orange show

File this under "Articles that should have been posted a long time ago." This one's for you, Zach.

When Eggs and I first started attending live music events at the Orange Show over a year ago, it almost felt as if we were part of some secret club. Most of the shows we went to weren't sold out and the crowds tended to veer older, as the bulk of Houston's hipsters hadn't discovered the citrusy venue yet. The past couple of times we've visited, however, have clearly indicated a shift in the monument's fanbase. The Orange Show's booking has taken a decidedly more indie turn, and with it the clothes have gotten more confusing and the dance parties more rambunctious. Thursday, April 16th was a perfect indication of this new shift, as Baltimore-based interactive electro man Dan Deacon brought his energetic mash-up fun to the orange-flavored pseudo-circus. Along for the ride were openers Future Islands, Teeth Mountain and B L A C K I E.

Check out photos and videos from the event after the jump

Our SXSW week continued on Tuesday March 17th with an anti-St. Patty's Day party featuring dreamy synth-pop group Beach House and native Houstonian (via Baltimore) Jana Hunter at the Orange Show. We made it to the venue right in the middle of Hunter's opening set. While her look could be termed serial killer chic, her music reminded me most of early Velvet Underground and Nico only with a tad more heroin in their system. It was a nice warm-up for the forthcoming Beach House set, but I didn't catch enough of her performance to warrant much of a review.

Beach House soon took the stage, as time was running short on Houston's ten o'clock noise curfew. They didn't waste any time filling the unique venue with their layered instrumentation and vocal work. Though original members Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally write and record as a duo, they brought an additional player to fill in the voids in drums and percussion. Their sound was all original, but at times reminded me of early My Morning Jacket and Cat Power, especially Legrand's vocal work on songs like "Apple Orchard," "Gila" and "Beach House." We were only there for a little over an hour, but it was still a great experience, heightened by the amazing surroundings of the odd little venue. If you've never been to the Orange Show to catch a concert or just explore, my advice would be to check it out as soon as possible.

View a bunch of photos and a video from the show after the jump

Beach House

After our last several attempts to see live music at the Orange Show were thwarted by inclement weather, Eggs and I were rarin' to pay another visit to Houston's best tribute to citrus. Though the skies were cloudy on Thursday, October 16, the rain managed to keep away long enough for us to take in Mucca Pazza, Baby Dee and Benjamin Wesley.

Read more about the night after the jump

Man, the Orange Show just can't catch any breaks with the weather. Xiu Xiu and Thao Nguyen with the Get Down Stay Down were supposed to play there back in April, but it got rained out. Xiu Xiu was rescheduled for August, but that show was moved to the Mink due to inclement weather. Then the Silver Jews' September show had to be moved due to inclement weather/post-Ike aftermath. Now Mucca Pazza and Baby Dee are slated to perform at the citrusy monument tomorrow, but the forecast is not looking favorable. I keep singing the Orange Show's praises to anyone who will listen - it really is the most unique place to see a concert in Houston. But it simply is not a venue that's equipped to handle rain. Eggs and I have been looking forward to seeing Mucca Pazza there since the show was announced, so please help out by doing anti-rain dances or whatever hoodoo voodoo you've got up your sleeve!

Read more about Mucca Pazza after the jump

Update: The venue for the Xiu Xiu show has been changed due to impending storms. The show will now take place at The Mink/Backroom instead of the Orange Show.

We thoroughly enjoyed the two shows (Dengue Fever and Extra Golden) we've caught at the incomparable Orange Show thus far, so we've been looking forward to their next event ever since it was first announced. The wait is finally (almost) over: San Francisco's Xiu Xiu will grace the monument with their experimental indie stylings on Thursday, August 21. Xiu Xiu were originally scheduled to play the Orange Show back in April, but inclement weather forced the cancellation of the performance. The band was kind enough to agree to swing back through Houston to cash in their rain check, and we couldn't be more appreciative. (Unless, that is, Thao Nguyen with the Get Down Stay Down were coming along to make up their performance as well. What is it they say about gift horses?)

View the press release and more info after the jump

On Saturday, July 14, the Orange Show invited guests to relax amid the monument's citrusy wackiness and soak up the benga indie rock stylings of Extra Golden. This performance was the latest in the Orange Show's excellent series spotlighting musical performers from an array of backgrounds.

Review, photos, and video after the jump

The most unique venue in Houston, the Orange Show, will be presenting another live music event this Saturday, June 14. Kenyan-American tropical indie rock band Extra Golden will be adding their energetic blend of rock and benga music to the already surreal atmosphere that surrounds this folk art monument. The band even has the Obama stamp of approval: his office helped them obtain the visas necessary to make their American concert debut. Obama-sistible!

Follow the jump for the press release and more info

Friday night's show featuring Xiu Xiu with opening act Thao Nguyen and The Get Down Stay Down at the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art quickly became priority numero uno after our first soirée there the other night. This time around we plan to learn more about this very odd, very unique establishment before the show, and then get a good picture taking spot during the show for everybody's future viewing pleasure.

Check out the press release after the jump to learn more about the show

On Saturday, March 29 Dengue Fever played for a sold-out audience at the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art in Houston. Both the venue and the band itself created a surreal experience for all those who attended. If you've not visited the Orange Show before, I encourage you to do so - you won't find anything like it anywhere else. It looks like a playground/amusement park on crack...and I mean that in the best way possible. The building is constructed of found materials, and the maze-like interior forces you to explore the bountiful treasures within. It's a masterpiece best experienced in person, so head on over to see for yourself!

LA-based Dengue Fever certainly did their part in contributing to the atmosphere that night. They play indie-pop/rock with a twist: the lead vocalist is Cambodian, and she sings primarily in Khmer. The result is compelling, distinctive world music - and an incredibly diverse fanbase. Saturday's show brought out a multi-generational, multi-ethnic crowd, and all seemed to enjoy the performance as much as Eggs and I did. We look forward to seeing more of both the Orange Show and Dengue Fever.

Check out some of our pictures and videos from the show after the jump!