Arts & Events: June 2008 Archives

As if you needed another reason to head down to Discovery Green this weekend, here's one more: Dock Dogs! Yes, the time-honored "dog performance sport" of leaping off docks and catching crazy air will be going on all weekend at the downtown park. If you thought the Lumberjack Games were the most ludicrous yet highly entertaining sport you've ever seen, then you haven't witnessed the majesty of Dock Jumping. In this sport, dogs of all breeds (not just Labrador Retrievers) are encouraged -- usually through the......

Houston Music for the Weekend of June 26th – 29th, 2008 This, our faithful readers, is what we call a confusing Houston music weekend. After a rather solid run where there was almost too much great music out there, things are looking a little sparse out there. But don’t fret too much – we’re still here to provide everyone with a rundown of where they should be and where we just might be as we enjoy a classic H-Town Summer. Granted, we’re not perfect around here, so let us know in the comments section if there’s any event we’ve missed......

Veteran singer-songwriter and one of Houston's favorite sons, Robert Earl Keen stands tall among such other Texas artists as Jerry Jeff Walker, Rodney Crowell, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Joe Ely as an example of how to achieve longevity in the country music business without ever having a Nashville hit. Keen is a down-to-earth, engaging and distinctive songwriter with a huge fan base that follows him from honky tonks to stadiums and joyously sings the lyrics along with him throughout his concerts. Keen's diverse repertoire includes such cult classics as "Merry Christmas From The Family," the inappropriate and hilarious lyrics......

This season Houstonist quickly tired of eating over-priced, cayenne-coated crawfish that didn't quite meet our expectations. So, we decided to have our own little boil and share some with you readers while we're at it. We've got 500 pounds of mud bugs teed up for this Saturday at Volcano. You might be asking yourself, "Where did Houstonist get 500 pounds of crawfish?" To which we reply, "Shhhh. Don't worry your pretty little head." The crawfish will be boiled Louisiana style, i.e. with the seasoning actually in the water instead of sprinkled on top......

We're not entirely sure what to think about this week's shelterporn home, a contemporary North Montrose model. Is it a house with a beautifully clean and modern exterior? Why yes — but what's inside is even more interesting, not least because it features (gulp) shiny black ceilings. No, really. The shiny ceilings, it turns out, are ebonized maple which, for better or worse, matches the floors in most of the house. It's good, in a way; if the house ever, say, slips off its foundation and flips over, you'll be able to......

If the above posters look familiar to you and even if they don't, head over to Sig's Lagoon on Saturday, June 21st from 6 pm to 12 am at 3710 Main, for the opening of the Uncle Charlie Poster Show. Former local musician and artist, Uncle Charlie has been cranking out these awesome posters for about 18 years. Inspired and mentored by Austin's Frank Kozik in the mid 80's, Uncle Charlie began making posters for his own band, Dresden .45. Things steamrolled after that and he began making......

Sometimes there's a man; sometimes, there's a man. Jason McElweenie of The Low End Theory is hosting the first annual Houston Lebowski Bash this Saturday, June 21st, at the Caroline Collective to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the day that man arrived on the scene. If you're a Big Lebowski-aholic, an entered Big Lebowski apprentice or simply a neophyte who's never heard of The Dude or The Jesus and simply wants to have a good time, then head out to 4820 Caroline Street this Saturday, starting at......

We first wrote about Glass Candy last November. If you went to the show, you probably burned a hole in the sole of your shoes when what should have been a show turned into a synth-fueled dance party. Currently featuring both John Alexander: A Retrospective and Learning by Doing: 25 Years of the Core Program, the Museum of Fine Arts and Starbucks' Mixed Media Series is keeping with the Texas theme. The Portland-based Glass Candy has half of its roots in Houston, specifically through beatmaster Johnny......

According to "Destination America" in the May '08 issue of the Smithsonian Magazine, Houston's Juneteenth celebration is the #3 hotspot in the month of June, and Houstonist doesn't think it has anything to do with the temperature outside. Juneteenth is a celebration of the abolition of slavery, and it originated right here in the Houston area (OK, Galveston to be exact) when in 1865 Major General Gordon Granger declared the emancipation of all slaves. The celebration of Emancipation Day eventually became known as Juneteenth, and......

For the Weekend of 06/19-22/2008 Hello there Houston! It’s that time again! It’s time for another excellent installment of H-Town Rock, your source at Houstonist for what’s happening around our fair city this upcoming weekend. Even though we often tend to criticize Houston for having a fractured music scene with different factions that don’t tend to get along, we somehow find a way to have a host of great musical opportunities on any given occasion. So get out your best garb and your finest dancing shoes, as it looks like we have an exciting weekend in front of......