Photos by Jason Wolter

​The Lemonheads
Fitzgerald's
February 10, 2012

The Fitzgerald's air was heavy with '90s nostalgia Friday night, as fans flocked to see The Lemonheads. The band is currently on tour performing their lauded 1992 release, It's a Shame About Ray, in its entirety.

Despite the fact that front man Evan Dando originally hails from frigid Boston, he seemed the warmest dressed for Houston's uncharacteristically cold weather, clad in multiple layers, including a flannel button-down and knit beanie.

In an interview with Dando last week, we noted how refreshingly coherent and affable he was, refuting the previously accepted belief that he's spacey and drug-addled, at best. He may have looked weathered as hell at Friday's show, but his lucidity was intact.

More >>

Photos By Jim Bricker

Buxton onstage Saturday night at Fitzgerald's

​Buxton packed them in upstairs at Fitzgerald's on Saturday night, playing the entirety of their brand-new, just-released LP, Nothing Here Seems Strange. Performing before an audience of family, scene mavens, new fans, old fans, people who had seen them playing house parties in the early '00s, and curious outsiders, the band made believers out of many and reaffirmed their might to everyone else.

All in all this past weekend was a great one for Houston music, with the new -- not on Washington -- Walter's, Fitz, Vinyl Junkie, and every venue in between boasting stellar bills. The night before on the same stage at Fitz, the Wild Moccasins and the Tontons made the walls sweat, with close to 700 strong in the building. Vocal Tontons cheerleader Bun B didn't make an appearance this time around.

More >>

Photos by Marco Torres

Worldwide

​Check out our slideshow of last night's Red Bull Skooled Tour launch.

"Excuse me while I get the turntables straight. Til then, let me help you get some pussy. This the "help you get some pussy hour"!"

Before spinning a single record on the turntables, New Orleans' most noted producer/part-time emcee and full-blown grandiose shit talker Mannie Fresh let the crowd know at Warehouse Live that he indeed was in rare form. After the opening leg of the Red Bull Skooled Tour had touched on the big four Texas music hot beds, it was time for Fresh to bring an already rousing night into a sweaty and enjoyable crescendo.

At his DJing best, despite mic issues, Fresh is kind of like the DJ you always wanted at your high school dances, proms, etc. growing up. He'll mix in some modern rowdy anthems (see Meek Mill's "I'ma Boss") with old school defacto headbangers (C-Murder's "F*ck Them Other N*ggas"). His most indelible moment last night came in the form of him leaving the turntables and turning the Studio portion of Warehouse Live into a Cash Money medley for the '99 and the 2000.

The story of love, complete with interludes from Lenny Williams, Marvin Gaye and H-Town led to "Project Chick", the ballsy funk of Gilligan's Island still rings true for "Still Fly" and "Get Your Roll On". Old Hot Boys records, Juvenile's 400 Degreez, anything Fresh touched from the old Cash Money was unearthed. At times, we felt like we were trying to chase girls back in middle school during Fresh's set. Thankfully, it was more success than failure this time around.

More >>

Photo by Allison McPhail

Getting their dance on.

​Check out our slideshow of fans and bands at the Main Street Block Party.

Eric Dean had something to prove to Houston after his Montrose Winter Social flop last month. Dean did as he promised, and delivered with the 2nd Annual Main Street Block Party. The weather was great, the lineup was diverse, and the the five venues were in such close proximity that both performers and audience could move fluidly.

The Block Party had a miscellany of performers, ranging from H-town hip-hop legends like Point Blank, to out of towners like the chamber rock bandEngland In 1819, who came from Baton Rouge with fancy suits and a French horn.

More >>

Photos by Groovehouse

The Kills' Alison Mosshart last night at the House Of Blues

​Relive last night's Kills concert with our slideshow.

Let it be said that the Kills' Alison Mosshart should not be lumped in with "chick" lead singers. She should go in that special box with people like Robert Plant, Iggy Pop, Jim Morrison, Lux Interior, and other feral lead singers who have stomped, terrorized, and titillated since the dawn of rock.

The Kills -- made up of Mosshart and guitarist Jamie Hince -- have always been hard to pin down, or at least describe for the uninitiated. There's damaged Bo Diddley passages, swatches of Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra's collaborations, and plenty of 21st century garage-grind to keep the haircuts happy. It's not so much pretty as much as it is industrial and shady. Did I mention it's catchy as hell when it wants to be? Even the duo's take on Patsy Cline's depressive "Crazy" sounded like a lullaby in their hands compared to their own cuts like "Nail In My Coffin".

More >>

Photos by Marco Torres

​"AWOL."

That's what Aaron Bruno's friends called him in high school. When the school day was over, most of his friends would walk out together and say goodbye to one another, as is the norm for students. Bruno, meanwhile, had this strange habit of just leaving. He didn't say goodbye or hug any of his friends and say, "See you tomorrow!" the way most students did. He just left, earning him a moniker that playfully poked fun at his odd behavior. Years later, he wears the label proudly, perhaps even flaunting it.

Last night, in front of a near sold-out crowd at Warehouse Live, Bruno showed up in full force. And yes, there was an encore. As far as we're concerned, that's the musical equivalent to saying goodbye.

More >>

Photos by Marco Torres

​There's nothing in Kendrick Lamar's catalog that suggests he's a capacity crowd artist. He doesn't chase radio glory. He doesn't make what you call, um, hits. He's just starting to log big name cosigns. Yet, on Saturday, Warehouse Live was packed from end to end with hip-hop fans eager to catch a glimpse of the Comptown lyricist. The show sold out. Those who arrived late were turned away.

More >>

Photos by Barry Sigman

​During Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we were reminded how a strong and motivated speaker, his words, and his delivery can help change a nation. Last night, we were reminded how the power of the human voice in music can be an equally efficacious ability if mastered correctly. People tend to forget exactly how powerful the voice is without any accompaniment. Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a nine-member acapella singing group from South Africa, made the audience remember this last night at Fitzgerald's.

More >>

Photos By Barry Sigman

​After reading Chris Gray's review of the last Glen Campbell show here in Houston back in September at the Stafford Centre, I was expecting the worst at Campbell's Friday night show at the Arena Theatre.

The country legend had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's a few months before the Stafford show, and had set out on a tour, complete with a brand new album of morose "end of the road" numbers, with his children as part of his backing band. Gray's review suitably conveyed the uncomfortable moments of watching a man whose memory was slowly deteriorating struggling through a live show, all the while still showing copious glimmers of the wit and musicianship he had displayed for decades.

I walked into the Arena Theatre on Friday night cringing, feeling like I was going to a somber going-away party, and also confused at how Campbell was back in town so quick, and still on a farewell tour at that. But nonetheless, I wanted to see Campbell one last time before he retreated into that sunset.

More >>

Photos by Barry Sigman

​"We're sorry about your football team," said Starfucker* guitarist Ryan Biornstad to the packed crowd of college-age Houstonians at Fitz, just eight hours after the Houston Texans gracefully bowed out of its first ever playoff trip.

Starfucker/STRFKR/Pyramid/Pyramidd may be from Portland but the foursome seem to know a little something about southern hospitality. Along with their aforementioned expression of casual sympathy over Houston's playoff exit, they also managed to give the Fitz crowd a sort of awesome escape with their oh-so-catchy tunes.

More >>