This was the first week in a while that whittling down the five best shows of the week was a serious challenge, as so many artists big and small are back out on the road playing shows and trying to stay warm. Since no one cares about the Pro Bowl, there’s nothing keeping you from going out and enjoying this week’s live music offerings.
Pick of the Week: Disturbed
1.28 – Toyota Center
We all have our weird hills to die on, and among mine is the hill named “Disturbed is a much better band than people give them credit for.” Yes, as fun as it is to make fun of nu-metal, the genre has aged better than most, and chief among those records are Disturbed debut and sophomore efforts. This show feels like it should be taking place in the dead of summer up in The Woodlands, but as strange as it is to say “Disturbed is at the Toyota Center,” you have to admit to being a little curious what it’ll look like.
The Best of the Rest:
Toro y Moi
1.23 – White Oak Music Hall
Since he burst onto the scene in the early ‘10s, Toro y Moi has remained one of the most exciting producers in the world of modern electronic music. His new record, Outer Peace, dropped recently and sees him amping up the energy, and if you think of Daft Punk while giving it a spin, you’re not alone. No matter what he brings to the stage, you’ll want to bring your dancing shoes for the night.
Los Lonely Boys/Los Lobos
1.24 – Revention Music Center
Two titans of Hispanic rock in one night? It’s about as perfect a pairing as you’re likely to get this year. Both acts might be known to the broader public by their own big hits, but a relentless amount of touring has meant that both have developed strong fanbases from coast to coast. These bands have got the chops to deliver all night, whether it be their own material or the covers you know and love.
Atmosphere
1.25 – House of Blues
Atmosphere have been in the game for over 20 years now, and Slug remains as reliable an MC as you can hope for after that man years of rhymes. Few rappers have ever done introspection quite as well as him, and those classics you remember from when you heard the group for the first time still hold up today. Fun fact: the picture used for the group on Wikipedia is from a show at Warehouse Live.
Darude
1.26 – Stereo Live
I don’t know if “Sandstorm” is the most famous or well-known trance track of all time, but it’s certainly in the conversation. Even if you’ve never actively searched it out, odds are good that if you heard the melody, you’d be like, “oh, yes, I know that one.” It’s the kind of track that puts you in some sort of hall of fame even if you never release another song. If you haven’t paid your respects to the legend before, here’s your chance.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2019.
