Music Matters

Beyond Carmageddon: The perfect playlist for anyone stuck in a traffic nightmare

Radiohead
Fleet Foxes

It’s about that time of year to pack up and hit the road, facing both the stress of the freeway and the doldrums of a long car ride. Carmageddon may have passed, but the summer traffic isn't going anywhere.

Ah, but I’ve got the remedy for you, my dear friends. It’s a mix of the best songs to cross my path in 2011, a pretty fruitful musical year so far. This mix is guaranteed to make those long hours on the road just a bit more bearable.

“The Valley” by Okkervil River: Let’s start this off with a cathartic rocker, guaranteed to get your trip off and rolling with authority. Okkervil front man Will Sheff sings about traversing “the valley of the rock and roll dead,” just as you’ll be weaving effortlessly between all of the zombies blocking your path.

“Velcro” by Bell XI: I’ll cop to being not too familiar with this band, which has been very popular in their native Ireland for some time now. This is an invigorating slice of dance pop a la Phoenix, and you might not hear a more romantic line all summer long than “I’ll be your Velcro.”

“Tree Down By The River” by Iron & Wine: You might consider bearded folkie Sam Beam more of a winter artist, with his hushed voice and acoustic renderings. Here, however, he spins off a gorgeously nostalgic summer reverie, complete with falsetto-backing vocals to capture a Beach Boys-vibe.

“Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall” by Coldplay: I don’t know if this upcoming album is the one that will be the group's first truly classic full-length. What I do know is that, until Bono and The Edge get untangled from their web, Chris Martin and company have cornered the market on effortlessly uplifting singles.

“Codex” by Radiohead: You’ll have to be careful not to get too transfixed on the beauty of this composition from The King Of Limbs while at the wheel, or else you might hurtle over a guard rail or two. At least you’ll do it in the most tranquil way possible.

“Dimming Of The Day” by Allison Krauss & Union Station: Tell the significant other that you’ve got some dust in your eye when this one comes on, because I guarantee you’ll be a bit misty when you hear Krauss’ take on this Richard & Linda Thompson classic.

“Time Spent In Los Angeles” by Dawes: This band hails from LA, so it knows from whence it speaks on this song about a girl with a “special kind of sadness.” The song joins the proud lineage of melancholy songs about the West Coast, a la the best offerings of Jackson Browne or Don Henley.

“Villains On The Moon” by Cold Cave: Do you remember that brief point in the 80’s where Depeche Mode was cranking out weirdly captivating songs like “Enjoy The Silence” and “Policy of Truth” with regularity? This song is just like one of those, courtesy of a New York City band to watch.

“Yonkers” by Tyler The Creator: I’m not condoning anything that’s going on this song, but it is impossible to deny both the captivating power of its Pac-Man-run amok rhythm and the inventiveness of the lyrics, as raw as they might be.

“Codeine” by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: The former Drive-By Trucker has carved out a nice little niche as the head of this new collective. This song is a quintessential piece of alt-country, with fiddles and pedal steel that accentuate Isbell’s tale of wayward former flame.

“Someone You’d Admire” by Fleet Foxes: The Foxes new album is definitely a contender for the finest of the year so far, and this unabashedly pretty song might be the highlight. Substitute anything from the latest Bon Iver album if you’re looking for something equally soft and luminous.

“June Hymn” by The Decemberists: OK, it’s a month late, but this sublime offering from The King IsDead, the best album of the year in my opinion, encapsulates the season in perfect fashion. No traffic jam would be complete without it.

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weekend event planner

Here are the top 14 things to do in Houston this weekend

Houston Barbecue festival attendees with tray

Courtesy of the Houston Barbecue Festival

Try samples from more than 20 restaurants at the Houston Barbecue Festival.

We’re in the middle of spring events season, which means every weekend is truly loaded. Over the next few days, Houstonians can tour homes, go to art shows, practice their home run swings, and eat their weight in smoked meat.

Enjoy; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, March 30

Home Run Dugout Grand Opening
Home Run Dugout, the first-ever sports bar, restaurant, and entertainment venue featuring indoor soft-toss baseball, will open to the public this weekend. A brand-new way to play baseball with friends, Home Run Dugout has reinvented the batting cage, offering an immersive, social gamified playing experience suitable for sluggers of all ages and skill levels. The restaurant’s extensive menu features elevated ballpark-inspired fare, with shareables like crispy chicken sliders, smoked chicken wings, and buttermilk onion rings. 11 am.

Houston Junior Forum presents The City Market
Usher in spring at The City Market, where guests will get a chance to explore a curated market featuring a wide variety of merchants. Houston Junior Forum’s event benefits a range of charitable services for children, youth, women, and senior adults in the Greater Houston area. Check out this market with your best pals, or have a day to yourself while finding what’s new for spring. The main market takes place on Friday, with a separately ticketed preview party on Thursday. 5:30 pm (11 am Friday).

FotoFest presents “Contact: Making Images Using the Cyanotype Process” opening reception and public workshop
Head over to this celebration and cyanotype-making workshop, held in conjunction with FotoFest’s latest exhibition. See the incredible handmade cyanotypes created at recent workshops. Guests are invited to create cyanotype artworks in a free, artist-led workshop. Images made during the workshop will be displayed at Silver Street Studios. Guests are also encouraged to bring objects to create unique images. Flowers, negatives, and other fun objects with unique silhouettes work best. Through Saturday, May 20. 6 pm.

Friday, March 31

NCAA presents Reese's Men's Final Four Friday®
Filled with interactive activities and entertainment for fans of all ages, this public event includes open team practices for the participating Men’s Final Four teams as well as the Reese’s NABC All-Star Game, Top senior student-athletes from around the country will be playing on the Men’s Final Four court. This event will provide an opportunity to see the teams and players up close, and be in the venue that will host the semifinal and championship games. 10 am.

Silambam presents Waking Up Free: India’s Journey
As India celebrates its 75th year of Indian independence, this evening-length performance tells the stories of India’s fight for independence. Based on the traditional Maargam format of Bharatanatyam, this original production weaves together classical Indian music and the expressivity of classical Indian dance to tell the story of struggle and hope in present-day India. The event will also be livestreamed on Miller Outdoor Theatre website, as well as its YouTube and Facebook pages. 8 pm.

University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance presents Shakespeare in Love
Young Will Shakespeare has writer’s block. The deadline for his new play is fast approaching, but he’s in desperate need of inspiration. That is, until he finds his muse: the feisty, brilliant and beautiful Viola. This crafty young woman is Will’s greatest admirer and will stop at nothing to appear in his next play. Against a bustling background of mistaken identity, ruthless scheming and backstage theatrics, Will’s love for Viola quickly blossoms, inspiring him to write his greatest romantic masterpiece. Through April 9. 8 pm (2 pm Sunday).

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema presents Graveyard Shift: Silver Bullet
Where Wolf – a new creator-owned graphic novel from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese and Jack Morelli – is set in the wild world of furry conventions, small-town Texas journalism and werewolf whodunits. Leading up to the book’s wide release, Saucedo will tour movie theaters across the country, screening werewolf films and providing an opportunity to purchase the graphic novel early at signing events. For this screening, he’ll show this 1985 thriller, based on Stephen King’s novel Cycle of the Werewolf. 10 pm.

Saturday, April 1

Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation presents Sugar Land Arts Fest
The Sugar Land Arts Fest will feature two days of art, music, wine, and food. A premier arts festival in the Houston metropolitan region, the festival will showcase over 100 visual artists from around the country, with paintings, sculpture, photography, glassworks, and more. There will also be continuous live music in the center of the festival, a wine and beer garden, food trucks, and an exclusive VIP sponsor area. 10 am.

ROCO presents The Nightingale Book Launch
Guests can experience Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairytale in a new musical setting commissioned by ROCO. Along with illustrations by Amy Scheidegger Ducos, music and story combine for the release of The Nightingale as an interactive children’s book, to be given free to the first 50 children in attendance. ROCO concertmaster Scott St. John, principal clarinet Nathan Williams, and composer/pianist Kevin Lau will perform, with Alecia Lawyer as narrator. 10:30 am.

Houston Edible Book Festival
Edible book festivals around the world celebrate books, humor, and imagination through the creation of dishes inspired by books and puns. Always celebrated on or around April Fools’ Day, it’s an event that features food shaped like, or referring to, books. It is a fun and engaging community activity which involves both children’s and adults’ books. This year, The Printing Museum is partnering with the Houston Book Arts Guild and hosting the festival at its new location in Midtown! This event brings delight to both entrants and onlookers. 4 pm.

Tradesman X Gil Mindiola “Die A Hero” Art Show
Tradesmen Barber is hosting local artist Gil Mindiola for his exhibition. Mindiola’s art will be showcased in the shop, providing an experience to the Houston community unlike any other. Mindiola pours his heart into his creative body of work and allows a palpable vulnerability that jumps out at the viewer. Craft Pita will serve complimentary food, and Equal Parts Brewing and Todos Santos will offer complimentary drinks. 9th Stage will deliver sounds. Admission is free. 6 pm.

Sunday, April 2

West U Home Tour
West University Elementary PTO will present the annual West U Home Tour. The event will feature eight unique homes in West University Place, highlighting the work of local builders, architects, designers, and realtors. Featured properties range in style from modern masterpieces to transitional family abodes to carefully restored vintage homes. Check-in for the event is at Tiny's No. 5; home addresses will be given to paid ticketholders. Proceeds from the tour benefit the West University Elementary School PTO. Noon.

10th Annual Houston Barbecue Festival
The Houston Barbecue Festival will celebrate its tenth anniversary this weekend. The lineup includes longtime favorites like CorkScrew BBQ, Gatlin’s BBQ, and Truth BBQ, as well as new talents like Khoi Barbecue and Bar-A-BBQ. This year’s charitable partner is Recovery Houston Foundation. All tickets include entry into the festival and unlimited sample portions from each barbecue joint. VIP tickets include one drink ticket, a T-shirt and entry into the festival one hour early. A bar with craft and national beers will be available. 1 pm.

Couture Gawds presents Couture with Cause
Couture with Cause serves as the second annual charity event supporting the human trafficking awareness initiative. The event will feature comedy, vocalists, dancers, and couture fashion worn by models for Evida Agency. The show will display creative work from three designers and allow guests to network, shop with vendors and enjoy cocktails and live music. The show will have menswear, resort wear, swimwear, etc. 5 pm.