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The 10 hottest acts to see at Houston's new In Bloom music festival

Houston’s newest music festival, In Bloom, is set to launch its inaugural year in the confines of Eleanor Tinsley Park on Saturday, March 24, and Sunday, March 25 — only a stone’s throw away from downtown Houston. The two-day event features an eclectic lineup of internationally known acts across the alternative, hip-hop, and EDM genres, with a large amount of local and regional acts for those looking to discover new music across the festival’s four stages.

For those gun-shy about buying tickets due to the weather incidents that have marred previous editions of the now defunct Free Press Summer Fest, there is only a 20 percent chance of rain in the forecast, with temps predicted to be in the comfortably manageable low ’80s.

Here are the Top 10 acts we suggest seeking out during the course of the weekend.

Saturday, March 24

Beck, 9:30-11 pm, Bud Light Stage
The Grammy-award-winning, alternative chameleon Beck is back on the road following the release of 2017 album Colors, bringing over 20 years of hits, dating back to the grunge-era game changer, “Loser.” It may have been awhile since he’s toured, but Beck’s live show has been acclaimed for its energy he brings to the stage and excellent backing musicians who make his sound and vision come to life.

Cigarettes After Sex, 8:40-9:30 pm, Fauna Stage
The Brooklyn, NY quartet Cigarettes After Sex is building a solid fan base after releasing their self-titled debut, one of the best albums of 2017. This will be an interesting to see if the band can convert over to a festival setting as they create dreamy, mid-tempo soundscapes with intimate lyrics. The night time set will lend some atmosphere to a film noir-like soundtrack, best listened to in the shadows.

Lil Uzi Vert, 8-8:50 pm, Bud Light Stage
The Philadelphia rapper, Lil Uzi Vert has been blowing up the last few years, releasing the U.S. chart-topping Luv Is Rage 2 last summer and appearing on the No. 1 single, “Bad and Boujee” with Migos in late 2016. Lil Uzi Vert seems a perfect fit for music gatherings as his music incorporates elements of trap and rock, feeding the musical appetites of a mass cross section of festival goers. If he shows up, this should be a highlight of the weekend in a city that loves hip-hop.

Broken Social Scene, 7:40-8:40 pm, Flora Stage
The legendary Toronto indie act, Broken Social Scene, is one of the most veteran acts to appear at In Bloom Music Festival this weekend and part of the fun is discovering which members of the massive collective of influential musicians will make an appearance. Will Leslie Feist be there to sing “Almost Crimes”? Will Metric’s Emily Haines be there to sing “Anthems of a Seventeen Year Old Girl”? How about Stars’ Amy Millan for “7/4 Shoreline”? Whatever combination shows up, these alt-rock lifers always put on an excellent performance.

Wolf Alice, 5:10-6 pm, Fauna Stage
Be ready for thousands of Houstonians to fall in love with U.K. quartet Wolf Alice. The band has put out two killer albums that are a perfect blend of hard-rock riffs, shoegaze psychedelia and angsty, romantic lyrics. Their debut, My Love Is Cool, garnered them a Mercury Music prize nomination, one the highest creative honors bestowed to bands in the United Kingdom, and songs from that album showed up on the Trainspotting 2 soundtrack. Last year’s release, Visions of a Life, might even be better. Trust us on this – go see this band.

Honorable Mention
Incubus, 9:30-11 pm, Flora Stage
Grizzly Bear, 6:30-7:30 pm, Bud Light Stage
Dhani Harrison, 3:30-4:20 pm, Fauna Stage
Ying Yang Twins, 2-2:50 pm, Bud Light Stage

Sunday, March 25

Queens of the Stone Age, 8:30-10 pm, Flora Stage
Don't call this a recommendation — not after Queens of the Stone Age after lead singer Josh Homme kicked a photographer in the face during a performance a few months ago, but if you’re one of those who can love the art — and not the artist — and look past that inexcusable move, you will see a band that is one of the best at what they do in a live setting. Drawing from nearly 20 years of excellent albums, including the 2017, Mark Ronson produced, Villians, QOTSA is hard-edged and fierce, recalling an era where guitar heroes and actually good rock music topped the charts.

Martin Garrix, 8:30-10 pm, Bud Light Stage
The baby-faced Dutch DJ and producer, Martin Garrix, is currently one of the world’s biggest EDM acts, despite being only 21 years-old. DJ Mag has named him as the No. 1 DJ the last two years running. Expect a mass dance party with driving house beats and synth melodies that will transport the crowd to sunrise sets at EDM Mecca, Ibiza, where Garrix is a resident DJ.

21 Savage, 6:30-7:30 pm, Bud Light
The Atlanta mix-tape artist 21 Savage played a headline set back in November and is set to bring his popular hip-hop style to In Bloom. His 2017 release Issa Album reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts and his hit “Bank Account” is sure to big one of the biggest singalongs of the weekend.

Twin Shadow, 5:40-6:30 pm, Fauna Stage
Los Angeles based Twin Shadow —aka George Lewis Jr. — is set to release his first album Caer, his first in three years this April, so this will be a good chance to hear new songs along with his beloved catalog of indie synth-rock that made him a much buzzed about music act. The first single off of Caer, “Saturdays” featured Haim, which gives you an indication that his new work is perfect for the festival setting.

Sylvan Esso, 4:40-5:40 pm, Bud Light Stage
Those who missed the amazing Sylvan Esso set this past week at White Oak Music Hall will get another chance to check out the amiably awesome North Carolina duo work their magic at In Bloom. The group is comprised of charismatic singer Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn which mixes folk-influenced lyrics with cutting edge, dance, and synth beats that when combined, make a special brew of fun and grooves.

Honorable Mention
Houndmouth, 4-5 pm, Fauna Stage
T-Pain, 3-3:50 pm, Bud Light Stage
Mikky Ekko, 1:20-2:05 pm, Bud Light Stage

Cigarettes After Sex performs a 8:40-9:30 pm set on the Fauna stage on Saturday night at In Bloom

Facebook/Cigarettes After Sex

Cigarettes After Sex performs a 8:40-9:30 pm set on the Fauna stage on Saturday night at In Bloom

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Movie Review

Disturbing new horror film Bring Her Back will shock fans of the genre

Photo courtesy of A24

Sally Hawkins and Sora Wong in Bring Her Back.

While there have been plenty of great horror movies that have come out of the United States, there are also many examples of other countries delivering films that put American ones to shame. Whether it’s the freedom of working outside the U.S. studio system, different sensibilities, or something else, international horror movies often hit way harder than domestic ones.

The latest example is the Australian film Bring Her Back, directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, the same filmmakers behind the 2023 sensation Talk to Me. The fantastically unnerving story centers on Andy (Billy Barratt) and his sister, Piper (Sora Wong), who’s legally blind. The two are put into foster care after the death of their father, finding a home with Laura (Sally Hawkins), a former social worker. Laura is enthusiastic about having Piper, who reminds her of her blind daughter who passed away, but Andy feels a coolness toward him right away.

Also living with Laura is Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), whom Laura says has been mute since her daughter’s death. But Oliver’s actions are much weirder than him not being able to talk, and Laura alternates between being dismissive of him and overly attentive. Things start to go off the rails when Andy witnesses a horrific event, and he and Piper - along with the audience - are unprepared for how awful things will get.

The film, written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, ranks extremely high on the list of most disturbing films you’re likely to see. It’s not just the blood and gore that can be found in many other horror movies; it’s the manner in which the carnage comes about that may haunt the dreams of viewers. The things that the filmmakers choose to show are so shocking that it’s fair to wonder what kind of a mind comes up with such atrocities.

But the Philippous have more on their mind than trying to traumatize viewers visually. It’s a movie about grief and a broken foster care system mixed with a tinge of the supernatural. While it’s not entirely clear what’s going on with Laura and Oliver, it involves something spooky that has affected both of them in inexplicable ways. The film combines the horrors of real life and the incomprehensible for a highly effective story.

The film also veers far away from your typical horror film arc. While Laura is the “villain” of the film, she’s also a victim in a certain way, and the filmmakers have empathy for the trauma that she has endured. They don’t excuse her actions, but the reasons behind them are explained, and so the journey that Andy and Piper go on becomes more meaningful than if it involved a monster with no back story.

Hawkins, who’s been nominated for two Oscars, elevates the film with her high-level acting. No matter what kind of weird thing Laura does, it feels grounded because Hawkins is bringing it to life. Barratt and Wong play their roles well, but it’s Phillips who’s the real revelation. Without speaking a word, he turns in a supremely creepy performance, one that’s especially amazing for the physical things he’s asked to do.

Even horror film aficionados may not be able to anticipate the level of depravity on display in Bring Her Back. Unlike other movies in the genre, it’s not out for cheap thrills. The Philippous give it heart and soul, along with some of the most messed-up scenes you’ll see this year.

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Bring Her Back is now playing theaters.

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