“It’s better to regret something you have done …”
Art Palace was our Best of Houston¨ pick for Best Art Gallery, so there’s lots of buzz about what’s coming up. “It’s better to regret something you have done” offers a sneak peak at the gallery’s 2011 season. Director Arturo Palacios says the exhibit continues the gallery’s mission of showcasing…
“Cosmopolitan Routes: Houston Collects Latin American Art”
In just ten short years, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s Latin American art department has gone from thin to robust. “Cosmopolitan Routes: Houston Collects Latin American Art,” an exhibit of more than 100 masterworks, is just the first in a series of shows that will mark the ten-year point…
“B-Sides: A Dialogue with Contemporary Photography”
New York-based photographer and videographer Richard Mosse is well known for his work in dangerous, war-torn areas such as the Congo, Afghanistan and Palestine. For Fraternity, his contribution to the exhibit “B-Sides: A Dialogue with Contemporary U.S. Photography,” Mosse chose a decidedly different environment. He approached the DKE fraternity at…
CraftTexas 2010
Work by dozens of Texans from Lubbock, Austin, Nacogdoches and Houston, including magnificent creations made from wood, metal, glass, fiber and/or ceramic material, is on display at CraftTexas 2010, presented by Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. One piece, Mama Never Told Me!, displays the painstakingly detailed practice of Scherenschnitte -…
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
You’ll want to steer clear of Mrs. Lovett’s meat pies during Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, but don’t let her horrid cooking keep you away from the show. The musical is filled with black comedy and some of the most wonderful music ever performed on Broadway. But…
Vanities
Long before mean-girl cheerleaders became the stuff of tabloids and film, Jack Heifner wrote Vanities. The 1976 play tells the story of three Texas cheerleaders who are having a hard time leaving their pom-poms behind. Vanities follows the girls from the angst and giggles of high school through the confusing…
“Astroworld 1968”
When AstroWorld was being built in the late 1960s, company execs commissioned a scaled model of the park, and Ed Henderson was the man for the job. “I got my team together, and we started working on it,” Henderson says. “The park was so huge that the model had to…
Je’Caryous Johnson’s Marriage Material
In Je’Caryous Johnson’s Marriage Material, the Houston-based playwright asks, “What do you do when you’re in love with somebody who’s in love with somebody else?” We suggest you start a flow chart to keep up with all the on-and-off romantic pairings in the show as the characters – a tangled…
Richard III
Shakespeare might not be the first writer who comes to mind when you think of ghost stories and Halloween, but director Jack Young insists that his production of Richard III is a great offering for the season. He likens the famous tragedy (a raging, angry hunchback, Richard plots and plans…
“Monica Villarreal: Texas Red Road Project”
Performance artist and photographer Monica Villarreal explains the title of her latest exhibit, “Texas Red Road Project,” like this: “If you’re involved in the Native American traditions, you’re walking a red road; it’s a red road for the red people.” The photographs include a sepia-toned portrait called El Jefe de…
Getting Real: New Caswell-Walsh Restaurant Venture Finally Gets a Name
“You have to give people what they’re interested in eating,” Robb Walsh laughed over the phone. “Fajitas will be very well represented on our menu.” Wise words that should quell any concerns Houstonians may have had about the joint venture between Walsh — former Houston Press food critic and author…
UH Plays It Very Coy With Questions About A Big East Conference Move
Please let it be so, UH (essentially) saysWe noted yesterday that rumors are swirling about the Big East Conference inviting TCU and UH into its arms.The conference presidents have been meeting, and while they’re not making any big public announcements, they are being pretty free indicating that UH is indeed…
The 10 Most Annoying Cubicle Habits, As Reported By Your Co-Workers
Work is hellThe sniffling-and-coughing season is upon us, so that means it’s time to get highly, highly annoyed by the idiots in the nearby cubicles at your office.Not our office, you understand. We have terrific, totally un-annoying co-workers. You guys out there, though, you gotta lot a problems, as Frank…
Four Loko = Elton John: A Day In Alcoholic Energy-Drink Hell
Last week for the Hair Balls blog, Craig’s Hlist drank three cans of Four Loko to research just what has had all the kids freaking the hell out and going to the hospital in droves. It was a hellish experience, and we passed straight out after drinking three cans out…
Odd Pair: Chocolate Chip Cookies & Shiraz Viognier
Forget cookies and milk. Once you’re old enough to fully appreciate the power of a smooth buzz, it’s all about the cookies and wine. Chocolate and red wine are generally good together, but this pairing of Brent & Sam’s crunchy, chocolatey little cookies and Printhie’s 2005 Shiraz Viognier is truly…
Your Meme of the Week: Whither Philosoraptor?
With his queries on life, love, and social mores, Philosoraptor has helped us ask the tough questions for the past year. If women aren’t meant to stay in the kitchen, why are they filled with milk and eggs? Or how can she slap?…
Houston Texans — Dissecting Gary Kubiak’s Press Conference
How’s that hopey-changey thing workin’ out for ya?Nobody’s perfect.This is what I involuntarily remind myself every day with my myriad of fuck-ups, and what I try to willingly remind myself as I sit down to watch every Houston Texans game, assess the various tactical decisions made throughout the game, and…
Top Five Food-Themed Children’s Books
With a glut of adult food memoirs on the market, it’s easy to forget that some children’s books rank among the best culinary literature. Here are my Top Five Food-Themed Children’s Books. 5. Stone Soup (Marcia Brown). A wonderful lesson in collective cooking, Stone Soup recounts how visiting soldiers convince…
Top 10 Honorary Texas Musicians
Right here, right now, and in print all damn week, you can read the Houston Press’ interview with perhaps the hottest new band on the South 40, San Antonio’s Hacienda (above). Whether or not they go on to become a South Texas Kings of Leon – Hacienda is also three…
Rick Perry Vs. Jon Stewart On A Daily Show Deathcage Match
Stweart, Perry: Adios, mofoIn the wake of his big victory, Governor Rick Perry immediately focused like a laser beam on the state’s massive budget gap. Or maybe he went on a book tour.In a series of interviews in which the cloying coyness about 2012 will be palpable, Perry is headed…
Shiftwork Bites: Pasta Bolognese
I really need to stop making pasta at work. All those carbohydrates make me sleepy. Of course, pasta is one of the easiest things to prepare with limited space and equipment, so it’s always tempting to dash out the door with a plan for Bolognese, which is exactly what I…
Stirred & Shaken: Jackson’s Watering Hole’s Sazerac
Heading into New Orleans on I-55, just before you cross the fourth-longest bridge in the world (and the second-longest in south Louisiana), you’ll pass a couple remote restaurants/bars that for reasons I can’t explain fit perfectly in the alluvial landscape. The exterior of NOLA-themed newcomer Jackson’s Watering Hole (1205 Richmond,…
Weird On Etsy: Twisted Stitches, Bitches
I’m a huge fan of kitsch and other general absurdity. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that one of my favorite sites is Etsy.com, providing both in ample supply. This week’s fun find: twisted cross-stitch. Julie Jackson and Rachel McKay offer a unique take on the flowery, religious needlework…
At Boston Market, New Menu Items – Served on Real Plates!
Based on recent customer satisfaction polls, Boston Market has decided to revamp its image. And the changes seem to be in the right direction. Boston Market was stuck in this kind of weird niche between fast food and a real restaurant, and though it’s still kind of hovering there, it’s…
I Put A Spell On You: The Vixens And Visuals Of Voodoo Fest
Village Voice Media dispatched Houston photographer Mark C. Austin to New Orleans this past weekend for the Voodoo Music Experience, the Crescent City’s annual three-day Halloween engorgement of live music and lovely ladies. Austin, by the way, leaves for Rhode Island to fetch his freshly bought tour bus from Deer…
Fifth Ward Saints: Presenting Discipline, Accountability And Fun To Children Through Football
One would hope that Carlos Honore has a phone plan that he’s happy with, because his little black cell phone is constantly buzzing. Calls from players asking if practice is on after a early rain; parents wondering about the time of practice, even though it’s always been 6 p.m.; community…
What Makes or Breaks a Cheesesteak
Such is the importance of the cheesesteak in Philadelphia that John Kerry’s infamously emasculating “dainty nibble” at his sandwich — which he heretically asked for with Swiss cheese — is counted among one of his greatest failures during his tragic campaign for the office of president in 2003. “In Philadelphia,…
Je’Caryous Johnson Wants to Make Houston the New Hollywood
Since we last spoke with local playwright Je’Caryous Johnson back in 2007 his company I’m Ready Productions has been very, very busy. “Things have been going great. We’ve had a lot of progress. We’re venturing into film-and-television land. We’ve been blessed.” I’m Ready’s flagship star, Vivica A. Fox, who appeared…
Kristi Thibault: We Narrowly Missed Electing A Socialist, Apparently
Not just a Warren Beatty movieKristi Thibault was one of thousands many Democratic State Reps to go down to defeat yesterday.Little did we know just what a bullet we dodged.A Friend of Hair Balls sent us a flyer he had seen posted in Thibault’s district, from what is no doubt…
Does “Indie Rock” Mean Anything At All Anymore?
Our colleague Shea Serrano has been doing brisk business with his Rap Round Table blogs, corralling local hip-hoppers into talking about events in their scene and in the world at large. No topics are off limits, and everyone is willing to talk. So Rocks Off decided it was time for…
Henry Fairlie: Harris County Jail Officer Charged With Smuggling Drugs & Contraband
Photo courtesy HCSOHenry Fairlie: Trying to keep the customers satisfiedThe concierge service at the Harris County Jail just got a little more inadequate: a detention officer has been arrested and charged with trying to deliver drugs and contraband into the facility.Note to incarcerated customers: Pending deliveries of drugs and contraband…
The Onion Rings at Rudyard’s British Pub
Rudyard’s British Pub has great tater tots, which are deep-fried until they’re dark brown and emit a resounding crunch with every nibble. And while I believe most any kind of potatoes makes for a delicious side, when it comes to my burger accompaniment, I’m loyal to the onion, so that’s…
Don’t Think Too Hard About Quantumdada Phase 2
(Oval Eyes Shaking, Michael Brim credit: Robert Boyd) This show is a decidedly eclectic assemblage of work that in one way or another relates to curator Volker Eisele’s conceptions of quantum physics, Dada and quantum physics-meets-Dada. Trying to puzzle out how each work is supposed to relate to the show’s…
Red Light Cameras: Can You Run Through One Today Without A Fine?
You’re still on cameraThe answer to the above question is “We wouldn’t recommend it.”But with the big vote against red-light cameras in Houston yesterday, there are a lot of unanswered questions on the fallout.Paul Kubosh, the lawyer who led the fight, tells Hair Balls that he thinks there should be…
Fallen Grey Ready To Rise Through The Modern-Rock Ranks
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 sheaserrano@gmail.com. It would be completely acceptable for you to…
Tea Party Time: Texas Will Be Ground Zero For How They Govern
Time to governSecond-day opening paragraphs on stories about disasters such as air crashes always include something about “picking through the charred wreackage.” And that’s what Democrats are doing now in Texas, where the state legislature races were, well, a disaster.No other state in the country, it seems, will be able…
Cooking Through Alton: Cranberry Sauce
The dish: If you’re looking to step up the typical canned cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving, Alton Brown offers this nice, simple version of the classic. Made with fresh cranberries, honey, and orange and cranberry juice, this sauce is destined to be dumped over accompanying dishes. The difficulty: Surprisingly, another easy…
Abstract Is “The New Black”
“The New Black: Contemporary Concepts in Color and Abstraction” is chock full of just that – color and abstraction. Organized by Sally Sprout, the show features Michael Guidry’s otherworldly, hard-edged, tape-intensive paintings. Filled with fractured, glacier-like forms, they evoke alien landscapes…
Top Five Teen-Idol Rehab Alumni
Checking into rehab is no laughing matter. That said, we at Rocks Off often find inspiration in even the darkest of corners. So when it was announced, much to our surprise, that Dallas-born teen pop starlet Demi Lovato had checked into rehab an inpatient treatment center, we pondered celebrities past…
Are You Ready for Some Commercials: Five Things Ads During Football Games Can Do For You
When a dude sits down to watch some football on TV, he probably has no idea that the commercials he sees are speaking to him. Since real men don’t watch documentaries unless they are about football and the only books they read are owners manuals for barbeque grills and power…
HPD: There Might Be A Serial Killer Downtown. Or Maybe Not.
Raquel Munday: Aggressive towing policy left her helplessOver the summer and fall, three black women have been found strangled in and around the streets of downtown Houston.While some are starting to speculate that a serial killer is on the loose, at a news conference this week at HPD headquarters, Lieutenant…
Clockpole: Making Baby Art Where Babies Come From
Rocks Off was spending a few minutes quietly relaxing on Facebook, having a soda, not bothering anyone at all, when we ran across a plea from Joe Ortiz of Clockpole asking if any women out there would mind inserting an action figure in their vagina and allowing him to take…
Sampler Plate: This Week in Food Blogs
Each week, we put together a sampler plate of the most interesting links from both local and national food blogs. Know a blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. Dirty Kitchen Adventures: Although she’s currently living abroad, Houston food blogger Jen…
UH Delivers Vivid, Glammy Richard III
The Setup: Shakespeare’s first great success contains his first great character. The playwright wastes no time on reflection as he gets to the end of his long-running War of the Roses saga. This is straightforward narrative, sharp as a knife edge, as the deformed, unloved Duke of Gloucester, described by…
Houston Could Face Drastic Water Shortage, Study Says
A new study says Houston is one of the 10 big cities in the country that could face a crushing water shortage in the coming years.Two major studies were examined by 24/7 Wall Street to come up with the claim that Houston belongs as much on the list as obvious…
President Rick Perry: Five Reasons It Will Happen, Five Reasons It Won’t
President Rick Perry.Governor Rick Perry, the man who has shown the ability to ride a crest of not really being liked to three gubernatorial wins, has done it again.He beat a Democrat in Texas, in the Tea Party year of 2010. A stunning achievement. Still, from now on the press…
King Street Patriots Party Hearty At The Rice Lofts
Finding a watch party in Houston for election night was a bit of a chore. About the only thing in town was Bill White’s, and since Hair Balls already had that covered, we had to look elsewhere. Even the New Black Panthers can’t stop usWe decided on the King Street…
Bill White Quits Race Before All Votes Are Counted, Proving He’s Sensible
Bill White just conceded the guv’ship to Rick Perry, surprising exactly no one. “We hope this campaign has been worthy, and we will never forget what you have done,” the former Houston mayor told the audience, which had swelled considerably since our first post. (Although, let’s face it, the crowd…
Bill White’s Election “Party” Stumbles On, Even As Networks Crown Perry
If you can get to the Americas Hilton ballroom tonight, it’d be well worth it: less than an hour after the polls have closed, the Bill White election watch is nearly deserted, which means there is no wait to get your paws all over the delicious treats: mousse shots, brownie…
Election Coverage A-Comin’: Winners, Losers, Parties
Be sure to check back on later tonight for election coverage — we’ve got people at the parties, ready to mingle with winners, losers and anyone who’s just looking to celebrate the end of the political season.We can’t make it out to Rick Perry’s exotic-game ranch party location in Buda,…
Day Of The Dead: Music In Memoriam 2009-10
Rocks Off doesn’t mean to be morbid, but today is the Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday and festival honoring those who have gone before. So instead of waiting until the end of the year, the more traditional time for such things, we wanted to compile a list of…
Good Place for Kids: The Urban Harvest Farmers Market at Discovery Green
The Urban Harvest Farmers Market at Discovery Green is a great place to take your kids. My daughter Stella and I have been going a lot lately. There’s the Houston’s Hottest Donut cart, which sells these mini donuts that they fry to order while you watch – so greasy and…
Willie D Gets A Year And A Day In Federal Pen For Wire Fraud
Former Geto Boy Willie D, aka William Dennis, has been sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison on wire fraud charges, the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of Texas announced today. Judge Gray Miller also ordered Willie D to pay nearly $200,000 in restitution to…
Willie D Gets Year In Federal Prison For Phone Scheme
Houston rapper Willie D, less widely known as Williams James Dennis, was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison today for his part in a cell phone con.He’ll also have to pay almost $200,000 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release when he gets out.Dennis,…
Oral Sex Leads To Intercourse Among Teens, Study Somehow Discovers
It all starts with the oral sexThe Houston Chronicle’s Mom blog led us to this amazing piece of scientific research. We’ll let the official press release headline speak for itself: “Having oral sex increases likelihood of intercourse among teens.”That was the profound conclusion reached by a study conducted by the…
A Vertical Tasting of All Six Indy Brews
Our resident beer specialist, Mike Morris, has done an outstanding job of tracking Independence Brewing Co.’s slow but steady movement toward the Houston market over the last year or so. The Austin-based craft brewery now has all six of its offerings available on a local and consistent basis, and hopheads…
King Street Patriots: Walking Into The Lion’s Den And Living To Tell About It
The King Street Patriots’ headquarters is tucked into a mostly-deserted strip mall in northwest Houston, just beyond the 610 Loop and next door to Demaris Barbeque. Monday night was the final pre-election meeting of the controversial right-wing organization.A lot has been written about the supposed Tea Party spin-off group, which…
Steeldrivers Continue Bluegrass Supremacy On Reckless
Expatriate Texas fiddler Tammy Rogers describes the formation of the Steeldrivers as a “dream come true.” “I always wanted to be in a killer bluegrass band,” says Rogers from her home in Nashville, where the band recently recorded their sophomore release Reckless. “So I was thrilled when Mike Henderson and…
Susan Wright, Who Stabbed Her Husband 200 Times, Gets Slightly Lower Sentence
Things usually haven’t gone half-assed in the Susan Wright case — you’ve got her stabbing her tied-up-in-bed husband 200 times; you’ve got a prosecutor bringing a bed into the courtroom, tying up a colleague and then pretending to stab him 200 times (in case the jury was mathematically challenged); you…
Health Dept. Roundup
Health inspectors found some truly big-ticket offenders this week, and we bring them to you now on Health Department Roundup. At Pho 21 (11005 Fuqua), a complaint led to an October 25 visit that found a hearty 14 violations, among them that some food was not safe for human consumption…
Top 10: Best Fake Politicians
It’s mid-term election day across the United States and if you haven’t voted yet, you better be a convicted felon or a minor. It’s your civic duty, you get a free sticker, and more than likely it’ll only take five minutes to cast your ballot, unless you vote straight ticket…
Perfecting the Meatball, Part 2
Ah, the complexity of the food entity known as the meatball. There are devout believers on every side the meatball debate, and everyone adamantly believes that their way is the only way. Below is the recipe that I created from weeks of meatball research. Try it with your favorite red…
Go Vote, Texans…In The Least Competitive State Legislative Races In The Country
It’s nolo contendre in Texas legislative racesNot much action so far on this election day, although we have folks checking out the polling places (and feel free, readers, to pass on any reports of your own).We guess the quiet shouldn’t be so surprising because, according to a new study, Texas…
First SXSW 2011 Bands Announced: Uh Oh
It’s here, folks. And not a moment too soon. Not even a month after ACL, and before Thanksgiving, the folks at from South by Southwest sent out there first missive detailing the 2011 event, scheduled for March 16-20. Rocks Off is shuddering already, but in a good way. This year’s…
Star Trek’s Spock: The Texas Supreme Court Looks To Him For Guidance
Some judges are as well-known for their literary prowess as they are for monumental civil and criminal rulings.”There is no surer way to misread any document than to read it literally,” Appellate Judge Learned Hand wrote in a 1944 ruling. In 1927, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis wrote “it is the…
First Look at Natachee’s Supper ‘n Punch
“Is there anything better than eating peach cobbler while listening to Patsy Cline?” asked my friend Marc over a dish of the dessert that we were splitting with our friend Linda. The peach cobbler was lovely, if a bit too mushy and doughy, with fat chunks of sugar-saturated peaches drowning…
Top Five: Election Movies
Today is a very inspiring day. It’s the day you get to fulfill your civic duty and vote. After you’re done, revel in the electoral process with a classic election film. You’re guaranteed to feel like your vote was more important after watching a Hollywood retelling of the process. Watch…
Texans-Colts: You Come At The King, You Best Not Miss
“You come at the king, you best not miss.” — Omar Little, The Wire That line works. Whether you’re trying to riddle the most feared gangster in the drug neighborhood with bullets or whether you’re attempting to sweep the season series from the best quarterback of this generation for the…
Pollo Gordita at Ruchi’s Taqueria
I’m ashamed to admit that up until a week ago I was under the mistaken impression that this was a gordita. As a person with a vested interest in having broad and accurate knowledge of food, I don’t usually look to fast food companies to wield correct culinary terminology. However,…
The Key to Enjoying HGO’s Peter Grimes? Listen; Don’t Look.
The Setup: You can smell the sea in Benjamin Britten’s first international opera hit (1945). It’s as much a part of the drama as any character, and the tone poems that begin each scene are masterpieces of the orchestral repertoire, catching the indifferent sea at dawn, in raging storm, at…
Autumn Feasting at Animal Farm Center
Halloween night, while most Houstonians were busy trick or treating, a few gathered at Animal Farm Center in Cat Spring for a decadent afternoon and evening. Jason Kerr (a chef and an EOW contributor) was on hand to serve up food brought in fresh from local vendors, including produce harvested…
Safwat Kamel: When A Doctor Named Wang Cuts Off Your Ball And You Can’t Sue
Not a good experience, in the OR or the courtroomYou go to a doctor because you have an enlarged testicle. Clearly you’re not having a run of good luck to begin with.The doctor you get at LBJ Hospital is Dr. Run Wang. Maybe you feel encouraged by this, maybe you…
Last Night: Die Antwoord At Stereo Live
“He is singing into a penis…” Die Antwoord, Rye Rye Stereo Live November 1, 2010 For more photos from the show, see our slideshow here. It was industrial, grating, disorienting, sweaty, funky, hilarious and altogether like nothing we had ever seen in our lives. The world of South Africa’s Die…
Top Five: Inspiring Political Movies for the Sappy Dreamer in All of Us
It’s Election Day, which inevitably means the acceptance of bitter compromise and unfulfilled dreams. But it doesn’t have to be that way, or at least, not in the movies. These five films are guaranteed heart-warmers, and they’re practically an antidote to the attitude of irony and disinterest that permeates the…
All That and a Bag of Chips: Top 5 Jalapeno Chips
As everyone knows, we’re about to enter the season of overindulgence; belts will be loosened, sugar stocks will go up, and gym attendance will go down. I’m personally not stricken with a sweet tooth; my favorite guilty pleasures are of the savory kind. Greasy fries and crispy onion rings rank…
World Series: Comparing The Rangers/Astros Experience
That didn’t take long, did it? I won the World Series and all I got was this penis hatIf you didn’t switch channels to get away from the Texans’ ineptitude against the Colts, then you missed the Texas Rangers getting mercifully put out of their hitless misery in the World…
Top Five Rap Duos That Will Probably Never Happen
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…
Burlesque: Cher, Christina Aguilera And A 14-Year-Old Houstonian
Nothing but classAficionados of the strip-club epic Showgirls are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Burlesque.Burlesque hasn’t been rated yet, but it has Cher and Christina Aguilera in it, so you know taste and decorum will likely be in short supply in this movie about a seedy “neo-burlesque” house.One Houstonian –…
Our Top Picks for Tracking the 2010 Election
The best part of the Election 2010? Christine O’Donnell. That kind of crazy makes Sarah Palin look rational. Coming in a close second would be the smart innovations in election coverage. Our top picks for information on anything and everything election featured here. Google (see above) Partnered with: Everyone Google…
The Panini Pop-In at Octane
The other day I hit up Octane (3402 N. Shepherd Drive), the new coffee/wine bar on the corner of Shepherd and 34th, for a quick lunch. I ordered a regular coffee and a chicken pesto panini, paid $9.21, and sat down on one of the cozy couches. I had been…
Upcoming: Amos Lee, Mogwai, Wu-Tang Clan, Etc.
Adolescents, Lower Class Brats: Sat., Jan. 1. Walter’s On Washington. A.J. Croce: Thu., Feb. 10. McGonigel’s Mucky Duck. Amos Lee: Sat., Feb. 12. House of Blues. Black Angels: Wed., Nov. 17. Cactus Music & Video. Cradle Of Filth, Nachtmystium, Turisas, Daniel Lioneye: Tue., Feb. 1. Warehouse Live. David Allan Coe:…
Colts 30, Texans 17: Indianapolis Still Has No Answer for Arian Foster. Enter Gary Kubiak
Photo by Aaron M. SprecherGary Kubiak knows how to keep Arian Foster from beating the ColtsIn week one, the Texans (4-3) annihilated the Colts because Indianapolis couldn’t stop running back Arian Foster, who rushed for 231 yards and three touchdowns. In week eight, the Colts (5-2) still couldn’t limit Foster.And…
Weekly Time Waster(s): Glorg and Momiga
We’ve covered one-button games in previous weeks, but designers have really taken to the minimalist constraint (we’re guessing it’s because they’re honing their skills for iPhone and mobile products). This week we’ve got two more one-finger wonders and if you think you’re too good for that, Mr. Tenfingers, borrow a…
Last Night: Aaron Lewis At Verizon Wireless Theater
Aaron Lewis Verizon Wireless Theater November 1, 2010 As Aaron Lewis walked out onto the stage at Verizon Wireless Theater last night, he was met with a roar of applause – audience members stood from their seats, cheering and carrying on, while Lewis smiled, waved and took a seat in…
Prepare For Phi Slama Dickey
It may be only the second of November. It may still be the heart of the football season. Baseball is just ending — unless you’re an Astros fan, and then baseball season finished in early April.But as hard as it is to believe, college basketball season is less than two…
A Celebration Of Unpleasant Movie Behavior
While I’m not the biggest fan of podcasts, I did catch one from The Battleship Pretension the other day because it was a topic I could really get behind: Why Going to the Movies Sucks. Honestly, the subject of shitty moviegoing experiences occupies about half the 70-minute recording, because …..
Let’s All Go To The MoviesAnd Get Ourselves Annoyed
I don’t listen to a lot of podcasts because, well, they’re long and usually unpleasant. However, I did check out one linked on IMDb the other day — The Battleship Pretension — because the topic was one near to my heart: Why Going to the Movies Sucks. Honestly, the subject…
Where Are We Drinking?
Not just a glass of iced tea, but the whole pitcher. Does this sweet setup look familiar to you? Think you know where we’re drinking this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
Alabama’s Yelawolf Charms Houston At In-Store Mixer
Yelawolf, Alabama’s most mystifying rapper, stopped by Sunday night for a show at the House of Blues as part of the prep for his forthcoming Trunk Muzik: 0 to 60. While Rocks Off was not allowed to attend the show – our wife has this crazy notion in her head…
Tubby Chubcakes: Destroy Nickelback With Lasers!
“Chad Kroeger rides a pony in his house when no one’s home/ It’s a fact! I hid cameras in his house.” And thus begins the video for Tubby Chubcakes’s “Destroy Nickelback With Laserbeams.” When you first see the video, you really begin to question whether the Internet is a good…
Lions Club Trick-Or-Treats for Glasses Instead of Candy
The end of October may mean a change of seasons, jack-o-lantern carving, trick-or-treaters and plenty of pumpkin pie, but for thousands of volunteers, it’s also an opportunity to help provide the gift of sight to those in need. Every year the Lion’s Club designates Halloween night as Sight Night. Volunteers…
Heights-Area Walmart: The Invented Traffic Jam Wasn’t Exactly Hellish
Photo by Dawn McGeeIt’s tough to say whether this weekend’s “Carnage” protest in the Heights was a success or failure, but we can say for certain, it happened. Here are a couple conflicting accounts…
The 14 Best Halloween Costumes from This Weekend
If there was an event this weekend, you better believe people went to it in costume. Darth Vader was in the crowd at the Rockets Game while a Roman Gladiator watched Agora burn. (How appropriate, that.) Houston Press’s own Halloween Bash at House of Blues had some of the most…
County Officials: Vote-Counting May Be Slow; Majority Of Votes Already Cast
Perhaps 60 percent of the Harris County vote has already been castHarris County clerk Beverly Kaufman’s office is warning that it might take a little longer than usual to count the vote tomorrow, because of the fire that wiped out the county’s electronic-voting machines.The speed of the vote count may…
Randy Moss: The Worst Timeshare Ever
“It was a rare opportunity for us to be able to take advantage of a guy that’s arguably a potential Hall of Fame player, and still, I think, has pretty good tread on the tire. I don’t think any of us thought this guy was going to be available.” –…
Rally To Restore Sanity/Etc.: Pictures and Reports From Around the Nation
See Denver rally photos.The Rally Whose name You’re Already Familiar With was not just a Washington, DC event. Cities across the country held satellite versions of the event who couldn’t make it to DC.Our papers covered the local stuff and what went on at the Mall, and Nick Luccehsi of…
Give Your Kids That Candy
Let’s say your kids hit the “cool” houses this year at Halloween — the ones that don’t give away crap like apples and toothbrushes — and brought home one hell of a haul. Congrats to you for living in a neighborhood with decent neighbors! Now what to do with all…
Perfecting the Meatball, Part 1
The October 2010 issue of Bon Appétit magazine featured a piece on one woman’s quest to perfect the meatball. I intended to try out this version, because clearly Molly Wizenberg, a former vegetarian turned meatball enthusiast, has put some serious effort into perfecting her recipe. But then I started speaking…
Slideshow: The Babes of Oni-Con
Over the weekend, anime fans swarmed the Marriot Westchase for Oni-Con 2010, Houston’s annual anime convention since 2004. As you can see from the photos, there was plenty of “cosplay” going down. Events took place at all hours for the 48-hour convention, which included such happenings as “Ninja Nonsense,” “Scar,…
The Rally To Restore Sanity: Did It Succeed?
Preaching to the choir?What’s the point?It was a question I asked myself more than once in the last month: while I was booking the hotel room, then sitting on the flight from Houston to Washington, DC, and finally walking with tens of thousands of others down Pennsylvania Avenue to attend…
iFest President & CEO Jim Austin Stepping Down February 1
Festival not booking Justin Beiber, interim replacement says Speaking of festivals… The Houston International Festival announced earlier today that Dr. James Austin will retire as president and chief executive officer of the Houston Festival Foundation, the nonprofit organization that oversees the production of the annual springtime music, arts and cultural…
10 Pumpkin Dishes to Try in Houston: #6: Pumpkin Praline Ice Cream at Amy’s
I adore pumpkin. It’s orange (my favorite color), healthful (fiber! Vitamin A!), and associated with two lovely, food-centric holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving). Starting around October, I always find myself on the hunt for pumpkin-flavored foods, and this autumn is no exception. So, between now and Turkey Day, I will be…
Red Light Cameras: Group Sues City To Get Statistics
A vocal opponent of red light cameras filed a lawsuit today against the City of Houston for apparently refusing to release monthly traffic reports requested under the state’s Public Information Act.The lawsuit, filed in Harris County District Court by Paul Kubosh, who helped found the group Citizens Against Red Light…
Yard House: Home of the $16 Mac and Cheese and the $14.95 Surf and Turf Burger
I finally made it out to CityCentre. Since I was a little underdressed for most of the bars and restaurants out there, I opted for Yard House. The place was packed for a Monday night. In fact, there was a wait for the inside seating. My dining partner and I…
Mad About Mahjong
Mahjong was all the rage in the 1920s, then again in the 1950s and early ’60s. Middle-class women would host mahjong evenings, decorating their homes and dressing in kimonos. Today, mahjong gatherings are becoming increasingly popular among 20 and 30-somethings; the Manhattans and highballs of yore replaced by sushi and…
Unidentified Male, 36, Bayou Body Count No. 265
Gas station argument at 3 a.m. results in deathAn argument on the northwest side exploded into gunfire early Sunday morning, leaving one man dead and another wounded, police say.The two victims were at a gas station in the 5600 block of North Shepard about 3 a.m. Sunday when an argument…
GhoulsFest: A Haunted Festival In More Ways Than One
For lots more photos from Saturday’s festival, see our slideshow here. GhoulsFest had everything going for it Saturday except one rather important detail: People. It felt… well, haunted. Normally, that would be an excellent thing to say about anything happening on Halloween weekend – except possibly a music festival where…
Top 5 Uses for Leftover Halloween Candy
You bought a ton of candy but forgot to turn on the porch light. Sugar transforms your sweet, little angel into the Anti-Christ. You’re on a diet. Although it’s difficult to imagine, we realize that not everyone is thrilled with the idea of a metric ton of candy hanging around…
Worst Politician Hair: 13 Bi-Partisan Horrors
It’s mid-term election season again, and no doubt you have been subjected to seeing Governor Rick Perry’s suave Steve Reeves-style pompadour in his campaign commercials, or Democratic candidate Bill White’s righteous chrome dome testing the limits of your HD television with it’s high-gloss sheen during his own ads. Politicians may…
When To Go Gourmet
The trend toward taking basic comfort foods and “gourmet-izing” them isn’t new. In 2006, the New York Times was already lamenting the addition of “complex blends of pungent, unaged, rind-washed and cave-ripened cheeses” to basic macaroni and cheese across the city. “These are all indisputably glorious cheeses. But they do…
Raquetball Jazz: Saxman Everette Harp Gets Metaphorical
In a recent interview, former Houstonian Everette Harp poked at the music business with a fork called perspective. He’s playing a benefit concert for the non-profit Musiqa this Wednesday at the Hobby Center’s Zilkha Hall along with Bobby Lyle and Jade Simmons. “America is very age-conscious. The youth looks at…
Friday Night: Ghostland Observatory At Warehouse Live
Ghostland Observatory Warehouse Live October 29, 2010 For more photos from the show, see our wild ‘n’ crazy slideshow here. As Rocks Off approached Warehouse Live Friday, we were treated to a group of construction workers and cops…in true Halloween-costume fashion, of course. We may have been one of the…
Blogging the Arts
The Houston Press needs a few more good writers Are you knowledgeable about the performing arts? Do you write with a strong, entertaining point of view? Savvy on the social media circuit? Keep up with the latest and greatest in pop culture? What about wise in the world of design…
Is UH About To Dump Conference USA For The Big East?
Will UH be heading east?Presidents of Big East schools meet tomorrow and will discuss extending invitations to the University of Houston and TCU to join, the New York Post reports today.”By adding TCU and Houston, the Big East would gain TV viewership in two significant markets (Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston)…
Recap: Episode 5 of The Next Iron Chef
Last time out, Duskie Estes and Maneet Chauhan were both on the bottom, and that is a position that, as Chauhan said, “sucked big time.” It sucked more for Estes, as she was booted from The Next Iron Chef. Forget about whom the Next Iron Chef will be — I…
CBS, Dish Network Settle: Two And A Half Men Fans Can Again Sleep At Night
CSI: Whatever will remain on Houston’s Dish Network TVsFast on the heels of settling a dispute with Fox, Dish Network has now worked out a deal that will keep CBS shows on the air in Houston.KHOU president Susan McEldoon said in an open letter that a tentative agreement has been…
Ingredient of the Week: Pomegranate
What is it? The word pomegranate was derived from the Latin words “pomum” (apple) and “granatus” (seeded) – and if you’ve ever seen one opened up, you know this is an apt description. Mostly grown for the U.S. market in Californian orchards for their juice, a few of the intact…
Michael Lee King, 50, Bayou Body Count No. 264
Southside argument turns deadlyAn argument on the south side turned into murder Friday evening, Houston police say.Michael Lee King, 50, was sitting in his truck in the 7700 block of Crestmont about 7 p.m. when he began arguing with Wilfred Jones, 57, police said.”The argument then escalated into a physical…
Saturday Night: Danzig At Warehouse Live
Danzig Warehouse Live October 30, 2010 For some reason over the past few years, Glenn Danzig keeps reminding us of Randy “The Ram” from The Wrestler. He’s this hulking, aging entertainer who may be slowing down and have a strained relationship with his family and fans, but at the end…
Your Meme of the Week: Troll Science
You know when you know a meme is good? When you can’t explain it to a group of people to save your life. A picture of Keanu Reeves eating or a pedophile teddy bear is easy enough to convey to someone, but Troll Science stumped us…
What Is The Best TV Show Of All Time? Martin? Really?
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday (that isn’t a national holiday) Rocks Off will have some of them hear discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week’s Panel: Bun B, Fat Tony, Montana, Kyle Hubbard, Thurogood Wordsmith, Renzo, Young Sensation Not Invited: Tyler Perry, because he…
Sponsors, VIPs and Media Go Over A Hotel Ledge For Special Olympics Texas
There are a number of ways to raise money for charity: car washes, bake sales, telethons or walkathons. Special Olympics Texas took those into consideration, “but we wanted to do something fun, something people would remember,” said Joan Jarrett, who oversees sponsorships for the organization. The decision: those companies or…
Wine of the Week: 2009 Cupcake Chardonnay
Since I’m too old to trick-or-treat, I thought a bottle of California Central Coast Cupcake Chardonnay (sent to me by Underdog Wine Merchant) would satisfy my need for a treat this Halloween. Perhaps it’s a mental trick, coming from a confectionary-named vineyard, but it is an exceptionally sweet Chardonnay. Not…
Dennis Ray Anderson: Body-In-A-Barrel Dude Hangs Himself
Dennis Ray Anderson, murderer, takes his own lifeDennis Ray Anderson, the dangerous, hotly pursued convicted murderer who left a female corpse in a barrel in his back yard here, has been found hanged to death in a Florida motel room.Christina Garza of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office says Friday deputies…
The Week In TV: Appointment Television
For Halloween, I dressed up as a guy who ate more candy than he distributed to visiting children. It’s a classic. This was the week in TV Land: • I queued up The Walking Dead in my DVR last night after finishing my Boardwalk Empire post, expecting to watch a…
Friday Night: Interpol At Verizon Wireless Theater
Interpol Verizon Wireless Theater October 29, 2010 Interpol should not have been at Verizon Friday night. Not by any traditional yardstick. A decade or so after their first release, the Fukd ID #3 EP, Interpol is a genuine anomaly. In an age when image is everything in pop music -…
Houston Cougars Demolish the Memphis Tigers
The Houston Cougars did what they were supposed to do on Saturday night. They stormed into the Liberty Bowl and dominated the Memphis Tigers, easily winning the game 56-17 to go to 5-3 on the season. How easy was the win? So easy that the Cougars didn’t need to rely…
Sex in the Snuggie
Satin thongs, silk camisoles and teddys–who needs ’em? According to Lex Friedman and Megan Morrison, the sexiest article of seduction is a blanket with sleeves. The duo created the “Snuggie Sutra” as a joke on Morrison, a devoted member of the Snuggie cult. The website has now spawned a print…
The Aeros Shoot Down The Stars, Regain Momentum
Last Sunday, the Aeros held the 2-1 lead after two periods only to lose their fifth straight game of the season. Yesterday, the Aeros held the 2-1 lead after the second period and the question that many of the fans inside Toyota Center were asking — perhaps second only to…
$5 Awesome: The Toys Soundtrack
Rocks Off has picked up some CDs over the years at prices so low we think that it would’ve been less insulting to the artists if we had stolen them. Some of these have become our favorite albums, and in this column we’ll tell you what they are and why!…
Where Are We Eating?
A fat hunk of battered fish and some crispy chips: The British know how to do a fall meal right. It’s even better when served with a pint of lager, but where are we digging in to all this feast of fried foods? Leave your best guess in the comments…
Boardwalk Empire: Home Is Where the Heart Isn’t
Ep. 7 – PreviewAt this point in the run of Boardwalk Empire, it’s clear what the weakest part of the show is: the opening credits. I’ve harped on this before, but the repetitive and faux-artistic shots of Steve Buscemi standing in the surf and looking pensive don’t at all reflect…
Loreal Bronte Castro, 17, Bayou Body Count No. 263
Teen killed in southeast side drive-byA drive-by shooting after a Halloween party on the southeast side left a 17-year-old woman dead early Saturday morning, Houston police said.Loreal Bronte Castro, 17, was sitting in the back of a pickup truck with friends in the 8200 block of Concord when a car…
NFL Butts: The Texans’ Best Asses, Revealed
Tired by the raw sexual objectification of cheerleaders, last week we sexually objectified football players.Houston Texan players, to be exact.We gave you a photo list of (what we were told were) the tightest, sweetest cheeks at Reliant Stadium, and asked you to guess the owner.As we found out when we…
Drowning In A Sea Of White Liberal Elitists At The Rally To Restore Sanity And/Or Fear
See our slideshow from the rally, including all the witty signs. (For a fuller report from the scene, click here.) Just thought I’d head off the obvious criticisms. CBS estimated that the crowd at Saturday’s Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Fear in Washington DC drew some 215,000 attendees, though my…
Massive Montrose Fire Burns Agora Cafe and Antiques Store
Click here to see a slideshow of last night’s blaze and this morning’s aftermath. Last night in the midst of Halloween drinking festivities and the Montrose Costume Crawl, Agora Cafe and Antique Warehaus burned down. The two businesses, at the corner of Westheimer and Dunlavy, were destroyed by a three-alarm…
Popular Montrose Bar Agora Cafe Burns Down
Agora Cafe, a popular Montrose drinking establishment and frequent hang-out for belly dancers, burned in a three-alarm blaze early Halloween morning. Our sister blog Hair Balls has tons of photos and the full report…
Fox & Dish Network Settle; Rockets & Astros To Form Their Own Network
Changes coming to your TV setTwo breaking items late on this Friday: Fox and the Dish Network have settled the fight that has seen Dish subscribers missing out on the Rockets (not a big loss, as it turns out) and possibly the NFL.The two entertainment giants somehow came to an…
Heads Will Roll: A Brief History Of Beheading In Song
“Find another victim for my machine/ Put ’em in a homemade guillotine/ Blade falls, gonna need a casket / Watch your head plop in a wicker basket.” Offspring singer Dexter Holland flexed his oddly sinister sense of humor in the band’s aptly-titled 1995 song, “Beheaded.” But as we were embracing…
This Week in Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where the holistic headache cure of choice is gravy and lots of it. To the surprise of no one, we started the week off with some marijuana-laced soda. After that, we were really, really excited about going out for…
Kings of Pastry Screens this Weekend
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you mix 16 French pastry chefs, three days of competition and a few cameramen, then today is your lucky day. And tomorrow. And Sunday. This weekend, the MFAH is screening Kings of Pastry, a documentary that follows three of the 16 pastry chefs…
Last Chance To Vote Early: Avoid The West Gray Center
Last chance to vote the rascals out or keep them inTonight’s your last chance to vote early, and you’ve only got until 7 p.m.So on your way home, you’ll probably stop at the West Gray Multi-Service Center, pop in and get it done, right?Probably not. Reports are that it’s crowded…
Upcoming Events
Halloween activities abound this weekend and we have the best parties all picked out for you in our annual Halloween guide. But if parties aren’t your bag of treats, don’t fret: There’s still plenty else coming up to keep you busy. The weekly Urban Harvest Farmers Market (3000 Richmond at…
Rocks Off And Black Congress Bury The Hatchet
Let’s drop the royal we. It’s just Jef here, guys, and I’d like to talk to you for a moment. Much attention, and much more debate, has been given over to Black Congress’s public withdrawal from this weekend’s GhoulsFest, and also to my own just as public condemnation of the…
This Weekend On The West Loop Just Got A Whole Lot Better
West Loop drivers get a weekend reprieveThis weekend was shaping up to be a Halloween nightmare, or something, on the West Loop.Two northbound lanes shut from Beechnut to San Felipe, from 9 p.m. tonight to 5 a.m. Monday. The ramps connecting the northbound Loop to the Southwest Freeway closed from…
Reporting from the Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium: “Taco Trucks and Crepes Trailers: Modern Texas Foodways”
Street food is picking up steam across the country, and Houston is no exception. During the Southern Foodways Alliance symposium last weekend, attendees were invited to view the exhibit “Taco Trucks and Crepes Trailers: Modern Texas Foodways” at the University of Mississippi’s Gammill Gallery, running through November 19. In it,…
Frickin’ Lasers: Six Artists Who Could Really Use Them
If you don’t have tickets for tonight’s Ghostland Observatory show at Warehouse Live, you are shit out of luck. Sorry to say, but the show is sold out, and when things sell out at that venue, they mean it. Seriously, you may have to watch show from inside a garbage…
The YouTube/Guggenheim Play Biennial: Recap Part 2
(Revenge, one of our picks that didn’t make the top 25–but still awesome.) A few weeks ago, we selected our Top 10 videos from the YouTube/Guggenheim Play Biennial Shortlist of 125 videos. Seven of our selections made Play’s top 25 list: Luis, Home (Soup), Bedstuy Street Interviews, I Met the…
Is It Called Stuffing or Dressing?
It starts earlier every year. Halloween is on Sunday, but major retailers like Sears and Target are attempting unprecedented “Black Friday” sales today, almost a month in advance. Yesterday I even caught a commercial for stuffing. Well, it was actually for Swanson’s Chicken broth, accusing those who opted for other,…
Greenhouse Gas Rules: Guess The Only State Not To Bother?
Just imagine it’s a smokestack instead of a cannonNew rules designed to limit harmdul greenhouse gas emissions go into effect January 2, and 49 states have taken steps to meet them.Guess which one hasn’t. Mississippi? They’re usually last in everything, right? WRONG.You probably realize just from us asking the question…
This Weekend’s Best Football Bets: Live From The East Coast
UConn football: It’s like LSU-Bama, except for EVERYTHINGSo my vacation rolls on and I just landed in the sports mecca — Hartford, CT. Tonight I will be taking my talents to Rentschler Field (or as I like to call it, The House Orlovsky Built) for UConn against West Virginia.So I…
Bands Named After Movies, Characters & Other Film Stuff
Ever wonder which of your favorite bands are named after movies? So have we. So we went out and did a little bit of research. BANDS NAMED AFTER ACTUAL MOVIES My Bloody Valentine: The seminal shoegaze act took their name from a low-budget 1981 horror movie about a guy who…
Bitter Cheerleaders Reunite in Vanities
The Setup: When Jack Heifner’s serio-comedy Vanities reigned off-Broadway from 1976-79, sisterhood was at its zenith. His three-woman show gave a distinctive voice to female baby boomers. The work, now playing at Theatre Southwest, follows life-long friends Mary (Chelsea Curto), Joanne (Monica Lynn Passley) and Kathy (Kelly Walker) through high…
The 10 Most Disturbing Food-Related Scenes in Horror Movies: Happy Halloween!
There are a lot of taboos around what we eat as human beings, and even taboos around how we eat what we do. Eating human flesh to survive because you’re trapped in the Andes? Here’s a book and movie deal. Eating human flesh because you’ve simply developed a taste for…
Drunk Halloween Parties: Five Ways To Avoid Humiliation
Yeah, yeah, those pumpkins are “smashed”Halloween is especially dangerous this year — it’s on a Sunday, and so that means it’s perfectly reasonable to have parties not only on Friday, but on Saturday too.And that means double the chances of getting drunk and doing something you’ll regret very much in…
Animal Husbandry and Cannibalism in Bootown’s Backyard
Last night, in a backyard somewhere off W Alabama, Bootown presented their original Holloween show The Farmer and the Badger, based on a Japanese folktale of the same name. The Story: Badger steals farmer’s veggies. Farmer gets mad. Farmer catches badger. Badger kills farmer’s wife. Farmer (unknowingly) eats wife. Rabbit…
Pocket Rockers: Ten Musicians 5’5″ And Under
Saturday night, closet cat lover and reigning Dark Lord Glenn Danzig will be in town for a headlining gig over at Warehouse Live. The diminutive, but no less awesome, goth-rocker and former Misfits lead singer will be playing songs from his new Deth Red Sabaoth LP. Let’s be honest here,…
Becoming Elektra: Stooges, The Doors And Much More
Becoming Elektra: The True Story of Jac Holzman’s Visionary Record Label By Mick Houghton Jawbone Press, 304 pp., $29.95 While most of today’s major record companies are run by men in suits answering to a corporation rather than men of vision answering to their whims, there was a time in…
Dustin Dominiak, Christine O’Donnell’s Kiss-And-Teller: Get Ready For The Pubes
Suitable for mailing?Earlier today we mentioned the latest fracas involing Delaware senatorial candidate Christine O’Donnell — some jerk wrote about what he called his “one-night stand” with her three years ago, one in which she refused to have intercourse, which to us kind of stretches the meaning of “one-night stand”…
Ashley Kucharski: Cops Beat Me Up At Walmart
Live better, if you avoid the alleged handcuffed whuppingsThere are probably lots of ways to get your ass kicked at a Walmart.Ashley Kucharski of Harris County says she found at least one. And all she claims she needed was a run-in with the cops.In September 2008, Kucharski was detained at…
The YouTube/Guggenheim Play Biennial: Re-cap Part 1
(The event featured dance and music performances set to the top 25 videos. The walls of the museum became giant projection screens for psychedelic video transformations.) We were pleasantly surprised to find many of our selections exhibited at the inaugural YouTube/Guggenheim Play Biennial. The top 25 videos (selected from a…
Bartender Chat: Russell Thoede of Flora & Muse
Flora & Muse is a charming bar/ bistro/ pastry shop/ flower shop that opened up about a month ago in Houston’s City Centre. I stopped by on a beautiful afternoon and found myself chatting with Russell Thoede, who happens to be the new bar manager. He has worked at many…
Five Best Sexy-Time Moments Of Campaign 2010 (And “Best” Can Just Mean “Weird”)
Nikki Haley: Hey, I did her too!!!Dear Gawd, there are only four more days left in this hellspawn of an election year. Although we’re sure the recounts and voter-fraud investigations will go on forever, most of the activity will be over.There’s been a lot to hate about Campaign 2010; there’s…
Gourmet Prep Meals: Giving Prep a New Meaning
There are plenty of nights that I feel up to cooking, but not nearly as many nights that I feel up to braving the grocery store’s long, rush hour-style lines. And there are plenty of times I want to cook but don’t want to go out and buy an entire…
Reviews For The Easily Distracted: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
Title: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest Aren’t They Making An American Version Of These? Yep. David Fincher’s version of the first movie, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, comes out in 2011. So Why Should We Watch This? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe to prove that all Americans…
GhoulsFest: Everything You Need To Know
For the record, Rocks Off is well aware there is more to GhoulsFest than Black Congress not playing the ten-hour festival at Tom Bass Park tomorrow. A lot more. We also wish BC nothing but the best opening for New Orleans Sabbathites Eyehategod at Walter’s tonight and at Moon Tower…
Rally To Restore Sanity/Keep Fear Alive: Look For Us There, And For Our Coverage Here
Look for us and get your photo in the PressAre you headed to DC for tomorrow’s big Rally to Restore Sanity? Maybe for the Rally to Keep Fear Alive?We are. For both, especially since they’re now combined.”We” means intrepid reporter Pete Vonder Haar, who’ll be providing details and pictures both…
Community: The Halloween Episode
The Halloween episode of Community last year was very good, but it also came before the moment in the series’ run (around “Contemporary American Poultry”) that the show began to evolve into something infinitely more entertaining and rule-breaking than a typical sitcom. As a result, last night’s holiday-themed “Epidemiology” was…
Breakfast at Country Kitchen
When you see a sign that says “Country Kitchen,” you know it is going to be greasy, it is going to be cheap, and it is definitely going to be comfort food. I grew up in diners like this drinking free refills and only having enough money for an order…
The Week in Art Photos
Each week, we scour the Houston Press Flickr Pool and see what kinds of art shots our talented photographers have added. If you think you’ve got a good eye, drop your pictures in the pool and every Friday we’ll post the most eye-popping shots. (Be sure to enable the HTML…
Is hasHBrown Houston’s Rap Mayor?
Relatively speaking, producer turned rapper turned producer/rapper hasHBrown has mostly operated outside the reach of local acclaim; he has received zero HPMA nominations, zero print features and zero retweets by Slim Thug. It’s less indicative of his talent (of which he has plenty) and more indicative of the number of…
Coogs: And The Running Game Shall Save Them
Photo by Stephen Pinchback, UH Athletics CommunicationsBryce Beall needs to deliverEverybody knows how the Houston Cougar offense works. Pass on first down. Pass on second down. Pass on third down. Keep passing until you score or you have to punt. Yes, that’s how the Cougars spread offense works, only that’s…
Extreme Athletes Help High School Students Ride Out The Influence
See a slideshow of the athletes’ performance. Remember the people who would come to your school telling you to “D.A.R.E to be different”? Then you have officially dated yourself. D.A.R.E. was a police officer and stuffed lion-led lessons that taught elementary school children how to resist peer pressure and live…
Faith And The Muse Invade Numbers For Live DVD
As far as we know, no full concert films have ever been shot at Numbers. Oh, Asmodeus X and Provision did some music videos, and some awesome footage of a Revolting Cocks performance has made the rounds, but no full-on concert films. After seeing what Marc Moorash of Seraphemea did…
Chef Chat, Part 3: Bill Greenwood of Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
Recently Eating Our Words caught up with Bill Greenwood of Eddie V’s Prime Seafood to discuss food, fishing and fun; click here and here to read our chat with him. Today we examine how Greenwood puts all of these elements into play when cooking. When we arrived at Eddie V’s,…
Gallery Scene: Opening This Week
On Friday (tonight) we recommend the triple-opening on the 3900 block of Main–CTRL, Art Palace and Inman are each kicking of new shows. And for nostalgia’s sake we have to see the Astroworld model and (just cuz) hit the Joannex Saturday night. Emilio Perez / Myungjin Song Two exhibitions by…
October 22-28: The Week in Photos
Each week, we take a dip into the Houston Press Flickr pool and see what our talented photographers have been up to. Be sure to add your images to our Flickr pool — if it’s Houston-related, we want to see it. They might even show up online. As usual, for…
Unidentified Male, Bayou Body Count No. 262
Found dead south of downtownA man was found dead from blunt-force trauma in a house south of downtown Wednesday morning, police say.The victim, whose name is being withheld pending verification, was discovered in a home in the 2200 block of Hutchins about 11 a.m. A relative had called police after…
Foreskin Poetry & Song: Penis-Based Odes To What Is There, Or Gone
T-shirts also speak eloquentlyThere’s only one thing that can get Hair Balls more excited about all the Lady Gaga meat dresses we’re sure to see this Halloween weekend, and that’s foreskin. Or, more specifically, the 2010 “Pro-Intact” awards, sponsored by TLC Tugger, one of the country’s leading foreskin-restoration companies. The company’s…
FBI Now Criticizing Bank Robbers For Rudeness
Rudy can’t failWe’ve had the local FBI criticize bank robbers for a lack of fashion sense; they’ve ripped robbers for being somewhat portly and sloppy, but now they’re really appalled.Now the bank robbers are being rude.”At approximately 10:15 a.m. [Wednesday], the man entered the Fiesta store and walked to the…
The Buffet of Despair: Inspired by Are You Gonna Eat That?!
Think your food predilections are a little weird? Local author Steve Wiley has your penchant for peanut butter and banana sandwiches beat with his new book, Are You Gonna Eat That?!: A Collection of Crazy Culinary Concoctions. According to Wiley, the book was a long time coming: The idea and…
Monster’s Ball: A Halloween (Non-Metal) Album Gallery
It’s Halloween time again, and to help you get into the spirit as you prepare to skive off work early and drive around frantically looking for some kind of last-minute costume that doesn’t suck, we’ve compiled some albums with monsters on them, ranging from the silly to the creative to…
Aggies Shelter In Place With Gunman Report (UPDATED: All Clear)
Texas A&M is in a lockdown mode after reports of a man carrying an AK-47 on campus.The school’s “Code Maroon” warning page says no gunman has been found, but police are still searching.Reporters listening to the local police scanner say the shooter is described as a white male with olive…
Schwitters Meets Floyd in Danny Rolph’s Hurricane Collage
Danny Rolph’s painted abstraction looks a like a cross between a Kurt Schwitters collage and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album cover. Rolph creates his work on triplewall polycarbonate panels – the stuff touted as a replacement for plywood hurricane panels. (You can shoot a 2×4 at it!)…
GOP Is the New Black, Billboard Wrongly Claims
How much more hip can the GOP get?Raging Elephants, the cutting-edge black Republican group that gets invited to all the best Tea Party events, and will no doubt be shown on camera often during speech cutaways at the 2012 GOP Convention, is proudly proclaiming conservative hipness on a South Loop…
Seven Great Driving-In-Rain Videos, In Case You Miss Rain
Yeah, we know, October has been a pretty dry month here in Houston. Everyone wants rain.But sometimes you forget what happens with rain, and what a pain in the ass it could be. Like driving in it.Visibility nil, plowing through water that might be one inch or two feet deep,…
10 Pumpkin Dishes to Try in Houston: #7: “Halloween” Pumpkin Curry from Khun Kay Thai Café
I adore pumpkin. It’s orange (my favorite color), healthful (fiber! Vitamin A!), and associated with two lovely, food-centric holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving). Starting around October, I always find myself on the hunt for pumpkin-flavored foods, and this autumn is no exception. So, between now and Turkey Day, I will be…
Taylor Swift’s Ten Best Disses On Speak Now
Taylor Swift has just released her third, and angriest, album, Speak Now. It’s an alternately aggressive and poppy turn for the country girl, who is quickly shedding any previous genre trappings and very much becoming one of the pop industry’s biggest stars. She combines female conviction with her own burdgeoning…
DWI: Getting Away With It Is Getting Tougher In Harris County
Drinking and driving is serious business in Harris County, and to prove it, the District Attorney’s office held a press conference this morning to promote some changes they’ve made. “A lot of drunk drivers take advantage of the system,” said Catherine Evans, a prosecutor in the DA’s office. “[Drunk] drivers…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Bill Greenwood of Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
Yesterday we chatted with Bill Greenwood of CityCentre’s Eddie V’s Prime Seafood about what Buddhist monks really like on their plates. Today he fills us in on where he likes to eat around town and why fishing sustainability is such a tricky subject. Eating Our Words: As a chef that…
Vintage Cocktails: DIY Orgeat
A few years ago, I was living in another part of the world without ready access to certain creature comforts, like good rum, limes and liqueurs. This called for a degree of ingenuity and experimentation. So when I came across a recipe for homemade orgeat syrup, I knew I had…
Ten Rock-Star Crushes We Still Haven’t Outgrown
Artists like Elvis Presley, Madonna, and Mick Jagger undoubtedly helped define the consumate rock star crush. But there have been a handful of worthy others along the way – armed with that certain je ne se quoi – who haven’t left our radar. Years later, turns out we’re still smitten…
Titan Gunite: TCEQ Wouldn’t Go After Polluter, Maybe AG Will, Now That It’s Too Late
Sometimes Mom-and-Pop operations aren’t bestThere may be more bad news coming down the line for the owners of Titan Gun, a concrete company that had been located in a residential neighborhood in north Houston.In mid-October, Harris County District Court Judge Mike Miller told Titan that it could no longer operate…
The Best Thing About Eating at 99 Ranch
…isn’t the ever-growing food court. Yes, the cheap dim sum is good for a thrill. And the pre-packaged barbecue beef buns are great for taking home to snack on while you watch a movie. But the best part about eating at 99 Ranch — on a Sunday evening in particular…
Pot Group Offers $10K Reward For Disproving Weed Is Less Dangerous Than Alcohol
Less safe than alcohol? Disprove it and $10K is yoursSafer Texas is a group that doesn’t like alcohol, at least compared to marijuana.They say they work “to address increasing concerns that our laws prohibiting the marijuana market are sending a dangerous message to the public that alcohol is more acceptable…
Marshall Chapman: More Fun Than A Three-Legged Goat
Songwriter extraordinaire, guitar-slinger, author and Southern belle supreme Marshall Chapman will be playing her first Houston gig in ages Thursday, February 17, at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck. According to Chapman, Tuesday night’s release party at Nashville’s Bluebird for her latest album, Big Lonesome, an homage to her longtime musical partner Tim…
Watch Out Muslims: State Senator Dan Patrick Creates “Tea Party Caucus” In Legislature
Dan Patrick: FINALLY the Tea Party will be heard in TexasRight-wing radio guru Dan Patrick has announced the creation of a Tea Party Caucusfor the upcoming Texas legislative session.And no, “Tea Party Caucus” is not necessarily a synonym for “Texas Legislature,” at least not yet.”The Tea Party has played an…
Reporting from the Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium: Cultures Converging on the Houston Restaurant Scene
The Southern Foodways Alliance “Global South” symposium last weekend explored Southern culture and tradition beyond geographic boundaries. After Chingo Bling spoke about worlds colliding in Mexican American hop-hop, former Houston Press writer Robb Walsh (once again, he’s my dad) spoke about frontiers converging on the Houston restaurant scene. “When I…
Ride, Rise, Roar Documents David Byrne’s 2008 Tour
It’s been more than 25 years since the release of the Talking Heads’ undeniably fantastic concert film, Stop Making Sense, but a new film is out to prove that David Byrne has still got it. Ride, Rise, Roar is a new concert film directed by David Hillman Curtis documenting rehearsals…
NFL Butts: Match The Tight, Sweet Texans Ass To Its Owner (And Pick the Best)
We hadn’t really noticed, but it has been brought to our attention by some of the more penis-challenged members of the staff that the Houston Texans feature some of the best butts in town.These butts are highlighted by form-fitting pants with little on underneath except the stray protective cup, which…
H-E-B Asking for Residents’ Vote on New Montrose Store Design
It seems that H-E-B is eager to make at least a few concessions to area residents on its way to constructing a brand-new store in Montrose on the site of the late-lamented Wilshire Village. As recently as October 18, real estate website Swamplot was questioning the grocery giant’s initially proposed…
BANGBANGBOOM: Houston’s Brand-New Swingin’ All-Star Band
Late Monday morning, Rocks Off got a press release announcing BANGBANGBOOM, the new jazz and swing covers project of local luminaries Andrew Karnavas and Nick Gaitan. Seeing as how Karnavas’ Runaway Sun and, well, everything Gaitan’s ever done comprise some of our favorite sounds in Houston right now, we felt…
Happy Hour Scene: Phil’s Texas Barbecue
The Place: Phil’s Texas Barbecue110 S. Heights Blvd.713-862-8600www.philstxbbq.comThe Hours: Seven days a week, 4-7 p.m.The Deals: Domestics are $2.50, well drinks are $2.25. There are also nightly specials, which the bartender chooses. Wednesday night, for example, featured $10 buckets of beer. The Scene: We’ve written a couple things this week…
Shrek’s Greatest Farts Hits
The Setup: Shrek: The Musical has a stupendous pedigree: the 2001 mega hit cartoon, itself based upon the kiddie-lit hit by William Steig. The musical’s strong book and lyrics are from Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Fuddy Meers, Wonder of the World), and the serviceable, yet bouncy, pop score…
Four Loko: We Investigate Just How Bad It Is (UPDATED With Morning-After Reflections)
Science!!!!The latest bit of juvenile delinquency that has the authorities up in arms is Four Loko, a powerful caffeinated beer that’s sending kids to hospitals.The “powerful” part — 12 percent alcohol in a 24-ounce can — gets you wasted, and the “caffeinated” part keeps you up instead of passing out,…
Unidentified Male, 30, Bayou Body Count No. 261
Shot down in a gold LexusA man was shot while driving in his Lexus on the south side shortly after midnight today, police say.The victim, 30, whose name was not released pending notification of family members, was driving what HPD says was “a gold, four-door Lexus” southbound in the 7800…
Remember Devin The Dude’s The Dude?
Houston’s history is dotted with albums that, fairly or un, have been swept aside. We’ll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Devin The Dude (Rap-a-Lot, 1998) Devin the Dude’s accidental intellect (or incidental intellect) has been deconstructed here before, and…
Big Fetish Fair Headed To Houston
May I believe in the Texans again, mistress?Houstonians are deeply into S&M, if you’re just judging by the behavoir of the city’s sports fans, who eagerly pay to be humiliated, tortured and teased time and time again.So we guess it’s only natural that the Fetish Fair Fleamarket, a big Boston-based…
Dorothy Isabel: A&E Show First 48, Could You Please Stop Calling Me A Whore?
Dorothy Isabel doesn’t want to be on The First 48Many people dream of being on TV, but what if, unbeknownst to you, your photo turns up on a reality show and you’re identified as a prostitute who witnessed a brutal gang murder when — and here’s the important part –…
Food Fight: Battle Bagel
Battle Bagel pits an established Houston food landmark in New York Bagel Shop & Deli against behemoth chain Einstein Bros. To keep it a fair fight, all bagels were fresh and eaten with cream cheese. Only samples of poppy and sesame seed bagels were reviewed. New York Bagel Shop &…
Artists’ Halloween Nuptials Spawn Collaboration
There probably isn’t a single goth in all of Houston who doesn’t have one of Bret Harmeyer’s paintings hanging somewhere in their house. And when he married his artist girlfriend Rachel last Halloween, all of us knew it couldn’t be long before the two of them teamed up to bring…
Last Night: Jonsi At Verizon Wireless Theater
Jonsi Verizon Wireless Theater October 27, 2010 This is not an article about Jonsi. There are no articles about Jonsi, because there are no words for Jonsi. He is pre-linguistic. Go try and write an article about what it feels like to smell colors, why don’t you? Describe hearing flowers…
Owls Basketball Prepares To Fly
It’s no secret that Rice’s men’s basketball program has not been very successful in recent seasons. Last year’s team finished the season with a woeful 8-23 record, and with many of the same players returning this season, there shouldn’t be much hope for this season.Yet, strangely, there is this feeling…
Who’s The Next Batman Baddie?
Comic geeks and fans of wild movie-related speculations alike can rejoice, we’ve got some new Batman movie info: The Dark Knight Rises. That’s the title director Christopher Nolan is running with for his third go-round with the Batman franchise he successfully rebooted with 2005’s Batman Begins and 2008’s blockbuster sequel…
Riddle Me This: Who Will Be The Next Batman Villain?
Forget all that talk about natural disasters and midterm elections, yesterday we finally got some really important news: The Dark Knight Rises. That’s the title director Christopher Nolan is running with for his third go-round with the Batman franchise he successfully rebooted with 2005’s Batman Begins and 2008’s blockbuster sequel…
Local Spotlight: Railean Rum
When Robb Walsh picked Gilhooley’s Raw Bar in San Leon as the place that serves his favorite dish in all of the greater Houston area, he forgot to mention one thing, that Railean Rum is made within walking distance of the oyster shanty. What better way to enhance your journey…
Mission Accomplished: Your Buzzword Is My Band Name, Part 2
We’re getting closer to a midterm election that, more and more, is coming to resemble two dachshunds we had as a kid who would lose their little doggy minds over a chew toy and attack each other in a weiner-dog whirlwind until separated by a garden hose. The attack ads…
Mamie Parris in 9 to 5:The Musical — With Dolly Parton’s Seal of Approval
Mamie Parris, who’s coming to Houston in the role of Judy in 9 to 5: The Musical, didn’t make her way to the national tour through the usual route. The New York City-based actress got a call from her agent saying the casting office wanted to see her for the…
Guy V. Lewis: Did He Quit UH Because Of Refs Or An NCAA Investigation?
Last week’s cover story in the Houston Press, “Resurrecting Phi Slama Jama,” focuses on the University of Houston basketball team’s ups and downs since legendary coach Guy V. Lewis left the school. And this week, we heard from a couple more people who know quite a bit about Cougar basketball…
Theodore Jones, 31, Bayou Body Count No. 260
Man killed, his infant survivesPolice say a woman was intoxicated, possibly on prescription drugs, when she drove into and killed a man who was standing with his seven-month-old son at a bus stop.Theodore Jones, 31, was killed. His son, Seth, who was in a stroller, was taken to the hospital…
‘Green Vehicle Initiative’ Finally Comes To Vote; Passes Unanimously
After having the initiative adjusted, getting the go from one committee, and then having the City Council vote delayed, the Vehicle for Hire Green Vehicle Initiative finally went before the City Council yesterday. Its approval would ultimately mean the death or opportunity for growth for at least one company.The tweet…
The Pawnbroker
What do you do when you’ve lost everyone and everything? When you’ve suffered more pain than most people can imagine? In the film The Pawnbroker, an elderly shopkeeper who survived the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp withdraws further and further away from the world around him. That is, until…
ComedySportz Hysterical Horrors
If you want your Halloween funny rather than scary, head to ComedySportz Hysterical Horrors. Two teams of improv comedians will face off, taking suggestions for topics and settings from the audience; the team that does the best skits wins. Today’s topics will be Halloween-related, of course, so expect lots of…
Halloween Cemetery Safari
Wanna see ghosts? Take a ghost tour. Wanna see some of Houston’s dead history? Take the Halloween Cemetery Safari with guide Gary White. During the six-hour bus tour, you’ll see more than 15 cemeteries filled with the graves of Houston’s illustrious, including famous actors like Gene Tierney, millionaires like Howard…
Richard Leakey: Why Our Origins Matter
More than 1.5 million years ago, a pre-teen boy lived and died in Kenya. Twenty-six years ago, famed paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey discovered his fossilized skeleton. Named Turkana Boy, he’s considered “the first early human…with a tall stature…like our own,” according to experts. Leakey, one of Time magazine’s 100 Great Minds…
Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony
Ponytailed, German-born pianist Markus Groh has a reputation for tackling big classical works. And they don’t get much bigger or much more classical than Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, which Groh is performing with the Houston Symphony this weekend. Its multiple emotional hues and impressive length (more than twice as long as…
Kings of Pastry
If you think making a soufflé for dinner guests is just too nerve-racking, wait until you see the documentary Kings of Pastry (2009) and the astonishing entries that are put together for the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France award. Every four years, aspiring (and perspiring) master pâtissiers meet in competition…
The Girl Whose Story We Cannot Follow
When we first see Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) in The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, the final adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s “Millennium” trilogy, she is being transported to a hospital in Gothenburg, bloodied almost beyond recognition, the result of a bullet put in her brain by Zalachenko, her barbaric…
Peter Grimes
It almost goes without saying that in September 1945 the people of London were ready for a little entertainment. And they got it in the form of suspenseful crime-story opera Peter Grimes, by Benjamin Britten, being presented here by the Houston Grand Opera as the fourth installment in its Britten…
Nine Nation Animation
As animation software becomes more available and animators increasingly think of themselves as artsy-fringe directors, cartoon shorts are becoming more global and more interesting. For proof, check out Nine Nation Animation, the latest program from Brooklyn-based distributor The World According to Shorts. The show includes a Belgian comedy about neighbors…
GhoulsFest
GhoulsFest and Hard Rock Cafe Houston have partnered for an after-party event featuring a special DJ performance from festival headliner and two-time Grammy Award-winner Macy Gray. Proceeds from ticket sales will go toward breast cancer organization The Rose. The event will also include a performance by Marnie Stern, along with…
Numbers’ Halloween
Head to Numbers for the traditional Halloween party, complete with a prize costume contest, drink specials, and a cheap cover. The doors will open at 9 p.m. There will not be any bands. All ages are welcome. Sun., Oct. 31, 2010…
Meridian’s Halloween
Join in for the Deadman’s Ball, featuring an all-ages dance in the main room and a VIP room for ages 18 and up to enjoy more adult entertainment. The theme for the party is pirates and the undead. The entertainment will include live performances by Voltaire, The Razorblade Dolls, DJ…
Christian’s Tailgate Bar & Grill
Join in for the “Mad Scientist” costume party and karaoke contest. The bar will be offering $1,000 in cash prizes and two trips to Las Vegas. Sat., Oct. 30, 2010…
Natachee’s Supper ‘N Punch
John and Donna Smith and Pete Gordon, one of the owners of the Continental Club, are part of the investment group that purchased the piece of property one block over from the Continental Club and opened Natachee’s Supper ‘N Punch (3622 Main, 713-524-7203). “We’re not looking to do pretty-looking food…
Eat a Bug! Family Arts Day
The Art Museum of Southeast Texas invites children and their families to celebrate Halloween and the Day of the Dead by feasting on fried crickets, decorating sugar skulls and enjoying a variety of exciting art activities and entertainment at “Eat a Bug!” Family Arts Day from 10 a.m. to 2…
Dracula
The world’s most cosmopolitan blood sucker strikes on Halloween – when else? – as the mother of all Hollywood horror movies, Dracula, flies into Miller Outdoor Theatre. Director Tod Browning transforms the beginning sequences in Transylvania into a wonder of German expressionism, with creepy Gothic sets and cinematography (by Charles…
Dan Electros Guitar Bar’s Halloween
Saturday will see Beans Barton and The Bipeds and the Tribal Lilies Belly Dance Troupe entertaining at Dan Electros Guitar Bar. Costume prizes include Beans performance art (value $500-plus). Doors will open at 8 p.m., the show will start at 9 p.m., and entrance is $10. On Halloween proper, Chris…
1st Houston Flamenco Festival
A performance that truly honors the tradition of flamenco should be held in an intimate cafe, be rife with spontaneity and, of course, keep its revelers up all night until the beat is ringing in their ears. The first Houston Flamenco Festival, hosted by Del Espadin Flamenco, will do this…
Art and Activism: Projects of John and Dominique de Menil
John and Dominique de Menil were forced to leave Nazi-occupied Paris after John helped the Resistance forces there. When they came to the United States, they brought with them a small Cézanne watercolor that John had purchased for $300 and taken home in his briefcase. It was one of the…
Dual Citizenship and Loving the Gold
Dear Mexican, I was a history major at the University of Arizona in Tucson, which I believe was part of the Gadsden Purchase, the last piece of old Mexico the U.S. “acquired.” That got me thinking: What was the citizenship status of all Mexicans/gringos who lived in parts of Mexico…
Let’s Get Spooky
It’s that time of year again, when people prowl the streets wearing everything from barely-there bunny suits to floor-length cloaks. The classics might have a bit of a twist as a few cat suits take on a blue tinge (yes, Avatar is still around). But, whether you pick an old…
Interpol
Anumber of things have changed in Camp Interpol since we last heard from the NYC gloom-rock dudes: In May, the band posted a note on its Web site announcing that fashion-plate bassist Carlos D had split in order to “follow another path, and to pursue new goals.” And after a…
With a Grain of Salt
See Dr. Pepper-friend quail in the making in our slideshow. I don’t really know where to begin with BRC Gastropub, the latest restaurant collaboration between Lance Fegen and Shepard Ross — who also created Glass Wall in the Heights — with chef Jeff Axline at the helm. I really want…
Midnight Movers
Girl in a Coma is not afraid to take a stand. The frequent Houston visitors, who have been mix-and-matching their Hispanic roots, namesake Smiths, punk and roots-rock since 2007 debut Both Before I’m Gone (Blackheart Records), have decided not to play in Arizona until the state’s controversial anti-immigration legislation is…
Pesce: Brilliant Bisque
A simple swirl of brilliant white cream breaks up the deep salmon color of the lobster bisque ($15) at Pesce (3029 Kirby, 713-522-4858), adding a texture that is simply divine, and large chunks of lobster meat let you know this is the real deal. A whimsical vol-au-vent made in the…
Center of Debate
Center of Debate Online readers comment on “Abortion Wars: ’40 Days for Life’ vs. Planned Parenthood Is Quiet So Far,” Hair Balls blog, by Paula Beltrán, October 15: Religion results: They are silly and misplacing energy, these pro-lifers. It’s another consequence of religion, all of which is anti-rational, and far…
Cats with a Knack
The word “seminal” gets tossed around an awful lot when discussing rock bands, which is unfortunate for two reasons. The first is that it’s often misapplied — by its very nature, the term seminal can only apply to a very select number of bands. Every band is not a major,…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Danny Rolph: Multiverse,” “Dynasty and Divinity,” “Kiki Smith,” “Objects of Devotion,” “Richard Misrach: After Katrina”
“Danny Rolph: Multiverse” Danny Rolph’s painted abstraction looks like a cross between a Kurt Schwitters collage and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album cover. Rolph creates his work on triplewall polycarbonate panels — the stuff touted as a replacement for plywood hurricane panels. (You can shoot a 2×4…
Little Haus on Upper Kirby
The immediate thought is fun: This is an article about a place called Hans’ Bierhaus (2523 Quenby), and the main bad guy in Die Hard was named Hans. Die Hard was amazing, so let’s make a bunch of references to that and go from there. Alas, it does not work…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Madame Butterfly, Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up, Shrek the Musical
Madame Butterfly Is there any opera entrance more musically ravishing than the bridal procession of Butterfly? A 15-year-old geisha, she’s been “sold” by marriage broker Goro to American naval lieutenant Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, who’s on a tour of duty in Nagasaki. Impatient, he has no intention of fully accepting Butterfly…
Bravo for Breakfast
Marriage and all its ironic loneliness is the subject of some of the best plays in the American canon. And two of literature’s most famous couples, the raging duo in Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and the solitary aching hearts bound for life in Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s…
For Five Bucks I’d…
WHATEVER, SOCIAL DISTORTION For Five Bucks I’d… What Texans would do for a Lincoln By Craig Malisow Hair Balls has five bucks burning a hole in our pocket, and we’re thinking about spending it on a postcard from a Houston-based model no one’s ever heard of. Or possibly a Texas…
Polk Street Pub’s Houston Tycoon
It’s a strange scene when you have groups of Houstonians at a bar experiencing collective joy at the success of a Dallas-area sports team, but that’s the power of New York Yankee hatred. It’s stronger than love and most kinds of sexual attraction, and it’s definitely more compelling than any…
Sideshow Tramps
Nearing completion of their long-awaited second album, Montrose musical collective Sideshow Tramps have been getting out of town at least one week per month lately, honing their chops at out-of-the-way stops across the Ozarks. And indeed, the band’s breakneck hillbilly thrash seems designed for snaggle-toothed backwoods folk who have strong…
Steamrolled
Deborah Wilkerson was weeding the garden in her backyard when she started to choke. She felt her throat close and her lungs begin to seize as she scrambled inside her home to wash down a drink of water, hoping that would help. But the fluid wouldn’t go down. Gasping for…
Ghostland Observatory
Formed in Austin in 2004, Ghostland Observatory has evolved its sound from the raw, noisy electro-funk of its earlier releases into something more danceable. Equal parts electro, psychedelia and glam-rock, the group’s songs pivot on Aaron Behrens’s signature vocals, which resemble Freddie Mercury’s voice fused with Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s, and the…
Danzig
With this year’s new Deth Red Sabaoth LP, Glenn Danzig may have finally returned to the true sound of his first three albums after a decade and change of dabbling in tinny recording values and confounding lyrics. Deth is his ninth studio album in 20 years, and the first one…
Die Antwoord
We get the same feeling listening to South African import Die Antwoord’s debut album $O$ that we got spinning the first M.I.A album way back in 2005, or even The Streets and Dizzee Rascal before that. The States may have created hip-hop, but it’s quickly being outsourced in new and…
