game. set. rock.

Brash tennis legend John McEnroe ready to rock out at red-hot Houston fashion event

John McEnroe will riff — and riff — at the fashion event.

Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for AYS Sports Marketing

As one of the greatest tennis players America has ever produced, John McEnroe is no stranger to big numbers — take his 883 career wins, 77 career titles, and a host of Grand Slam titles — including three Wimbledon wins.

But, it may surprise fans that the explosive, tough-talking tennis legend is also no stranger to musical numbers. McEnroe, an avid guitarist, fronts a band called Johnny Smyth – inspired by his marriage to singer Patty Smyth.

Houstonians who’re fans of McEnroe’s tennis game and effortless and brash “you cannot be serious” swagger can catch him on Friday, October 21 when he and his band play "After Dark 2022: Underground Edition," an annual fundraiser for Houston nonprofit sustainable fashion house Magpies & Peacocks. Tickets, including a VIP meet-and-greet package, are available online for the event that includes bites, cocktails, shopping, a live auction and more at the fashion house's store (908 Live Oak St.)

McEnroe’s appearance comes courtesy of event chair Tama Lundquist, who recently faced off with the tennis icon during Wimbledon for a charity event. Lundquist, who suffers from sports injuries, dropped some good-natured smack on the king of tennis smack talk: “You ready to get beat by another Swede?” (A nod to his battles with Swedish on-court nemesis Bjorn Borg that even sparked a documentary.) Turns out, the tough guy went easy on her.

“He was so patient and gentle and kind,” Lunquist tells CultureMap, “very, very sweet.” Later, she attended a concert at McEnroe’s home, and months later, Johnny Mac will rock out at her event.

As for the hot and haute fashion event, the show features a twist this year (as if a Johnny Mac appearance isn’t enough): Instead of models, some notable Houstonians will rock the runway. Strutting stars include Lundquist and her sister Tena Lundquist Faust of Houston Pet Set, Great Day Houston’s Deborah Duncan, and Holly Clapham-Rosenow of Houston First Corporation.

After the pre-event meet and fashion show, McEnroe and company will shred onstage, and then (schedule permitting), meet fans at an after party. Lunquist teases that the generous tennis superstar may even auction off a piece of his own Wilmbleon history.

Scoring a tennis titan is just the latest win for Magpies & Peacocks. Last year, as CultureMap reported, the 10-year-old organization was the sole house to be named to the prestigious Gucci Changemakers 2021, and later hosted House of Gucci exes in the front show of the 2021 “After Dark”show.

Meanwhile, McEnroe has become nearly as famous in pop culture as he is in sports. He does frequent voice-over work, most notably on the Netflix smash Never Have I Ever, where he narrates the life of teenage Indian-American girl Devi Vishwakumar with the trademark deadpan that’s made him beloved all over. (He drops gems like, “Wow, I look great there,” when archive clips of his matches grace the show.)

Consider this a chance to watch a superstar strut his stuff for a good cause — and hopefully ace a memorable one-liner.

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After Dark 2022: Underground Edition rocks the runway at 7 pm Friday, October 21 at Magpies & Peacocks, 908 Live Oak St. For tickets and more information, visit the event site.

Very Good Lighting

Houston museum's glowing art-world fête sparked bidding and dancing

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston CAMH Party 2026

Photo by Jenny Antill

David McGee, Kate Criner Bellin, Georgie Bellin, Susie Criner, Campbell and Annie Eifler, and Sanford Criner.

The upstairs Brown Foundation Gallery at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) morphed into a lantern-lit fever dream as CAMH Party 2026 unfolded in full black-tie splendor.

Photo by Jenny Antill

David McGee, Kate Criner Bellin, Georgie Bellin, Susie Criner, Campbell and Annie Eifler, and Sanford Criner.

More than 300 guests floated through the immersive scene designed by Rebecca Johnson of Bergner & Johnson Designs, where glowing orange, pink, and light green lanterns offered something between a contemporary art installation and a chic late-night garden party.

Co-directors Ryan N. Dennis and Melissa McDonnell Luján welcomed supporters and honored longtime patrons and former trustees Sissy and Denny Kempner, whose four decades of dedication to the museum served as the evening’s north star. Chairs Susie and Sanford Criner alongside Cece and Mack Fowler kept the night humming as guests sipped cocktails, mingled among auction works, and sized up a limited-edition print by artist Francesca Fuchs created exclusively for the event. Additional works by artists including Carrie Mae Weems, Nari Ward, and Tomashi Jackson reminded attendees that this was still, at its core, an art-world affair enticing art collectors.

One with very good lighting and even better tailoring.

Charity auctioneer Ruth Mason Mauldin took command of the room as bidding wars erupted over works by artists including Mel Chin and Mario Ayala. Once the final paddle dropped, DJ MAV and Gulf Coast Entertainment shifted the mood from polished philanthropy to dance-floor diplomacy.

The museum raised more than $900,000, making it one of the most successful fundraising evenings in CAMH history.

On full party mode were Alexandra and David Pruner, Elisa Stude Pye, Leslie Elkins Sasser, Kirby Liu and Chris McCarthy, Franci Neely, Louise Jamail, Mary Ann and Mark Miller, John Guess and Melanie Lawson, Page Kempner and Chris Johns-Krull, Courtney and Christopher Sarofim, Poppi Massey, Lauren Rottet, Chris Goins and Josh Pazda, Danielle S. O’Bannon, Catherine Anspon and John Walker, Divya and Chris Brown, Robert Pruitt and Ebony McFarland, and Michael Mandola.

fundraisers musuems contemporary art museum houston