By: Ramon Medina Photo by Nicole Kibert FPH asked folks in the music community for their highlights or thoughts on 2012.  Here’s what they told us: B.E. Godfrey (listenlisten) Houston in 2012 was paused, anxiously awaiting its impending doom. Like a nervous child awaiting the inevitable punishment from misdeeds, frantically still, imagining every possible scenario. In such a close proximity to the center of Mayan rule, our fate is sensed in the bones of every emotionally-tuned Houstonian. Deeply aware that we’ll surely receive the first wave of apocalyptic destruction. Bob Weber (Anarchitex) There is a migration of bent genius into ... Read More »

Peep Shelby Hohl’s killer animation on the Noise Ordinance with music by Future Blondes and our interview with Montrose legend Merlyn! Read More »

A few practical ways for the City of Houston to increase revenue, decrease the budget shortfall, and make everyone’s lives a whole lot easier by adapting to 15-year-old technology. By Omar Afra Illustration by Tim Dorsey Despite Houston’s relative resilience to the recession and actual job growth, our municipal government is pretty much up shit’s creek when it comes to fiscal responsibility. With an accumulated deficit of 2.5 billion dollars and an annual budget deficit of 130 million dollars, it is critical that the city both finds efficiencies and raises revenue. Mayor Parker has launched a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’-type ... Read More »

This Week’s Featured Show Synesthesia: A Feast for The Senses @ The Eat Gallery (4420 Almeda) Saturday, September 8, 2012 (6-10  pm) Culinary Artists: Robert Lopez, Kickin Kombucha Chris Williams, Lucille’s Ella Russell, E-dub-a-licious Treats Keisha Bocage, Bocage Catering Matthew Toomey, Boomtown Heights and Introducing Sabali Mpozi Earth, Vegan Comfort Ilbursalle Fallon, Chef/Caterer Amber Simon, The Ultimate Flavour Music by Tyagaraja Gretchen Schmaltz Bayuco Social It may seem bit odd to have a a foodie celebration as the featured event in the music section  but the quirky and charming Eat Gallery is hardly your typical place to get a meal.  When you think food, ... Read More »

By: Erin Dyer Houston’s Woodland Heights resident and homeowner, Lauren Garcia, 30, is fully aware and educated about Houston’s new noise ordinance. When she was arrested on her own property she decided to speak up and warn her fellow Houstonians about how far the Houston Police Department is willing to take this noise ordinance and stretch their power as law enforcers. Garcia hosted her thirtieth birthday party at her house a few blocks outside of the Houston Heights on June 9. HPD crashed her birthday celebration around 11pm on account of an outdoor DJ playing loud music. After moving the ... Read More »

This Week’s Featured Show Saturday, March 17 21st Annual KTRU Outdoor Show @Rice University Central Quad inside: 12p: SwaraRagaLaya 2p: The Demonic Hen 4p: The Energy 6p: Wild Moccasins 8p: Lower Dens outside: 1p: Jesus, the Crazy, and the Bad Kids 3p: The Thermals 5p: Titus Andronicus 7p: Chairlift 9p: Slim Thug What is with the freaky bunny on the poster this year?  Man, I feel like I’m on bad drugs just looking at that!  Anyhow aside from getting some bad nightmares from that freaky bunny, this year looks to be a pretty solid line up and to be honest ... Read More »

CLICK HERE TO SIGN the Petition to Reverse Houston’s Sound Ordinance. We cannot stress how direly important it is that you support Houston’s local music scene by signing the petition to reverse our city’s new sound ordinance. It currently grants officers the authority to ticket, arrest, and shut down businesses for ‘being too loud’ without having measurable proof of the decibel levels- in other words an officer only has to ‘feel’ the bass outside of the venue. One venue owner has already been arrested and several others have been issued the maximum fine of $1000 with no verifiable evidence of ... Read More »

By Alex Wukman Over a month has passed since an HPD officer pulled a shotgun on a party being thrown by the Houston Free Thinkers. In that time the story went viral and prompted an internal affairs investigation. At the height of the media coverage Free Press Houston did our due diligence and sent in an open records request to get HPD’s side of the story, they just sent it over. And while the results of the investigation and the final outcome of the court case won’t be known for some time, the initial incident reports created by the officer ... Read More »

This Week’s Featured Show Thursday, March 1 Free Press Houston’s 9-Year Anniversary featuring Saul Williams CX Kidtronik TSU Ensemble B L A C K I E Weird Party The Watermarks Dayta Benjamin Wesley Perseph One LIMB & PAPAYA @ Fitzgerald’s Oh Shit!  We are pushing close to one decade of bad grammar, sloppy typos, and atrocious spelling!  YeahYUSSSSS!!!!!  And what better way to celebrate than to feature poet Saul Williams. Yes, that’s right, bask in the irony of that for a minute!  Here is a guy whose skills with words have led him beyond the realm of poetry and into the ... Read More »

By Alex Wukman This shit is getting too predictable. Honestly, another week brings another report of HPD overreacting to the noise ordinance. Last week it was a cop pulling a gun this week it’s a report that Dubstep DJ Badbwoy BMC was arrested for an alleged noise violation. Apparently a little after midnight on Wednesday, February 8, an HPD officer rolled up to Mango’s where BMC was working some tracks from his upcoming “Dubbed Out” LP, which drops in March from Swisha House, into his weekly gig. According to BMC, real name Billy McCain, HPD stopping by is all too ... Read More »