When you woke up this morning and brushed the sleep out your eyes, that didn’t just mean that you lived to see another day; it meant that you survived the holidays, and all the stress that comes along with it. Congrats to you for not letting the associated stress that comes with so much eating, shopping and family time knock you down. Whether your week is short or long, it’s time for the final celebrations of 2018. Have at it.
Pick of the Week: The Revolution 12/30 – House of Blues
Prince tributes are likely to be big business for at least the next few years or so, but when it comes to celebrations of the man’s life and works, you’d be hard pressed to find a better or more legit way than by seeing The Revolution. “The Revolution that played on the Purple Rain tour?” you ask. Yes, that Revolution. A lot of folks can play the music of Prince, but very few of them got to play that music with Prince. And really, what song would you want to hear live this week more than “1999”?
The Best of the Rest:
Reverend Horton Heat/Dale Watson
12/28 – Rockefellers
Billed as “an intimate evening of short songs and tall tales,” I’d be hard pressed to think of two men I’d rather see try and deliver on that promise than the duo of Reverend Horton Heat and Dale Watson. Odds are you’ve probably seen them at their most rowdy, so seeing them in solo performances should make for an interesting change of pace. Considering the scenes they’ve been in, you can only imagine the wild things they’ve seen and the tales they’ve lived to tell.
Porter Robinson
12/28 – Stereo Live
In almost any other week the best use of your time and money would be going to see Porter Robinson work his magic. There are few artists in music today who have his vision and his talent, and while this Houston stop may not be a live show or a Virtual Self performance, Robinson remains one of the strongest DJs around. At 26, it’s still exciting to think of what he has in store, but for now, it’s not a bad idea at all to see what he’s done so far,
Mannheim Steamroller
12/30 – Smart Financial Center
Personally, I subscribe to a philosophy that holidays end when you go to bed after a long day of celebrating, but I understand the desire to keep hold of that holiday spirit as long as you can. Which is to say that while Christmas was, in fact, yesterday, there are a few more holiday shows for you to choose from. And really, what could be more “Christmas concert experience” that spending an evening with Chip Davis and the music of Mannheim Steamroller; they’ve sold 40 million records, after all. But seriously, after this one, that’s it; you have to put those Christmas sweaters away.
“Second Coming”
12/31 – Rockefellers
Everyone celebrates New Year’s Eve differently, but if all you want is to go wild for the night, consider this show going down at Rockefellers. House of Kenzo put on one of the most electric experiences at Day for Night last year, and given the arc of 2018, they seem like just the right crew to send this year away with. Also on the bill is B L A C K I E, whose noise never disappoints.
Bonus Road Trip Option: Lights All Night
12/28-29 – Dallas
With Diplo, Tiesto and Gucci Mane as just a few of the headlining acts one of the best festivals in Texas is primed for another successful year of amped-up dance music fans shaking all they’ve got for two cold Texas nights. I’ve always found LAN to be one of the most enjoyable music festivals of the year, and a great chance to really explore what’s going on in modern EDM; with five acts on at any given time, odds are good you’ll find someone to fall in love with.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2018.
