Now that it’s hot enough to be more mindful of where you spend your time, things are starting to look a lot like tours being routed around festivals. With performances from acts like Big Business, Reel Big Fish, and Bruce Bruce alongside locals like Astragal, George West, and D. Kosmo, it’s a pretty full week. Houston, here’s where you should spend your time over the next seven days.
Wednesday you can begin at 8th Wonder Brewery for Guilla and iLL Faded for their tour kickoff show. For a good while now, Guilla has been grinding hard, dropping multiple releases and getting more and more steam. Last year’s Children of The Sun and Rap, Trap & Drums Vol. II just proved that, and his live shows are a pretty intense party from start to finish. The same could be said about iLL Faded, who’s been hyping crowds as Fat Tony’s DJ as well as a blooming solo act. Last year he also essentially dropped two releases with It’s OK To Be Happy and Vibes which came at the beginning of this year, while his live shows are usually the place to be and be seen. There’s also a set from Tenney Way III for the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and no cover.
If you’d rather get experimental, then you could head to Notsuoh for a night of experimental jams with a closing set from The They. The electro jams of Houston’s Chin Xaou Ti Won will also perform while the synth sounds of AISENCC will also perform. Ike Therot will also be on the bill where things kick off with ADJHEM for the Free show with doors at 8 pm.
Roger Waters. Photo: Columbia Records
On Thursday you could start at Toyota Center for the Us+Them tour from Roger Waters. Waters will be performing the songs of Pink Floyd, and some solo works both old and new for the immersive and state of the art show. By all accounts, what I’ve seen of the tour, it should be a trip. He’ll play from albums The Dark Side of The Moon, The Wall, Animals, and Wish You Were Here while adding songs from his own new album, Is This The Life We Really Want? The all ages show has doors at 7 pm and tickets between $55 and $250.
You can get your laugh on at Improv when Houston’s Alan Adams hosts his Couples Therapy show. Adams, considered by many to be one of the strongest joke writers in Houston, is of course not offering any therapy, unless you count being made to look like a fool in front of your sweetie therapy. The 18 & up shows should have plenty of laughs with doors at 7:15 pm and tickets between $15 and $25.
The Greatest View. Photo: Andrew Hemingway
Upstairs at White Oak Music Hall the folk pop sounds of Houston’s Motion Hotel will headline a show. This five piece makes songs that are pretty hard to ignore, their most recent being “Savannah,” which is definitely hard to shake. The indie rock of Anchor North will be on as direct support while the acoustic pop of Cypress’ Two Thirds will go on prior. The ultra catchy indie pop of Houston’s The Greatest View will open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and a Free cover for the adults, or $5 for the kids.
Over at Mucky Duck, you wouldn’t know it when you hear her new EP Cold, but Austin’s Christina Cavazos is only 17. With a headlining set at the landmark venue, you should find yourself falling for her intimate and endearing sound. She’ll have the Americana twang of Nashville’s Jane Ellen Bryant on the bill with her to add to the show which shouldn’t be missed. The 21 & up evening has doors at 9:30 pm and tickets between $20 and $22.
On Friday you can get the weekend kicked off at Improv with the world famous comedy of Bruce Bruce. The Atlanta comic is way bigger of a deal than you may think, he sells out pretty much every show he’s on, and he’s easily one of our nation’s favorite stand-ups. The shows should have two of Houston’s better up and coming comics on as feature act and host. There are two shows Friday, two shows Saturday, and one on Sunday. The first Friday show has doors at 6 pm and tickets between $27.50 and $37.50.
You can get your groove on at Warehouse Live in the ballroom for the ragga soca songs of Trinidad’s Bunji Garlin. Garlin is no slouch when it comes to songs that hit with precision and dance grooves, and his latest single “Big Bad Soca” from this year is definitely the soca jam. The hip hop of Atlanta’s T-Rock will be on as direct support while Trinidad’s Fay-Ann Lyons will go on beforehand. Barbados’ DJ Puffy will get the all ages show started with his Caribbean jams with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $45 and $70.
Astragal. Photo: Disha Khakeria
Over at Walter’s, the split cassette release party from Astragal and Donna Hayward will happen, and it should be pretty amazing. For starters, Astragal is one of the more exciting newer bands to come out of Houston, and their sound is more refined and intense on this release. That’s not to say that Donna Hayward is any less more dynamic, as their set should be just as energetic as their catchy tunes. The guaranteed indie rock good times of Rose Ette will also perform while the shoegaze noise of Austin’s Alexalone will open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover.
Rudyard’s has a pretty intriguing show when they’ll have the alt rock of Houston’s Dark Spark Rays over to headline. Adding acoustic and almost meandering folk to any indie rock outfit is a daunting task, yet this band does it with ease, and reminds me of a mix of The Smiths and solo Evan Dando. The insane psych of Bernie Pink will be on as direct support while garage pop of Such Marvelous Monsters will go on prior. The Southern coast garage punk of Let Me Remember will open the 18 & up show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $5 and $7.
If you’d rather get your chiptune groove on, the Lazybit Collective will have their monthly show over at Notsuoh, this time with a headlining set from Heavy the Bluebird. There’s also rap jams from Pajama Sam, Terrence T doe Keller, and N-8. Of course your favorite Lazybit characters will be on hand like Ten Pixels Tall, FLOAT, OVERCRASH and more. It’s Free with doors at 8 pm.
The Secret Group has an intriguing show where DJ Fredster and friends will mix things up called Clusterfuck. Multiple genres just spinning to make you get down while Brandon Duhon of Night Drive will be on hand to drop jams alongside DJ Poppers and more. The 21 & up show is free with doors at 9:30 pm.
Lightnin’ Malcolm. Photo: Continental Club
Over at Continental Club, the enigmatic and guitar slinging roots sounds of Mississippi’s Lightnin Malcolm will be on full display. Sometimes a duo, sometimes a one man band, this guy throws multiple genres together to make tunes that are pretty hard not to like. He’s rumored to have a crazy live show, and his latest release Outlaw Justice from this year is worth hearing in person. The 21 & up show has doors at 10 pm and a $12 cover.
On Saturday you can begin at Fuller’s Guitars in the Heights for the Punk Rock Garage Sale benefiting Christian Kidd of The Hates. Hosted by Houston punk legends MyDolls, the event will have lots of rare items, punk memorabilia, and more. It’s Free to attend, and it runs the bulk of the day starting at 8 am and running until 4 pm.
George West. Photo: Marcelo Quinones
Later on at Walter’s you can get your electronica fix when the Moving Components show happens. Sets from George West, PLXTX, Pfaff, Gold Cherry and many more will be on hand. It should have plenty of electronic groove throughout the night for the all ages event with doors at 7 pm and $10 cover.
Over at The Secret Group you can get your laughs in with the always funny antics of Sean Patton. The New Orleans born comic has made quite the name for himself with appearances on Maron and Inside Amy Schumer, as well as a ton of international and national comedy festivals and his own half hour special on Comedy Central. Two of Houston’s better up and coming comics should serve as host and feature act for the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $12 and $15.
Arthur Yoria. Photo: Jay Dryden Photography
Big Top Lounge and the Pachinko Hut behind it, will host the Third Birthday Bash for Houston’s Splice Records. Aside from the fact that they have a pretty killer roster, those at Splice are some of the most genuine and kind people in the music industry, and ones that you’d want to make it out for just to say you met them. The show will feature a headlining set from Arthur Yoria, while the bluesy sounds of Muddy Belle will go on prior. Bayou City Funk will also be on hand and the reggae of Dem will open the 21 & up party with doors at 8 pm and a pay what you can cover, with a suggested amount of $10 to $20.
Over at Continental Club, the swamp boogie of Pure Luck will be on full display. The rotating cavalcade that includes Jeff Pinkus of Butthole Surfers is pretty epic. Their debut album which is like a groove heavy twang fueled ride, Pure Luck is definitely as strong as these guys are live. The one man band intensity of D Kosmo will get provide direct support with plenty of trippy sounds and visuals, while the Texas Mod Crushers will open for the 21 & up show with doors around 8:30 pm and a $12 cover.
Sunday at White Oak Music Hall downstairs you could relive your nineties youth with the SoCal ska of Reel Big Fish. Known for the hit song “Sell Out,” these guys have been going pretty strong since the early nineties. The reggae ska punk of The Expendables will be on as direct support while the punk of The Queers will get the all ages show with doors at 5 pm started with tickets between $29 and $34.
Megadeth. Photo: Live Nation
Over at Revention Center, the metal speed of Megadeth will be around to get the head banging going. These guys have been going hard since the early eighties, their live shows are pretty intense, and with records like Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying, they’re pretty hard to deny. Last year’s Dystopia was a return to form, and just proves they don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon either. The Swedish metal of Meshuggah will be on as direct support while Brittain’s TesseracT will open the all ages show with doors at 5:30 pm and tickets between $45 and $65.
On Tuesday you could head to Warehouse Live for another edition of The Moth Story Hour. This time the theme of the stories is Beauty, and should make for an interesting theme. The all ages event has doors at 6:30 pm, seating is limited, and there’s a $10 cover.
At Walter’s possibly one of the best bands going, LA’s Big Business will be in town to headline a set. This two piece, stronger than many four and five piece bands, is one of the best live bands you can catch, and their latest release Command Your Weather is like nothing else. A U N T I E will provide direct support while the heavy metal loudness of Houston’s Omotai will open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $12 and $15.
That’s about all that’s happening this week. No matter what you decide to do, remember that staying hydrated and drinking like an adult is in everyone’s best interest.
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