The local music industry is bouncing back in a big way this November.
Dozens of concerts are taking place across the city, with more tickets purchased than any point in the last two years. The biggest sign the Houston live music scene is headed in the right direction is the opening of a brand new venue located in the heart of downtown, decked with all the bells and whistles.
What was known as 713 Music Hall opens its doors at the new POST Houston, a multi-purpose building with a food hall, shops, office space, and a massive rooftop garden. The crown jewel, however, is the 5,000-capacity theater that will draw a wide-variety of artists from many genres, all within walking distance to major downtown destinations.
In addition to the grand opening, the Bayou City welcomes it's biggest shows since early 2020. Here are the biggest, best, and most notable shows for the month ahead.
CultureMap Recommends: The Hives with Mystery Lights and The Killer Hearts
Tuesday, November 2
White Oak Music Hall, 2915 N Main St.
Yes, Sweden's The Hives reached their greatest heights around the early-2000s indie rock heyday, playing alongside other "The" bands like The White Stripes and The Strokes on the strength of killer singles such as "Hate to Say I Told You So" and "Tick Tick Boom."
And yes, they haven't put out an album of original material since 2012's Lex Hives. But one thing this five piece hasn't lost is their live chops, with every show played like it's the last one.
Look for incredible energy from frontman extraordinaire "Howlin'" Pelle Almqvist and his ultra-octane bandmates, where three-minute pop songs become motivational tools to run through the nearest brick wall, all done with stylish, matching-suits panache and more than enough charisma to go around.
Tickets start at $27 plus fees. Show starts at 7 p.m.
CultureMap Show of the Month: Astroworld Fest
Friday, November 5 and Saturday, November 6
NRG Park, 1 NRG Park
Now one of the biggest music festivals in the world in terms of sheer popularity — tickets sold out in minutes — Missouri City's proud son Travis Scott is trying something new this year at his Astroworld Festival: diversity.
Sure, hip-hop is still the dominant force, represented by Master P, Young Thug, Bad Bunny, SZA, Lil' Baby, Roddy Ricch, and more. But Scott, who plays a huge hand in curating the event, has invited Australian psych-rockers Tame Impala to the stage in addition to chillwave artist Toro y Moi and R&B-funk legends Earth, Wind, & Fire.
They are all welcome additions and a nod to the strong influences on the mega-star's sound.
Tickets are sold out but available on the resale market. Gates open at 10 a.m.
Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin with Sebastian Yatra
Friday, November 5
Toyota Center, 1510 Polk St.
Spanish-language pop music fans are in for a huge treat when two of the biggest stars of the genre in the last 20 years team-up for a co-headlining tour. Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin are bringing their TRL Live credentials to the Toyota Center, an insane 36 No. 1 Latin hits between them.
But they both also had English crossover success, with Iglesias belting out "Bailamos," and "Hero," and Martin scoring the massive cultural touchstone, "Living La Vida Loca." It also helps they are two of the best looking men to walk the earth. No pyro needed at this show — these dudes radiate enough heat on their own.
Tickets start at $39.95 plus fees. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Chris Stapleton with Jamey Johnson and Yola
Saturday, November 6
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 2005 Lake Robbins Dr, The Woodlands
Nashville star Chris Stapleton first got rich writing huge songs for some of the biggest country acts such as George Strait, Kenny Chesney, and Luke Bryan before rocketing to fame as a solo act, scoring No. 1 songs, the inescapable "Tennessee Whiskey" and "Broken Halos," and four No. 1 country albums.
The seemingly annual RodeoHouston performer is back on the road behind 2020's Starting Over, and he's joined by two up-and-coming acts that could very well achieve his heights in Jamey Johnson and Grammy-nominated Yola.
Tickets start at $45.72 on the resale market. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.
Chvrches with Donna Missal
Tuesday, November 9
White Oak Music Hall Lawn, 2915 N Main St.
The Glaswegian electro-indie act Chvrches return to White Oak Music Hall after a triumphant appearance back in 2019, but this time around, they are promoting their strongest album since their debut classic in Screen Violence, one of the best of 2021.
Fronted by the affable and whip-smart Lauren Mayberry, singing over anthemic, pulsating synth tracks laid down by Martin Doherty and Iain Cook, the good news is the trio gets better every year as they embrace their roles as modern pop stars, each successive tour featuring better visuals and performances, and an ever-growing catalog of unassailable singles ("The Mother We Share," "Clearest Blue," "Get Out," among many others).
It's no surprise they are slowly transforming into the Depeche Mode or New Order of their generation. They're that good.
Tickets start at $36 plus fees. Show starts at 6 p.m.
Kaytranada with Sango
Friday, November 12
White Oak Music Hall Lawn, 2915 N Main St.
The groove produced by Haitian-Canadian producer Kaytranada endeared him to audiences worldwide since he first burst onto the scene, his profile as a festival draw increasing over the last few years.
His 2016 debut album, 99.9% earned high accolades in his native land, picking up the Juno Award (equivalent to a Grammy) for Electronic Album of the Year and the Polaris Music Prize, given to the best album of the year based on artistic achievement. It led to him signing with a major label for 2019's Bubba, garnering more notoriety south of the border for his infectious beats and R&B dance sounds.
The White Oak Music Hall lawn will grooving late into the fall night.
Tickets start at $37 plus fees. Show starts at 7 p.m.
Willie Nelson & Family
Wednesday, November 17
Post Houston, 401 Franklin St.
Who better to christen a brand new music venue than the Pasadena, Texas native and country music legend, Willie Nelson? As he is wont to do, the 88-year-old will bring his "family" along to back him up, including son Lukas Nelson.
Anyone who saw his inspired and passionate performance at the 2020 edition of RodeoHouston knows the red-headed stranger still has the goods to deliver a great show, buoyed by a veritable bible of hit songs. The star of the evening, however, will be Post Houston, a gorgeous space designed to bring medium-sized shows to the old Barbara Jordan Post Office, which will no doubt have a huge effect on downtown Houston.
Tickets start at $59.50 plus fees. Show starts at 8 p.m.
Rüfüs Du Sol
Thursday, November 18 and Friday, November 19
Post Houston, 401 Franklin St.
Continuing the opening week party at Post Houston, world-beating Australian dance act Rüfüs Du Sol will play two shows, the first one selling out.
Unlike other dance acts, the trio relies on live instrumentation during performances, showcasing an intimacy that few other EDM acts can match. They've headlined major music festivals around the world with their blend of atmospheric indie rock-influenced electronica and are touring behind this year's album, Surrender.
Tickets for the second show start at $39.50 plus fees. Doors open at 8:30 p.m.
Lost 80’s Live 2021
Saturday, November 20
Arena Theatre, 7326 Southwest Fwy.
Bust out those legwarmers and head bands, it's going to get radical. Fans of '80s New Wave and synth-pop will find a lot to love at the Lost 80's Live 2021 tour, not named due to the age of the performers, but for their place as cult acts in one of the most fertile decades of music.
The retro tour features a who's-who of MTV hitmakers, including Flock of Seagulls ("I Ran," "Space Age Love Song"), Men Without Hats (the stone-cold classic "Safety Dance," "Pop Goes the World"), Missing Persons ("Destination Unknown"), Dramarama, Stacey Q, Animotion, The Flirts, Tommy Tutone, and Anything Box.
Tickets start at $39.50 plus fees. Show starts at 8:30 p.m.
Charley Crockett
Friday, November 26
White Oak Music Hall Lawn, 2915 N Main St.
Old-school crooner Charley Crockett comes with an origin story made for a hard-scrabble Americana-country musician: He's a distant relative of Davy Crockett. He was born and raised on San Benito, Texas, before escaping to New York to busk on street corners.
He had to put his career on hold to have a open-heart surgery to fix a defect. Then he returned beating stronger than ever, his career taking off with the prolific run of albums, 2019's The Valley, 2020's Welcome to Hard Times, and this year's 10 for Slim: Charley Crockett Sings James Hand.
He plays his largest show in Houston, headlining the White Oak Music Hall lawn.
Tickets start at $25 plus fees. Show starts at 6 p.m.
No Limit Reunion Tour
Saturday, November 27
Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land, 18111 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land
At one point, Master P was the most famous hip-hop rapper/producer in the world. As CEO of No Limit Records, Master P released some of the most popular rap albums from the South, his base of operations being the melting pot of New Orleans.
The roster of stars he built made him millions, first starting in the underground, then achieving mainstream success with "Make 'Em Say Uhh!" which led to him building a multimedia empire and coming up with some of the most iconic videos of the late-'90s. He'll bring back some of the most notable names from years past including Mystikal, Silkk The Shocker, Mia X, Fiend, and Mr Serv On.
Tickets start at $72 plus fees. Show starts at 7:30 p.m.
A Flock of Seagulls leads a long list of '80s cult acts at the Lost 80s Live 2021 Tour at Arena Theatre on Saturday, November 20.
