Sara Quin performing during Tegan and Sara's March 15 show at Warehouse Live in Houston. Deanna Mendoza / www.sevensixtyeight.com

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Deanna Mendoza / www.sevensixtyeight.com

What else would I mean?

I had projected this to be a popular SXSW-week show, but I didn’t quite think their popularity would be this crazy. The Canadian twins’ growing fan base practically slapped me in my face as I got to the venue sometime after doors opened that night. With media credentials safely in hand, I was bummed to find out there’s no special press entry (seriously, Warehouse we need to do something about that).

I was forced to join the everyday people waiting and walked to the end of line, and walked and walked. This line from hell stretched for two complete blocks and ended at the entrance of BBVA Compass stadium. Never before had I seen a line so ridiculously long well after doors opened.

An hour later and I was inside with just enough time to see the openers, Austin indie band Speak, rock out in their finale. The Texas boys made good and had a really contagious energy on stage. I just wish I could have seen more of them.

Tegan and Sara might have been promoting their latest release, Heartthrob, but the indie rockers gave a nod to their older fans when they led with their two most recognizable songs in “Back in Your Head,” from 2007’s The Con, and “Walking With a Ghost,” from 2004’s So Jealous.

Those two songs are easy for even the most casual Tegan and Sara listener to recognize, and their repetitive choruses made it easy for the audience to sing along with from the get-go. That’s something Tegan encouraged by jokingly threatening to head back to SXSW if she didn’t hear everyone singing. She knew exactly what to say to light a fire under the Houstonians’ asses — bring up a comparison to Austin.

While the entirety of Heartthrob was played, 2009’s Sainthood didn’t get much playing time with “Arrow” and a dance-inducing remix of “Alligator” being the only tracks.

It’s worth noting that the ladies had just come off a pretty rigorous three-day packed schedule during the festival. That included playing back-to-back nights around midnight, and even hosting mtvU’s Woodie Awards the night before heading to Houston, where they had a private live lounge show during the day of the show at Mix 96.5.

It would have been expected, and completely understandable, for their performances to be somewhat subpar due to them being dead tired, but that was the last thing it was. If anything, I was completely surprised by how great the pop-rockers’ voices sounded. I didn’t hear any tiredness in their voices and they belted it just as emotionally as they would have if Houston had been the first stop on their tour instead of their final one.

There was no phoning it in for the Quin sisters, because at this point in their careers they know what their audience comes to expect and deserves from them: a damn good show.  They got as good as they gave apparently, as both sisters expressed how much they loved the enthusiastic Houston crowd. Sara even went so far as to say it was the best audience of the tour.

“We don’t throw that around lightly,” Tegan told the sold-out crowd in response. “It could be because we just feel like we came out of some kind of war zone at SXSW, but you guys have been so awesome.”

Chuck Ragan, Rocky Votolato and Jenny Owen Youngs

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Chuck Ragan, Matt Pryor, Rocky Votolato and Jenny Owen Youngs dropped by Fitzgerald’s in Houston Tuesday night and delivered a lively, intimate performance that was as much an experience as advertised. The set featured new material, songs from the artist’s other bands and even a few covers.

The interaction between the musicians was passionate, if not a bit perplexing at times. You could honestly tell that they were ad-libbing during parts of the show, but the improvisation and playfulness of the musicians was as entertaining to watch as it was to listen to.

The lack of hierarchy was also notable and admirable. Starting the show with all of the musicians on stage is something Ragan calls a “must” for every Revival performance. But while each of the artists performed his or her individual set, the other musicians were noticeably standing side stage, awaiting an invitation to come on stage and add instrumentation, vocals or both.

Unfortunately, if I said there were 200 people in attendance I’d probably be guessing high, but those who did come out were more than willing to sing along, stomp their feet and even “woo-hoo” at all the right, and wrong, times, giving the artists enough of a response to keep it nimble. There was a consistent dialogue between the stage and the crowd, which made for a pleasurable atmosphere.

Don’t miss your chance to catch The Revival Tour before the tour finishes April 23 in Los Angeles. For more information, click here.

Chuck Ragan leads The Revival Tour into Houston March 19 at Fitzgerald's. Photo courtesy of www.chuckraganmusic.com

There’s no shortage of band members becoming solo acoustics acts today.

Maybe because it’s just easier to lug around a hollow six-string than it is to set up a full band, or because there’s a personal quality about the performance – the one-man/woman side project seems to be the thing to do.

That doesn’t mean all of these ventures are good. On more than one occasion, a singer removed from his or her band and its effects has shown how powerful production and mixing can be (Scott Weiland’s recent releases come to mind).

But then there’s the good stuff. Whether it’s solid stripped-down renditions of pre-recorded band songs, or new material written with a folk mentality – when an artist is good, the acoustic performance can add a whole new perspective.

The Revival Tour showcases some of these artists and gives fans a chance to see bare bones performances of songs from Hot Water Music, The Get Up Kids, The Loved Ones and Rise Against.

The tour hits Houston at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Fitzgerald’s. Featured artists will be Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids), Rocky Votolato and Jenny Owen Youngs.

Ragan, the driving force of the tour, first set out with Tim Barry (Avail) and Ben Nichols (Lucero) in 2008, and has since made it one of the premier annual acoustic tours. Over the past five years, artists such as Kevin Seconds (Seven Seconds), Frank Turner, Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem) and Dan Andriano (Alkaline Trio) have taken the stage during The Revival Tour.

Unlike many tours and festivals, The Revival Tour is based on the idea of sharing each other’s music, and often the stage. There are no opening acts or headliners during the sets. Instead, the artists join each other on stage and allow the creative energy to dictate what happens next.

Ragan has been quite busy during the last year. After releasing solo work and touring for the past seven years, he rejoined Hot Water Music for a new album and tour, wrote and released a book and, most recently, released a documentary about The Revival Tour first five years.

In all, the tour focuses on the most basic elements of live music – lyrics, instruments and atmosphere. Being one of many fans in attendance will be nothing less than a different concert experience.

Tegan and Sara play March 15 at Houston's Warehouse Live. Photo by Lindsey Byrnes, courtesy of Teganandsara.com

It’s that time of year again, when Houston benefits from the onslaught of musical talents hitting up Austin for South by Southwest. One of the more anticipated off-shoot performances coming to us is Canada’s favorite twin sisters, Tegan and Sara.

The ladies are touring in support of their latest release, Heartthrob, and will play March 15 at Warehouse Live, right after they play a couple showcases at SXSW on March 13 and 14.

If you can’t make the trek to Austin, you‘ll want to see them at Warehouse because chances are they will be playing the entirety of their newest album – their best effort since 2007’s The Con.

Much like I thought of The Con, 2013’s Heartthrob is a record I found myself listening to all the way through without wanting to skip a single track, no matter what number listen it was.

It’s an album filled with pop goodness. From the opening track, “Closer,” a danceable early-love anthem, Heartthrob will have you dancing in your bathroom mirror, complete with vocals sung into a hairbrush microphone to a hair-product audience, in no time.

When last the duo was in town, three years ago in February 2010, Steel Train was their main support. The band’s lead singer, Jack Antonoff, is now better known as the guitarist in the Grammy-award-winning band Fun.

It’s possible with this more “mainstream friendly” album the indie twins could be headed in that same direction. In fact, they snagged their first Grammy nomination this year for their DVD “Get Along.”

Everything about Tegan and Sara now seems brimming with the potential to appeal to a wider audience, from their music, to their promotional appearances (Ellen). Even their haircuts have been updated (I mean, could anybody really stand those mullets from The Con era?)

I know I just used the dreaded “m-word,” but mainstream doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I’m not saying this album’s sound is too clean and safe, because I do still feel their music has a soul.

Nowhere is that soul more evident than Sara’s big break-up song, “Now I’m All Messed Up.” I will admit that something gets lost on the recorded chance, but if you get the chance to see her sing it live as I did in October at their Austin City Limits performance, you might find it hard to hold back tears.

You can tell Sara pours her entire self into her heart-wrenching performance, because the emotion is palpable, even in a crowd of thousands.

If you’re looking for Hipster cred, now’s a good time to get your Tegan and Sara tickets, so you can say you saw them before they really blew up. Okay, so that’s not guaranteed to happen. But if it did I’d say the twin sisters, who’ve been a band for almost 20 years, have definitely paid their dues.

Dropkick Murphys play Thursday, February 28 at House of Blues Houston. Photo by Michael Ivins/Boston Red Sox 2011 Michael Ivins/Boston Red Sox

Boston based Irish-punk rockers Dropkick Murphys are known for throwing one hell of a party on St. Patrick’s Day. The band has performed in Boston during the holiday for over a decade, inciting a beer-swigging, fist-pumping, sing-along good time.

In recent years, the band has taken the party on tour, and does so again this year during its 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Tour.

The tour hits Houston Feb. 28 at House of Blues.

Since 1996, Dropkick Murphys have been filling clubs and stadiums with its blue-collar, Irish-clad punk rock sounds. Once a four piece outfit, the band now consists of seven official members and features a variety of traditional Irish instrumentation alongside gritty guitars and up-tempo rhythms.

The band’s Boston roots come through in its music, retelling stories from the city and offering a number of odes to its sports teams. Dropkick’s cover of “Tessie,” an old 1902 Boston Red Sox anthem, and early favorite “Skinhead on the MBTA,” have grown from local preferences to some of the band’s most recognized tunes.

Success took the form of a major label deal when the band signed with Warner Bros. Records in 2007, and subsequently released Meanest of Times the same year through their own Born & Bred Records. The single “The State of Massachusetts” became one of the band’s most critically acclaimed tracks, as it was named one of “Rolling Stone Magazine’s” 100 Best Songs of 2007, and the theme song to MTV’s “Nitro Circus.”

In 2011, Dropkick Murphys’ released Going Out in Style, a concept album that follows the life of the fictional Cornelius Larkin. The album featured guest appearances from Bruce Springsteen and NOFX’s Fat Mike, who also appears in the comical video for the title track. More of an Irish-folk album than previous releases, the band trades in most of its heavily distorted punk sounds for acoustic and clean sounding traditional Irish instrumentation.

The band released its latest album, Signed and Sealed in Blood, Jan. 8. The album finds the band playing with the perfect balance of Irish-folk and punk rock – a culmination of its past albums and experiences. Signed and Sealed features the Christmas themed “The Season’s Upon Us,” which earned the band its first radio success, and “The Boys are Back,” a stadium ready return to the sing-along style that earned the band its popularity.

There’s no doubt you’ll get a little bit of everything when seeing Dropkick Murphys live – including a built-in party. Consider the show a must-see before celebrating St. Patrick’s Day next month.

Opening for Dropkick Murphys is Old Man Markley, a folk-rock outfit from Los Angeles, and the UK’s Jim Lockey & the Solemn Sun. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m.

TOP FILMS OF 2012

Mayra Cruz – Staff Writer

1. Moonrise Kingdom – Wes Anderson charmed audiences with this story of childhood romance with a vintage twist. The plot is simple enough, but the real magic is between Khaki Scout Sam Shabusky and Suzy Bishop as their story unfolds.

2. The Secret World of Arriety

3. We Need to Talk about Kevin

4. 21 Jump Street

5. Ted

6. Magic Mike

7. The Amazing Spiderman

8. The Dark Knight Rises

9. Argo

10. Skyfall

Scott Gonzales – Editor (As it turns out, I only saw six movies this year. So here they are.)

1. The Hunger Games – Based on the best-selling books of the same title, the movie was just as thrilling as the print was. Although it’s a rare occurrence, when a movie actually sticks to the same plot as the book it was based on it usually turns out to be great. This was the case with “The Hunger Games.” Although there were a few minor changes (some that took quite a hit from the critics), I felt they were quite refreshing and didn’t drastically change any of the original story’s meaning. I can’t wait to see what happens with the second installment of the trilogy.

2. The Dark Knight Rises

3. Brave

4. Act of Valor

5. Singin’ in the Rain (re-release)

6. Friends with Kids

TOP SPORTS MOMENTS OF 2012

Scott Gonzales – Editor

Felix Baumgartner goes free falling, and falling and falling… – I’m not much for extreme sports. In fact, I think that some of them shouldn’t even be considered sports. But when a guy jumps from 24 miles up, breaks the sound barrier and a world record, then landing safely on his feet, that’s pretty impressive. I’m not sure if it was the earth’s gravity or the weight of his obviously huge balls that forced him back to earth.

Johnny Manziel wins the Heisman – I hate myself a little for posting about an Aggie, but Johnny Football’s impressive season was topped off when he became the first freshmen to win the coveted Heisman Trophy. When you see all of the NFL Hall of Fame players lined up on stage during the presentation, it’s hard to believe this has never happened before. To think that this kid is the first in that illustrious group of athletes must mean he’s pretty special.

The Kings Hoist the Cup – Unless you’re a rabid hockey fan or a Southern California resident, you probably haven’t heard much from the Los Angeles Kings since Wayne Gretzky and his mullet were the talk of the league, and that was during the mid-nineties. So when the 2011-12 playoff powerhouse Kings won the team’s first Stanley Cup in its 45 years of existence, it was a pretty impressive feat. Led by goaltender Jonathan Quick, the Kings beat the top three seeds in the Western Conference to meet New Jersey for the cup. The lack of hockey this season only allows the team to revel in their glory that much longer.

Tebow Time – The phenomenon of bowing on one knee with a your fist on your forehead, better known as Tebow Time, reached an all-time high when then Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow made one of the most memorable plays of the 2011-12 NFL playoffs. During the Broncos wildcard game, Tebow threw for over 300 yards giving his team a chance to head into OT against the favored Pittsburgh Steelers. In what is now the quickest win ever in an NFL overtime, Tebow hit Demaryius Thomas for an 80-yard TD pass on the first play, giving his team the victory. Oh how sweet it was, and how quickly we all forgot.

Giants Beat the Patriots…Again­ – The Patriots fan in me can’t believe I’m writing about this, but it must be done. However, I don’t have to be nice about it. The stupid New York Giants beat New England in the Super Bowl for the second time four years, yet again during a fourth quarter comeback. Led by stupid Eli Manning and his stupid offense, the stupid Giants and its stupid fans have earned the right to brag about their stupid team to any New Englander for quite some time. That’s just stupid.

The End of Robertson Stadium – Houston’s very own Corbin J. Robertson Stadium has been a landmark for area sporting events since 1942, most notably as the home of the University of Houston’s Cougar football team. This past football season, however, marked the final season of athletics at The Rob. Making it a little easier was Houston’s poor performance on the football field this past season. With deconstruction well underway and the drawings for the new stadium being recently unveiled, Houston will surely have another fine athletic complex that will hopefully be filled with a ton of great memories.

London Olympics – The XXX Olympic Games hit London in grand fashion this past summer, creating another generation of fans for sports people didn’t even know existed. That’s all good though, since it’s the national pride that really matters at these events. And there were a number of opportunities for Americans to be proud. The U.S. women’s soccer team, beach volleyball team and gymnastic team all earned dramatic gold medals during the games, as did the men’s basketball team. Individuals such as Kayla Harrison in Judo, Michael Phelps and Missy Franklin in swimming and Justin Gatlin in track were equally successful in their events. Unfortunately, most Americans will forget all about this until the next summer games take place four years from now in Brazil.

Miggy’s Triple Crown – Carl Yastrzemski had one of the greatest seasons in baseball history during the 1967 season, winning the triple crown by hitting .326 with 44 homeruns and 121 RBIs. His numbers were magnified by the fact that no player had won the Triple Crown during the next 45 seasons. Then came Miguel Cabrera, who broke that streak by winning the title this past season hitting 330 with 44 homeruns and 139 RBIs, earning him the AL MVP award and leading his team to the World Series. Although the Tigers fell to the Giants in the fall classic, Cabrera’s season will forever be remembered as one of the greatest, putting him on a list of only 14 other Triple Crown winners. The fact that he did it in an era when specialized pitchers are brought in by opposing teams to face tough hitters make his feat that much more spectacular.

Chipper Jones Bids the Game Farewell – The Atlanta Braves have been one of the most recognizable franchises in baseball since it was known as the Milwaukee Braves and Hank Aaron donned the team’s uniform. The team has had many successful seasons since, including fourteen consecutive division titles (1991 – 2005), and winning the World Series in 1995. Much of that recent success came with the help of the team’s eight-time All-Star third baseman, Chipper Jones. After spending the last 19 years with the Braves, Jones called it quits at the end of the 2012 season. He retired a .303 career hitter with 468 homeruns and 1,623 RBIs, numbers that should easily put him into the Hall of Fame. Most importantly, he did this with full respect for the game, always leaving the game with a dirty uniform and playing hard for every inning of the game. I’m no Braves fan, but Chipper will be missed.

Replacement Refs Are Hilarious – I really don’t pay much attention to the beginning of the NFL season, mostly because I’m much more of a baseball fan. However, I couldn’t help but watch the comedy sketch that was the replacement referees who were…well I guess you’d have to call it officiating, although it didn’t quite turn out so great. It all stemmed from the NFL refusing to cooperate with the real referees and their union about a monetary figures and benefits. What ensued was three weeks of pure comedy. There was ridiculous placements of the ball on penalties, penalties that weren’t called (or called correctly), extended delays and one ref who was outed as a superfan. But the cream of the crop was the play now known as the “Fail Mary.” During the final play of the Seattle vs. Green Bay game, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson heaved the ball into the end zone, praying for a miracle catch to win the game. Wilson got his miracle, but not quite the way he expected it. The Packers’ M.D. Jennings clearly had the ball in his possession as he hit the ground, and the play should have been called an interception. However, the replacements ruled that Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate caught the ball and gave the Seahawks the touchdown and the win. Oh what horrible, horrible fun those three weeks were.

Marina and The Diamonds bring performance to another level at Houston's Warehouse Live. Deanna Mendoza / www.sevensixtyeight.com

Warehouse Live looked more like the set of a very twisted episode of “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” on Monday night, when Marina and the Diamonds played the big stage.

Teens, tweens and young gay men galore came out in droves to see the British pop diva. Many dressed in beauty pageant dresses with punny sashes to complete the ironic look. A few even wore Mardi Gras masks, but no true fan’s look was complete without a heart-shaped beauty mark that night – an imitation of the cover portrait on Marina and the Diamonds’ 2012 album Electra Heart, as well as an homage to How to be a Heartbreaker, “Rule number 3/ wear your heart on your cheek/ but never on your sleeve/ unless you wanna taste defeat. “

And strangely enough among the crowd, but sadly without a heart on his cheek, I noticed Houston’s own Wayne Dolcefino standing next to me. The Houston investigative reporter recently left his job at KTRK Channel 13, and well, now I guess we know what he gets up to with all that free time on his hands.

Swedish DJ duo Icona Pop warmed up the crowd, but they’re more than good enough to be headlining their own shows. Their set didn’t drag on, and instead left the crowd of enthusiastic party-goers wanting more. As the two tall beauties hunched over either side of their turntables in the middle of the stage, I couldn’t help but think they looked a bit like a couple of witches hovering over a cauldron, but brewing up some seriously entrancing beats. Their set culminated with their biggest mainstream hit “I Love It,” also known as the theme song to the MTV reality show “Snooki & JWoww.”

Swedish DJ group Icona Pop got the crowd in the mood at Houston's Warehouse Live. Deanna Mendoza / www.sevensixtyeight.com

Marina’s set began with a bit of theatrics, and really I wouldn’t have expected anything less.  A bright heart-shaped purple neon sign reading “Electra Heart” buzzed on and lit up the stage as the indie-pop singer sauntered out on stage wearing a veil and carrying paper flowers and, staying in character, went right into “Homewrecker.”

What became clear is that her show depends heavily on transforming into whichever character the next song in the set calls for. I’m not talking elaborate Beyonce five-minute long wardrobe changes though. Sometimes all it took was a small prop to get the message across, putting on a simple night gown, for example, before singing “The State of Dreaming.”

But when the singer took a little longer to do a complete wardrobe change, a couple things struck me when she came out wearing a pink number. For one, I couldn’t believe I’d never realized just how much she resembled Dolly Parton – if you know what I mean.  But I also couldn’t shake the feeling that she reminded me of someone other than Dolly in that dress.

Then it hit me.

Marina's wardrobe was an act in itself at Houston's Warehouse Live. Deanna Mendoza / www.sevensixtyeight.com

You remember that episode of “The Simpsons” where Marge finds that high-end Chanel dress for cheap in an outlet, then it leads to her joining a country club, which then leads to her having to re-upholster the dress so she can keep up appearances she clearly can’t afford? That was it. Marina was blue-haired, yellow-skinned Marge Simpson up there on stage singing Power and “Control,” only with the addition of Marina’s trademark exposed midriff.

At her best, she is a bit of a caricature, a cartoon, and I don’t mean that as a criticism. A big point of appeal for her fans, which she refers to as diamonds, is that Marina doesn’t take herself too seriously. Her songs can have a serious message, but she doesn’t stop having fun with it. And at the heart of it, that’s what her show is – a fun time.

She makes it clear though props and wardrobe changes that she is separating herself from the personas she explores in her album. Whether she’s wearing a “Miss Shellfish Beach” sash while singing “Bubblegum Bitch,” a song she said was inspired by “one of the greatest pop singers on earth, Britney Spears,” or carrying an oversized teddy bear wearing a Cinderella-esque dress performing “Teen Idle,” she is still Marina, and her diamonds still love her.

Check out our list and let us know what you think. Did we leave something off? Please feel free to add a comment.

TOP MOMENTS OF 2012

Scott Gonzales – Editor

Hunger Games Phenomenon – Not only were the books some of the most read during the year, the movie was a major success and the mostly unknown actors and actresses are now some of the most recognizable. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for “Catching Fire.”

My 10-year wedding Anniversary – While this probably doesn’t matter to most people, it’s a major accomplishment to me. So yeah, I’m bragging that I have the most amazing little family that any man could ask for and having that for over a decade now is pretty damn cool. Expect a similar post in ten years.

“Call Me Maybe” is Everywhere – Everyone with a video camera lip-synced to Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit single “Call Me Maybe” at some point this year, and about half of those flicks went viral. My own house was inundated with this track after my 4-year-old daughter dubbed it her favorite song…so call me crazy.

Superhero Summer Blockbusters – From The Dark Knight Rises to The Avengers and The Amazing Spiderman, every nerd’s lightsaber was standing at attention at some point this summer. Surprisingly, the movies actually lived up to the hype this year.

Katie Holmes Leaves the “Light” of Her Life – Everyone cringed when the seemingly innocent and quiet Katie Holmes decided to wed psycho-star Tom Cruise some years ago. Watching her hide under the cover of his beliefs has only made it worse. I’m sure we all breathed a little sigh of relief for her when she found a way to escape the compound.

Soundgarden Reunites and Releases King Animal – When Soundgarden decided to call it quits in 1997, the band left Pearl Jam as the only majorly successful band of the esteemed Seattle-grunge sound. Although drummer Matt Cameron immediately found a home with Pearl Jam and vocalist Chris Cornell had success as both a solo artist and with Audioslave, fans of the group still desired the dark melodic sound infused with heavy metal that Soundgarden provided for over a decade. King Animal proves that the band still has it.

Gangnam Style is the Only Style – Although this is one of the most annoying dance-trends I have ever witnessed, you can’t overlook Korea’s Psy and his dance that is happening everywhere you look. I’ve seen the Locomotion, the Humpty Dance and the Macarena, and I’ve been annoyed by all of those too, so it’s hard not to include this one as another that will go down in history. I just hope it goes down soon.

Lana Del Rey Survives SNL – In a day and age when most public figures find a way to completely melt-down after being publicly humiliated (see Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan), Lana Del Rey not only survived what many called the worst performance ever on Saturday Night Live, she thrived after it. The release of her first full-length album shortly after the performance didn’t skip a beat, as it was received well by both critics and fans of her Hollywood bad-girl shtick. Take note all you up-and-coming female pop stars. That’s how you handle a controversy.

KONY 2012 / Invisible Children-Guy Goes Streaking – What better way to celebrate the outing of your companies semi-hoax and revealing to the world what a whack-job you are than by taking a nude stroll thorugh the neighborhood? No really. I can’t think of a better way. Either could Jason Russell, who was arrested after roaming the streets in his birthday suit – an event that was just the beginning of the end for him.

The Boy-Band Resurrection – What the world needs now is another wonderful boy band, like I need a hole in my head. However, with One Direction taking over the teeny-bopper world, we now have our latest installment of pop crap, carrying on the traditions of The Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and New Kids on the Block. This isn’t all bad though, since it usually drives sane teenagers into their garages to crank up their guitar amps and create something loud and destructive for the rest of us to drown out the sounds of candy-coated auto-tuned vocals.

Deanna Mendoza – Staff Writer

Houston Finally Gets An H & M – For years some of the best parts of my international vacations would be a chance to shop at the local H & M. This was such a treat because it’s almost impossible not to find at least one cute thing, the prices were pretty affordable, but most of all because there were no stores in all of Texas. Imagine my upset when that cesspit Dallas was announced as the first city in Texas to get a store. What an insult! So when opening day came at Baybrook Mall, the five or so hours I waited in line with several hundred other H & M fans seemed like no time at all.

Baby’s First SXSW/FPSF/ACL – Yes, it’s a shame as a native Texan I’ve never been able to attend a single one of the great music festivals this state offers. I’ll cop to that. Fortunately, I was afforded the opportunity this year to knock all three off my list of must-attend festivals. And while I had my doubts between tackling wristband woes, suffocating heat and inclement weather all three turned out to be better than I was expecting. Whether I was attending as a concert-goer, a volunteer or a member of the working media, each experience was special and something I’ll never forget, no matter how many times I attend in the future.

The Civil Wars Breakup…Or Did They? – On a nondescript day in early November, the country-folk duo The Civil Wars posted a message to their Facebook page that left me with the worst feeling in my stomach. The gist of the note was the group was unceremoniously canceling their upcoming tour dates, saying “due to internal discord and irreconcilable differences of ambition, we are unable to continue as a touring entity at this time.” Um, what? Irreconcilable differences? Was this a divorce? Or maybe just a hiatus? They haven’t really spoken further on the subject, but either way I’m just glad I was able to catch a least a few songs when the band played the Austin City Limits festival just the month before. I just didn’t know then that might be the last time I’d be able to see them.

Shit Everyone-And-Their-Mother Say – When this viral trend started with Shit Girls Say, it was only a little funny to me. Then the spinoffs and parodies started and with each one it grew less, and less, and less funny. It got so bad that I avoided clicking play on any video my friends’ shared that started with “shit” and ended with “say.” But, in the end, I guess it’s pretty cool that this was something anybody in any subculture felt they could be a part of and make their own version of. I just refuse to watch any more of them.

The Comeback Kids – It might be appropriate to nickname 2012 “The Year of the Comebacks.” This year saw plenty of artists who hadn’t released albums in years get back into the swing of things. With bands and solo artists we’d grown fond of a decade or more ago, it didn’t even matter if they released tracks of cats walking on pianos, white noise, and a Diane Rehm Show anthology, we were so nostalgic we’d be happy with anything. If you hadn’t noticed by now, a few of my favorite comeback kids included Fiona Apple, who last released Extraordinary Machine in 2005; No Doubt, who last released Rock Steady in 2001; and Ben Folds Five, who last released The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner in 1999.

Eisley Babies – When Eisley’s lead singer Stacy DuPree and Darren King announced their pregnancy only a few weeks after playing a show in Houston with Sucre, I felt like maybe the pregnancy joke I made after the show was a premonition. But never did I expect Chauntelle, Sherri and Weston DuPree to also make similar announcements in the weeks and months to come. Before I knew it 4/5ths of the band were expecting and I was getting a little nervous about the band’s future. But that was all for naught because babies on board didn’t even slow them down. They’ve not only finished “LP4,” but Chauntelle DuPree is already working on her solo project as well. And even though Stacy is so far the only DuPree who has given birth, Sherri has assured fans once they’re all born the family will pack them all up and continue to tour as normal.

Disney Buys Lucasfilm – News broke of this monumental $4 billion deal and unleashed a social media fury of mixed feelings. And when it was announced that additional “Star Wars” films were already in the works, nerds were not sure what to think. But can we look at the bright side here? Yes, Princess Leia is now technically a Disney Princess, which means your nieces and daughters can add that badass in their doll collections, right next to Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Also, and this is really the best possible outcome, more “Muppets”/”Star Wars” mash-ups. As a super fan of both Jim Henson and George Lucas’ epic trilogy I can hardly contain my excitement for the possibilities.

Hologram Pac – Coachella blew everyone’s mind when they booked TuPac to perform with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre at this year’s festival. Hologram TuPac, that is. I really can’t believe no one had done this before with the technology we have, and I really freaking wish I had been there to see every pot-headed reaction in the crowd. The aftermath included several spoof twitter accounts and endless hologram jokes. Mostly though, it just left me wondering when the Tejano crowd was going to get their hologram Selena concert up and going. I could seriously see some tickets selling for that, and I’d probably be first in line.

Honey Boo Boo –  ”I’m Alana. I’m six. And I’m a beauty queen.” So began Honey Boo Boo Child’s foray into television and into America’s hearts. Originally appearing on TLC’s “Toddlers and Tiaras,” this tiny spitfire’s catch phrases were on everyone’s lips. From “A dolla’ make me holla!” to “you better redneckonize!” Soon enough, the cult following she picked up from the handful of minutes she had on T&T turned into her own full-blown reality show starring her entire family. The phenomenon is now unstoppable, and whether you love her or you can’t stand her, there’s no denying 2012 was her year. And let’s not kid ourselves, you know you’ve found yourself shouting “a dolla make me holla!” or telling people they better “redneckonize.”

That Time I Made Morgan Freeman Laugh – Yes, this is s personal entry, but it’s is the most awesome thing that happened to me this entire year, so screw you. Stop being so selfish and just let me toot my own horn. In 2012 I visited NOLA for the first time as a support system for a friend who was running a marathon. The morning after visiting Bourbon Street, we walked along the marathon route to cheer on our friend, but being a mixture of still a little buzzed and hungover, we were late and just missed her. (Okay, so I’m not up for any friend of the year awards this year.) Walking back to our place, my friend froze and said “Is that Morgan Freeman?!” She didn’t wait for a response from me as she walked up to the stopped car and shook the man’s hand. “Oh my God!” I thought. “This girl is still drunk and seeing things.” But as I walked up to the car, she was right! I told him how I had just referenced his role in “Bruce Almighty” the day before. “I saw a man dressed in all white and I said, “look y’all, there goes Morgan Freeman,” I recounted. Then something magical happened. He let out a classic Freeman chuckle that I can still hear in my head. I made Morgan Freeman laugh. Year made.

Photo courtesy of www.clubfonograma.com

2. Sucre – Fitzgerald’s

3. Cafe Tacuba – House of Blues

4. Florence & the Machine – Austin City Limits Festival

5. Alex Anwandter – SXSW

6. Metric – Austin City Limits Festival

7. Spice Girls reunion performance – XXX Olympic Games Closing ceremony

8. Eisley – Warehouse Live

9. Best Coast – Free Press Summer Fest

10. Reba – Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Mayra Cruz – Staff Writer

1. Girl in a Coma San Antonio’s Girl in a Coma are consistent performers, no matter the venue, be it in sleepy college towns or full blown summer heat for more than half a year since they’ve formed. They bring the noise. And awesome noise at that, with vocalist Nina Diaz growling and howling through the entire set.
2. The Tontons

3. Los Skarnales

4. Café Tacuba

5. Radiohead

6. Young the Giant

7. Snoop Dogg

8. Best Coast

9. The Flaming Lips

10. Starfucker

Scott Gonzales – Editor

Photo courtesy of www.sunny99.com

2. The Flaming Lips – Free Press Summer Fest

3. Valiant Thorr – Free Press Summer Fest

4. The Lemonheads w/ Meredith Sheldon – Fitzgerald’s

5. Charlie Mars w/ Griffin House – McGonigel’s Mucky Duck

6. Young the Giant – Free Press Summer Fest

7. Mark McKinney – Stockdale Watermelon Jubilee

8. Taking Back Sunday w/ Bayside – House of Blues

9. I Am the Avalanche – Vans Warped Tour

10. Erykah Badu – Free Press Summer Fest