The concert season is slowing down ahead of Thanksgiving next week and the cold weather, but that doesn't mean plans aren't being made for sunnier and warmer days.
This week, British trio and arguably the biggest rock band in the world, Muse, announced they would kick off their Simulation Theory world tour in earnest right here in in Houston. The fact that they will place the more intimate confines of the Toyota Center, as opposed to a music festival or ampitheater, will make this one of the hottest tickets of the 2019. Tickets are on sale now and come with a copy of their latest album and tour namesake, Simulation Theory.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of shows to warm up with this week in the Bayou City. Here are CultureMap's biggest, best, and most notable shows of the week:
Ben Rector
Want to know how fast Americana/pop-rock singer-songwriter Ben Rector's star is rising? His latest album, Magic, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard magazine's Americana/Folk album chart, dethroning Chris Stapleton's 111-week run in that position. That's impressive. The Nashville-based piano player is on his biggest tour yet, Rector's new album isn't really Americana. It's more in line with the more upbeat odes by Coldplay or OneRepublic, so it's no surprise he's catching on in a big way.
Ben Rector performs at the Revention Music Center, located at 520 Texas Ave., on Wednesday, November 14. The Band Camino opens. Tickets start at $30 plus service fees. Doors open at 7 pm.
CultureMap recommends: Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles
Considered one of the the best Hammond organ players in the game right now, Cory Henry rolls into town with his band, the Funk Apostles, a collective of top-rate players. The two-time Grammy award winner is a master at mixing genres, including jazz, soul, R&B, and pop, meaning it'll be necessary to do some stretching before this show at the intimate Heights Theater as the grooves are set to commence. The group is touring behind their debut album, Love Will Find a Way.
Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles hit the Heights Theater, located at 339 W. 19th St., on Friday, November 16. Tickets start at $22 plus a $6 service fee. Doors open at 7 pm.
CultureMap show of the week: AstroWorld Festival
The biggest question on everyone's lips in the local music scene is who is going to play the AstroWorld Festival this weekend at NRG Park? We all know Houston's own Travis Scott will headline, promoting the album of the same name, and his partner, Kylie Jenner will be selling make-up. But organizers thus far abstained from revealing any other performers.
Inside sources told CultureMap that Post Malone, Lil' Wayne, and Rae Sremmurd will make appearances with a potential surprise guest, but take that with a grain of salt until the official word comes down. That hasn't stopped fans from snatching up all the tickets to this thing that no one really knows much about. Maybe the mystery is the point (insert chin-scratching emoji here)? Although we're not sure what point organizers were trying to make in keeping it a secret.
AstroWorld Festival takes place at NRG Park, located at 1 NRG Pwky, on Saturday, November 17. Tickets start at $119 (but may have to be purchased on the re-sale market). Gates open at noon. An after-party will go down at Spire Nightclub, located at 1720 Main St. Tickets are $50 plus service fees. Doors open at 10 pm.
Glo-stick nation: DJ Irene
Raver kids, time to pull out those phat pants, pacifiers, and candy necklaces. Houston had a pretty thriving underground rave scene in the late-'90s/early-2000s and very few DJs were more popular than house master DJ Irene. The Los Angeles-based producer has been a mainstay on the dance music circuit for 20 years and widely beloved by fans for her hard and funky beats and melodic, progressive interludes. There's no doubt that EDM wouldn't have blown up in the U.S. without her influence. This set will be a real treat for those who love to put their dancing shoes to the test.
DJ Irene comes to Gravity Nightclub, located at 2401 South Main St., on Saturday, November 17. Tickets start at $10 plus service fees. Doors open at 9 pm.
Iceage and The Black Lips
Danish post-punk band Iceage rolls into town for its second show of the year, this time at the bigger White Oak stage, largely based on the reception of one of the best albums of the year, Beyondless. Mixing the throwaway vocal stylings that recall The Strokes, fierce melodic punk of The Clash and The Ramones, with a dash of Joy Division, Iceage is one of the most exciting alt-rock acts going right now. They'll be joined by Atlanta garage-rock act, The Black Lips, meaning lots of bang for your buck when purchasing a ticket.
Iceage and The Black Lips co-headline at White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 N Main St., on Sunday, November 18. Surfbort opens. Tickets start at $20 plus a $8.53 service fee. Doors open at 7 pm.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
"Wake up, wake up, wake up — it's the first of the month..." With that opening refrain from "1st of tha Month," Bone Thugs-N-Harmony blasted on the the radar of hip-hop fans everywhere, combining mind-blowing lyrical prowess with impressivly layered, well, harmonies into a multi-platinum selling package that made the group one of the most popular acts of the '90s with huge hits such as "Tha Crossroads," "Thuggish Ruggish Bone," and "Young Thugs." This show in the tiny space that is Scout Bar should make a certain subset of '90s kids very happy.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony meet you at the crossroads that is Scout Bar, located at 18307 Egret Bay Blvd., on Monday, November 19. Tickets start at $35 plus fees. Doors open at 8 pm.
Americana singer Ben Rector performs at Revention Music Center on Thursday, November 15.
Roasted Power Vegetable Bowl at Fogo de Chao.Courtesy of Fogo de Chao