Sam Slam (Tues., Sept. 4)

On Tues., Sept. 4, Jaidyn's and The Draft Bar are throwing a back to school bash they're calling Sam Slam. The event is an all-day affair, starting at noon and ending at midnight (possibly later).

For more info, check out the flier below or go to the Facebook page by clicking here.

from the event page on Facebook

Whose Rhyme is it Anyway? (Weds., April 18)

This Wednesday, there is a free event going down at Avenue L Coffee House: Whose Rhyme is it Anyway?

from www.whoserhymeisitanyway.com

This is an interactive freestyle hip-hop show, featuring rappers Playdough, RedCloud, and Heath McNease. To view the promo video on YouTube, click here. To view the event page on Facebook, click here.

There will be free Rockstar Energy Drinks and free PB & J (jelly and possibly jam)!

Aftermath: Sammypalooza 2011

Last weekend, we headed to SHSU's Johnson Coliseum for the 2nd annual Sammypalooza. There was a decent turnout, and hopefully, this event will continue to grow. Sammypalooza is free to SHSU students, faculty, and staff - and tickets are available to the public for a fee.

When we first arrived, there were vendors giving out free food and student organizations handing out info.

After our photographer helped himself to a free hot dog, we watched Phil Pritchett on the outdoor stage. Sammy Bearkat showed up for a while. He appeared to be blown away by the speaker volume.

We then went backstage to meet some of the guys from Vertical Horizon. We think someone put Vertical Horizon's dressing room sign by the elevator to be funny, but it could have just been a coincidence.

The members of Vertical Horizon were very kind, and we liked what we heard during their interviews. Meagan Ellsworth from The Huntsville Item was there to interview the bands. She and Matt Scannell totally showed each other photos of their dogs.

After we met with Vertical Horizon, we headed back outside to check out Oh, Sleeper. The crowd seemed to really enjoy this band. The guys stuck around afterward to take photos with fans and give autographs.

At 7p, the coliseum opened for the final two bands - Vertical Horizon and Taking Back Sunday. Fans waited around patiently for the bands. Well, most of the fans were patient, anyway. Some of them were mean mugging our photog.

Taking Back Sunday was the headliner. The singer kept swinging his mic around and almost hit our photographer in the face. It was probably a good thing that we were only allowed behind the barricade for 3 songs.

Overall, Sammypalooza was a success, and it was fun. The show did not sell out, but hopefully, it will continue to grow and more students will stick around for it instead of running home on the weekends. The organizations on campus worked hard to put together an excellent event that was free to students. Thanks for having us, SHSU!

To see all of the photos taken at Sammypalooza, check out our Facebook album by clicking here. Feel free to tag yourself in any photos we took, and "like" our page to keep up with local events.

Reminder: Sammypalooza (Fri., Sept. 30)

The second annual Sammypalooza will take place tomorrow on the SHSU campus. This event is free for SHSU students, faculty, and staff. The general public is welcome to attend, but tickets have to be purchased for $25 each. Floor tickets are all gone, so all that's left are the tickets for the sections with seats.

Tickets can still be purchased in person at Johnson Coliseum tomorrow from 12p - 8p, and they are still available online until tonight at 11:59p. Click here to purchase tickets. 

Vice Verse Us, The Last Great Assault, Phil Pritchett, and Oh, Sleeper will be playing on the outside stage. The Coliseum opens at 7p. Vertical Horizon, opening for Taking Back Sunday, will go on at 8p.

Official flier. Click to enlarge.

In addition to the music outside, there will be free food and activities to participate in. 

To check out the Facebook page for Sammypalooza, click here. 

LiquoReview: Sam Houston American Straight Whiskey

I went to Lone Star Liquor earlier to check out the taste testing of The Kraken rum. I intended to wrap my tentacles around that, but the Sam Houston whiskey caught my eye, so I bought it instead. Admittedly, I tend to buy things based on their packaging sometimes... and this was one of those times. I was also interested for the obvious reason of its name being "Sam Houston." The employees gave it good reviews, but I was skeptical. 

Guess what, ladies and gents. It is pretty good. It is not as harsh as some whiskeys; it's pretty smooth. If you don't like the taste of Jack or Jim, you should give this a shot... or get away from whiskey altogether. 

I have heard of Sam Houston Straight Bourbon Whiskey, but that comes in a bottle with a black label. Hmm. I'm not sure who actually made the blue label SH whiskey, but like I said, it is pretty decent. I purchased it for $24.99. Give it a go if the mood strikes you. 

This isn't something I would drink all the time, but it would be a neat thing to serve at a SHSU-related event. You know, like at a graduation party or some-such.