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Here are the 5 best concerts in Houston this week

We are now into the second week of RodeoHouston, and it will be hard to top the excitement of the first after shows by opener Kacey Musgraves, a record-setting, much talked about performance by Cardi B, and a flashy Panic! at the Disco. This week is probably the most diverse of the three-week extravaganza, though, which means lots of different audiences heading into NRG. See our lineup below.

There are plenty of other shows around town if you aren't of the boots and buckles set, however, and we have a few that are worth your time and money.

CultureMap's biggest, best, and most notable shows of the week include:

CultureMap show(s) of the week: RodeoHouston roundup
Wednesday night will feature country artist Luke Combs in the up-and-coming star slot, working behind his No. 1 country album, This One's for You, along with its two No. 1 country singles, "When it Rains it Pours" and "Beautiful Crazy." Country superstar and "Indian Outlaw" Tim McGraw, along with his countless hit songs, will follow on Thursday night, with all of us hoping for a Faith Hill duet.

Friday night will see the return of EDM to NRG Stadium in the form of German producer Zedd. Handsome rising star Kane Brown is up Saturday night, hot on the heels of his No. 1 album, Experiment, and No. 1 single, "Lose It." Los Tigres Del Norte, always a draw for the Latin music fans, headlines Sunday evening. Popular country-roots-Americana act Zac Brown Band is on tap for Monday night.

All RodeoHouston shows take place at NRG Stadium, located at 1 NRG Pkwy. Tickets start at $20 plus fees. Weekday concerts start around 8:45 pm. Weekend concerts around 5:45 pm.

Wiz Khalifa at House of Blues
One of the biggest rappers in the game right now, Wiz Khalifa, returns to Houston behind Rolling Papers 2, which seeks to take the title of most weed references on an album from Snoop Dogg. There is no denying Khalifa's clout in popular culture, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard charts with his debut single, "Black and Yellow" and "See You Again," from the Furious 7 soundtrack, which spent an astronomical 12 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015. The Pittsburgh native will no doubt be bringing the hits and blunts when he rolls into the House of Blues.

Wiz Khalifa is at House of Blues, located at 1204 Caroline St., on Wednesday, March 6. Tickets start at $45 plus fees. Doors open at 7 pm.

Free show alert: St. Paul and the Broken Bones at White Oak
It's your lucky day, soul fans. Thanks to the Texas Lottery, you'll be able to take in a free show at White Oak Music Hall this Thursday featuring the buzzy Birmingham, Alabama, eight-piece soul act St. Paul and the Broken Bones. The band is fast gaining traction on the national music scene by touring endlessly and featuring a crazy good lead singer in Paul Janeway. They are touring behind their latest, critically acclaimed album, Young Sick Camellia, released last year.

St. Paul and the Broken Bones are at White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 North Main St., on Thursday, March 7. Paul Cauthen opens. Admission is free. Doors open at 7:30 pm.

CultureMap recommends: Le Butcherettes at Warehouse Live
Trust us on this: Mexican garage punk band Le Butcherettes puts on one of the best rock shows by any band on the planet. That's mostly thanks to lead singer Teresa Suárez Cosío aka Teri Gender Bender, who has drawn accolades from rock legend Iggy Pop, which is saying something. Formed in 2007, the band has mostly played opening slots for bigger bands, but they are rarely outplayed, with Cosío making the stage her personal playground, splaying her body on it and sometimes the audience, always dressed in colorful outfits. The group is touring behind this year's Bi/Mental.

Le Butcherettes is at Warehouse Live, located at 813 St Emanuel St., on Friday, March 8. Stars at Night and the Raccoon Gang open. Tickets start at $16 plus fees. Doors open at 7 pm.

Gin Blossoms return
Last February, Gin Blossoms came to House of Blues, and whether it was the potent mix of booze and nostalgia, put on a great performance. This time around, they'll be playing their seminal '90s album, 1992's New Miserable Experience, in full, including the still-great hits “Hey Jealousy,” “Allison Road,” and “Until I Fall Away.” No doubt, the encore will include one of their best tunes, including the one best known from the Empire Records soundtrack, “‘Til I Hear It From You.” If you're over the age of 40 and looking for a good time, this is a pretty good way to spend a Saturday night.

Gin Blossoms bring the '90s back to House of Blues, 1204 Caroline St., on Saturday, March 9. Tickets start at $30 plus fees. Doors open at 7 pm.

'90s alt-rockers Gin Blossoms are at House of Blues on Saturday, March 9.

Photo by Saki Photography

'90s alt-rockers Gin Blossoms are at House of Blues on Saturday, March 9.

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Movie Review

New thriller Crime 101 majors in cool with Hemsworth at the wheel

Photo courtesy of Amazon Content Services

Chris Hemsworth in Crime 101.

The career of actor Chris Hemsworth is a curious one, as it feels like he’s a huge star (mostly from playing Thor in Marvel movies) and not at the same time, with most of the non-MCU movies featuring him in a lead role failing to become big successes. But he still has a certain presence about him, which is why he’s being given another chance to prove his star power in the new thriller, Crime 101.

Hemsworth plays Davis, a talented thief who knows how to get what he wants without resorting to violence. When a job early in the movie turns slightly sideways, it makes him think twice about working with his handler (Nick Nolte), who seems to prefer someone with a stronger touch, like the up-and-coming Ormon (Barry Keoghan).

Davis is the main character, but two others who come into his orbit get their own subplots. Lou (Mark Ruffalo) is a slightly schlubby LAPD detective who’s convinced he knows the pattern of an unknown thief that likes to hit places close to Highway 101. Sharon (Halle Berry) works for a high-end insurance agency known for working with ultra-wealthy clients, the types who might be a great target for a thief like Davis.

Written and directed by Bart Layton, the film has a decent propulsion to it that comes with most crime thrillers. Davis and Ormon represent the yin and the yang of criminal approaches, and and it’s interesting to see the juxtaposition between the two as their simmering rivalry heats up over the course of the film. When the film commits to actually showing its crimes, it has an excitement that’s worth watching.

Unfortunately, Layton displays a real lack of focus, taking the audience into subplots with each of the three main characters that prove unnecessarily distracting. Lou’s marriage problems may explain his disheveled appearance, but there’s no need to see him deal with them with wife Angie (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Sharon’s troubles with her male-dominated company prove slightly pivotal, but still don’t merit the time put into exploring them.

The most baffling subplot is Davis pursuing a relationship with Maya (Monica Barbaro), a woman he randomly meets. At different points in the movie, including many of his interactions with Maya, Davis seems like the most uncomfortable, antisocial person in the world. And yet he somehow morphs into a suave smooth-talker who’s able to convince anyone to do what he wants at other key points, making it unclear exactly what kind of person he really is.

Hemsworth does relatively well in the lead role, but he’s still missing that certain something to make his character, and therefore the movie, truly compelling. The rest of the cast is fine, too, but each of them seem to be putting in just the minimal amount of effort to make the film watchable. Ruffalo and Barbaro come off the best, but with the talent in the cast (11 Oscar nominations and one win), they could have been used better.

Crime 101 has most of the ingredients to be another great entry in the genre, and it succeeds when it actually decides to deliver on its promise. But too much of the film is spent on things that have no real bearing on plot or character development, leaving the movie in the middle of the pack.

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Crime 101 is now playing in the theaters.

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