Haven't done one of these in a while, but what the hell. As the summer kicks into high gear, I found myself checking on upcoming tour dates for the Houston area. There are a number of decent shows coming up, as well as some acts who are bypassing us entirely, for some reason. I mean, it's unfathomable to me that someone might not want to visit Swamp Town in July or August.
Anyway, here are some of the ones I'm thinking of checking out:
Split Lip Rayfield - July 9, Continental Club: I realize this is the same night as the 1st Annual APCB Beerfest, so unless I'm still ambulatory around 11 PM, this one's a long shot. Maybe I can split a cab with someone.
Flametrick Subs - July 23, Continental Club: Texas style psycho-billy, with visual accompaniment by Satan's Cheerleaders. This is always a fun show. Bring the parents!
Junior Brown - July 30, McGonigel's Mucky Duck: A chance to see Brown and "Big Red," his double-necked acoustic/steel guitar, is a treat. The Duck seems like a bit of a subdued venue for him, however.
Robbie Fulks - August 9, McGonigel's Mucky Duck: I enjoy an unrepentant smart-ass, and Fulks certainly qualifies. He's a good musician, too. I'm actually surprised I haven't caught him live before.
System of a Down - August 13, Woodlands Pavillion: Meh. I already had this in the low probability column due to it being an outdoor concert in August (an honor I'm reserving for one show this year), but then I saw...
The Gourds - August 13, Continental Club: We've been trying to catch another Gourds show for years, ever since we saw them open for the Old 97s in '99, but something's always come up. We'll see what happens this time.
Ozzfest - August 27, Woodlands Pavillion: I'm planning on laying low until the last two acts: Iron Fucking Maiden and Black Sabbath. Then I'm cowering behind a dumpster until the crowds disperse. This also might be the last chance I have to see Ozzy before they have to wheel the bastard out on stage in an iron lung.
UPDATE: As Joni so helpfully (and infuriatingly) pointed out in the comments, Maiden stops touring with Ozzfest on August 20, replaced with...Velvet Revolver. Seeing as how I'm unlikely to make it to England for the Reading Festival, it would appear I'm screwed. Drag.
The rest of these are improbables, as they all take place in big venues and are acts I've either seen before or have only middling interest in checking out:
John "Don't Call Me Cougar" Mellencamp & John Fogerty - September 10, Woodlands Pavillion: I'd leave after the opening act, probably, and I'd only go to hear some CCR songs.
Robert Plant - October 10, Verizon Wireless Ampitheater: Basshole and I saw Jimmy Page back in...1990? And he played "Stairway to Heaven." You'd think Plant would have to dust off some of the old Zep chestnuts. And speaking of chestnuts, I hope his pants are a little baggier this time around than they were in The Song Remains the Same.
(this one's for "seadogs") Jackopierce - November 12, Birchmere, Washington DC: I was never that big a fan of these guys, but they had a huge and rabid following here in Texas. So much so I'd often have to feign interest in them in order to get an "in" with members of the opposite sex.
The Rolling Stones - December 1, Toyota Center: Yes, the band that once mocked the Who for fattening their wallets by going out on another tour (and this back in 1989) are dragging their rapidly ossifying bones onstage - again - to bilk us out of more money. I'm only going if I can score free tickets and peg Mick Jagger with a befouled Depends.
Finally, here are some of the bands who aren't coming to Houston this summer, many of whom I'd really like to check out:
Devo - Saw them at a show on my birthday in 1988 in Austin, would've liked to see them again.
Elvis Costello & Emmylou Harris
Sleater-Kinney - I'e noticed a trend among many left-leaning groups to eschew Texas in general and Houston in particular. Wonder why that is. Then again, maybe Oregonians melt when it gets above 95.
Lucinda Williams
Kathleen Edwards (sort of Lucinda Lite, I know, but throw me a bone)
The White Stripes
Brian Wilson - Okay, so I have more of a morbid curiosity about this one. I.e. I'm wondering exactly what it would take to send the guy back to his sand-filled living room
Def Leppard - Right, Fort Worth and El Paso get tour dates but not us? Not like I really care (I haven't paid much attention to DL since 1983), but it's the principle of the thing.
Anger Management Tour - Okay, odds are I wouldn't have gone to this one, but Houston has a great hip-hop scene right now, which makes the fact that Eminem, 50 Cent, and company are blowing us off for Dallas a little hard to understand.
Good rockin', everyone.
Thanks to the relentless S-K promotion of people like Amanda at pandagon and Norbiz, I went out to see them here in hippy-haven VT a couple weeks ago without knowing much about them. I was pleasantly surprised. Great energy, great crowd. I usually lean towards the free form of folks like Steve Kimock, but I'll definitely go to the next Sleater-Kinney show if they come around here again.
pete, sleater-kinney will be playing the Austin City Limits festival in september. for what it's worth. still not houston, but a stone's throw yet.
Pandering to Jack O was infinitely better than selling your soul to White Snake to get "in" with a certain young somethin, somethin.
Hardly. You should check out the ladies at a Gwar concert.
pete, sleater-kinney will be playing the Austin City Limits festival in september.
Do they have a better plan for moving people in and out than they did last year?
i thought maiden was not playing texas with ozzfest and velvet revolver took their place? =/
Son of a...you're right. I went back to the site and, sure enough, Maiden ends its stint on August 20.
Sheesh. Velvet Revolver? Give me a break.
Pete: There have been reforms announced for the ACL Festival--- more shaded areas, 10,000 fewer daily tickets, hopefully improved transportation. I've used my own transportation plan for the past several years, which I will gladly share with you for a substantial fee.
I never buy 3-day passes, but usually pick one or two days where I can at least draw up a plausible, enjoyable lineup (including 2-3 straight at one stage to close out the day).
Saw Devo in Chicago a little while ago on the last tour, and they were freakin' amazing. Of course I'm biased, but you should definitely catch them if they come anywhere near you.
Here is current tour info; they've stepped up from just doing a few cities to a much larger tour. More keep getting added; keep your fingers crossed.
Duty now!
Beck is skipping right over Denver this year, too. Which sucks- I saw him back in 2000 and it was among the best concerts I've ever seen. The dude's like a white version of Prince . . .
The Jimmy Page show was in, ahem, 1988, you old bastard. The Page/Plant tour in '95 was much better than expected, but I would only see Plant this time if I hadn't seen him before. Looks like a slim concert season this year, or am I old too?
The Jimmy Page show was in, ahem, 1988, you old bastard.
Wow. You're right, although I had to check my t-shirt from that show to confirm.
lol - i'm pretty ticked off, too...never have seen maiden and they were a staple of my metal diet growing up!
Seeing John-John in concert September 10 would be a stone cold groove (Homeric quote). I don't think I want to see Robert Plant or the Stones, though. I'm over my support-the-geriatric-rockers phase. Besides, if I want to see geriatric rockers in a humorous setting I'll watch Still Crazy for the thousandth time.
Thanks Pete. I didn't realize they were back together. Pandering to Jack O was infinitely better than selling your soul to White Snake to get "in" with a certain young somethin, somethin. I blame the shattered ankle, the cast, the moving back in with your Mom, and the countless drugs.