In the past week, the Texans turned a 24-point lead into a 20-point loss, the Astros terminated manager AJ Hinch after the team was found guilty of sign-stealing during the 2017 season and the University of Houston's star-quarterback D'Eriq King announced his intention to transfer to another school. All in all, it has been a rough week for sports fans in the Bayou City. Personally, I like to drown my sorrows in music, and I invite you all to join me.

Pick of the Week:
Big Freedia, The Suffers
House of Blues – 01.17
Big Freedia is the reason "bounce music" had its moment in the spotlight. The New Orleans native preached body positivity before it was in vogue and has been providing lively, upbeat representation for the LGBTQ community since the late '90s. Joined by The Suffers, one of Houston's most beloved local acts, the self-proclaimed Queen of Bounce will perform at House of Blues on Friday.

The Best of the Rest:
Seventeen
Smart Financial Centre – 01.15
Ever heard of K-Pop? Comprising South Korean pop artists - mostly boy bands, the genre has made waves in the east. And it's more popular in the United States than most of us realize, which was apparent when RodeoHouston added a K-Pop night to its annual lineup. Seventeen — a 13-piece outfit that has nearly 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify — is scheduled to perform at Smart Financial Centre tonight. Bring your earplugs, because this crowd will be especially loud.

Jagged Edge
Arena Theater – 01.17
With more than 8 million records sold, Jagged Edge was one of the most successful R&B acts of the 2000s. The Atlanta quartet made a name for themselves with "Where The Party At?" and "Let's Get Married" nearly 20 years ago, but Kyle Norman, Richard Wingo and brothers Brandon and Brian Casey never stopped writing, releasing or performing new music. On tour in support of their 10th studio album, A Jagged Love Story, Jagged Edge will perform at Arena Theater on Friday.

Z-Ro
House of Blues – 01.19
For more than two decades now, Z-Ro has been a household name in the Bayou City. The Mo' City Don's half-sung, half-rapped delivery - which pairs soulful, heartfelt lyricism with heavy beats - helped pave the way for the likes of Drake and Post Malone. But imitators be damed, Z-Ro remains one of the most compelling (and prolific) voices in the rap game. The King of the Ghetto will celebrate his 43rd birthday on Sunday with a performance at House of Blues.

Sean McConnell
Heights Theater – 01.19
Having composed and produced songs for the likes of Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Meat Loaf and Christina Aguilera, you'd think Sean McConnell would be a household name. But mainstream success has never been a concern for the Nashville native, whose folk country tunes have been widely praised by just about everyone who has heard them. “My payoff is just making the music,” Sean says on his web site. “Everything else is bonus.” Do yourself a favor and see him live at Heights Theater on Sunday.