• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    partying free

    Houston's first Sober Fest brings boss beats, country, pop, a Heights rockin' rollerblader, and more in booze-free showcase

    Steven Devadanam
    May 18, 2023 | 6:30 pm

    Not too long ago, Houstonian Max Flinn was a promising high school quarterback for Bellaire High School, an All Greater Houston and district MVP with eyes on a bright college football career. But something dark was chasing the young athlete and musician.

    “I played guitar for fun as a kid and throughout high school,” Flinn recalls to CultureMap, “and then when my addiction really took hold, there was no music. I mean, literally, I would pawn my guitars to pay for drugs and things.”

    A DWI followed, changing his college football trajectory. “I got sober and then sort of rediscovered — reignited — my love for, for music and decided to make it a career,” he says. He left his job in oil and gas in 2017, and now, he's an accomplished singer-songwriter with national writing credits to his name.

    Welcome to Sober Fest

    With a 10-year sobriety track record and seasoned music career, Flinn is the perfect music curator for Houston's inaugural Sober Fest. The diverse — and completely alcohol and drug-free — music showcase hits White Oak Music Hall on Sunday, May 21. The talented roster of artists perform from noon to 6 pm, playing everything from Texas country to '80s, video-game inspired pop.

    Flinn, a country crooner who looks fit for the upcoming season of Yellowstone, will take the stage along with faith-based performer Marshall Camp; Texas soul singer Micah Edwards; singer-songwriter Chris Lively; country singer — and former Baylor basketball player — John Heard; vocalist Catterina; Texas country performer South Texas Tweek; DJ StevieRay; and Legacy Man, the Heights sensation who rocks '80s anime pop — on rollerblades.

    Music fans should check out the lineup list here with each artist's Spotify playlist.

    “We wanted a really diverse line up and I think we accomplished that,“ says Flinn. “We've got men, we've got women, we've got different ethnicities, and we've got a wide-ranging style of music.”

    More a Sunday matinee concert and less a sobriety Ted Talk, Sober Fest celebrates the sober life, sobriety, and those who looking for a good time without imbibing. Fans can expect barbecue, and plenty of alcohol-free refreshments. The event, a first for Houston, is produced by the Party Sober Partnership, an organization that throws sober theme parties across town.

    “This is just a music festival,” promises Flinn. “It's not gonna be a place that feels awkward for somebody who's not sober and it won’t feel preachy to someone who's thinking about getting sober. I really want this to be all-inclusive for everybody.”

    Sober — but not sobering

    Max Flinn
      

    Photo courtesy of Max Flinn

    Country crooner Max Flinn.

    “I think that there's a misconception for people, especially those newly sober or even thinking about it — we call it sober curious — that it's like the death of fun,” Flinn notes. The show takes place on a Sunday, known as Sunday Funday for the party crowd, but Flinn thinks that can be overplayed, too.

    “The truth is, Sunday Funday as they knew it might be all over,” he says of those who might miss the boozy revelry. “But that wasn't too much fun to begin with — or else they wouldn't find themselves thinking about getting sober.”

    The dichotomy of celebrating sobriety in a scene that often celebrates debauchery, booze, and drugs isn't lost on Flinn. “Nowadays, after many years of sobriety, I'm perfectly comfortable being out in bars and clubs and where alcohol is served. I mean, I'm probably in those environments more often than I am in recovery groups,” he notes. But that wasn't always so easy.

    “In early recovery, I didn't go to bars. I didn't go out to live music for the first year-and-a-half, maybe two years, because I really needed to insulate myself. It was hard to be in those types of environments and not feel the urge, the peer pressure, the trigger — whatever you wanna call it — to not to not drink or use.”

    The freedom of booze-free

    Now, Flinn can “go anywhere and do anything without that sort of temptation. That's, that's the miracle of it,” he says. “But, for those people that are still in that place and for some, it takes longer than others just to have a safe place to go and enjoy music where they otherwise maybe don't feel comfortable to do that. It's cool for me, all these years later to be a part of something that sort of reminds me of where I was early on.”

    A booze-free show, on the other hand, can actually be liberating for those who perhaps get a little carried away at shows. “I meet a lot of people who maybe are not necessarily sober or alcoholics or have a problem, but they do end up drinking more than they wish to drink because they're out of a concert and everybody else is doing it.”

    “So, here's an opportunity to come out on a Sunday afternoon and just enjoy music in a sober environment, support the recovery community, and not have to worry about drunks, getting in fights, or drinks hitting your car on your way home.”

    Tuned in to a movement

    Flinn isn't afraid of sharing his story, but he does so in moderation. “When I talk about it on stage, I give it 10 to 20 seconds and it's usually just talking about being sober and how much it's great for me,” he says.“I also say it's not for everybody.”

    Some of the Sober Fest acts are also in recovery, while others are supportive. “Some other artists aren't necessarily in recovery, but they're what I would call sober allies,” Flinn notes, “they support our mission, they support our community.”

    Spirited fun — with no spirits

    Flinn knows that sobriety and the sober-curious movement is on the rise. “My wife even told me that it's becoming even sort of cool and trendy in places like Europe to be sober. And you do have a lot of these nonalcoholic beer companies popping up, like Athletic Brewing here in Houston, and places like Sipple — they're co-sponsoring our event with Rambler. So I do think that the stigma is breaking and that it is becoming more mainstream and cool.”

    As someone who's lived in both worlds, Flinn channels the partier and sober in his work. “You don't want to only sing from where you're at all the time. I think that would get a little stale. I can sing a drinking song and a recovery song with equal fervor.”

    Even in an industry that is known for handing performers booze and drugs, Flinn finds support. “On occasion you'll get some smartass comment like, ‘well, more for me,’ but I'd say 95 percent of the responses to me telling people that I'm sober is, ‘that's awesome.’” I also get a lot of ‘I wish I could do that,’ or ‘I should probably do that, especially in my world,’ — which is the world of club owners and promoters and people that are out partying.”

    Not that Flinn really relies on others' opinions, anyway. “Here's the deal. I only take my own experience and as I've grown more comfortable in who I am in the way that God made me, I really just care a lot less what people think is cool or not. I'm having fun — more fun than I could ever have — in a way that I can be proud of and that doesn't wreck the lives of my own and people around me.”

    Just a good time

    Seriousness aside, Flinn just wants folks to have fun. “We want to show people that it's great to go out to live music if you're sober. I think if you're sober and you wanna go to watch Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson smoke weed together on stage because you enjoy their music, you should be able to do that, too.

    “This is an event that celebrates the recovery community, that shows people that we're not squares, we're not dull, and just shows the outside community that we like to have a good time. It also shows people newly in sobriety that we can have a lot of fun — any time we can.”

    -----

    Sober Fest runs from noon to 6 pm at White Oak Music Hall, 2915 N Main St. For tickets and more information, visit the official site.

    news/entertainment
    popular

    Movie review

    New movie Eddington confronts the chaos of early pandemic life

    Alex Bentley
    Jul 18, 2025 | 3:30 pm
    Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in Eddington
    Photo courtesy of A24
    Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in Eddington.

    The coronavirus pandemic had a profound impact on the entire world, one that has been shown in various ways by movies and TV shows. However, even though a number of productions have attempted to show what life was like during the early days of the pandemic, few have tried to truly reckon with the way lockdowns and restrictions changed people.

    Filmmaker provocateur Ari Aster does just that in Eddington, set in a fictional small town in New Mexico in early 2020 that proves to be a microcosm of the debates taking place worldwide at that time. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) is not a fan of mask mandates or other restrictions imposed by the government, while mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) tries to lead by example in an effort to keep his community safe.

    The men butt heads not just on how to deal with the pandemic, but also over a personal history involving Joe’s wife, Louise (Emma Stone). When news of the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota makes its way to town, it starts a slow simmer among the town’s youth population, putting even more stress on Joe and his small department. Conspiracy theories, white guilt, partisan politics, cults, and more combine to make the community into a powder keg that threatens to explode at the slightest provocation.

    Aster (Midsommar, Beau is Afraid) takes aim at all sides in a film that’s part satire and part thriller. No matter how each viewer reacted to the pandemic, the film offers at least a character or two that will come close to representing their viewpoint. Although opinions may differ, it seems clear that Aster is not portraying one side as “right” or more righteous than the other. What he is doing is demonstrating just how much was happening in a short period of time, and how those things could negatively affect anyone.

    On the flip side, the film also challenges viewers with viewpoints that may not match their own, which can make for an uncomfortable experience at times. The reactions various characters have to certain events range from rational to wholly unexpected, and Aster seems to delight in keeping the audience on their toes the entire time. This is especially true when violence rears its ugly head, resulting in some intense and upsetting scenes.

    Not everything in the film lands, though. A subplot involving Louise and Vernon (Austin Butler), a cult leader who preys on her fears, feels tacked on, with no relation to the film as a whole. In fact, the character of Louise is a misfire in general, one whose purpose makes little sense. Aster also lets (asks?) some actors speak in almost inaudible tones at various points in the film, a frustrating experience in a film as dialogue-heavy as this one.

    Phoenix loves to dig into off-kilter characters, and this one ranks high on that scale. Even if you don’t enjoy what his character does, it’s hard to fault the performance that brings him to life. Most of Pascal’s scenes are with Phoenix, and while he matches Phoenix’s energy, the lower key nature of his character leaves him overshadowed. The nature of the film means few others make an impact, although Deidre O’Connell as Joe’s passive-aggressive mother-in-law and William Belleau as Officer Jiminiz Butterfly stand out in their scenes.

    Few of us would volunteer to go back to the baffling days of early 2020, but Eddington does a great job of examining what was happening at the time and how events united some and divided others. It’s not a feel-good film, but it is one that will make viewers re-examine their reactions at the time and how those influenced the current reality.

    ---

    Eddington is now playing in theaters.

    coronavirus pandemicfilmmovies
    news/entertainment
    popular
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Houston intel delivered daily.
    Loading...