Arts & Events: July 2009 Archives

• 5 p.m. — Coffee Groundz Two-Year Anniversary. Live local music and drink specials all evening, with some proceeds going towards Friday Habour, a local charity. Free admission.
• 7 p.m. — Leave Your Genre at the Door, a menage Houston artists of varying music styles. MC'd by (You)Genius. Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak Drive. $10 bucks, all ages.
• 8 p.m. — High Noon presented by Aurora Picture Show at the Menil. The 1952 film tells the story of a town marshal who is forced to face a gang of killers by himself. Starring Grace Kelly and Gary Cooper — double meow! Free! 1515 Sul Ross.

The Roundwall Rumble Skate Contest happens this Saturday, August 1st at the Lee & Joe Jamail Skatepark.

Houstonist got an earful of the best local music this month when reader-nominated favorites battled it out at the Houston Press Awards Showcase. We can stop holding our breath, because the voting has been finalized and the winners will be announced tonight at Warehouse Live. The categories cover the best instrumentalists, vocalists and bands in a wide range of genres. if you aren't a regular reader of H-Town Rock, the definitive source on music happenings in Houston if we say so ourselves, then the Showcase and tonight's Ceremony could serve as a primer on the Houston music scene. For those who heard that you have to get tickets at an Audi dealership, we were assured by Warehouse Live management that you can show up ticketless and they'll let people in to capacity.

:: The Big Slide Show @ Lawndale ::

From time to time, something wonderful happens in the universe, and Houstonist gets passed some music to review. Occasionally this wonderfulness materializes in vinyl form, an occurrence that makes our ears perk up and take notice. So when Austin duo Followed By Static offered to send us a copy of their new 7" single, Lullaby, naturally we answered with a resounding yes. [Note to other bands: take the hint. Send us stuff.]

Houstonist continues to be impressed with the evening programming offered at the Central Library. From readings to craft classes to writing workshops, all for free, the library ain't just for nerds anymore, but of course, you already knew that.

You may remember a few weeks ago when we went on and on about , Houstonist's second biennial photo show. Well, we're not finished yet: Today, 45 photographers got notice that their work was selected to be part of the show, and we couldn't be more excited about seeing their photos on the gallery wall this fall. Check after the jump for these photographers' names, and congratulate them if you know them (or even if you don't).

For the Week of July 27th - 29th, 2009

:: 2995 Happy Hour @ Mango's ::

Friday
• 7:30 p.m. — Arsenic and Old Lace presented by the Houston Community College Central Drama Department. Classic black comedy about two spinsters who poison lonely old men for money. Tickets $8, at 3517 Austin at Holman.

For the Weekend of July 23rd - July 26th, 2009

If you've ever contemplated a piece by Damien Hirst and found yourself saying "I don't get it", then the Museum of Fine Arts has just the workshop for you. This week and next the MFAH will host How to Look at Contemporary Art, a workshop aimed at those of us who have really tried to understand the likes of Hirst and Marcel Duchamp but just can't seem to make the connections. The first session tonight focuses on tips and tools to engage and interpret contemporary art. Next week's session will provide some historical context for interpreting contemporary art.

When last we met Cinema Bomar, they were screening 16 mm shorts of varying degrees of naughtiness behind Domy Books and Brazil.

For the Week of July 20th - 22nd, 2009

:: Local Chef Clive Berkman Meet + Greet ::

ALL WEEKEND
• SpaceFest: 40th Anniversary of the Lunar Landing, including exhibits, a screening of the original lunar landing footage and more. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. See link for details.
• Reliant Dog Show featuring a variety of breeds competing in everything from agility to flyball. Tickets are $10 at the gate, $15 for both days. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Reliant Arena.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus kick off their first day in Houston this evening in Reliant Stadium. The Over the Top tour features death-defying aerial acts, speeding motorcyclists in the Globe of Steel, flying dogs, limber acrobats, clowns, tigers, and everyone’s favorite- the dancing elephants.

For the Weekend of July 16th - July 19th, 2009

If you've never been to Avant Garden, tonight's Flamenco Andaluz performance will be the perfect chance to experience the cozy and sultry atmosphere of this unique Houston venue. The regularly scheduled performances feature 2-3 dancers and live guitar accompaniment by Jorge Dahnke. If you're lucky and Joe is tending bar, be sure to order a Bloody Mary or one of his delectable shots.

::Texas Country Open Mic Night @ Blanco's::

What's this? Another regular musical jam session? Yerp. This one's at The King Biscuit every Tuesday at 8 p.m. and features Danielle Reich's Jazz Trio along with a different special guest each week. Newbies and those looking to overcome their stage fright are also welcome to join. The sesh takes place in the bar area, but you can still hear the tunes from the wide-open comfort of King Biscuit's patio.

For the Week of July 13th - 15th, 2009

::42nd Street at MOT::

There are several things that have a special spot in our heart: Lone Star on tap at Walter's, our favorite pair of underwear, the fries at Barnaby's, and listening to records on a turntable all fall into the above category. Houstonist wants you to know, reader, that local music stalwarts Buxton have obtained notable rank among these things we cherish.

        

Houstonist stopped at Avant Garden on Wednesday night to take in the memorial/benefit show for local musician Dave Rask, who passed away on June 18th. We were not direct friends with Rask, but had several friends in common and had seen him play a number of times. The show, coordinated by Dave's friends and family, was a rousing success, as Avant Garden was filled with people who chose to honor Rask in what seems a most fitting manner: putting on a fine show.

Still sleeping off the Independence hangover? Not much happening this weekend, so you can easily make each of the events below.

For the Weekend of July 9th - July 12th, 2009

Take a stroll through most Houston neighborhoods and you'll notice some peculiarities. Perhaps you'll find a skyscraper miles from downtown, smack in the middle of what appears to be a residential and retail district. Maybe a rollercoaster will pop up from behind a 60's ranch house. Our unique urban landscape is due in part to the lack of land-use and zoning ordinances, which will be up for debate tonight at the Contemporary Arts Museum.

::C2 Creative Speaker Series: Google Apps Hacks for iPhone::

Houstonist hasn't written much lately about the First Tuesdays at Methodist series, but it's an idea we love: skip rush hour by listening to a concert of classical music.

For the Week of July 6th - 8th, 2009 We hope everyone had a booze and band-filled Fourth of July. We wound up at a pretty kickass show at Super Happy Fun Land. The past, however is past. Here's what's coming up this week in Houston.

It's festival time in Spain. Hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to Pamplona and other townships to participate in Sanfermines and the daily encierros, or bull runs, during which lunatics brave souls flee from bulls loosed in the streets. 2009 marks the third year of New Orleans own version of an encierro, but flat track roller girls do the chasing instead of bulls.

If you're lucky, you've got today off. But Houstonist never rests, and we're slaving away to help you set your social calendar for this holiday weekend. Our favorite events below.

For the Weekend of July 2nd - July 5th, 2009 Queue the mother lode. It's the Fourth of July weekend, so we're certain there will be a plethora of booze, burgers, brats, and of course, bands.

Cactus Music brings us another in-store performance, this time from Austinites Wooden Birds.

Millionaire?" As a bonus, show hopefuls were also being considered for Millionaire's 10th Anniversary week (hosted by Regis) and their movie week, which features only movie trivia. As for the question, "who wants to be a millionaire?" Houstonist, and over 1,000 other Houstonians, said "Um...hello. We do! We do!"