Houston’s Best Weekend Events, Including Two Hot Free Shows: The Guru’s Fearless Picks

Editor’s note: Houston weekends are packed full of events, but how many of them are truly worthy of your time? PaperCity’s Weekend Guru Matthew Ramirez cuts through the clutter to give you the best options in this weekly series.

Money Trees

Hello, Trees! A Walking Serenade is an art installation on view at Discovery Green. Friday, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, two of Houston’s biggest talents – Kam Franklin, lead singer of The Suffers, and Lisa E. Harris, a singer, composer, and artist – collaborate on “PAUSE,” an innovative and unique performance that combines singing with spoken word and performance art.

Franklin and Harris will stand on opposite sides of the installation and sing and talk to each other while audience members are encouraged to walk between the two, or simply pause in contemplation while the two interact. There are few more colorful talents in Houston than Franklin and Harris and this performance is a prime chance to experience why they are so valuable to Houston’s arts and music scene. Plus, it’s free.

Drive-Thru

Houston’s favorite son Fat Tony returns to his hometown Friday at Axelrad Beer Garden. Currently stationed in Los Angeles, Tony makes it a priority to visit Houston a few times a quarter it seems, and his raucous shows are always a must-see.

He just released a joint EP with fellow art-rap savant Pregnant Boy dubbed Snak Pak this week. DJ Havin’ Thangs is the brain behind the monthly Bounce and Turn hip-hop series, the meeting place for followers of Houston rap on the fringe. She’ll follow Tony’s performance with presumably an all-Houston DJ set.

It’s scheduled to start at 7 pm Friday, but it’s safe bet to say Tony won’t hit the shiny new upstairs stage until 8 or even 9 pm. This is also free.

Wintertime Sadness

When Lana del Rey hit the scene in 2011 with “Videogames” and “Blue Jeans,” few knew what to make of her – she called herself the “gangster Nancy Sinatra” and wrote elliptical, lovesick pop songs that sounded timeless, if a little clumsy. But four full-length albums into her career, del Rey has established herself as an innovative singer and songwriter, whose pastiche of Americana in her lyrics and videos is a decidedly post-modern take on the pop star.

Del Ray’s 2017 record, Lust For Life, was another solid record for her, but in my mind nothing has topped 2014’s Ultraviolence. Del Rey is joined by Kali Uchis for this tour stop, a thematically and artistic sensibility appropriate duo.

Saturday at the Toyota Center. Doors open at 7 pm; tickets start at $29.50.

What’s Love Got to Do with It?

For the Baby Boomers out there, it’s time to take a trip out to Round Top. Festival Hill presents The Music of our Lives starring Dick Smith – performing alongside Smith will be guests including Charles Whitaker, Kate Holman, and Will Lynde.

Lynde returns from Nashville with Arden McKenna to perform. From Frank Sinatra to The Beatles and everything in between, Sounds of the Sixties is a showcase of love songs in time for Valentine’s Day.

After the show, join Festival Hill staff on the stage for a reception with treats from the Festival Kitchen. There will be an opportunity to sponsor a book of your choice for the Adopt-a-Book Program and bid on a silent auction. A ticket enters you in a drawing for a chance to win fantastic door prizes.

Saturday at Festival Concert Hall in Round Top from 2 to 4 pm. Tickets start at $10. Click here for more info.

Sonder & Son

Sonder is an R&B trio consisting of lead vocalist Brent Faiyaz and producers Dpat and Atu. If Faiyaz’s name sounds familiar, it should be – he sang the indelible hook on one of the very best songs of 2017, Goldlink‘s “Crew,” and dropped a stout solo record at the end of the year, Sonder Son.

While Sonder could be described as “alt-R&B” (think The Weeknd before he was famous, or Miguel) what separates them from everyone else with a SoundCloud is Faiyaz sounds and writes with the intensity of Babyface, just updated to 2018. The group is touring behind their Into EP, and will hit the upstairs room of White Oak Music Hall Tuesday, February 13, with doors at 7 pm and tickets starting at $15. Interestingly enough, a solo Faiyaz show is booked for Wednesday, February 14, also upstairs at WOMH, but that show is listed as sold out.