Concert season is heating up with several big name shows in addition to a strong slate of indie acts at many theaters and medium sized clubs throughout Houston.
Grab those tix: Here are CultureMap's biggest, best, and most notable shows of the week.
CultureMap show of the week: Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake returns to the Toyota Center for a rare encore performance after two well-received shows last May with his Man of the Woods tour. Featuring a creative stage design, CultureMap gave high marks to the show where, Timberlake used "his multiple talents and inordinate charisma to put on an excellent show. If you missed it the first time around or you can't get enough of the former N'Sync member, JT will dance you through all of the hits.
Justin Timberlake performs at the Toyota Center, located at 1510 Polk St., on Tuesday, January 22. Tickets start at $49.50 plus fees. Doors open at 6:30 pm.
CultureMap recommends: Toro Y Moi
When Columbia, South Carolina artist Chaz Bundick — aka Toro Y Moi — released his single, "Freelance" last year, it signified yet another turn in his sound. Once known for his lush, atmospheric soundscape known as chillwave when he first burst onto the scene in 2009, Bundick has now embraced a Daft Punk bounce and an affinity for soul and R&B, something on full display on his new full-length Outer Peace. It should make for a varied and fun show at White Oak.
Toro Y Moi is at White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 North Main St., on Wednesday, January 23. Wet opens. Tickets start at $27.50. Doors open at 7 pm.
Los Lonely Boys at Revention
The San Angelo, Texas trio, Los Lonely Boys, came to fruition in the early aughts, scoring a major hit with the feel-good "Heaven," that combined pop hooks with a Texas rock strut, earning them a Grammy Award in the process. They are often associated with Willie Nelson, who helped man their debut self-titled album. While health issues got in the way of their touring and recording schedule over the last decade, the band is back to playing regular shows. They'll be joined by the other Los band, Los Lobos.
Los Lonely Boys headline Revention Music Center, located at 520 Texas Ave., on Thursday, January 24. Los Lobos and Lisa Morales open. Tickets start at $35 plus fees, but Revention is holding ticket specials for this show. Doors open at 7:30 pm.
Atmosphere at HOB
Minnesota rap act with an indie following, Atmosphere, are on the road promoting their latest album, Mi Vida Loca. No, it's not a Ricky Martin covers album, its the next in a line of albums that have found a home on the charts. Mixing hip-hop over live instrumentation, they first gained notoriety on the underground hip-hop scene, before tireless touring put them on the radar in bigger circles, with each album doing better sales.
Atmosphere performs at House of Blues, located at 1204 Caroline St., on Friday, January 25. Dem Atlas, The Lioness, and DJ Keezy open. Tickets start at $25 plus fees. Doors open at 7:30 pm.
Blackberry Smoke
Fans of Southern rock or outlaw country will get a lot from the Blackberry Smoke show at White Oak this week. The Atlanta, Georgia band has drawn comparisons to Lynryd Skynyrd, but they get a lot of love from country fans, their 2015 album, Holding All the Roses, landing at No. 1 on the country charts. Their latest, Finding a Light, charted high on the country, independent, and Billboard Top 200 and featured several guest stars, including Amanda Shires, who will also play Houston this Saturday.
Blackberry Smoke is at White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 North Main St., on Saturday, January 26. Chris Sheflitt opens. Tickets start at $29.50 plus fees. Doors open at 7:30 pm.
Amanda Shires
Speaking of Amanda Shires, she'll bring her unique vision to the Heights Theater in what she is billing as the "On with the S Show" tour. Shires is married to famed Americana artist Jason Isbell and is an acclaimed singer-songwriter and violinist in her own right. Now that Isbell's band 400 Unit are off the road, she's back to promoting her latest and critically lauded album, My Piece of Land, which landed her on the influential show, Austin City Limits.
Amanda Shires plays Heights Theater, located at 339 W 19th St., on Saturday, January 26. Thomas Csorba opens. Tickets start at $20 plus fees. Doors open at 7 pm.
Toni Braxton
Toni Braxton is nothing but a survivor. She hit the top of the charts during an era ripe with big personalities in the R&B world, scoring hits in the '90s such as "Another Sad Love Song," "Breathe Again," and "I Belong to You." A legal battle over her contract with LaFace Records slowed her career and led her to declare bankruptcy despite multi-platinum sales figures. She came through that time in full force, releasing another string of hits, most memorably, "He Wasn't Man Enough" and later becoming a reality TV star with Braxton Family Values. Now touring behind 2018's Sex and Cigarettes, Braxton's a veteran pro and will bring the goods to her show in Sugar Land.
Toni Braxton headlines Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land, located at 18111 Lexington Blvd. in Sugar Land, on Sunday, January 27. SWV open. Tickets start at $69.50 plus fees. Doors open at 8 pm.
Disturbed at Toyota Center
Chicago band Disturbed rose to prominence in a time when nu-metal ruled the airwaves, producing the aforementioned hit, "The Sickness," and garnering a prime spot on the main stage at Ozzfest back in 2001. While nu-metal is now largely a footnote, Disturbed keeps churning out the hits, topping the Billboard Top 200 five times, with their latest album, Evolution, hitting No. 4. Expect smoke, pyro, and a lot of guttural screaming.
Disturbed rolls into the Toyota Center, located at 1510 Polk St., on Monday, January 28. Three Days Grace opens. Tickets start at $25 plus fees. Doors open at 6:30 pm.
Los Lonely Boys are at Revention Music Center on Thursday, January 24.
Emilia's Havana offers a retro spin on the holiday bar, with the 1950s-inspired speakeasy decked out in tinsel and trees. Photo by Hasan Yousef