Let's take a moment this week to give it up to White Oak Music Hall, which hasn't had a ton of luck lately, due to no fault of its own.
A few weeks back, its lawn show featuring New York City art-rockers MGMT had to be cancelled due to the lightning and rain deluge that inundated parts of the city. Then, on the Friday before Memorial Day, yet another show got the last-minute hook when Oklahoma's popular country act, Turnpike Troubadours, abruptly pulled the plug on the show. The band cryptically cited inter-band struggles, but industry insiders point to a series of inebriated performances by lead singer Evan Felker as the reason for the cancellation. The band is now on indefinite hiatus.
Our thoughts are with the Troubadours, who recently played RodeoHouston to nearly 70,000 people, a sign of the love for them in the country community. We are rooting for Felker and the rest of the band get the help they need to make a comeback.
Hopefully, the following shows will go off without a hitch. CultureMap's biggest, best, and most notable shows are as follows:
CultureMap recommends: Mitski
New York City indie artist Mitski is riding high after releasing one of the best albums of 2018, Be the Cowboy, a collection so good, it's literally being referenced in their album titles. In fact, it was named the best album of the year by alternative music flag bearers Pitchfork, Consequence of Sound, and Vulture. Not too shabby for someone on her fifth record, but there's been an exponential rise in Mitski's prowess, and songs like "Nobody" and "Your Best American Girl" incorporate lyrical bite and musical bounce in equal aplomb.
Mitski is at White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 N. Main St., on Wednesday, June 5. Dilly Dally opens. Tickets start at $22, plus fees. Doors open at 7 pm.
Free show alert, pt. 1: Discovery Green Thursday Night Concert Series
Thursday nights at Discovery Green are heating up with the Thursday Night Concert Series, happening through the end of the month. These free shows sponsored by University of Houston Downtown bring in a variety of Gulf Coast performers over the course of its run.
This week, it's Marshall Crenshaw, whom many will know as playing Buddy Holly in the film La Bamba. Not coincidentally, his music draws from Holly's legacy, and he scored a few chart hits in "Someday, Someway" (which he would perform on Letterman) and "Whenever You're On My Mind." The best part of these shows? They are free to attend, and lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged.
The Discovery Green Thursday Night Concert Series takes place at Discovery Green, located at 1500 McKinney St., on Thursday, June 6. Marshall Crenshaw with Snit’s Dog & Pony Show perform. Admission is free. Show starts at 7 pm.
'90s Kickback Concert, Pt. 2
A show so massive, they had to do two, the '90s Kickback Concert returns to Arena Theatre for Part II, like The Godfather of late-'90s/early-2000s R&B. This time, the line-up features platinum act Dru Hill, fronted by Sisqó before he would go on to confusingly rule the charts with "Thong Song" (the late-'90s were a weird time, man). They'll be joined by pretty good acts Ginuwine, Mya, and Chante Moore. Bonus points if you dress like you're headed to the MTV Video Music Awards circa 2000.
The ‘90s Kickback Concert Pt. 2, featuring Dru Hill takes place at Arena Theatre, located at 7326 Southwest Fwy., on Friday, June 7. Tickets start at $75, plus fees. Doors open at 8 pm.
Weyes Blood at White Oak Music Hall
Weyes Blood has the chance to be the Mitski of 2019, having released the tremendous indie-rock album, Titanic Rising, on the impossibly cool Sub Pop label. A critical smash, Weyes Blood aka Natalie Mering capitalized on the promise of her early work as both intimate and melodic, her voice recalling a much hipper Karen Carpenter. Perhaps not coincidentally, the video for her single "Everyday" is a throwback to '70s slasher flicks while evoking that time period's best singer-songwriters. Catch her on the rise toward bigger things.
Weyes Blood performs at White Oak Music Hall, located at 2915 N. Main St., on Friday, June 7. Jackie Cohen opens. Tickets start at $15, plus fees. Doors open at 8 pm.
CultureMap show of the week: Saint Arnolds 25th Anniversary Party
The granddaddy of all craft brewers in the Bayou City turns a quarter-century old. Of course, when beer's involved, there's going to be a party. Music and suds fans alike will gather to take in the free show at Saint Arnold's 25th Anniversary Party, featuring a good, diverse line-up of Texas music, including Austin's fast-rising rock duo Black Pistol Fire, Houston rap legend Lil' Flip, Americana "Topo Chico" crooner Robert Ellis, fun local pop-punk performers Swimwear Department, and more. Happy birthday!
The Saint Arnolds 25th Anniversary Party takes place at Saint Arnolds Brewing Company, located at 2000 Lyons Ave., on Saturday, June 8. General admission is free. Bands start at 3 pm.
Alt-rocker Mitski is at White Oak Music Hall on Wednesday, June 4.
