THE MUST LIST
PIFF THE MAGIC DRAGON DOES HIS DEADPAN MAGIC ROUTINE DRESSED IN A GREEN REPTILE COSTUME, ACCOMPANIED BY A CHIHUAHUA NAMED MR. PIFFLES, WHO APPARENTLY LIKES HOT DOGS. BY NOW YOU KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS YOUR TYPE OF SHOW.
Piff the Magic Dragon and World-Fest’s closing night are just two of our picks.
1. DMX
DMX was sprung earlier this year after serving several months in prison for bail violation/tax evasion issues. So the ’90s rap great is back on the road. One would think he has some new music around, between the clink and the fact that his last record was “Undisputed,” which came out seven years ago. That said, his current tour follows the trend of artists digging out their ’90s classics. In this case, it’s “It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot,” which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.
When: 8 p.m. Sunday
Where: House of Blues, 1204 Caroline
Details: $30-$49.50; 888-4025837, hob.com
2. Hamell on Trial
When times are at their worst, Ed Hamell is at his best. The veteran one-man punk-folk band performs as Hamell on Trial, and after making a name for his songs of agitation in the ’90s, he kind of faded from sight a little. But he’s made a handful of great albums over the past five years and did so without changing his formula, which relies on political and cultural grievances delivered with razorsharp observation and wit, including the recent-ish and well-titled “Big
Mouth Strikes Again” (la-da-da da-da). When: 7 p.m. Wednesday Where: Under the Volcano, 2349 Bissonnet Details: $10; 713-526-5282, underthevolcanohouston.com
3. Gladys Knight
It’s a crying shame that we need a wonderful/terrible show like “The Masked Singer” to remind us that an old R&B legend like Gladys Knight is a.) still alive and b.) still belting out songs with the vigor she did 50-plus years ago. But that’s where we are. And she didn’t even win that garbage competition. Nevertheless, here’s a chance to see a living legend — and one who’s “Midnight Train to Georgia” has a strange Houston connection involving Farrah Fawcett. When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Smart Financial Centre, 18111 Lexington, Sugar Land Details: $49.50-$79.50; 281207-6278, smartfinancialcentre .com
4. Pilobolus
The shapeshifting modern dance company Pilobolus is touring a new production of its decade-old hit spectacle “Shadowland,” which incorporated live shadow theater. “Shadowland: The New Adventure” melds science fiction, film noir and romantic comedy into a love story about a couple trying to save a magical bird, with animation and video added to the bag of tricks. Presented by Society for the Performing Arts. When: 7:30 p.m. Friday Welling Films
Where: Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana Details: $35-$85; 713-227-4772, spahouston.org
5. “Ragtime”
The 1996 musical about the
clashing and melding of cultures finds renewed relevance in 2019. The Theatre Under The Stars production has a large, impressive cast of both local and national talent.
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, through April 28
Where: Hobby Center, 800 Bagby
Details: $30-$105; 713-5588887, tuts.com.
6. WorldFest Houston Closing Night
Houston’s oldest film festival closes with two noteworthy films: “The Tomorrow Man” starring John Lithgow and Blythe Danner as two unlikely soul mates; and Houston director Shawn Welling’s “The Last Astronaut,” about two girls who discover an alien.
When: 7 p.m. Sunday, both films Where: Cinemark Memorial City, 310 Memorial City Mall Details: $12.50; worldfest.org