Neon Baby: The Best Music of The Week in Houston

Things around town are starting to feel a lot like our friends from Austin will be enjoying SXSW soon. Tours will roll through town from the likes of Cuco, Noel Gallagher, Big Business and many more while locals like Moth Wings, Oceans of Slumber, Camera Cult and more will fill in the spaces between.

Tonight you can get going at House of Blues for the R&B jams of K. Michelle. The Memphis native has made quite the name for herself since getting started in the late 2000s, and her live show is supposed to be pretty amazing. She'll be here in support of her latest drop, last year's KIMBERLY: The People I Used To Know. Louisiana's Damar Jackson will be on as direct support and opener for the all ages show. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $35 to $65.

Thursday you can begin at White Oak Music Hall downstairs for Irish singer songwriter EDEN. Here in support of his latest drop vertigo, the producer and multi-instrumentalist has gained plenty of praise for his intuitive performances. The electro-pop of Brooklyn's Verite will be on as direct support and opener for the all ages show. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $20 to $27.

Over at Revention Music Center, Awolnation will return to town. This band isn't really my thing but they seem to have a fan base no matter what I think of them, and their live shows definitely have plenty of energy. The band will be here in support of their shiny new album, Here Come The Runts. The alt-rock of England's Nothing But Thieves will be on as support and openers for the all ages show. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $25 to $51.25.

Mucky Duck will host the '60s pop sounds of British duo Beat Root Revival. These two have definitely made their mark with their infectious acoustic pop sound, and their debut release Beat Root Revival from 2016 is pretty splendid. The 21 and up show has no support or openers. Doors at 9:30 p.m.; tickets $20 to $22.

On Friday things will get heated up when Houston's Moth Wings swing by The Secret Group to drop their latest E.P. Open Swim. Like I said in the review for this album, these two make music that's closer to old Weezer than current Weezer could do, and their live shows are always a blast. The power pop twee sounds of Denton's Sad Cops will be on as direct support while the emo infused punk of Houston's Ruiners will go on prior. Austin's Guest Rooms will also drop a set for the all ages show while Houston's Willows Field will get things started. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $10 to $12.

You could also check out the melodic pop of New York's Ron Pope when he makes his way to the downstairs of White Oak Music Hall. Pope has been going strong since breaking out in 2009. His latest, this year's WorkTapes falls in line with his catchy pop sound. The folk pop of Utah's The National Parks will be on as direct support while The Heart Of will get the all ages show started. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $18 to $24.

If you'd rather get funky, or perhaps funk-kay, then you could swing by House of Blues to catch the funk god George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic. Whether you listen to their 2005 release George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic Live at Montreux 2004, or you dig deep into their catalog, this is the best funk for your buck. The Parliament album Chocolate City is a definite jam, the Funkadelic album Maggot Brain is a classic jam, and well, everything Clinton does solo is also jam heavy. This show is an event to ay the least, and all ages. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets $30 to $65.


Of course, you can get your feet moving at Revention Music Center when Steve Aoki and Brooklyn's Desiigner swing by to drop a set. Aoki, the world renowned producer and DJ will be supporting his latest release Kolony, and his sets alone are worth catching. Mix in the hip hop of Desiigner whose last drop New English was pretty epic, and you have a pretty cool idea for a show. Having the two performing together should be a real trip, while Grandtheft, Party Pupils, and Bok Nero will all make guest appearances as well on the epic all ages show. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets $33.50 to $250, the latter being a meet and greet VIP package.

Over at new venue Spruce Goose: Social Flyers Club, Vietnam's New Fame will bring their R&B and hip hop infused sounds to open the new spot. Supporting a slew of singles with "Proof" being the latest, the duo is known for a trippy live set. The dance pop of Houston's Camera Cult will be on as direct support while Jon Black will get the show started. No word if the venue is all ages or not. Doors at 8 p.m.; Free.

At Rudyard's, San Francisco's Brume will bring their sludge metal sounds to the upstairs room. Touring in support of their heavy album Rooster from last year, this trio is known to get dark and heavy real quick. Houston's Warlung will bring their psych metal on as direct support and openers for the 21 & up show. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets $8.

Upstairs at White Oak Music Hall, the metal of Houston's Oceans Of Slumber will be on full display for the band's album release party. That record, The Banished Heart sounds pretty epic and should make for an intriguing set from the band. Austin's Vex will be on as direct support while the progressive death metal of Corpus Christi's FALL will go on prior. The all ages show will get opened up by the psyche metal of Houston's Blues Funeral. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets $10.

On Grove Street, a psych barn burner will take place when Florida's Peyote Coyote comes to town. This band mixes elements or traditional psych with nineties Brit pop fuzz that's pretty amazing. They're rumored to have crazy live shows, and last year's Other Moons was a record I wished I'd known about when it dropped. The rock sounds of Austin's Hollow Trees will be on as direct support while the garage rock pop of Houston's Wax Dream will get things started on the all ages show. Doors at 8 p.m.; TBD cover.

On Saturday you could begin at Revention Music Center for the Celtic punk of Dropkick Murphys. Supporting last year's 11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory, the Massachusetts' group has been going strong since the late nineties. The ska punk of Bim Skala Bim will open the all ages show. Doors at 6:30 p.m.; tickets $35 to $45.

House of Blues will host former Oasis founder and now solo artist Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Aside from the terrible name and the ego behind it, this band is actually pretty solid and last year's Who Built The Moon? was proof of that. There's no word of openers for the all ages show. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $37.50 to $89.50.

Big Top will have the synth punk of L.A.'s Prettiest Eyes over to get crazy. This three piece makes trippy music that's all over their latest release Pools from last year, and their live sets are rumored to be just as bonkers. The psych of Austin's TEEVEE will be on as direct support while Mojave Red will bring their pop psych on beforehand. The punk of Houston's ImposterBoys will get the 21 & up show started. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets $8.

If you were lucky enough to grab tickets, then you'll catch the electro-pop of Cuco over at Satellite Bar. The California performer has been making waves since he began, and his infectious new release Songs4u is hard not to like. With songs like "Neon Baby," "Sunnyside," and "Lover Is a Day," you should be all about his performance. The chill pop of August Eve will be on as direct support and the all ages show will get opened by Jasper Bones. Doors at 8 p.m.; Sold Out.

Rudyard's will bring the indie rock goodness of Houston"s A Sundae Drive over to drop a set. The four piece is easily one of the best unsung bands in town, their live sets are a mix of blazing energy and fuzzed tones, and last year's Versailles is their best album to date. The throwback rock intertwined with indie rock of Yaupon will perform prior while Londale will get the 21 & up show started. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets $8.

At Fox Hollow Houston's favorite Latin Tropical DJ crew, Bombon will return to drop one of their famed sets. The whole crew will be in tow to electrify a room with full percussion as well. Special sets from New York's Riobamba and Blackout's Hyro will also be in the mix. Doors at 10 p.m.; $10.

On Sunday you might want to swing by the studio at Warehouse Live for the insane duo known as Big Business.  These two make some of the best music you may have never heard, their live shows are crazy, and their last release Command Your Weather is pretty amazing. Minnesota's Buildings will be on as direct support while the all ages show will get opened by Houston's From The Grave. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets $12 to $14.

Tuesday over at Big Top, local photographer extraordinaire and music enthusiast, Daniel Jackson will be dropping a DJ set. Maybe you'll hear him drop jams from Loretta Lynn, or maybe he'll play some punk classics, or maybe he'll just make you laugh. No matter what, it should be fun and filled with jams. Beta Theater will perform improv to start things off on the 21 & up event. Doors at 7 p.m.; Free.

In Sugarland at Smart Financial Centre, the epic sounds of Earth, Wind & Fire. These guys have been getting people down for a long time, and albums like 1979's I Am and 1975's That's The Way Of The World, are full of some of your favorite jams. Those no word of openers, but with these legends, do they need one for the all ages show. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets $50.50 to $100.50.

That's about it for this week. No matter what you decide to do, remember that a safe ride home is just an app away.