Best October concerts

Post Malone and Sabrina Carpenter headline Houston's 12 must-see shows

Apologies, Houston music fans, the Oasis reunion tour is not coming here. Neither is Chappell Roan. Taylor Swift already conquered NRG Stadium, and RodeoHouston is months away.

Thankfully, October’s concert schedule shows no sign of slowing down with huge headliners holding onto audience interest like the oppressive summer heat that has overstayed its welcome.

We've rounded up 12 of the shows that will cool your live music thirst.

Johnny Marr & James, October 1, Bayou Music Center
Way back in 1985, Brit band James – known best in the U.S. for the classic alt-rock hit, “Laid” – toured with the landmark indie legends, The Smiths. Forty years later, they are back on the road with the best Smith of them all, influential guitar hero Johnny Marr, who built himself a solid solo career after stints of guesting with other fantastic bands (The Pretenders, Modest Mouse, The Cribs). This show will be a treat for any Anglophile.

Can’t Miss Songs: Johnny Marr - “How Soon Is Now?,” “There is a Light That Never Goes Out;” James - “Sit Down,” “Laid”

The Avett Brothers, October 12, Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Proof that two brothers can partake in a long and genial career together, Seth and Scott Avett lead one of the most successful Americana acts ever. They endeared themselves to a devoted fanbase with crossover hits such as True Sadness and The Third Gleam. Now, they’re back on the road with their 12th album, the self-titled The Avett Brothers.

Can’t Miss Songs: “No Hard Feelings,” “Ain’t No Man”

Boyz II Men, October 12, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Motownphilly is back again. The ‘90s hitmakers Boyz II Men continue to sell out amphitheaters decades after they ruled the charts and for good reason. Their unassailable run as the kings of sultry-smooth R&B earned them a revered standing in the pop culture lexicon that few groups will ever achieve. No doubt plenty of fans will be bringing the kids they made to their soulful slow-jam anthems to their headline show in The Woodlands.

Can’t Miss Songs: “End of the Road,” “On Bended Knee,” “Motownphilly”

Norah Jones, October 15, 713 Music Hall
A prodigious, Texas-raised talent, Norah Jones took the music industry by storm as a young 20-something when the former Grapevine resident released one of the biggest albums of the early 21st century in Come Away with Me. Her mix of jazz and melodic singer-songwriter fare tapped into the sophisticated side of the zeitgeist en route to selling 27 million copies and winning multiple Grammys. Her career has since matured into an eclectic mix of sounds like those found on this year’s Visions.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Don’t Know Why,” “Happy Pills”

Jeff Lynne’s ELO, October 16, Toyota Center
Jeff Lynne is the guy that just keeps on going, a massively successful career in the ‘70s with Electric Light Orchestra, finding new life with the Traveling Wilburys in the ‘80s, and even finding new audiences with his music’s inclusion in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. No one knows how much longer he’ll be on the road, but hearing his classic rock hits certainly will never get old.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Mr. Blue Sky,” “Don’t Bring Me Down”

Maxwell, October 18, Toyota Center
The influential neo-soul artist Maxwell found fame alongside other artists such as Erykah Badu and D’Angelo in the late-‘90s with the classic debut, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite. He set himself apart by pulling from a variety of influences such as Marvin Gaye, Prince, and other genres such as the New Wave of Kate Bush and even the alt-rock of Nine Inch Nails, who he covered on his famed MTV Unplugged appearance.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder),” “Fortunate”

Sixpence None The Richer, October 19, Warehouse Live
Formed in New Braunfels, TX as a Christian act, Sixpence None The Richer crossed over to the pop charts and seemingly soundtracked every late-‘90s and early 2000s teen rom-com flick with their massive worldwide hit, “Kiss Me.” After a long-hiatus, the band – led by Houston-born frontwoman Leigh Nash – is back with new album Rosemary Hill.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Kiss Me,” “There She Goes”

Korn, October 20, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Like many other genres from decades ago, nu-metal and rap-rock are experiencing a nostalgic resurgence, and despite the higher instances of achy knees and less aggressive mosh pits, fans are turning out in numbers to see their Total Request Live-era heroes. That can be said about Korn, who arguably kick started the popularity of radio-friendly alt-metal that pulled bands like Limp Bizkit, P.O.D., and even Hoobastank, and they've steadily cashed in as the rightful forefathers of the scene.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Got the Life (Follow the Leader),” “Falling Away From Me”

Judas Priest, October 22, Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Metalheads Judas Priest proved their cultural cache when lead singer and U.K. treasure Rob Halford sang a duet with Dolly Parton as part of the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony’s show-ending jam session in full leather and spikes regalia. Simply put, Judas Priest is one of the best metal bands ever and should be a requisite must-see for anyone that likes it loud and heavy.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Breaking the Law,” “Turbo Lover”

Post Malone, October 22 and 23, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Post Malone as a serious country artist? Based on his extremely well received C&W album, F-1 Trillion, it’s time to take Post seriously as Renaissance man — one that is as comfortable producing hip-hop albums and adeptly performing Nirvana songs — as he is writing honky tonk heartache anthems.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Circles,” “Sunflower,” “White Iverson”

Sabrina Carpenter, October 27, Toyota Center
Probably the hottest pop star not named Taylor, Chappell, or Billie, song of the summer “Espresso” star Sabrina Carpenter is now firmly established as an arena-filling phenomenon. Her playful, glamorous, and sexy image is now firmly entrenched in the trendsetting mainstream. Catch her before she upgrades to even bigger venues.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Espresso,” “Taste”

Morrissey, October 31, 713 Music Hall
The month of October ends with another member of The Smiths taking to a Houston stage, this time with exceedingly controversial frontman Morrissey (if he doesn’t cancel first). Recently, he made headlines for his label refusing to release his new album due to insensitive commentary, and a $100 million Smiths reunion tour was turned down by his former bandmate. Moz’s victimhood complex might be the scariest thing happening this Halloween, but he still has a devoted fanbase that will ride or die with the romantic mopester.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Everyday Is Like Sunday,” “Girlfriend in a Coma”

Photo courtesy of Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter serves the "Espresso" at the Toyota Center on October 27.

Movie Review

Timothée Chalamet cements star status in new movie Marty Supreme

Courtesy

Timothée Chalamet

In a time when true movie stars seem to be going extinct, Timothée Chalamet has emerged as an exception to the rule. Since 2021 he has headlined blockbusters like the two Dune movies and Wonka, and also earned an Oscar nomination for playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown (his second nomination following 2018’s Call Me By Your Name). Now, he’s almost assured to get his third nomination for the stellar new film, Marty Supreme.

Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a world-class table tennis player living in New York. But reducing Marty to his best skill doesn’t do him justice, as he’s also a motormouth schemer who will do almost anything to achieve his dreams. He doesn’t have any qualms about wooing married women like neighbor Rachel (Odessa A’zion) or actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), or hiding his true ping pong skills to win money in scams with friends like Wally (Tyler the Creator).

Marty is seemingly on the go the entire movie, whether it’s trying to convince Kay’s millionaire husband Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary) to fund his table tennis ambitions; or trying to track down the dog of Ezra (Abel Ferrara), a man he accidentally injures; or trying to avoid the ire of the boss at the shoe store where he works. Just when you think he might slow down, he’s off to the races on another plan or adventure.

Directed by Josh Safdie and written by Safdie and frequent co-writer Ronald Bronstein, the film is an almost continuous blast of pure energy for 2 ½ hours. So many different things happen over the course of the film that the story defies conventional narratives, and yet the throughline of Marty keeps everything tightly connected. His particular type of brash behavior turns much of the film into a comedy as he does and says things that are both shocking and thrilling.

Another thing that makes the movie sing is the fantastic characterization by Safdie and Bronstein. Almost every person who is given a speaking line in the film has a moment where they pop, which speaks to airtight dialogue that the writers have created. Characters will be introduced and then disappear for long stretches of time, and yet because they make such an impression the first time they’re on screen, it’s easy to pick up their thread right away.

Safdie, as he’s done previously with brother Bennie (Uncut Gems), calls on a host of well-known non-actors or people with interesting faces/vibes to inhabit supporting roles, and to a person they are crucial to the film’s success. O’Leary (of Shark Tank fame), rapper Tyler the Creator, director Ferrara, magician Penn Jillette, and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi each deliver knockout performances. The relative unknowns who play smaller roles are just as impressive, making each beat of the film feel naturalistic.

Leading the way is the powerhouse performance by Chalamet. For one person to believably play both the famously reserved Dylan and also a firecracker like Marty is astonishing, and this role cements Chalamet’s status as his generation’s movie star. A’zion is a rising star who gets great moments as Marty’s on-again/off-again love interest. Paltrow pops in and out of the film, lighting up the screen every time she appears. Fran Drescher as Marty’s mom and Sandra Bernhard as a neighbor also pay dividends in small roles.

Josh Safdie’s first solo directorial effort is unlike any other movie this year, or maybe even this century. Thanks to its breakneck storytelling, a magnificent performance by Chalamet, and countless intangibles that Safdie employs expertly, the film smacks viewers in the face repeatedly and demands that they come back for more.

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Marty Supreme opens in theaters on December 25.

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