The highlight of the holiday season is, for me, December 18. Gee, Tom, some might wonder, aren’t you jumping the gun on Christmas by a week? No, I am not. Because it is on that date that we celebrate Keithmas, the birthday of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, who is a proud Sagittarius. “Half man, half horse,” Keith says, “with a license to shit in the streets!” Keithmas is always a day of good cheer, loud music and big fun, but this year is extra special. That’s because Keith turns 80, 50 years after being named the Rock Star Most Likely to Die by New Musical Express. You can check out his reaction here, while asking yourself, “Could Mick Jagger be any more stoned?” Rock on, Keith, you magnificent bastard.
Ticket Alert
A couple of big stadium shows for next summer at Minute Maid Park have just been announced. The first, on Wednesday, August 14, will feature ‘80s stalwarts Def Leppard and Journey, with Steve Miller opening. Then on Friday, August 24, it’s another package show, with Chris Stapleton headlining a bill that also includes Miranda Lambert and Grace Potter. Presales for the Def Leppard / Journey extravaganza are up now, with general ticket sales for both shows beginning this Friday.
Everybody seems to be celebrating the anniversary of an album release, and Sarah McLachlan is no exception. She will be on tour next year, commemorating the 30th anniversary of her landmark release Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. Presales are up for her show on Saturday, July 6, at the Smart Financial Centre, with the general sale on Friday.
Concerts This Week
Anita Baker, the queen of the Quiet Storm, is back on tour to mark the 40th anniversary of Songstress, her debut album. On a personal note, I must thank Ms. Baker for her contributions to the genre of what used to be (and still is in some circles) called “Adult Contemporary.” I was working at a K-Lite radio station in Kansas City during the middle ‘80s, and most of the songs on the playlist were not exactly on my hit parade. But any time an Anita Baker cut (“Sweet Love,” “Caught Up in the Rapture”) came up in the rotation, it was a blessed relief from Neil Diamond and Barry Manilow. Baker will perform Friday at Toyota Center.
Get ready for a kick out the jams, bull goose looney kind of weekend, as the Continental Club hosts a bill featuring psychobilly badass Reverend Horton Heat and cowpunk trailblazers the Supersuckers. Both acts have well-deserved reputations as wild-asses, so a good (if twisted) time is guaranteed for all. Shows are scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday, and they will certainly be crowded, so the club recommends getting tickets early. For a preview, check out Gladys Fuentes’ Houston Press interview with Supersuckers front man Eddie Spaghetti.
During the holiday season, many folks crave familiarity and comfort. Musically speaking, that adds up to Asleep at the Wheel at the Dosey Doe Big Barn on Saturday. And since the Dosey Doe offers a “dinner and a show” deal, what could be better than digging into a chicken fried steak, washing it down with a Shiner, and grooving to the standard bearers of western swing? Nothing, my friend, nothing at all.
If ‘80s-style head banging is more up your alley, look no further than the Smart Financial Centre on Saturday. How about Warrant (“Cherry Pie”), Winger (“Seventeen”), Steelheart (“I’ll Never Let You Go”) and Lita Ford (“Kiss Me Deadly”) all on the same bill? Shake up that can of Aqua Net and get ready to party hearty!
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
