Houston’s concert scene brings plenty of action, but we want you to know about the under-the-radar shows as well as the monster acts. PaperCity’s Matthew Ramirez cuts through the noise to find the best things to see around town.
JOHN DOE, FRIDAY, JULY 15 @ McGONIGEL’S MUCKY DUCK
A founding member of legendary punk band X, an important stint with the Knitters, and now in the midst of a long, storied solo career: He’s John Doe, and he’s etched his name into the fabric of modern rock, alt-country/rockabilly, and Americana. He’ll take the cozy stage at the Duck for two shows on Friday night.
REVEREND HORTON HEAT & DALE WATSON, SATURDAY, JULY 16 @ McGONIGEL’S MUCKY DUCK
One of the biggest names to come out of Texas, the Reverend Horton Heat (stage name of Jim Heath) teams up with another Texas favorite, Dale Watson, for a raucous double-header of Texas revelry (sharing a stage for the first time ever!). The duo will perform as solo musicians, in a rare, stripped-down performance that fits the chic, intimate confines of the Duck. Grab tickets soon, this will sell out.
DEJ LOAF, SATURDAY, JULY 16 @ WAREHOUSE LIVE
Detroit’s diminutive rapper Dej Loaf (not an insult — one of her most memorable lines is “I’m so tiny but I feel like Shaquille”) hits the main room at Warehouse. After making a grand entrance onto the hip-hop scene with the inescapable, delightfully rude “Try Me” in 2014, Dej has released music at a steady clip, and nearly all of it has been good (last summer’s “Back Up” with fellow Detroit native Big Sean was a groovy piece of Detroit techno disguised as a fun radio-rap song).
She’s touring behind her excellent spring mixtape, All Jokes Aside. Chozen opens.
SCHOOLBOY Q, SUNDAY, JULY 17 @ WAREHOUSE LIVE
The most defiant and crude member of Kendrick Lamar‘s Black Hippy crew/TDE label, Schoolboy Q has crafted a niche for himself as the most party-friendly guy of the bunch, with a slew of real radio hits to prove it. (“Man of the Year” from 2014’s Oxymoron is a sure-thing party starter.)
Last week saw the release of his long-awaited Blank Face LP, and after two-plus years it did not disappoint — it’s a lush, long record full of masterfully produced, immaculate textures. While a little bit of Q goes a long way, there’s no better way to experience the jagged-edge heart of Black Hippy than to see him live.
