So how do you say, “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!” en Français? The question is, unfortunately, quite relevant in Paris these days, with the tiny blood-sucking insects reported to be all over the damn place in the City of Light. We’re talking hotels, apartment houses, cinemas, and even the Metro. Chamber of Commerce types are worried, since it’s only months until Paris hosts the summer Olympics next year. It’s a real merde show. And people complain about the mosquitos in Houston!
Ticket Alert
The presale beings today for Ministry’s concert on Friday, March 29, at the House of Blues. Since its founding in the early ‘80s, the only constant in Ministry has been leader Al Jourgensen. The band has churned through over 50 musicians during the course of its checkered history, highlighted by albums like Filth Pig, Dark Side of the Spoon and Houses of the Molé. Gary Numan (“Cars”) will open the show, and the general ticket sale begins on Friday. Whatever happens, it won’t be boring.
Concerts This Week
The members of Depeche Mode are, if nothing else, survivors. The techno / electronic / synth band has been around since 1980, weathering the departure and death of key members (Vince Clarke and Andy Fletcher, respectively) while dealing with changing tastes and the vicissitudes of the music business. It’s been five years since Depeche Mode was on tour, but they are back, with a new album – Memento Mori – to promote. Check it out tonight at Toyota Center.
The Jonas Brothers arrive in town amidst a swirl of gossip surrounding brother Joe Jonas, who has recently announced his impending divorce from English actress Sophie Turner (“Game of Thrones”). Things are getting ugly, with New York media outlets reporting that Turner and a bunch of friends (including Taylor Swift) had a girls’ night out at Joe’s favorite restaurant, Emilio Balatto’s legendary Italian eatery in Soho, a spot much-beloved by Andy Warhol and his dachshund Archie (who would sit on his lap), not to mention friends like Bianca Jagger. The Bros will perform on Saturday at Toyota Center. Pro Tip for Joe: Give Damian’s a try while you’re in town. The food is great, it’s close to the venue, and you won’t run into you-know-who.
Five years ago, Foo Fighters played an epic (and I’m not just throwing that word around) show at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. A very different band returns to Houston on Tuesday at the 713 Music Hall, touring in support of its latest album, But Here We Are, the first since the passing of drummer Taylor Hawkins last year.
The Foos have just announced a stadium tour which will commence next summer (no Houston date), so it is not unreasonable to conclude that this current jaunt, playing in (for them) smallish venues, is something of a test run / warm up with new drummer Josh Freese. The only tickets available are on the secondary market, but considering that the Fighters of Foo probably won’t be playing anywhere this small anytime soon, it might be worth the splurge.
Since gaining notice with her debut EP, Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase), in 2007, Janelle Monáe has built an impressive career as a singer / songwriter, rapper and actress (Moonlight, Glass Onion). She is quirky to be sure (e.g., professing a belief in time travel), but, if anything, an outsized personality and a willingness to challenge the status quo has only been to Monáe’s benefit. She’s at the Bayou Music Center on Tuesday in support of her latest release, The Age of Pleasure.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
