So I read that Morrissey, the Pope of Mope, cancelled a show last week in Valencia, Spain.\u00a0 This guy has a long and documented history of failing to perform (so to speak), so the cancellation is no surprise in and of itself.\u00a0 No, what makes this incident stand out is Morrissey\u2019s reason for bagging the gig.\u00a0 According to a missive posted on his website, Morrissey was unable to rise to the occasion because he had a restless night, due to excessive noise emanating from the city\u2019s Las Fallas festival.<\/p>\n
How bad was it?\u00a0 According to Morrissey, the night was one of \u201cindescribable hell\u201d which reduced him to a \u201ccatatonic state.\u201d<\/p>\n
A couple of things here.\u00a0 The city was in the midst of a festival.\u00a0 Didn\u2019t this guy ever read The Sun Also Rises, in which Ernest Hemingway describes the chaotic scene (including the running of the bulls) surrounding the San Firmin festival in Pamplona, Spain?\u00a0 What did he expect in Valencia?\u00a0 Pamplona in 1924 was wild enough, and now festival goers have easy access to molly and cocaine.<\/p>\n
So, Morrissey, you want to talk about a sleepless night?\u00a0 Ever tried to grab a few winks while staying on the San Antonio River Walk when a convention is in town?\u00a0\u00a0 Not to mention bunking at the Austin Motel<\/a> (aka The Phallus Palace \u2013 use your imagination when you look at the sign) during South by Southwest.<\/p>\n To quote Olivia Soprano, \u201cOh, poor you!\u201d<\/p>\n Ticket Alert<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The String Cheese Incident has been playing its jolly brand of jammy \/ neopsychedelic music since the \u201890s while building a loyal following across the country.\u00a0 \u00a0The band\u2019s \u201cJust Keep Spinning\u201d tour rolls into the House of Blues <\/a>on Saturday, May 30, and tickets are on sale now.<\/p>\n Old school fans will want to get tickets for \u201cThe R and B Lovers\u201d tour at Toyota Center<\/a> on Saturday, June 6.\u00a0 Utilizing a time-tested formula that harkens back to the review format of the \u201860s, the show will feature performances by Keith Sweat, Joe, Dru Hill, Ginuwine and Kut Klose<\/p>\n The Pussycat Dolls \u2013 a musical and marketing juggernaut if ever there was one \u2013 have reunited for a summer tour which will stop at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion<\/a> on Friday, July 31.\u00a0 The group will be joined by fellow noughts icons Lil\u2019 Kim and Mya, just to pump up the jams a notch.\u00a0 Presales are in progress, with the general ticket sale set for Friday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Also headed for the Pavilion this summer is Empire of the Sun.\u00a0 This Aussie duo makes me think of the song \u201cYou\u2019ve Got to Have a Gimmick\u201d from the musical Gypsy. \u00a0While Empire\u2019s music is pleasant but not terribly remarkable (ethereal vocals, synths, drum machines), the onstage look is quite distinctive.\u00a0 We\u2019re talking substantial face paint, along with various pieces of head gear and costumes influenced by Japanese and Native American traditions.\u00a0 Tickets are on sale now for Empire\u2019s concert on Thursday, September 24, at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion<\/a>.<\/p>\n Concerts This Week<\/strong><\/p>\n As you might imagine, concert promoters are loath to book big shows during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.\u00a0 Why go up against an institution, particularly one with marketing money to burn?\u00a0 Consequently, pickings are somewhat slim this week, but that doesn\u2019t mean that an enterprising music fan who doesn\u2019t want to mosey through the rodeo gauntlet is SOL.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n For instance, you can check out singer-songwriter John Paul White (formerly of the Grammy-winning duo The Civil Wars) on Thursday at a \u201cno cover\u201d concert presented by Coffee House Houston<\/a>, a nonprofit organization helmed by Pete and Donna Owens.\u00a0 After 12 years of presenting shows in town, the Owenses have moved operations to a new home, historic Lambert Hall in the Heights, a venue with a capacity of 300 and fine acoustics.\u00a0 Coffee House Houston accepts donations from concertgoers, but it\u2019s strictly a \u201cpay what you wish\u201d arrangement.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Hell\u2019s Heroes, a three-day festival featuring more metal bands than you can bang a head at, returns to the White Oak Music Hall<\/a> this weekend.\u00a0 Organizers promise \u201cBLOOD, FIRE AND DEATH,\u201d which will be provided by 3 Inches of Blood, Dirkschneider, Voivod, Sanctuary, Tankard, Vulture, Hellbutcher, Bat, Warlord and Onslaught among others.\u00a0 Three-day passes are available, or you can opt for single-day tickets if you have non-metal obligations and can\u2019t commit to the entire extravaganza.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n A.J. Croce, the son of Jim Croce (\u201cOperator,\u201d \u201cBad, Bad Leroy Brown\u201d) will perform on Sunday at the Bayou Music Center<\/a> under the banner of \u201cCroce Plays Croce.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0Yes, A.J. will explore his father\u2019s extensive songbook, but he also has his own thing going on.\u00a0 Here\u2019s hoping that \u201cThe Roller Derby Queen\u201d is on the set list, and \u2013 though it is a long shot \u2013 maybe, just maybe, \u201cThe Ball of Kirriemuir,\u201d a wonderfully smutty tune<\/a> about a party that will never be outdone.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n