The John Royal College Football Top 25, Week Three
Here are my college football rankings after Week Three of the season. You can compare them to the AP and Coaches Polls here. And my rankings from last week are here. 1. USC Trojans (2-0): Is there any doubt as to who this season’s best college team is? They shut…
Images of Hurricane Ike
We’ve been loading up Ike-related posts at all hours here on Hair Balls, so we thought it’d be a good time to pause and look back at all the images we’ve seen over the past seven days. Click each photo below to get to a larger slideshow. Hurricane Ike Slams…
In The Re-Match, Second Baptist Again Kicks Lakewood’s Ass
The battle of the mega-churches is under way as hurricane-relief efforts continue, and it looks like Second Baptist has pulled out to a healthy lead over Lakewood. In fact, if you had bet on Second Baptist, you probably wouldn’t even need to worry about the spread. As of 1 p.m…
Brennan’s of Houston Gutted by Flames
Photo by Daniel Kramer / Click here for more Houston images Brennan’s of Houston was consumed by flames on the morning of September 13, at the height of Hurricane Ike’s fury. Several employees were trapped inside and injured in the blaze. We hope they make a complete and speedy recovery…
The Initial Bill For Clean-Up In Houston: Almost $100 Million
The always sharp-eyed Ubu Roi on bloghouston has noted that the agenda for the upcoming emergency Houston City Council meeting includes approving a contract for debris removal. The cost: $98 million. That’s a lot of friggin’ debris. As Ubu Roi puts it: “[Agenda item]Number 3.a. is the jaw-dropper. Nearly $100…
Goodbye, Gilchrist
Check out the Weather Underground blog of Jeff Masters for impressive before-and-after pictures of the tiny town of Gilchrist. Or what used to be the town of Gilchrist, if the “after” picture is any indication. Masters writes: “Rescuers who have reached Gilchrist have not been able to find any victims…
Michael Chertoff, Live in Galveston!
Reporter Brett Koshkin just called in from Ball High School in Galveston, where Michael Chertoff recently finished speaking with reporters. Here’s some of what the United States Secretary of Homeland Security had to say: “The big challenge besides food and water is getting power and sewage.”…
Things Not Getting Better At The Humane Society
As we noted yesterday, conditions are dire at the Houston Humane Society. They’re not much better today. The place is still at five times its capacity, but that’s not the big worry, spokeswoman Melanie Roushe tells Hair Balls. Instead it’s the lack of supplies that’s at a crucial stage…
Astros-Marlins: John Whitmire Falls for Drayton McLane’s Bull
The Astros continued with their road miseries last night, losing in Miami to the Florida Marlins by a score of 5-1. Through eight innings, the Astros’ bats had been silent, once again, getting only two hits off of Florida’s pitching, but they went on an offensive stampede and finished the…
Some Of That Gas Being Refined Near Here Is Going Far, Far Away
ExxonMobil and Valero are still in the process of reopening some refineries, meaning things at the wholesale end of the gas pipeline won’t approach normal for at least several more days. (We don’t even want to think about the retail end.) Although gas lines have shortened since Monday, and more…
No Bus Left Behind
Remember that image after Hurricane Katrina of all those New Orleans school buses underwater? Kudos to the Houston Independent School District for taking steps to prevent that from happening here. “HISD’s Transportation Department parked all of our buses on high ground in tight formations, with the oldest buses on the…
Those Pesky Reporters, Asking Questions
After an emotional council meeting that ended with a member walking out and therefore losing a quorum, there are increasing signs of panic among the leaders of Galveston. Editor & Publisher reports via the Galveston County Daily News that Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas and City Manager Steve LeBlanc have ordered…
Silver Jews Moved to Walter’s Tomorrow
That’s more like it. Tomorrow evening’s scheduled show with indie-rock poet Silver Jews (above) has been moved from the Orange Show to Walter’s on Washington. Doors will open at 6 p.m., reports Super Unison’s Ryan Chavez, and the show will be over by 9. Tomorrow night’s show with New England…
Some Unlikely People Get Priority
You, like most Houstonians, are waiting in a line, no-so-patiently, for gas. You are waiting a long time. And then, just as you are about to reach the Promised Land of the pump, and actually put some fuel in that nearly empty tank of yours, an HPD officer steps in…
Get Off Your Fat, A/C’d Ass And Volunteer
Relatively well-off after Ike? Feel like helping those who aren’t? Then the life of a disaster-relief worker is for you! See exotic PODs! Hand out wonderful MREs! Here’s the info from the county emergency-management office: Volunteers are urgently needed to assist with Hurricane Ike relief efforts. Individuals who are interested…
Requiem for the Balinese Room
All artwork courtesy of balineseroom.net “Deep in the South of Texas not so long ago, there on a crowded island in the Gulf of Mexico It didn’t take too much money, man, but it sure was nice. You could dance all night if you felt all right, drinking whiskey and…
Artist of the Week, San Antonio Edition: Audiotap (and Mathew Barker)
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. Like everyone else who happened to watch The…
The FEMA Bureaucracy Descends, And Obfuscates
At least two PODS – Greenspoint and the Fountain of Praise church at 13950 Hillcroft – ran out of MRE’s by midday Tuesday, with officials at the Reliant Center staging center offering scant explanation. Reliant is the check-in and dispatch center for trucks carrying ice, water and MREs to 18…
Don’t Forget Our List Of Places That Are Open
Don’t forget — we have a list of places that are open. As more and more places get their act together, we won’t be updating the list itself, but the comments after the item are the place to look for the latest in restaurants, stores, washaterias, etc. that are opening…
Downtown Streets Getting Crowded Again, And It Sucks
Downtown has been a ghost town for a couple of days. It’s coming back to life…unfortunately, just as crews are going full-bore on replacing windows and otherwise blocking streets. Driving in the northern part of downtown is becoming even more agita-inducing than usual. Broken traffic lights, blocked lanes, idiot drivers…
Jana Hunter Show Moved to Petrol Station
More good news: Ex-Houstonian and indie-folk phenom Jana Hunter’s homecoming show, originally scheduled for DiverseWorks, has been moved to 7 p.m. tonight at the Petrol Station, 985 Wakefield. Beer will be served, but cash only. Wicked Poseur is no longer on the bill, but Hunter’s full band and what she…
Another Bar Update
McGonigel’s Mucky Duck, 2425 Norfolk, is the latest Houston music venue to have power restored, and tonight’s 6 p.m. Patrice Pike show will proceed as scheduled. The pub will be serving food from a limited menu. Rocks Off did his civic duty last night and checked in on a few…
After the Storm Comes the Fire
Photos by Daniel Kramer This house in South Houston made it through Ike with just some power loss, only to catch fire yesterday afternoon. Neighbors at Ammons and 8th Street say no one was home as they rushed over to watch firefighters battle the blaze…
Video of Kemah Boardwalk After Hurricane Ike
While in Kemah yesterday surveying the damage wrought by Hurricane Ike, Daniel Kramer got some video of the Boardwalk. As you can see, it’s going to be some time before Tillman Fertitta’s entertainment strip is up and running again… — Keith Plocek…
OK at Corral: Horses Evacuated from Fresno
Twelve-year-old Mary Claire Ganucheau’s quarter-horse Lindsey tried to return to normal yesterday after her evacuation, along with 55 other horses, from the Southern Breeze center in Fresno. Mary Claire, her brother John, and their mother Lisa pitched in to clean up debris strewn across the property. Owner Cathy Strobel said…
Tomball Gets Power, Loses a POD
The point of distribution center in Tomball should have enough supplies to last until 10 p.m., according to Captain Rick Grassi of the Tomball Police Department. Today is the last day for the site to operate at HWY 249 and FM 2920 because power has been restored for many Tomball…
Kemah Comes Face To Face With What Ike Hath Wrought
Click here for a slideshow from Daniel Kramer… The street corner underneath the blue, arching sign welcoming visitors to Kemah is littered with debris washed out of people’s houses: light-switch covers, roof shingles and even a sandy, sticky clump of faded photographs of a family huddled around the fireplace at…
The Scene From Kemah — At Least They’ve Found Their Gator
Click here for a slideshow from Daniel Kramer… Biologists at the Kemah Aquarium are breathing easier now that they’ve recovered a small gator named “Sweet Pea” that got loose during Ike. Not that this little gal could’ve hurt anyone, says biologist David Sanchez, but after saving all the fish at…
Turning the Screw: Hollywood F.L.O.S.S., LL Cool J, The Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, Russell Crowe (!?), MF Doom, Beyonce and More
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 “I’m Bout My Paper,” Hollywood F.L.O.S.S. Wire To Wire LL Cool J, talking to the Associated Press, actually referred…
Back to School at University of Houston
School’s back in session at UH, though there seem to be more downed limbs on campus than students. Those who did show up found classes that were about one-third full in most cases; some came to campus to find their professors absent. UH president Rena Khator did declare the week…
Finally, Some Live Music
It’s about damn time. Quinn Bishop and the Cactus Music gang report that today’s free John Evans Band in-store scheduled for 6 p.m. will proceed as planned. With, lest we forget, complimentary refreshments from St. Arnold’s. Who’s ready for a beer? – Chris Gray…
Katy ISD Stays Closed — Because Of A Lack Of Gas
Teachers in Katy ISD are being told that initial plans to open school tomorrow have been changed and classes won’t begin until at least Monday. Not necessarily because of power issues, although the district’s home page says three schools remain without power. The bigger problem, teachers are being told, is…
An Ike Miracle: Bayport Cruise Terminal To Actually Be Used
And they said it would never happen. The brand-new $81 million cruise terminal at the Port of Houston’s Bayport terminal is finished and has been able to handle ships for a while now. Not so’s you’d notice, because no cruise companies have signed up to use it, as the Houston…
Tunnel Mole Assesses The Post-Ike Depths
Well, there’s hot glazed, check it and see It only costs about a hundred and three (cents) Come on baby, do you do more than slide (down my Ike-starved gullet)? It’s hot glazed; hot glazed (Apologies to Foreigner, who should apologize to us in the first place for that horrible…
Dire Situation for Houston Humane Society
Reporters Craig Malisow and Brett Koshkin are down near Missouri City, and they’ve just sent word that the Houston Humane Society location at 14810 FM 521 is at quintuple its normal capacity. The facility is in desperate need of dog food, cat food, water and kitty litter. People can drop…
Legal Help Available for Ike Victims
Starting today, volunteer attorneys from the Houston Bar Association will answer legal questions from 2-5 p.m. daily. This free service will run through Wednesday, October 1. Take a break from clearing the debris or scouting for ice and MREs and call 713.-759-1133 with your questions. – Margaret Downing…
Where’s Houston’s Hurricane Relief Benefit?
Paging Rev. Gibbons… It’s not entirely unwarranted – something about Wall Street being in free fall – but outside the Houston area, our recovery from Ike is rapidly receding from the headlines. Before it gets buried any further, Rocks Off would like to take this opportunity to point out he…
Okay, Now Galveston Is Open…But Not Permanently
KTRH reports that “Galveston Island leaders are allowing residents to return between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. to check their property and businesses. Anyone who doesn’t leave by 6 p.m. could face a $2,000 fine. Residents must show ID with their address on it before they’ll be allowed on the…
It May Take Martial Law To Empty The Bolivar Peninsula
Any of you holdouts on Bolivar, the law is coming. For you. Just off the AP wire: GALVESTON, Texas – Authorities say the holdouts on Texas’ ravaged Bolivar Peninsula will be required to leave in the next few days, and they are prepared to impose martial law if needed to…
Home and Garden Show Postponed
This coming weekend, the Texas Home and Garden Show was supposed to show its stuff at Reliant Stadium. To do so, though, attendees and exhibitors would have to wade through the crowds getting relief help in the Reliant parking lot. So it’s being rescheduled for October 24-26. The press release…
FEMA Not Looking Too Good in Greenspoint
We’ve just received word from reporters Craig Malisow and Brett Koshkin that the point of distribution center at Harvest Time Church near Greenspoint Mall has plenty of water and ice — but no food. Sources with the Houston Police Department and the church say that FEMA took over on Monday…
Bush Visit Causing Gridlock, Galveston Reporter Claims
Thanks a lot, President Bush. According to Leigh Jones, the Galveston County Daily News reporter who’s Twittering her reporting from around the battered island, Bush’s visit there is hampering relief workers. “Emergency personnel can’t get over the causeway because the president is here. No one can move around the island…
Ike Getting No Respect When It Comes To Baby Names
What’s a storm gotta do to make someone name their kid after it? A lot more than Ike did, apparently. “We did have several babies born over the weekend (I want to say about 6 or 7), but I don’t believe any were given that name,” Gale Smith, spokeswoman for…
Live Nation Cancellations and Postponements
One of these days Rocks Off will get back to the usual business of announcing who’s coming instead of who’s cancelling. Hopefully soon. For now, here’s a list of Live Nation shows that will no longer be taking place, in the immediate future anyway. Verizon Wireless Theater Guy Clark (above)…
Two Politicians, Two Responses
You may have noticed Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and Mayor Bill White projecting different attitudes during their joint press conferences in the past few days – White a bit more critical of response efforts, Emmett a bit less willing to engage in what he would presumably think to be…
Houston Libraries Begin To Re-Open, With Computers For Victims
The Houston Public Library System is slowly getting back on its feet. The downtown library is open from 10a.m. to 7 p.m. as of now. “The Central Library computer lab will be designated as the Hurricane Ike Assistance Room to file for FEMA aid, insurance claims, and emailing family and…
More Warehouse Live Postponements
Boy, Bob Schneider just can’t catch a break (which will no doubt bring a smile to several Rocks Off readers). The Austin undergrad guru’s Friday show, already postponed from last Friday, is among several Warehouse Live dates that have been forced to reschedule. New dates are in the offing, so…
Surpise Surprise: Redman Show Postponed
Well, we all knew it was coming, but now it’s official: If you see a suspicious haze over Warehouse Live tonight, it won’t be from the Scion-sponsored free Redman show (though the rapper is still scheduled to visit House of Blues with boon bong companion Method Man November 19). Nevertheless,…
Some Randalls Stores Open Too
Randalls has quite a few stores open in the Houston area as well. Not as many as HEB has, but, then again, Randalls isn’t counting Bryan and Brenham as the “greater Houston region.” Full list after the jump:…
Metro, You Broke My Heart
Ah, Metro — maker of promises they can’t cash. My wife commuted in with me yesterday morning; later in the day, she needed to leave well before I could. I checked the Metro website. They were running buses along the light-rail route, and a handful of other routes, all listed…
A Whole Lot of HEB Stores Are Now Open
We just got a release from HEB that proudly declares the company “leads retailers in number of stores re-opened in the greater Houston region.” Is that smack-talking? We dunno. Sounds a little bit like it. Full list after the jump:…
Texas College Football Report
Unlike the Texas Longhorns, there were actually a couple of college teams in this state that decided to play games this weekend. The Cougars decamped to Dallas to play Air Force and lost 31-28. The outer bands of Ike interfered with play, as the game was played in rain and…
Astros-Cubs: A Tired Houston Team Only Gets One Hit
The Houston Astros found another way to make history yesterday. Sunday night, it was Carlos Zambrano no-hitting the Astros – the first Chicago Cub no-hitter since Milt Pappas tossed one in 1972. Yesterday, not only did the Astros lose 6-1, but they were one-hit by Ted Lilly, making the Astros…
Some Dogs Enjoy An Ike Break
In the midst of the craziness, some have found the time to make sure Houstonians of the four-legged variety get a sense of normalcy. At the dog park off Westpark and Highway 59, uprooted trees didn’t keep Rebecca Lee from getting in some exercise for Roxy, her 15-month-old, three-legged pit…
FEMA Looking Good at TSU Distribution Center
In some spots, so far FEMA is looking good. The wait for folks at the Distribution Center at Texas Southern University (3600 Rosewood) was around 30 minutes. Volunteers were filling hands and trunks with ice, water and food of people in walk-thru and drive-thru lines. And things were moving …..
Try Not To Be Disabled At A POD, Please
The ice and water line at the Greater Jerusalem Baptist Church POD on Jensen Drive in northeast Houston is moving along briskly, but it certainly appears to be every man for himself. 76-year-old Rafe Osborne made the 8-mile trek from his powerless home in Scenic Woods — quite an effort…
The Saddest Press Release
Presented without comment, from the Harris Couty Homeland Security and Emergency Management Office: HUMMINGBIRD FESTIVAL CANCELED Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack’s office is canceling the annual Hummingbird Festival at the Kleb Woods Nature Center originally scheduled for Saturday, September 20. Because the festival is based on the migration…
More Images from Before and After Hurricane Ike
We’ve just loaded up some images from Bill Olive of fires, rattlesnakes, boat thieves, flotsam, flooding, cracked trees and shattered boats in Galveston, Houston, League City, Texas City and Kemah. — Keith Plocek…
A Dispatch from Dickinson
John Nova Lomax just called in with news from Gator Miller, a reporter with Seabreeze News who’s down in Dickinson. First things first: Gilhooley’s and the Topwater Grill are destroyed. The police department in Dickinson has no power. FEMA is setting something up at McAdam Junior High, but no one…
Silver Lining Huh?
The U.S. Housing and urban Development Department has announced it won’t allow anyone to be foreclosed upon if they live in the areas affected by Hurricane Ike – at least not for now. HUD Secretary Steve Preston announced today that his agency will send disaster assistance of the sort that…
Bar-Hopping With A Curfew Can Be Tricky
If you’re stuck in a dark house with nothing to do by read by flashlight like some middle school dork, you may be tempted to go out and grab a drink. The 9 p.m. curfew means you’ll risk getting hassled by the police, many of whom have been working ungodly…
George R. Brown Serves Again
The George R. Brown Convention Center transformed itself from expo center into a shelter for those affected by Ike. Fortunately, things seemed to go a bit smoother than when Katrina landed plenty of survivors on our shores. Ike brought some 1,600 people, arriving from varied locales and different area shelters…
Welcome Back: The Week Without Music
“Thought you were going to see music this week? Think again, bitch!” Well, Rocks Off hopes everyone weathered Ike as best they could. We suppose you’ll read this eventually as soon as power/Internet is restored to your neck of the woods. And as you no doubt have heard, the Houston…
A Dispatch from Galveston
Galveston is a ghost town. We haven’t seen anybody. The Elissa is fine. The Willie G’s across from it now has a boat in the parking lot. The damage seems cosmetic in the places where we’ve been able to go, but we haven’t made it to the West End. –…
They Stayed In The Flagship Hotel — And Survived
Galveston County Daily News reporter Leigh Jones is Twittering her reporting today and says that 11 people rode out the storm in the Flagship Hotel. The Flagship is the historic building built over a pier that extends well out into the Gulf. That must have been an experience. Our Olivia…
It Could Be Worse — You Could Be An Entergy Customer
While you’re busy wondering what the hell Centerpoint is doing in terms of getting your service back up, look on the bright side. You could be an Entergy customer. Customers of Entergy — mostly north and east of the city — are having almost no luck getting power back on…
List Of Open Stuff
Don’t forget — here is our constantly updated list of things we’ve found to be open — stores, bars, restaurants, etc. Check it out, add anything additional that you’ve seen in the comments section. We will get through the horror of unopened bars together. Or else Ike will have won…
The Downtown Open/Closed List
Downtown Business Status as of Monday, September 15, 2008, 1 p.m. Gas Stations Mobil (Hamilton & Jefferson) – closed Shell (Pease & Chartres) – closed Groceries/Supermarkets Kim Hung Market (St. Emanuel & McKinney) – closed Long Sing Supermarket (Walker & St. Emanuel) – open Commerce Convenient Store (Commerce & San…
Tensions Are Rising
It’s bedlam by I-45 and N. Main. More than 30 cars full of increasingly angry motorists are lined up outside the pumps of the Exxon station, whose manager said at 11 a.m. they wouldn’t even open for at least another two hours. Just across the street, blue police lights are…
Galveston Back Open
Olivia Flores Alvarez reports that the bridge to Galveston is now open. Looks like the police are letting people back in with Galveston driver’s licenses. There’s tons of debris on the side of the bridge, and the southbound lanes are still closed, but there’s two-way traffic on the northbound lane…
Discovery Green A-OK
The city of Houston’s new premier park downtown came through Ike virtually unscathed, according to spokeswoman Susannne Theis. “Some young trees were uprooted and will have to be re-set,” she said. Restaurants on site, including the Grove, however, are not open for business yet. Employees on Monday were on site…
Power To The People — Eventually
The current count for Centerpoint, the company that brings electricty to most of Houston, is half a million customers restored, 1.65 million customers cursing Centerpoint. A “customer” is a home, so each outage affects more than one person, typically. Alicia Dixon, Centerpoint spokeswoman, had this to offer to the suffering…
Need Something? Head to Kirby Drive.
John Nova Lomax has been cruising Kirby, and he brings back tales of a land of plenty. Between Rice and Reliant, there are several gas stations open, plenty of restaurants and even a dry cleaners. Sounds like the place to be. At least until everyone else heads there too. –…
Garbage, Debris and How We Are Trashed
Waste Management says today it’s working to get its trucks out to neighborhoods in Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Jefferson, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Orange, Walker, Wharton and Victoria counties. According to Lisa Doughty, spokesperson for Waste Management, “We will restart curbside garbage and trash collection immediately on the…
Places That Are Open — Constantly Updated
We’ve heard these places are open for business. We’ll update the list as info comes in. Note: We’re posting these as we get them. Some places, like supermarkets, may run out of stuff after we post. So check by phone if you can (yeah, we know), and don’t hold it…
Hilton Furniture Giving Away Free Water and Ice (and Yes, Jack, That Is a Fact)
We’ve just received word from Olivia Flores Alvarez that Hilton Furniture on the Gulf Freeway is giving away ice and water. There’s quite a line, and the cops are there to make sure no one jumps ahead. Patience, people. – KP…
In Other News, Wall Street is Collapsing
Everyone here is dealing with Ike, but just to give you something else to worry about as you wait on line for ice — Wall Street had a disaster of its own over the weekend. Big companies went bankrupt, meetings were held, etc. etc. As Slate put it in its…
Hurricane Ike School Closings
We’ll update this list as info comes in. HISD is closed through Friday. HISD athletic events for this coming weekend canceled. Spring Branch is closed through Tuesday. Fort Bend is closed through Tuesday. Katy ISD is closed through Tuesday. Goose Creek is closed indefinitely. Aldine ISD is closed through Wednesday…
The Men’s Club Is Open!
Ike would have wanted it that way, we’re sure. We didn’t fight our way onto the Normandy beaches for the right NOT to have a strip club open up ASAP for Ike victims. (Cue right-wing rant saying that “Yeah, now all those Katrina refugees can spend their FEMA money at…
Where To Get Supplies From FEMA
If you need ice or MREs you’re probably not checking a blog, but in case a friend or relative out of the area is checking and can pass on the info, here’s the official list of PODs — the “places of Distribution” where you can wait on line for an…
Downtown? Get You Drink On Now At Warren’s
If you look below there’s an entry listing things that are opened; we’ll be updating it all day. But this deserves its own entry. Warren’s is open! Now! The Market Square bar is so dark and dank at the best of times that we imagine it’d be cool enough even…
Stopping for Barbecue on the Way Back to Houston
Dodging Hurricane Ike last Friday, Juliet Stewart led her family and friends out to Giddings to stay on some land she owns there. Fourteen men, women and children from Missouri City, Sunnyside and the Southeast end of Houston camped out in two RVs, a tractor-trailer and a car. I ran…
Bucket Brigade in Westbury
Much of the Westbury area, like the rest of the Houston area, was full of fallen trees in the aftermath of Ike. Personally speaking, we came through Ike all right –- a corrugated-metal canopy in the backyard collapsed, some siding flew off from the house, but that was about it…
Time for the Astrodome to Step Up?
Yes, this was a pretty lousy weekend for those of us in the Houston area. But there could be some cheery news for the Astrodome. Reliant Stadium, that so-called state-of-the-art marvel of engineering and technology, was rendered unusable this weekend when Hurricane Ike blew off five of the panels of…
Astros-Cubs: Carlos Zambrano Throws a No-Hitter
I can’t think of a more fitting form of ultimate karma than Carlos Zambrano no-hitting the Houston Astros last night. Maybe if Drayton McLane had not been such a jerk the Astros would not have been exhausted. And maybe if Drayton would not have tried to force the Cubs to…
Hurricane Ike Be Damned, These Places Are Now Open
Hungry? Here are a few places we’ve heard are open for business. Pappasito’s on 290, I-45 North and 610 South Many HEB stores Spec’s in Missouri City (on a Sunday, at that) Some Target stores We’ll keep updating this list as info comes in. Please leave your tips in the…
Everybody’s Looking for Some Higher Ground, a Report from Fort Bend County
Nasty fire ants and big snakes. Thanks to Hurricane Ike and then its afterbirth of rain this morning, not only humans are looking for higher ground. Fire ants have taken flight , while underneath snakes of impressive length – 20 feet and more – are looking for refuge. Meanwhile, power…
Slideshow: Hurricane Ike Slams into Seabrook
We’ve just loaded up some more images from Daniel Kramer of Gulf Coast destruction. These were taken yesterday afternoon in Seabrook. – KP…
Slideshow: Hurricane Ike Slams into Baytown
The swell was anything but, as these photos from Bayland Marina attest. – KP…
Slideshow: Hurricane Ike Slams into Houston
When the storm hit town in the early morn of Saturday, September 13, it flooded roads, snapped trees, prevented firefighters from saving a culinary landmark and shattered windows on a downtown skyscraper. Daniel Kramer got plenty of pics of the aftermath . – KP…
Hurricane Party: We Always Do It Nice… and Rough
Go ahead, you know the words…..
Hurricane Party: There’s Something On My Mind…
Turn it up and dance around the room – like you’ve got something better to do…..
Hurricane Party: Do Fries Come With That Shake?
I certainly hope so…..
John Royal’s NFL Power Rankings
With one weekend of the NFL done, and weekend two about to get underway, I thought I would unveil my NFL Power Rankings, which I plan to do every week. So… 1. Dallas Cowboys (1-0): The Cowboys dominated the Cleveland Browns in week one. Tony Romo and Terrell Owens were…
Hurricane Party: Hunker Down, Y’all…
Rocks Off hopes you and yours are safe, sound and as dry as possible…..
Slideshow: Hurricane Ike Slams into Galveston
We’ve just loaded up some images taken earlier this afternoon in Galveston. Be sure to check out what’s become of Stewart Beach. — Keith Plocek…
“Certain Death” Doesn’t Bar Commercials
In the past, when I’ve talked to TV meteorologists about whether or not they hype hurricanes, at some point they’re quick to point out that there’d be no reason to hype, because hurricanes are a losing proposition money-wise for stations. As KPRC’s Frank Billingsley put it to us last May:…
Hurricane Party: Here It Comes
Tina ought to know what she’s talking about…..
20,000 Still Left On Galveston Island? Yikes
Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas said in her press conference this afternoon that she estimated that 40 percent of isalnd residents — maybe 20,000 or so people — chose to ignore the mandatory evacuation order. She didn’t really elaborate on how she came up with that statistic, but that is…
Positive Pub For Mayor White
Someone’s found somtething good out of Ike, and it’s Mayor Bill White. White is the subject of a positive story from the Associated Press going out on the wire this afternoon, generally praising his reaction to Hurricanes Katrina and Ike, and not giving him much blame for the Rita traffic…
First Victim Claimed — A Kid
Ike has claimed his first official death. It wasn’t one of the idiots who decided to stay in the West End of Galveston; it was some poor kid in Montgomery County. A 10-year-old boy was standing in his front yard watching his Dad cut branches off their pine tree; a…
Astros-Pirates: Houston Gains on Milwaukee in Wild Card Race
While there are more important things to deal with today, I just wanted to note that the Houston Astros beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 last night. And with the Milwaukee Brewers losing the game, the Astros are now only three games behind in the wild card chase. A chase which…
Five Spot: Kanye Arrested? Get. Out!
Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we’ll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it’s either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Get this: A photographer – with a camera (!) – actually had the nerve to try to take some pictures of…
Life by the Drop: A Dispatch from Houston’s Bars
Maybe it was just Dutch courage, but last night Houston’s bar community didn’t seem all that concerned by the approach of Ike. From the Continental Club downtown to Woodrow’s Ice House on the train tracks separating West U and Bellaire, drinking establishments enjoyed Saturday night crowds. The Spec’s on Stella…
Meet a Good Samaritan
Meet Agustin Arroyo, a 16-year-old Good Samaritan, who goes to Brazosport High School. Classes have been canceled since Wednesday at his school. He said he and his family took in the trampoline, packed up and hit the road for destinations further inland. Late this morning he arrived at our front…
Macy’s Downtown, With A Message
— Olivia Flores Alvarez…
The Zoo Hunkers Down
You may be all prepared for Ike. What about the animals at the Houston Zoo? The cuddly koalas? The giraffes? The lions, just dying to break out and hunt along the streets of Houston? It’s all taken care of. They claim…
Video of the Galveston Seawall During Swells from Ike
Here’s some video, taken about 20 minutes ago, at the Galveston Seawall. We’ll have plenty of photos from G-Town in a few. Yep, Ike is coming… — Keith Plocek…
You’ve Missed The Bus
In case you were hoping to take a Metro bus anywhere today, forget it. Service stopped at noon. No word yet on when it might resume. — Richard Connelly…
Hurricane Party: Ray Charles Got a Woman, Rocks Off Don’t
That’s it, folks. Rocks Off is signing off ’til Monday morning. Lots of Ike & Tina videos over the weekend, so don’t be a stranger – and please stay safe. Right now we’d like nothing more than to spend the next 48 hours or so in bed with… well, never…
A Nice, Pleasant Day In Midtown
You’d never know Ike is coming our way if you’re in Midtown — it’s a pleasant day, people are out strolling or walking their dogs, there’s gas to be had with no lines and even Spec’s isn’t that crowded. Go a couple of blocks into downtown, though, and it’s pretty…
Seen on Heights Boulevard
Yeah, we’re not very big fans of Ike either, although we will say right now the Heights is pretty serene. There are even folks jogging down the boulevard. — Keith Plocek…
This Just In: More Cancellation/Closing Updates
The sun is shining, birds are chirping and we’re all in for a weird, weird weekend. Here are some more updates as to who’s open the next couple of days and who ain’t. McGonigel’s Mucky Duck: Randy Weeks postponed to December 12; open ’til around 6 p.m. The Mink: Listenlisten,…
Can’t Anyone Just Predict “Slightly Breezy And Seasonably Cool”?
You want your warnings of catastrophe? We got `em right here. From CNN: “Forecasters warned Ike would bring “certain death” to anyone who remained in Galveston Bay homes. Rarely do forecasters use such forceful language.” Weather Underground’s Jeff Masters: “We must assume Ike will intensify to a Category 3 hurricane…
College Football Preview, Tea Leoni Edition
Week three of the college football season might end up being a bit of a lost season here in Houston, as well as large portions of Texas, because of Hurricane Ike. In some ways, this week of football reminds me of Tea Leoni, a very beautiful and smart actress who…
Ike’s Effects Reach Into Space
You think you have it tough going without your Whole Foods? Imagine going without Tang. Hurricane Ike has forced the cancellation of the planned docking of a Russian cargo ship with the International Space Station. When the Johnson Space Center closed, there was no one to guide it to the…
The Battle To Meet Ukrainian Women Is Coming To Houston
So you’re a marriage-minded dude in Houston looking for a suitable mate online. But you don’t want to limit your search to just your neighborhood, or just the metro area, or just the state…or, uh, just the country. No, you want your search to include sites that can connect you…
Not So Bad News from the Health Department
We scanned the Houston Department of Health and Human Services reports from August 27 to September 10… Let’s start off with the good news: House of Blues (1204 Caroline), Havana Latin Grill and Bar (818 Travis), and Angelo’s (711 Main) were all inspected on September 9 and received no citations…
Hurricane Party: Where Are the Evacuees Going?
Tell ’em, Tina…..
The Sound of Ike
Scientists at the National Hurricane Center are testing out some new technologies that enable us to actually hear hurricanes approaching, even while they are far at sea. If you’ve ever wondered what a rapidly intensifying, increasingly bad-ass hurricane sounds like when nobody is around, watch the video below. — John…
Round and Round with Ike
Houston, now we know what it feels like to be this dude’s “Private Dancer.” — JNL…
Slideshow: Houston Prepares for Hurricane Ike
We’ve just loaded up some images from this afternoon’s grocery and booze rush. Here’s hoping you already stocked up. — KP…
One Definite Effect of Ike
Even though the disaster declaration that’s been invoked includes an anti-gouging provision, you can expect to get hit in the pocketbook even if Ike turns out to be a Rita in terms of its Houston effects. That’s because the price of gas is going to see an Ike Spike. Gas…
New Orleans Wants To Return The Favor
All you Houstonians who have been bitching about that New Orleans riff-raff that came here after Katrina, prepare to feel shame. Ray Nagin, mayor of the Big Easy, is going to officially welcome anyone from Houston displaced by Ike. Here’s the announcement: Mayor Ray Nagin, joined by leaders of the…
This Just In: Cactus Music In-Stores Cancelled
Cactus Music has cancelled this weekend’s scheduled in-stores, the Kanude tomorrow afternoon and Rich Hopkins & Lisa Novak Saturday afternoon. However, the store will be open tomorrow at the regular time but will close early (time unspecified), and barring significant storm damage, also be open Saturday, because there’s nothing better…
This Just In: Fitzgerald’s, Meridian and Warehouse Live Postponements/Cancellations
Ike ain’t even here yet, and he’s already playing havok with Houston’s live-music calendar. At Fitzgerald’s, Friday’s Mechanical Boy CD release will go on as scheduled, but Saturday’s bill of Spoonfed Tribe, D.R.U.M. and Zwee has been rescheduled for a date TBD, and the bands scheduled to play Sunday’s regular…
It Turns Out Those Old Folks Won’t Drown
Fortunately, it looks like a bunch of old folks in Chambers County won’t be left to fend for themselves after all. Chambers County Judge Jimmy Sylvia was quoted in the Houston Chronicle earlier this afternoon as saying two bus companies reneged on their contracts to evacuate nursing homes in Anahuac…
Ike’s Cocktail
Chef Andy Shrader at Ike’s Food & Cocktails (50 S. 6th St.) in downtown Minneapolis suggested one of Ike’s signature cocktails for your enjoyment this weekend. Ike’s Ice Chef Andy at Ike’s thought this might be the perfect thing to drink when the air-conditioner wasn’t working. 1 ounce Midori 2…
This Just In: Tonight’s Eagles Concert Postponed to October
According to the Toyota Center’s Web site, tonight’s scheduled second Houston date of the Eagles’ Long Road Out of Eden tour has been postponed until Thursday, October 2. Tickets for tonight’s show will be honored on the new date. Call 1-866-4-HOU-TIX for more information. – Chris Gray…
Hurricane Ike Cuisine: Gourmet Canned Goods
Back in 2003, when the Department of Homeland Security told us to stockpile canned goods in case of emergencies, I did a taste test of the best canned foods I could find in Houston. Since many of us are in the market for canned goods today, I thought it might…
Russians Laugh At Weak American Hurricane Ike-ski
The Russian Cultural Center says Nyet! in the face of a ураган. You have to give it to the Russians. They are made of sterner stuff. Either that or they don’t understand the phrases “storm surge,” “flat land below sea level” and “contraflow” (actually that last one confounds a lot…
Oh Yeah — It’s 9/11
Even though everyone is paying attention to Hurricane Ike, a few folks remember that today is the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. A very, very few folks. Hair Balls went out and asked the downtown lunch crowd, “How did 9/11 affect you?” Here’s a sampling of the answers: “It…
Your Hurricane-Supply Kit Just Got A Whole Less Organic
If you want to stock up for Ike in an allegedly eco-friendly, warmly liberal-ish, self-satisfied way, you better hurry. All local Whole Foods stores are closing as of 10 p.m. tonight. We would not want to spend the post-Ike apocalypse without arugula, or water taken from the springs hidden deep…
Your Hurricane Supply Kit Just Got A Whole Lot Less Organic
If you want to stock up for Ike in an allegedly eco-friendly, warmly liberal-ish, self-satisfied way, you better hurry. All local Whole Foods stores are closing as of 10 p.m. tonight. We would not want to spend the post-Ike apocalypse without arugula, or water taken from the springs hidden deep…
This Just In: Let There Be Rock in December
Something awesome to distract you from Ike for a second. AC/DC’s management has just announced the dates for the Australian hard-rock institution’s Black Ice world tour – named after its brand-new album, available exclusively at Walmart – skidding into Toyota Center December 14. Can I get a hell yeah? My…
Astros-Pirates: Houston Keeps Surging
The Astros refuse to die, and I can’t help but get the feeling that they wouldn’t mind taking on Ike this weekend, as they don’t consider the Chicago Cubs to be much competition. Anyway, the Astros won their 13th of 14 games last night, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-4. With…
High School Musical, Houston Style
While they may not be as hilarious as The Onion’s High School Tony Awards, TUTS’ Tommy Tune Awards have become an annual highlight for high school theater geeks. Students from across the area compete for the nominations, and perform highlights at the Hobby Center before an audience of beaming parents…
Ike: Officially A Disaster
Harris County Judge Ed Emmett has just formally declared a “state of disaster” in the county, and oddly enough it has nothing to do with the Texans’ performance against Pittsburgh last weekend. The declaration gives Emmett power to issue evacuation orders, close county offices and direct rescue efforts. It also…
Houston Sports, Hurricane Ike Update
Okay, as of this writing, here is what we know about the status of various college and professional sporting events that are scheduled to be played in Houston and Texas this weekend. The Houston Cougars have moved their game against Air Force from U.H.’s Robertson Stadium to SMU’s stadium in…
Up with the Boards, Down with the Banners
— Olivia Flores Alvarez…
ICE Won’t Be Nabbing Illegals At Hurricane Shelters
Safety first. That’s the message from federal immigration authorities this morning who say illegal immigrants needing to evacuate or use public shelters during Hurricane Ike should feel safe to do so without fear of being detained and possibly deported. “It shows the nature of the business,” says U.S. Immigration and…
Closed: Everything
We’re getting bombarded with e-mails announcing that things are closed or events are canceled Friday and Saturday. Art shows, horse races, school events, even H-E-B’s plans to help the heroes at local fire stations. So our advice is this: If you think something’s going to be open, or happening, tomorrow…
This Just In: Rory Miggins Memorial Concert at Discovery Green Canceled
Tonight’s tribute to the late Rory Miggins, late owner of Local Charm and a key figure in the local music scene for decades, scheduled for 7 p.m. at Discovery Green and featuring Houston blues legends I.J. Gosey and Texas Johnny Brown, has been canceled. However, Allen Hill of Allen Hill…
Art Rock: Dr. Dog, Delta Spirit and Seth Kauffman at Walter’s on Washington
Stay tuned to Rocks Off for news on any show cancellations due to Hurricane Ike…
HISD Closed Tomorrow
Word has just come down — HISD is closed tomorrow. Spokesman Norm Uhl says tonight’s board meeting will go on as scheduled, though. Some things are just too important to stop. Update: And some things aren’t. Except for a pro forma vote on a bond matter, the board meeting has…
Where Did All the Television Catch Phrases Go?
“WhatchyoutalkinboutWills?” “Hello…Newman.” “Dy-no-mite!” Television catch phrases, we hardly knew ye. Is it just me, or are there simply no high-quality television catch phrases left anymore? (It can’t just be me, because my friend Matt was the one who gave me the idea for this post.) At any rate, it struck…
Houston On The TV: The Top Five
According to an online survey by Sky News, the 80s were the coolest decade: Some 41% of people questioned in an online survey said the 80s was their favourite decade, followed by the 60s and the 90s. The Noughties polled as the least cool decade since 1960, with only 10%…
Hurricane Party: Will Ike Hit Houston?
Man, there are all kinds of jokes of the “violent Turner” variety Rocks Off could make concerning our impending Hurricane Ike, but for the moment, we prefer to remain optimistic. Once upon a time, so did Tina… Ike & Tina Turner, “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine”…
Junot Díaz
With his 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction award still just a few months old, Dominican-American author Junot Díaz is enjoying a literary honeymoon. After pouring 11 years into writing his debut novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (which also picked up a National Book Critics Circle Award), Díaz…
Impulse Artist Series: In Their Own Element
To call the four pianists featured in the Impulse Artist Series: In Their Own Element emerging artists is only partly fair: Each has performed internationally and received numerous awards, so they’re hardly county-fair prize winners. Hosted by Shepherd School-trained pianist Jade Simmons, the series features Nigerian pianist Sodi Braide, who…
“Perfectible Worlds”
The impulse to create a world that we have complete control over fascinated photographer Sage Sohier. After seeing a friend’s model train display, which had consumed his entire basement, she got the idea for her series “Perfectible Worlds.” “This kind of absorption,” Sohier has said, “what we do in an…
University of Houston Architecture and Public Art Walking Tour
“When a lot of people hear the words ‘University of Houston campus,’ their first reaction is, ‘Eeewww,’” says Jim Parsons. “That shouldn’t be the case, though, because the campus really has a lot going for it.” And Parsons should know, as he’ll be one of the tour guides for today’s…
New World Symphony
American composers and compositions inspired by America are at the heart of the Houston Symphony’s weekend program. It centers on Czech composer Antonin Dvorák’s New World Symphony, composed in 1893 during a visit to the United States, during which Dvorák was deeply inspired by African-American spirituals and native American music…
They Don’t Want to Hear Hattie Sing!
Hattie McDaniel is most famous for being the first African American to win an Academy Award. Ironically, she won it for her performance as Mammy in Gone with the Wind, a stereotypical nanny living in the segregated South just before the Civil War. Imagine what she’d have to say about…
The Color Purple
Steven Spielberg had a hit on his hands with his 1985 film version of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple. Now Oprah Winfrey (who played Sofia in Spielberg’s film) has turned the complex tale about a brutally oppressed black woman trying to survive in the early twentieth century…
Quincy Troupe
Music fans know Quincy Troupe as the writer who helped pen the life story of one of America’s most influential musicians, Miles Davis. Miles: The Autobiography won the American Book Award and is easily a top-fiver on any popular music must-read list. But Troupe is also a celebrated poet whose…
Hurricane Ike
Man, nothing ruins a party like a hurricane freak-out. In light of Ike, many entertainment events for Friday, Saturday and Sunday have been canceled or rescheduled. If you plan on braving the rain and high winds for a little culture, we recommended calling all museums, art galleries, theaters, etc. before…
Metropolis
Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927) was one of the first sci-fi movies ever made, and it’s still considered among the best. As part of the KUHF Classic Film Concert series, this screening is a great opportunity to see the silent film as it ought to be seen — on a big…
listenlisten
It’s the start of the weekend — perfect timing for listenlisten. We admit we’d rather hear the local quartet’s bluegrass-meets-gospel-meets-rock sound as we sit — with drink in hand — on a porch swing, letting a week’s worth of annoyances blow away in the hot summer-meets-fall wind, but The Mink’s…
Kathleen Madigan
Kathleen Madigan has an organic approach to comedy. “I never sit down and write a joke…crap just flies into my head or it doesn’t,” she says. “Like, if I have to do a corporate gig for all computer people, they say, ‘Will you write some computer jokes?’ I’m like, ‘Not…
Madama Butterfly
Catch Madama Butterfly performed by Opera in the Heights in the intimate Lambert Hall. One of Giacomo Puccini’s most famous and woeful works, Madama Butterfly chronicles the unrequited and naive love 15-year-old geisha Cio-Cio-San, also called Butterfly, has for the American soldier who marries and then heartlessly abandons her in…
David Ebershoff
When David Ebershoff first heard about Ann Eliza Young, Brigham Young’s 19th wife, he knew there was a book in there somewhere. “My writer’s ears stood up,” he says. Ann Eliza, an intelligent, outspoken and beautiful young woman, separated from her powerful husband, the prophet and leader of the Mormon…
“Color Drawn in Space”
If someone asks you what the work of painter Danielle Frankenthal means, it’s safe to answer “absolutely nothing” without fear of sounding like one of those poor, unfortunate souls who just doesn’t get abstract art. Frankenthal is part of the Radical Concrete School, which holds that line and color should…
Thank You, Houston
To mark the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Surviving Katrina and Rita in Houston is presenting Thank You, Houston: A Celebration of Gulf Coast Voices, Music and Food. “No city in the country did what Houston did. And it hasn’t been recognized,” says SKRH project co-founder Pat Jasper. “Thank You,…
Adelante con AAMA/Pablo Montero
Mexican singer and actor Pablo Montero is the definition of “tall, dark, and handsome.” See for yourself during his appearance at this year’s Adelante con AAMA concert celebrating September 16 (the start of the 1810 Mexican war for independence). Topping the bill for the Miller Outdoor Theatre show, Montero sings…
A Weekend of Texas Contemporary Dance
Get a megadose of the thriving local dance scene at A Weekend of Texas Contemporary Dance, a festival showcasing six established companies. Dance Source Houston and its founder, Christina Giannelli, have brought together the spirituality-infused Ad Deum Dance Company, the ultra-innovative Suchu Dance, and local staples Hope Stone Dance, Houston…
“What’s in a Line?”
Judith Cottrell and Alex Lopez started work for the exhibit “What’s in a Line?” with a simple question: What is the purpose of an art gallery? Through independent and collaborative drawings, installation and various other media, Cottrell and Lopez consider whether a gallery is just a place to exhibit art,…
“Understanding Poverty”
Most Houstonians are familiar with the name Ben DeSoto. They saw it for years in the credits of the Houston Chronicle, where he was a photojournalist. Now meet Ben Tecumseh DeSoto. He’s still a photojournalist, but instead of the pages of the newspaper, you’ll see his work on the walls…
SPECIAL HISTORIA EDITION
Dear Readers, First, a bit of housecleaning: in answering a pregunta a couple of weeks ago about pachucos, I was pendejo and thus forgot to explain the word’s origins. Thankfully, many of ustedes aren’t tontos like me and wrote in with etymological theories. Below are the two most accepted by…
THE FLAT’S RUSSIAN MAIL-ORDER BRIDE
Finding drinking partners after a long holiday weekend is tough. My usual suspects were all at home, nursing their hangovers (both moral and physical), cowering under blankets on the couch, dodging my calls, regretting certain weekend decisions and choking back the shakes with every stale breath. I imagined them all…
Seth Kauffman
With so much ramshackle funk and lo-fi soul spilling out of Seth Kauffman’s sophomore effort, Research, Beck is the immediate comparison on paper. But in reality, Kauffman sounds like no one else out there, whipping up a sort of world music from another planet altogether. Following up his little-heard 2006…
Eagles of Death Metal
At this stage of its career, dismissing Eagles of Death Metal as an ironic classic-rock band is a grave mistake. Formed a decade ago in Palm Desert, California, EODM — fronted by ex-journalist Jesse “Boots Electric” Hughes, with Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh “Babyduck” Homme on drums — lovingly…
Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith
Guy Clark, who has recently overcome both a bout of cancer and a broken leg, is the unparalleled dean of living Texas songwriters. A product of the small West Texas Gulf Oil company town of Monahans, backdrop of his early classic “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” Clark has been an…
Single File
Fall Out Boy feat. Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes, “Catch Me If You Can/Proclamation of Emaciation (demo)” — More exceedingly winky corporate emo about being totally fucking famous, if not what it’s like to be riding Ashlee Simpson on the regular. Nisennenmondai, “Pop Group” — Weirdly, this song’s most…
Hate the Statement at “Transcendental Smoothie”
Mary Magsamen and Stephan Hillerbrand hate artist statements — really, who doesn’t? At the collaborative wife/husband team’s Web site, www.maryandstephan.com, Hillerbrand likens writing one to going to the dentist: “You know you have to do it, but it doesn’t feel good at all,” he wrote. My question is, “Then why…
Gangsters in Bacliff
At the stroke of midnight and into the predawn this past May 20, the little unincorporated Galveston County town of Bacliff was roiling with squadrons of cops of every description, from small-town police to the Department of Public Safety’s Narcotics Service to the FBI and DEA. This was the culmination…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Defending Democracy,” “Neo HooDoo: Art for a Forgotten Faith,” “(Re)Vision: A Preservation of Houston’s Inner Loop”
“Defending Democracy” “Defending Democracy” displays work by artists who share the belief that art can be a catalyst for change. The show includes political graphic art of former Black Panther Minister of Culture Emory Douglas, the murals and prints of the anonymous artist collective ASARO and the “teach-in” installation of…
Bayousphere
Welcome to our nightmare — two Alice Coopers. And we can’t tell which one looks better. Alice, the one-time Vinnie Furnier, is no doubt preaching to his doppelganger about the greatness of Jesus and the perniciousness of beer, at the Rock the Bayou Fest. To view image larger, click here…
Variety Abounds at Cafe 121 Chinese Restaurant
“I’m learning as I go,” says David Pham of his new restaurant Café 121 Chinese Restaurant (5727 Westheimer). “My parents are involved, but I’m running it.” Fortunately, his uncle, who runs the kitchen, does have experience, running out the multitude of dishes on Café 121’s menu, which features Chinese, Vietnamese and…
Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby
Punk-era songwriter Wreckless Eric wrote his biggest hit, “The Whole Wide World,” when he was a teenager in Hull, England; it’s about the love of his life, who “probably lives in Tahiti,” and the trip he’ll take to find her. London’s Stiff Records put it out in 1977, and some…
God, SUVs and Victoria Osteen
Rim shot: Thanks for “The Passion of the Victoria” [by Rich Connelly, August 28], a lip-smacking, delicious satire long overdue for the eyes of those thousands feeding at the trough of lifestyle slop poured out by the Royal Couple of God’s Sports Arena on the Freeway. It was an accurate…
Variety Show at Restaurant Ronit
Crepes are the French equivalent of tortillas. But while tortillas have fairly predictable fillings, the French seem to have expanded theirs to an almost infinite variety, both savory and sweet. The seafood crepes ($22) at Restaurant Ronit (5381 Westheimer, 713-626-9664) might have their equivalent in the fish taco, but the…
Ladies Light in The Women
“What do you think this is?” cries a lady who lunches in Diane English’s remake of George Cukor’s The Women. “Some kind of ’30s movie?” Even without the 14-year struggle to get the Murphy Brown writer’s pet project past studio doubters, it would be a tall order to remake George…
Club 26Ten Looks to Spend Its Way to The Top
We are not fans of house music. And heck, while we’re throwing lightning bolts around, we’re not particularly fond of Top 40 either. They provide two of music’s most fruitless experiences, usually little more than the blatantly obvious: Yes, we see your glowsticks, and no, you cannot be our hero, baby…
Austin Overlords The Sword’s 12-sided Metal
In the metal world, it seems that everything old is new again. Hundreds of bands are mining the rich ore of melodic British icons like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden and combining it with the sludgy doom of Black Sabbath and Pentagram — with varying degrees of success. Austin’s the…
Out on Third
Watching Third, Wendy Wasserstein’s final play, in its earnest, well-shaded production at Main Street Theater, you get the feeling pretty early on that nothing special is going to happen. You wait for the scenes to take flight, but the play’s a retread — of feminism, gender politics and anti-Iraq war…
Oh, Canada
If this year’s Toronto International Film Festival had a subtitle, it could be “When Good Directors Go Bad.” At least that’s what it has felt like around here as one anticipated new film after the next by some of the world’s name-brand auteurs — the Coen brothers, Spike Lee, Jonathan…
Rock The Bayou Is a Bust
VIP packages are increasingly popular at large music festivals. Really, who wants to swelter in the Houston heat with the rank and file when you can plunk down an extra $100 or so for all sorts of premiums — preferred seating and parking; free food, beer and often liquor; private…
Drew Smith: Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir
Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir has restored my faith in Austin somehow. It’s such a cool, in-the-moment pop record with some kind of intuitive Randy Newman smartness at play in every lyric and odd musical shift, with something slick and knowing and smooth going on at every turn. The only thing…
SPC Weekend Plumbs the Roots of Houston Rap
To pinpoint the birth of rap music in Houston is to place a number of pins along a scattered timeline of the late ’70s and early ’80s. You could trace it back to when the legendary Houston DJ Darryl Scott was first mixing rap into his funk and soul sets…
Okkervil River: The Stand Ins
Okkervil River’s The Stand Ins reiterates what reality shows like America’s Got Talent have already made abundantly clear: We’re obsessed with celebrity, or, at minimum, separating ourselves from the pack. This is evident on the jazzy “Starry Stairs,” wherein a diva is driven to ruin by bloodsucking fans, and rocker…
Bacliff Wiggers
Ever since Norman Mailer penned his essay “The White Negro” in 1957, white people who act black have been alternately studied earnestly and ridiculed by society at large. Mailer called such people “hipsters,” while later they were called “beats,” “mods” and “rockers.” Today, they are known as “wiggers” and near-universally…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, A Murder of Crows, Onegin, Pal Joey, Unbeatable: A Bold New Musical
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Poor hunky Brick (Brian Heaton) is terribly misunderstood in Tennessee Williams’s Mississippi hothouse menagerie, on steamy view at Playhouse 1960. Nobody believes he never slept with his best friend Skipper. The irony is that the two people closest to him could care less if…
Intolerable Cruelty: Burn After Reading
Masters of the carefully crafted cheap shot, Joel and Ethan Coen have built a career on flippancy. Given their refusal to take anything seriously — least of all the enthusiasm of their fans — the brothers surely got a chuckle from an upcoming academic tome, The Philosophy of the Coen…
Too Human’s Long, Troubled Journey Is Finally at an End
Well…I wish I could say I was surprised. Too Human, simply put, pretty much blows — probably not a great shock to anyone who follows gaming with even a passing interest. For years now, everything seen and heard about the beleaguered title seemed to reinforce the vibe it was doomed…
Mechanical Boy: Play Along
At first blush, Houston five-piece Mechanical Boy’s debut Play Along doesn’t sound too far removed from indie-dance bands like the Rapture or the Bravery, but scratch the surface and there’s a rock band under there — and a potent rock band at that. A few songs miss their marks, but…
The 99-Cent Dog Store
So you’re a backyard breeder with a shitload of Chihuahas to unload, but The Man (i.e., the State of Texas and Harris County) passes a law that says you can’t sell pets in a parking lot or on the roadside. What the hell are you going to do with the…
Steak, Wine and Pie at Dharma Cafe
Vibrant green threads of lime zest decorated the top of the exhilaratingly tart key lime pie at Dharma Cafe on Houston Avenue. The pie is authentically cream-colored, not artificial AstroTurf green. It’s not too sweet and not too gelatinous. In fact, it’s the best key lime pie in the city…
