Midweek Match-Up: Whose Tattered Luxury To Buy?
If you’re in the market for tainted merchandise, you’re in luck. You can buy Ken Lay’s former condo in River Oaks, or Allen Stanford’s yacht, currently in Florida. This is Houston capitalism at its best!!But, given the economy, you probably can’t afford both these items. So you’re faced with a…
One Thing Houston High Schools Can Do: Produce NFL Players
You can argue whether Houston-area high schools do a good job educating kids, but there’s one thing you can’t argue — they do a hell of a job turning out NFL players.That’s the finding reached by USA Football, the non-profit group that serves as a governing body for youth and…
The Origins of Ketchup
The sweet and salty Indonesian fish sauce called kecap (sometimes spelled ketjap) that I spread on my noodles at Rice Bowl got me thinking about the origins of America’s favorite condiment. The evolution started with Chinese ke-tsiap, a fermented fish sauce. The sweet Indonesian variation was unique in its balance…
Announcing the World Premiere of Rocks Off’s New Video Game, Indie Rock Band
[Ed note: Until Indie Rock Band is released – we can’t wait either – come play Beatles Rock Band with us in the Rocks Off Loft upstairs at Thursday’s Best of Houston party.] Harmonix Music Systems / MTV Games, March 15, 2011 – There have been a lot of rumors…
What Was And Wasn’t In That Al-Jazeera Report On The County Jail
Reporters with Al-Jazeera were in Houston earlier this month filming around the city and in the Harris County Jail — getting some people riled up — to “examine the criminalization of the mentally ill.” The 22-minute news story was released last week, and while it was well-made and informative, the…
The Best Of Houston 2009 Issue Is Live On The Web!! See If You’re In It!!
America, your long national nightmare is over. The new Best of Houston issue is out, and once again you will be able to enjoy the Bayou City to the fullest extent.Maybe you want to know what the best animal hospital is — now you know. It’s Westbury Animal Hospital, where…
Indonesian Eggs of Fire
Hard-boiled eggs, deep-fried and covered with the Indonesian hot sauce called sambal, are worth the trip to Rice Bowl II on Bellaire at Highway 6, the subject of this week’s Café review. Don’t be deceived by the restaurant’s exterior. Sure, it looks like a mediocre Chinese restaurant and offers sweet…
ACL Fest Preview: Dan Auerbach and Brett Dennen, Two Drastically Different Dudes
Today we take another two Austin City Limits performers from the festival’s stellar schedule and introduce you to them once again, or for the first time. It’s hard to believe that Rocks Off is nearly a week away from the lush green grass and high musical tides of Zilker Park…
They’re Still Banning Books At HISD
The Texas chapter of the ACLU, perhaps the most socialistically communistic group outside of the Obama administration, has released its annual report on attempts to ban books in schools.The bad news: HISD tied for second in the state in the number of challenged books. The good news: The number of…
Artist of the Week: Self-Proclaimed Genius Rob Jay Deserves Some Street Cred, Dammit
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. A few weeks ago, we received an email…
All Hail the Mighty Pit
Just like any good Louisianan knows how to make a roux, any good Texan should know how to barbecue. And Lone Star Beer — the official beer of Texas despite being owned by Pabst Brewing in Milwaukee — is putting that to the test this Thursday evening at the West…
Houston 101: Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Give a Damn
It’s a little-known fact that Clark Gable was — at least for a brief time — a Houston resident. While the original Hollywood male superstar is far more remembered for singlehandedly destroying the men’s undershirt industry and delivering the finest breakup scene in history, his life in Houston was no…
Houston Sports-Talk Callers Ask the Butthole Surfers’ Independent Worm Saloon
Back in Rocks Off’s younger, less enlightened days, when we enjoyed polluting Houston’s atmosphere, draining the Earth’s dwindling petroleum resources and talking or texting while changing lanes like millions of our fellow Houstonians – in other words, back when we were driving – we listened to a lot of sports-talk…
Best Play At Kyle Field In Years
Are you buying this? It’s the net video de jour (which means it’s probably been around for a while, and competition will be intense as to who saw it months ago.). An A&M student launches one from the upper reaches of Kyle Field and hits not much more than net.As…
Tonight: Kevin “Shinyribs” Russell Adds Drummer for Under the Volcano Gig
In less than two years, Kevin “Shinyribs” Russell has developed one of Houston’s most successful residency gigs at Under the Volcano. His monthly appearances at the Bissonnet drinkery have become standing-room-only events. The secret to Russell’s success seems to be built on two factors: his visibility as the front man…
UH’s Sumlin Starts Stirring The Pot For Saturday Night
Houston Cougar football coach Kevin Sumlin has a little request for the sold-out Robertson Stadium crowd on Saturday night. He wants you to turn the volume up to 11. “As a team, as a staff, as players we appreciate all the support,” he said at yesterday’s media luncheon. “We would…
A Cafe Bites Nibble
Johnny Chang has been in the food business for more than 30 years. He owns one of Houston’s top sushi restaurants, Miyako, and now is trying his hand at “selling sushi to the Spanish community,” as he says, with his new concept called El Pacifico (5800 Bellaire, 713-218-0701), right in…
Dancing With the Stars: Week One, Part Deux – Do the Ladies Run This… Well, You Know
I’m not used to this reality show schedule of airing competition shows and results in the same week, especially since Dancing With the Stars is running three episodes this week: the first male round, the first female round and the first elimination. I woke up Tuesday morning feeling hungover, images…
Dancing With the Stars: Week One, Part Deux
I’m not used to this reality show schedule of airing competition shows and results in the same week, especially since Dancing With the Stars is running three episodes this week: the first male round, the first female round and the first elimination. I woke up Tuesday morning feeling hungover, images…
Bayou Body Count: Cars Kill People, Too
With all the shootings that happen in Houston every week, it’s easy to forget that there are lots of other ways to kill people, too. Take the car, for instance.On Monday, Harris County Sheriff’s deputies filed murder charges against Cesar Gomez for allegedly running someone over intentionally.Investigators say that Gomez,…
Stirred and Shaken: Rudyard’s Pineapple Lifesaver
Walking up to Rudyard’s (2010 Waugh, 713-521-0521) on a recent weeknight, I felt ready for the day’s second date with futility. The first rendezvous had gone down that afternoon; it included driving around Montrose fruitlessly searching for whoever went into my backyard the night before and swiped my lady friend’s…
Gothtopia: Gravity Euphonic’s Animalistic, Primeval New Self-Titled Album
For some reason, Texas is allowed one dominant electronic band per city. Houston has Asmodeus X, Austin has CTRL and Dallas/Fort Worth has Gravity Euphonic. Intense lobbying has not yet lured GE regularly down to our neck of the Lone Star State – although they did play HAVOK back in…
I Wanna Be Your Dog (Or Cat): Ask Yourself Some Questions, Pet Owners
With an annual intake in the tens of thousands, it has to be difficult for the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care to adequately note why and how each animal wound up in the shelter. But we really wish there were a way to dive deeper into these stories, because,…
Art Rock: Best of Houston “Barely Legal” Bash at Lucky’s Pub
[Note: Please come play Beatles: Rock Band with us upstairs in the Rocks Off Loft while you’re there!]…
Lonesome Onry and Mean: Grizzled Old Dudes Guy Clark and Kris Kristofferson Still Make Damn Good Records
In line with Lonesome Onry and Mean’s recent piece on septuagenarians Ian Hunter and Jesse Winchester, we’ve been listening to new records from a pair of wizened old Texas treasures: 68-year-old Guy Clark and 73-year-old Kris Kristofferson. Both are stellar efforts, although even a producer like Don Was can’t make…
Bloggers Cry “Foul!”, Or At Least “Plagiarism!”, Over Chron Writer
A lot of local sports bloggers don’t particularly like Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle; they think he tends to belittle their opinions and professionalism.So a few of them cackled a bit recently over some postings about the Texans’ Dunta Robinson, who got fined for wearing shoes with “Pay Me”…
Propane Accessories: Backyard Tandoori Oven
To cook tandoori chicken in a small apartment, many people use the George Foreman grill. But what tandoori fan doesn’t dream about having a tandoori oven of his own, like this one we found at World Food Warehouse on Highway 6? Designed for the backyard barbecue enthusiast, this handy oven…
ACL Fest Preview: Suckers and Henry Butler – Brainy Bicoastal Indie-Pop vs. Earthy New Orleans Gospel R&B
Suckers: Rocks Off is going to avoid making a rather obvious joke here, but don’t look for us front and center at the XBox 360 stage Sunday morning either. To us, the four-piece sounds pretty much like every other echo-laden Brooklyn art-pop band who probably records (and lives) in a…
Get Tickets For Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story, And Check Out Hollywood’s Greatest Capitalists
Michael Moore’s newest movie, Capitalism: A Love Story, opens soon…but you can see it before (just about) anyone else! Just be among the first 20 people to send an e-mail to letters@houstonpress.com and get a free pass good for two for the September 28 screening.In what may be a perfect…
Food Fight: The Cheesiest
It’s rainy outside today. Dull, gray, wet, slightly cold and with the slightest hint of impending malaise due to an extended forecast of similar conditions for the next week. Could anything perk you up on a day like this? The answer is YES: macaroni and cheese. But not just any…
Tonight: Yes, You May Talk About Fight Club at the Mink
Tonight, Rocks Off presents Fight Club in all its full-blown quasi-fascist glory, upstairs at the Mink, where the movies are always free, the company is forever warm and the front room is always spinning George Strait (really). In the fall of 1999, the advance buzz running rampant about Fight Club was…
Fort Bend Lawsuit Says Government Contractor Tried To Force Worker To Understate Injuries In Afghanistan
It seems like those giant government contractors working in war zones are always getting into trouble. Or at least getting sued.Over the last year or so, Hair Balls has brought you stories about Halliburton/KBR workers being accused in court of rape, running and encouraging employees to visit a Thai brothel,…
Natto from Nippan Daido
Natto is a traditional Japanese dish made of fermented soy beans. It is often eaten for breakfast as a topping on rice, and sometimes includes additional ingredients such as soy sauce, mustard, scallions or eggs. It is also known as one of the most disgusting foods in the world. Of…
Happy Birthday to One of Rocks Off’s Favorite Lady-Rocker Badasses
Goddammit. Rocks Off has all kinds of work to get done today, but of course we happened to glance over at our handy (or not so much, really) Rhino Records “Year of the Rhino” wall calendar and notice that today is Joan Jett’s birthday. So naturally, we haven’t been doing…
Your Next Houston Astros Manager Should Be….
Drayton McLane finally did yesterday what knowledgeable baseball people have been urging him to do since 2007. He fired manager Cecil Cooper. Now there are some questions arising from this, like why was Cooper hired in the first place, and why did he wait until there were only 13 games…
The Music of True Blood, Episode 2.4: Junior Walker’s Sexy “Fingerpop” and the Mysterious “Dig”
Alan Ball was known for his masterful use of music in Six Feet Under. He’s lost none of his touch when it comes to his current HBO series, True Blood – which happens to be set in the Louisiana swamps, not terribly far from Houston. With Season 2 just completed,…
Tragedy Times Two: Metro Cop Who Killed A Man Commits Suicide
Terribly sad news out of HPD — the Metro cop who was involved in the agency’s first fatal shooting has committed suicide.Officer R.L. Harrington had been no-billed by a grand jury in relation to the incident, in which he shot and killed a knife-wielding man and injured a passer-by near…
Elsie’s Dulce de Leche
Goat’s milk cajeta is popular and widely available in Mexican specialty stores (Coronado brand is the most common). But many people prefer the milder flavor of cow’s milk caramel sauce, which is known as dulce de leche in Latin America. You can make your own dulce de leche at home…
Kiss Off: Five Songs for Ex-Astros Manager Cecil Cooper
In news that may well come as a shock to anyone who doesn’t follow baseball, Astros manager Cecil Cooper was fired Monday. Coop led Houston to a disappointing 70-79 record, with the final straw coming in the form of last week’s road trip, in which the Astros went 0-6 against…
Revenge Of The Horror Nerds: Crypticon Convention Comes To Houston
It’s been 14 years, but Houston is finally getting a horror convention. Crypticon Houston will descend upon the Reliant Center the weekend of October 16-18, just in time for Halloween.The guest list was recently finalized and features a host of horror fan faves. For example:Adrienne Barbeau (Creepshow, Swamp Thing, Escape…
Ask a Rapper: Guerilla Foco Clan on Why We Should All Get Over the White-Rapper Thing
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 to ask…
Lola Burger: Are We Mustard Snobs?
After a series of false starts, Lola finally opened over the weekend at the corner of 11th and Yale in the Heights. The fourth restaurant from Ken Bridge, who also runs both Pink’s Pizza locations and Dragon Bowl, the long-awaited Lola diverges from his other two restaurants by offering breakfast…
Bayou Body Count: Two For The Grand Jury To Decide
Usually the cops make the call whether to charge someone with murder, but not always. There were a couple of shootings over the weekend that will require input from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and a county grand jury to decide if criminal charges are warranted.The first involves a…
Dancing With the Stars: Week One, With “Wild Thing” Tom DeLay
Last night’s episode of Dancing With the Stars was my first. I know what you’re thinking: “Daniel, you idiot, how could you have resisted the magic of F-list celebrities wearing sequined shirts for nine (!!) seasons? What the hell is wrong with you?” Well, what the hell’s wrong with me…
Dancing With the Stars: Week One
Hair Balls is starting a new feature called TV Land, recapping several of our favorite (and not-so-favorite TV shows) each week for your reading pleasure. Who needs a DVR? Last night’s episode of Dancing With the Stars was my first. I know what you’re thinking: “Daniel, you idiot, how could…
Where Are We Eating?
A sleek diner counter. Stools waiting to be filled. A hot grill waiting for a burger. Where are we eating this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
Five Reasons Notre Dame Will Win The BCS Title This Year And Texas Won’t: Part 3
Week Three of the college-football season is in the books, and Notre Dame’s march to the national championship continues unabated, while the University of Texas continues to struggle mightily.Is there time left for the Longhorns to right the ship? Difficult to say — they’ve dug themselves a big hole, and…
Distant Early Warning: Alejandro Escovedo, Colbie Caillat, Dwight Yoakam, Goodie Mob, John Lee Hooker Jr., Municipal Waste, etc.
Alejandro Escovedo: Sat., Dec. 12. ListeningRoom @ NiaMoves. Amazing Baby: Fri., Nov. 13. Rudyard’s. Badfish (Sublime Tribute): Fri., Jan. 29. House of Blues. Chlorine, Given, Dine Alone, Make Your Escape: Fri., Oct. 2. Fitzgerald’s. Colbie Caillat, Howie Day, Trevor Hall: Sat., Oct. 24. Meridian. “Comedians of Chelsea Lately” With Sarah…
Pop Rocks: TV Is Dead, Long Live TV
Neal Patrick Harris’ nifty opening musical number for last Sunday’s Emmy Awards ceremony got some polite laughter for daring to rhyme “boob tube” and “Tony Shalhoub,” but his extended plea to viewers to “put down the remote” undercuts the dismal apprehension that has paralyzed the major networks ever since Tony…
Iraqi Refugee’s Mom Finds Houston Has A Big Heart
Nahlah Qasim Radhi got the call this afternoon. For at least the next six months, she’ll be able to stay in Houston with her ailing son, who lies in a coma at Memorial Hermann hospital.Radhi hadn’t seen him since he fled Iraq more than a year ago. When he was…
We Interrupt Rocks Off’s Pre-ACL Fest Coverage for This Important Political Announcement
Rocks Off is neck-deep in organizing Austin City Limits Festival coverage, both for the Press – you know, that paper product we insist on putting out every week – and right here online, but we’re going to put that off until tomorrow so we can remind you that former U.S…
Dynamo Bring The Fight To Robertson Stadium Against Salt Lake
Every team has that one opponent that always gives them hell, no matter what the circumstances are. The Houston Dynamo always seem to be involved in strange games with Real Salt Lake.Earlier this season, the Orange tied a game with RSL that featured a “water break.” That’s right, the ref…
Turning the Screw: You(genious), Fat Tony vs. Nosaprise, R.I.P. Roc Raida, The Kanye, C-Murder, Lil’ Mama, Lil’ Wayne, H.I.S.D. & K.O., etc.
Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off’s weekly rap post. It probably won’t rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. (Sexy, Spoony) Single of the Week: You(genious), “Sex on a Spoon” [Note: How many Houston musicians can you spot in that video? We’re…
Mayor Candidates Decide To Duck The Press; Can We Trust Them To Tackle Anything Now?
The Houston mayoral field giveth, then it taketh away, then it giveth again, then — just when your heart is full and you think you and them will be BFFs 4ever & ever — they goddamn taketh away again.Using a form letter signed by representatives from all three major campaigns,…
Cowboy Up and Make Some Sourdough
Sourdough is a hell of a lot easier than pie. It took me a long time to figure that out though. When I started working on the Texas Cowboy Cookbook, I dreaded the sourdough chapter. You can’t write a cookbook about Texas cowboys without lots of recipes for sourdough biscuits…
Cecil Cooper Out As Astros’ Manager
The Houston Astros are holding a press conference at 4:00 p.m. to announce that manager Cecil Cooper has been fired. It is being speculated that his replacement for the remainder of this season is third base coach Dave Clark.The Astros have lost seven straight games, and the team has looked…
“Best of Houston” Categories That Didn’t Make the Print Edition
This Thursday, the Houston Press is throwing our annual “Best of Houston” party at Lucky’s Pub next to Warehouse Live. And yes, we will be bringing our Beatles: Rock Band rig for all of you to drunkenly damage and tarnish the memory of the greatest rock band ever not named…
The Singing, Dancing Enron Story Enchants London, And Maybe Broadway
You know what the whole Enron scandal was missing? We mean, besides the utter lack of accountability on the part of the politicians who enabled it.It was missing songs. And dance! There was a parody musical of sorts in Houston a while back — our wife still has the coffee…
Aftermath: Lucinda Williams’ Rock and Roll Wedding at First Avenue In Minneapolis
“Tryin’ so hard to be a happy woman,” Lucinda Williams sang on the title song to her 1980 album and again Friday night at First Avenue in Minneapolis. Looks like she finally made it. Besides kicking off her “30th Anniversary Tour” – which is not scheduled to come through Texas as…
Tom DeLay Will Be Wearing A Red Animal Print With Rhinestones Tonight, You’ll Be Glad To Learn
You know you’ve always wanted to see Tom DeLay in red rhinestones. Tonight you get your chance.Sure, in your dreams he would be wearing those rhinestones in a federal prison, but instead it’s just Career Jail, otherwise known as Dancing With the Stars, on which he’ll be sporting the fashion…
Late Night Scene: Spanish Flower
When it comes to restaurants, I generally think costumes are a bad sign. It says to me that instead of getting, for example, Mexican food, you are getting “Mexican food.” So when greeted at Spanish Flower by a young woman in a Three Amigos version of traditional Mexican dress, I’m…
Down to Seeds and Stems Again Blues: Eight Great Pot Songs
John Prine may have set the standard for pot songs in American music with his sardonic “Illegal Smile,” but that snowball picked up considerable speed as it rolled downhill. Here are eight more excellent odes to the sweetest leaf. 1. Cab Calloway, “Reefer Man”: Other than Louis Armstrong, perhaps no…
Get Zombieland Tickets!! And Discover The Five Best Zombies In Movie History!!
Zombieland is coming to theaters — there’s nothing you can do to stop it — and Hair Balls has tickets!! Be among the first 20 people to e-mail hairballscontest@houstonpress.com and get a pass good for two for this next Thursday (October 1) night’s screening of what promises to be a…
The “News” Radio Station In Town Continues To Entertain
Oh, KTRH, you never fail to disappoint,.The city’s largest newsradio station, which occasionally does news in the midst of promoting its radical rightwing agenda, has another “poll” up.Here it is:What should the future hold for ACORN?a) Dismantle and restructureb) Dismantle and closeC) Set the group adrift without taxpayer moneyHmmmm…..so many…
Eat Your Heart Out
At Olivia Restaurant in Austin, Chef James Holmes calls this dish “lamb corazon” and describes it on the menu as “pancetta & jalapeno-wrapped lamb hearts, with yaupon honey.” When Holmes stopped by our table, he apologized for his lack of originality — the bacon-wrapped packages look exactly like that old…
Morning Metal: Manowar’s “Brothers Of Metal”
Pardon Rocks Off this morning, as we still cannot discern some aural tones after the Motorhead show on Friday night. Aside from being astronomically drunk, we decided early on to throw our earplugs in the toilet. Here’s some thrashage from the loudest band in heavy metal to start your week…
Could This Be UH? Long Student Lines For Football Tickets?
Cougar fever is alive and well on the UH campus — the line this morning for students to buy extra tickets to this week’s Texas Tech game was long, and started getting organized early. There’s another 200 or so people inside the building above.Students were allowed to purchase up to…
You’re No Activist ‘Til You’ve Joined a Facebook Group
Who says Facebook Groups have gone the way of the dodo? Naysayers, you’re gonna hafta shut it for one red hot minute. ‘Cause three weeks ago, when 17-year old Vincent Giovanazzi went missing, it was social networking that came to the rescue. Instead of organizing tearful press conferences on national…
A Talk With UH’s New Athletic Director: Facilities, Graduation Rates And Selling The Program
Mack Rhoades has been on the job as the University of Houston athletic director for a little over five weeks. He’s settling in. He’s meeting his coaches and the support staff. He’s meeting the players. He’s touring the facilities.And he’s been thinking and analyzing and trying to work up a…
Chef Chat: Jonathan Jones of Beaver’s
Former chef for Max’s Wine Dive and head honcho at Beaver’s (2310 Decatur Street), Jonathan Jones is a gastropub’s irreverent dream and tweet-a-holic who wants you to “get your tails to the Beaver.” How do you feel about being associated with comfort food? I’m fine with being known for grass…
Aftermath: listenlisten’s Extended Family Reunion/CD Release at Mango’s
One of our good friends affectionately refers to Mango’s at “The Sweatiest Venue in Houston” and does so proudly, since he makes it a point to see a show there at least once a week. Aftermath, on the other hand, is getting a bit on in years, so we find…
Friday Night Lights, Houston Style: Memorial And Westfield
Hair Balls traveled west of Houston this weekend to check out the Memorial High School Mustangs play the Westfield High School Mustangs. We chose Saturday’s game because we were told that these two schools couldn’t be more different. Memorial = ritzy. Westfield = eclectic. The game also gave us our…
Aftermath: Devin the Dude’s Nigh-Interminable “Listening Party” at Warehouse Live
9:44 p.m.: So we’re outside waiting to be let in to the show. Apparently, when a PR person tells you in a few emails and a couple of text messages that your name is on the list and you’re all good to go for the show, that really means your…
Texas Traveler: Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
I took a Dramamine Thursday evening after boarding a boat anchored in the coffee-colored water of the Freeport Harbor Channel. When I woke up the next morning I was surrounded by water so clear you could see the coral 70 feet below the surface. At 7 a.m., before the sun…
Snackshot: Extra Sweet Strawberries
This week’s sweet Snackshot comes to us courtesy of mlsnp and the House of Blues: From the photographer’s description: “Dessert table at a private event ~ House of Blues Houston”…
Aftermath: “You Are Gonna Have To Speak Up, We Went To Motorhead Friday Night At Warehouse Live”
The following was written by Aftermath after he busted inside his house just hours before dawn on Saturday morning after he saw Motorhead that night. Knowing fully well that a band such as Motorhead would be nearly critic-proof and not in need of the same scrutiny of say, a Taylor…
Friday Night Noise: How I Quit Crack and Railcars
How I Quit Crack: “PREGNANCY SCARE 2008”: So for part of this week, FNN is home alone on staycation, which means only one thing: I can finally spend a few minutes checking out noise-rock YouTube videos. Namely, Houston’s How I Quit Crack, a name that keeps popping up in the…
The Dong Show
Here at Rocks Off, we do a lot of research for our wildly popular and intellectually enlightening album cover slideshows. As part of that research, we’ve found many of those albums to be highly concentrated on the male goinrular area. So at long last, and just in time for the…
UH Sells Out For Tech, Expects “Largest Crowd” In Stadium History
UH announced this afternoon that Robertson Stadium is officially sold out for next Saturday’s game against Texas Tech.”This is tremendous and is a testament to our great fan base,” director of athletics Mack Rhoades said. “This is only the fourth time in the history of the facility we will have…
Last Call for Art: Taylor Hicks Performing & Torture (FYI, That’s Two Different Shows)
The national touring production of the musical comedy Grease, being presented by TUTS, is taking its final bow on Sunday. Emily Padgett and Eric Scheider play the star-crossed lovers Sandy and Danny, but it’s Allie Shultz as Rizzo and David Ruffin as Kenickie who steal the show. American Idol winner…
The Angry Mob at U of H Was Not After “Informer” Rapper Snow’s Autograph
Welcome to another installment of our still-unnamed, in-their-own-words series on musical goings-on in Houston that perhaps could have turned out better for some of the parties involved – coming soon: Riot at Mott the Hoople! – but probably couldn’t have turned out quite as memorably. They usually involve someone getting…
Coolest Movie Store In Town Needs Your Help
It’s hard out there for a video-store pimp.Rob Arcos, owner of MOVIES! The Store, hasn’t had a stellar summer, sales-wise. He based his 2009 forecast on the previous two summers, but this year has failed to live up to his predictions, leaving one of Houston’s coolest independent establishments (and a…
New Orleans Brass Band Invades Big Top Tomorrow
In a late and welcome addition to the Big Top Lounge’s calendar, tomorrow night finds the New Orleans Hustlers Brass Band making their Main Street debut. Fans of the Rebirth, Dirty Dozen or Hot 8 brass bands will dig these guys, most of whom settled here after Katrina but have…
This Week in Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where we’ve already started marinating the turducken. After E. Ting’s N. Formative chat with Elouise Jones of Ouisie’s Table, Robb Walsh started the week off right with some obscure wine. Robb also figured out something for us to do…
More Details On The End Of (Part Of) The Savoy
The City of Houston will demolish part of the old Savoy Hotel September 25 because it poses an immediate danger to civilians, HPD Neighborhood Watch Chief M.L. Curan said today in a press conference. (Despite what an HPD press officer told us — and others — earlier today, the Savoy…
Lonesome Onry and Mean: Don’t Piss On My Boots
A couple of important Americana shows have slipped under the radar this week. Whisky Priest Dustin Welch rolls into the Continental with Small Sounds. Welch’s debut album Whisky Priest has remained in LOM’s player much of the year and should find considerable support when the annual top albums lists start…
The Rockets Go Communist In Their Search For Ticket Sales
You’ve lost your best player to injury, you’ve lost the guy who thinks he’s the best player to Advanced Wussiness Syndrome, you haven’t got a decent big name to take the court for you next year: What are you gonna do if you’re the Rockets?Pitch yourselves as “Red Nation,” apparently.That’s…
Eat the Heat: Houston Hot Sauce Contest
Saturday and Sunday, the Houston Hot Sauce Festival will celebrate salsa on the grassy field at Stafford Centre. Along with the annual competition, there will be hundreds of hot sauces for the public to sample or purchase, as well as music on the fairgrounds from The Zydeco Dots on Saturday…
MTV VMA Celebrities Ask The Full-Custom Gospel Sounds of the Reverend Horton Heat
Dear Full-Custom Gospel Sounds,I am a multiplatinum rap artist and producer who has won several Grammy awards. You’d think this would be enough to satisfy me, but I am unable to allow other people to enjoy their time in the spotlight – I have often interrupted acceptance speeches, ranted and…
Sayonara Savoy: Derelict Downtowner To Be Emergency Demo’d Soon
The Savoy (1616 Main St.), one of the half dozen or so derelict high- and midrises in southwestern downtown, is to be imploded tomorrow next Friday in an emergency demolition, according to HPD public affairs officer Victor Senties. The building was found to be structurally unsound and must come down…
Tear Ya Down: Rocks Off’s Favorite Motorhead Music Videos
Rocks Off isn’t sure what “state” he will be in twelve hours from now. We sure as hell won’t be able to legally operate heavy machinery, that’s for damned sure. We plan on staying in Texas, but shit, who knows what could happen after tonight’s Motorhead show at Warehouse Live…
The Wine Conference: A Chat with Geri Druckman
Next Saturday, Houston will be hosting a home-grown festival unlike any other the city has seen. The Wine Conference will bring together an assortment of food and wine personalities — both national and local — along with a high-tech twist that’s due in large part to its founder, Geri Druckman…
For Rosh Hashanah: Musical Mystery Jews
There are sure to be many Rosh Hashanah celebrations this weekend, but here at Rocks Off, we’d like to suggest you “think outside the box,” as the kids say, and shake up your holiday musical selection by considering a few acts that you might not have realized were composed (in…
You Spend A Billion Dollars And Still Get A Crappy New York Times Review
You spend over a billion dollars on something, you want to at least get a good review out of it in The New York Times.Alas, Jerry Jones, you’re out of luck. As a great philosopher once said….The Times’s architectural critic (named, as any Times archiectural critic should be, Nicolai Ouroussoff),…
He Said, She Said: Gone Too Soon
A rash of recent musical deaths (Michael Jackson and DJ AM among others) have led us here at Rocks Off to do some speculating of our own: Which musicians do we feel were taken from us too soon? Obvious answers like the Famous Js (John Lennon, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix…
Former Oiler Bo Eason Is Still The Runt of The Litter
Eight years ago, we wrote of former Houston Oiler safety Bo Eason, who was premiering at Stages Theatre a searing autobiographical one-man play about his life and career.Runt of the Litter was a fascinating, well-written, nicely acted look at the dark forces that drove Eason to the NFL, and the…
Aftermath: The Mars Volta Gets All Violently Cosmic At Verizon Wireless Theater
There are simply no other bands doing what the Mars Volta do today and everyday. Plenty of second-rate bands have taken a look at the Volta’s template and taken a foolhardy crack at it, but they have all failed miserably, leaving wakes of hackneyed concept albums and ill-informed sonic embarrassments…
Drive-by Shawarma: Fadi’s Shadowbriar
Fadi’s in West Houston is the first place I’ve ever ordered chicken shawarma at a drive-through window. What a convenience this is when you want healthy food in a hurry. When Fadi Dimassi built his new restaurant on Westheimer just east of Dairy-Ashford, he put in a state-of-the-art pizza oven…
For Rosh Hashanah: Five Movie Jews You Don’t Want To Mess With
This weekend is Rosh Hashanah, which I understand from that Jon Stewart stand-up special is the Jewish new year. So while you’re polishing the shofar and boning up on your Amidah, you could also get in the spirit by checking out a few of the more…inspirational Jewish characters from the…
Five Spot: Get Amped, Coughee Brothaz This Weekend
Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we’ll examine a recent bit of music news and, sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It’s five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. So check it: we’re sitting in our living room going over notes for the…
UH’s Tom Penders, Still Dreaming Of The Coogs In March Madness
In a little over two months the Houston Cougars men’s basketball will begin the sixth season of the Tom Penders era. The Cougars went 21-12 last season and went into the postseason for the fourth time in five years (albeit none of those postseason forays have involved the NCAA Men’s…
A Chat with Curtis Weeks of Monnalisa
The confusing maze of the new CityCentre development on the Westside leaves one totally unprepared for Hotel Sorella’s beautiful, modern Monnalisa bar. But if you ask bartender Curtis Weeks, the bar might be just a bit too beautiful. “A lot of this stuff is art-driven and not functionality-driven. We had…
He Said She Said: People We Wish Were Still Alive
The other day while Rocks Off was playing Beatles: Rock Band we were thinking about how we think Mark David Chapman shot the wrong dude. We’re sorry but the world didn’t need Wings, “Spies Like Us” and a shitty Super Bowl half-time show. We need John Lennon out in the…
The Dynamo Viewing Parties, Part 2: The Texian Army
On Wednesday, we told you about the official Dynamo viewing party. Hair Balls wanted to see the other parties in town, so we hit The Mezzanine on Wednesday night with the Texian Army, one of the Dynamo’s supporters’ groups.Our goal is simple: rate and review the three parties using scientific…
Artist of the Week: Neon Collars
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. Lately, there seem to be more and more…
Top 5 Most Bizarre Food Movies
The recent release of Julie & Julia added another warm-and-fuzzy movie to the pantheon of feel-good flicks with a food theme. The plot structure is well-known and surprisingly consistent — an unhappy/dissatisfied/emotionally inhibited protagonist uses food/eating/cooking as a way to gain self enlightenment/love/happiness. A long line of highly successful films…
Local Gallery Brings Two Heavyweights On Board
It’s good news for the Deborah Colton Art Gallery: Carolyn Farb is joining Colton as a partner and Lester Marks is coming onboard as Director.Big whoop, you say?Ah, actually it is. While both Farb and Marks have been longtime patrons of the arts and both are recognized as savvy collectors…
Eyeballin’: Dee Dee Ramone’s History on My Arms
Though Joey and Johnny always got more attention, it is their erstwhile, original bassist Dee Dee who many feel best embodied the ethos of punk rock. Part drug fiend, part man-child, part live-for-the-moment musical searcher, Dee Dee’s influence was so great that he continued to write for the band after…
Social Distortion: Kanye Ain’t the Only Celebrity Meme You’ve Seen
At this point, we can all tentatively agree that Big Bad Kanye West did something kinda yucky to some doe-eyed teenage country bumpkin on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards, right? And since the incident, it’s been well chronicled how he’s begged for forgiveness on his website (in all caps, no less), and…
Comings and Goings
Only a few short months after a four-star review that literally left tears in the eyes of the Houston Chronicle’s Alison Cook — and before our own Robb Walsh even had a chance to try it out for himself — Randy Rucker has left Rainbow Lodge. Rucker became the head…
As Promised, The State Board Of Education Brings The Funny
We warned you Monday that the State Board of Education was webcasting its meetings, and hilarity was likely to ensue.It didn’t take long today to prove that right.Who’s laughing at us? Talking Points Memo. Gawker. And probably every left-of-center blog out there, before the night is over.Why? As TPM put…
Katrina Victims Still Getting Rent Money, But It’s Difficult To Tell How Many
It took four years for the federal government to stop providing rent money for people displaced by Hurricane Katrina — the program ended September 1 — but more than 1,800 families from the Harris County Housing Authority are transitioning to Section 8 and will receive rent vouchers indefinitely. We’d like…
ACL Fest Preview: The Wood Brothers and the Parlor Mob (No, That’s Not a Young-Adult Mystery Novel)
The Wood Brothers: Rocks Off has a brother, and we’re very glad about that. Sometimes we hang out quite a bit, and sometimes we go our separate ways for what seems like forever. But even we have a hard time believing the story of the Wood Brothers. We believe they’re…
Crisper Drawer Cast-Offs: Potage
Potage a French name for thick, mushy, pureed-vegetable soup. You can make it out of just about anything, which makes it an ideal dish for cleaning your crisper drawer. I started my last pot with limp celery and a couple of wilted onion halves, to which I added a wrinkled…
You Shoulda Seen The Original Gene Locke “Ladies” Ad
The Houston Chronicle reports that some political groups and observers in town, all lacking male genitalia, are upset over a flyer for the Gene Locke mayoral campaign.Political vet Nancy Sims wrote in her blog that “the silhouettes of these women are just downright offensive. Wearing scarves and beads as shirts?”Here’s…
Beatles: Rock Band Returns Next Thursday At The “Best Of Houston Birthday Bash” at Lucky’s Pub
Rocks Off is proud to announce that we will be bringing our Beatles: Rock Band gear to Lucky’s Pub next week on Thursday for The Houston Press’ “Best Of Houston 2009 Birthday Bash” for all of you guys to settle any scores you may have still left open from last…
Rothko Chapel’s Lecture Series On The Border Begins Tonight With A Former Houstonian
Rothko Chapel embarks on its 2009 – 2010 public program season tonight with Emmy-award winning journalist, author and former Houstonian Rubén Martínez at the helm.Tonight’s talk is the first in the Chapel’s four-part series with the epic title: Truth and Consequences on the Mexico-United States Border: An Overview — A…
Food Fight: Battle Bagel
Nearly ten years ago, the bagel craze that was sweeping the nation hit Houston. Strip mall after strip mall soon held an Einstein or a Brueger’s or one of many smaller independent bagel shops. And the two stalwarts of the old Houston bagel community stood by, bemused. Hot Bagel Shop…
Conversations With Decent People
Daniel Bennett is a Montrose resident who shops regularly at the West Gray Kroger. Even if it isn’t the more famous Disco Kroger, the location is still usually hospitable to Teh Gheyz and those who (somehow) can shop side-by-side with them.He wrote a letter to the company recently about an…
Everything Louder Than Everything Else: Adventures With Motorhead in Pop Culture
Tomorrow night Lemmy Kilmister and Motorhead hit the stage at Warehouse Live, and Rocks Off will be there, at least physically. We don’t plan on remembering the show so we have diligently trolling YouTube for videos to fill in any memory lapses we may have from heavy indulgence and fanboy…
The KBR/Halliburton Iraq Rape Case Goes Forward
A former Halliburton/KBR worker who claims she was gang-raped in her bedroom by co-workers in Iraq is one step closer to getting her day in court, thanks to a favorable ruling by a panel of three federal judges in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.In a 2-1 ruling, the judges…
Juan Mon’s International Sandwiches
Juan Montero is an international man of sandwiches. Adorning the walls of his newly opened sandwich shop are pictures of him eating sandwiches in just about every world city — Rome, Berlin, Barcelona, Buenos Aires and many others. And as it turns out, these gastronomic travels are the inspiration for…
Lone Star Scorecard #5
Lone Star Scorecard #5 – “Stoned,” “Songs About Texas,” and “Dallas” Everything’s bigger in Texas. It’s a saying that holds true whether you’re talking about our hats, our freeways, or the number of songs written to satisfy our sense of self-importance. Now, there’s nothing wrong with having thousands of songs…
I Wanna Be Your Dog (Or Cat): Adopt Some Of These BARC Dogs
The dedicated volunteers at the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care have to deal with animals that come to the shelter for all kinds of reasons, and in all degrees of health. It’s tough, often heartbreaking work. And we imagine it can be pretty infuriating sometimes — especially when an…
The H-Town Countdown, No. 19: Chamillionaire and Paul Wall’s Get Ya Mind Correct
There are roughly 84,000 rap albums that have been released in Houston since 1989. We’re counting down the 25 best of all time. We’ll be here every Thursday. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Between the two of them, Chamillionaire and…
The Fines The Texans Should Be Handing Out
According to the Houston Chronicle, Texans defensive back Dunta Robinson was fined by the team for wearing shoes that had the words “Pay Me Rick” written on them. This was part of Robinson voicing his continued displeasure at the Texans for not paying him what he thinks he is worth…
Culinary Antiques: Oyster Plates
My first oyster plate was a birthday present. I got it while I was working on my book Sex, Death & Oysters. Then I got another oyster plate for Christmas. I had never paid much attention to antique china up until that point. But I started asking around and I…
Aftermath: Chickenfoot at Verizon Wireless Theater
Even though Aftermath couldn’t stay for all of Wednesday’s Chickenfoot show due to an early-morning flight, it wasn’t especially difficult to discern what was going down. “We’re selling a lot of tequila tonight,” Aftermath’s favorite bartender told us; at $9.50 a shot, maybe the recession really is over. Apparently, that…
What The Hell? Kemah Is One Of The Top Ten Boardwalks In The U.S.?
We didn’t notice this until KPRC pointed it out recently, but the website Forbes Traveler recently published an article entitled “We Don’t Know Anything About Boardwalks.”That wasn’t the actual headline on the article, but it should have been. Unless you believe that the pre-fab schlock of Tilman Fertitta’s Kemah development…
Health Department Roundup: Sometimes There’s God Edition
Believe it or not, trolling the Houston Health Department website for tidbits about dirty floors, missing hand-washing signs and spoiled animal parts is not always an invigorating activity. But sometimes, as Blanche Dubois says, there’s God. Take a look at page one under Full Service Restaurants this week.The fourth restaurant…
NPR Visits Houston To Examine Growth, Using A Soothing Voice
You may have missed it this morning — but a podcast should be available here (and part two is tomorrow)– but NPR’s Morning Edition came to Houston to look at how we handle growth.The network’s Steve Inskeep said Houston represents the latest chapter of the Urban Frontier series because we…
Ten Cover Songs So Bad They’ll Shrivel Your Soul
Two nights ago, while carelessly patrolling the back alleys of the internet, Rocks Off stumbled across Hilary Duff’s execrable cover of The Who’s “My Generation”. Well, what did you think, YouTube commenters? You sure you’re not being too harsh? Yeah… ours too. Someday, when we are in our twilight years,…
Pop Rocks: What Happened To Civility, You Assholes?
Congressman Joe Wilson calls the President a liar; Serena Williams threatens to force-feed a line judge a tennis ball; Kanye West creates a media frenzy by interrupting a meaningless award presentation. And everywhere — from USA Today to the Washington Post to The View — America agonizes: “When did we…
The First Annual Indian Film Festival of Houston
Get a taste of exceptional international cinema when The First Annual Indian Film Festival of Houston brings some of the country’s latest and greatest to Houston. The fest goes through Friday and will include ten feature-length movies, short films and documentaries. Screenings include Smile Pinki, an award-winning documentary about an…
Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series: Joseph O’Neill and Marilynne Robinson
Joseph O’Neill would be interesting enough even if he weren’t a successful novelist: He was born in Ireland and raised in Mozambique, South Africa, Iran, Turkey and Holland. He went on to write Netherland, one of the few critically acclaimed novels centered around 9/11 and the first fiction book that…
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, a comedy of manners directed by Stanley Kramer, was nominated for a whopping ten Academy Awards. One could argue that it didn’t deserve quite such an effusive response, but two screen giants certainly stand out: the gruff, thoroughly human Spencer Tracy giving his last performance…
Ars Lyrica: A Musical Offering
Ars Lyrica, the local group committed to bringing the Baroque, is kicking off its season with A Musical Offering. The group’s stable of talented singers and players will perform works by Bach (Trio Sonata, Serenata: Durchlauchtster Leopold) and Telemann (“Paris” Quartet, Double Concerto for Flute and Violin). As always, Ars…
Hedda Gabler
The Grandfather of modern theater, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen loved theatrical noise: the wintry blizzard in Brand (1866), that famous door slam in A Doll’s House (1879), unruly mob screams in Enemy of the People (1882) and the jolting gunshot at the end of Hedda Gabler (1890). Years before Freud,…
Waiting in the Wings
Noél Coward’s Waiting in the Wings, opening this weekend at Country Playhouse, is a rarity for the English playwright. The comedy about a retirement home for actresses is full of plum roles for women, and most of the characters are past the half-century mark. This Golden Girls of the theater…
Brilliant Lecture Series: Russell Simmons
Say the words “hip-hop mogul,” and Russell Simmons immediately comes to mind. But the Def Jam founder and creator of Phat Farm has some heady interests beyond music and fashion – he’s a passionate advocate for veganism and human-trafficking education. Simmons, a recently appointed U.N. Goodwill Ambassador, will share some…
Performance Documentation: Body Acts
If you’re going to drag yourself through paint, don a doll mask or smash TVs in the name of performance art, you might as well tape it. Performance Documentation: Body Acts documents some of the first folks to make names for themselves filming this style of art. Aurora Picture Show…
“It’s a Small World”
Being little is big in “It’s a Small World.” The international miniature art show celebrates the teeny and tiny with works no larger than four inches by four inches. Gallery-goers can size up (or down, as it were) pocket-friendly paintings and drawings of animals, body parts, rustic scenes and more…
Ace of Skates
See Ace. See Ace run. See where Ace runs…and go there. It’s all part of what you’d expect from local guerrilla-theater company BooTown. The troupe’s latest offering, Ace of Skates, has audiences literally following a 12-year-old boy on his epic skateboard journey to run an errand for his parents. Scenes…
Houston Symphony: Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony
Most people’s familiarity with Tchaikovsky includes The Nutcracker and maybe extends to Swan Lake; those works alone should tell you that his compositions are interesting, narrative and easily appreciated. Today, those looking to expand their knowledge of the Russian’s prolific catalog can see conductor Hans Graf lead the Houston Symphony…
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Sing-along
Now, we’re not here to judge. But if you still find yourself in paroxysms of despair when you think of how much you miss Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you may want to seek help (or at least develop a healthy addiction to Heroes). Should you, however, continue living as a…
Out of the Dark: Bobbindoctrin Nightclub Acts
Out of the Dark: Bobbindoctrin Nightclub Acts features works Joel Orr has been waiting to do for a long time – again. The revue includes shows from the early days when Orr performed in bars. “I miss doing these plays,” says the founder of the Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre. Back then,…
“The Image Altered”
“The Image Altered” celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with the work of five accomplished local artists. The multimedia showcase features contributions from Rebecca Villarreal, winner of the Mavis C. Pittman award from Rice University, and Chuy Benitez, whose photography is featured in the permanent collect of the Museum of Fine Arts,…
“Ancient Lands/Modern Landscapes: Aboriginal Paintings from Sandover River Country”
The art in “Ancient Lands/Modern Landscapes: Aboriginal Paintings from Sandover River Country” will take you halfway around the world to a remote desert region of Australia. The artists wrapped up a highly successful show in Sydney before shipping their stuff to the States; see the colors and culture of the…
Night of the Giant
You know you’re in for a real treat when the guy in charge of the show you’re about to see gets advice from the BDSM enthusiasts in the Women in Power Society. John Harvey, the writer and director of Night of the Giant, the newest offering from Mildred’s Umbrella, brought…
Warfare in Early China and the Pottery Army of the Qin
If you’re a history nerd – or even better, a history nerd with a penchant for ancient China – the Houston Museum of Natural Science wants to feed your intellectual fire with a lecture by Stanford professor Albert E. Dien. Dien’s talk, Warfare in Early China and the Pottery Army…
Manhattan Short Film Festival
Fans of edgy filmmaking with a global bent will be riveted by the diverse selection of the Manhattan Short Film Festival. Ten finalists were culled from more than 420 entries from 36 countries for the weeklong event, which allows audiences across the globe to vote on their favorite entries. From…
The Reconquista and Mexican States
Dear Mexican, We gabachos get differing reports regarding the Reconquista. Some say it’s a genuine movement, well underway. Others claim it’ll never happen, but that it’s useful as a slogan that both antagonizes white America and energizes young Mexicans. Let’s say for now that it’s a genuine movement destined for…
Almeda’s New Playhouse
The ribs were the star of my three-meat plate at Bar-B-Que Blues on Almeda. The pork was long-cooked, until it adhered only loosely to the bones. It had a satisfying crust of seasoning on the outside that made every bite more interesting than the last. The ribs looked like they…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Katy Heinlein: Project Space,” “Sasha Pierce: New Paintings” and “John Sparagana: The Crisis Professionals”, “Carlos Runcie-Tanaka: Fragmento”
“Katy Heinlein: Project Space,” “Sasha Pierce: New Paintings” and “John Sparagana: The Crisis Professionals” CTRL Gallery has three, count ’em, three great shows at once. Sasha Pierce’s paintings are amazing. At first, they seem like they’re made from pieces of nubby, striped upholstery fabric cut and glued to the canvas…
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
Dickey’s started in Dallas in 1941. It took more than 50 years for the first franchise location to follow, but now there are around 175 restaurants in 22 states. The newest Dickey’s Barbecue Pit (1911 Taylor, 832-673 0077) just opened in the Heights area and is owned and operated by…
Happy 30th
Lawndale Art Center just turned 30. The arts organization that was birthed in a sprawling, derelict, old warehouse/cable factory on Lawndale Avenue now owns a remodeled, air-conditioned deco building on Main Street that meets fire codes and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Lawndale is still an alternative space…
Burger Chic
There are two ways to enjoy the RDG Burger at RDG + Bar Annie (1800 Post Oak, 713-840-1111): alone ($15) or as part of a lunch special ($19). Do yourself a favor and go for the special, which you can get with Robert Del Grande’s incredible wild mushroom soup and…
Life on Mars
The Mars Volta is far too weird for its own popularity, but somehow Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Cedric Bixler-Zavala and their virtual lazy Susan of band members have turned virtuosic, psychedelic prog jams into gold records and a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. Nobody is more surprised by the band’s success…
The Rebirth of Glitz
Within the Houston nightlife experiment, few variables seem to be as underappreciated as the go-go girl. Hers is a thankless job, really, even more so than that of busboy. Go-go girls are basically PG-13 strippers who don’t make tips. Most times, veteran dancers like the ones you’ll periodically find at…
Fashion Victim
When, in the early ’00s, I worked as a freelancer for a publication two floors below Vogue — this was pre-Devil Wears Prada — each sighting of Anna Wintour, no matter from how great a distance, was terrifying enough to immobilize me for a few seconds, leading to a sweaty…
Spy Story
Roland Carnaby was on the run. Pulled over going 75 in a 60, he’d panicked and taken off from the traffic cop and now was racing along Highway 288 at nearly 120 miles per hour with police officers right on his tail. A Houston Police Department officer named Charles Starks…
No Exclamation Point Necessary
As evidenced by The Informant!, it’s a hell of a tricky thing turning real-life pulp into floss sugar. The story of Archer Daniels Midland Co. biochemist-exec-turned-crooked-federal-snitch Mark Whitacre is a tragicomedy. Journalist Kurt Eichenwald spent five years trailing the bipolar fuck-up, and his 2000 book The Informant is so densely,…
Opting Out on Obama
Edumacation, Political Animals Opting Out on Obama Nearly four thousand at least looked at the form in Houston By Richard Connelly The Houston school district provided some anecdotal evidence of how many parents ordered their kids not to watch President Obama’s speech on education (Westside represent!!), but we wondered if…
Lost in Translation
Online readers weigh in on “The Burmese Come to Houston,” by Mike Giglio, September 3: Bravo: I am so proud that somebody had the heart and mind to bring the problems of the refugees into the open. If there is a way to send this article to the State Department,…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Grease, Manon, Mud, On the Town, The Wayside Motor Inn
Grease Those hormone-dripping greasers at Rydell High, the T-Birds and Pink Ladies, have not set high goals or buckled down and studied, but they have persevered — ever since the 1972 premiere, the show or some form of it has been in constant performance. This national tour presented by Theatre…
Overkill? No Such Thing
In a spoken-word bit, Henry Rollins tells a story about being on a plane whose takeoff has been delayed due to the last-minute arrival of some VIP passengers. The door opens, and in wafts the smell of whiskey and leather, followed by its source: Motörhead, led by inimitable front man…
Crowded House
Isabel Allende’s sprawling South American saga, The House of the Spirits, has been adapted for the stage with an intimate touch. There’s still magical realism and surreal effects — Clara’s clairvoyance and Barabbas the dog, portrayed by a giant puppet — but the novel’s been pared down for the stage,…
Listen Up
Marshall Graves didn’t know the gun was loaded. Isn’t that what they all say? Some time ago, Graves and his fellow members of old-beyond-their-years Houston quartet listenlisten were rehearsing at bandmate Shane Patrick’s house in the Heights. An Airsoft BB pistol was lying around, and as Chekhov taught us, the…
Kashmere Reunion Stage Band
Under the able baton of late, legendary Houston music educator Dr. Conrad Johnson, Kashmere High School’s band program became a force to be reckoned with in the ’60s and ’70s. Augmenting the traditional symphonic repertoire with everything from jazz to James Brown, the Kashmere Stage Band cleaned up at virtually…
Ha Ha Tonka
Ha Ha Tonka caught the new wave of ersatz, old-time stompers and pickers churned up by the Avett Brothers and the Old Crow Medicine Show, but the Springfield, Missouri, band rides the twang with an idiosyncratic style and electric confidence of self-made Ozark shit-kickers. The title of their 2009 album,…
Dave Alvin & the Guilty Women
Dave Alvin has played Houston in all sorts of configurations for the past 30 years, from his days with the Blasters to his original Dave Alvin Band with Hollywood Fats to his Merle Haggard tribute days with pals Tom Russell and Peter Case. But most of the time he traveled…
Sian Alice Group
59.59, the debut from England’s Sian Alice Group, is a bit of a trap. When front woman Sian Ahern’s lilting, beguiling voice is paired with the band’s orchestrally captivating ebb and flow, it’s easy to inadvertently turn off the part of your brain that actively engages with sound, to lose…
Victor Wooten
After extensively touring with a big band to promote his latest CD, Palmystery (Heads Up), Tennessee-based bassist Victor Wooten decided to go back to basics as the Two Minds duo with longtime friend and collaborator, drummer J.D. Blair. “I toured for quite a while with that exact same band that…
Mono
Way more tasteful than Explosions In The Sky, far more skilled arrangers than Envy, Japanese post-whatever band Mono make remarkably heavy 11-minute suites that are less about abusing dynamics and more reveling in cinematic textures. Dainty, icy arrangements make Mono’s lastest mutation, Hymn to the Immortal Wind, a delicate blend…
