Day for Night Lineup Revealed

Day for Night lineup revealed: Legendary DJs, Hip Hop Superstars, Björk, and more

Aphex Twin's first U.S. show in eight years, electronic duo ODESZA, and hip hop superstar Travis Scott will headline the second edition of the Day for Night festival, organizers announced Wednesday.

Set to take place December 17 and 18, Day for Night has grown substantially in its second year and is poised to build on the success of last year's event that saw thousands of Houstonians witness sets by Kendrick Lamar and '80s legend New Order. Moving to the former site of the Barbara Jordan Post Office in downtown Houston means the festival now has 1.5 million square feet of indoor-outdoor space that will house three stages for musical performers and installations by acclaimed visual artists from around the world.

“We’re trying to create a once-in-a-lifetime event by showcasing artists that audiences may never have the opportunity to see again,” organizer Omar Afra said in a statement. “Day for Night is simultaneously a current snapshot  of popular music, as well as a platform for trailblazers who continue to cross over from fringe to influential. The focus across multiple genres is on acts that specialize in an inventive and highly visual approach to performing.”

Snagging Aphex Twin for his first U.S. performance since an appearance at the Cochella Festival in 2008 has certainly made a splash, garnering attention from music press across the country. The influential electronic artist released the well-received Cheetah EP earlier this year.

In addition to Travis Scott, hip hop fans can look forward to performances by Run the Jewels, RZA + Stone Mecca Rider, rising Houston star Fat Tony, and a revival of Free Press Summer Fest staple Welcome to Houston, which will feature Slim Thug, Bun B, Lil’ Flip, Paul Wall, and others.

Festival organizers have also ensured that fans of alternative rock will have plenty to keep them entertained. Björk will "perform unique live digital sets," including a DJ set at Friday night's opening party. Day For Night will also present the artist's "interactive art experience, Björk Digital, an exhibition of digital and video works resulting from her collaborations with some of the finest visual artists and programmers in the world," according to a statement. Dallas-based band Butthole Surfers will perform for the first time in five years, and The Jesus and Mary Chain take the '80s legends slot. See the full lineup here.

Turning to the visual arts, the installations by Björk are certainly noteworthy, but the festival has also lined up artists including Shoplifter, Ezra Miller, Michael Fullman, and Damien Echols to create "indoor and outdoor installations . . . that explore the deep connections between light, technology, sound and space."

Tickets went on sale this morning at 10 am. Prices start at $150 for general admission to both days. For $250, patrons receive general admission to the festival and access to a party on Friday night that's hosted by Run The Jewels’ Killer Mike with a live DJ set by Björk, DJ Windows 98 (Win Butler from Arcade Fire), Kam Franklin and Lightwheel, as well as speaking panels and artist meet and greets. VIP tickets cost $700, which entitles purchasers to priority admission, lounges, special viewing areas, food, and swag.

Fat Tony is one of Houston's rising stars.

Courtesy photo

Fat Tony is one of Houston's rising stars.

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(car) squad goals

Innovative national auto dealership drives into Houston area with massive inventory and online shopping

Photo by William Krause on Unsplash

CarSquad helps you score those wheels.

Houstonians in search of new wheels will soon have a new option, thanks to a national chain steering into town.

Florida-based CarSquad will open its first Houston outpost near Katy at the northwest intersection of I-10 and Highway 99, the company announced. The 15-acre site is slated to open in early 2023.

CarSquad’s Katy location will feature a large sales floor, detailing floor, and test drive area (occupying more than 21,000 square feet) and an inventory lot that can accommodate up to 1,500 vehicles, which makes it one of the largest car dealership stores in the Houston area.

How does CarSquad work? Interested customers can buy, sell, or trade pre-owned vehicles online, or in-person with the help of sales experts. Shoppers can peruse the Katy and Texas inventory as well cars and trucks available in all five CarSquad locations in Florida. The company promises “five-star customer service,” low prices, and reasonable financing as hallmarks of the brand.

The new CarSquad brand is a sister company of Off Lease Only, a high-volume, pre-owned car dealership group in Florida that has sold more than 350,000 cars over 18 years, according to press materials.

“Harnessing the success of Off Lease Only in Florida, it was central to our strategic plan to expand geographically. The Texas market for used vehicles was the driving factor to open the first store in Houston,” said Lee Wilson, CEO of Off Lease Only, in a statement. “Without Jim Smith Sr. and Smithco Development, this expansion to a prime location in the heart of Katy would not have been possible. Our local partnerships with Smithco and Spirit Realty Capital were instrumental to CarSquad’s opening.”

Interested potential customers can get Katy location updates online.

queen bey reigns

Houston's pop icon Beyoncé ties husband Jay-Z with most Grammy Award nominations in history

Beyoncé/Facebook

Queen Bey secured nine noms.

Houston's queen Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z are arguably the most over-achieving couple in music.

Queen Bey has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy announced on Tuesday, November 15. Those nine noms make 88 for the Houston native, who is now tied with her husband (neé Shawn Corey Carter) for the most nominations in Grammy history.

Beyoncé's name was called via a livestream on GRAMMY.com heralding the nominees. Other notable names this year include Kendrick Lamar (eight), Adele (seven), Brandi Carlile (seven), Mary J. Blige (six), DJ Khaled (six), Future (six), Terius "The-Dream" Gesteelde-Diamant (six), Randy Merrill (six), and Harry Styles (six).

As the Beyhive is well aware, Queen Bey has won 28 Grammy Awards, the most of any female vocalist or performer in the awards' existence (she secured four wins last year to cement that status).

As for this year — the 65th Grammy Awards — Beyoncé is nominated for honors including Record of the Year (Break My Soul), Album of the Year (Renaissance), Song of the Year ("Break My Soul"), Best Dance/Electronic Music Album, Best R&B Performance ("Virgo's Groove"), Best R&B Song ("Cuff It"), and Best Song Written For Visual Media ("Be Alive" from King Richard),

The Queen drew a Grammy nomination for her album Renaissance. Beyoncé/Instagram

The final round of Grammy voting will take place December 14, 2022 through January 4, 2023. The 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards show will be broadcast from Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, February 5, 2023.

Here's guessing our mighty queen's name will be called on more than a few times that day — perhaps even a record number of times.

Ten spot

Houston's newest sushi restaurant-cocktail bar opens with black-rice rolls and more

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

Ten Sushi serves a pan-Asian menu.

The owners of Bosscat Kitchen & Libations are ready to introduce Houston to their next project. Ten Sushi + Cocktail Bar opens for lunch and dinner this Thursday, November 17.

Located directly across Mid Lane from Bosscat in the 200 Park Place building (4200 Westheimer Rd.), Ten Sushi serves as pan-Asian menu of sushi alongside Japanese, Chinese, and Thai-inspired dishes. Co-owner John Reed tells CultureMap that opening Ten will create a symbiotic relationship with Bosscat, the whiskey-obsessed comfort food restaurant that’s been a neighborhood staple since it opened in 2017.

“The more I got into the River Oaks/Highland Village area, I realized there’s a built-in clientele who really appreciates what we do at Bosscat,” Reed says. “If we could bring them a different style of cuisine, we could capture a ton of success in a smaller footprint right here in Afton Oaks/River Oaks.”

That offering starts with Ten’s intimate, 80-seat space. Designed by co-owner Leslie Nguyen and Construction Concepts co-owner Josh Weisman, it blends some Houston-inspired images into a design that’s similar to Ten’s original location in Southern California.

“Leslie has really pushed us outside the box. It stretches us into this really interesting place, very moody, a little bit dark, very sexy, a little graffiti with a little femininity,” Reed says. “You’ll see it’s about entertainment and the feeling you get when you walk in the door and the vibe.”

Turning to the food, the menu is built around dishes that diners can share, whether that’s sushi rolls, sashimi-style raw dishes, or wok-fired items. A meal at Ten could start with chili-garlic edamame, chicken gyoza, crispy rice sushi with spicy tuna, or Japanese nachos — spicy tuna and guacamole on a wonton crisp. Entrees include General Ten’s chicken, Mongolian beef, Kung Pao shrimp, and a Prime NY strip with a Thai-inspired tiger cry dipping sauce.

Sushi offerings include nigiri and sashimi, but the focus is squarely on the creative rolls. In particular, Ten highlights black rice rolls such as the Forbidden (seared ahi, albacore, crab, spicy tuna, avocado, soy sauce, and jalapeño sauce) and the black and yellow (yellowtail, spicy tuna, cucumber, avocado, rice pearls, sauteed sweet pepper, and vegan chipotle sauce). Overall, Reed says diners can expect consistently well-executed dishes with eye catching presentations.

“It’s all about really good food,” he says. “It’s not about being too elevated. It’s just about being good.”

Ten is only the first new opening from Daily Dose Hospitality Group. Later this year, Reed and Nguyen will open Bosscat’s second Houston-area location at the Market Street development in The Woodlands.

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

Ten Sushi serves a pan-Asian menu.

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