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Cathy Hu

NEWS 10/28/13 7:00pm

Two Door Cinema Club promises to impress at downtown concert

By Cathy Hu

That feeling of plummeting down a roller coaster, of not knowing up from down but not really caring, of adrenaline hitting like a ton of bricks - that is the feeling of experiencing a Two Door Cinema Club show. On Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m., this Northern Irish band will play at the Bayou Music Center in Houston. It is a concert that should not be missed.Two Door Cinema Club consists of lead vocalist Alex Trimble, lead guitarist Sam Halliday and bassist Kevin Baird. It quickly achieved tremendous success in the United Kingdom with its 2010 debut album Tourist History, which received the Choice Music Prize for the Irish album of the year. Similarly, Two Door Cinema Club's sophomore album Beacon (2012) debuted at No. 1 on the Irish Albums Chart.Both albums have their share of catchy tracks that showcase the band's young enthusiasm. By no means is Two Door Cinema Club forging a new path for the indie-pop genre, but it is blazing a trail for itself and accumulating quite the following in the U.K. and beyond.The band's repertoire consists of dance-rock anthems and bouncy guitar lines that have captured the attention of indie-pop aficionados. The band speaks in short, energy-packed punches, with each song lasting between two and four minutes. This musical concision caters to fast-paced, hyperactive audiences.The temporary rush of blasting Two Door Cinema Club through headphones and dancing around a room alone does not compare to the adrenaline charge of experiencing this band live. Critics rave that the band's live performances put its studio-recorded albums to shame. For many electropop bands, stepping onstage and leaving the careful calculation of studio production behind is a recipe for disaster; however, with Two Door Cinema Club, it is a different story. On stage, the band comes alive in a dizzying surge of power. The songs seem faster, the band plays tighter, Trimble's voice sounds rawer and the energy level is higher.The Beacon World Tour, ongoing since September of last year, is the band's biggest tour yet. The Houston show is happening toward the end of the band's North American leg of the tour, and if it is anything like the other shows thus far, it should not disappoint. A Consequence of Sound review of the Oct. 9 show in Chicago stated, "Thou shalt not stand still at a Two Door Cinema Club show." At its Chicago show, the Irish trio ripped through a 17-song set list, composed of songs from Tourist History and Beacon, in a 70-minute rush of frantic indie-pop.Based on set lists from previous shows on the tour, concertgoers can expect to hear classics from Tourist History like "Undercover Martyn" and "Something Good Can Work" as well as new hits from Beacon like "Sleep Alone" and "Sun," all of which will get a listener's heart rate and body jumping. Once the familiar guitar line of "What You Know" breaks through the sound of screaming fans, even the too-cool-for-dancing head-bobbers will not be able to help dancing along.The Bayou Music Center is the stage for many high-profile musical acts that come through Houston, such as Coldplay and The Killers. Located downtown, this venue is a few blocks from the Preston Station stop on the METRORail, but consider driving for an easier approach. It is a mid-sized indoor theater with great sound and light systems that the audience can appreciate from any location in the venue, but the experience is best from up close. Concertgoers who arrive about an hour before doors open are usually able to get standing room close to the stage. This is a fittingly sized and equipped venue for Two Door Cinema Club; expect bright lights, spot-on acoustics and a great experience.Two Door Cinema Club: because everyone needs a break from being serious, and this concert is that happy-go-lucky, jump-up-and-down, dance-like-no-one's-watching fix.

NEWS 9/30/13 7:00pm

Concert preview: Local Natives

By Cathy Hu

Local Natives is a Los Angeles-based band with the potential to become the next indie rock success story, a la Arcade Fire or The National. Currently, the band is still playing the side stages of music festivals, but this by no means signifies mediocrity; rather, it reveals the band as an indie gold mine waiting to be discovered. Coming Oct. 9 to House of Blues Houston, Local Natives should be worth experiencing live.

NEWS 9/23/13 7:00pm

Fun. concert promises upbeat adventure

By Cathy Hu

Boundless energy. Synthesized melodies. Brassy riffs. Raucous beats. Shifting styles. Theatrical delivery. By any logical musical algorithm, the combination of all these factors should prove to be entirely too much. However, it is exactly this bold, adventurous grandiosity that characterizes both the musical and performance style of the Grammy Award-winning Fun. and makes the band so endearing.

NEWS 11/29/12 6:00pm

Dhamaka's explosive performances light up the Grand Hall

By Cathy Hu

Explosions burst when reactive substances combine, producing bright lights, loud sounds, vibrant colors and blazing heat. Dhamaka, the Hindi word for explosion and the name of the Rice South Asian Society's annual fall cultural show, was nothing less than an explosion in every sense of the term. 

NEWS 11/1/12 7:00pm

Bombay Bicycle Club at Fitzgerald's

By Cathy Hu

Whoever said Austin was the only place in Texas to experience good music was terribly misinformed. Fitzgerald's, one of the oldest and most widely recognized live music venues in Houston, recently hosted Bombay Bicycle Club as a stop on the band's American tour. The indie rock band from London performed a show of which even the hippest of hipsters in Austin would approve.

NEWS 10/18/12 7:00pm

Mumford & Sons return strong

By Cathy Hu

No words are left unspoken and no emotions are left untouched in indie folk-rock band Mumford & Sons' new album, Babel. Despite the title's biblical allusion to barriers built by miscommunication and misunderstanding, this album has no trouble communicating the universal themes of love, loss and perseverance through a universal language: music. Although critics have voiced disapproval of Mumford & Sons' lack of innovation in its sophomore album, why try to fix something that does not need to be fixed? The band already discovered a nearly perfect balance of musical, lyrical and emotional elements through its first album, Sigh No More. The next step was simply transferring these colors to paint a picture on the blank canvas which was Babel. But first, take a moment to bask in the glory which is Marcus Mumford's voice. One of the most distinct and nontraditionally beautiful of this time, Mumford's tone ranges from a deep, hushed whisper of vulnerability to an exuberant, gritty howl of emotion. His voice bears the ability to be simultaneously smooth and muted, yet rough and raucous. The renowned Mumford & Sons cross-genre sound introduced and revolutionized in Sigh No More makes a return in Babel, coming back with more strength, development and raw emotion. In each song, indie meets folk meets rock meets bluegrass in a beautiful compilation of musical styles and elements. Tracks such as the hit single "I Will Wait" bear a certain similarity to the memorable anthem "The Cave" from the band's first album. The juxtaposition of a capella harmonies and raucous instrumental breaks of the verses and the crescendo and decrescendo out of the roar of the chorus in these songs are musical elements that have come to define Mumford & Sons. "Whispers in the Dark" and "Ghosts That We Knew" showcase the almost unhuman guitar, mandolin and banjo picking and speed-strumming skills that the members of the band possess. The instrumental lines are passed back and forth between these instruments as others, such as vocals, electric guitar and percussion, are added on, building the song to a point where the listener can hear and feel the infamous Mumford stomp and head bang taking hold. However, the band does make a few efforts to change up its style in tracks such as "Broken Crown," which explores a much darker, grungier side of Mumford & Sons that has not been revealed before. In it, the band employs electric guitar and a full drum set in an almost hard-rock style. A complementary style can be heard in "Reminder," a soft spoken interlude consisting of acoustic guitar and voice. "Hopeless Wanderer" opens with another new musical idea: 90 seconds of piano and voice until everything drops out and returns with a pounding double-time rock. Babel is essentially an album of juxtaposition. Throughout the album are themes of love and heartbreak, insecurity and self worth. The moments of silence are broken by instrumental, vocal and emotional crescendos. From the soft timbre of the piano and acoustic guitar and the raucous metallic roar of brass and electric guitar, to the connotation of confusion in the title and the actual clarity that the album exudes, Mumford & Sons' sophomore album is impressive, strong and universal. It speaks a language that moves far beyond words and notes; it tells the story of the human condition in a self-empowering whisper and battle cry. 

NEWS 9/26/12 7:00pm

A story of love and coexistance told in The xx's new album

By Cathy Hu

Minimalism at its core, "Coexist" strips away the superfluous elements of standard electronic pop, exposing raw emotion through simplistic musicality. The long-awaited sophomore album of The xx continues the story of the British indie-pop band rather than beginning a new chapter.

NEWS 9/13/12 7:00pm

Snack on chat at Bombay Sweets

By Cathy Hu

A true manifestation of the phrase, "sugar, spice and everything nice," Bombay Sweets is a vegetarian heaven. However, this inexpensive buffet is not a "Panda Express" of Indian food; even those cultured in South Asian cuisine will tell you that this place is as authentic as it gets. The restaurant offers far more than what its name suggests. Hailing the epithet "House of Sweets, Snacks, Chat and Vegetarian Food," Bombay Sweets serves everything from specialty drinks and pastries to breads and hot dishes. It is located on Hillcroft, along with a smattering of other South Asian stores and restaurants within the diverse cultural makeup of Houston. An international company and a leader in the snack food industry, Bombay Sweets is a messenger from India, introducing Houstonians to a wide variety of bonafide and 100 percent vegetarian snacks and dishes. However, nothing about this restaurant screams corporate chain food; Bombay Sweets is presented in the manner of a small family-owned restaurant with an emphasis on quality, value and authenticity. Upon walking into a quaint diner-bakerystyle setting, patrons have several options as to what path to take in their culinary journey. One option includes picking up some sweets togo from Bombay Sweets' wide bakery selection. Freshly made jalebi (a fried flourand syrupbased treat, comparable to the all-American funnel cake), gulab jamun (waffle balls soaked in syrup) and many other options are readily available to satisfy an exotic sweet tooth. You could also choose to dine in, ordering one of several varieties of chat. Chat (or chaat) is a term used to describe an assortment of savory snacks, which initially was known as streetCourtesy BomBay sweets food in cities like Mumbai and Delhi. A smorgasbord of potato, crispy fried bread, beans, chutney and spices comprise the basic makeup of any type of chat. Additional ingredients like samosas and yogurt add an even greater explosion of flavor and textures to the dish. A hearty plateful will only cost about $6 to $7. The other dining option is a challenge to be accepted. A $7 buffet runs from brunch to dinner time, offering an assortment of North and South Indian foods. Bombay Sweets offers vegetarian-friendly dishes such as bhaji (an Indian version of vegetable fritters), aloo beans, pakora (vegetables dipped and fried in chickpea batter), sag paneer (spinach dip with cottagecheese) and masala rice. Each buffet meal is accompanied by paratha, puri or, everyone's favorite, naan, all of which are warm, toasted and delicious Indian breads. Having grown up having meals in the houses of several Indian friends, I can vouch that Bombay Sweets is certainly a taste of the comfort and authenticity of home cooking. However, this restaurant is not exclusively for those acquainted with Indian cuisine or who adhere to a strict vegetarian diet. The bold flavors are truly what make this food universally satiating. From mildto spicy and salty to sweet, the lines between flavors are blurred as they all come together in gustatory perfection. For those vegetarians looking for something a little more savory than salad and greens, cultural foodies searching for a new dig, or those who have never encountered the phenomenon that is Indian food, the revelatory experience is upon you. Word to the wise: you may find yourself in a euphoric food coma after your meal. Authentic to Indian culture, Bombay Sweets is the place to go for the biggest bang for your buck and to satisfy your South Asian culinary desires.

NEWS 9/6/12 7:00pm

Embrace your inner folk dancer

By Cathy Hu

"Opa!" The jubilant cry of the Houston International Folk Dancers resonates across the courtroom turned dance floor of Oddfellows Hall every Monday night. Here, a group of Houston's dance enthusiasts gather to share in the magic of ethnic folk dancing.  A recreational and performance group founded in 1947, HIFD currently has about 85 active members and a repertoire of over 300 dances from 39 countries. More a welcoming club than an exclusive collection of dance gurus, HIFD is open to anyone who has an interest in folk dance or simply a desire to try something new.  I had the pleasure of joining this lively group of individuals at their weekly Introductory Folk Dancing Session. Along with 20 or so unsuspecting and open-minded Rice University students, I was led up several flights of musty stairs to an antiquated courtroom. There, we found ourselves transported to a land of unprecedented hipsterdom. A man in his late 60s, clad in a cleverly crafted bandana headband and suede moccasins you could not find in the most obscure thrift store, welcomed us to the land of dance. Slowly, people of all walks of life collected in the room. From the 5-foot-tall 80-year-old firecracker to the middle-aged Rice alum, all of the regulars were exhilarated to see new faces and eager learners.  A vintage stereo system attached to a not-so-vintage iPod filled the room with the sounds and spirits of Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and the Americas. On the blackboard at the back of the room was a list of the 25 dances we were to master by the end of the night. They ranged from basic ballroom dancing to the renowned folk dance of Serbia, the Kolo. We stood in an amoebic circle and held hands, preschool style, as we awaited further instruction from the bandana man.  As fiddles and tambourines lit up the room with the vivacity of a different world, we were given instructions on how to shuffle, step, spin, clap and snap in the style of the natives. Of course, as stereotypical Rice students, we started out in notorious awkwardness: sweaty palms, nervous laughs and tripping over our own feet as well as each others'. However, as the music began to pump louder through the hall, the spirit of dance began to flow deeper through our veins. The room filled with joyful laughter, lively feet, sparkling energy and the increasingly frequent "opa!"  "It was a boisterously entertaining conglomeration of Eastern European auditory and tactile delight," Brown College freshman Greg Kinman said.  Friendships were formed and bonds were created among not only the students themselves but also with the folk dance regulars. Young or old, awkward or agile, beginner or professional, we were all united in song and dance.  "It is a hidden gem in not only the Houston community but the entire nation," Martel College freshman David Lam said.  It was an experience that cannot be matched by any other, and I suggest that anyone with a free spirit and open mind take a step out of his or her comfort zone and onto the dance floor. 

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