Now this AI thing is getting serious. It seems that students are using artificial intelligence to write papers for them. Furthermore, if an example text is provided to the program, the AI software will produce a document that is similar to the model in tone and style. I raise this issue so as to assure readers that this Concert Watch has been written the old-fashioned way, using previously held knowledge, research, and stylistic idiosyncrasies peculiar to the writer. Though spellcheck was used in certain instances. Now that we have the disclaimer out of the way, on to this week’s shows.
Jackopierce – that is to say, the duet comprised of Jack O'Neill and Cary Pierce – brings its quirky musical partnership to the Heights Theater on Thursday. The pair began playing together while they were musical theater majors at SMU in the late ‘80s, and aside from a brief break in the early ‘00s, they have been doing it ever since. Over the years, they have transitioned from playing dives in Dallas to “Destination Events,” gatherings featuring music, food, and wine held in select locales around the United States and Mexico. There is no culinary component for this show, but if you are a connoisseur of vocal harmonies and acoustic guitars, check it out.
Like a latter-day Neil Young, Panic! At the Disco is possessed of multiple musical identities. And the history of Panic! recalls that of Steely Dan, which began as a group, shifted to a duo, and is now a single individual. Brendon Urie is the last man standing, and he has taken the Panic! concept in a number of directions during the time he has been at the helm: punk, pop, rock, psychedelia, and emo. These genres – and more - have all been represented in the studio and on stage. The band - or, more correctly, dude – is on tour to promote a just-released album, Viva Las Vengeance, with a show on Saturday at Toyota Center.
Who says that the English and the French can’t get along? Well, truth be told, a lot of English people and a lot of French people say that. Nevertheless, the multinational members of Stereolab have managed to navigate these cosmopolitan challenges, successfully maintaining a musical alliance despite attitudes on both sides of the English Channel. (And another thing — why is it the English Channel and not the French Channel? A different discussion for a different time, I suppose.) So enjoy a Watney’s Red Barrel with a Nutella crepe, then head over to the White Oak Music Hall on Saturday for an evening of mechanized synthesizers, insouciant (en anglais et en français!) vocals, and a generally trippy set and setting.
Get ready, bam-a-lam! Pitbull and his Can’t Stop Us Now Tour will make a…well...stop at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on Sunday. The biggest thing to come out of Miami since “Miami Vice,” Pitbull has become known as much for his mindset as his music. Relentlessly positive, Pitbull was raised by his mother, a devoted fan of Tony Robbins and his motivational tapes. So it’s no wonder that Pitbull says things like, “Failure is the mother of all success.” Not to mention, “There is no losing, only learning.” But rest assured, the focus will be on the party this weekend when Mr. 305 comes to town.
When considering Alicia Keys, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the numbers. Writing songs at 12. Signed to a record deal at 15. 17 million records sold in the United States, 30 million worldwide. Four No. 1 singles. 15 Grammy Awards. But what is truly important, beyond the quantitative figures, is the fact that Keys is one of her generation’s most talented vocalists, pianists, and songwriters. She’s at the Smart Financial Centre on Tuesday, with Pink Sweat$ opening.
You know you’ve gone uptown when your tour is sponsored by Rolex. Michael Bublé is traversing the country in support of his album Higher, stopping by Toyota Center on Tuesday. Since his debut in 2003, Bublé has successfully marketed a sturdy voice, a manly demeanor, and a mid-century Sinatra-esque vibe. He rolls old-school, and not ironically. Which has translated into frequent appearances on Vegas stages, TV talk shows, and PBS fund drives. And you know what? That means the joint will be packed.