Happy holidays to one and all – Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or however you roll. If you have already opened the presents, lamented how long it took you to wrap all of that stuff, and settled back in your easy chair, you might be wondering what the most popular gifts were this year. Well, that depends on who you ask.
According to Good Housekeeping, top gifts this year were the Orastone Chargeable Handwarmer and the Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag. On the other hand, Statista.com puts cash, clothing / shoes and gift cards at the top of the list.
Rolling Stone mentions the Manscape Lawn Mower (“the Cadillac of body razors) and Boy Smells’ Cowboy Kush Candle, which will put users in the mindset of “enjoying a joint at the rodeo,” utilizing “notes of soft suede, spiced saffron and puffs of pot leaf.” For the kids? Toys-R-Us says that the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Arena Smashers Mega-Wrex vs. Crushzilla Playset and (for gift givers who really hate the parents of the child in question) the Masingo Burletta Portable Karaoke Machine with LED Lights have been favorites this year.
Me? Books, wines / spirits or anything guitar-related all do the trick. I hope that whatever you wanted was waiting under the tree this year. Or if it wasn’t, use some of that cash or a gift card to seriously indulge yourself. I mean it, go nuts. You’ll thank me.
Ticket Alert
If your credit card isn’t in too much pain after Christmas shopping, tickets are on sale this week for a few concerts that merit attention. First up is a show featuring blues guitarist Tommy Castro and pianist Marcia Ball on Friday, February 14, at the Heights Theater. Not a bad way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, if you ask me.
Soul Coughing vocalist and guitarist Mike Doughty once described the band’s unique style of music as “deep slacker jazz,” and who can argue with that? These veterans of the scene surrounding New York’s Knitting Factory ceased performing together in 2000, but the original lineup regrouped this year and will continue the “Soul Coughing Plays the Songs of Soul Coughing Again” tour in 2025, performing at the White Oak Music Hall on Wednesday, April 16.
In 1983, the members of L.A. Guns merged with their fellow hair farmers in the band Hollywood Rose to form Guns N’ Roses. However, L.A. Guns leader Tracii Guns soon opted out of the new aggregation, re-formed L.A. Guns, and has probably regretted it ever since. Nevertheless, Guns and a rotating collection of bandmates have, on an irregular basis, carried on since then, with a new album, Leopard Skin, set for release in the spring. Catch these originators of L.A. glam metal on Sunday, May 18, at Warehouse Live Midtown.
If rock and roll inspired by horror movies is your cup of tea, don’t miss Ice Nine Kills at the House of Blues on Sunday, June 1, and Monday, June 2. The conceit here is that the band will present a “double feature” over the two nights, performing the albums The Silver Scream and Welcome to Horrorwood. And did we mention that there is a creepy clown involved in the proceedings?
Concerts This Week
There are two kinds of people in this world. A: the kind who are totally over Christmas several days before it actually arrives and can’t wait to start putting up decorations after the presents have been opened. B: the kind who just can’t get enough Christmas and wish it would continue for another week or so. If you are a “column B” type of person, head over to Toyota Center tomorrow for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. More Christmas than you can shake a stick at, even a day after the fact, with lots of crunchy guitars and pyro.
During the ‘90s, the Road Kings were one of the most happening bands in Houston, combining wild rockabilly music with a punk rock ethos. In what appears to be a developing holiday tradition (as reported in the Press), the guys (Jesse Dayton, Jason Burns and Eric Tucker) will reunite once again this year to kick out the jams on Friday and Saturday at the Continental Club. Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to rock.
If the Christmas season has left you weary after the onset of way too much family time, consider ditching Uncle Bob and, instead, hanging out with Uncle Lucius on Saturday at the Heights Theater. The Austinites called it quits in 2018 after years of relentless touring, but a couple of years later, their song “Keeping the Wolves Away” showed up in an episode of the television series “Yellowstone,” reigniting the band’s career and demonstrating that Kevin Costner is actually good for something. As a result, Uncle Lucius released the album Like It’s the Last One Left last year and is once again on the road, dispensing its distinctive country / rock / jam band fusion across the country.
It’s a busy week at the House of Blues, with OG hip-hoppers Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (individually, that would be Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone and Flesh-n-Bone) onstage Saturday evening. On Sunday, it’s Fort Worth alt-rockers the Toadies (“Possum Kingdom”), and Tuesday brings Reckless Kelly and some hardcore country to ring in the new year.
And speaking of New Year’s Eve, if you desire a Crescent City vibe and can’t get to New Orleans to celebrate, the Rebirth Brass Band will bring the vibe to you on Tuesday at the Heights Theater. Whatever you do to greet the arrival of 2025, laissez les bons temps rouler, but please be safe. Like my mom used to say, it’s amateur night out there.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
