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These are the 5 best concerts to catch in Houston this week

Labor Day weekend mean a lot of folks take off out of town with the family in tow for one last summer jaunt and musicians seem to follow suit, with a smaller selection of concerts to choose from this week before the fall concert schedule really takes off. However, there are still a few great options to choose from for those who need to get their fix.

These are the biggest and best shows of the week:

CultureMap recommends: H-town’s Bun B is back
One of CultureMap’s favorite Houston personalities, local hip-hop legend Bun B returns with his latest release, the aptly named, Return of the Trill. Bun B, real name Bernard Freeman, is one of the big reasons for the Houston hip-hop renaissance in the late-’90s/early-2000s when numerous rappers from the 713 achieved national notoriety.

He achieved three Top 10 U.S. albums with Trill (No. 6), II Trill (No. 2), and Trill OG (No. 4). His popularity is still felt throughout the city as he’s become one of the major ambassadors of the rise of Houston as a center of culture and music — with countless appearances at events and as a featured speaker on television and radio. This is a can’t-miss show for any fan of hip-hop.

Bun B releases his new album, Return of the Trill, at White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 North Main St., on Thursday, August 30. Tickets are $9.37 in advance plus a $4.05 service charge. Doors open at 8 pm.

Date night: Free lawn show with Houston Symphony
One of the best values in the city are the various shows Houston Symphony performs at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion throughout the year. Lawn seating is free at these events, meaning it's the perfect opportunity for date night at a most romantic venue. The latest performance, Blue Suede Tunes, will feature tunes from the golden age of Las Vegas, featuring hits by Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. Attendees are permitted to bring in outside food, so bring a picnic basket and blanket, sip on some wine, and enjoy your sweetie under the twilight.

The Houston Symphony performs Blue Suede Tunes at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, located at 2005 Lake Robbins Dr. in The Woodlands, on Thursday, August 30. Orchestra and Mezzanine seating is $20 plus service fees, lawn seating is free. Gates open at 7 pm.

Yelawolf hollers at HOB
Alabama native Yelawolf first gained famed after signing to Eminem's Shady Records. While he has a similar flow to the Detroit rapper, Yela adds a lot of influences from his home state, with songs incorporating country, blues, and strings set to hip-hop beats. He's steadily gained a following since his first release under Slim Shady, Radioactive, with 2015's Love Story (which featured Em on the single, "Best Friend,") reaching No. 3 on the charts. His latest is 2017's Trial By Fire.

Yelawolf performs at House of Blues, located at 1204 Caroline St., on Saturday, September 1. Tickets start at $25 plus service fees. Doors open at 7 pm.

Givers at White Oak
Louisiana indie-pop band Givers are a dash of Vampire Weekend, a dose of Grouplove, and a hint of Mumford and Sons. Basically, their songs are designed to make audiences dance with their self-described, rhythmically indebted Afro-pop. Their 2011 album, In Light made some noise with the buoyant singles, "Up, Up, Up" and "Saw You First." They are currently set to release their latest EP, Movin' On.

Givers headline at White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 N. Main St., on Saturday, September 1. Tickets are $13 plus a $5.98 service fee. Doors open at 8 p.m.

CultureMap show of the week: Rock legends Journey and Def Leppard

Correction: Last week, we incorrectly posted the dates of the Journey and Def Leppard show. They will be playing on Saturday, September 1 and Monday, September 3.

Two of the biggest bands of their time, Journey and Def Leppard are hot on the nostalgia circuit due to the fact they've both sold gazillions of albums. Journey rose to fame with a series of chart topping arena rock singles, including the song that won't seem to go away and karaoke staple, "Don't Stop Believin'." Unfortunately, a nasty falling out with longtime singer Steve Perry years ago means Arnel Pineda will be singing your favorite hits.

Hair metal influenced rock band Def Leppard scored one of the highest selling albums of all time with the 1987 release, Hysteria (25 million copies and counting). That album alone produced enough hits to keep any band going, including "Pour Some Sugar On Me," "Love Bites," "Animal," "Women," and the title track.

Journey and Def Leppard co-headline at the Toyota Center, located at located at 1510 Polk St., on Saturday, September 1 and on Monday, September 3. Tickets start at $49.50 plus service fees. Doors open at 6 pm.

Yelawolf performs at House of Blues on Saturday, September 1.

Yelawolf/Facebook

Yelawolf performs at House of Blues on Saturday, September 1.

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Music feature

Texas country star Cody Johnson's new album goes to 'Banks of Trinity'

Photo by Cameron Powell

Cody Johnson.

There's a moment at every Cody Johnson show where the Texas-born-and-bred country star asks the crowd, “How many of you tonight are watching me and this band live for the very first time?” he told The Associated Press. “And every night, I would say at least 80% of the crowd raises their hands.”

It's not the kind of reaction most veteran artists receive. “And I’m thinking, you know, 20 years is a long time to work for something. But when you see that … What’s the next 20 years look like?” he asks.

The rancher, rodeo competitor, and onetime prison guard started his two-decade career playing honky tonks and dive bars. That led to slow and steady growth for the country traditionalist, but in the last few years, something has shifted. He landed his fifth career No. 1 song with “The Fall.” He was named Entertainer of the Year at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards, the show's highest honor. That was a month after he headlined Stagecoach Music Festival. For an artist with legions of fans, it looked like he was accessing new heights.

“I feel like I’m closing a book and I’m opening another one and it’s all blank pages,” he says of this period. “Let's get to the next chapter." On June 26, that new era began with the release of his latest album, Banks of the Trinity.

Traveling to the Banks of the Trinity
It hasn't been an easy road. Last fall, Johnson had to cancel a bunch of tour dates after upper respiratory and sinus infections caused a burst eardrum that required surgery — an intimidating medical procedure for anyone, but especially nerve-wracking for a musician. “I was scared,” he said simply. But “in a roundabout way, it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”

It forced him to take three months off, which allowed him to be home during the birth of his son. It also rejuvenated his approach in the studio. Before the incident, he thought the album was complete. It was not. The additional time resulted in the inclusion of a few songs that now feel inextricable from the record: “Thank Somebody Country,” “Take Me Back (Leave Me There),” “Cricket on a Hook,” and the resilient “I Have” among them.

“What a blessing to have that kind of song fall in your lap when you’re kind of up against the ropes,” he says of the latter. “I mean, we thought we had the record done. It wasn’t done.”

A title track with real resonance
At the heart of Banks of the Trinity is its title track, which recalls Eagles' cover of “Seven Bridges Road” meets bluegrass and Southern gospel.

Lyrically, it's an ode to Johnson's childhood. “I grew up on the banks of the Trinity [River.] Fishing for catfish, not so much out of pleasure or sport but for necessity to put food in the freezer. Deer season for me was not a trophy thing,” he said.

And while that track inspires a feeling of nostalgia within the listener, he doesn't consider this album a throwback collection. He says it's about showcasing his evolving sonic diversity.

"The rest of the album for me is a musical journey from track one to track 16,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a flavor for everybody. It does kind of hit Motown. It does kind of hit bluegrass. It does hit progressive country. It does it old country. It does a little rock here and there.”

It's the result of a new kind of freedom, one that is at least partially due to his recent accomplishments, including taking home the top prize at the ACM Awards.

“I just did the thing that I’ve aspired to do in my career my entire life,” he says. “A really good place is a really good way to describe where I am.”

And now that the album is out, he's ready to take a breather.

“I will be shirtless with no shoes on a beach at an undisclosed location,” he jokes about the days after record release. “'Cause I have already done all the prep work. I've been working on this album for two years. I’ve done all of the interviews. I’ve shook all the hands. Me and my wife and kids are gonna disappear for 10 days and I’m gonna become, I guess, every Kenny Chesney song ever.”

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