…
Aftermath: Dinosaur Jr., Built to Spill and a Whole Lotta Gear at Warehouse Live
Fans in the crowd at Warehouse Live’s Dinosaur Jr. show Friday night should have known what was in store for them when J Mascis’ roadies began setting up his equipment. Six amps for a single guitar player. If you thought the show was loud, imaging standing three feet in front…
The Week In TV: The World Series Ruins Everything
The weather is cool, Halloween is in the air, and I just redesigned the Pontiac Aztec. This is the week in TV Land: • For being a weak network overall and the home to some truly awful medical dramas, NBC can bring the funny. This week it handed down full-season…
Where Are We Eating?
Not much to go on in this one. A few tables, some scattered chairs, a lone customer at the counter. Do you still know where we’re eating this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
Texas Traveler: Houston Haunts
Texas Traveler has spent the better part of the month checking out some of the creepiest, oldest, most interesting parts of Houston and it’s neighboring cities, and to wrap up the month we have a few more tales to tell you about. Below, five Houston haunts you may not have…
Are You a Good Screw? Ask Your iPhone
By now, you gotta be pretty burned out on hearing, “There’s an app for that.” But sugar plum, get used to it already. ‘Cause it’s usually the answer to every inquiry to which your little heart desires a response these days, whether you embrace it or shun it. The latest…
R.I.P. Former Ale House and Stag’s Head Manager Angela Mullan Jenkins
A wake will be held from 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Stag’s Head Pub for Angela Mullan Jenkins, who passed away Thursday from breast cancer complications. Jenkins came to Houston from Northern Ireland over 30 years ago and worked briefly for a division of Baker-Hughes before beginning her career with…
Friday Night Noise: Concrete Violin and Circuit Wound
Concrete Violin, “Distant Envelopment” H-Town’s Austin Caustic – if that’s his real name, Friday Night Noise will eat his black Kangol with pepper sauce – records as Concrete Violin. You’d be forgiven for mistaking “Distant,” which appeared on the Dictaphonia Volume One compilation (Hal McGee), for the sound of somebody…
Selma Blair And Brad Fleischer On Vomit, Gore And The Ick Factor
Selma Blair playing Kayleen picks at the blood on on fellow actor Brad Fleischer’s face — an action designed to be both comic and in keeping with the title of the terrific new, two-actor play now on the Alley’s Neuhaus Stage — Gruesome Playground Injuries.It’s always a big step for someone…
Irma Galvan and Tortilla Soup
Irma’s Mexican Restaurant is, according to owner Irma Galvan, “just a little hole in the wall,” but its built a reputation that’s won her the prestigious James Beard Foundation America’s Classic award last year. Galvan spoke to Eating Our Words about her participation in the today’s Movies Houstonians Love: Meals…
“My Son Is the Lizard King, and I’m an Admiral”: Successful Rock-Star Parents
Late Thursday, word came across the ticker that legendary comedian and TV star Soupy Sales had passed away at age 83. After a stint in the military and on radio, Sales went on to be one of the major pioneers of televised sketch and children’s comedy. In 1965, he pulled…
Taking That La-Z-Boy Out for a Drunken Spin? Don’t Forget the Tunes!
As part of our court-appointed public service, we at Rocks Off don’t condone driving while intoxicated. But if you must get behind the wheel after having a few, there are far worse things to be driving than a La-Z-Boy. From Yahoo! news this morning: “A Minnesota man has pleaded guilty…
This Week In Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where we defiantly eat summer sausage in the winter and we don’t care who knows it. We kicked off this week at a sort of cookout triathlon with a plot of Texas land on the line. J.C. Reid likes…
Last Call For Art: Circus Stars, Greek Cinema And Zombies
Today’s your last chance to see Cirque Mechanics’ Birdhouse Factory. An international cast of circus stars formerly with Cirque de Soleil, the Moscow Circus and Pickle Family Circus, Cirque Mechanics include contortionists, acrobats, clowns, and dancers.The Birdhouse Factory story is a simple one. A group of workers trudge away in…
R.I.P. Thirteenth Floor Elevators/International Artists Engineer Walt Andrus
Walt Andrus, best known as the engineer of numerous Thirteenth Floor Elevators sessions, has gone where the pyramid meets the eye. Andrus, who engineered many of the most famous sessions for Houston’s infamous International Artists label during the psychedelic period, was living in Truth or Consequences, N.M., when he passed…
Donut Patrol: Paczki at Polonia
Go to the Polish food store next door to Polonia restaurant on Blalock and Campbell on Saturday morning at around 10 a.m., and you can get your paczki hot out of the fryer. Polish paczki are jelly donuts made with an extremely rich pastry and a fruit filling — this…
Lone Star Scorecard: All Robert Earl Keen Edition
There are a lot of songs about Texas out there, and Rocks Off wouldn’t be doing our duty if we sent you off into the world without properly informing you about their veracity. That’s what the Lone Star Scorecard is for, and if it keeps even one of you from…
Game Time: Time To Take Over
I will get the pleasantries out of the way ….My name is Sean Pendergast, and I am a sports talk show host at 1560 The Game.I realize that sentence has the sound and feel of a self-introduction at an AA meeting (and carries with it more similarities than you’d think),…
Upcoming Events
Although it’s facing stiff competition from Southern Star lately, Saint Arnold is still our favorite hometown brewery. And this weekend’s Foam Raiser at the Orange Show (Saturday, October 24, from 7 to 10 p.m.) is one of many reasons why. The ticket sales for the 2nd annual Foam Raiser go to support…
The Red Nation Manifesto, Honored Mostly In The Breach
The Houston Rockets hosted a party last night at Hotel Icon to celebrate the team’s new Red Nation marketing campaign. Other than “alternative jerseys” for this year, the team — as part of the campaign — has developed a Bill of Red, “a document passed down from high and now…
Dare to Be Stupid: Weird Al Yankovic Is 50 Today – 50 Years Old!
Weird Al Yankovic, the accordion-playing satirist who has made mockery of everything from the American diet to gangsta rap – as if he needs any introduction – turns 50 today. As Rocks Off’s editor asked, “How can he be only 50?” It’s a good question, because if you’re anything like…
Crisper Drawer Cast-Offs: Stuffed Artichokes
If you love artichokes, but want to cut down on the nutritional benefits, you can dip them in mayonnaise or melted butter. That’s what I used to do — until I encountered the artichokes at Mint Café, a hip little Lebanese restaurant that went out of business last summer. The…
The Elephant Man Of Texas Is Not An Animal, He Just (Allegedly) Abuses Them
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has filed charges against the East Texas handler of three — er, actually it’s now just one — elephants, for allegedly violating the Animal Welfare Act. For those who haven’t been following this sad/absurd story out of Leggett, about 80 miles northeast of Houston, Wil Davenport…
The Music of True Blood, Episode 1.3: Gay Pimps, Vampire Blood and “Soccer Practice”
Alan Ball was known for his masterful use of music in Six Feet Under. He’s lost none of his touch when it comes to his current HBO series, True Blood – which happens to be set in the Louisiana swamps, not terribly far from Houston. With Season 2 just completed,…
Candidate For Dumbest Fundraiser Ever, River Oaks Style
In case you were worried that the departure of Shelby Hodge would hamper the Houston Chronicle’s tireless devotion to covering the inanities of rich, pampered self-obsessives in our town, fear not.Molly Glentzer is on the beat, and among her first offerings is this masterpiece: “SWAT Team Storms Mansion As Part…
D-Lite Your Soul
Coffee Toffee with Dutch Chocolate was our first Tasti D-Lite (1707 Westheimer) experience, and by no means will it be our last. Nestled in the corner next to a Berryhill, this cozy franchise is a little difficult to find the first time. Don’t expect a huge, punch-you-in-the-face flavor at this…
Five Spot: Congratulations to Trae and His Family on the Birth of His New Son
Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we’ll examine a recent bit of music news and, sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It’s five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. In June 2007, we became papa to twin boys. It was wild. And they…
Chef Randy Evans: Sheet Rocking Haven
Houston superchef Randy Evans was standing outside Haven, his exciting new farm-to-table restaurant on Algerian Way near Richmond and Kirby, when I drove by yesterday. The press release I got about the place read: “Looks like an early October opening.” I was hoping for lunch, but Randy didn’t have his…
The Astros Have Problems Beyond Their Four Uninspiring Coaching Finalists
Manny Acta. Brad Mills. Phil Garner. Dave Clark. These four, uninspiring names are supposedly the Four. The Four out of which the Astros will choose a new manager. And I’ve got to admit. I’m pretty damn uninspired.Here’s a brief rundown of why these guys probably won’t be any good. Garner…
More of Rocks Off’s Interview With C-3PO Himself, Anthony Daniels
[Note: Read Part 1 of the interview here.] RO: What is your favorite John Williams movement from the soundtracks? AD: Curiously, it’s one from The Phantom Menace, and I know some will be surprised by that. There’s a wonderful Egyptian-type march before one of Anakin’s pod races. It’s got a…
The Week In Photos
The photographers in our Flickr pool had their share of festivals, concerts, parties and scenery to choose from this past week, as Houston blossoms during the fall months. One such festival was Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, celebrated in Sugar Land and seen below. Enjoy some of our favorite…
Lamb Shank at Niko Niko’s
The Food Network’s hugely successful show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives recently visited Niko Niko’s Greek restaurant in Montrose. Amidst owner Dimitri Fetokakis’s banter with hyper host Guy Fieri was this little nugget of information: Niko Niko’s no longer slow-marinates its legendary lamb shank. Rather, it uses a new-fangled “food tumbler”…
Win An Orphan DVD, And Discover The Five Most Underrated Creepy Movie Children
You know how this goes: some movie comes out about a little kid who’s not what he/she seems and every online wag has to throw together a list ranking each child that’s given us the willies since The Bad Seed. Problem is, every one of these lists has the same…
Listology: Before They Split Town, GTRS Pick Their Favorite Make-Out Songs
Houston loses another band after this weekend, as Pavementesque indie-shoegazers GTRS relocates to the more touring-friendly enviorns of Asheville, N.C., where they plan to open a recording studio. Sigh. We’re sure they’ll come back to visit, and on tour, so let’s just say so long and not goodbye. Besides, you’ve…
The Office: Meet Blind Guy McSqueezy
I’m running out of ways to say just how great The Office still is, six seasons in. This week’s episode, “The Lover” — written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and directed by Eisenberg — was a textbook example of how to make a great half-hour comedy feel fresh even…
Late Night Scene: Gotham Pizza
There’s a scene in an early Sex and the City episode (yeah, I went there) where a guy frequents a particular restaurant with a girl he’s embarrassed to date because he knows no one will see them there. If anyone could use a similar place in Houston for a late…
Lonesome Onry and Mean: Celtic Accordion Queen Sharon Shannon
One of Lonesome Onry and Mean’s favorite Pogues tracks is actually Steve Earle’s great anti-war song “Johnny Come Lately” from Earle’s Copperhead Road album. Earle has frequently spoken of his affinity for Ireland, particularly Galway, which we might call one of his retreats. It was through Earle, and his song…
Flashforward: It Didn’t Suck This Week!
Lesbians kissing! Asians with rocket launchers! KARAOKE SHOOTOUTS! In one week, FlashForward went from boring to bananas, unleashing a torrent of pulpy action and crazy plot twists that played like Alias on sleep deprivation. The show made minor headway with the mystery in Somalia that will (probably, hopefully) tie into…
The DJ Shuffle: A Guide to New and Upcoming Wax Attacks
If you think trying to keep track of which bands are playing where is tough, try it with the umpteen regular DJ nights popping up around Houston like so many toadstools after a fresh rain. On second thought, don’t – that’s what we’re here for. Here are some new or…
Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest
America is in the midst of Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest, which draws to a close in less than a month on November 13. Competitions like these capture our country’s great inventive spirit — peanut butter was, after all, cooked up in the U.S. It’s the kind of…
Where the Boys Aren’t: Anna Garza Talks About Bringing Girls Rock Camp to Houston
Long before Anna Garza thought that Houston needed a girl-centric music camp, she put the city on the map as a viable tour stop for indie bands as talent buyer for booking collective Hands Up Houston. Bringing the Bayou City artists like Blonde Redhead, Coco Rosie and TV on the…
The Art Of Battling Cancer
Laura Tyler took care of her grandmother while her grandmother was dying of cancer 20 years ago. Tyler is an artist, and she mainly worked on dark-charcoal and pencil drawings while serving as a caretaker, but her grandmother convinced her to paint. Tyler herself is dying of cancer now, and…
Donut Patrol: Best Donuts
The glazed old-fashioned at Best Donuts on Braeswood at Hillcroft in Meyerland was excellent. It was also much bigger than the sad, stale little raised and glazed donut I sampled there. While I stood at the counter, I could see hot donuts cooling on a rack in the back, but…
Listology: Blaggards’ Patrick Devlin Picks Ten Acts He’d Sing Backup For
Anyone who’s seen them knows that local “Stout Irish Rockers” Blaggards’ front man Patrick Devlin’s natural place is center stage. But even he has artists he wouldn’t mind stepping back for, so we asked him to list us a few in advance of Blaggards’ free concert at Discovery Green Thursday…
Newest Report Not Great News For NASA; Time To Think “Outside The Box,” As They Probably Still Say There
The long-awaited report on NASA’s future has come out and, as expected, it’s bad news for anyone hoping for a return to the moon.”Panel Says NASA Should Skip Moon, Fly Elsewhere” is the headline on AP’s report:Norman Augustine, chairman of the White House-appointed panel reviewing the agency’s spaceflight plans, said…
Talking With C-3PO Himself, Anthony Daniels, About Star Wars: In Concert
A few weeks back, Rocks Off had the pleasure of speaking with actor Anthony Daniels, the man in the golden suit and the physical embodiment of one of the most iconic characters in popular science fiction. Since production began in 1976 on A New Hope, better known of course as…
Truck Truck Gourmet: Antojitos Hondureños
The big white bus called Antojitos Hondureños #2 on Fondren just south of Bellaire is pretty impressive. There were three people working in the kitchen and a steady stream of customers. Antojitos Hondureños #1 is located up north off I-45, the guy at the window told me. Yes, they sell…
More Musical Medocrity For Houston’s Private Party Of The Year
For those folks out there wondering if superlawyer Mark Lanier had suddenly — after all these years — finally developed good musical taste, you can rest assured: He hasn’t.Tort King Lanier is famous for his Christmas parties, elaborate (if liquor-free) bacchanals that feature kiddie rides, top-notch food and high-priced entertainment.In…
Food Photography Workshop with Penny De Los Santos
Much like professional food writers who feel threatened by the ever-growing cadre of “amateur” food bloggers, professional food photographers are assailed not only by those same food bloggers, but also by the whiz-bang, point-and-shoot cameras that they brashly carry into restaurants and kitchens. Some argue that these high-tech marvels can…
Houston 101: Summer Of The Candy Man
The late summer of 1973 was a strange, strange time in Houston. The handiwork of a sadistic mass murderer had been discovered, and as more and more bodies were found, the city and the local media couldn’t get enough.Says one former Houstonian who was there: When this thing broke, in…
Lonesome Onry and Mean: Has Miranda Lambert Sparked a Revolution In Nashville?
If there is a ticking time bomb signaling the impending end of the ’80s hair-band nature of mainstream country music, Miranda Lambert is probably lighting the fuse. Lambert’s third album, Revolution, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart last week and sold 23 percent more (almost 69,000…
Food Fight: Battle Mashed Potato
After last week’s Food Fight, in which fans/minions of Jeannine’s Bistro cluttered the comments section with with querulous protestations and propaganda, we’ve decided to take a brief break from pitting one restaurant against another. And inspired by John Gray’s inaugural Shameless Chef entry (which had its own fair share of…
Noon Services At Christ Church Episcopal To Feature Sex-Abuse Protesters
Episcopalians going to today’s noon service at Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral can expect to be harassed by those dang folks from the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP). Network co-founder and president Barbara Blaine is in town to drum up awareness over the November 3 trial involving three former Austin…
Modern-Day Jedis – or Wannabe Jedis – In Pop Music
“For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times… before the Empire.” – Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars Sounds pretty impressive, doesn’t it? Almost like there somebody had put together a detailed, well thought-out story arc and…
Gulf Oyster Ban Hysteria
“A couple of months would have been okay, but five months is too much,” oysterman Misho Ivic said about the newly announced FDA summer oyster ban. Oystermen were taken by surprise last weekend when the FDA went over the head of the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Commission and announced an aggressive…
Dynamo Choosing A Bad Time To Slump
Everything was aligned perfectly for the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night. Before their final CONCACAF Champions League match, Pachuca defeated Arabe Unido, meaning all the Dynamo had to do was win against the previously winless Isidro Metapan to advance to the quarterfinals.Unfortunately, that task proved too difficult for the Orange…
The H-Town Countdown, No. 14: Trae’s Restless
Roughly 84,000 rap albums have been released in Houston since 1989. We’re counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Trae Restless (Asylum, 2006) Disclaimer: We dissected this album without referencing “Swang,” the…
A Chat with Thomas Boran of Vin Bar
“No, I’m just a bartender,” Thomas Boran assures me for maybe the third time as I watch him deftly handle the early evening crowd in Hotel Derek’s new Vin Bar. Nevertheless, there’s something in his manner — thoughtful, precise, capable — that reminds me of a beverage manager. Maybe it’s…
Glee, Episode 8: Love Rhombus
This week’s Glee was a solid, packed little episode about second choices and settling for what you think you want, and it also used its musical performances as opportunities to push the plot or reflect the emotions of the characters. Everything tied together: Emma and Ken want Will to mash…
Art Rock: Rocks Off’s “Helter Skelter Halloween” at Coffee Groundz
Just a reminder, y’all. It’s free… starts at 6 p.m…
Top 7 Couples’ Costumes for Halloween
Halloween is coming, and that means many, many costuming mistakes will be made by normally sane adults. To help stop this scourge, each Thursday we will be offering tips and analysis of what to avoid, or possibly what to do. Check out past entries here, here and here. There’s one…
Remembering The Houston Gamblers, Thanks To ESPN
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, ESPN is in the midst of airing what it calls 30 on 30, which is a series of 30 one-hour documentaries on sports-related matters that have occurred within the network’s 30 years on the air. And one of the documentaries, one that aired on Tuesday…
Italian for Two, $15.95
Fabio’s Bar and Grill (212 Westheimer) is hands down the best value in Italian dining in the city. Fabio is famous for making his own pastas, and this little joint is rocking the same pasta you find in Houston’s most famous dining institutions. That’s because Fabio makes the pasta for…
Lonesome Onry and Mean: A Brief History of “Danny Boy” – Evergreen But Not Exactly Irish
The Pogues are only one week away, so no time like the present to reflect on Irish music. For many Americans, no song epitomizes Irish music like “Danny Boy.” Lonesome Onry and Mean was gently prodding my Irish and European friends at the boozer recently regarding their opinions about the…
Pop Rocks: New Blood For Hollywood. Please
I used to review movies (over here, if you care), an endeavor I had to quit for a variety of reasons: my hectic neurosurgery rotation, for one, as well as the increasing physical demands of the new Mrs. Vonder Haar, Carla Gugino. But among the non-imaginary factors influencing my decision…
“Inbound: Houston”
Billboards: Love them or hate them, they are an inescapable reality of life in Houston. And while they can sometimes be less than artful (see the Do You Suffer from Excessive Sweating? campaign), odds are, you at least glance at them. You’ll be taking a second look during the run…
Memoirs of the Sistahood, Chapter Two
Learn how to be a good wife at today’s performances of Memoirs of the Sistahood, Chapter Two. Film, choreography and art help reveal the lives of the six Beaullieu “sistas,” Becky, Beth, Bitsy, Bonnie, Barbara and Babette, along with brother Buster. Memories of growing up in a huge family in…
Fresh Fest
The Fresh Arts Coalition wants you to know that the Theater District and Museum District aren’t Houston’s only sources of culture. To prove their point, the Coalition presents Fresh Fest, an outdoor celebration of the performing and visual arts companies that lie outside the established culture zones. Discovery Green will…
Comedy Tonight
Theatre Southwest presents Comedy Tonight, a series of five short comedies by contemporary playwrights that find humor in unexpected situations. The plays include Wanda’s List, about a couple who’ve been married for 13 years. A visit from the husband’s ex-girlfriend upsets the status quo. Director Barbara S. Harman says, “It…
Aurora Picture Show Video Salon
When Emily Hagins set out to create zombie flick Pathogen, she was still years away from being able to buy a ticket to an R-rated movie. The 12-year-old Austinite was neither a rich kid nor a child prodigy — she was simply driven to produce a film about dead people…
McDonald’s Halloween Mansion
The Children’s Museum of Houston recently doubled its size so there’s plenty of room to play, dance, create and, for the Halloween season, at least, trick-or-treat. The McDonald’s Halloween Mansion offers kids lots of safely spooky choices: They can build a 3-D monster sculpture or design a scary face for…
Found Footage Festival
For more than 15 years, Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, the duo behind the Found Footage Festival, have scouted garage sales, warehouses, thrift stores and dumpsters in search of possible footage for their DVD mashups. Their SXSW-award-winning collections (as seen on The Late Show with David Letterman) include Devo-inspired, homemade…
John Connolly: The Gates
Sometimes it just doesn’t pay to be proactive. Just ask Samuel, a small, very smart boy who had the bad luck to live next door to 666 Croley Road. Hoping to snag some early Halloween candy, Samuel and his very smart dog Boswell started trick-or-treating on October 28, three days…
The Devil’s Backbone
Director Guillermo del Toro gives viewers a ghostly look at the last days of the Spanish Civil War in The Devil’s Backbone. Set in a gloomy wreck of an isolated orphanage, the film chronicles the fate of a group of boys and the doctor tasked with keeping them safe. A…
ArBOOretum 2009
During today’s ArBOOretum 2009, you’ll see owls and squirrels along with monsters and superheroes, so watch out for that bush – it just might be a kid in a really good Halloween costume. Kids will trick-or-treat along nature trails, stopping at education stands along the way to learn about bats,…
Rocky Horror Show
Long-time Alley Theatre Company Member Paul Hope takes on directing duties for The Rocky Horror Show at the University of Houston. The fun begins when Brad and Janet, a young couple in love, stumble into flamboyant mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter’s campy castle. Their visit is punctuated by song-and-dance…
ScreamWorld
ScreamWorld, like your friendly neighborhood strip club, has a strict no-touch policy. You don’t touch the skeletons, monsters and other assorted ghouls that populate the attraction, and they won’t touch you. Of course, they don’t have to touch you in order to scare the bejeezus out of you. ScreamWorld creator…
Artful Thursday: Bohnchang Koo
Over the last 50 years, Korea has gone from being one of the least powerful countries in the world to being a major political player. That transformation is reflected in they country’s contemporary art, and during today’s Artful Thursday, photographer Bohnchang Koo discusses how his homeland’s changing fortunes have affected…
1st Annual Community Green Fest
There’s a focus on all things green at the 1st Annual Community Green Fest. In attendance will be Joe Icet, the founder of the Last Organic Outpost, a 5th Ward regenerative farm, and more than 30 community organizations. The day’s activities include talks with eco-educators, an electric car showcase, planting…
Race Across the Sky
Some of the world’s best cyclists endure extreme conditions during the grueling Leadville Trail 100 Race Across the Sky Mountain Bike Race. This year’s race (100 miles long and climbing 14,000 vertical feet) was captured in the documentary Race Across the Sky, which followed the 1,400 competitors from the starting…
Circus Mechanics’ Birdhouse Factory
Think Cirque du Soleil meets Charlie Chaplin, and you’ll have some idea of what the Circus Mechanics’ Birdhouse Factory is all about. The 12-member company includes cyclists, acrobats, dancers, clowns and contortionists previously with the Moscow Circus, the Pickle Family Circus, and the aforementioned Cirque du Soleil. Set in a…
Village of Waltz
Hope Stone Artistic Director Jane Weiner was so inspired by Antonia’s Line, a Dutch film about a woman who takes up with a village of “outcasts and losers because she sees the beauty in them,” she set about choreographing a piece that would capture the same feel, including the way…
3rd Annual Rock the Cradle for Johnny Romano Memorial Contest
Los Skarnales and DJ Ceeplus Black Knives are among the entertainers who’ll appear at the 3rd Annual Rock the Cradle for Johnny Romano Memorial Contest. The only event of its kind in the state, Rock the Cradle benefits the Johnny Kicks Cancer Foundation. Romano was an 11-year-old Galveston boy who…
Aida
Diva Renée Fleming hosts today’s broadcast of Aida, part of the Met Live in HD series. Lithuanian soprano Violeta Urmana appears as the Ethiopian princess who’s forced into slavery, South African tenor Johan Botha is the soldier who loves her, and American mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick is the Pharaoh’s daughter vying…
The Elixir of Love
From Tristan and Isolde to the students at Hogwarts, forlorn humans have long sought to concoct a love potion — take the easy way, if you will. Today, the Houston Grand Opera opens its season with the tale of another quest for liquid passion, one of the most performed operas…
3rd Annual Galveston Pride Fest
See performances by Tiffany and Britney Spears (okay, not the real Britney, the female impersonator Derrick Barry) at the 3rd Annual Galveston Pride Fest. American Idol contestant and Katy resident Kady Malloy and singer/songwriter Jay Arseno will also be on hand. Spring for VIP tickets and schmooze with the stars…
The Story of My Life
Theatre LaB Houston presents the regional premiere of The Story of My Life. The moving musical centers on a writer, Thomas (played by Stephen Myers), and a bookstore owner, Alvin (John Dunn), who have known each other since childhood. Home to deliver the eulogy at Alvin’s funeral, Thomas can’t find…
Meals on Reels: Tortilla Soup with Irma Galvan
Houston restaurateur Irma Galvan hosts a screening of Tortilla Soup, this month’s installment of Movies Houstonians Love: Meals on Reels. Hector Elizondo stars in Soup as a retired chef who lives with his three grown daughters. No one in the family is having much luck in affairs of the heart,…
Out in the Silence
After filmmakers Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer were married in Canada in 2004, Wilson posted an announcement of the gay nuptials in his hometown newspaper in Oil City, Pennsylvania to inform his old friends. His harmless celebratory notice almost burned down the town. It also prompted a mother and her…
Mary Poppins
It’s been almost half a century since the superest super nanny of them all taught us that “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” Mary Poppins, that magical lady with the best bag of tricks ever, first appeared in books by P.L. Travers in the early 1930s before…
“From Rice Fields to Rockets: JSC in Houston’s Bay Area, the Journey in Sights and Sounds”
Putting a man on the moon put a sleepy little Gulf Coast community on the map. The art exhibit “From Rice Fields to Rockets: JSC in Houston’s Bay Area, the Journey in Sights and Sounds” recounts the dramatic changes the area saw over the last 50 years, since the inception…
An Evening with Stephen Sondheim
The composer and lyricist behind such classic musicals as West Side Story and Sweeney Todd has usually let his work speak for him, but at today’s An Evening with Stephen Sondheim, he’ll take the mike. Joining Sondheim onstage will be New York Times columnist Frank Rich. Over his 50-year career,…
Herb Keyser: Geniuses of American Musical Theatre: The Composers and Lyricists
Being accepted into medical school temporarily interrupted Herb Keyser’s career in show business. Good thing for musical theater fans, he found his way back. Keyser will be discussing and signing copies of his latest book, Geniuses of American Musical Theatre: The Composers and Lyricists, today. The book includes 28 insider…
Etgar Keret
Some 40 short films have been made based on the works of Israeli writer Etgar Keret, including the stop-animation work $9.99, which will be screened during his presentation today. Geoffrey Rush and Anthony LaPaglia star in the short, an insightful mix of absurdity and self-flagellating humor. People magazine said, “Keret…
Cap’n Kittens and Friends
A man is standing in the upstairs room of Avant Garden (411 Westheimer) clad in a lace-trimmed camisole. After we talk to him for a few minutes, however, his androgynous attire becomes only about the eighth most interesting thing about him. This gentleman is taking in the final installment of…
Season of the Witch
The sky was midnight black, not blood red, above Reliant Stadium’s open roof as U2 brought its epic 360º tour to Houston last Wednesday. And even without the four band members onstage, hundreds of stage crew and tour personnel behind the scenes, and 60,000-plus fans in the stands, we were…
The Wheel World
Wheel World A fine job: Thank you for a well-researched, well-written article [“Ghost Riders,” by John Nova Lomax, October 8]. I am a cyclist who commutes more often than not the easy four miles to my job. This city is full of pathetic drivers who just do not recognize that…
Polo by Jason Villegas
Artist Jason Villegas has an obsession with polo shirts. And in a certain dark period in the ’80s, an unhealthy number of America’s youth shared that obsession. The Izod Lacoste shirt with a tiny alligator appliqué over the left breast was the most coveted of polo shirts, and beneath it…
Houston’s Choice for Mayor
It’s late October in Houston. That means, of course, the weather’s nicer, the Texans are sucking, the Rockets haven’t flamed out yet. Typical October. There are some things going on this month you might not be aware of, though. One, there’s a mayor’s race going on. And two, it’s the…
One Vampire Movie That Really Sucks
Like the ominous fingernail moon early on in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, the bloodsucker trend is again in a waxing phase thanks to the mass cult followings of the Twilight saga and HBO’s True Blood. However, the only authentic vampires in this first (and, I can all but…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Carlos Cruz-Diez: Crosswalk”, “Katy Heinlein: Project Space,” “Sasha Pierce: New Paintings” and “John Sparagana: The Crisis Professionals”, “Reduced Visibility”, “Second Seating”
“Carlos Cruz-Diez: Crosswalk” You only have to drive past the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston to see some of the hippest public art in Houston. The 86-year-old Carlos Cruz-Diez, a pioneer of optically kinetic art, has created an amazing street installation for the MFAH’s crosswalks along Bissonnet/Binz Street. Cruz-Diez’s vibrant…
Burgers and Hash
Three eggs cooked sunny-side up occupied one side of the big white oval platter that held my “home skillet” breakfast at Lola, the hip new diner on 11th Street at Yale. The cheese grits came in a bowl in the middle, and the other side was filled with a petite…
Capsule Stage Reviews: The Lighter Side of the Recession, Little Shop of Horrors, Our Town
The Lighter Side of the Recession Unemployment might be high, but so are the laughs at Radio Music Theatre, whose latest bit of hilarity is called The Lighter Side of the Recession. This handful of sketches, which are loosely connected around the idea of folks doing their best during hard…
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
Bill Greenwood is the executive chef of the new Eddie V’s Prime Seafood (12848 Queensbury Ln., 832-200-2380) that just opened in the swank CityCenter. Bill came from Aspen and spent the last year at the Eddie V’s in Fort Worth. “We are based in Scottsdale and this is our fifth…
CATBIRD’S TRUCK STOP CAPPUCCINO
Bartender Matt Trimble of Catbird’s (1336 Westheimer, 713-523-8000) is an impressive man. Before taking his current job, he undertook a weeks-long bicycle odyssey from Houston to New York, sleeping on the side of the road and surviving on his ability to charm strangers. He dates an exotic journalist who makes…
Dinosaur Jr., Lou Barlow
With grunge-era staples such as “Freak Scene” and “Out There,” Dinosaur Jr. specialized in bittersweet compositions in which even the sad songs were love songs and even the love songs were sad. But they were no crybabies: An impermeable wall of screaming guitar concealed much of this melancholy. To the…
Boosted Booze and Marvin’s Angels
Crime Even the Lone Star Saloon Is Not Safe Crime of the Century so far unsolved By Paul Knight and Mike Giglio Here at Hair Balls and the Houston Press, we really love the Lone Star Saloon. Really. That’s why we hope that police take swift action and find the…
Truth in Advertising
The title of Shane Meadows’s Somers Town refers to the bleak, working-class neighborhood that lies in the shadow of London’s St Pancras train station, where, in the fall of 2007, the Eurostar train company launched a new high-speed rail line to Paris. In an unconventional marketing move, Eurostar commissioned Meadows…
Houston Women’s Festival
Hard to believe it’s been 15 years since the inaugural Houston Women’s Festival, but time flies when you’re having fun. This year’s local Lilith Fair is headlined by Atlanta-based Michelle Malone, whose album Debris recently made the first cut for consideration for an Americana Grammy nomination. Malone is cut from…
Torta Caprino e Cipolle
I’m over here: It’s easy to overlook the torta caprino e cipolle ($6) at Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino (3215 Westheimer, 713-522-1934) as you make your way down the line of prepared foods. For one thing, there are so many dishes, it’s impossible to see everything, and for another, the torta…
Educating Females and Musical Etiquette
Dear Mexican, As a teacher, we’ve been exhorted to expand our efforts in closing the achievement gap between majority and minority students (read: Anglos and Mexicans). I teach all of my students in the best ways that I can determine for each individual student, within the constraints of a classroom…
The Tragically Hip
Perhaps Canadian rockers The Tragically Hip should have thought up a different name. Despite considerable popularity and critical acclaim in America’s 51st state, the rootsy group failed to find a widely accepting audience in the lower 48. Staunchly traditional and unflinchingly resolute in its aim to avoid label corruptions, the…
Earl Thomas Conley
In spite of his string of ’80s hits — 30 songs on the Billboard charts, 18 No. 1s — Earl Thomas Conley never truly fit the Nashville mold. Much like Gary Stewart, Conley always had a Deep-South twang in his voice. Also like Stewart, Conley always seemed to come up…
Revolting Cocks
Ministry main man Al Jourgensen launched the electro-rock sex machine Revolting Cocks in 1983, as a trio whose lineup included Front 242’s Richard 23. As Ministry fixated on metallic guitars, the Cocks concentrated on keyboards and twisted dance beats in throbbing tunes like “Beers, Steers, and Queers,” “Hookerbot 3000” and…
Oregon Trail
Although one song on Art Brut’s 2005 debut Bang Bang Rock & Roll is called “Moving to L.A.,” front man Eddie Argos admits he never thought his pogo-happy UK quintet would really exchange London for Southern California. “We thought, ‘Oh, America. We’re never gonna come here again,'” he laughs. “So…
Get All Dressed Up
Michael Jackson. Trend spotters say his face will be everywhere you look this coming year, and why not? It certainly has a ghostly aspect, although one wonders how all the would-be Michaels will manage the nose. But if your idea of a good time doesn’t include wearing the face and…
Blind Luck
There are few universal truths in rock and roll, but here’s a widely accepted dictum: It sucks to be an opening band. If you’re lucky, the headliner’s fans will ignore you and let you play in peace. If you’re not so lucky, the crowd will talk over your set, heckle…
