Many people were surprised this week when the Black Keyes canceled a planned summer tour (the Houston show was scheduled for September 21 at Toyota Center). Some online pundits have speculated that the seemingly abrupt decision was due to low ticket sales, supporting their contention with screenshots showing lots of unsold seats. Further, some fans have speculated that low ticket sales were due to high ticket prices ($100-$300).
My mentor in the radio business had a saying: “Never let greed overrule reason.” Is that what has happened with the Black Keyes? Have we arrived at a tipping point, one where fans are saying, “Nope. That’s too much money to go see a show.”?
In 1994, the Eagles had reunited and were staging a massive tour, with tickets in high demand. A colleague of mine was working for the company promoting the Houston show and called to tell me that he could get me house seats within the first ten rows at face value. When told that the tickets were $75 each, I blanched and declined his gracious offer. “$75 for a concert? I don’t think so, Bubba!” Had I only known.
Ticket Alert
Jimmie Vaughan has canceled his July 12 show at the Heights Theater. In a press release, Vaughan’s management says that the guitarist has been diagnosed with a “treatable” form of cancer and will resume performing in a few months. Get well soon, Jimmie, we need you out there!
Initially inspired by what he referred to as “Jheri Curl Soul,” Maxwell has been scoring platinum albums since 1997 and his groundbreaking R&B album Urban Hang Suite. Tickets are on sale now for his Toyota Center show on Friday, October 18, with VIP and Meet and Greet options available.
Salsa superstar Marc Anthony will perform on Sunday, November 3, at Toyota Center, in support of his latest album, Muevense. Plenty of good tickets are available, along with VIP options that include a drink ticket and admission to the “Viviendo Lounge” prior to the show.
When the Los Angeles metal band W.A.S.P. debuted its video for “I Wanna Be Somebody” on MTV in the early ‘80s, the first question that many people asked was, “Uh, what’s up with the lead singer?” A fair question, since Blackie Lawless affected a spraddle-legged gait that caused viewers to fear that he was suffering from testicular elephantiasis or some sort of similar malady. As it turned out, Lawless was going for a “Pan, the Randy Goat Boy” kind of vibe with his novel stage moves. The band will perform its first album, W.A.S.P., in its entirety, along with other classics from the group’s catalog on Friday, November 29, at the House of Blues. “Cry out!”
Concerts This Week
T-Pain’s “Mansion in Wiscansin (sic) Party” comes to the 713 Music Hall tonight. The tour’s name is a reference to T-Pain’s song “Can’t Believe It,” in which T-Pain managed to rhyme “mansion” with “Wisconsin.” Impressive, but how does it compare with the Red Hot Chili Peppers line “Bonafide ride, step aside, Mike Johnson / Yes, I could, in the woods of Wisconsin”? Talk amongst yourselves. Discuss.
If you like your rock hard, head for the House of Blues tonight for a double bill featuring Saxon and Uriah Heep. As one of the founders of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), Saxon has been cited as a primary influence by Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. Uriah Heep has gone through a couple of dozen members since its founding in 1969, but original guitarist Mick Box has kept the band continuously active, producing the rock and roll classics “Stealin’” and “Easy Livin’” during the ‘70s. ‘Cause Knowledge is Power: Uriah Heep was named after a weaselly character in the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield. For more on Saxon, check out Bob Ruggiero’s interview in the Press.
It’s the start of the summer concert season, and that means it’s time for the Dave Matthews Band to make its (close to) annual appearance at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion this Friday. 2024 is a big year for the DMB, as the band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in October.
What’s the definition of perfect pitch? Tossing an accordion into a dumpster from 20 feet! Ah, I kid, I kid. In point of fact, the accordion has gotten a bad rap and represents much more than wheezy renditions of “Lady of Spain.” This point will be made decisively by the Accordion Kings and Queens concert on Saturday at Miller Outdoor Theatre. A variety of musical genres will be represented including zydeco, polka and conjunto. The show is free, and tickets for the covered seats are available via the Miller website the day before the performance.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
