For music fans, there's only one thing better than live music — and that's free live music.
Avenida Houston, the downtown gathering spot next to George R. Brown Convention Center and Discovery Green, announced the return of Party on the Plaza, the spring concert series that runs from March 7 through April through May 7 on select Thursdays.
This year’s lineup includes: St. Paul and The Broken Bones with The Dip (March 26), Caloncho with Superfónicos (April 9), co-headliners Robert Randolph and The Family Band and The Soul Rebels (April 23), and Ryan Bingham with Houndmouth (May 7). Admission to these shows are free.
“We are thrilled to bring this talented group of performers into the heart of our city. Being able to provide the free concert series to the Houston community is an added bonus,” said Todd Holloman, head of live events and experiences at Houston First Corporation, in a statement. “Houston is a huge city, but music brings people together. It is our hope the ‘Party on the Plaza’ series becomes a gathering place for friends, families and neighbors near and far to kick back, relax with local food and drinks and experience collectively some amazing musical talents.”
Party on the Plaza started in 2017 and has brought in numerous up and coming and established acts like The Old 97’s, Ghostland Observatory, Trombone Shorty, Bob Schneider, Robert Ellis, Los Amigos Invisibles, Ben Kweller and more to its downtown location. This year's lineup is perhaps its strongest yet.
Alabama-formed St. Paul and the Broken Bones is a nationally known R&B soul act, having played on major nightly talk shows and festivals, featuring the charismatic lead singer, Paul Janeway. They'll be joined on the March 7 date by The Dip, a classic R&B bad, much loved in their hometown Seattle, and starting to make some waves outside of the Pacific Northwest. Latin flavor will heat up the Plaza on April 9 with the Mexican singer-songwriter Colancho and Austin eight-piece Colombian funk band, Superfónicos.
On April 23, Robert Randolph and the Family Band will deliver the American funk and soul that has earned them four Grammy nominations and Randall a spot on the Rolling Stone list of Top 100 Guitarists of All Time. They'll be joined by the eight-piece New Orleans jazz, hip-hop, and rock mash up of then popular Gulf Coast act, The Soul Rebels, who also have a strong following and a couple of late night appearances under their belt.
Party on the Plaza will wrap up on May 7 with an Americana bent with headliner Ryan Bingham, the former rodeo rider and alt-country star that won an Oscar for co-writing "The Weary Kind" from the film, Crazy Heart. Festival mainstay indie rockers Houndmouth will be on hand - a band that can easily sell out mid-sized theaters on a good night, set to release their fourth album this year.
Avenida Houston is in the center of the thriving downtown core. The 97,000 square foot pedestrian plaza turns into a center for entertainment during the warmer months of the year with Party on the Plaza as one of its main draws. A variety of restaurants will be offering promotions and discounts during the concert series and visitors and families will be able to visit Discovery Green’s 12-acre park as well as the various public art installations.
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For more information on Avenida Houston's Party on the Plaza, including parking, visit www.AvenidaHouston.com/party.
Robert Randolph and the Family band perform at Party on the Plaza on April 23.
