The Rocker bears the decidedly unmistakable odor of something made in 1983 and left on the shelf a good 25 years. Which isn’t to suggest that it’s fetid product in need of tossing out: Parts of it are genuinely delightful, and Rainn Wilson doesn’t squander his first feature-film starring role…
The Frisco RoughRiders are the Class AA affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Nolan Ryan, besides being eternally awesome, is the president of baseball operations for the Rangers. He also happens to be one of the principal owners of the Corpus Christi Hooks, a rival team whose CEO just happens to…
In a Moleskine safely tucked away in the area of “things to grab if there’s an apartment complex fire,” I have an original drawing on a napkin by one artist, Tonybones. It was from an interview I did with him for a graffiti piece in our long-since defunct section Full…
Kids say the darnedest things. They’re funny without even trying, even if what’s funny is also what gets them grounded from time to time. But that combination of funny/naughty is what comedy careers are built on. The Addison Improv’s School of Comedy takes young comics and helps them hone their…
Remember the battle of the Davids? You don’t have to admit it to us, but with seven seasons spent dominating the Nielsen ratings and pretty much obliterating any other show that dare air during Tuesday or Wednesday prime time, somebody has to be watching American Idol. It’s OK, we won’t…
The creators of the play Heaven for a G are justifiably concerned about youth violence. After all, as they say in their own press release, “violence is quickly becoming the new ‘black’ for the upcoming generation. Unfortunately, they are wearing it too well.” Look around, folks–on runways from New York…
Mark your calendars, because God’s birthday is coming up, and it’s time for a celebration. No, I’m not talking about Jesus’ dad. Rumor has it he’s not really the partying type, and who knows when his birthday would be anyway. The birthday boy in question is the one and only…
We think it’s about time you taught your kids about the regional wildlife. No, we’re not talking about a field trip to Greenville Avenue at 2:05 a.m. after all the bars have let out. We actually want you to take them somewhere they’ll have a chance of surviving without emotional…
There’s no health plan in art. I’m sure that there are some artists out there who have spouses or families that can put them on their health plans, and I bet there are probably guilds and organizations that provide insurance to their members at a reduced cost. But I would…
Geography is something of a lost science. With air transportation a fact of life, however miserable, there’s no destination on earth that’s not accessible with a day or two of travel. I think that’s taken the urgency out of geography: Why bother to become familiar with points on a globe…
He may be on his way out of The Tonight Show door, but Jay Leno isn’t looking to settle down anytime soon. For starters, he’s bringing those one-liners and witticisms to North Texas for one night in Casa Mañana’s “Laugh With a Legend Gala,” benefiting the organization’s arts education and…
What does the NFL preseason teach us? Not much. That’s especially true this year, when we know the Cowboys are stacked in pretty much every position and are the odds-on favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. But still, this is Texas, meaning that if you’re like me,…
As far as honeymoons go, taking a steam ship down the Nile sounds like quite the romantic plan. But in Agatha Christie’s play Murder on the Nile, the exotic trip of newlyweds Simon and Kay Mostyn quickly turns to murder, mayhem and red herrings when they discover Simon’s jilted ex…
For the “most popular women’s event in the Southwest,” VISIONS: The Women’s Expo knows exactly how to target their audience. When it comes to bonding the ladies together, always go with the three F’s: free stuff (facials, hairstyling, tastings, demonstrations), fashion shows (pet, human and jewelry, of course) and firefighters…
Talk about a wild ride. After 16 years as a theater critic, Tom Sime is now an award-winning playwright about to make the jump from Dallas to New York. Before he heads out, he’ll be giving us the second of a one-two theatrical punch. Earlier this summer, he premiered Bloodletters,…
The Great Tyrant can always be counted on for some coffin-dark rock. Vocal effects alternately give Beck voice-of-God depth and the guttural roar of a B-movie demon, and his keys spit forth insane-asylum piano dissonance and horror-movie organ blasts. The synth-bass-drums trio needs no guitars, thanks to the ferociously noisy…
For those who prefer to eat, sleep and breathe their craft, there’s nothing like the full-on immersion of an artist’s residency. And as far as artist residencies go, we can’t think of many better places for one than Fair Park. UT Dallas agreed, and Centraltrak was born. With that as…
Paula Nelson may not look like her daddy, the king of the Lone Star State’s bio-herbal brigade and creator of some of the most legendary country ever, but she’s got him in her voice. There’s the shrill twang of Willie and a natural stage presence…mixed in with a bit more…
When someone mentions Paul Newman, I immediately think salad dressings, salsas and Ginger-O’s, but then I picture him as Luke in the opening scene of Cool Hand Luke. Drunk and wearing a satisfied, smug grin, he’s slowly, methodically cutting the heads off rows of parking meters with a pipe cutter…
Due to travel issues, US Congolese KORA Music Award winner Awilo Longomba (Rhumba legend), has not performed or even stepped on US soil in three years. Until now. Finally, those who appreciate the Longomba’s traditional African music and Ndombolo talents will enjoy a dramatic performance featuring music, dance and general…
The story goes that Lucky Tubb’s grandfather pulled him over to his deathbed and said, “Carry on the family name, and make me proud.” If you’re a fan of old-school country, then you know that’s a pretty tall order. And while, so far, Lucky isn’t quite the musical trailblazer his…
Once upon a time M. Night Shyamalan made a damn good scary movie. The Sixth Sense has it all: walking corpses (including a seriously creepy pre-DUI/-puberty Mischa Barton), a tension building score, haunting cinematography and a spooky twist at the end. It’s a psychological thriller about a child psychologist (natch)…
