CONCERTS 2019
From the Rolling Stones to Travis Scott, here’s who will be rocking Houston music venues.
As is often or always the case, the first weekend of a new year offers little in live music. So on this quietest of weekends, I like to take a look at the year ahead, which already has a lot of big concerts ready to go.
We still don’t have a Paul McCartney tour date, though he’s on the road and one seems … not inevitable. But something one might hope for.
And then there is Fleetwood Mac, with which I don’t know what to do. I recognize that both Mick Fleetwood and John McVie are bored, so by measures of pedantry, the show is fine. And Stevie Nicks is there, so the masses should be pleased. But I wouldn’t cross the street to see this band without Lindsey Buckingham. And that’s coming from a guy who loves Neil Finn and Mike Campbell, the guys hired to replace Buckingham. But my colleague, Joey Guerra, who contributes half of the preview that follows, is excited about this one. So maybe I’m just a grump.
What else is there to look forward to seeing? There should be a robust lineup for the second annual In Bloom Festival, the hopeful spring that sprung from the Free Press Summer Festival. And the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo which will have George Strait will playing a rare gig on March 17 to close out the event with Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen on the bill.
And an early-January concert list precedes some of the great spaces in the city, such as Miller Outdoor Theatre and Discovery Green, both of which put on wonderful shows free to the public.
With all that in mind, here’s a list of more than 30 highlights for 2019 by two different concertgoers, twisted together in chronological order. Between us, they should cover a lot of ground, while still acknowledging that a lot of the best shows in this new year will be announced later and take place when the year isn’t new.
1. Danity Kane, Jan. 11, House of Blues:
The girl group formed on MTV’s “Making the Band” and scored hits with “Damaged” and “Showstopper” before disbanding — twice. Members Aubrey O’Day and Shannon Bex formed Dumblonde. Dawn Richard went on to a critically acclaimed solo career. This reunion show will feature DK3 hits and solo output. But hopefully no more drama. Joey Guerra
2. Ran Blake, Jan. 11, MATCH:
Blake at 83 sailed beyond the point of avant-garde jazz legend. The pianist’s list of credits is top-shelf. He also has a lot of cinematic work to his credit, which makes this performance a perfect match of instrumentalist and source material, as he plays and improvises on old film noir scores from decades ago. Andrew Dansby
3. Me’shell Ndegeocello, Jan. 19, Heights Theater:
Twenty-five years have passed since Ndegeocello arrived as a need-to-know bassist. She can still do astounding things with the instrument, but she also has become a writer and singer and interpreter of the highest order. Her “Comfort Woman,” merely 15 years old, is a masterpiece. The new “Ventriloquism” finds her mining ’80s R&B for gold. Andrew Dansby
4. Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, Jan. 26, McGonigel’s Mucky Duck:
Shook has drawn widespread attention for her music, which effortlessly works the seam between raw country music and punk. Shook appears poised to have a breakthrough year after her aptly named 2018 album “Years.” Andrew Dansby
5. Toni Braxton, Jan. 27, Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land:
It’s not an overstatement to call Braxton an R&B queen. Her husky voice and silky songs helped define the genre in the ’90s. Her biggest success in recent years has been as a reality-TV star but Braxton hasn’t lost her sense of grace. She’ll be joined by fellow ’90s hitmakers SWV. Joey Guerra
6. High on Fire, Jan. 31, White Oak Music Hall:
Nobody’s ideaof an up-andcomer, seeing as the Oakland band has been forging metal for 20 years. It does what it does with efficiency and a twisted passion as evidenced by “Electric Messiah,” a 2018 release that sounds agelessly agitated. Andrew Dansby
7. Joe Henry, Feb. 2, McGonigel’s Mucky Duck:
Henry has pulled his salary for years by becoming a rootsmusic producer of impeccable taste, working with Solomon Burke, Hayes Carll, Bonnie Raittand scads of others. Though his work as a producer has been golden, his 13 albums are the gold mine. Henry started out making rootsy rock in the ’90s and then steered into a torchy, jazzy, atmospheric sound that should appeal to the Tom Waits enthusiast. Andrew Dansby
8. Fleetwood Mac, Feb. 5, Toyota Center:
Lindsey Buckingham was fired
in early 2017, only adding to the epic drama that has fueled the band. He’s been replaced by Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Neil Finn of Crowded House. Hey, as long as Stevie Nicks is still there, we’re good with that. Joey Guerra
9. Neko Case, Feb. 7, White Oak Music Hall:
Case has been so consistently wonderful for so long that a new album comes along and my knee-jerk creation is “Yep. That’s what I expected.” But her records benefit greatly from repeated listens and a concert is a great space to hear some perfect little piece of tune that had escaped you previously. That’s a long way to say if all she plays is her new “Hell-On,” the show would still be great. Andrew Dansby
10. Vince Staples, Feb. 10, House of Blues:
Staples’ “FM!” might seem like a celebration of old-school radio, given the exclamation mark. Rather, it puts summersong effervescence with some dark musings about life in Long Beach, Calif., in the now. All of which would seem like an odd fit for a winter show, but February in Houston is hardly wintry in the classic sense. So this should be a good mix of music with time and place. Andrew Dansby
11. Aaron Carter, Feb. 11, House of Blues:
Carter has never scored a top 20 Billboard hit. But he has managed to stay in the public eye by sheer force of will. He was on “Dancing With the Stars,” starred on Broadway and publicly battled personal demons. His fifth album, “Love,” was released in February. Joey Guerra
12. Travis Scott, Feb. 13, Toyota Center:
Houston got its own version of Astroworld when the Houston native debuted a daylong festival in November. But now we’re getting a regular tour stop, which promises even more zaniness. Joey Guerra
13. Jonathan Richman, Feb. 16, Continental Club:
The wide-eyed wonder that runs through much of Richman’s work post-Modern Lovers at times gives the impression of a man-child despite the fact that he’s 67. I’ve heard people grumble about his shows and they should just stay home. Because he’s invented his own thing: a guy who writes about art and love and natural wonders with a sincerity rare these days, backed by simple instrumentation and occasional dance moves. Andrew Dansby
14. Courtney Barnett, Feb. 18, White Oak Music Hall:
I could listen to Barnett twist memorable little patterns out of her guitar for hours on end. Her playing, though, always serves the song first, and her songs are fascinating narratives, with curious observations stated matterof-factly, a dry storytelling mechanism that proves endlessly engaging. Andrew Dansby
15. The Zombies, Feb. 27, Heights Theater:
The Zombies created largescale ripples with just a few released songs and became a template of sorts for cult-favorite bands since its second-biggest hit (“Time of the Season”) was released after the band called it quits. A few years ago at Fitzgerald’s, Colin Blunstone sang with crystalline beauty as though his voice had suffered not at all from the passage of time, and Rod Argent remains a frenetically active keyboardist. Andrew Dansby
16. Car Seat Headrest, Feb. 27, White Oak Music Hall:
After a band has found its footing, as Car Seat Headrest did with the punchy and smart “Teens of Denial” two years ago, digging back into the past is usually a bad idea. Turns out frontman Will Toledo had something to say as a teenager, too, as evidenced this year by “Twin Fantasy,” a better-distributed album from seven years ago. I’ve not heard any of his music live and am eager to see how it plays. Andrew Dansby
17. Noname, Feb. 28, White Oak Music Hall:
A poet and rapper from Chicago, Fatimah Warner released “Room 25” as Noname, a record that made bunches of year-end lists for the best albums of 2018. A nobody three years ago, Noname released a wide-eyed mixtape in 2016 that captured her talent for words, but “Room 25” captured an artist who’d lived a lot in those two years. Andrew Dansby
18. Mariah Carey, March 1, Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land:
The diva’s 15th album, “Caution,” earned widespread acclaim upon its release for its silky pop and R&B. Expect a few new songs, but the bulk of the show will be the material that made Carey a superstar. Joey Guerra
19. Laura Jane Grace and the Devouring Mothers, March 16, Warehouse Live:
The trans icon and Against Me! singer’s new side project is less political and more freewheeling than her previous band’s efforts. She sees it as an exercise in musical freedom. Joey Guerra
20. Puddles Pity Party, March 18, Stafford Centre:
There’s a point at which a 6-foot-8 baritone in clown makeup singing mopey ballads new and old will get old. But Mike Geier’s Puddles show remains a vibrant 21st-century update of 20thcentury vaudeville. Go and you’ll be entertained, skip and you’ll be sad, which is how things are supposed to work with clowns. Andrew Dansby
21. Pink, March 19, Toyota Center:
The high-flying pop star was here for two dates in April with this spectacular show. She returns with an arsenal of hits that have her literally flying around the venue. And singing live, of course. Joey Guerra
22. Ella Mai: March 24, House of Blues:
English singer Mai was one of 2018’s most interesting breakouts. She brought a ’90s R&B feel to hit singles “Boo’d Up” and “Trip.” She’s also up for a pair of Grammys, including song of the year. Joey Guerra
23. Jason Hardink, April 7, MATCH:
Jason Hardink, a pianist in the Utah Symphony Orchestra, travels to Houston to give a rare performance of “The Vanishing Pavilions,” a piece written by the brilliant contemporary American composer Michael Hersch. The piece is a finger-bending workout and should be a remarkable thing to behold live. Andrew Dansby
24. Dave Douglas, April 12, Wortham Theater Center:
Trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas has been one of those rare birds like Houston’s Jason Moran who effortlessly juggles jazz tradition and its progressive inclinations. His Dizzy Atmosphere: Dizzy Gillespie at Zero Gravity show does what he’s always done: created
music both reverent toward the foundation of jazz while still making it sound new. Andrew Dansby
25. The Rolling Stones, April 28, NRG Stadium:
Look, I’ve learned to never say never, but Mick Jagger is 75, and Keith Richards is 75 in calendar years. Drummer Charlie Watts is 77. If any of the three go down, that would be the moss gathered on the stone that prevents further rolling. Tours are heavy undertakings and put simply, the last time the Stones were here was 13 years ago. Add 13 to the ages above and talk to a gambler about odds. So, see them now, while you can. Andrew Dansby
26. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, May 2, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion:
I never gave Seger much thought as a performer one way or the other until he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He played “Turn the Page,” and it felt like an outcast’s sermon. His is an old-school rock ’n’ roll fueled by old time rock ’n’ roll. It’s not flashy or charismatic or any of those things. But he knows arena rock dynamics like an architect of arena rock would. And this is a farewell tour, which adds some value. Andrew Dansby
27. Mixtape Tour: May 15, Toyota Center:
Nostalgia is big business. And it doesn’t get more retro than this package, headlined by New Kids on the Block. The lineup also includes ’80s and ’90s faves Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Salt-N-Pepa and Naughty by Nature. Grab your scrunchy and let’s party. Joey Guerra
28. Ariana Grande, May 19, Toyota Center:
Grande is touring behind “Sweetener,” her best album to date. She’s also coming off a tumultuous year personally. If she can infuse her show with some of that emotion, it could make for an arresting live performance. Joey Guerra
29. Chely Wright, June 13, Main Street Crossing:
She was, and still is, one of the first major country performers to come out as a lesbian. The mainstream hits stopped awhile back. But Wright’s career has only
gotten more interesting. And there’s no denying the slickly produced joy of her “Single White Female” album. Joey Guerra
30. Hugh Jackman, June 18, Toyota Center:
The movie and musical star kicks off the North American leg of his first tour in Houston. Get tickets ASAP if you haven’t already. He’ll perform songs from “The Greatest Showman,” “Les Misérables” and “The Boy From Oz.” Joey Guerra
31. Queen + Adam Lambert, July 24, Toyota Center:
The “Bohemian Rhapsody” biopic only solidified a continuing interest in the group. This go-rounds promises new arrangements of well-worn hits. “American Idol” finalist Lambert, who took the vocal reins a few years ago, has proven a fine stand-in for Freddie Mercury. Joey Guerra
32. Shawn Mendes, July 25, Toyota Center:
Mendes has proven himself much more than a teen-pop idol with thoughtful songwriting and a disarming stage presence. His self-titled 2018 album was one of the year’s best pop collections. Joey Guerra
33. Mark Knopfler Sept. 6, Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land:
The musical equivalent of a day off work: Knopfler’s music is intricately written and played, but it sounds so smooth and effortless you could be forgiven for thinking he’s not doing much. He hasn’t been to Houston in over 20 years, so this is sort of a rare opportunity to hear a guy whose connection to beloved Oklahoman J.J. Cale is clear the instant a note springs from his guitar. Andrew Dansby