Well, Houston certainly has a ton of entertainment options over the next seven days. Performances from the likes of A Giant Dog, Yes and Coldplay will all be on hand while locals like We Were Wolves, Talking Forever and the Chris LaForge Benefit shows will all fill in the gaps. Houston, here’s how to navigate the following week.
On Wednesday, you could start off out in Sugarland where the legendary progressive rock sounds of Yes will fill Smart Financial Centre. This is pretty self-explanatory for any fan of the British group that’s been going strong since the late ’60s. While their latest albums have been live releases, their last proper album was 2024’s Heaven & Earth, which showcased how strong the band still is. Guitar slinger Todd Rundgren will be on as direct support, while Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy will open things up. The all-ages show has doors at 7 pm and tickets between $69.50 and $89.50.
At White Oak Music Hall upstairs Austin’s Molly Burch will bring her sultry voiced indie rock to town. Burch has been going strong since signing to Captured Tracks, and her live show is pretty amazing. Her latest release, Please Be Mine, is pretty beautiful. The engaging and swooning sounds of Houston’s Dollie Barnes will be on hand as direct support and opener for the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $10 and $13.
Under The Volcano will host the tripped out psych sounds of Frog Hair. Sure, this band contains members of Pain Teens and Deadhorse, but your focus should be on their mesmerizing live show that’s pretty much own its own. That’s not to say that their debut, A Long List of Shortcomings, isn’t just as stellar, but they’re seriously a trip to see live. The 21 & up show gets going around 8 pm with a TBA cover charge.
On Thursday, you could get all the emo feels when Indiana’s Plans swing by to perform at Walter’s. These guys are rumored to be a ball of energy live, and their latest release, Loose Ends,definitely could be the fuel for that fire. Houston’s Talking Forever will bring their emo core energy on as direct support, and the emo pop punk of Phantompains will go on beforehand. Groundhog Day will open things up for the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $8 and $10.
Rudyard’s will have Buxton and Ancient Cat Society’s Sergio Trevino over to headline a set. Trevino has one of the most distinct voices in music, and his solo sets are a great way to hear songs that might make their way onto one of his projects’ future releases. Dallas’ Jacob Metcalf will be on beforehand, while Adam Bricks will get the evening going with doors at 8 pm and an $8 cover for the 21 & up show.
The Secret Group will host the industrial punk of LA’s Sextile. The trio, which has become well known for their intense live shows, has a new album out this year called Albeit Living, and it’s pretty epic to say the least. Houston’s LACE will bring their hardcore intensity on as direct support, while the new wave post punk of Austin’s Temple of Angels will get the all-ages show started with a $10 cover and doors at 8 pm.
Friday you might want to head to the studio at Warehouse Live for the first day of the Chris LaForge Memorial. LaForge passed away earlier this year, and his time in multiple bands including 30 Foot Fall didn’t go unnoticed. This show features a headlining set from California’s Tsunami Bomb, with Eye Against on prior, as well as sets from Taste of Garlic, Nick Gaitan, Patterns and many, many more. The all-ages show has doors at 5:30 pm and tickets for $15.
Over at NRG Stadium, British four-piece Coldplay will be in the large scale venue. Say what you will about these guys, but if you’ve seen them live already then you know they’re as solid as it gets.They’re here supporting 2024’s A Head Full of Dreams, and if you’ve never seen these guys then this is your chance. The funky electronica of AlunaGeorge will be on as direct support, while the pop R&B of London’s Izzy Bizu will get the all-ages show started with doors at 6 pm and tickets between $67.50 and $1500.
Burlesque fans will rejoice at Numbers for the monthly extravaganza from Houston’s Dem Damn Dames. This month’s show will be a Good Vs. Evil show where guys, gals, and everything in-between will perform in a battle for guest judges, Ku Egenti, Lady Lush and Nick T Vegan. Of course, that doesn’t mean that it won’t be star studded in the performance area as the Dames perform alongside Dallas’ Roxy VyxSin, NOLA’s May Hemmer, Austin’s Kitty Von Quim and many more. The 18 & up show has doors at 7 pm (more information here), and the tickets between $15 and $35 include entry to the long running Classic Numbers that follows the show.
The album release party for Blues Funeral will take place over at White Oak Music Hall upstairs. This Houston four-piece mixes proto-metal and doom metal like no one you’ve heard before, and their last album, The Search, sounded like it came from the ’70s. The doom metal of Doomstress will be on as direct support, while possibly one of the more intriguing new metal bands from Houston, Fiddle Witch & The Demons of Doom, will open the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets for $10.
At Smart Financial Centre, Mary J. Blige will make her triumphant return to our fair city. Blige has been known as a force to witness live, and her latest release, Strength Of A Woman, from this year, is her best to date. The fusion sounds of Lalah Hathaway will be on hand as direct support and opener for the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $39.50 and $125.
Stereo Live will host the popular DJ jams of Las Vegas’ 3Lau. The producer has a reputation for crazed live sets, and he rarely makes his way down to Houston. His latest single, “Hot Water,” definitely jams. He’ll have Justin Caruso on to get the 18 & up show started with doors at 9 pm and tickets between $15 and $30.
The Big Top will host a show featuring the jangle pop of Austin’s The Talkies. Here supporting their latest release, Bright/Sunny, they should bring plenty of fun to the Main Street venue. The tongue-in-cheek disaffected alt pop rock of Houston’s Guess Genes will be on prior, while the emo-tinged indie rock of Cool Moon will get the 21 & up show with doors at 9 pm started with an $8 cover.
On Saturday, the singer songwriter Andrew Karnavas will be recording live at Cactus Records. Karnavas has made his name as a performer, author and producer, and his songs are soulful and rich in sound. Of course, those in attendance will receive the recording as a free download, and you can check out his last single, “Danger,” and judge for yourself. The all-ages event gets going around 1 pm and has gratis beer for the adults.
Downstairs at White Oak Music Hall, day two of the Chris LaForge memorial will take place with a headlining set from Houston punk legends 30 Foot Fall. The band that LaForge played for will bring all the intensity of the high energy pop punk to the room, playing all of your favorite songs. Not to be outdone, the ska sounds of Los Skarnales will grace the stage beforehand, while Bickley will bring their punk on prior. Venomous Maximus will also be on the bill, and Bayou Vimana will as well, while The Cops will open the all-ages event with doors at 7 pm and tickets for $15.
Continental Club has the crazed psych rock of LA’s Death Valley Girls. There’s something about this four-piece that’s hard to turn away from, and their latest release, Glow In The Dark, from last year, echoes the sounds of the early days of psych. The punk of Houston’s Ruiners will energetically be on as direct support, while the punk of ImposterBoys will go on before. A DJ set from Flower Graves will get things started ( with performances between sets) on the 21 & up show with tickets between $8 and $10.
Sunday you can make it over to Rudyard’s for the third and final day of the Chris LaForge benefit. Headlined by The Velostacks, the show and possible hangover party should be pretty on point as the leather punks are amazing to catch perform in person. The punk of Dead To The World will go on before, while the metal of Whorehound will get things started. The 21 & up show is free with doors at 3 pm.
At White Oak Music Hall upstairs Austin’s A Giant Dog will bring their full-throttled theatrics to all who attend. Possibly one of the strongest live bands you can see, the punks bring a high energy show every time they perform, and their new album, Toy, is pretty epic. The party-hard and energy heavy rock of We Were Wolves will be on as direct support, and Houston’s Noble Age will open up the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets for $10.
On Monday, the folk pop of Australia’s Stu Larsen will be over in the upstairs room of White Oak Music Hall. While critics have praised Larsen for his catchy tunes, he tours so much that it’s hard to pin him down to any one place he calls home. His latest release, this year’s Resolute, has deeper tracks than his previous offerings. Houston-based singer songwriter Andrew James will be on as direct support and opener for the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $12 and $16.
Walter’s will host the doom-heavy and dark instrumental sounds of Fiddle Witch and the Demons of Doom. The three-piece led by Jo Bird, formerly of Two Star Symphony, plays doom metal with a twist, where the electric viola offers up tones a guitar could never achieve. their latest single, “Midnight Mayhem,” is a trip to say the least. LA twin duo Jerkagram will be on hand as direct support with their ambient math rock sounds, while the noise punk of Houston’s Black Lodge will open up the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and a $5 cover.
Tuesday at House of Blues, the folk sounds of LA’s Lord Huron will be performing in the main hall. This four-piece has captured the hearts of many with their soulful and catchy tracks, and their live shows are supposed to be worth catching. Their latest album, Strange Trails, from 2024, is full of songs that you can get lost in. The captivating vocal folk of The Wild Reeds will be on as support and openers for the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $25 and $45.
That’s about all that’s happening around town this week. No matter what you decide to do, remember that being kind to everyone is in the best interest of our city.
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