Can’t Stop: The Best of The Week
Red Hot Chili Peppers. Photo: Warner Bros. Records/Steve Keros
It’s the first full week of 2024 and while it’s not the jam packed week we’ve gotten used to, there’s still plenty happening around the city. Performances from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Bowie Elvis Fest and much more will all be on hand over the next seven days. Houston, here’s how to spend the first week of 2024.
On Wednesday you can get your laugh on for a good cause at Rudyard’s when the always funny Slim Bloodworth headlines the When Pussy Grabs Back fundraiser. Slim has toured the globe, she’s one of the funniest comics in town, and the fundraiser will help get women to Washington DC for the Women’s March on Washington on January 21st. Dusti Rhodes will open the 21 & up show with doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover.
If that’s not your thing, then you can head to Arlo’s Ballroom for some DJ jams on the Hold On To Your Dreams show. Sets from Andy V, DJ Record Money, Bad Bonez, and Krysten Alexandria will all be on hand. The night gets going around 9 pm and it’s 100% FREE.
Dead To The World. Photo: Scot Overholser
Thursday you can begin at Warehouse Live in the studio for the Benefit for Brian. The show will feature sets from Dead To The World, Revels, Ballistics, Jason Bancroft, and Grace Ann Miller. Alongside the performances, a silent auction with goodies from tattoos to merch from the bands playing will also be there. The all ages show has doors at 7 pm, and while it’s a FREE show, be cool and donate some money to get in.
Upstairs at White Oak Music Hall you could check out the alt post rock of Houston’s Bearlios. Sounding like a mix of Balance & Composure and Title Fight, their recent single “Haunt” has the makings of something that might be worth hearing live. The post rock of Houston’s Jonah The Runner will be on as direct support while Talking Forever goes on prior. The melodic pop punk sounds of Four Letter Language will open the all ages show with a $5 cover and doors at 7 pm.
Over at Mucky Duck you can catch the folky goodness of Matt the Electrician. While the roots based Austinite doesn’t come down here as much as he used to, he still drops some pretty magical live sets, and his latest release, The Bear/Never Had A Gun, is pretty solid. The sweetly voiced sounds of Austin’s John Elliott will open the 21 & up show at 9:30 pm with tickets between $20 and $22.
Friday you could get going at the Heights Theater when the guy who kicked off the Americana revival, Dave Alvin, swings by to drop a solo set. Alvin leads the Blasters, he’s played with X, and his solo stuff is like a road weary tune you think you’ve heard before. His latest release is a single from 2024 called “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive,” but boy, what a single. He’ll have one of the greatest Texas treasures on as direct support when Jimmie Dale Gilmore hops on to perform. I loved Jimmie in The Big Lebowski, but his tunes are the true gem to who he is. In 2024 he dropped an album under The Wronglers with Jimmie Dale Gilmore that’s pretty damn epic, though he might not play those songs. The all ages show has doors at 7 pm and tickets between $22 and $34.
Ten Pixels Tall. Photo: Courtesy of Artist/Facebook
Notsuoh will host the first of a monthly featuring the Lazybit Collective. This premier edition has sets from Blip Boi, Savestate Corrupted, Broken Satellite, Ten Pixels Tall, FLOAT, and Parker Luis Can’t Lose. All of these chiptune artists are stellar and their music is definitely on point. The all ages show has doors at 8 pm and it’s 100% FREE.
At Improv you can catch the funny antics of Tony Roberts. Roberts has been on Showtime, HBO, BET, and more. He’s toured the country back and forth and his last album, 2024’s Wired! Is pretty damn funny. As usual, two of Houston’s better comics will serve as host and feature act for the 18 & up performances. The doors for the two Friday shows are at 7 pm and 9 pm, and there are sets throughout the weekend as well all with tickets between $17 & $30.
You can get your instrumental post rock feels when Houston’s Alone On The Moon drops by Rudyard’s to perform. These guys have a pretty intriguing sound, and their latest, Alone On The Moon, is full of heavy riffs. The instrumental metal of Ominous Necro will be on as direct support and Dead Leslies will be on beforehand. Knife Club opens the 21 & up show with doors at 9 pm and an $8 cover.
Adam Bricks. Photo: Jessie Johnson
At Mucky Duck, you could catch the Austin based and Tel-Aviv formed twang of Kids From Nowhere. The band has toured the world and has become well known for their live shows and great spirits. The always engaging sounds of Adam Bricks will be on full display as opener. You may or may not have seen him live yet, but if you listen to his stellar album Relations from last year, then you’ll undoubtedly want to check him out. The 21 & up show at 9:30 pm has tickets between $15 and $17.
Saturday you can have some whole hog BBQ and some tunes when Southern Goods hosts Patrick Feges cooks a whole hog while John Egan performs as well. Eagan makes music like a good slow roasted meat, it’s thick and smoky, full of flavor, and worth experiencing multiple times. The all ages show gets going around 11 am and it’s free to attend.
Later in the day you can get all of the white boy funkiness you can handle when California’s Red Hot Chili Peppers swing by Toyota Center to get crazy. I remember when RHCP performed with coyote masks on, I remember seeing them at the Houston Colosseum, and they’re always worth seeing no matter who’s on guitar. Their latest release, The Getaway from last year, is pretty groovy, and even if you’re not the biggest fan of it, they’ll still play all of your favorites. The funky jams of NOLA’s Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will provide direct support while original RHCP drummer Jack Irons will open the all ages show with doors at 6 pm and tickets between $49 and $99.
Chase Hamblin. Photo: Daniel Jackson
If you were unaware, David Bowie and Elvis Presley had the same birthday, and in celebration of that, Splice Records puts on an annual festival to celebrate called Bowie Elvis Fest happening at Continental Club and Big Top Lounge. Alongside host Mills McCoin and appearances from the Dem Damn Dames troupe will be some of your favorite acts performing tracks from both artists. Pecos Hank, John Evans, Ancient Cat Society, Chase Hamblin, Adam Bricks and more, will all be performing. There’s more information here for the 21 & up show with costumes encouraged with doors at 7 pm and tickets for $17.
Walters will have the album release from shoegaze instrumental rockers Raceway. Though the album, Strategies Against Gravity, dropped digitally in December, this will serve as the actual release event. The electropop of Houston’s Camera Cult will be on as direct support while the shoegaze indie rock of Galveston’s El Lago opens things up. The all ages show has doors at 8 pm and tickets between $7 and $10.
Satellite Bar will have an intriguing show when the crazed sounds of Vockah Redu. Possibly one of the more memorable and mesmerizing performers you can catch, this guy mixes in R&B, hip hop, and soul to create one of the craziest live shows ever, and tracks like “Shake Ya Bones Loose” don’t begin to gear you up for what you’ll experience. Houston’s Morena Roas will be on as direct support while Shun Wes, Lucky Lou and Ja Pan will all be on to open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover.
In the studio at Warehouse Live you can get your hip hop on when Blaze X Black headline the Hip Hop for Houston show. The duo has been making moves for a good while, their live shows are getting plenty of praise, and their latest single “Say” is pretty legit. The crazy energy and synth heavy sounds of Corbin Dallas will be on as direct support, with multiple artists on prior. Jon Black will open the all ages show that has a $5 presale price, $10 at the door, or FREE with a canned food or toy donation.
Funeral Horse. Photo: Jordan Asinas
Rudyard’s will have the proggy sounds of Treehouse Project over to perform. The three-piece has become well known for their garage meets prog rock sound, and their last single “Red Light” isn’t as stellar on recording as it is to hear live. Not to be outdone, the stoner metal of Houston’s Funeral Horse will bring their crazed energy on as direct support. I feel like everyone needs to see these guys tear through a set, and 2024’s Divinity For the Wicked is still one of my favorite albums from the genre. The riff heavy doom of The Dirty Seeds will be on prior, and Cobra Kai will open the 21 & up show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $5 and $8.
On Sunday you can get all artsy when Adam Robert Scott has a show featuring his black and white illustrations at Insomnia Video Game Culture. The opening reception will have drinks and bits, as well as prints and tees from the artist for purchase. The all ages event gets going around 6 pm and it’s 100% FREE.
If you’d rather get rowdy, then the hardcore of DC’s Pure Disgust will bring their speedy punk to all at Satellite Bar. Here in support of last year’s Pure Disgust, they sound like they’re playing from a war zone. One of the many bands called ONE will be on as direct support while Houston’s United Races will go on beforehand. Hired Gun will open the all ages show with doors at 7:30 pm and an $8 cover.
Jealous Creatures. Photo: Bayou City Photography
Walters will host San Antonio rock trio and Burger Records act The Rich Hands. These guys are rumored to have a crazy live show, and their latest release, Cassingle, is pretty fine and full of hooks for days. Houston’s Cleen Teens will provide direct support while the rock of Jealous Creatures will lovingly open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $7 and $10.
Monday at The Secret Group you could get your indie rock fix when Mockingbird Brother swings by to play a set. I feel like everyone knows Chris from Devil Killing Moth, Second Lovers and MOTHS, but you might not know this band yet, though they’re worth making it out for. The Wiggins will be on as direct support while the trippy pop psych of Faberge opens the all ages show with a $5 cover and doors at 9 pm.
On Tuesday the Nightingale Room will host a set from Matt Mejia. You might know him from his old band Come See My Dead Person, though you should check out his solo stuff, as his unmistakable voice is nothing to shy away from. There’s no word of openers for the 21 & up show with doors at 7 pm and it’s 100% FREE.
That’s about it for this week. No matter what you decide on doing, be mindful of everyone else so we can all get off to this new year in the safest way possible.
