This Week's Best Concerts

In the largest award of its kind, a New York woman will receive $750,000 in damages after management at a Manhattan apartment building attempted to evict her due to alleged squawks produced by Layla, Ginger and Curtis, her three emotional support parrots.

Please understand. I do not intend to mock the concept of emotional support animals and the comfort that they provide for many people. However, this case got me to cogitating. I don’t recall ever hearing of an emotional support parrot, but why isn’t this a thing? Hey, parrots can talk, so consider the possibilities. I certainly wouldn’t mind a bird hanging out to tell me things like, “Hey, Tom, you’re looking good today. Have you lost weight?” Or maybe, “My heavens, you are exceptionally intelligent and perceptive.” And then there’s always, “What, are you crazy? No, your hair is not thinning!” I tell you, this could represent a revolution in mental health. So while I do some online shopping for a parrot skilled in ass kissing, check out who’s coming to town this week.

Ticket Alert

Those who remember the Austin of the ‘70s can take a trip back in musical time at a couple of shows coming to Main Street Crossing. On Tuesday, October 22, boogie piano queen Marcia Ball will perform, and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 25, 26 and 27, Ray Wylie Hubbard will be in residence. Tickets for both shows are on sale now.

I ordinarily don’t mention tribute bands in the Concert Watch, but in this case, props must be given to an outfit that covers the hits of ‘70s soft-rockers Bread (“Make It with You” and many others). The name of the band? Toast. You can snag tickets now for the group’s performance at the Dosey Doe on Saturday, February 8.

The band now refers to itself as OMD, but I like the original, official moniker, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, complete with the British (or, as our friends across the pond might say, “correct”) spelling. Tickets for the band’s show at the Bayou Music Center on Monday, June 2 (man, that’s scheduling way out front) are on sale now.

Concerts This Week

It’s a busy week at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, starting with Stone Temple Pilots on Thursday. With Scott Weiland from the classic lineup no longer available, the brothers DeLeo (guitarist Dean and bassist Robert) have brought former “X Factor” contestant Jeff Gutt into the mix to fill those big Weiland shoes, with surprisingly positive critical reaction. I say “surprisingly” because STP has never been a critic’s favorite. During the band’s first flush of fame, STP was named “Best New Band” by Rolling Stone readers and “Worst New Band” by the magazine’s writers. Fellow ‘90s alt-rockers Live and Soul Asylum will open.

On Friday at the Pavilion, Sammy Hagar’s “Best of All Worlds” tour (the name is a reference to the Van Halen song “Best of Both Worlds”) rolls in, with a mix of material from Hagar’s solo career and his time in Van Halen. A few months ago, Hagar said that he contacted former VH front man David Lee Roth about participating in the tour, but that Roth balked when it became clear that Hagar was talking about Roth doing only a couple of songs per night. Just as well, Sammy, just as well. Particularly when you have a killer band that includes guitarist Joe Satriani, OG Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and drummer Jason Bonham. No need for Rothian distractions.

Continuing with this week’s lineup at the Pavilion, it’s ‘70s hit machines Earth, Wind and Fire and Chicago co-headlining on Saturday. Both bands have been busy on the road over the past several years, mining the nostalgia for an era when classics like “Shining Star,” “After the Love Has Gone,” “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day” and “Wishing You Were Here” were damn near inescapable, reigning as huge hits on multiple radio formats. And the concert will contain a bonus, with both bands teaming up for a horn-filled encore.

During the ‘70s, the members of REO Speedwagon made their bones as a hard-rocking bunch of road dogs from the Midwest, known for concert favorites like “Ridin’ the Storm Out,” which was probably responsible for an uptick in the sale of Bic lighters at the time. However, as the “Me Decade” slid into the early years of the Reagan administration, REO took a turn toward balladry and a more poppy sort of sound. Older fans may have been disappointed, but it was hard to argue with the success of “Keep on Loving You” and “Roll with the Changes” (indeed!). On Sunday, REO will headline a lineup at the Pavilion that includes Train (“Calling All Angels”). Kind of an odd pairing, but what they hey, maybe someone owed somebody a favor. But be sure to get there early for the Yacht Rock Review, which will set the tone for the evening with a set of mellow classics. And if you are not familiar with the concept of yacht rock, this will help to explain.

Turning to another venue in the greater Houston area, Minute Maid Park will host Chris Stapleton’s “All American Road Show” on Saturday. Saying that this show represents part of a “tour” might be something of a misnomer, as Stapleton has been billing his live performances under the “Road Show” banner since 2017. No matter, though, since he has been packing them in on a regular basis, assembling lineups which feature consistently excellent opening acts. For the Houston show, Miranda Lambert and Grace Potter will be kicking things off. And though it really shouldn’t be worthy of mention in these enlightened 21st century times, Stapleton has shown some, well, balls by defying conventional industry wisdom and booking two massively successful female acts to open for him. Good on ya, Chris!