The best concerts of the week | Houston Press

When the pandemic put a halt to live music, most musicians looked for ways to stay busy. Some took advantage of the forced downtime to compose songs or create music in the studio. Others have worked on autobiographies, memoirs, and other literary projects. And many have turned to the Internet to maintain a connection with their fans, streaming concerts from their living rooms. None were as successful, however, as guitarist Robert Fripp and his wife, singer Toyah Willcox.

Starting in 2021, the musical couple began releasing covers of rock and roll tracks like “Rebel Yell”, “Radar Love” and “Back in Black” under the banner of “Toyah and Robert’s Sunday Lunch”. Not exactly what one might have expected from progressive rock icon and King Crimson founder Fripp and former punk rocker and TV presenter Willcox. This week’s offering is the Rolling Stones classic “Sympathy for the Devil,” with Fripp sporting a faux hawk and Willcox wearing red leather thigh-high boots.
It’s not Sonny and Cher, or the Captain and Tennille. Nor John and Yoko for that matter. Frank Zappa once asked the question: “Does humor have a place in music?” In this case, the answer is a resounding “yes”.

Ticket alert
Belligerent guitarist Dave Mustaine and his band Megadeth will headline the unsurprising Destroy All Enemies tour this summer, a jaunt with a band that also includes Mudvayne and All That Remains. The metal extravaganza will take place on Saturday, August 3 at 713 Music Hall. Tickets are on sale now, with places available in all sections. Die-hard fans may want to check out the VIP options, one of which includes a photo op with Megadeth mascot Vic Rattlehead.

The Austin City Limits festival has assembled an impressive lineup this year, with Dua Lipa, Tyler the Creator, Chris Stapleton, Blink 182, Sturgill Simpson, Khruangbin, Pretty Lights and Leon Bridges among the dozens of acts scheduled. However, prepare yourself for serious wallet problems. It’s telling that festival promoters are offering layaway plans on 3-day ticket packages, which start at $360 and can reach $30,000 for “bungalow” packages for parties of up to 10 people. The festival is scheduled for October 4-6 and October 11-13 at Zilker Park in Austin.

Hozier’s concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion scheduled for Thursday, May 2 has been postponed due to hazardous weather conditions. What are you going to do ? The new date is Wednesday September 25.

Concerts this week
Jake Shimabukuro has been nicknamed the Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele, and for good reason. Since entering the public consciousness with a bravura performance of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on YouTube in 2006, Shimabukuro has cemented his position as the world’s best-known ukulele player. Watch her act tonight at the Heights Theater.
Those who like music off the beaten path will probably enjoy Mr. Bungle, a band formed in 1985 by Mike Patton, who became the lead singer of Faith No More (“Epic”). Although Mr. Bungle has played ska and funk in various periods of its history, the band has recently returned to its original thrash metal repertoire, bringing in guitarist Scott Ian from Anthrax and drummer Dave Lombardo from Misfits. Get ready for their show tonight at the House of Blues.
Ah, making decisions. There are three shows to choose from on Thursday, starting with country superstar Kenny Chesney (the guy who seems to have something against the innings) and newcomer Megan Moroney at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Downtown, it’s Nicki Minaj, the queen of hip-hop, at the Toyota Center. The third alternative is neo-Skynyrdians Blackberry Smoke at 713 Music Hall. To learn more about the latter group, check out Bob Ruggiero’s story in the Press.
The Big As Texas Music Festival begins its maiden voyage this weekend, with performances Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Conroe. The list is impressive, with Dierks Bentley, Billy Strings, Dwight Yoakum, Clay Walker and Los Lobos. Additional attractions and activities include a carnival, chainsaw wood carving, and pig races. Click the link for the full lineup and schedule, including Clint Hale’s Press story about the country festival and concerts coming to Houston this summer.
When it comes to the lighter side of heavy metal, no one does it better than Steel Panther. If the members of the group all have serious talents, their lyrics are… less so. Listen to “Death to All but Metal” (which sounds like a Dave Mustaine/Megadeth song now that I think about it), “Seventeen Girls in a Row” and “Always Gonna Be a Ho”, and you’ll see what I want say. Steel Panther rocks the House of Blues on Monday.
Moving quickly from the ridiculous to the sublime, jazzers will want to hear Kamasi Washington at the House of Blues on Tuesday. Washington is today’s hottest saxophonist on wheels, having released seven albums as a leader (his latest, Fearless Movement, released last week) and appearing as a sideman with a host of artists, including Kendrick Lamar, St. Vincent, Thundercat and Flying Lotus. This guy has the goods.