If there’s one term in music that doesn’t always live up to the hype it’s “rock opera.” Sure, The Who and Bowie pulled off their versions pretty well, but for every Tommy there’s a “rock opera” that’s really more of an “adult contemporary musical”. Case in point: Rent, the 1996…
Yes, it’s Cinco de Mayo again. No, we still don’t fully understand the fact that it isn’t Mexico’s Independence Day (that’s in September). Regardless, we still love a reason to party, and now’s as good a time as any. In honor of Mexico’s beat-down of the French, it’s time to…
Celebrate the birthday of the awakened one. Buddha, that is. There are more than 350 million Buddhists worldwide, making it the third most practiced religion, and now it’s time to get down in honor of the man who started it all: Prince Siddhartha Gautama. Gautama was shielded from witnessing common…
We know what you’re thinking, right-wing worrywarts, but it’s cool. Frog and Toad are just really good friends. Your marriage is safe, and no one is “indoctrinating” your children. Well, maybe Casa Manana Children’s Playhouse is trying to teach them a thing or two about the joys of best-friendship with…
The smell of turkey legs wafts through the air. In the distance you hear the tones of a hammered dulcimer conjuring hazy musical memories. The playful sounds of children surround your feet. You look down to smile at the young ‘uns but instead of a happy 8-year-old, you see a…is…
Ever notice how in real life, nobody laughs when you drop a bucket of slime on a little kid? Or how giant shoes full of green pudding rarely have a flag inside? Nothing like hours of Nickelodeon game shows as a kid to set you up for disappointment years later…
Hey, have you heard this? You can help the planet by recycling, saving energy, composting, going organic, etc. It’s true! We read that somewhere. OK…we actually have read it pretty much freakin’ EVERYWHERE, all the freakin’ TIME! Gotta do our part to save the planet! Do it! Do it now,…
I know what your deal is. Not to scare you, but I’ve figured out your deepest, darkest desire, hidden in the teeniest, tiniest corner of your heart: You just wanna dance. And I’m here to tell you it’s OK. What you’re feeling is completely natural. The solution to your problem…
I’ve spent most of my life going to shows. I’ve seen almost every band I’ve ever loved and racked up a huge box full of ticket stubs from every venue in Dallas and beyond. It’s the closest thing I have to a hobby. But every hobby needs a little refresher–I…
April has a lot of exciting holidays: National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day (the 16th), Hug an Australian Day (the 26th), National Spank Out Day (the 29th, and not nearly as exciting as it sounds). But the only one with a full-fledged art exhibit is DÃa de los Niños…
Prisoners can be amazingly crafty. I’ve heard stories from one jailbird relative who rolled apple peels into smokes, lit them with an uncooked spaghetti noodle stuck into an electrical outlet to spark a small flame, then worked out with weights made of waterlogged newspapers. His artwork, though, was limited to…
Yes! My favorite chewing gum is having a special charity event, the Chiclet Luncheon, with creative food arrangements and Chiclets as the featured ingredient. There will even be a guest speaker, supermodel/actress/reality TV judge Paulina Porizkova. Who knew SI cover babes loved nostalgic gum brands? Aw crap, I got that…
I used to have a maroon plastic ukulele. I never learned to play “Tiptoe Through the Tulips,” but it sure was a lot of fun to bring out at parties–invariably some drunk guy would start strumming and strolling around like some cat from the ’20s. The instrument met an untimely…
Remember when your homemade Mother’s Day meals were marginally better than mud pies? That’s not cute anymore. Luckily, as an adult, you can enlist the help of a celebrity chef. This year, Tre Wilcox, a contender on Bravo’s Top Chef, demonstrates dishes inspired by his mother. The menu includes marinated…
There’s really no better way to match the mood and style of his “Southern gothic” and “lo-fi Southern-bred luxury” clothing than for designer Billy Reid to meet with consumers himself. Such the gentleman, right? On Thursday, the man of the tailored suit with a modern edge will offer bespoke suiting…
If you think $60 for a wine-and-cheese tasting is an expensive evening, here’s your alternative: Take that same amount of money, buy a few bottles and serve it to guests. Then, thanks to your stupid choices, they each take one sip and spit it out in disgust. Not only do…
We know the Beat Generation, the Lost Generation and even the Transcendentalists. Modernism and Dada–also touched on. Maybe it’s just us, or maybe it was Texas lesson plans, but we didn’t get to learn too much about one of the most exciting and inspiring artistic movements in American history: The…
The last time I saw George Clinton, he was a lackadaisical participant on CMT’s reality show Gone Country 3. Apparently Clinton was interested in becoming America’s next big country music star? He was up against the likes of Tara Conner (2006 Miss USA reject), Sheila E. and American Idol’s Justin…
Put in your pocket protector, practice your Urkel dance, and tape up those glasses, because you are about to get a visit from the dork side…Comedy from the Dork Side, that is. This Thursday at the Improv you will get full-on geek comedy from a dweeb socialite who collects Pez…
I am no sucker for musicals; for the most part, they embarrass me. I am a complete moron for rock and roll, though, and maybe, just maybe, if a musical is really and truly a product of the heart and soul of rock and roll, it might even snare a…
I’ve tried it all when it comes to eating healthy. I’ve bought smaller plates for portion control, left sticky notes all over my apartment to remind myself to eat more carrots and fewer tacos, and I even tried that crazy Beyoncé cayenne pepper diet (not my proudest moment). Lisa Lillien,…
American movie-goers have a complicated relationship with the musical. While we have no trouble accepting wholly unrealistic plotlines in superhero sagas or supernatural gore fests, if someone breaks into song, we’re out. Music is a perfect medium for storytelling, and though spontaneously performing an elaborate number in the middle of…
