So, if you’re like most people, you’ve got three grand and some change sitting around, and you’re wondering what to do with it. Wonder no longer, my friend, Apple has you covered. Behold the Vision Pro, introduced this week at the Worldwide Developers Conference. According to Apple, this virtual reality rig (which looks like a fancy pair of goggles) will “seamlessly blend digital content with your physical space,” allowing you to “do things you love in ways never before possible.” Well that sounds intriguing! Apple says that the Vision Pro will not be available until early next year, but that’s OK with me. At this point, I have enough trouble dealing with actual reality, much less reality of the virtual variety. In the meantime, please see below for some actual real-life, in-person shows that are coming to Houston.
Ticket Alert
Presales are up for San Marcos’ own Randy (“One More Sad Song”) Rogers, appearing at the House of Blues on Thursday, August 17, with the general sale starting on Friday. The name of Roger’s current tour is “Hold My Beer and Watch This,” so that gives you an idea of what’s in store.
Are you ready for a triple headliner show? Then brace yourself for the “Trilogy” tour, featuring Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull and Ricky Martin, coming to Toyota Center on Saturday, November 18. Martin says, “This tour will be a wild party from beginning to end so get ready, it’s going to be epic!” Hit the link for more information.
Concerts This Week
Modest Mouse started out as a critics’ darling but ran into a bit of a backlash when the band licensed its song “Gravity Rides Everything” for a minivan commercial. Lead singer Isaac Brock lashed back, explaining that the band felt the move was necessary to ensure its financial stability. Brock memorably remarked, “People who don’t have to make their living playing music can bitch about my principles while they spend their parents’ money or wash dishes for some asshole.” The Mouse successfully navigated this bump in the road, enjoying more success in the subsequent years. Catch them tonight at the Bayou Music Center.
Junior Brown sings and dresses like country music icon Ernest Tubb, but he can play the guitar like Jimi Hendrix when he wants to, interpolating licks from “The Wind Cries Mary” and “Manic Depression” into Hark Garland’s “Sugarfoot Rag.” The master of the guit-steel (the bastard offspring of a guitar and a lap steel) is at the Heights Theater on Thursday, with Christopher Seymore and Western Cosplay opening.
If you prefer monster guitar chops of the acoustic variety, check out Monte Montgomery at the Mucky Duck on Thursday. It a shame to have to choose between Junior and Monte, but since Montgomery is doing an early show at the Duck, a person could conceivably hit that gig and still catch Brown closing the show at the Heights Theater. Hey, no one said being a music fan would be easy!
Forty years ago, back in the early days of MTV, who would have thought Duran Duran would still be packing them in, and in arenas, no less? Of course it does help when your setlist includes megahits like “Rio,” “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Girls on Film.” ‘Cause Knowledge is Power: Duran Duran named itself after a character in Roger Vadim’s 1968 sexy space epic Barbarella, which starred Vadim’s wife (at the time) Jane Fonda. Get ready to return to those thrilling days of yesteryear on Friday at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. And how about this for a lagniappe? Nile Rodgers and Chic open the show!
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
