Houston Concert Watch 10/9: Billie Eilish and More

Do you feel that, Houston? For the first time in months, the breeze wafting through the Bayou City isn’t reminiscent of a wet washcloth. That’s because a cold front – at least by our standards – is upon us, and the current forecast is predicting comfortable days through the rest of the week until a bit of rain will drop temperatures into the 50s on Friday. (No, that’s not a typo.) So retrieve your sweaters, jackets and mittens from storage and, while you’re enjoying the weather, make your way to some concerts this week.

Pick of the Week:
Billie Eilish
Toyota Center – 10.10
At the tender age of 13, Billie Eilish had the makings of a star. With her brother as her co-writer, the Los Angeles native uploaded “ocean eyes” to Soundcloud in late 2015, just a month ahead of her 14th birthday. The track showed quite a bit of emotional depth for such a young artist, and it served as a jumping-off point for Eilish, who subsequently signed with Interscope and eventually released When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, which has been certified double platinum. The most macabre teen pop star in the business visits Toyota Center this Thursday.

The Best of the Rest:
Greta Van Fleet
Smart Financial Centre – 10.09
Greta Van Fleet really should be on the Stranger Things soundtrack. In fact, any retro TV show or film released in the near future would do well to include some music from these young Michigan rockers, because their classic rock influence is as heavy-handed as can be. Greta Van Fleet – which comprises three brothers and a family friend – sound dated, but purposefully so. Its members may be a quartet of young 20-somethings, but their music boasts groovy rhythms, stadium-ready guitar riffs and soaring vocals that have been likened, sometimes unkindly, to the likes of Led Zeppelin. But if their 2019 Grammy Award win for “Best Rock Album” is any indication, Greta Van Fleet's throwback sound is in high demand. See them live at Smart Financial Centre tonight.

Cold War Kids
The Rustic – 10.10
Nathan Willett has made a living penning honest, heartfelt rock and roll. “I’m not that macho, tough kinda’ man,” he admits on “Waiting For Your Love,” one of his band’s latest singles. A decade and a half removed from their debut, Cold War Kids have evolved from blues-inspired rockers into polished indie darlings, complete with soaring choruses and arena-ready anthems – much to the chagrin of their original fanbase. On tour in support of their seventh studio album, New Age Norms 1, Cold War Kids visit The Rustic on Thursday night.

Banks
House of Blues – 10.10
Jillian Banks makes pop music with a bite. Plenty of her songs could have ended up sounding like chart-topping bubble gum, but with the help of some fantastic production – which includes looping harmonies throughout and a distorted track that evokes Nine Inch Nails’ “Wish” (…yes, really) – the Orange County native’s latest album has raised her standing among her contemporaries. On tour in support of III, her most widely-praised record to date, Banks will visit House of Blues on Thursday night.

Of Mice & Men
Warehouse Live – 10.15
If metalcore had become mainstream, Of Mice & Men might be considered elder statesmen at this point. They haven’t been around quite as long as As I Lay Dying or Killswitch Engage but, with half a dozen records to their name, the Orange County rockers have outlasted their genre’s brief moment in the spotlight.On tour in support of their sixth studio album, their second offering since the departure of Austin Carlile, Of Mice & Men will visit Warehouse Live on Tuesday.