Lionsong: The Best of The Week

Björk Digital. Photo: Courtesy of Artist/Santiago Felipe

Well, it’s hard to believe, but Day for Night is finally here.  The game changing festival will grace the former grounds of the Barbara Jordan Post Office in downtown this weekend.  With acres of digital art and performances from Björk Digital, Aphex Twin, Liars, Squarepusher and more, it’s definitely a must see event.  Of course, it’s not the only game in town as sets from Flosstradamus, Band of Horses, and Jim James of My Morning Jacket will all be here alongside locals to fill out the week.  Houston, here’s how to navigate the next seven days.

On Wednesday you can start off at Walters for a set from Houston’s Rome Hero Foxes.  The proggy alt rock five piece dropped the album For When You’re Falling Backwards earlier this year, and next to some strong live shows, they haven’t slowed down yet.  The hip hop of Lord Mack X Hash Gordon will bring their hip hop to life and provide direct support while the emo of Texas’ Donna Hayward will go on prior.  Houston’s Moth Wings will also be on the bill as well as Melrose, Jordan B, Talking Forever, and an opening set from Lil Marc.  The all ages show has doors at 6:30 pm and tickets between $7 and $10.

Warehouse Live will host Chicago’s Niykee Heaton over to drop her R&B jams in the studio.  Heaton gained quite the following after she blew up on Youtube and her latest drop The Bedroom Tour Playlist is pretty solid.  There’s no word of support of opener but that’ll likely change for the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $25 and $30.

Dayta. Photo: Courtesy of Artist Facebook/Drew B Fresco

Over at Arlo’s Ballroom you can get down with the crew from A Really Kool Party.  Sets from Hiram, Dayta, and Gracie Chavez will all take place.  The 21 & up event is 100% FREE, it’s hosted by RK Bagatsing Topacio, and the doors are at 8 pm.

Thursday you can get started over at the Heights Theater for a very special engagement of A John Waters Christmas, performed by the critically acclaimed director himself.  The one man show is rumored to be quite the show to see for the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $40 and $45.

Improv will host the first night of a weekend of shows from the hilarious Chris D’Elia.  The LA comic has gotten plenty of praise for his funny sets, he’s been on Comedy Central, Conan, Late Night, and a ton of comedy clubs, and his latest album White Male. Black Comic. is a riot.  Asper all of these shows, two of Houston’s better comics will serve as host and feature act for the 18 & up show with doors at 7:15 and tickets between $30 and $50.

DJ Miss Champagne. Photo: Teresa Vicinanza

The charity of the bands on the bill and the venue will come together at Walters for a show that gives to Boys and Girls Harbor.  A headlining set from newcomers Cocaine In The Army will occur with a support slot from Houston’s Acid Jacket who will bring their garage punk sound to life.  The surf punk of Total Nightmare will also bring their crazed energy to the show, as Conditioner will go on beforehand.  A DJ set from DJ Miss Champagne will open the all ages event with doors at 8 pm and tickets for $10.

House of Blues will host the mid-tempo rock of South Carolina’s Band of Horses.  The popular five piece gained attention and notoriety for their smash hit “The Funeral,” and their latest album Why Are You Ok stays in line with their off the cuff sound.  Missouri’s Israel Nash will open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $32 and $45.

Over at Satellite Bar you can catch the intense blackened sludge of Louisiana duo, Christworm.  These two guys make a dark and brooding sound that’s all over their release Suffer No More, and should be a trip to see played live.  The insane death metal of Houston’s KRVSHR will provide direct support while post metal sludge of Houston’s Sleeping Ancient will open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets for $10.

Blackgrass Gospel. Photo: Courtesy of Artist/Facebook

Continental Club will host the Texas based hillbilly sounds of Urban Pioneers.  An upright bass, a banjo, and a fiddle is all this three piece needs to make you dance and their new album Feast or Famine is something everyone should experience.  Alvin’s Blackgrass Gospel will bring their thrash-grass sound on as support and openers for the 21 & up show with doors at 9 pm and a TBA cover.

On Friday you can begin at the Barbara Jordan Post Office if you have passes for the Day for Night preview party.  Hosted by Run The Jewels’ Killer Mike, the preview show will feature DJ sets from Björk and DJ Windows 98 (Win Butler of Arcade Fire), as well as Light Wheel and Kam Franklin of The Suffers.  There’s also a pre-party with light bites, gratis beverages, artist meet & greets and speaking panels.  The all ages event has doors at 7 pm.

At Fitzgerald’s you can get your ugly holiday sweater on and check out a headlining set from alt country twangers, Ruckus.  On the heels of dropping a new album next year, these guys honk the honk and tonk the tonk.  They’ll have a support set from The Jess Wilson Band, as well as a set from A Weeknight’s Coalition.  The skilled and wonderfully diverse sounds of Adam Bricks will be on the all ages show as opener.  The doors are at 7 pm and tickets are between $8 and $10.

House of Blues will turn up the heat when they offer a solo set from Jim James of My Morning Jacket.  While being front man for that band is how you may know him, he has and was doing his own thing for years before and since starting that group.  His latest solo effort, this year’s Eternally Even is a mix of indie soul and chill rock jams.  He’ll have the dream pop and lush vocals of Kentucky’s Twin Limb on as direct support and openers for the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $28 & $33.

Second Lovers. Photo: Daniel Jackson

You can get groovy at Nightingale Room when Austin indie pop duo The Wild Now headlines the small room.  Not to be outdone, Houston’s  Second Lovers will also perform.  The alt country Americana mixture from this band is a nice one two punch that never lets you down, and their most recent single Hold On is a nice warm up to their upcoming album release next year.  There’s no word of opener yet, but that’ll change for the 100% free 21 & up show with doors at 7 pm.

At Revention Center the sleazy R&B meets house electro beats of Chicago’s Flosstradamus to drop a set.  Their energy heavy show will make you realize that the duo at the forefront of trap music is always on point, and their new single “Came Up” is a definite banger.  Dubstep producer and DJ, Slushii will be on as direct support while Chicago rapper Towkio will go on prior.  DC’s Gent & Jawns will open the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets for $35.

At Walters you can get down to the rock goodness of San Antonio’s Levees when they roll through to play their album release party.  That album Another Medicine is pretty solid, and their last live set here was pretty impressive.  The unsinkable and immensely amazing indie rock of Houston’s The Wheel Workers will provide direct support while the doom metal of Houston’s Funeral Horse will get things started with one of their breakneck sets.  The all ages show has doors at 8 pm and it’s 100% FREE.

The Secret Group will host a DJ set from The Faint.  I don’t know what that’ll look like, but perhaps it has to do with the band’s latest retrospective release Capsule.  The 21 & up show has doors at 10 pm and tickets between $5 and $10.

Oneohtrix Point Never. Photo: Courtesy of The Windish Agency

On Saturday you can get going on day one of Day for Night.  The multiple day festival will see the campus of the former Barbara Jordan post office filled with tons of digital art as well as volumes of music.  Sets from Welcome To Houston, Splendid Emblem, and Buoyant Spirit kick the day off while DJ Windows 98 (Win Butler of Arcade Fire), Run The Jewels, and Aphex Twin for the first time in 20 years in Texas will close out the day.  That’s not to say there’s not more in-between like the soulful jams of Thundercat or the new wave goodness of legends The Jesus and Mary Chain, or even the next level sounds of Oneohtrix Point Never as well as Nick Murphy fka Chet Faker and so many more on as well.  The Saturday schedule for music is here for the all ages event that has gates at 2 pm and tickets between $170 and $700.

Over at Cactus you could get in and check out an in-store performance from Houston’s John Egan.  Egan has a very distinctive voice and a resonated guitar that adds to the depth of his over mixture of country and modern singer songwriter sound.  His 2024 release Amulet is one of the most intriguing albums of that year, and his live shows are intimate and fun.  The all ages show gets going around 3 pm, there’s gratis beer for the adults, and it’s 100% FREE.

Later on at Walters you can catch some of your favorite locals drop tribute sets at the Bands For barc show.  Sets from Vox Vocis as Carly Rae Jepsen, Pretty Teeth as Death Cab For Cutie, and many more will be on the all ages benefit show with doors at 6 pm and a $10 cover.

Kiki Maroon. Photo: Courtesy of Artist/Facebook

In the studio at Warehouse Live you can laugh, be mesmerized, and maybe more when Kiki Maroon’s Burly Q Lounge returns.  The burlesque meets traditional vaudeville review features comedy, sideshow acts, sometimes magic, and always burlesque. Improv mainstay and funny man Owen Dunn will be on as the comic while guest performances from Remy Martini, Bianca Karina Montalvo, Cecil and many more are on hand for the 18 & up show with doors at 7 pm and seated tickets for $25.

Ladybird’s will host their Holiday Party & their 2nd Anniversary party at the same time.  Sets from The Wandering Bufaleros and Grisbee as well as a toy drive and drink specials will all be on hand.  The 21 & up event gets going around 7 pm and it’s 100% FREE.

White Oak Music Hall will have the punk of Houston’s PATTERNS for their album release party.  Aside from their high energy will be performances from the crazed intensity of Dead To The World as direct support as well as Beyond Oblivion.  The face melting sounds of SLEEPERDRONE will also be on hand while the Wire meets Wipers sounds of Ruiners will open the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and it’s 100% FREE.

Squarepusher. Photo: Courtesy of The Windish Agency

Sunday you can experience day two of Day for Night with opening sets from Vacation Eyes, Kult Dizney, and SURVIVE and close out the day with Travis Scott, a DJ set from Björk, and the insanity of Arca.  That’s not to say you should miss Squarepusher, Liars, Little Dragon, or the legendary Butthole Surfers sets either.  The all ages event has gates at 2 pm and tickets between $170 and $700.

Monday you can swing by the studio at Warehouse Live for the annual Kirko Bangz Toy Drive.  Bangz will host the event where children from all over Harris County can swing by and receive a toy for the holidays.  The all ages evening has doors at 6 pm and it’s FREE to attend.

Tuesday over at Alley Kat you can catch Oklahoma rapper Jabee. Jabee has gotten praise from Chuck D, his rhyme style is definitely on point, and his latest release Black Future is pretty bomb.  Hot Peez will be on as direct support while the intense mic skills of Houston’s Flyger Woods will go on prior.  Soup & 2 Raw will open the 21 & up show with doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover.

That’s about all that’s happening around town this week.  No matter what you decide to attend, remember that a safe ride home is just a click away.

by David Garrick