H-Town Rock

For the Weekend of October 23rd – 26th, 2008

Hello there Houston. It’s great to see you again. If you take a look through the musical acts rolling through town this weekend, everything has a decidedly ‘90s feel to it all: Butthole Surfers (wow!), Weezer, Alanis, Ben Folds, and The Offspring. Yes, we here at H-Town Rock know that these acts have actually made music in this current decade, but it’s often hard for singers and bands to shake that initial single that shot them up into superstardom. It’s not that they tire of those money-making tunes per se, but more that they probably wish that the average radio listener would realize that they have made music this decade. Thus, whether you choose to bask in a bit of musical nostalgia or you meet up with your friends at your favorite bar to listen to some quality local acts, we just want everyone to have fun in and around their city.

Thursday, October 23rd

Suffice to say, regardless of whether or not the band wishes their fans would grow along with them, if you make your way out to the Weezer show, you’re most likely going to hear two of the three songs from Blue: “Undone – The Sweater Song,” “Buddy Holly,” or “Say It Aint So.” Why? Because the fans love those songs (and they are good pop songs), so it would be rather inane of such a well traveled band to ignore them, even if they might be personally tired of them. Honestly, we’ll be at this show and we hope they sing those songs, since we’re not sure it would even be a Weezer show if those songs weren’t performed.

Butthole Surfers, Whorehound, and Hell City Kings at The Meridian
Gary "Guitar" Lamin & The Bermondsey Joyriders) and Born Liars at Rudyard's
Jim Rose Circus at Warehouse Live
Ray LaMontagne and Leona Naess at Verizon Wireless Theater
Sara Bareilles, Marc Broussard, and Raining Jane at House of Blues
Weezer, Angels and Airwaves, and Tokyo Police Club at Reliant Arena

Friday, October 24th

Do you really think that, back when she originally wrote “Ironic,” that Ms. Morissette thought she would have to sing that song nearly every show for the rest of her life (much less hear it on radio ever damn day)? We don’t, but we also have no doubt that she’ll be performing some version of it Friday evening at Jones Hall. Will it be an all-acoustic set? Will she performing with some version of an orchestra? Who knows, but it would be interesting to hear “Head Over Feet,” “Hand In My Pocket,” and (especially) “You Oughta Know” performed in such a hallowed venue.

Alanis Morissette at Jones Hall
Ben Folds and Missy Higgins at Warehouse Live
Mechanical Boy Record Release Show: Featuring Thee Armada, The Last Place You Look, Velora, and The Tastydactyls at Fitzgerald's
Pierced Arrows, Rustler, and Motion Turns It On at Rudyard's
Thievery Corporation at House of Blues

Saturday, October 25th
We thought about making all kinds of jokes about how Jason Mraz being the poor person’s version of both Jack Johnson and John Mayer (combined!), but we couldn’t think of anything else beyond that tacky comment. Whatever. Do yourselves a favor and get out to either the Duck for Guy Forsyth or Rudyard’s for Spain Colored Orange.

Cold War Kids and A A Bondy at Warehouse Live
Guy Forsyth at McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Jason Mraz and Lisa Hannigan at Verizon Wireless Theater
Locksley and Hymns at The Jet Lounge
Spain Colored Orange, Program, and Paris Falls at Rudyard's

Sunday, October 26th

Really? Seriously? The Offspring are still touring? Who knew? We wonder who’s actually going to show up for this show. Does the band have any current single on the radio that might draw out a younger crowd or will The Verizon Wireless Theater be filled with 25-to-40-year-olds hoping to hear the band perform “Come Out and Play,” “Self-Esteem,” and/or (the deity of your choice forbid) “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy).” We’re going with the latter option on this one.

Crime in Stereo, Polar Bear Club, Broadway Calls, and The Swellers at The Mink
The Delta Flyers at McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Japanther at Caroline Collective
The Offspring at Verizon Wireless Theater
Rabid Rabbit and A Thousand Cranes at Walter's on Washington