Save The Rich: The Best of The Week
Photo: Emily Shur
This town amazes me pretty much every week with multitudes of things to do, many of which are put on by local people. This week is no different, as I’m sure you’ll find at least one thing here that you won’t want to miss; and if you’re lucky you’ll find more than that. Rudyard’s turns thirty six, there are some legends and great touring acts, alongside plenty of great local talent. Here’s where your free time should get spent.
Kicking off the week on Wednesday, you can head over to Rudyard’s for the bluesy rock of Dallas’ Somebody’s Darling. Somebody’s Darling are on the cusp of a new album release, but that hasn’t stopped their relentless touring schedule for the past five years. The group has a Southern swagger that’s only amplified by the Janis Joplin-like vocals from lead singer, Amber Farris. Their 2024 release, “Jank City Shakedown” proves that good things can actually come from the DFW area. They’ll be joined by Nashville’s Margo and the Price Tags, who should add plenty of tonk to their honky tonk vibe. The folky americana sounds of Houston’s Cavern Hymnal will get things started, with doors at 8:00 and an $8.00 cover for the 21 & up show.
However, no one would blame you if you ventured over to Barbarella Houston to catch Vendetta Diabolique. If you’ve never heard Vendetta, it’s like Blondie with metal guitars, lead by Doomstress Alexis. If that doesn’t sell you, there’s usually a couple of go go dancers at their shows. Rumor has it that this show will be costume themed and there will also be some DJs on hand to add to the show. DJ Damon Allen, Kris Hex, and Emily Snow recording for her podcast will all be on hand. Things get rolling around 11:00 and as far as I can tell, there’s no cover.
If you’re more in the mood for Japanese horror, then the movie night over at Mango’s might be what you should attend. They’ll be playing the Nobuhiko Obayashi classic, “Hausu.” An evil ghost witch mixed with strange visual effects of the seventies, alongside some great gore makes this all ages show a good fit. Things get rolling around 10:00 and it’s 100% FREE.
On Thursday, I think most people will be over at New York City Queens over at Walter’s. I would think that by now, you would have heard them, but if you haven’t, then this show is your chance. They pretty much excell in the world of indie hipster pop, not that that’s a bad thing as those who know will tell you they’re a strong live act to catch. They’ll be joined by the indie pop of Austin’s The Sour Notes who have plenty of pop hooks to go along with their stripped down and simple approach. Houston’s up and comers in the world of indie rock goodness, The Caldwell will get things started with doors at 8:00 and an $8.00 cover for the all ages show.
I don’t think I can oversell the show at Phoenicia MKT Bar enough on Thursday, as it features the soulful baritone of Matt Mejia. I’m sure that you know Matt from his band, Come See My Dead Person; but I doubt you’ve had the pleasure of seeing him solo yet. I caught him at Dean’s doing the singer/songwriter show, and I was more impressed with him than I am with him in CSMDP. His deep voice echoed notes of pain and true soul that you don’t seem to hear much anymore. He’ll be joined by Jerry Ochoa of Two Star Symphony fame, on a show that sounds like something seriously entertaining. The show runs from 8:00 to 11:00, it’s all ages, and it’s 100% FREE.
If you like hillbilly twang, then I’d suggest making it to Continental Club for Nashville’s Eskimo Brothers. These guys have the ability to mix an almost fifties era rockabilly vibe with the attitude of Stray Cats, and a little bit of swing thrown in. They’ll be performing the late show after Beetle, and there’s not much info on cost. But, I’d guess that it’ll get rolling around 10:30 or so with a low cost cover charge for the 21 & up show.
Wanting to laugh on Thursday should be easily accomplished with the hilarious stylings of comedian John Evans out at Joke Joint Comedy Showcase. Evans has appeared on Comedy Central, he’s toured all over the country, and he’s performed on the Montreal Comedy Festival. He’s opened for everyone from the late great George Carlin and Mitch Hedberg, to Dave Chapelle. He’ll have to be on his best as he has one of Houston’s strongest comics, Kristin Lindner opening things up. There’s only one show on Thursday at 8:00, but there are two on Friday and two on Saturday both with 8:00 and 10:30 doors. All shows carry a $16.00 cover charge.
On Friday, you can make your way over to Fitzgerald’s downstairs for one incredible line up, when BLSHS headlines a night full of synths. I can only imagine that if you have no idea who BLSHS are, you either just moved here or you don’t read much. The trio has garnered all types of praise for their 808 State synths coupled with the haunting and dark vocals of lead singer Michelle Miears. They’ve made plenty of festival appearances, they’re in the midst of blowing up, and in a perfect world, they’ll start touring and sharing their sound with the world. They’ll have to follow the likes of Houston’s now Austinite, Roger Sellers. Sellers might be the closest this generation will get to Frank Zappa. He makes music with basically anything and everything, and he’s also played plenty of festivals. I’ve seen him play an acoustic guitar, I’ve seen him play a banjo, and I’ve seen him do electronica; and all are pretty close to as amazing as an artist can be. Houston’s up and coming pop geniuses, Children Of Pop will also bring their vibe of condensed electronic pop to the show as well. Children Of Pop are hot on the heels of everyone in Houston, and they’re easily on their way to becoming something bigger than the sum of their parts. Toast is on the show, as well as the Buxton/Children Of Pop hybrid act; Guess Genes, who will open things up. I am pretty sure that you won’t be able to find a reason to not make this show, especially with a FREE cover charge for 21 & up, with a $5.00 cover for under 21. the show is all ages and the doors are at 8:00.
If you were wanting to laugh, then you can venture into downtown to catch the Beta Bracket Comedy Competition at Phoenicia MKT Bar. I think we all like a good fight, and in this round of the twelve week competition, the comics who lost in the previous two rounds will be vying for a shot to get back on track. The audience voted round will decide who will get a chance at the $2,000.00 first prize from Beta Theater and a live recording from Heights Vinyl. If you have a pal who’s trying to get back on the winning side of things, you already know about the show. If you don’t know, it’s worth making it out for and there’s no cover charge or drink minimum purchase involved. The show gets rolling at 9:00 and it’s a great way to see some comedy inside the loop.
If you’re feeling nostalgic, then the thirty six year birthday show for Rudyard’s is where you will wanna’ be at. This is a two day event that starts Friday night. The lineup of artists is pretty intense, and well worth checking out. The evening will be headlined by Houston’s own ambient trance rockers, PuraPharm. If you’ve never caught this band, I suggest you do so as they have a sound that’s like a mix of Siouxsie & Spiritualized, but a little more entertaining. They’ll be joined by the noise rock sounds of The Ex-Optimists. I don’t know if I can describe them fairly, but they have this Sonic Youth and Polvo meets Jay Mascis type of sound. The hard rock and melodic sound of Houston’s TheLastPlaceYouLook will also be on hand. I don’t think you can see these guy’s energetic performances and not become an instant fan. The prowess of Justin Nava’s vocals alone are worth making it out for, and the pace at which their songs speed by with precise movement are just icing on the cake. The dual guitared instrumental noise rock of Houston’s Dead Mineral will open things up with doors at 9:00 and a 100% FREE cover for the 21 & up show.
Maybe hip hop is more your speed, and if that’s the case, then Warehouse Live is your go to spot Friday night with their Hip Hop Anonymous show. If you’ve been lucky enough to hear Guilla do his thing, then you’ll be happy to know that he’s one of the hosts of this show alongside Leckie full of up and comers. Names like Mike Skee, MGD, Raj The Rapper, Eternal Presence, and Jed The Fameless will all be on hand to entertain all in attendance. I mean between the quick lyrical flow of Raj, the smooth style of Eternal Presence, and the old school vibe of Jed; you’ve got an intense hip hop show on your hands. The show is all ages, the doors are at 8:00, and the tickets are a very reasonably priced $10.00. I’d say look into grabbing presale tickets, because these shows usually sell out fast, and this line up almost proves that it will.
There may be a chance that you’re a big fan of dancing until you can’t stand anymore, and if that’s the case; you could head to Stereo Live for Dutch duo, Headhunterz. The thumpy bass driven acid sounds that these guys make is pretty universally hailed as great. Recently, these guys were called the 11th best DJ’s in the world, and their high energy shows are more than likely something you won’t wanna’ miss. Their latest single, this year’s “Synergy” adds more synth acid intertwined with the driven beats they’re known for. The doors are at 9:00, the show is 18 & up, and the tickets from $15.00 to $30.00.
On Saturday, you could make it over to Walter’s for the garage punk of Austin’s OBN III’s. These guys have such an energetic sound of The Cramps meets Jon Spencer Blues Explosion; that I’d think if you were a fan of the genre, you’d be at this show. Melding blues and punk light into a rhythmic explosion of sound, their most recent release, “Third Time To Harm” is a melodic wake up call to everyone else playing garage music. Houston’s lo-fi punksters, Talk Sick Brats will also be on the show, and will add their mix of JFA style punk to the night. The psyched out garage melody of Houston’s Silver Blueberry will get things started with doors at 8:00, and an $8.00 cover for the all ages show.
No one would blame you however, if you went over to 3534 Navigation, to give Houston’s Bang Bangz a proper send off for their Mexico tour. The show which has a Karbach sponsorship, will feature the indie rockers performing songs from their electro pop classic, last year’s “Red City.” Be honest and admit you’re a fan by making it out if not for any other reason than to hear those trippy and synthy songs live. The experimental prog goodness of Satellite D’Homme will bring their Zappa-esque sounds to the show as well. If that weren’t enough, the glitch visuals and multi-layered soundscapes of FLCON FCKER will be on the show as well. I can’t say enough great things about this guy, and his ability to turn the music industry on it’s nose when his full length album sees the light of day. Senior JukeBox will get things started with doors at 7:00, and and $8.00 cover for the 21 & up show,
If giving is in your nature, then the Feelings Fundraiser and show at Beta Theater is where you should be. The Improv genius of Feelings is curated by Amy Birkhead and Antoine Culbreath, and it’s a show that everyone in this town should see at least once. The fundraiser portion of the evening will be hosted by the gregarious Mills McCoin, as he runs an amateur auction from the back of the room. Like all Beta events, there will be some beverages and a pay what you can price, but to get into a newer and larger space; they ask that you pay a little more. Things get rolling at 9:00.
Funny songs that would make anyone laugh, while being insightful and relevant always sounds like a fun evening. I’m not talking about Ray Stevens, but rather the hilarious tunes from Garfunkel and Oates. A show on IFC, several albums, and various guest appearances are the world’s way of saying that this is a must see show over at House of Blues. The dynamic duo of Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci is nothing short of amazing, and harkens back to a time of great comedy teams. They’ll be playing songs from their entire catalog, but with tongue in cheek songs about masturbation, gay boyfriends, and everything in-between; there’s not many topics these two won’t cover in a hilarious manner. The doors are at 7:00, the show is 18 & up, and the tickets are a little over $40.00.
On night two of Rudyard’s thirty sixth anniversary, they’ll be utilizing the fact that the bands play upstairs and away from the nearby housing. The loud and chaos filled rock of The Velostacks will be headlining the evening, and making everyone feel just a little sleazy when it’s all over with. Leather, sweat, beer, and two Gibson’s being played on 11 are a good representation of what you’ll see from a band who refuses to let rock n roll die. They’ll be joined by the likes of local legends, The Guillotines. These guys are from Houston, but they are founded by Robert Conn, who you may know from a little band called The Pagans. They’ve shared stages with some serious heavy hitters and their Electric Frankenstein meets The Dead Boys sound is pretty damn amazing. The supergroup of Supergrave will bring those lovely chunk riffs of Houston’s Manhole back to life with a more garage based sound that’s still entertaining and in your face. Hogleg, a group featuring members of Dixie Waste and Poor Dumb Bastards will start things off with doors at 9:00 and a 100% FREE cover charge. Sorry kids, but this show is adults only meaning that it’s 21 & up.
I’m sure many of you think you can dance, and you’ll have your chance to prove whether you can or not over at Boondocks on Saturday with the Big Trouble show. The evening will feature the likes of DJ Dayta, DJ Klinch and Gracie Chavez, and DJ Navo, teamed up for a night full of bombastic beats and sick mixes that’ll get you moving. I’m pretty sure that most of you know these two, and there’s really no reason not to make it out as they shake the house at Boondocks. The doors are at 10:00, it’s 21 & up, and there’s a ZERO cover charge.
Sunday, you can get your Doc Martens on for some hardcore punk over at Mango’s, when Seattle’s Iron Lung thrashes into town. These guys play fast, you can’t really make out the lyrics, and they’re incredibly loud…what punk should be. Spain’s Una Bestia Incontrolable will be there to beat everyone down with their intense noise rock meets punk sound. They don’t really come here much, so if you’re a fan then make it out to see them live. If there weren’t enough international acts on this show already, Japan’s Sete Star Sept will bring their deathcore sound to the show as well. I wish I knew what their lead singer was screaming, but I’m sure it’s nothing derogatory to those who watch them perform. The hardcore of Houston’s Back To Back will be the tamest band on the bill, and that says a lot. If you haven’t seen these guys yet then this is your chance. They have a melody to their sound that’s worth making it out for. The all ages show doesn’t have a door time listed, but the cover is $8.00.
If you’ve got a fat wallet, and you really want to see Aerosmith, then you can catch them out at the Woodlands Pavillion on Monday. Wouldn’t it be amazing if they came out and just played “Rocks?” Unfortunately they’ve kept making albums so that probably won’t happen. I actually kind of liked “Honkin’ On Bobo,” but everything else to me has sounded like “Crazy.” Slash will open things up in a way that’ll at least make you wish that he and Axl would bury the hatchet once and for all. The doors for the show are at 6:30, and the tickets range between $39.50 and $155.00.
Also on Monday, you can see Crosby, Stills, and Nash over at Bayou Music Center. These guys are legends and we all know the massive catalog of tunes they’ve made over the years; so there’s really no reason to sell this show too hard. The three part harmonies alone are worth making it out for. If you’ve always wanted to see them, I’d say make this show as scientifically, the odds are high that this may be your last chance. The doors are at 8:00 and tickets are between $57.00 and 100.00.
Tuesday, you could head over to Fitzgerald’s for the pop electronic sound of LA’s Sir Sly. The trio who released the immensely popular album, “Gold” last year will bring their poppy music to the upstairs room. They’ll bring just as equally as poppy of an act with London’s popular Wolf Gang. These guys have a little more depth to their pop sound, and their recently released “Black River” EP is getting all sorts of nods from the music world. The pop rock of NYC’s Secret Sometimes will get things started and add the most depth to the show. The doors for the all ages show are at 7:00, and the tickets are between $15.00 and $17.00. There’s also a special bundle ticket for $25.00 that gets you into the show, a tour poster, early entry for a meet and greet, and an early full length download from either Sir Sly or Wolf Gang.
It’s another fun week full of entertainment for anyone who wants it. If you venture out remember to stay safe, be smart, and enjoy all our city has to offer. Hopefully there’s a cold front in our future, but until then, stay hydrated and shaded.
2 Responses to Save The Rich: The Best of The Week
You must be logged in to post a comment Login