Live Music Now

Here are the 6 best concerts in Houston this week

Holiday shopping is such a drag — the traffic, long lines, and Instead of presents that loved ones will surely forget by the end of January, give them the gift of music. It's scientifically proven to help one live a longer life - something that can't be wrapped in a bow.

Take a break from the holiday stress and maybe take in one of the following shows. Here are CultureMap's best, biggest, and notable shows for the week:

CultureMap show of the week: Brian Setzer Orchestra
The annual holiday tradition returns to Houston as former Stray Cats star Brian Setzer and his orchestra will showcase holiday tunes set to a swinging beat at Jones Hall as part of his Christmas Rocks! tour. Setzer first made his name during the new wave era with the Cats, bringing a swing strut to punk rock that recalled a lighter version of The Clash.

After that band broke up, he made an even bigger impact with his new gig as leader of the Brian Setzer Orchestra in the late-'90s at the forefront of the swing revival that earned him more notoriety and millions of album sales as a new generation discovered the fun in dressing up in flapper dresses and zoot suits, dancing to old-timey tunes, especially his "Jump, Jive & Wail." While the neo-swing era dissipated, Setzer created a cash cow by taking his band on the road to perform traditional holiday tunes in the key of swing. Not too bad, daddio.

The Brian Setzer Orchestra performs at the Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, located at 615 Louisiana St., on Wednesday, December 12. Tickets start at $35 plus fees. Show starts at 7:30 pm.

CultureMap recommends: Hayes Carll at Heights Theater
Revered Americana singer-songwriter and Houston native Hayes Carll has been building quite the reputation over the past 10 years, garnering Grammy nominations, winning Americana Music Association awards, and releasing really good music. His new album, What It Is, is out in February, songs which will no doubt be featured at his headlining slot at the Heights Theater this week.

He was recently announced as one of the performers at the Old Settler's Festival in Tilmon, Texas in April, so call this a preview of bigger shows to come. The best part is your ticket will buy you an opening set from the great Houston rock band, Vodi.

Hayes Carll plays the Heights Theater, located at 339 W 19th St., on Thursday, December 13. Local act Vodi opens. Tickets start at $26 plus a $6 service fee. Doors open at 7 pm.

Ministry at HOB
It's hard to overstate how important Ministry and songwriter Al Jourgensen has been on industrial and synth-based music. Ministry got progressively harder and downright weirder over the years, but when the band first started in 1981 in Chicago, they were much closer to Depeche Mode than heavy metal. Hits such as "Everyday is Like Halloween," "The Nature of Love," and later, "Jesus Built My Hotrod," and "N.W.O." paved the way for acts like Nine Inch Nails and White Zombie to thrive in the '90s.

Ministry headlines House of Blues, located at 1204 Caroline St., on Thursday, December 13. Carpenter Brut and Alien Weaponry open. Tickets start at $35 plus fees. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

'90s buzz bin returns: Fastball
Fastball is considered by most to be a one-hit wonder, but what a hit it was. "The Way" was one of the best rock songs of the '90s: a catchy AF tune that might be about running away from the daily grind, dementia in a pre-amber alert era, or a take on the Bonnie and Clyde story. But the three-piece that incorporated a healthy dose of Beatles melody, Texas blues, latin rhythms, and rock licks into their upbeat sound had been grinding it out on the Austin scene as a great live act for years.

They hit it huge with the aforementioned song from their album, All the Pain Money Can Buy, which went platinum in an era when alternative acts could make money. They will celebrate the 20th anniversary of that album with an intimate show at the Dosey Doe.

Fastball performs at the Big Barn at Dosey Doe, located at 25911 I-45 North, The Woodlands, on Friday, December 14. Tickets start at $28 plus fees - includes a three-course meal. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz, the soft butter of pop-rock, will bring his chill vibes to Sugar Land for what is billed as an intimate acoustic concert (isn't this his thing?). "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)" singer will be joined by percussionist Toca Rivera. Mraz is touring behind his latest, Know, which has been garnering decent reviews from the music press. Fans of Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, and other similarly so-so music will surely love this.

Jason Mraz headlines the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land, located at 18111 Lexington Blvd. in Sugar Land, on Friday, December 14. Tickets start at $34.50 plus fees. Show starts at 8 pm.

Sleep at White Oak
Stoner rock fans, rejoice! California band Sleep, pioneers of the sludgy, grungy, Black Sabbath-indebted sound that influenced dozens of bands, including Queens of the Stone Age, are back with the critically acclaimed 2018 album, The Sciences, their first in 15 years.

Loud, methodical, and high as a kite, Sleep are the definition of stoner rock — a band for metal heads that enjoy some herbal relaxation instead of leather pants and Jack Daniels. Sleep first broke up in 2003, but not before they launched countless acts aping their sound. Bring your earplugs to this one.

Sleep is at White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 N Main St., on Saturday, December 15. Pinkish Black opens. Tickets start at $25 plus fees. Doors open at 8 pm.

Pop-rocker Jason Mraz performs at Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land on Friday, December 14.

Photo by Jen Rosenstein

Pop-rocker Jason Mraz performs at Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land on Friday, December 14.

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Movie Review

Over-the-top acting and incoherent plot drag down Her Private Hell

Photo courtesy of Neon

Sophie Thatcher in Her Private Hell.

Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn is not someone who plays nice with the general film world. His 2011 film Drive introduced him to American audiences in a big way, but that pulsating thriller was followed up with artier films like Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon that eschewed coherent plots in favor of moody, atmospheric pieces.

Winding Refn, who hasn’t made a feature film in 10 years, has gone fully down the rabbit hole with Her Private Hell. Taking place in a liminal space that kind of resembles Earth but also feels like someone’s dreams/nightmares, the film focuses on Elle (Sophie Thatcher), an actor currently starring in a sci-fi film. Staying at a hotel with newcomer Hunter (Kristine Froseth), the two bond over their shared passion and the legend of Elle’s father, Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott), who’s now married to Elle’s friend Dominique (Havana Rose Liu).

After spending a good amount of (mostly incomprehensible) time with that group, Refn introduces Private K (Charles Melton), who seems to be living in post-World War II Japan. He is looking for his daughter, who might have been taken by a mysterious figure known as “Leatherman,” and he will stop at nothing to find her, fighting whoever stands in his way.

It becomes clear almost right away that Winding Refn has no desire to engage in traditional storytelling in this film. The main characters wander through neon-drenched streets and buildings, which are often surrounded by a mist that is referred to on multiple occasions but never explained. Everyone speaks as if in a constant state of wonderment, and there are many moments where it’s unclear if events are actually happening, part of a movie-within-a-movie, or something else entirely.

Unlike his previous films, Winding Refn has taken the characters in this film completely out of the real world, with every scene taking place in a sparsely decorated room or street that is obviously a movie set. While there are moments where this decision really works, especially the striking first shot of a human-like figure mixed in with a cityscape and clouds, most of the time it only adds to the stilted nature of the film as a whole.

In fact, the entire movie has the feel of an avant-garde theater exercise. Every actor seems to be trying to outdo the others with awkward performances and out-sized reactions. Two very specific characters make appearances in both sides of the story for seemingly no reason other than to inject their weirdness into both spaces. The shocking violence that crops up on occasion would have more of an impact if it was related to anything intelligible.

Thatcher (Companion) and Liu (Tuner) are among the young stars who have had breakout moments in recent years, but neither of them is served well by this hot mess of a movie. They, along with Melton, still demonstrate the talent they possess, but the oddity of the film weighs them down. Scott makes an impression for all the wrong reasons, while Froseth is called upon to play a character who might as well not be there at all.

If there’s any kind of message that Winding Refn was trying to convey with Her Private Hell, it’s lost among the flashing lights, overload of pink, and jewel-like structures. Filmmakers who try to make art for art’s sake have a place in the world, but this film too often feels like people are making things up as they go, with no real goal in mind.

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Her Private Hell opens in theaters on July 24.

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