So what to say about the Kennedy Center Honors this past weekend?
First off, an interesting cast of characters. Previous inductees have included giants like Led Zeppelin, Buddy Guy, Carlos Santana, the Grateful Dead and Aretha Franklin. And that’s just off the top of my head. But who did we get this time around? Kiss, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford (“Phantom of the Opera”), Sylvester Stallone and George Strait. Well, I’ll agree with one (OK, maybe two) of those choices.
Kiss? Only there because Gene Simmons was a contestant on “Celebrity Apprentice” 17 years ago. Crawford? Eh, a talented Broadway-style singer who only has one significant role to hang his hat (mask?) on. Gaynor? Sure, “I Will Survive” was a monster hit in 1978 and is considered an anthem by many, but she didn’t make a lot of noise after that. Stallone (or “Sallone” as POTUS pronounced it)? Give me a break. Strait? Finally. My man.
Maybe “you know who” has fond memories of hanging out at Studio 54 and doing blow and poppers back in the day, but considering his policies, it is an interesting choice to select Gaynor as a Kennedy Center honoree. I mean, he must know that many people consider “I Will Survive” a gay anthem, right? And this after he mandated a change in the ribbon holding the Kennedy Center medal, eschewing the previous rainbow pattern. Wouldn’t want any confusion there, would we?
Here is my prediction for next year. POTUS will disregard the advice of his staff, brush aside the explanations of what the act stands for, ignore the lyrics of their most popular songs, go all in and enshrine the Village People as Kennedy Center honorees. He loves these guys. He’s certainly played and danced to (sic) their music at his campaign rallies, so it seems only logical that they will be at the top of the list next year.
You have to wonder, though, will the cop, the Native American, the construction worker, the soldier and the leather man all be present in the Oval Office when the medals are passed out? This year, there was some difficulty getting Strait’s medal around his neck due to the large cowboy hat he was wearing. What are they going to do next time when confronted with a headdress? And will the cowboy wear any pants under his chaps? And if POTUS starts dancing……Oh, the humanity!
Ticket Alert
He doesn’t wear the big white suit anymore (apparently his preferred stage attire is now a blue jump suit), but David Byrne is going on tour next year, appearing at the Smart Financial Centre on Friday, April 24. The former Talking Heads front man has just released the album Who Is the Sky?, so expect some new material at the concert. Several presales are in progress, with the general ticket sale set for Friday.
The Canadian band Triumph will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a concert at the Smart Financial Centre on Friday, May 22, with fellow Great White North rockers April Wine opening. Presales are up now – including several meet and greet / VIP options – and the general sale will take place on Friday.
The latest classic rock package tour announced involves Toto, Christopher Cross and the Romantics. Er, OK. After all, several members of Toto (among them badass guitarist Steve Lukather) played on Cross’s hit records. The Romantics connection? I don’t know. But hey, a gig’s a gig. Presales are up, the general sale is on Friday, and the concert is on Friday, August 7, at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.
Some heavy rock and roll is coming H-Town’s way, in the form of several just-announced shows scheduled for next year. We’ll start with Lamb of God, coming to the 713 Music Hall on Sunday, April 12. After that, it’s Cradle of Filth at the House of Blues on Monday, May 4, followed by Three Days Grace on Sunday, October 5, at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Tickets for all these shows are on sale now, so get ‘em while they’re hot.
Concerts This Week
A number of Houston favorites will be swinging through town with celebratory concerts this week, among them Gary P. Nunn, who will perform at the Heights Theater tonight. The show is billed as the “2025 Birthday Bash.” Nunn officially turned 80 on December 4, but hey, who’s counting? If nothing else, the concert represents an opportunity to sing “London Homesick Blues” (aka “I Want to Go Home with the Armadillo”) with the man who wrote the song.
Houston’s own Los Skarnales will host a holiday celebration on Friday at the Continental Club. Chenca Barrinches and Los Kurados will open the show. Put on your boogie shoes and get ready to party with Los Vatos Rudos.
Harmonica ace Steve Krase is at the Big Easy on Friday with his annual Holiday Ball. On Saturday at the Heights Theater, singer-songwriter (and Woodlands native) Jack Ingram will host an “Acoustic Holiday” performance, with Calder Allen opening.
Want more holiday shows? Then look no further than the Mucky Duck, where Texas guitar whiz Ian Moore will present his annual “Family Christmas” concert on Saturday. There are two shows, early and late, and tickets are going fast.
Also at the Mucky Duck this week are Houston (well, originally) duo Trish and Darin with a Christmas concert on Tuesday. Though the duo is now based in Austin, they come home every year to celebrate the holidays, sharing stories and Christmas-y tunes.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.