weekend event planner

These are the 14 best things to do in Houston this weekend

Spring is here, at least according to our friends at Space City Weather, which means sunny skies and comfortable temperatures.

Even if the evenings are chilly, we have some windbreaker-worthy events popping off this weekend. Of course, we have the rodeo in full swing. But we also have Hamilton returning to Houston; outdoor events from Mid Main Houston, Discovery Green, and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and a salute to one of the greatest MCs to ever do it.

And, if you don’t know, now you know.

Thursday, March 6

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
It’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo season once again and, judging by the recent news story of a cow getting loose and running down OST, things are getting wild over there. Reba McEntire just kicked off the live concert series that has become a Livestock Show and Rodeo staple. Also scheduled to perform: AJR, Carin León, Brad Paisley, Journey, Post Malone, Brooks & Dunn, and Luke Bryan. Bun B will have a birthday extravaganza on Friday, featuring Keith Sweat, Coco Jones, Houston gospel legend Yolanda Adams, and Ludacris. Through Sunday, March 23. 8 pm (for concerts).

Mid Main Houston presents First Thursday Block Party
The businesses of Mid Main, along with Mid Main Lofts, are back with the First Thursday Block Party series. Visitors can stop by the block partners and enjoy beer from Saint Arnold Brewing Company, live music, art shows, special activations, and local vendors at the Winbern Street Market. This month, proceeds will go to Brain Cancer Research & Pediatric Health Initiatives. DJ Tempty will be spinning tunes, while art shows will be going on at Mid Main Art Gallery and Sig’s Lagoon. 6 pm.

Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center presents Hamilton
It’s hard to believe that Hamilton, the Tony-winning Broadway smash, is now ten years old. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre — a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. Through March 23. 7:30 pm (2 & 7:30 pm Saturday; 1:30 & 7 pm Sunday).

Friday, March 7

Rice Village presents Rodeo Roundup
Rice Village is kicking off the rodeo season with its fourth annual Rodeo Roundup. Family-friendly festivities will take place along Morningside Drive and University Boulevard, with a performance from local country musician Cooper Mohrmann, a mechanical bull ride, and face painting, along with bandana freebies. Pop-up experiences and activations from Rice Village businesses will include rodeo-centered promotions, sips and light bites, and more. 5 pm.

Anya Tish Gallery presents "Anya's Eye" opening reception
Anya Tish Gallery will herald the spring with "Anya’s Eye," a vibrant, sprawling group exhibition featuring more than two dozen of the gallery’s artists, many of whom were discovered early in their careers and have gone on to great acclaim thanks to the “eye” of Anya Tish. The show is an opportunity to “see” what Anya saw in the artists she represented, and experience how enriching and life-changing those encounters were. Through Saturday, April 19. 6 pm.

Naruto: The Symphonic Experience
Do you prefer your anime with a live soundtrack performed by a full orchestra? If so, Naruto: The Symphonic Experience is a live show featuring an original, two-hour feature film (shown with subtitles) created by Julien Vallespi and Quentin Benayoun, from the first 220 original episodes of the Naruto animated series. An orchestra will perform the iconic songs and themes from the series, live-to-picture, as scenes are projected on a full-size, HD cinema screen. 7 pm.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Moonlight Movies
Moonlight Movies returns to The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Filmgoers can experience “Love & Other Adventures” with three popular and classic romantic comedies, from a seat on the sloping roof of the Glassell School of Art in the Amphitheater. We don’t know if this was intentional or not, but the series that shares the same name with the 2017 Oscar winner for Best Picture is kicking things off with La La Land, which notoriously almost received that honor. There will also be complimentary popcorn, and drinks, including special cocktails, available for purchase. 8 pm.

Saturday, March 8

Power of Vision - International Women's Month Celebration
The “Power of Vision" series stands as a dynamic and empowering collection of events, crafted to equip women with essential tools for success. These events feature captivating speakers, valuable resources, and insightful information, all thoughtfully curated to inspire and guide. This year, in a harmonious alignment with International Women's Month, the series is dedicated to amplifying the goal of empowering women, celebrating their achievements, and fostering an environment of growth and inspiration. Noon.

Young Texas Artists presents The Stars at Night Gala
Young Texas Artists, a nonprofit arts organization, will present its 40th anniversary party, “The Stars at Night.” The evening will feature dancing, barbecue, a live auction, and YTA’s Spring Art Show & Sale. Following the gala, guests can walk into the theater for the Young Texas Artists Music Competition Finalists’ Concert & Awards, followed by YTA’s After Party — the evening’s grand finale — back in the Grand Pavilion. 5 pm.

Betelguese Betelguese presents Biggie Tribute
The bar's Washington Avenue location will host a tribute to The Notorious B.I.G. with music, themed cocktails, and great vibes. Guests can expect plenty of Biggie tracks, as well as "Biggie-adjacent" tracks from artists like Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, The LOX, Mase, and more. The Betelgeuse Betelgeuse photo booth will be stacked with themed accessories for guests to capture the fun as well. The special menu features cocktails such as the A T-Bone Steak, Cheese Eggs, and Welch's Grape for $16, an Alize daiquiri for $14, and a Grand Marnier margarita for $14, and more. 8 pm.

Performance Arts Houston presents Meow Meow
International siren and comedienne extraordinaire Meow Meow brings her glorious brand of subversive and sublime performance to Houston. The post-post-modern diva has hypnotised, inspired, and terrified audiences globally with unique creations and sell-out seasons from New York’s Lincoln Center to the Sydney Opera House. The crowd-surfing queen of song creates an evening of music and much mayhem, featuring Piazzolla tangos, Weill, Brecht, Brel, and even Radiohead alongside original chansons. 8 pm.

Sunday, March 9

Bayou City Blues Festival Presented by BKV Energy
Held at the Houston Botanic Garden, the Bayou City Blues Festival will be an afternoon of roots music, curated by Houstonian Annika Chambers. In addition to five hours of live music, attendees can snap photos in front of the Garden’s bluebonnet field, enjoy the Family Fun Zone, shop a festive market featuring local vendors and plants from the Garden, and browse information stations staffed by select nonprofit organizations. Access to the entire Garden, including the “Habitat” exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, is also part of the experience. 11 am.

Emancipation Park presents Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
Jazzy Sundays in the Parks, Emancipation Park's popular outdoor concert series, kicked off last weekend with performances from Grammy-winning jazz pianist (and proud Houstonian) Robert Glasper and saxophonist Vince Greer. Jazzy Sundays celebrates the vibrancy and rich tradition of jazz and the incredible Houstonians who preserve the art form. But that doesn’t mean you won’t get to hear some zydeco grooves, too. This weekend, Houston Zydeco band J Paul Jr. & the Zydeco Newbreedz will take the stage, along with Baltimore DJ/producer S.Dot. 5 pm.

Matt Rife: Stay Golden
That guy who drops all those crowd-work videos on social media (a promotional tool that every comic must indulge in these days) will be getting his ad-lib on in H-Town this weekend. Matt Rife comes to Houston as part of his Stay Golden tour. Rife self-produced two comedy specials, Only Fans and Matthew Steven Rife, both available on YouTube, which led to two Netflix specials, Matt Rife: Natural Selection and Lucid. He is set to take on a leading role in Rolling Loud, an R-rated comedy co-produced by Live Nation Productions. 7 pm.

Hamilton returns to Houston beginning this weekend.

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Movie Review

Knives Out series takes a more serious turn in Wake Up Dead Man

Photo by John Wilson/Netflix

Josh O'Connor and Josh Brolin in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.

Since 2019, writer/director Rian Johnson has essentially turned over his career to murder mysteries, including 2019’s Knives Out, 2022’s sequel Glass Onion, and the just-canceled Peacock series Poker Face. He’s back for another bite of the apple with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.

While private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns to help investigate a seemingly impossible murder, the majority of the focus of this film is on the employees and parishioners at a small Catholic church in upstate New York. Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) has been assigned to the parish to work under Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Wicks is a fiery orator who relies on intimidation, as well as the help of church aide Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), to maintain control over his flock.

That group includes lawyer Vera Draven (Kerry Washington), her politically ambitious brother Cy (Daryl McCormack), Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), writer Lee Ross (Andrew Scott), cellist Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny), and groundskeeper Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church). The tenets of Catholicism, and religion in general, are put to the test as Father Jud challenges Monsignor Jefferson for leadership, and a death changes things even further.

The free-wheeling and fun nature of the first two Knives Out films gives way to a more methodical and introspective approach in Wake Up Dead Man. While Johnson is interested in presenting a murder mystery, it’s the lives of the various characters that take precedence, especially that of Father Jud. He is shown from the start as someone who wrestles with his faith, which is tested on multiple occasions as he encounters people who challenge him more than expected.

The arrival of Blanc on the scene turns the film into a type of buddy movie, with Father Jud serving as both investigator and suspect. Neither man embodies the type of behavior one might expect out of their respective professions, and what limited comedy the film has comes from their interactions. They’re reined in by Police Chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis), although her desire to get to the bottom of the murder is somewhat stymied by Blanc and Father Jud’s diversions.

The lessons learned from two very different types of sources — mystery novels and Catholicism — collide over the course of the film. A book club that very coincidentally includes multiple mystery novels, including John Dickson Carr’s The Hollow Man, plays a key role, as does the devoutness of the various people at the church. Ultimately, as was the case in the first two films, the nature of the whodunit comes in second place to how the characters react to the multiple reveals along the way.

Craig seems to tone down the over-the-top way he usually plays Blanc in this film, and his performance fits in well with the story being told. O’Connor, a star on the rise after Challengers and more, is asked to carry the film and he does so ably. The strong actors in the supporting cast are not used as well as they could have been, with only Close and Brolin truly making an impact. Geoffrey Wright shows up in a couple of small scenes and makes his presence known quickly.

Wake Up Dead Man is the least entertaining Knives Out film so far, but that’s not to say that it’s uninteresting. Johnson explores topics that result in more talking than action, but those conversations — especially between Blanc and Father Jud — are consistently engaging and revelatory about the characters and the crime they are investigating.

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Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is now playing in select theaters; it debuts on Netflix on December 12.

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