In advance of Missy Elliot’s appearance at Toyota Center on Saturday (see below), NASA has beamed her song “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” all the way to Venus. Why? I suppose the answer here would be “Why not?” or maybe “Because they can.” It seems that NASA utilized its Deep Space Network to transmit Elliot’s 1997 debut single across the vast expanse of space at the speed of light, but even so, the signal’s journey of 158 trillion miles lasted about 14 minutes before reaching Venus.
“The Rain” is only the second song to be zapped across the cosmos utilizing the Deep Space Network. The first was the Beatles’ tune “Across the Universe” (natch), which was transmitted in 2008 and aimed at Polaris, the North Star. At the time, Paul McCartney said, “Send my love to the aliens.” Er, Sir Paul, if we are the ones going there, wouldn’t that make us the aliens?
Ticket Alert
It will be a night of blazing guitars on Thursday, September 12, when Walter Trout and Carolyn Wonderland take the stage at the Heights Theater. We’re talking plank-spanking heaven. ‘Cause Knowledge is Power: Trout and Wonderland have both spent time (though not simultaneously) in blues legend John Mayall’s band, following in the steps of six-string heavyweights Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor.
The Houston Blues Society has announced that its annual Holiday Bash will be held on Sunday, December 8, at the former Rockefeller’s on Washington Ave. Shemekia Copeland will headline a bill that will include the winner of the Houston Blues Challenge, to be held this fall. Early Bird tickets are on sale online, and the Society says that there will be no tickets sold at the door this year, so get to clicking.
Concerts This Week
A couple of local favorites are playing this week at the Mucky Duck. On Thursday, guitarist Sue Foley and her pink paisley Telecaster will hold court, along with her new band, The Pistolas. Saturday brings two shows, early and late, from singer-songwriter James McMurtry. Tickets for both are going fast, but if you don’t get in, a livestream will be available.
The Isley Brothers have been an American musical institution since 1959 and their hit single, “Shout.” In the ‘70s, “It’s Your Thing,” “Who’s That Lady?” (with a fuzz-drenched guitar solo from brother Ernie Isley) and “Fight the Power” kept the band at the top of the charts. These days, Ronnie and Ernie Isley continue to carry the flame, which will burn brightly on Friday at the Smart Financial Centre.
The Queen of Rap? The Queen of Hip-Hop? “Misdemeanor?” Missy Elliot has been called all of those things, along with – as of last year – “Member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.” That last one is another story, so we’ll let it go for now. You can catch Elliot, along with Ciara, Busta Rhymes and Timbaland, on Saturday at Toyota Center. Also, bear in mind that various VIP options are available, including the popular “Get Your Freak On Premium Ticket Package.”
If you’re looking for heavy metal ground zero in Houston, head for the 713 Music Hall on Sunday for Lamb of God and Mastodon, plus Kerry King (formerly of Slayer) and Malevolence. Is that lineup metal enough for you? None more metal, dude. None. Pro tip: Don’t mention to the leather-clad gent sitting next to you how much you enjoyed last week’s Totally Tubular Festival. He’s probably not a fellow Wang Chung fan.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
