With the aftermath of Harvey clearing up and things beginning to look brighter, there are a ton of entertainment options around Houston. Over the next seven days, Ben Folds, a reunited Quicksand and Doug Stanhope will all be in town while locals like Spit Mask, French Kids and Only Beast will help fill in the gaps. Houston, here’s how to navigate the next week.
On Wednesday, you can get started at White Oak Music Hall upstairs when the electro pop of Argentina’s Tei Shi swings by to drop a set. Here in support of her latest release, Crawl Space, her songs are a mix of soulful pop and electro dance jams. The pop sounds of LA’s Lawrence Rothman will be on as support and opener for the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $15 and $19.
The Secret Group will welcome the return of LA’s Drab Majesty. The androgynous alt neo-goth sounds of this group are hard to deny, and their latest release, The Demonstration, is like if Spandau Ballet and Body of Light collaborated. Their live shows are always a trip to behold as well. The industrial sounds of Houston’s Spit Mask will be on as direct support while the grief wave of SRSQ will open the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and a $12 cover.
Walter’s will have the dark and twisted sounds of NYC’s Rodenticide. This band has yet to release a debut album, but everyone who sees them says it’s a dark and intense experience of noise and sound, like talons sinking into skin. CARL will be on as direct support while Kai/ros will go on beforehand. The always engaging sounds of Houston’s Ak’chamel will open the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets for $10.
On Thursday, you could make your way to House of Blues for the piano-based indie pop of Ben Folds. Folds hasn’t sat still since going solo over fifteen years ago. His live shows are a mix of his quirky sense of humor and sing-a-longs, and his last proper release, So There, is inventive and catchy. This show is supposed to be requests, but we’ll see if that’s the case. The atmospheric pop of Boston’s Tall Heights will open up the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $30 and $70.
Walter’s will play host to the massively popular bedroom pop of Philadelphia’s Japanese Breakfast. Supporting her more electronic side on her latest album, Soft Sounds From Another Planet, this is an act you need to see sooner than later. The punk of New York’s Mannequin Pussy will be on as direct support while the fuzzy sounds of The Spirit of the Beehive will get things started for the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $12 and $14.
The studio at Warehouse Live will have the jangly hip hop of DC’s Goldlink. Though this guy has only been around a couple of years, he’s been popping off since he began and his latest At What Cost shows off his crazy mic skills. Georgia hip hop duo Earthgang will be on as support and openers with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $20 and $25 for the all-ages show.
You can make it over to Improv for the always intriguing comedy of Doug Stanhope. While it’s a known fact that Stanhope kind of hates himself and he’s abrasive at times, he’s always hilarious and worth seeing. Supporting last year’s No Place Like Home, the one-night-only show should sell out sooner than later. Like all of these shows, two of Houston’s better comics will serve as feature act and host for this 18 & up show with doors at 9 pm and tickets for $35.
On Friday if you grabbed tickets, you could get started at Revention Music Center when comic Ali Wong swings by to perform. Wong is one of the strongest comics going today and has been everywhere from The Tonight Show to Comedy Central. Her latest Netflix special, Ali Wong: Baby Cobra, is insanely funny, and if you’re a fan this might be your last chance to catch her before she’s playing arenas. The sold-out show has doors at 7 pm.
In the studio at Warehouse Live, another edition of Kiki Maroon’s Burly Q Lounge will take place. The burlesque-meets-vaudeville show has a steady mix of side show performers, burlesque performers, music and comedy. The seated 18 & up show has doors at 7 pm, with $25 tickets.
Over at Walter’s, Houston’s Only Beast will drop their long awaited third album, Again. Possibly the most energetic band you’ve seen that has a guitarist who plays bass at the same time, this trio should bring their usually crazed antics to this show. The Wheel Workers will bring their fun and immense live show on as direct support while the indie rock A Sundae Drive will go on beforehand. The entire evening will feature FLCON FCKER visuals for the all-ages event with doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover.
Upstairs at White Oak Music Hall, the energy heavy indie rock of Quiet Company will swing by to perform. This Austin five-piece has never really played by anyone’s rules, and while they dropped a three song EP this year called It’s Not Attractive and It Changes Nothing that you should check out, it’s their latest single, “We Should Go To Counseling,” that should get you excited. The indie rock of Houston’s French Kids (formerly Young Girls) will be on as direct support while Buttercup will open the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $8 and $10.
Satellite Bar will have the return of NYC duo Hank & Cupcakes. These two have a nutty live show and their colorful tracks from their latest release, Cheap Thrill, should stay with you long after their performance. The indie rock of Houston’s WellWell will open the all-ages show that’s free for 21 & up or $10 for the kids with doors at 8 pm.
At Continental Club, everyone’s favorite long running dance party, A Fistful of Soul, will return just in time for you to get your dancing shoes on. The always free and good time dance party has become a staple for those natives and visiting our city, and the 21 & up party gets going at 10 pm.
On Saturday at Discovery Green, the Texas Taco Music Festival will take over the green space. Performances from Houston’s Mind Shrine, Jimencio, El 43 and more will happen while a Mrs Texas Taco contest, a karaoke stage, a piñata-breaking contest and much much more will take place. There’s more information here for the all-ages event that gets going around noon with tickets between $12 and $90, while children 12 and under are free.
Over at House of Blues in the bronze peacock room, the Seattle-based hip hop of Grieves will be on hand to help you get down. While this guy’s been solo for a decade, it’s his latest release, Running Wild, that’s garnered him plenty of attention. He’ll have to bring his A-Game as Houston’s FlygerWoods will bring his mic-spitting prowess on as direct support. Minnesota’s deM atlas will open up the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets for $15.
In The Secret Group, Kyle Hubbard will release his stellar new album, All Good Things Come, a few days early with a release party show. Hubbard can definitely hit a mic hard, and his style is unmistakeable, while his live sets are always top notch. The trippy sounds of Jody Seabody & the Whirls will be on as direct support while the hip hop of Big Piph will go on prior. DJ Discipline will kick off the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets for $10.
At Continental Club, Clay Melton will drop his long awaited album, Burn The Ships. While Melton isn’t very old, his guitar playing is definitely that of a seasoned player, and his fun live sets are only overshadowed by his strong and hard to deny blues rock capabilities. Dillon Trimm & Gabe Bravo will be on hand as direct support while Trent Minter will get the 21 & up show started with doors at 8 pm and a $15 cover. The show will donate all of the proceeds to JJ Watt’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, and you’ll receive a copy of Melton’s album upon entry.
The Waughford will host a barn burner when Austin’s Honey & Salt bring their proggy math sounds to town. The three piece has always been worth catching live and their latest Hollow Beliefs Make Great Company is really solid. The shoe gaze of Mc Allen’s Dezorah will be on as support while the indie rock power of Houston’s Brand New Hearts will go on beforehand. Astragal will bring their dreamy indie rock on as openers for the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover.
Of course, if you’re feeling a bit nostalgic, then you could swing by Walter’s to catch the reunited alternative metal of Quicksand. While singer Walter Schreifels has been in Gorilla Biscuits and Rival Schools, Quicksand is the band that ignited so many fires in their wake. While they have a new single, “Illuminant” off of their upcoming new album, it’s their records Manic Compression and Slip that made them such a force in the nineties. The doomy shoegaze of No Joy will be on as direct support and openers for the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $26 and $30.
In the other room at The Secret Group they’ll host the return of Open Mike Eagle. Chicago-born and part of the LA hip hop collective Project Blowed, this guy can rock a mic like his life depends on it. His latest single “Brick Body Complex” is a mix of high end electronica and hip hop, and his live shows are a trip. The nerdcore female rap of New York’s Sammus will be on as support and opener for the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $12 and $14.
On Sunday, you could get down with the infectious electro pop of New York’s Verite over at White Oak Music Hall upstairs. Known for her hit jam “Strange Enough,” she’s been dropping electronic tunes that make you wanna’ get down for a couple of years now. Her latest release, Somewhere In Between, from this year, is her strongest to date. The pop of Tigertown will provide direct support and open the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $12 and $16.
On Monday at Walter’s, I’d recommend catching something completely different, with Dent May. The Mississippi talk-show-host-turn-whimsical-pop-singer makes tunes that are like light FM jams that you can’t shake after one listen. His latest release, this year’s Across The Multiverse, is like if you took the pop sensibility of Elton John and mixed it with the chill vibes of Har Mar Superstar while covering the music of Electric Light Orchestra. Brooklyn’s Frankie Rose will bring her solo work on as direct support, and you should know that she was in Vivian Girls and the Dum Dum Girls, and her solo work is electro-pop goodness. The dream pop of Philadelphia’s Suburban Living will open the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $10 and $12.
Tuesday you could head to Walter’s for the folk pop of brother based group, The Icarus Account. The Florida based group makes music that you will probably love, and their new release, Over The Moon, from last year, is catchy as hell. The indie folk sounds of Houston’s Cancer Kittens will be on as direct support while the alternative folk of Cypress’ Willows Field will open the all-ages show with doors at 6:30 pm and tickets between $8 and $10.
If that’s not your thing, then you could head to Smart Financial Centre for the rescheduled appearance from Mary J Blige. I shouldn’t have to sell you on this show, as Blige has always been a powerhouse performer, and her latest album, Strength of A Woman, is her strongest to date. The jazz fusion based pop of Lalah Hathaway will open the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $39.50 and $125.
That’s about all that’s happening this week. No matter what you decide to do, please be mindful of those around you, and drink like an adult.
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