For a chance to see one of the biggest fusions of local art and music from inside-the-loop, check out Westheimer Block Party from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday between the 300 and 500 blocks of Westheimer Road.
With six stages, more than 50 local bands, a slew of neighborhood DJs and more than 30 Houston-based artists, Westheimer Block Party will serve as the perfect event for those eager to delve into the city’s rich arts scene free of charge.
What began in the early 1970s as a bi-annual arts and crafts festival called the Westheimer Street Festival evolved from an event binding Houston’s arts into something that lost sight of the past effort and became an event comparable to a drunken frat party in the streets.
The event has now been resurrected in the form of Westheimer Block Party, a bi-annual event organized by Free Press Houston in an effort to both reconnect and define the scene.
For Omar Afra, publisher and managing editor of Free Press Houston, creating an event to make Houston’s diverse music and art scenes more asscessible for Houstonians young and old alike is essential.
"When I was a kid, when you went to the West Fest you found out about all of the great bands that were on the forefront at the twice-yearly festival," Afra said. "Those two festivals facilitated me and my friends to indulge in the inside-the-loop arts."
Many fail to see just how potent Houston’s arts scene actually is, and Westheimer Block Party aims to show how much it has flourished in recent years.
"We’re trying to counter the notion that Houston doesn’t have much of a music and art scene," Afra said. "We want to have something smaller, more compressed and focused strongly on music and arts from the neighborhood."
Just because Westheimer Block Party boasts a hefty lineup doesn’t mean the quality of the musicianship and artistry chosen is being lost. It presents a selective lineup with local musicans and artists stemming from all sides of the musical spectrum.
Westheimer Block Party looks to produce something that has a focus on arts and music for people to come out and see rather than host a party in the streets.
Grunge-rock group Lazlo will deliver its energy-enthused sound at 2:15 p.m. at AvantGarden, 411 Westheimer Road.
Though the band of locals has only been together for two years, it is among the most prolific groups, having already produced a range of songs that show off the group’s assorted and well-crafted sound.
Metal duo Golden Axe will serve up an intense set packed with explosive guitar riffs and zealous drumming attacks at 6:45 p.m. at Numbers, 300 Westheimer Road.
Free Radicals, a horn-heavy group that sports a range of styles spanning from jazz and funk to ska, reggae and avant-garde will perform at 8:15 p.m. at Avante Garden.
Teen band Doo Doo Butter will rock its funk-tinged grooves at 2:15 p.m. at Mangos, 403 Westheimer Road.
DJs including John the Third, Sahsa Braverman, Jeffrey Mac and Chello will spin at La Strada, 322 Westheimer Road.
Overgrown, an installation and performance art exhibit focusing on the recent abundance of Houston growth, will be on display at the corner of Westheimer Road and Taft Street.
From graffiti and brush painting to performance art, most of the artists that come out will also be painting on-sight.
On-sight artists will include painters Eli Brumbaugh, Shelby Hohl and Lisa Marie Godfrey, among others.
Houston-based graffiti arists Skeez and Color will also be on-sight to show off their vibrant spray painting skills.
Free table space will be available for artists who want to show up and display their work.
For more information and a complete band schedule, visit www.freepresshouston.com.
