Terminal Addiction: The Best of The Week
Ceremony. Photo: Courtesy of Matador Records
Another week full of amazing entertainment options is upon us, if we can just steer clear from any of them being outside that is. This week there are more than enough entertainment options to keep you indoors, including performances from Deerhoof, Riff Raff and Gwen Stefani, as well as a set from California’s Ceremony. Houston, here’s how to spend the hot summer nights.
Wednesday you can get started at House of Blues for the cartoonish hip hop of Houston’s Riff Raff. Imagery aside, I’ll admit that this guy is a pretty strong rapper and his latest release Peach Panther is pretty legit. Houston’s Trill Sammy will be on as direct support while Houston’s Dice SoHo will go on beforehand. Dollabillgates will open the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets for $24.50.
Over at Nightingale Room you can catch the energetic R&B soul of Houston’s Rosewood Thievz. Riding high on a new single called “Freedom,” this three piece is an act that everyone needs to witness at least once. They’ll be joined by the hip hop of BLAZExBLACK who’ll go on prior. The 21 & up show has doors at 7 pm & it’s 100% FREE.
Walters will have the alt hip hop of Georgia’s Kyle Lucas over to drop a set, probably filled with hilarious lyrics. I can’t tell if Lucas takes any of this seriously as his lyrics are funny but he might not mean that. His latest album Marietta, Georgia: The Album has gained plenty of steam since it was dropped last year. He’ll have the electronicore of Rhode Island’s It Lives, It Breathes on as direct support and opener. The screamy nature of their sound found all over this year’s Silver Knights makes them an odd opener, but it’s not my tour either. The all ages show has doors at 7 pm and tickets between $10 and $12.
Thursday you could head to the studio at Warehouse Live for the Rosenberg based sister duo of StarFlightRocks. These two break the two piece mold by playing pop punk instead of the bluesy sounds many duos seem to follow. They’re known for a high energy show, they played Warped Tour last year, and their new single “Archer” is pretty great. Houston’s Thrill will be on as direct support while the metal of Xxcessive Pleasure will open things up. The all ages show has doors at 6:30 pm and tickets between $10 and $15.
Mark Sultan. Photo: Courtesy of Artist/Facebook
Over at Satellite Bar, a rare solo set from Mark Sultan of King Khan & BBQ Show will take place. Sultan is kind of the punk rock king of Canada in recent years with his DIY aesthetic and the bands he’s become known for. As the BBQ of the band, he’s been dropping solo singles as of late and they’re all pretty stellar. His latest, “Believe Me” keeps in line with the garage rock goodness that he’s become known for, and the BBQ EP from last year was just as solid. The doo wop of Houston’s Frog Hair will bring their crazed energy on as direct support, while the sci-fi rock of Oakland’s Andy Human & the Reptoids will go on beforehand. These guys are garage, punk, and Devo rolled into one, and their latest AH & The Reps (Live At Practice) Tour Tape ‘16 is definitely worth getting there early for. Houston’s Silver Blueberry will open the all ages show with doors at 7:30 and a TBA cover.
Over at Continental Club you can catch one half of the Civil Wars, when John Paul White drops by to play a solo set. Aside from owning his own label, working on film and TV music, White has been dropping singles as of late, most recently with the folky sounding “The Martyr.” Alabama-based country folk duo, The Secret Sisters will be on hand as openers. I’ve never seen these two before, but if their vocals are half as strong as 2024’s Put Your Needle Down; then you should make it out for them as well. The 21 & up show has doors at 8 pm and a $15 cover.
Nipsey Hussle. Photo: All Money In Records
Inside the ballroom at Warehouse Live, you can get your hip hop fix when Nipsey Hussle performs. Hussle has made quite the name for himself since his debut album in 2024. His latest album, last year’s Mailbox Money is definitely on point, and his live shows are rumored to be as well. There’s no word of direct support or openers, but that will likely change. The all ages show has doors at 8 pm and the tickets are a little pricey between $30 and $75.
Fitzgerald’s will host the alt punk and all female three piece, The Bombs. The dallas group has made plenty of headway since their start and their 2024 single “Catfish” reminds me kind of like early L-7 mixed with hints of Bikini Kill. They’ll have the garage alt rock sounds of Texas Mod Crushers on as direct support and openers for the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover.
Gio Chamba. Photo: Koed Photography
Alley Kat will have a barn burner when Chicago’s Lester Rey y Los Leones make an appearance here in town. As per what I’ve been told, this guy puts on a crazy live show and his blend of Boogaloo and Latin Soul have been a sound that the artist has been performing since he was a child. His new album, this year’s The Blue Lion is a trip that incorporates various styles to create a sound like you’ve never heard before, and Houston’s Coffee Guzman will be on congas during his set. The crazed energy of Cumbia act, Gio Chamba will also perform on this show, as well as drop DJ duties all night. This is a strong show that you should definitely make it out for. The doors are at 9 pm, and the 21 & up show has a cheap cover.
Over at Big Top you can see the always impressive Nick Gaitan & the Umbrella Man. I don’t know how to describe these guys without saying how diverse and just plain mesmerizing they are to catch perform. Mixing conjunto, country and pretty much everything else in-between, this is a band that everyone in Houston needs to catch at least once. The 21 & up show gets going around 10 pm, it’s a great excuse to get your dancing shows on, and it’s 100% FREE.
Friday you can get going over at the studio at Warehouse Live to catch the first installment of the new Kiki Maroon show, Kiki Maroon’s Burly Q Lounge. The comedic and vaudevillian based show will have all sorts of entertainment that should also include burlesque as well. The 18 & up show has doors at 7 pm and tickets between $20 and $25.
Charlie Faye and the Fayettes. Photo: Bands In Town
Mucky Duck will have the alluring and endearing sixties soul pop of Austin’s Charlie Faye and the Fayettes. The three piece has made plenty of headway since they started, they’re known for an entertaining live show, and this year’s Charlie Faye & The Fayettes is pretty damn catchy. The 21 & up show has doors at 7 pm and tickets between $20 and $22, and it’s a show you don’t want to miss out on.
Satellite Bar will bring the blues rock of the Carolina’s Reed Turchi & the Caterwauls. Turchi has received a ton of praise for his almost Beck meets ZZ Top sound, and he’s become known for an interesting live show. His latest release, this year’s Speaking In Shadows has a soulful heft that’s been missing in the rock world. The Americana folk of Houston’s Grisbee will be on as direct support, and should bring last year’s impressive release Sail Another Day to life. The highly energized blues rock of Fox Parlor will also be on hand to open the all ages show as only they can. The doors are at 7 pm and a TBA cover.
Out at Joke Joint Comedy Showcase, you can catch NYC comic Doug Smith. Smith is pretty hilarious, he has a blunt and kind of dark humor, and he’s been all over including Conan. Smith has received plenty of critical praise and his web series Secret Weapon is pretty awesome. He’ll have the always funny comedy of Austin’s Bryson Brown on as his feature act, while one of Houston’s better up and coming comics will serve as host. The 18 & up shows have doors at 8 pm and 10:30 pm on Friday and Saturday, and all have tickets between $16 and $18.
You could trek down to Scout Bar to catch the horsecore or thrash sounds of Houston’s Deadhorse. These guys aren’t the original lineup, but this lineup has been going pretty strong for about 5 years now, so I guess this is what you’ve got if you’re a fan. I guess they live in San Antonio now if their music page is to be believed, but all of that aside they’re pretty strong to catch live. They’ll have the screamy hardcore of Blood of An Outlaw on as direct support, while the space doom metal of Space Rhino will go on prior. The metal of Conroe’s Torrid Complex will also be on hand, and ORR will open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $10 and $12.
Protohype. Photo: ITS
Stereo Live will host a bumpin show when Indiana’s Figure and LA’s Protohype drop by to perform back to back sets. Of course, Figure has become well known for his electro house dubstep sound, while Protohype has done well at dropping a mix of trap and dubstep jams. Both are known for intense sets, and they should make an impression on whoever attends this show. The electro bass of Houston’s Parker Clark will be on hand to open the 18 & up show with doors at 9 pm and tickets between $10 and $18.
You can close out your night with the Beta Theater show, Vice Squad. While the location and host have not yet been announced yet, this link should help you find your way to this hilarious show. Now that many of the Beta shows are finding new spots, this is one of the most fun and hilarious comedy concepts you can see in Houston. It’s BYOB, it’s 18 & up I think, and it’s a measly $5 with 11 pm doors.
Saturday you can get started with an in-store set from Houston’s Craig Kinsey over at Cactus. Kinsey has always performed a mix of wandering gypsy folklore and street smart troubadour, and while his live show has been a raucous affair, this set might be more intimate. His new album, The Nylon Sessions shows a different side to the talented performer, where he adds pals like Geoffrey Muller, Sergio Trevino, Will Van Horn and Kelly Doyle to an acoustic mixture of covers, old favorites, and back catalog tunes that never saw the light of day. The all ages event gets going around 3 pm, there’s gratis beer for the adults, and it’s 100% FREE.
Sy Ari Da Kid. Photo: Courtesy of Artist
In the studio at Warehouse Live, you can catch the soulful hip hop of Bronx’s Sy Ari Da Kid. Once called a ghost writer for Drake before distancing himself from the allegations, Sy has dropped multiple releases and mixtapes yearly since 2024. His latest drop, this year’s B4 The Heartbreak has been gaining plenty of steam, and he’s rumored to have an intense live show. The show will feature “special guests,” whatever that means. It’s all ages, the doors are at 6 pm, and tickets are between $25 and $30.
If that’s not your thing, you could trek out to the Woodlands to catch Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at the big barn at Dosey Doe. The Southern California seven to ten piece swing revival act was the toast of the world in the mid to late nineties before the revived genre started to fizzle out. They’re known for hits like “Go Daddy-O,” “You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby!),” and “Mr Pinstripe Suit,” and their latest album was 2024’s Rattle Them Bones. They’re impressive to catch live to say the least, and you’ll be surprised at how many songs they play that you’ll know. The all ages show has dinner served between 6 pm and 7:30 pm, which is included in your ticket price between $78 and $138.
Raven Tower will be bringing the blues rock sounds of Nathan Quick with a full band in tow. Quick has been on a kick dropping tracks to gear up for the release of a new full length due this Winter. Quick has always been an entertainer who knows how to entertain when he plays live, and his latest single “The Sound” proves that his writing is on a whole new level. The blues rock of Houston’s The Beans will be on as direct support, and will play their brand of sultry tunes that will more than likely elicit marriage proposals from many of the females in tow. The high energy sounds of Austin’s Otis The Destroyer will be on as openers for the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $10 and $12.
Paul Oddo. Photo: Courtesy of Artist/Facebook
You can get your copy of the new album & book by Houston turned NYC comic Paul Oddo over at Rec Room, when the comic returns for a special show and release party. Oddo might be one of the strongest comics to leave our city for a better comedy scene, he’s got credits like crazy, and this new album Lost In Thought alongside this new book Nothing Too Fancy, should both be hilarious. There will be several other Houston comics on this bill that haven’t been announced yet. The all ages show has doors at 8 pm and tickets for a measly $10.
The Waughford will have a set from psych rockers Mojave Red. If you have somehow missed this bluesy three piece, then you should at least check out their album from last year, Creeper. They’ll have prior set from San Antonio rockers Levees, while Houston’s Mothertone will open the 21 & up show with doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover.
Of course, you could get your laugh on over at Traffic Premium Lounge for the Final night of the Laff Town’s Funniest Comedy Contest. They started with 50 Houston comics and now they’re down to the final six where one of these comics will walk away with a $1,000.00 prize. Hosted by last year’s winner Ashton Womack, the finalists Ryan Thauburn, Zach Dickson, Nick Palermo, Mycal Dede, Sahil Buhtani, and Radu Bandar will all be on hand to make you laugh. The 21 & up show has doors at 9 pm and tickets are a measly $10.
Gwen Stefani. Photo: Kayla Merrill/One Nation
Sunday you can grab some pop jams out at the Woodlands Pavilion, when the never-give-up pop sounds of Gwen Stefani returns to town. It’s been over a decade since she’s released a solo album, but when your hubby from a failed rock band cheats on you (rumored), you write a new album. With this year’s This Is What The Truth Feels Like, Stefani drops a solid release in a sea of teen pop princesses. You can hate her all you want, but she’s pretty strong as a live performer, and the rumors have it that these shows are crazy. The hip hop of nineties MC, EVE will be on hand as opener for the all ages show with doors at 6 pm and tickets between $9.95 and $149.95.
Raven Tower will host the engaging sounds of David Bazan (formerly Pedro The Lion). Honestly, I loved Pedro The Lion, and Bazan is hit and miss for me. Some of his stuff is pretty awesome where a lot of it for me isn’t in my top twenty. That being said, his latest drop, this year’s Blanco is one of his strongest releases to date. The psych folk of Maryland’s Michael Nau will open the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $14 and $18.
Deerhoof. Photo: Sara Amroussi-Glissen
I’d guess that most of you however, would be at Walters to catch the always entertaining and highly energetic melodic rock of San Francisco’s Deerhoof. Hailed by critics and live music fans alike, this four piece has been called “the best band in the world” by Pitchfork. Their mix of pop tones and crazed energy is hard to ignore, and this year’s The Magic is actually magical. The intense punk of Philadelphia three piece, Blank Spell will be on hand as direct support, while the psych pop of Austin’s Tele Novella will open things up. The all ages show has doors at 8 pm and tickets between $12 and $15.
If you wanna’ get your stoner rock fix, then you could head to Rudyard’s for the electrifying and solo driven sounds of Portland’s Black Pussy. This band has gotten crap for their name, for their album titles, and probably other things as well. However, they’re pretty damn amazing and their live shows are always worth checking out. Last year they dropped the killer EP Where The Eagle Flies, as well as a great full length earlier in the year called Magic Mustache. The no frills and straight forward stoner doom of Houston’s The Dirty Seeds will be on as direct support and openers, and if you haven’t heard their album King Kush then you’re seriously missing out. The 21 & up show has doors at 8 pm and tickets for $10.
Gouge Away. Photo: Courtesy of Artist/Bandcamp
On Tuesday you can head to Walters to catch the hardcore turned post punk sounds of Ceremony. A lot of crap has been given to this Bay area five piece for throwing away their hardcore past in favor of a sound that’s closer to their Joy Division inspirations. While their 2024 album Rohnert Park will always be one of my favorite albums, their latest release The L-Shaped Man from last year is pretty damn amazing. I find it hard to believe that anyone could hear the songs “Your Life In France” or “The Separation” and not fall for the sound of this album. If you’ve never caught them live before, let me tell you that they’re truly intense and incredible at the same time. The raucous and chaotic female fronted hardcore of Florida’s Gouge Away will bring their heavy and insane new album, ,dies to life as direct support. They’ll have to follow the crazed live energy of Houston’s Black Coffee beforehand, and the dark and straightforward punk of LACE as well. The hardcore of Houston based Privilege Abuse will open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $10 and $12.
If you’d rather get your laughs in, then you could make it over to Rudyard’s for one or both of the always funny Grown Up Storytime show from BooTown. The massively popular show always sells out the 8 pm show, but the generous folks at BooTown have added a second show that takes place at 10 pm as well. The 21 & up shows have a $5 cover with doors at either 8 pm or 10 pm.
That’s about all that’s happening around town this week. No matter what you decide to do, remember that a safe ride home is just an app away.
