tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52596312160746534172024-03-05T18:31:04.975-08:00Free Press Blog HomeFree Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.comBlogger820125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-45630203643680382262010-04-16T12:08:00.000-07:002010-04-16T12:21:26.695-07:00KTRU Releases Second of it's compilation albums tonight at Avant Garden<div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gYd8EFtrzR4/S8i4Lz4roKI/AAAAAAAAAI8/D1CzuzK_COs/s1600/bunny-art.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460817061232746658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 310px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 369px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gYd8EFtrzR4/S8i4Lz4roKI/AAAAAAAAAI8/D1CzuzK_COs/s400/bunny-art.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong> Art- <a href="http://www.weakhighlights.com/">Lindsey Simard</a></strong></span><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="left">Holy Crap KTRU has a new Local music compilation and they are having a record release for it tonight at Avant Garden at 8PM. We chatted with Ian Wells of the KTRU local music show and the Revelry Report to find out about the release.<br /><br /><br /><strong>FPH: OK so this is volume II. Who is on it and what should we expect?</strong><br /><br /><strong>Ian: </strong>Oh a ton of bands - 26, without any repeats from volume I. The whole list is:<br /><br />Listenliisten - Doggebi - Sad Gorilla - The Sour Notes - Roky Moon and Bolt - B L A C K I E - Cedar Boy Bailey - Air Castle Mystery Solved - Buxton - Ghost Mountain - Heavy Roach Activity - Fat Tony ft Smash Bro - Robert Ellis - sIngs - The Literary Greats - Wicked Poseur - Lindsey Simard - Homopolice - Astrogenic Hallucenating - J.D. Emmanuel - Shankar Bhattacharyya and Sri Gourisankar - No Talk - Sandy and Y.E.T. - Wasp and Pear - The Jonx - Secret Prostitutes<br /><br />It's all recordings from these groups' respective live sets on KTRU. I put it together so it would sound like you were listening to KTRU - everything's pretty mismatched genre-speaking, but there is kind of a vague sense of some internal logic.<br /><br /><strong>FPH: What's the purpose of these releases and how did they come about</strong>?<br /><br /><br /><strong>Ian: </strong>Well, we ramped up our live booking maybe three years ago, started recording it again maybe two years ago, and really only got good at it maybe a year and a half ago, but once we did, I found we had this stack of music that was actually pretty cool but that not a lot of people had heard. A lot of other college stations put out comps like this, so it made sense to do one ourselves. As far as its purpose, I think the idea is to increase overall awareness and appreciation of the station, the bands featured, and the scene here in general.<br /><br /><strong>FPH: Can you tell us something about the bunny theme?</strong><br /><br /><strong>Ian:</strong> James Kochalka did the poster for the KTRU outdoor show maybe four years back, and on it was this little bunny with "free!" written on it, and everybody loved it. It's sort of our unofficial mascot now. We're all about free. I'd give the album away if it was free to make. [This just in - the artist will draw a personalized bunny on your album for a small donation.]<br /><br /><strong>FPH: What about the album release party tonight who, of the artists featured, is playing?</strong><br /><br /><strong>Ian:</strong> Tonight we have Ben Godfrey who plays in Listenlisten, I think he may be backed up by Robert Ellis, both really excellent artists. I'm also happy to say we've got Doggebi, who's Spike, this really excellent drummer, and Michelle Yom, who is an exceptional flutist, playing sort of free jazz that's still very accessible, and The Literary Greats, who are really making waves. Also our Post Punk show DJ's will be doing a set, and so will the Mutant Hardcore Flower Hour.<br /><br /><br /><strong>FPH: Give us a few of your favorite tracks and why?</strong><br /><br /><strong><br />Ian:</strong> From an engineering standpoint, I'm really proud of how the Listenlisten, Literary Greats, and Sour Notes tracks came out - I mean I'm proud of all the tracks on the album, but those three had the perfect combination of volume, instrumentation, and lucky mic placement for our very cramped and kinda noisy studio. But I wouldn't have put any track on the album if I didn't think it was a blast to listen to.<br /><br /><strong><br />FPH: Who was the most fun to work with?</strong><br /><br /><strong>Ian:</strong> The show we did that produced the B L A C K I E and Fat Tony tracks (they all came on as one big entourage) was maybe the most fun I've had up there. I'm legally prohibited from revealing certain circumstances of the Homopolice live set.<br /><br /><strong>FPH: What was the biggest headache from all of this?</strong><br /><br /><strong>Ian:</strong> Tracking down everybody and getting them to sign legal releases. We can probably think of a better way to do that next year, though.<br /><br /><strong>FPH: Lets try to sum all this up for people. If this compilation were any Star Wars Person, Place, or Thing, what would it be and why? </strong><br /><br /><strong>Ian: </strong>Probably the Millennium Falcon during the Battle of Endor, in Return of the Jedi. Because it's like, kinda familiar since it's the Falcon? But Lando is flying it, and who's that Nien Nunb guy? So it's like taking something you already like and putting it in a whole new context that makes the entire package a lot cooler. And if you're into Nien Nunb then this is the only place you can see Nien Nunb so you're all about it. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-4183372412626433682010-04-14T08:23:00.001-07:002010-04-14T08:23:24.383-07:00testing..Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-88445803460811172442010-04-08T08:10:00.000-07:002010-04-08T09:33:21.500-07:00Here We Go Magic / White Rabbit - April 13th @ Walter's<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguImpHg02eGhwM5q49q9ueeQBQfBEHSYx4fd1lL0F-DgSLFSqhmiStNBclWBMflI6yjnzVhM6syVj33ui6hHEMAacknz_dfNVH-n8sfjmDGHK_5eXXS8837k74AjcflIqtG_bIj6oJZxU/s1600/here+we+go.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguImpHg02eGhwM5q49q9ueeQBQfBEHSYx4fd1lL0F-DgSLFSqhmiStNBclWBMflI6yjnzVhM6syVj33ui6hHEMAacknz_dfNVH-n8sfjmDGHK_5eXXS8837k74AjcflIqtG_bIj6oJZxU/s320/here+we+go.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457805113673987506" /></a><br />Here We Go Magic feels like you're being dipped while dancing and never coming back up. The band creates a cluster of these aesthetic sounds that can only be described as something that can be heard when you die. And we are just luckily enough to be able to hear it while we're alive.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cpxZvQsQH8Y&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cpxZvQsQH8Y&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />HERE WE GO MAGIC will be playing with WHITE RABBIT - TUES. 13th of April 2010<br />at Walter's on Washington. 8pm<br /><br /><a href="Here We Go Magic / White Rabbit - April 13th @ Walter's">www.myspace.com/herewegomagic</a><br /><br />-writer's note: I am super stoked on this band coming to Houston. Can't wait to see you there.Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-69071378534777226822010-03-25T11:55:00.000-07:002010-03-25T13:12:05.253-07:00Houston Twestival at Caroline Collective today<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtRTxJbyHmLkgPMEFUMjJrEL4c4TyQydX2z7S36kVvSbdPb8ITgfdGCSUgypA9EANBwEpRfY4haxDN6YgJ62wl0LtJ3aukXilfOnioYiRCxafaY4UHKTd_OBUHgQLsLeXS-32pOiPyiM/s1600/TwestivalHouston_TWavatar.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtRTxJbyHmLkgPMEFUMjJrEL4c4TyQydX2z7S36kVvSbdPb8ITgfdGCSUgypA9EANBwEpRfY4haxDN6YgJ62wl0LtJ3aukXilfOnioYiRCxafaY4UHKTd_OBUHgQLsLeXS-32pOiPyiM/s400/TwestivalHouston_TWavatar.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452666053593976450" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Are you on Twitter? No, you're not? But why not? You hate it and want to die a gruesome and violent death? Well too bad because this still concerns you.</span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Today, "people in hundreds of cities around the world will come together offline to rally around the important cause of Education by hosting local events to have fun and create awareness. Twestival™ (or Twitter Festival) uses social media for social good. All of the local events are organized 100% by volunteers and 100% of all ticket sales and donations go direct to projects."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The site for Houston's Twestival is </span></span><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=caroline+collective&sll=29.73116,-95.383494&sspn=0.010174,0.019827&ie=UTF8&ll=29.729558,-95.383172&spn=0.010174,0.019827&z=16&iwloc=A"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Caroline Collective</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Beer, food, music, Twitter, TwitterAnonymous signup sheets and people that look exactly like their avatars.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For more information and set times for the bands... </span></span><a href="http://houston.twestival.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Touch This</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>Mills-McCoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10024137970431161765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-81339642558315177632010-03-22T13:48:00.000-07:002010-03-22T13:53:35.976-07:00Space Jam : Occupancy laws in Houston are bad for business and the environment<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdVTsUchyphenhyphenmaRoI-NSp5VS46bgf2Gz7sMhwivsVQGzlqxaUrbJOhgxt0aQIk7J90IlNluv9QbCvEGU9lHpE5bkxHq88ApcXOF6B6TkYWCR5-JYH3GyWVM_MwXkpNS2lROs5P5eUFh6R58/s1600-h/OccupancyStadium.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 359px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdVTsUchyphenhyphenmaRoI-NSp5VS46bgf2Gz7sMhwivsVQGzlqxaUrbJOhgxt0aQIk7J90IlNluv9QbCvEGU9lHpE5bkxHq88ApcXOF6B6TkYWCR5-JYH3GyWVM_MwXkpNS2lROs5P5eUFh6R58/s400/OccupancyStadium.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451564180080299170" /></a><br /><br />By Omar Afra <br /> <br /> <br />There is a glaring contradiction in the City of Houston’s ordinances regarding occupancy for buildings. For those who do not know, every public building which houses a business is issued a certificate of occupancy which states what the maximum capacity of individuals allowed to be in the building at any given time. Now, of course we want local government to ensure that buildings only hold the amount of people that can safely fit. You don’t want 65 overweight people crammed in a 10-person elevator, naturally. But there are some critical flaws in the way our City determines the occupancy of each building and it is unfortunately based more on business and transit than it is safety. Most importantly, capacity is determined by the City first and foremost based upon the available parking. The ordinance requires that a restaurant must have eight parking spaces per 1,000 square feet and bars are required to have ten spaces for a square footage. Keep in mind this does not include public parking on streets. For example, a retail store or a restaurant, which has the actual capacity of 100 people, could be given occupancy of only 12 people if it has only 3 parking spots. So what about bike riders and walkers? People who ride the bus or even the light rail? You got it: the city makes no such allowances. You could have bike racks to facilitate 100 riders yet not get any additional occupancy. Even businesses on Main St. where the light rail runs are faced with this dilemma. Surprisingly enough, the Montrose area was recognized by Walk Score as the ‘2nd Most Walkable’ neighborhood in all of the United States. Then why are local businesses forced to use an antiquated method of create transit through their place of business? Calls made to the City’s Occupancy office were at first passed around once we inquired about making allowances for bicycles, mass transit, and foot traffic. Phone calls to the City’s Occupancy Permit office were bounced around and met with an anonymous chorus of "I don’t know why bike riders and mass transit does not equal more occupancy." I also got this nugget of wisdom, “We don’t care one way or the other if someone walks or rides a bike, we still need parking spots cause you can’t guarantee bike riders.” This is a battle fought long and hard by local business people and entrepreneurs who don’t necessarily rely on automobiles for the lion’s share of the customers. Ziggy’s Healthy Grill on Taft at Fairview is in danger of being shut down by the city for their lack or parking as they were previously leasing an adjacent lot but the lease has since expired. But Ziggy’s lies smack dab in the middle of a dense neighborhood and could rely exclusively on foot traffic to sustain their business. Even businesses on the infamous light rail line on Main St. are immune to this inconsistency in the law. Remember Main Street Improv? It was a grassroots run comedy club and event space. They hosted many upstart comedians in Houston as well as he famed Bill Hicks Ressurrection Society. After a long fight with the city, they were forced to close doors as they had too little parking. Solutions for Hair on Westheimer near Woodhead has fought a protracted battle with the city as they have required him multiple parking spots per salon chair. Why someone getting a trim and color correction needs to arrive with 3 cars is beyond me but I am sure the city has an explanation. Or maybe not. When quizzed about this strange requirement, anonymous city officials said, “ Houston is a driver’s city. People need to park. If you don’t like it, call the mayors office.” Well, calls to the Mayor’s office about this subject have yet to be returned. Giving the new and obviously busy Parker administration the benefit of the doubt, I imagine she has much to tackle this soon into her stay in the Mayor’s Office. But the problem remains and it is in complete contradiction with the vision she so deftly laid out for the city. The meta-narrative is that federal government is the one setting up obstacles for small business owners. But this is a great opportunity for our new mayor to help get the city out of the way of entrepreneurs while stimulating green practices. <br /> <br />The inconsistencies in the laws fly in the face of efforts to make Houston a less car reliant city. The last several mayors have made relieving traffic congestion a priority and made them cornerstones of their election platforms. Why not encourage bike riders, walkers, and mass transit through our city’s business practices? Cafes, shops, and bars often shape neighborhoods and if there is a place within walking distance people will walk. Additionally, many businesses rely on bikers and walkers now as opposed to some distant hope for the future. Luckily enough, Café Brasil on Dunlavy has a building old enough that it falls under a Grandfather Clause, which allows it to operate without private parking. They rely heavily on neighborhood walkers, bike riders, and public street parking. After Houston getting such poor Green ratings from several national sources on recycling, transit, and air quality, it makes sense to move in this direction. <br /> <br />Ultimately, a change in the ordinances has the potential to take cars off the roads, encourage a few people to talk a brisk walk, and maybe, just maybe, allow the City Occupancy office to spend more of its precious time on other pressing matters. <br /> Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-27376215824536579872010-03-22T13:47:00.001-07:002010-03-22T13:47:55.098-07:00And we're back!Sorry guys, Blogger issues had us unable to update..but we are back and will be on it!Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-53839900163647910452010-03-16T10:58:00.000-07:002010-04-04T16:38:17.493-07:00Bluegrass Pickin'<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/object2/1934/84/n384088634417_8817.jpg" /><br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NN3VkE6xAj4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NN3VkE6xAj4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br /></div><br />On Tuesday March 9th, Avant Garden presents The Soft Legs Tour (<a href="http://music.cedarway.org/joegarner/Blog/Blog.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this),">http://music.cedarway.org/joegarner/Blog/Blog.html</a>) with special guests Oh Clementine!, Able Windham, and Eric Todd. Soft Legs is three Tennessee songwriters (Joe Garner, Randolph Robinson, and Matt Haeck) who have teamed up for a singularly unique musical experiment. Soft Legs is not a ‘band’ in the traditional sense of the word. On stage Garner, Robinson, and Haeck each sit with their acoustic guitars and trade songs and talk with each other and the audience in a sort of songwriter’s circle that creates a genuine intimacy that is sometimes rare in the world of popular music, an experience that feels more like a workshop or an evening with close friends than a traditional rock concert.<br /><br />With tones that immediately recall deck chairs, fireflies, and easy laughter, The Soft Legs Tour brings with it all the pastoral candor and charm that West Tennessee has to offer. The trio’s layered vocal harmonies and catchy southern hooks threaten to carry you away on a river of honesty and hopeful longing for the possible and impossible alike. Individually, Joe Garner, Randolph Robinson, and Matt Haeck all have solo careers of their own, but together they each provide a seamless compliment to the others’ unique skill sets. This is their second such tour, and, in addition to this Houston show, they will be playing SXSW dates on March 17th and 18th.<br /><br />Oh Clementine! is the solo project of former Sew What instrumentalist and singer Rachel Toombs. A Houston native, Toombs’ enigmatic lyrics and fanciful melodies have helped her carve out a niche for herself as one of the real gems of the Houston music scene. An experience not to be missed, this will only be Rachel’s second show as Oh Clementine! and will certainly be a distinct pleasure for anyone lucky enough to catch it.<br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/sewwhutt" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this),">http://www.myspace.com/sewwhutt</a>b.s.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00388023677187238908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-19983916860093829762010-03-11T16:28:00.000-08:002010-03-11T16:33:28.481-08:00GUINESS WORLD RECORDS THE DRUMS: BEST BAND IN THE WORLD<a href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/the-drums-783451.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 220px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/the-drums-783449.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Where do I even start with this Brooklyn band? No words that I could ever write to appraise this band will ever amount to what they are. If this is your first time to know about this band then congratulate yourself and give yourself a pat on the back for finding this blog. They are The Drums.<br /><br />Interview with Jonathan Pierce (vocals)<br /><br />Jacob:To my knowledge The Drums have not done any heavy touring in the US, but you guys seem to love Europe. Could this because of the label that is supporting you?<br /><br />Jonathan: No, we have only done one tour to date, and that was last month in the UK and Europe. We do like Europe a lot, but the reason we toured there first is because things are moving even faster there for The Drums. There is huge excitement for us, so it made sense to tour there. We did some light US mini tours, I guess, but nothing full-blown. That is coming soon.<br /><br />Jacob: And I see that you guys are selling out at every show over seas! How does it feel to be a new band and to be doing this well at such a fast rate?<br /><br />Jonathan: It is pretty surreal. I mean, since this band's first show was last May in NYC, we were sorta plunged into the deep end. We feel lucky because we are being received all over the world, and have never once had to compromise anything. We do only what we want to do, really. Only what feels right.<br /><br />Jacob: Now you guys are performing Austin's very own SXSW will you guys be touring to this parade or will you be flying out because I see just after this you guys are going back to Europe.<br /><br />Jonathan: No, we have a lot to do in NYC over the next two weeks, so we are flying in. I wish we could drive. I love being on the road in America, it's like being in a movie.<br /><br />Jacob: Not to get fanboy on ya but you have not been around for very long and just off that record I can say you guys are my favorite band right now. How do you feel that this might be a lot of people's opinion on your band right now.<br /><br />Jonathan: Well thanks. That's very nice of you to say. If we are a lot of peoples favorite band, well, I think that's really nice, but you should check out The Smith Westerns. Those guys are cool.<br /><br />Jacob: When I listen to your record I hear The Cure, Joy Division, and The Smiths. These were bands that were formed when we were just lads and now it's 2010 and your band has decided to pick up that style and rejuvenate that sound. Do you suppose this is why the media is creating all the hype that you guys well deserve?<br /><br />Jonathan: Maybe... But I think it's more about a band finally not caring about production or even genre really and just focusing on The Song again. Everyone forgot about The Song and we are doing our best to bring it back. Simple and classic. I think what happens is everyone who starts a band these days tries to be really edgy and hip and new and weird, and we are actually anti-edgy. We rely on classic songwriting and classic melodies and classic subject matter. Tried, true, and pure.<br /><br />Jacob: So this is your first SXSW. What are you hoping to bring on stage that will set apart from other bands?<br /><br />Jonathan: We just try to keep things as simple as possible. We are very enthusiastic about what we are doing, so hopefully that shines through.<br /><br />Jacob: When not performing during this week what bands do you guys want to check out?<br /><br /><br /><br />Jonathan: I'd like to see Best Coast and The Smith Westerns.<br /><br />Jacob: And last, what upcoming bands are you guys diggin' on that you guys learned about from your Europe tours.<br /><br />Jonathan: Nighthawke!<br /><br />THE DRUMS will be performing at SXSW at the following venues:<br />Friday 19 March - THE FADER FORT @ 3:45pm (FREE IF YOU RSVP)<br />Friday 19 March - NME Showcase at Latitude @ 1:00am (BADGE PEEPS GO IN FIRST)<br />Saturday 20 March - with Minus the Bear at Stubb's @ 10:00pm (expect to pay $20)<br /><br />www.myspace.com/thedrumsforever<br />www.facebook.com/pages/The-Drums/74425214853<br />twitter.com/levisfaderfort (heads up on this twitter to get the updates on the RSVP)Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-73936766238788169782010-03-10T12:42:00.000-08:002010-03-11T06:26:56.531-08:00Rodeo Schmodeo - Your Weekend Starts Now!<a href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/HCK_March12-732703.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 258px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/HCK_March12-732678.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />By Anna Garza<br /><br />Urban cowboys and cowgirls, saddle up. Fasten one hand tightly to the flat braided rope and get a good grip because starting tonight, there will be a show every night until the end of this weekend that will attempt to buck you off el toro quicker than Wes Hightower manning the mechanical bull at Gilley's.<br /><br />THURSDAY March 11:<br /><br />Loyal readers (all three of you – including my mother) might remember the interview I conducted with <strong>Sandy Ewen & Ms. YET </strong>a few weeks ago. Tomorrow night you can witness, firsthand, their esoteric configuration of guitar and belly dance. The recent addition of videographer, Christopher Nelson, has added a new dimension pushing the limits beyond sound and movement into Extended Techniques. <br /><br />Opening the show is the all girl band sensation, <strong>Strawberry Watermelon</strong>. Contrary to an earlier report floating around the internetz, this is not their debut show. I should know. I am in the band. Fans of dissonance and experimental /improvisational music with an appreciation for Pauline Oliveros will find solace in, with, and around Strawberry Watermelon. <br /><br />Sound Exchange 1846 Richmond @ Hazard. 8pm. Free. BYOB.<br /><br />FRIDAY March 12:<br /><br />The legendary man in a mask and cape is back. No, not Batman... <strong>Blowfly</strong>! It makes perfect sense for Blowfly to return with his repertoire of raunchy funk jams and play a show centered on naked bicycle riders and bike smut. Ain't America great!?! Don't fight the funk. Peddle yo booty to superhappyfunland and smother Blowfly (and the 12 other bands on the bill) with some southern hospitality. <br /> <br />Complete line-up:<br /><br />Houston Organizational Rally for World Naked Bike Ride Day <br /><br />Joe Firstman (Los Angeles) <br /><br />Midtown Dickens (North Carolina) <br /><br />Beloved Binge (North Carolina) <br /><br />Bike Porn 3: Cycle Bound - Film screening 11pm - (no one under 17 admitted) <br /><br />Blowfly <br /><br />SHFL 3801 Polk St. <br /><br /><strong>The Hell City Kings</strong> are throwing a record release party and handing out free 7"(with admission) as a party favor. Helping the Kings celebrate the release of their Wolf EP are White Rhino, Shit City High and The Wrong Ones. Speaking of their new EP, a review written by yours truly will be posted on this site in the very near future. Until then, go to Mango's, pay the cover, grab your free 7", and drink beers until you forget about your crappy life. Corey Haim would have wanted it that way.<br /><br />What can be said about Fernando ZlatanCopWarmthTheTakesSomosuno Alejandro that hasn't been said already? The guy radiates everlasting kosmic energy. If Fernando doesn't have a smile on his face, something is wrong with the Universe. It is only fitting to celebrate the birth of this wunderkind before his official date of birth. Fernando's band, <strong>SOMOSUNO</strong>, will lead the chorus of ¡Feliz cumpleaños! along with <strong>Caddywhompus</strong> and <strong>sIngs</strong>. <br /><br />The Green House (Speak easy on Nance St) 9pm. $4.<br /><br /><strong>Xiu Xiu</strong>, Noveller and Girl in a Coma are playing at Warehouse Live. Lots of people care about these bands but, with all due respect, I am not one of them. <br /><br />Warehouse Live. All ages.<br /><br />SATURDAY March 13:<br /><br />Pace yourself for this show because you don't want to do something stupid like get too drunk during the first two or three bands; then pass out under the sink in the ladies room and miss the rest of the lineup. <br /><br />IRON AGE // BITTER END // POWER TRIP // PRIDE KILLS // THE WEIGHT OF RESPECT// GOLDEN AXE // KILLER APE // ROOTS OF EXILE // ONE AGAINST MANY // HARDSIDE <br /><br />Walter's on Washington 4215 Washington Ave. Doors @ 5pm All Ages $10 <br /><br />SUNDAY March 14:<br /><br />Looking for a perfect, low-key ending to your perfect, out of control weekend? Search no further, my friends. A house show featuring the haunting, dark and rich melodies of <strong>Inoculist</strong>, <strong>Golden Arrow Holy Face</strong> and <strong>Wols </strong> set the tone for a serene and tranquil Sunday night. <br /><br />3910 Driscoll. Free. BYOB.Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-8391065742237788362010-03-09T07:24:00.000-08:002010-03-09T07:25:29.337-08:00Test 123Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla lacinia faucibus lacus, sit amet fringilla eros tincidunt eu. Mauris posuere rhoncus risus, eu sollicitudin odio molestie at. Morbi est velit, tempor eu consequat sed, dictum sit amet arcu. Integer blandit ligula in velit pretium quis sodales libero porta. Curabitur ornare odio vel sem ultrices at venenatis nisl viverra. Aliquam vitae augue sed justo luctus consequat vel ut nunc. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent massa nibh, rhoncus at faucibus sed, vehicula at felis. Morbi sem mi, fringilla nec semper sit amet, suscipit a turpis. Pellentesque vitae elit est, at mattis magna. Nunc quis tempor elit. Quisque cursus, nunc non sagittis euismod, purus metus volutpat nisl, vel sagittis erat justo quis massa. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas.Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-27157530504279229972010-03-08T16:52:00.000-08:002010-03-08T17:03:11.979-08:00VIDEOLIFE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/February2010-108-702369.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/February2010-108-702279.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"></span>by Johnny DiBlasi<br /><br />In a non-descript red brick house nestled in the maze of Houston’s bohemia, Michael Brims’ “A Video-Centric Exhibit” flickered through a maze of stark white walls, casting ominous. The pieces commanded space, talking to each other-- the kind of scene depicted in Fahrenheit 451 where family and friends have a conversation from giant screens in Guy’s mother’s house. Surprisingly, the show consisted entirely of video works-- something I rarely see at art functions here in Houston. I hope that Michael Brims show is a sign that we will continue to see more events that fully utilize video and digital media without regards to outdated and tired (and yet prevalent) traditions of art. Video works may supplement photography one day, but for now I am happy to see digital media employ experimental uses for HD monitors and projectors. Using different shapes, sizes and orientations, some screens in “A Video-Centric Exhibit” were hung like paintings with a frame while others were placed on pedestals. <br />Like fellow German artist Joseph Beuys, Brims’ own body is central to his videos. Stubbles, Nipple and Vertical Ear focus and zoom in on body parts in HD, creating pink and orange hairy landscapes. Here the body was a formal focus, a coarse substrate. I wonder how much more time and effort is going to go into masking and covering up the body’s imperfections in television and film shot in HD, all for the sake of keeping up with an unrealistic standard of beauty. <br />Relatively quiet, the audio added little to the bodily landscapes in most pieces. Two Untitled works gazed at each other from across the room, focused on close-ups of the artist’s face, lying down, and thinking. The silence, slow movements, blinking eyes and shifts in posture gave the work a meditative quality. Suddenly the calm was broken with Laughter from the other room; a close up of Brims laughing in an exaggerated tone stood gigantic on the wall.<br />I appreciated Brims’ ability to narrow in on a single function of the moving image. With degrees from the University of Munich and Houston, his influences have produced a vision that is straightforward and gothic, simple but mysterious. “A Video-Centric Exhibit” isolated and addressed what Deleuze dubbed the Movement Image, while completely disregarding the Time Image. The works functioned almost as photographs. With no narrative, Brims stripped his videos of a key function of the moving image and subverted normal viewing habits-- so often produced and packaged for us. Experimental video questions these systems of media and force viewers to think about what one is tuning into throughout the day. What are you tuning into today?Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-63930396933964975142010-03-05T18:24:00.001-08:002010-03-05T18:24:49.976-08:00More Malcolm, Less MartinI have touched on this before but I have to revisit the recent concept of 'DIY'; the hip new abbreviation of 'Do it yourself'. It baffles my mind that people keep giving themselves gold stars for being 'DIY'. But who else can do something for you other than yourself? Mom? Did she do that diorama for your 2nd grade science class? Understand, 'DIY' is a concept that only exists with artists and musicians that are Anglo-Americans who are probably dressing down to hide their affluence. Never do you hear artists in the hip-hop community touting their DIY adventures. They have been 'doing it themselves' from the get go. So please, stop getting on your soapbox and telling people how you deserve some honorable distinction by actually being self reliant. Speaking of self reliance, our buddy Malcolm X is on the cover of this issue courtesy of Houston poster art progenitor Jermaine Rogers. Jermaine has done several covers for us over the years yet not in quite some time. We are honored to have his work gracing our cover again. This punk rock depiction of Malcolm X is sort-of our 'better late than never' tribute to Black History Month. Malcolm X's writings on self-reliance and defiance of tyranny were some very important stepping stones on my ideological journey. Yet, my post-adolescent fervor for firebrands like Malcolm has ebbed and flowed. In recent year's I have ascribed to more pacifist teachings attributed to MLK or Gandhi. But fact of the matter is, neither of those men scared my white in-laws. So today we salute you Malcolm X. Keep on scaring them white devils.Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-71018957979471677002010-03-04T09:38:00.000-08:002010-03-04T09:58:32.445-08:00Your weekend starts NOW!<a href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/19765_10100160343122970_7963784_58943211_681653_n-774630.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 173px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/19765_10100160343122970_7963784_58943211_681653_n-774610.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />By Anna Garza<br /><br />Thursday March 4, 2010<br /><br />Tonight is your last chance to wish <strong>B L A C K I E</strong> a bon voyage before he embarks on a tour which will lead him over spacious skies, through amber waves of grain, across purple mountain majesties and above the fruited plains. <br /><br />RAPEWORM & WIFE will give their kind regards via live performances; it will be up to you to do your part. Don't hate, participate. B L A C K I E is blowin' up and you better catch him so you can say you knew him back when. <br /><br />B E T H E R E (all caps, with spaces)!!<br /><br />TRASH TOWN / INDIEHOUSTON / GIANT PRINCESS HOUSE aka THE PLACE TO BE <br /><br />1816 CALUMET $5 8PM. <br /><br />After the Calumet show, do not go home. Go directly to Roc Bar. YES, ROC BAR!! <br /><br />Tonight is a special SHOCK TREATMENT featuring the raw, rowdy, sleazy sounds and antics of the <strong>Born Liars </strong>and <strong>No Talk</strong>. I can smell the whiskey emanating Jimmy Sanchez’ breath already. Chances are extremely high you may have to call in to work the next morning but it will be oh so worth it. Trust me.<br /><br />Roc Bar 530 Texas Avenue 10pm<br /><br />Friday March 5, 2010<br /><br />Nameless Sound continues to produce stellar shows. Presented in collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Houston; An extremely prolific artist, Maja Ratkje’s wide-ranging creativity has been revealed in an explosion of work over the past 15 years. Ratkje is an artist who clearly sees no boundaries. She is a free improvisor, but also a composer for other musicians. Her primary instruments are voice and electronics. But her astonishing vocal dexterity and range of sounds might confuse the listener as to which they are hearing. Her conservatory training may be clearly evident in much of her work; but her credentials for noise-making would not be debated by many. But this particular noise, while truly anarchic, has a beautifully detailed and meticulous quality. There is a personal humor and strange beauty that mark her work across the board, affirming Ratkje as an artist whose uniqueness and personality are identifiable in any context (regardless of medium. <br /><br />The caliber and wide-range of her work can be testified by a list of her collaborators and ensembles, who include: SPUNK, Trinacria, Jaap Blonk, Jazzkammer, Frode Haltli, Jaga Jazzist, Carlos Giffoni, Paal Nilssen-Love, Ikue Mori, Matmos, Zeena Parkins, Otomo Yoshihide, and Fe-mail.<br /><br />The tightly focused clarity in the duo of Frode Haltli and Trgyve Seim is expressed with an austere beauty worthy of their famed record label, ECM.<br /> <br />Frode Haltli is placed firmly among the small and distinguished individualists who have made the case for the accordion as a distinct medium for the investigation of modern consonance and dissonance. But in spite of his ‘new-music’ credentials, Haltli’s sound is one of direct and simple beauty, with a range of colors that contain trace evidence of folk forms and echoes of a Nordic tonality.<br /> <br />The serene and controlled saxophone of Trgyve Seim had its original inspiration in the ‘Nordic Sound’ of ECM stalwart Jan Garbarek. But Seim has distinct warmth and expression that are all his own. His compositions are perfectly balanced; exhibiting a focus on the composite whole of their parts. Seim not only transcends influence; he erases categorical markers of ‘jazz’ and ‘new music’, forging a unique, intimate, and direct type of chamber music.<br /><br />Frode Haltli - (Norway) accordion<br />Trygve Seim - (Norway) saxophone<br />Maja Ratkje - (Norway) voice, electronics<br /><br />Links:<br />Maya Ratkje: http://www.ratkje.com/<br />Frode Haltli: http://www.haltli.com/<br />Trygve Seim: http://www.trygveseim.no/<br /><br />Norway House 3410 West Dallas. FREE. <br /><br /> <br />Saturday March 6, 2010<br /><br />You don't have to wear sweatshop made clothes to have a good time. You can dance and party all night at Mango's with a guilt free conscious supporting a good cause and good bands.<br /><br />Sweat Free Houston Benefit:<br /><br /><strong>Muhammad Ali </strong><br /><strong><br />Giant Princess </strong><br /><br /><strong>Ghormeh Sabzi</strong> <br />http://www.myspace.com/ghormehsabzi4 <br /><br /><strong>Cop Warmth</strong> <br /><br /><strong>Rape Worm </strong><br /><br /><strong>BAMBARA </strong><br />http://www.myspace.com/bambaraband<br /><br />Mango's 403 Westheimer 8:00pm $5.00Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-78197209006392209582010-02-28T20:38:00.000-08:002010-02-28T20:41:04.046-08:00Lest we forget<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SnykC_Hjd7Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SnykC_Hjd7Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-24980876711109749672010-02-28T13:41:00.000-08:002010-02-28T13:46:23.984-08:00Attention White PeopleWe are winning. You are losing.Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-41293178651800307642010-02-27T12:17:00.001-08:002010-02-27T12:18:28.644-08:00Tonight's Set Times<span style="font-weight:bold;">Inside</span><br /><br />The Handshake 8-8:30<br />Robert Ellis 8:45-9:15<br />Young Ass Mammals 9:30-10:15<br />Golden Axe 10:45-11:30<br />Papermoons 11:50<br />Ceeplus Bad Knives<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Outside</span><br /><br />Juzcoz 8:00- 8:30<br />Woozy Helmet 8:45-9:30<br />Wild Moccasins 9:45-10:25<br />Fat Tony 11Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-63067780248724664112010-02-25T18:13:00.000-08:002010-02-25T18:15:43.333-08:00FPH 7 Year Anniversary Celebranza Saturday!How you like them apples, Ramon?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/FPH---7yrAnniv---WEB-756309.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 296px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/FPH---7yrAnniv---WEB-756304.png" border="0" alt="" /></a>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-6994429473683389392010-02-23T10:44:00.000-08:002010-02-23T11:28:14.391-08:00Rollins, Henry Rollins... at the House of Blues<a href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/bf-793537.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 271px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/bf-793533.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />By Anna Garza<br /><br /><br />Henry Rollins is the perennial Renaissance man: spoken word artist, poet, publisher, actor, radio DJ, talk show host, current lead singer of the Rollins Band and former lead singer of the seminal 80's punk band, Black Flag.<br /><br />The last time Henry Rollins was in town for a spoken word gig, he captivated the audience with accounts of his world travels, celebrity encounters, awkward and unrequited crushes, etc. He spoke for nearly three straight hours too. THE MAN CAN TALK!<br /><br />It is not classified information I am a huge Black Flag / Rollins fan;<br />so when the opportunity to interview ole Hank presented itself, I envisioned being regaled by tales of kings and queens, angry mobs, magical flowers and sunsets. After all, THE MAN CAN TALK!<br /><br />Or so I thought. <br /><br />Maybe I caught him during his time of the month. Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe my questions were absurd.(Definitely the former and not the latter.) Whatever the case may be, one would assume a man who has made a career as a spoken word artist, poet, publisher, actor, radio DJ, talk show host, current lead singer of the Rollins Band and former lead singer of the seminal 80's punk band, Black Flag could give a proper interview. I would have even settled for a mildly entertaining one. <br /><br />That being said, I will be the one hanging out by the tour bus after the show vying for a Rad Rich/Henry Rollins "20 Years Later" photo op. <br /> <br />FPH: Have you heard the Dirty Projectors' "remake" of the <em>Damaged</em> album? If so, what are your thoughts about it? (For the unfamiliar,the Dirty Projectors' <em>Rise Above</em> record was a "reinvention" of the 1981 Black Flag classic, <em>Damaged</em>, except remade from memory after band leader,Dave Longstreth, claimed to not have listened to the record for almost 15 years.)<br /><br />Henry Rollins: I have never heard it. Black Flag is Greg Ginn's band,<br />I really have no attachment to it at this point. <br /><br />FPH: I was in attendance for your last spoken word show at the Meridian, it was vastly entertaining. You definitely have the gift of the gab. What new topics are you going to discuss?<br /><br />Henry Rollins: I will be talking about the places I have traveled to recently and about things that are happening in our beautiful America at present. There's a lot going on. <br /><br />FPH: Are you familiar with the recent John Mayer Playboy interview controversy? What do you think about his comments concerning having a "hood pass", using the word "nigger" and calling his penis "a white supremacist"?<br /><br />Henry Rollins: This kind of thing really doesn't register with me,<br />it's right up there with Tiger Woods. <br /><br />FPH: You have performed countless shows in Houston as a member of Black Flag, Rollins Band and as a spoken word performer; do you have a favorite restaurant? Favorite pre and/ or post show hang out spot?<br /><br />Henry Rollins: No. I do the show and get down the road. <br /><br />FPH: Are you planning on releasing new records and/or books (your own<br />or from other bands) on 2.13.61?<br /><br />Henry Rollins: We're just doing my stuff at this point. It allows us<br />to be very effective. With things the way they are in the marketplace,<br />it's risky to put out anyone's anything. My stuff does well, so we<br />stick with what works at this point. <br /><br /><br />FPH: You just had a birthday a week and a half ago, how did you celebrate it?<br /><br />Henry Rollins: I was on the radio that night. I have a radio show and this year, I am rarely so it's rare that I can be live on the air. Not the most exciting story but I was happy to be at the station and working. <br /><br /><br />Tuesday February 23, 2010<br /><br />Henry Rollins @ House of Blues – 1204 Caroline Street<br /><br />Doors: 07:00 PM Show: 08:00 PM All ages<br /><br />$15.00 - 4 Pack - General Admission $20.00 - Standing Room Only $25.00 – Balcony $25.00 - Reserved FloorFree Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-22361390685390949202010-02-23T09:03:00.000-08:002010-02-23T09:05:31.536-08:00Get the Golden Ticket to Summer Fest!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/FPSFest2010---GoldenTicket-Promo---LttrSize-700303.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/FPSFest2010---GoldenTicket-Promo---LttrSize-700179.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Between 2/23 and 3/1, one lucky winner will be randomly selected through a diamond-calibrated Fibonacci sequence emulator to receive the Golden Ticket package with the purchase of a Summer Fest ticket.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Golden Ticket package includes:</span><br /><br />2 Fancy Pants Weekend Passes<br />Backstage access<br />Food and Drinks<br />2 Official Summer Fest T Shirts<br />Autographed limited-edition screen printed posters<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Ticket must be purchased online between February 23rd and March 1st. </span>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-77579816739213635622010-02-22T14:36:00.000-08:002010-02-22T14:38:55.283-08:00Where Goes the Neighborhood?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/JBH_3809-798854.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/JBH_3809-798796.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />by M. Martin<br /><br /><br /><br />Recently, Free Press Houston received a press release for a project called Forever Garden. The purpose of this project was impressive: nothing short of transforming the 8 acres of scenic wasteland left by the demolition of Wilshire Village, creating community gardens and parkland. Unfortunately, almost as soon as this news was received a rumor surfaced from multiple sources that HEB had either acquired the property or penned some sort of lease agreement. Setting aside for a moment (we'll come back to it) the Forever Garden announcement, let's look at the HEB rumor--and at it's possible implications for The Montrose, particularly in light of other current and upcoming developments.<br /><br />To begin with, this is only a rumor--but a pretty likely one. HEB briefly operated a Montrose location before, in the space currently occupied by Half Price Books ont Westheimer. The changing demographics of Montrose make it an increasingly attractive location for them. Additional credence for this speculation is the fact, as reported by Swamplot.com, that the holding company that owns the former Wilshire Village property has apparently been in default on loans used to acquire the property since last October (which probably explains the "For Sale" signs that went up on the property in mid-September). The company subsequently went Chapter 11 in early November. Add to this the tax liability on the property (diminished by turning it into a vacant lot, but still significant), and you have a lot of pressure to do whatever deal can be done... in what is rapidly becoming the worst business climate since the Great Depression.<br /><br />If it is true, the cascade of resulting events could completely alter the nature of Southwest Montrose and speed the ongoing metamorphosis of the neighborhood at large.<br /><br />Consider: the presence of an HEB-anchored commercial development on one corner of W. Alabama & Dunlavy would have an inevitable and detrimental impact on the existing Fiesta Mart-anchored strip center on the other side of Dunlavy--with the most likely outcome being a decision by Fiesta to close the store, and the most likely outcome of that decision being a decision on the part of the property owners to put the center up for sale. Should that happen, the most likely outcome would be to see the center demolished and replaced by more high-density apartment housing, comparable to what now exists at Westheimer and Shepherd, at Richmond and Kirby, and at Richmond and Dunlavy.<br /><br />Consider also that Metro's plans for the University Rail Corridor on Richmond Avenue recently received a shot in the arm in the form of Federal approval of the preliminary engineering phase of the project. Consequently, Metro has released an extensive list of properties along Richmond Avenue that will either fully or partially be acquired under right of eminent domain--in other words, seized. Metro still plans to have The University Line operational by 2012, which means that construction can be expected to begin within the next year. Once light rail construction begins on Richmond, expect traffic to begin shifting to West Alabama. Consequently, expect that at some point Alabama will be expanded from it's currently three lane configuration between Spur 527 and S. Shepherd to a full four lanes--very likely resulting in additional property condemnations as well.<br /><br />By the time construction is completed on The University Line, concurrent with an expanded West Alabama, an HEB-anchored shopping center, and yet more damned yuppie beehive housing on the ruins of Fiesta Mart, Southwest Montrose as it is currently known and loved no will longer exist. Currently, much of the area between Dunlavy, Shepherd, Alabama and Richmond consists almost exclusively of older and inexpensive multi-family housing, largely favored by students, artists, and lower-income (largely Hispanic) families. Even those properties that are not outrightly condemned will be subjected to higher taxation, once the presence of 'improved' transportation and nearby commercial real estate projects have caused them to be re-appraised. Expect more old properties to disappear, replaced by more condos and frat-rat rabbit warrens.<br /><br />At that point, about all that will be left of "Old Montrose" would be a few blocks of land on either side of Westheimer and the fag bar ghetto on Pacific Street--at which point most of Houston will happily proclaim "Good Riddance"--it's not like the denizens of Mommy and Daddy Land ever wanted a local Greenwich Village/Haight-Ashbury equivalent in the middle of their city in the first place.<br /><br />That's one vision for the future of neighborhood. Lacking a concerted effort and vision for an alternative, it's almost certainly what will happen.<br /><br />The Forever Garden proposal offers a compelling such contrast. Instead of yet another bland and soulless mini-mall, the eight empty acres that formerly held Wilshire Village would be transformed into a collection of allotment gardens, community garden space, ponds, beehives, and park space, while reserving room for a farmer's market, a restaurant, and a community center that would offer, among other things, classes in yoga, nutrition, meditation, and alternative/preventative health practices. There would also be residential spaces for participants in residency programs in Visual Art, Writing, Music, and Horticulture.<br /><br />Even though Forever Gardens founder Whitney Riley confesses to having been "crushed" when news emerged of the HEB deal (Ms. Whitney has sources of her own that lead her to believe the rumors are absolutely true), she has since bounced back-- and has current plans to present a scaled-back version of the Forever Garden proposal to whomever winds up developing the former Wilshire property, as well as plans to seek out other potential urban garden spaces.<br /><br />If all this sounds idealistic, aspirational, and hugely optimistic...well, that's only because it is. But what's wrong with that? Even before he was sworn in, our current U.S. President started dialing back the aspirational and idealistic principles of his campaign in exchange for a more "realistic" governing strategy....which doesn't seem to have worked out all that terribly well. If you start out a negotiation by giving things up, you can't be too surprised if you wind up giving up everything.<br /><br />The fact of the matter is that without a conscious effort at preserving the cultural, architectural, and social uniqueness of Montrose as a community, that community will simply cease to exist. This would be a shame, because the 'hood seems to be in the middle of one of it's periodic upswings, with more bands, more street art... more young people who have not yet accepted the dreary wisdom of becoming pointless replays of their parents. It would be a shame if they didn't have a place to go and congregate--didn't have a place to hold street festivals and hang out in coffee shops and go to crappy art openings and drink cheap wine for free. Absent Montrose, there doesn't seem to be anywhere else in Houston that really fits that bill. The downtown warehouse looked promising once, but has since wound up nothing more than scenester/cokehead bars and really crappy, overpriced lofts.<br /><br />So...where goes the neighborhood? What exactly constitutes "The Montrose" five years from now? Do we fall down the drain of gentrification we're currently circling? Or is it possible to turn projects like Forever Gardens from hopeful pipe dreams into into viable community development options with real business plans and real support? It all boils down to the people who live in Montrose--as it is and has been-- making a commitment to their community, one that can be measured in dollars and time spent in community service.<br /><br />In other words... it's up to you.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For details on Forever Gardens, check out their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=252695914732. For details on the ongoing saga of the former Wilshire Village, check out Swamplot's excellent continued coverage at http://swamplot.com/tag/wilshire-village/.</span>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-91715022529406056112010-02-19T20:03:00.000-08:002010-02-19T20:08:10.458-08:00बेस्ट FWENDS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/calle_blood-752877.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/calle_blood-752835.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />BEST FWENDS could possibly be the most raddest punk I-pod band there is in Texas. How about you be the judge when you see them live. Oh yes, like magicians they have many tricks up their sleeves.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6WlPEgtCXVA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6WlPEgtCXVA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-53482684561032274342010-02-19T11:15:00.000-08:002010-02-19T12:26:26.254-08:00the weekend smells like teen spirit<a href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/22278_1339982828471_1498177197_937348_4238114_n-735953.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/22278_1339982828471_1498177197_937348_4238114_n-735947.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />By Anna Garza<br /><br />Young hearts: be free tonight, tomorrow, and for the rest of your life. <br /><br />Friday February 19 @ Wired Live (formerly The Meridian) D.R.I. will make their triumphant return to Houston since founding member Spike Cassidy was cured of colon cancer. What better way to kick off your weekend than to pump your fist in the air and scream along to "Violent Pacification". Look both ways before crossing the Thrash Zone.<br /><br />Also playing - Sinister Minister, Cancer & Room 101 <br /><br />Wired Live: 1503 Chartres <br />Doors at 7pm Advance: $12 Day of Show: $14 <br /><br /><br />The hardest working Soundsystem in the 713/281/832 are back for their monthly dance night at The Mink. A Fistful of Soul will make you want to dance like you have ants in your pants. Vinyl only. Spinning the best of soul, ska and everything in between. FREE. Fun starts at 10pm.<br /><br />The Mink: 3718 Main St. @ Alabama<br /><br />Saturday February 20th: DANNEURYSM is a Nirvana Tribute band featuring members of The Jonbenet, The Smoking Popes and Darkest Hour. Ok, why didn't any of these dudes inform a sister of this show waaaaay in advance? I would have put my Hole tribute band, Doll Parts, back together real quick just for this night. Talk about a match made in grunge heaven...or hell. Music starts around 12:30(am NOT pm). <br /><br />Big Star Bar: 1005 West 19th St<br /><br />On the same night but a hop, skip and a jump across town...The Caprolites, isawbloodsomewhere and ATX's the No No No Hopes will rock you and roll you until the last light rail train stops running. Don't just let my fingers do the talking. Click on the links I provided, go to the show and thank me on Sunday morning. <br /><br />http://www.myspace.com/thecaprolitesfrompasadenatx<br />http://www.myspace.com/isawbloodsomewhere<br />http://www.myspace.com/thenononohopes<br /><br />Notsouh 314 Main Street $5 All agesFree Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-20560919565276489422010-02-19T01:06:00.000-08:002010-02-19T01:07:02.955-08:00Ang Lee at the RMCAcclaimed director Ang Lee will appear at the <a href="http://film.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=90">Rice Media Center</a> Friday night. The reception with Lee and subsequent weekend of films are free to the public. The films show Lee at the beginning of his career before such powerhouse movies as Brokeback Mountain or Lust Caution.<br><br />Friday, February 19th at 6:30 pm - Reception honoring Ang Lee <br />Friday, February 19th at 7:30 pm - Pushing Hands <br />Saturday, February 20th at 7:00 pm - The Wedding Banquet <br />Sunday, February 21st at 7:00 pm - Eat Drink Man Woman<br /><br><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zs5WiddD7i0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zs5WiddD7i0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-25955190764509329602010-02-16T07:48:00.001-08:002010-02-16T07:48:38.763-08:00FVH has fun with abortion!<object width="440" height="248"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9488570&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=ffffff&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9488570&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=ffffff&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="440" height="248"></embed></object>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259631216074653417.post-89011541182411134382010-02-14T14:20:00.001-08:002010-02-14T14:25:04.435-08:00Free Press Summer Fest 2010 lineup!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/SHillman---SUMMERFEST2010---FinalArt---WEB-756663.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 199px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.freepresshouston.com/archive/uploaded_images/SHillman---SUMMERFEST2010---FinalArt---WEB-756642.png" border="0" alt="" /></a>Free Press Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03576435599798196440noreply@blogger.com2