house of blues

One thing that has come to bother me about our city's music scene over the years is that bands will come through one of our small venues such as Walter's, play a well receptive set to a packed room, then altogether skip Houston for several years to follow. When these bands do actually make it back, it's after a huge swell in their growth, and they end up playing much larger and less personal venues such as House of Blues. One band that most recently did this exact thing was Brooklyn indie-freaksters Yeasayer. They came through with MGMT (another band currently in the same situation, coming to HoB soon...) back in January 2008, and haven't been to Houston since. Yes, they've played Austin on numerous occasions, Dallas as well, but for some reason we didn't make the grade. Maybe because we're lacking a non-corporate venue that is between Walter's and HoB in size, and has a certain indie draw? Hopefully the new Warsaw (formerly The Engine Room) will help us out there.

Despite the two-plus year absence from the Bayou City, I still welcomed them back with open arms, and walked into their show excited to hear them showcase their new material. Check out more from the show after the jump.

I came across this video yesterday as I was making my daily read of Houston Press' Rocks Off Blog, and was immediately impressed with how the videographer (W. Ross Wells from Zenfilm, the same guy who directed the SugarHill video in our last post) made our fair city look so nice. It features local up-and-comers The Tontons on stage at the House of Blues, but also shuffles through a variety of clips showcasing some of Houston's hottest spots. If you are from Houston, this video is well worth the watch; if you're not, check it out, and fall in love with our city. It really is a great place to be!

Gotta love that cheesy graphic at the end!

One of my favorite jambands at one of my favorite local venues. House Of Blues layed host to New York quintet moe. for a Thursday night two-set performance. I walked in the dark venue to a meager crowd of about 50 or so. It was kind of early, but not nearly early enough to warrant such a small group of people at a moe. show. They came on pretty soon after I arrived, and thankfully a big chunk of people arrived who filled out the floor during the "Tailspin" opener. The show was great, and featured several of my favorites including "Happy Hour Hero," "32 Things," "Head" and a nasty rendition of "Brent Black" at the request of an some wook who'd been holding up a sign from the beginning of the show. They played for a good two-and-a-half hours, not including a thirty minute break, and each second of their playing was fire. Of all the times that I've seen moe., this might have been the most solid showing from the group. After seeing jam counterparts Umphrey's McGee on the same stage a few months back, who didn't seem too happy to be playing in front of a Houston crowd, watching moe. made me realize that they aren't just up there going through the motions – after twenty years as a band, they still visibly enjoy every minute of playing together. I'm glad I hit this moe. show up, because my love and following of jambands has diminished over the past year or so, and this only helped to reestablish the need for jam and improvisational music in my life.

I'm not sure what so many people's problems with jambands are. It might be their lack of attention span, or just pure distaste for anything that will make you dance, but for some reason tons of people have so much hate for improvisational music and the groups that are best at it. If more people would give bands like moe. a chance in the live format, I think they'd walk away surprised and satisfied. Come on hipsters, open up your ears and form your own opinions!

As always, I had my camera in tow – you can browse my shots after the jump.

moe. at the House Of Blues.
Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm.
Tickets are $20.

Houston's House Of Blues is still relatively young as compared to our city's other venues, but it has fast become one of my favorite rooms to see live music in. The sound is fantastic, lighting the same. However you want to take in the show – whether it be from the floor, the raised seating area behind the soundboard, or the extremely large balcony looming over head – shows there just are a bit better than the rest. While they aren't perfect – a strictly enforced curfew has literally cut off groups like Mos Def and George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, and the ridiculously priced drinks always makes you feel a bit lousy the next morning when you check your wallet – it usually calls for a good time.

My most recent trip to the HOB involved a vast majority of the our fair city's cougar club, and no, I'm not talking about anything affiliated with the University of Houston. Everywhere I looked, there were a group of 40-somethings, dolled up to a tee in their animal prints and skin-tight jeans, ready to rock out to the Southern stylings of road-stalwarts, The Black Crowes. What was even more ridiculous, were the groups of equally-aged men hawking these women. It was like a motorcycle rally, only instead of a bunch of mustachioed, leather-clad bald guys on Harley-Davidson's, it was the blue jean and matching shirt, Honda Goldwing cross-country type of bikers. Great people watching.

Read more about the show after the jump

Thievery Corporation played Houston’s House of Blues last Tuesday and brought with them a rotating band of (at least) six talented multi-lingual singers along with a bassist, a sitar/guitar player, a mini-horns section, three drummers on different setups, four trippy video boards, and even some musicians that I’m probably forgetting. Ever since catching Thievery’s impressive set at last year’s Voodoo Music Festival with the rest o’ the Breakfast crew, I’ve been fiending for another performance. Check out a brief recap and some photos and video of their performance after the jump.

Editor's note: I want to welcome a new writer to the fold. And when I say writer, I mean it. Brandon K. Hernsberger (BOT name: tofu scramble) has written for several local publications including Houston Press and Space City Rock, and has shown through his words that he's not afraid to stir things up. I'm incredibly excited that he's decided to join the BOT team, and couldn't be happier with his first submission. Thanks for finally joining us B!

They are so original in their derivativeness, The Decemberists are, that they make you forget what it was they so blatantly ripped off in the first place. Like caramel-corn. Or squeezable ketchup. Or the Bible. Things so far removed from their original source that they get viewed as what came first, oftentimes resulting in an assumption that the derivation is not a derivation at all, but a pioneering piece of history that deserves our laudation. More often than not, the copied outlasts the copier; making the reams of forgetful people look back and say man, how did I miss that? Not so the Decemberists, who have taken everything Neutral Milk Hotel did well, deconstructed it, given it a polysyllabic name fitful of an ivy-league graduate school, wrapped it in seaweed with the scroll of the New York Times Book Review, and offered it up to a pirate who wants to pilfer your grandpa, but only for the story.

Read more after the jump

Photo by oglesbmc

Umphrey’s McGee rolled through Houston two weeks ago, and the missus, Eggs and four of our pals were there to witness the ROCK. The most metal band on the jam scene left us with ringing eardrums and tired legs – though some the music was fit for moshing, we awkwardly white-boy danced our way through the night to a pleasurable mish-mash of funk, jazz, reggae, metal, pseudo-electronica, prog, classic, and modern rock.

Check out some great photos and read more about the show after the jump.

Eggs and I went to Mos Def at the House of Blues this past Wednesday, joined by our buddy Demian and a completely packed house. By the end of the night, Mos Def had undoubtedly proved that he merited the weeknight sell-out. And thanks to a welcome change in policy by HOB, we didn’t even leave the place disappointed by the show’s length - as we did at April’s Parliament Funkadelic show.

Read about the show after the jump

Mos Def and Jay Electronica at House of Blues.
Doors at 8pm, show at 9pm.
Tickets are $25.