Summer's only been here for three weeks, but we're already melting. And we're not alone. This past weekend, during Fitz and the Tantrums' performance on The Lawn at White Oak Music Hall, we saw a young woman pass out from what we assume was a combination of heat and dehydration. Fortunately, WOMH staff was nearby with some much-needed water, and she was able to bounce back rather quickly. All that being said, be sure to stay hydrated out there while you're enjoying the best music on tap this week.
Pick of the Week: 21 Savage
White Oak Music Hall – 07.12
One of the softest voices in hip hop has, ironically, become one of the most powerful. While the London-born, Atlanta-raised rapper's sophomore album, I Am > I Was, still espouses materialism above all else, it also reveals a more introspective side of 21 Savage with the likes of "a lot" and "letter 2 my momma." If this record is any indication, there's more to this Grammy-nominated artist than his monotonous flow initially let on. On tour in support of I Am, one of the biggest names in the rap game will visit Houston's White Oak Music Hall this Friday, supported by Young Nudy and Calboy.
The Best of the Rest:
New Found Glory
House of Blues – 07.10
While they may not be as widely regarding as the likes of blink-182 and Fall Out Boy, whose careers have continued to flourish late into the 2010s, Florida's New Found Glory was a pioneering force back when pop-punk anthems still sounded fresh. Many of their albums - namely their self-titled, major-label debut - remain iconic pieces of the genre's history, worth listening to for younger fans of Real Friends, Boston Manor and the like. On tour in support of From the Screen to Your Stereo 3, their latest compilation of covers, New Found Glory visits House of Blues tonight for an evening of sing-alongs and good vibes.
Scott Stapp
House of Blues – 07.12
Before the drunken arrests, the sex tape and the suicide attempt, Scott Stapp rose to prominence as the voice of Creed, one of the biggest post-grunge acts of the mid-1990s. With "My Own Prison," "Higher" and "With Arms Wide Open," Stapp's voice became in inescapable mainstay on the alternative charts, but infighting eventually led to the band's dissolution. They've since reunited - sort of - but Creed hasn't been able to recreate its early successes. Stapp, meanwhile, now five years into his recovery, is on tour in support of his first solo album in six years, The Space Between The Shadows. He performs at House of Blues this Friday, exactly one week before the release of his third solo outing.
The Head And The Heart
White Oak Music Hall – 07.13
After losing two original band members to addiction and burnout, The Head And The Heart took a different approach to writing their fourth studio album: They turned to outside writers. This upset some longtime fans and even irked band members at first mention, but the final product turned out just fine. None of the band's chemistry was sacrificed, even if the Seattle outfit's folk-heavy anthems took a sharp turn toward pop. The group brings their updated sound - which fans can hear on "Missed Connection" and "People Need A Melody" - to Houston's White Oak Music Hall this Saturday, in support of their newest record, Living Mirage.
Mason Jennings
Heights Theater – 07.13
A few years ago, Minnesota folk artist Mason Jennings decided to take a good, hard look at himself. Turns out that he didn't like what he saw, so he decided to make some changes. He divorced his partner, started eating better, recommitted himself to his sobriety and started doing yoga more regularly. During that time, he also met another woman and wrote some songs about her. Those tunes blossomed into 2018's Songs From When We First Met, one of his most heartfelt recordings to date. Jennings is scheduled to lay his heart bare at the Heights Theater this Saturday.
Yes, Asia
Smart Financial Centre – 07.16
One of the most successful and influential prog-rock outfits of all time, Yes have been a household name for the better part of 40 years. During that time, nearly 20 people have come and gone from the band's lineup, which no longer features any of its original members. Nevertheless, the English outfit has experienced quite a bit of success over their storied career, which spans 21 studio albums, never quite finding themselves down for the count, no matter the odds. They visit Sugar Land's Smart Financial Centre on Tuesday, supported by fellow prog-rockers Asia.