weekend event planner

Here are the top 14 things to do in Houston this weekend

TUTS presents a refreshed Rent.

Photo by Melissa Taylor

This weekend, a group of young New Yorkers worry about how they'll play rent — and a lot more, while some Austin teens stay dazed and confused. Those with a green thumb can get their plant on, while space lovers can celebrate a milestone anniversary of Spacelab.

Scaly reptiles invade NRG and a Sunday Funday concert brings the jams without the booze.

Enjoy; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, May 18

Shocks and Jolts Summer Exhibit at Children’s Museum Houston

Get ready for a shock to your system with an electrifying exhibit like no other. Experience what the “Shocks & Jolts” exhibit is all about during a stunning opening ceremony where people will complete an electric circuit by making a human chain to open the gallery. Made possible by OXY, the exhibit will enable you to discover the illuminating field of electrostatics, examine the properties of electromagnetism, and build and test your own electrical circuits. 10 am.

Dartmouth College and University of Houston presents MusicMexico 2023 Symposium

For three days, the Hopkins Center for the Arts (the Hop) at Dartmouth and the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston will convene musicians, performers and scholars to explore the past and future of Mexican music and its representation in wind band literature and educational settings. The second Music Mexico Symposium is part of Dartmouth’s ongoing Mexican Repertoire Initiative to enhance access to and appreciation for Mexican artists, who are actively innovating and contributing to the evolution of wind music. 6 pm (7:30 am Friday and Saturday).

Rooftop Cinema Club Uptown presents Dazed and Confused

Alright, alright, alright! Enjoy the sights, sips and sounds atop BLVD Place. Rooftop Cinema Club Uptown has partnered with Saint Arnold Brewing Company to present Texas filmmaker RIchard Linklater’s 1993, back-to-the-’70s favorite, which launched the careers of so many stars (Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, Renee Zellweger). Saint Arnold will provide guests with tastings of their newest beer, Simmer Pilsner. which pairs impeccably with the nostalgic teen comedy and the skyline of Uptown Houston. 7:45 pm.

Friday, May 19

PlantCon International

The inaugural plant convention PlantCon International is a 100-vendor plant market and exhibition featuring rare and hard-to-find plants, seminars and workshops from field experts, and a unique non-profit mission to promote inclusivity and visibility for all national and international plant organizations. The event is organized by With Heart Collective, a non-profit focused on creating inclusive spaces and opportunities for small, minority-owned businesses and their customers. 6 am (8 am Saturday; 10 am Sunday).

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV

This fascinating documentary (narrated by Steven Yeun) chronicles the life and career of Nam June Paik (1932–2006), “the father of video art.” Born in Japan-occupied Korea, Paik studied as a classical musician before moving to Germany in the 1950s, where he became a member of the influential, experimental art movement Fluxus. Relocating to the United States, he became fully engaged with television and video, revolutionizing the use of technology. 7 pm (5 pm Sunday).

Space Center Houston presents Skylab 50th Anniversary Evening Celebration

Space Center Houston will mark the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking Skylab space station. Guests will have exclusive, after-hours access to Space Center Houston, with a special cocktail hour in the Skylab trainer exhibit. The reception will include passed hors d’oeuvres, beer, and wine, with liquor available to purchase, live music, and the unboxing of Skylab artifacts. 7 pm.

Houston Symphony presents Stravinsky Oedipus Rex

Sophocles meets the groundbreaking musical language of Stravinsky: the result is raw, riveting, and unforgettable. Lose yourself in the drama as this mythic tale of fate, political intrigue, and patricide unfolds, realized with stunning on-stage visuals created specially for these performances by artist Adam Larsen. Music Director Designate Juraj Valčuha and the orchestra are joined by world-famous opera superstars Sean Panikkar and Michelle DeYoung, along with the Houston Symphony Men’s Chorus. 8 pm.

Saturday, May 20

The Crawfish Open Championship at Low Tide Kitchen and Bar

Spring Branch seafood restaurant Low Tide Kitchen and Bar is hosting a unique crawfish eating contest. It’s open to all amateur eaters 18 years or older. (Entries will be accepted through May 18 by 8:00 p.m. A non-refundable entry fee of $20 must be paid to participate.) Contestants will be given a tray of crawfish that will be weighed before and after the contest. The competitor to eat the most crawfish meat by weight at the end of eight minutes wins. The winner will receive the Crawfish Open Trophy Belt and Prize Basket. Noon.

Southside Sporting Club Welcomes Keith Frank & The Soileau Zydeco Band

Southside Sportside Club will welcome Louisiana’s Keith Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band for one performance only. Led by the legendary vocalist and accordion player Keith Frank, their music is a modern celebration of Louisiana culture that’s earned them a loyal following and acclaim. The band features some of the most talented guitarists, drummers, bassists, and fiddlers in the genre and they put on a show like no other, with electrifying performances and crowd-pleasing hits that never fail to get their audiences up and dancing. 5 pm.

Blaffer Art Museum presents Robert Hodge x Tim Kerr: "No Kings But Us" opening reception

Hodge-Kerr is a collaboration between Houston-based artist and impresario Robert Hodge and Austin-based musician and artist Tim Kerr. Individually, their work is steeped in the rich history between music and pop culture, and they share a deep interest in racial equality and human rights. With mutual admiration and converging interests, from color palette to messaging to medium, they have come together to entwine a creative vision. Through Sunday, June 4. 6 pm.

Theatre Under The Stars presents Rent

Winner of the Tony for Best Musical and Pulitzer Prize for Drama, this sensational musical has captured the hearts of millions of theater fans around the world. A re-imagining of Puccini's La Bohème, Rent follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters — love. Through Sunday, May 28. 2 & 8 pm (2 and 7:30 pm Sunday).

Sunday, May 21

Reptilian Nation Expo: Reptile and Amphibian Show

This weekend, over at NRG Center, Reptilian Nation Expo will feature 100+ breeders and vendors with over 300 tables of reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, isopods, and other bugs. Visitors can buy supplies, enclosures, insect/rodent feeders, and more. There will also be crocodilian and exotic, venomous snake presentations. So, if you’re the type of brave soul who isn’t freaked out by these little mofos, this expo is right up your alley. 10 am.

The Party Sober Partnership presents Recover Out Loud Soberfest 2023

SoberFest HTX 2023 is a unique event that celebrates the joys of sobriety while showcasing the power of music. It is an inclusive space where everyone can come together to have fun, dance, and enjoy great music without the influence of alcohol or drugs. By sober people for sober people, this festival is an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and to embrace a sober lifestyle. The festival will feature a variety of food trucks, vendor booths, and mocktails to keep everyone entertained throughout the day. Noon.

Impractical Jokers: The Drive Drive Drive Drive Drive Tour

Brian “Q” Quinn, James “Murr” Murray, and Sal Vulcano of the beloved prank show Impractical Jokers will bring The Drive Drive Drive Drive Drive Tour to Sugar Land. The hidden-camera comedy show follows Q, Murr and Sal as they compete to embarrass each other amongst the general public, with a series of hilarious and outrageous dares. This event will feature never-before-seen videos and storytelling stand-up. 5 pm.

best november concerts

Jelly Roll and Usher headline Houston's 10 best November concerts

Photos by Jordan Taylor Wright

R&B super star Usher comes to H-Town for a three-night run at the Toyota Center, November 27, 29, and 30.

In stressful times, one reliable way to blow off steam is live concerts. These settings might be some of the last bastions for melting away all our differences to experience artists performing their distinct brand of melodies, hooks, and beats. Music rarely, if ever, lets us down.

So in a particularly tense cultural climate, restore your faith in humanity by attending any of the 10 biggest concerts happening in Houston this month.

Old 97’s with Fastball, November 10, The Heights Theater
Two of the more underrated Texas acts that found initial success in the ‘90s will visit the intimate confines of the Heights Theater this November. Led by the handsome Rhett Miller, the Dallas-formed Old 97’s carved out a respectable and prolific career on the foundation of hook-filled alt-rock-meets-Americana, their latest being this year’s critically acclaimed American Primitive. Meanwhile, the Austin-formed Fastball garnered attention for the still-great rock radio hit, “The Way,” with their latest album being Sonic Ranch.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Question," "The Way."

Cyndi Lauper, November 16, Toyota Center
The neon-bright feminist icon Cyndi Lauper is doing one last dance, embarking on her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell tour to celebrate 40 years as one of the most successful pop stars of all time. The Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning songwriter ruled the charts in the ‘80s, and her outspoken voice on women’s issues has endured over the years alongside her hits. The Lauper-influenced pop duo AJ & Aly will open.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “True Colors,” and “She Bop.”

Jelly Roll, November 17, Toyota Center
The first of several former RodeoHouston headliners to perform in Houston this month, Nashville’s Jelly Roll is, well, on a roll these days, taking over the country charts in true crossover fashion that’s become a popular strategy for hip-hop artists. His No. 1-hit “Save Me” has been inescapable since it was released in 2020, and he has parlayed that into a stratospheric rise to mainstream popularity after starting his career as an indie rapper. His new album, Beautifully Broken, scored him his first Billboard #1 pop and country album.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Save Me,” “Need a Favor”

GWAR, November 17, Warehouse Live Midtown
Not for the faint of heart, heavy metal legends GWAR are on a mission to melt your face off with their hyper-sexual, mythological and frankly, uncouth, guitar assault. Best known for their exuberantly over-the-top and grotesque costumes and interactive performances that involve actual audience members being consumed by onstage props or being sprayed by fake bodily fluids, GWAR have no time for pearl clutching. In other words, are you not entertained?

Can’t Miss Songs: “Immortal Corruptor,” “Lust in Space”

Mariah Carey, November 19, Toyota Center
The Queen of Christmas is coming. We’re not just talking about Mariah Carey’s biggest holiday hit song of all time, “All I Want For Christmas,” which should start blasting from speakers any day now. For those who haven’t heard enough of that tune, the superstar will also be taking the show on the road with a setlist full of festive favorites alongside non-Yuletide-themed hits.

Can’t Miss Songs: “All I Want For Christmas,” “Hero”

Manchester Orchestra, November 20, Bayou Music Center
A festival favorite, Manchester Orchestra, has steadily been building a solid fanbase in the Bayou City, seemingly playing city stages every year, even when there’s no new music to tout. Thanks to the genius of singer/guitarist Andy Hull, the Atlanta band’s sprawling, multi-genre sound is the catharsis many crave. Their last original album may have been released in 2021, but their strong live presence forged on large stages means that they’ll continue to draw a crowd.

Can’t Miss Songs: “The Gold,” “The Alien”

Kacey Musgraves, November 21, Toyota Center
The Texas-raised, seven-time Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves is one of the brightest lights in the new country scene. After winning multiple awards for 2018’s groundbreaking full-length, Golden Hour, Musgraves achieved her first No. 1 pop chart hit with Zach Bryan, “I Remember Everything,” and she appeared on Saturday Night Live following the release of her new album, Deeper Well. The strength of her live performance has only grown since she opened RodeoHouston in 2019, and Lord Huron and Nickel Creek round out a solid line-up at this Toyota Center headlining gig.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Follow Your Arrow,” “Butterflies”

Better Than Ezra, November 22, House of Blues
Three bands that had their own 15 minutes of fame on ‘90s alt-rock radio are playing within days of each other on different Houston stages. Denton’s Deep Blue Something (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”) perform on November 22 at the Last Concert Café and SoCal rockers Everclear (“Santa Monica”) are at Sawyer Park Icehouse on Nov. 24. Of the three, our pick is Better Than Ezra at House of Blues, a trio that released a series of good-to-great albums featuring the power-pop gems, “Good,” “King of New Orleans,” and “Desperately Wanting” that found alt-rock radio success.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Good,” “Desperately Wanting”

Usher, November 27, 29 and 30, Toyota Center
Is R&B heartthrob Usher the biggest artist in the world right now? A sell-out Las Vegas residency, a Super Bowl halftime performance, and three-night run at Toyota Center at the end of the month points to (cue Lil Jon voice) “Yeah!” The seemingly ageless performer who first broke out during the Total Request Live era will draw from a vast catalog of hits in what might be some of the biggest shows of the year in Houston.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Burn,” “You Make Me Wanna,” “Yeah!”

Midland, November 29, 713 Music Hall
Country act Midland heads down the highway from their Central Texas home for a headlining gig at 713 Music Hall, their Eagles meets ‘80s country a perfect fit for their blue steel looks. A few years removed from their 2020 RodeoHouston opener, in many ways this trio pointed the way forward for country acts today, with outlaw attitudes up against catchy hooks as a recipe for success. They are back on the road with their new album, Barely Blue.

Can’t Miss Songs: “Drinkin’ Problem,” “Mr. Lonely”

Photos by Jordan Taylor Wright

R&B super star Usher comes to H-Town for a three-night run at the Toyota Center, November 27, 29, and 30.

concerts