“Shit! Fuck! Shit!” was Professor Derleth’s boisterous outburst in the beginning reel and the later act. Cthulhu: A Puppet Play presented at 14 Pews, was a humorous yet grotesque play that incorporated live instruments, sound effects and  film in addition to the puppet and puppeteers. In the beginning, Professor Derleth purchases an object that he then researches intensely as the power of the object unfolds. On the brink of insanity, the perceptions of reality become distorted as the beckoning of Cthulhu begins to consume him. This tale combines both elements of dark humor and a dreadful fear of the unknown. ... Read More »

You want heavy? These two Texas bands will deliver in spades! Read More »

Let me just say that I had very low expectations going into this show. Well, maybe not super-low but given Roky Erickson’s issues, I wasn’t sure what to expect. All I knew is that despite his great back catalog of material, it wasn’t gonna be the screeching guy you see in that old clip of the 13th Floor Elevators on American Bandstand. Admittedly, while I’m a big fan of Roky’s stuff, part of my going was just to be able to check him off the “I’ve seen him live” list. So I was shocked at how great Saturday’s show was. ... Read More »

By Alex Wukman For many people the names John, Paul, George and Ringo are revered as much as those of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. For others, names like Tony Hawk and Shaun White or Jeter and A-Rod are those that resonate throughout their lives. However, for some it’s the names of authors, and the promise of a new book, that prove too enticing to ignore. In the modern world of popular fiction, where every author is a cult leader, there are names that stand out–the Stephen Kings or the J.K. Rowlings–solely because of their sales figures. There are also ... Read More »

by Andrea Afra I met George Molho six years ago through his cousin Dora who owns Byzantio, the Greek cafe on West Gray. She had laid a book face down on the counter while she made me a drink. It’s title was Greek Coffee, aptly named for its reader and I jokingly asked what it was about. She told me it was her cousin’s memoir, not a book about coffee so much, and that I should read it, even write a review for the paper if I liked it. I did read it and I interviewed George at the cafe ... Read More »

by Andrea Afra I am typically reluctant to jump on the popular restaurant band wagon so it took me a while to make it to Yelapa, which is definitely ‘scene’ cuisine. Yet, after driving by it several times I thought, damn, something smells really good and I need it in my face stat. Why not give the place a shot? Just because white people are raving about it doesn’t mean I should write it off. The restaurant was supposedly on a wait when we arrived, but there were a few tables open in the bar area as well as on ... Read More »

by Andrea Afra Looking around the dining room at Fountain View Cafe, I said to my husband, “Notice anything about this place?” “You mean how homogenized it is?” “Yep.” Sometimes, when dining in particular regions of Houston, such as Tanglewood, one finds that the majority of the patrons, if not all, are Caucasians (like me, but I’m 1/16th Cherokee Indian so…I kid). After being married to an Arab for nearly ten years, you start noticing these things when you realize, “That’s funny, my spouse is the only customer in here that would get extra scrutiny at the airport.” It’s true. ... Read More »