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    Live Music Now

    These are the 6 best concerts in Houston this week

    Johnston Farrow
    Johnston Farrow
    Jun 18, 2019 | 10:45 am

    The dog days of summer aren't over — they've just begun. But as the days heat up, so do the offerings of concerts in the Bayou City.

    On the docket: a movie star, a country legend, a beloved Americana cult act, indie-rockers on the rise, and two bands that are much bigger than anyone thought they'd be.

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

    CultureMap show of the week: Hugh Jackman at Toyota Center
    What isn't Hugh Jackman good at? A bonafide movie star who won our nerd-leaning hearts as Wolverine, a Tony award-winning theater draw, and by all accounts a great guy and loyal husband, the Australian wunderkind is a modern day renaissance man. (Surely, he has to sport gnarly toe nails, can't hold his booze, or secretly loves Nickelback, right?)

    Until the secrets come out, we'll be lining up to give him our hard-earned money, regardless of what he decides to do with his immense talents. We're not sure what the Jacked-man is doing at Toyota Center this Tuesday, but he's on a world tour selling pure charm and probably doing some singing and dancing from his film (Les Miserables, The Greatest Showman) and stage roles (Oklahoma) while he's at it.

    Hugh Jackman performs at Toyota Center, located at 1510 Polk St., on Tuesday, June 18. Tickets start at $29.50, plus service fees. Doors open at 6 pm.

    Twenty One Pilots at Toyota Center
    Somewhere along the way, Twenty One Pilots become one the biggest rock bands in the world. Few acts encapsulate the state of mind of Millennial alt-rock like this Columbus, Ohio, duo comprised of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun. Their 2015 album Blurryface produced a ton of hits, including "Stressed Out," "Ride," and "Heavydirtysoul," most impressive in a time when streaming makes it nearly impossible to score numerous radio hits from the same album.

    That album scored Grammy wins and launched the act to arenas, their Sublime-lite reggae, Gen-X anxiety, and hip-hop beats speaking to a wider audience. They followed that one up with the actually-pretty-good Trench, that went darker and louder, and was all the better for it.

    Twenty One Pilots are at Toyota Center, located at 1510 Polk St., on Friday, June 18. Bear Hands opens. Tickets start at $39.50, plus service fees. Doors open at 6 pm.

    Son Volt at Heights Theater
    Following the breakup with Jeff Tweedy and their cult act Uncle Tupelo in 1994, Jay Farrar made good on that band’s Americana promise with Son Volt. Where Tweedy would concentrate on the indie rock aspects of his former band with Wilco, Farrar embraced the dusky soundscapes of middle America. He’s made a decent career for himself, garnering critical acclaim for his oft-acoustic driven vision. More Willie Nelson than a heavy metal drummer, Farrar's distinct voice is rich and his storytelling is excellent. Son Volt is touring behind this year's Union.

    Son Volt play the Heights Theater, located at 339 W 19th St., on Friday, June 18. Old Salt Union opens. Tickets start at $22, plus service fees. Doors open at 7 pm.

    Ronnie Milsap
    Seventy-six years old and still going like the Engergizer bunny, legendary singer-songwriter Ronnie Milsap is back in Houston, not letting declining health over the last few years get in the way of his touring schedule. While he's been on his farewell tour for what seems like a few years now, so this is a great opportunity to see the man who made his name in the rebel days of country before his run comes to an end. His 40 No. 1 country hits, such as "Smoky Mountain Rain," "Lost in the Fifties Tonight," and "It Was Almost Like a Song," make this a worthy night out.

    Ronnie Milsap performs at Arena Theatre, located at 7326 Southwest Fwy., on Friday, June 21. Tickets start at $30, plus fees. Show starts at 9 pm.

    Shinedown at Cynthia Woods
    Another band that has not been affected by the slow death of rock and roll, Shinedown is headed into its Houston appearance on a roll. The Jacksonville, Florida, band's latest album, Attention Attention, is a massive hit, scoring No. 1 on the alternative, rock, and hard rock charts, and going top five on the Top 200 albums in the U.S., based on the strength of that record's singles, "Devil" and "The Human Radio."

    Fans of the harder-edged rock that came out of the early 2000s (think Nickelback and 3 Doors Down) will be out for this one. They might not be critical darlings, but they play heavy and loud, something that many groups don't do much of these days.

    Shinedown is at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, located at 2005 Lake Robbins Dr. in The Woodlands, on Friday, June 21. Tickets start at $29.50, plus fees. Gates open at 5:30 pm.

    CultureMap recommends: Operators at WOMH
    Touting one of the best albums of the year in Radiant Dawn, Operators deal in heartfelt, off-kilter melody and straight-ahead rhythm, something lead singer Dan Boeckner perfected in his other, excellent bands, Wolf Parade and the Divine Fits (of which he was joined by Spoon's Britt Daniel, ie. major cred).

    In Radiant Dawn, he has a winner, incorporating New Order electronics with his emotional, almost Springsteen-esque lyrics, and a healthy dose of guitar crunch. Listen to crazy good single "Faithless" for proof. Boeckner is a hardened veteran of many tours and knows how to command a stage, making this one a can't miss for indie rock and dance fans.

    Operators are at White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 N. Main Street, on Saturday, June 22. Doomsquad opens. Tickets start at $14, plus fees. Doors open at 8 pm.

    Alt-rock stars Twenty One Pilots perform at Toyota Center on Friday, June 21.

    Twenty One Pilots
      
    Photo courtesy of Twenty One Pilots
    Alt-rock stars Twenty One Pilots perform at Toyota Center on Friday, June 21.
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    Movie Review

    Heartfelt movie The Life of Chuck adapts optimistic Stephen King story

    Alex Bentley
    Jun 13, 2025 | 5:30 pm
    Tom Hiddleston in The Life of Chuck
    Photo courtesy of NEON
    Tom Hiddleston in The Life of Chuck.

    Just like actors, once a filmmaker becomes known for a certain genre, it can be difficult to escape that pigeonholing. Writer/director Mike Flanagan has worked for 20 years in both film and television, and literally every project he’s done has been related to horror. He’s finally breaking out with The Life of Chuck, which is ironically based on a short story of the same name by Stephen King.



    Told in three chapters in reverse order, the film is almost impossible to describe without giving away its magic. The first section centers on Marty (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a teacher grappling, like everyone around him, with what seems to be the world falling apart. He’s comforted to a degree by reuniting with his ex-wife, Felicia (Karen Gillan), but is also baffled by multiple ads touting the retirement of Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) after “39 great years.”

    The second section consists of little more than a slightly younger Chuck happening upon Taylor (The Pocket Queen), a drummer busking on a street corner, giving Chuck and a younger woman, Janice (Annalise Basso), the inspiration to start dancing. The final section goes back to the childhood of Chuck (Benjamin Pajak), where he’s raised by his grandparents (Mark Hamill and Mia Sara), discovers dance as an outlet, and wonders about various small mysteries.

    Flanagan finds a way to deliver a lot of story with relatively little effort. Using a wry narrator (Nick Offerman), a limited number of locations, and a series of great small performances, he creates an intriguing premise with few straightforward answers. The structure of the film is designed to confuse the viewer until just the right moment, and the revelation forces you to reexamine everything that came before.

    The biggest accomplishment by Flanagan is making what are essentially three short films and having each of them resonate equally. The film contains elements of science fiction, although the first section may hit a bit too close to home for some of those watching. All three sections, though, have a heartwarming bent to them that sells their central idea without becoming overly saccharine.

    To do so, each of the characters have to connect in a short amount of time. The casting of the film is crucial, and not only does that department succeed with the main roles, but a series of small roles are filled expertly as well. Carl Lumbly as a funeral home owner, David Dastmalchian and Harvey Guillen as parents of students, Matthew Lillard as Marty’s neighbor, Q’orianka Kilcher as Chuck’s wife, and Jacob Tremblay as a teenage Chuck are just a few of the recognizable actors that do yeoman’s work in their brief time on screen.

    Hiddleston is only prominently featured in the second chapter, but his performance there and in small glimpses throughout makes a big impression. Ejiofor is given the star turn in the first chapter and he absolutely kills, both in moments by himself and in scenes with Gillan, with whom he has great chemistry. Hamill, making a rare non-voiceover appearance outside of the Star Wars universe, and Sara, in her first notable role in 11 years, are also very memorable in the final chapter.

    The Life of Chuck is a film that’s filled with emotion, but the full impact of the story is not felt until the final moments. It has a mysterious journey that is initially frustrating, but the performances keep the film going until it gets to its satisfying payoff.

    ---

    The Life of Chuck is now playing in theaters.

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