If you've been to our little site before, you may notice a few new or different things lurking around here...

First off, we now have a veritable ton of new stuff online for the month of August, including interviews with indie hip-hop duo Soul Position, local H-town popsters Savoy Special, and indie-rock heroes Don Caballero(!). On top of that, we've also got a review of the few-months-back Sonic Youth show here in Houston, and a dozen-plus reviews, of everybody from Sufjan Stevens to Mika Miko to Scanners to Kill Hannah. Oh, and we've got a new batch of Subliminals hiding up there at the top of the homepage, for those who like that sort of thing.

Beyond that, though, we've made some structural changes to the Space City Rock site. Over on the right side of the homepage, you may notice a couple of big long banner-looking things, courtesy of Google Ads. Call us sellouts if you will, but dammit, this thing doesn't magically pay for itself -- we've got to have ads to pay the bills. And besides, they're purty.

The observant may note, as well, that our Guestbook ain't what it used to be. While we appreciate the kind comments folks have sent us over the years -- and hey, feel free to contact us if you feel like it -- in recent months our Guestbook has been nothing but a magnet for spam, and we've had to kill it dead.

Plus, the new "Guestbook" page streamlines our mailing list process a bit; if you want on the mailing list, just put in your e-mail address and click on the "Join Now" button. You can also sign up down below the shows list on the homepage, if you can't be bothered to click the Guestbook link.

Last -- although far from least -- SCR readers can now visit our Space City Rock Gear store. Yes, you can now sport your very own SCR-tagged t-shirts, coffee mugs, and stickers, and support our happy little e-zine at the same time. We've got a few different designs up there right now, and more are on the way, so check back soon...

Labels: Admin Stuff, Interviews, Reviews

gaijin || Link || E-mail || 0 comments

SAVE A LANDMARK!: In case you haven't heard by now, here's the deal: there're rumors flying that the real estate developers who own the venerable Art Deco River Oaks Shopping Center are planning to demolish the building to make way for -- naturally -- another Barnes & Noble (because, what, six in one city just isn't enough?).

Now, the Shopping Center's a pretty neat little retro gem on its own merits and its destruction would be a shame, but what makes things worse is that it's also the home of the historic River Oaks Theatre, currently owned by indie-film chain Landmark Theatres. With the old Meyerland Theater now replaced by an Old Navy and a jewelry shop, the River Oaks is the last remaining vintage theater left in this city (that I'm aware of, at least; the others haven't been working theaters in a long time, and one, the Alabama Bookstop, may also be on the chopping block).

If the theater goes, Houston as a whole will have lost a true local icon, not to mention one of only a small handful of truly indie moviehouses around. For me, it's pretty personal; I've been seeing films at River Oaks since coming to Houston more than a decade ago, and it's introduced me to a world of cinematic art that I hadn't previously realized existed. To see it torn down would be a tragedy.

Luckily, I'm not the only one who feels that way. A lot of people are mad as hell about the threat of eviction and demolition, and they've been making a ton of noise, which is great to see. In this town, though, money generally wins the day, so rather than protest or call City Hall, we're probably better off letting the commercial stakeholders in this deal know we'll be boycotting their asses unless they back off (yes, I'm talking to you, Barnes & Noble). Check out save the river oaks! for phone numbers, news stories on the fight, a link to an online petition, and even your very own printable sign. Whatever you decide to do, please do something.

Houston is a transitory city, and at times like this, that's a crying shame -- I'd hoped to someday take my little girl to see movies at the River Oaks, so she could see what it's like to watch a film in a real movie theater, one that doesn't look like a spaceport. I hope the theater will still be with us by then.

Labels: H-Town News

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