Cute can't last

Jonas Brothers race toward their inevitable breakup: Can Nick go it alone?

Nearly six months ago to this day, I wrote a CultureMap story prior to the Jonas Brothers appearance at RodeoHouston that said (If I may quote myself), "The only karmic justice we average folks have against adolescent pop acts is that they only get to retain that status for about 10 minutes."

Note to Joe, Kevin & Nick Jonas: Nine-minutes, 55-seconds... Nine-minutes, 56-seconds... Nine-minutes, 57-seconds ... tick tick tick.

In just 180 or so days it feels as if the dew on the lily that is the Jonas Bros' brief-but-lucrative singing/performing career together has definitely dried up a bit.

Oh sure, they're still cute and can definitely draw an impressive crowd of high-pitched, screaming 'tweens (though not a Justin Bieber horde) wherever they go, but something is missing from their crossover to serious adult artists.

There's no song or single that brands them as a mainstay in pop history.

Sales of their last album, Lines, Vines & Trying Times slowed down considerably after the first couple weeks of release that briefly shot it to No. 1 on the Billboard 200. More telling is that only one single, "Paranoid", managed to crack the Top 40 (and it just scraped in at No. 37).

Where's the hit pop anthem like Lady Gaga's "Poker Face," or the frothy summer song you can't stop singing like Katy Perry's "California Gurls?"

I think what this all translates to is that the Jones Brothers are prettier to look at than to actually listen to. But guys, how much longer can being cute be the primary reason people buy your records?

It's no wonder that 17 year-old Nick Jonas has already started to diversify his artistic options by forming a second band, Nick Jonas & The Administration, that focuses more on rock and less on perfectly-gelled hair. Look for all the Jonas boys to seek new projects in the near future which means fans of the Jonas Brothers might want to get to the Saturday show at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.

Like other power-pop acts whose members went solo — Destiny's Child, 'N Sync etc. — there's no telling how many more opportunities there will be to see them all together in the future.

Nine-minutes, 58-seconds... Nine-minutes, 59-seconds... tick tick tick.

The Jonas Brothers, 7 p.m. Saturday at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Tickets $25-$59.50

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"Here come the grannies!"

Walk through the Magic Door to experience the world of Bluey in Houston

bluey and bingo's bedroom at camp in houston

Courtesy of CAMP

Houston will soon be the home of a new CAMP store, featuring interactive installations like the house from "Bluey."

Bluey is coming to the Galleria this February “for real life” through an immersive event that invites visitors to enter the world of the famous Australian Heeler family. This one-of-a-kind experience brings the Heeler home and backyard to life with intricate details that will delight fans of all ages.

Tickets are on sale now for Bluey x CAMP, the inaugural interactive experience of the combination toy store, party venue, and immersive theater space. This is The Family Experience Company’s first CAMP location in Houston, with the business securing a 7,500-square-foot permanent retail space in the Galleria.

Through “The Magic Door,” a pivoting wall, visitors step into seasonally rotating interactive spaces beginning with a 5,000-square-foot lifesize replica of Bluey’s house.

Visitors can play games made popular by the show, such as grannies and keepy uppy, and bust a move when “dance mode” is activated. The kitchen’s fridge is covered in drawings by the Heeler puppies, while the living room TV plays Bluey.

Families can explore both a pillow fort and a cardboard castle — two-story structures complete with slides — before venturing into a playroom stocked with toys and costumes from the show. In the backyard, a recreation of the Heeler’s large tree is surrounded by charming gnomes. A photo opportunity with Bluey and Bingo tops off the visit.

Beyond the world of Bluey, CAMP offers even more for visitors in its Canteen space, with a splatter room, The Schmutz Bar (a slime creation station), a party room, and a playable truck. Customers can also shop for toys, clothing, and accessories.

Houston joins a list of CAMP’s locations in Dallas, Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Installations change seasonally, with other current features including Paw Patrol, The Little Mermaid, and Encanto.

Courtesy of CAMP

Houston will soon be the home of a new CAMP store, featuring interactive installations like the house from "Bluey."

bluey galleria-houston camp bluey x camp