A Major Pop Star, Texas’ Leonard Cohen, the Dixie Chicks’ Buddy and a Fantastical Pianist Dominate Houston’s Concert Scene

By Matthew Ramirez // May 20, 2016

Ellie Goulding will perform during half time.

Houston’s concert scene brings plenty of action, and we want to make sure you 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 musical events around town. Without further ado, this week’s top picks.

SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE, SATURDAY, MAY 21 @ JONES HALL
Always welcomed with open arms, pianist Gabriela Montero returns to Houston to perform Greig‘s Piano Concerto. Andrés Orozco-Estrada conducts, with his own special interpretations of the crowd favorite. From the Symphony website: “Andrés returns to Symphonie fantastique, Berlioz’ fever dream of unrequited love, glittering ballrooms and opium-induced hallucinations of guillotines and graveyards.”

https://soundcloud.com/onthemusic/berlioz-symphonie-fantastique

SAM BAKER TRIO AND CHARLIE MARS, FRIDAY, MAY 20 @ McGONIGEL’S MUCKY DUCK
Two strong singer-songwriters comprise a double-header of Americana at the Duck. Baker has been compared to a Texan Leonard Cohen, and Mars has toured with the Dixie Chicks and Steve Earle, and appeared on shows like Weeds, Parenthood, and How I Met Your Mother.

ELLIE GOULDING, SATURDAY, MAY 21 @ TOYOTA CENTER
Touring behind her recent Delirium album, Goulding takes the large arena stage of Toyota Center Saturday night. With her 2010 smash album Lights, Goulding became a household name behind that album’s title track, then followed that up with 2012’s Halcyon, which boasted “Burn”. But perhaps her biggest moment to date was her contribution to the FIfty Shades of Grey soundtrack, “Love Me Like You Do.” Goulding has sold more than six million records in total and 20 million song downloads. Show starts at 7 pm.