The 10 Best Concerts of the Week: JMBLYA, Ariel Pink, The Residents and More

Pop star Pink and lo-fi singer songwriter Ariel Pink will make you blush this week with performances at American Airlines Center and Canton Hall, respectively. Catch experimental act The Residents at the Kessler Theater, indie pioneers The Afghan Whigs and Built to Spill's co-headling tour at House of Blues, the Punk in Drublic fest featuring NOFX at Panther Island Pavilion and more.


P!nk
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave., 214-222-3687, americanairlinescenter.com, $47.45-$250

We got our first major look at Pink in 2000 when the husky-voiced pop star released her debut solo album, Can't Take Me Home. But the singer, songwriter, dancer and actress Alecia Moore wasn't content with the cookie-cutter style made popular at the time by the likes of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. After asserting more creative control with her follow-up album, Missundaztood, Pink became synonymous with edgier female performers who inspired her growing up – Madonna, Janis Joplin, 4 Non Blondes and others. Pink's career has spanned seven successful albums, including last year's Beautiful Trauma, which her tour this year is promoting. Diamond Victoria


Rogue Wave
With Business of Dreams, 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, Club Dada, 2720 Elm St., dadadallas.com, $17-$20

California-based Rogue Wave seemed poised to strike it big in the early to mid-aughts. Alongside bands like The Shins, Fruit Bats and Tapes n' Tapes, it made catchy, melodic indie rock that was infectious enough to fill midsize clubs and populate the soundtracks of iPod commercials and dramatic television shows such as The O.C. Alas, like many of the bands from that time, the group never reached the commercial heights gained by some of its contemporaries. However, despite label changes, personnel shuffles and serious health scares, the band has persevered. With seven albums under the belt, Rogue Wave has never really stopped making music in the decade-plus since its heyday. This spring, it’s touring behind the 10th anniversary of its most beloved album, Asleep At Heaven's Gate. On Tuesday night at Dada, it'll perform the album in its entirety and likely include other favorites from the past and present. Come for the nostalgia and catch up on what the band has been up to in the interim, as well. Jeff Strowe


Ariel Pink
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, Canton Hall, 2727 Canton St., cantonhall.com, $30

Shimmery psych-pop singer-songwriter Ariel Pink delivered his 12th album last year, named after and dedicated to Bobby Jameson — an L.A. musician thought dead for 35 years until 2007, when he resurfaced to pen an autobiography. Pink is always thinking outside of the box, and his live shows are a must-see. DV


Vance Joy
7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 3, Verizon Theatre, 1001 Performance Place, Grand Prairie, 972-854-5111, verizontheatre.com, $$25-$45

Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy is stateside for a lengthy spring and summer tour. A hitmaker in his native country, Joy has been making waves in other parts of the world as well, largely buoyed by his single "Fire and the Flood." JS


The Residents
8 p.m. Thursday, May 3, Kessler Theatre, 1230 W. Davis St., thekessler.org, $24 and up

For over 40 years, the Residents have been outsiders, avant-gardists cloaked in anonymity producing some of the most stirring music ever put to tape. Distilling performance art, sound and other multimedia play into a thrilling, chaotic mess, the collective imbues serious art with a much-needed dose of humor. Best known as the dudes wearing giant eyeballs for heads, the Californians hover in the same realm as sonic weirdos like Sun Ra and Captain Beefheart. Rock, jazz, noise, dance, pop — nothing’s off the table when the Residents enter the laboratory, or, ya know, a local music venue. Jonathan Patrick


Built to Spill and The Afghan Whigs
7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 3, House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 214-978-2583, houseofblues.com, $35 and up

The Afghan Whigs and Built to Spill bring their '90s alt-rock nostalgia together for a co-headlining tour this year. The Afghan Whigs, hot off the heels of their latest album, In Spades, recently lost guitarist Dave Rosser. Built to Spill's latest album came out in 2015. Both bands acquired fame in the mid-'90s during the rise of indie music, giving way to bands like Death Cab for Cutie, The National, Interpol and others. DV


JMBLYA
With J. Cole, Migos, Young Thug, Trippie Redd and more, 2 p.m. Friday, May 4, Fair Park, 1438 Coliseum Dr., jmblya.com, $99 and up

JMBLYA belongs to Texas. Sascha Stone, the co-founder of ScoreMore and JMBLYA, made that clear when the Observer spoke to him earlier this year about the festival’s 2018 edition, which takes place Friday at Fair Park. The music festival is set to bring an estimated 25,000 hip-hop fans out for a day of performances from some of the genre’s best, including J. Cole, who just released one of the most anticipated albums of the year; Migos; Young Thug, who replaced Cardi B after canceled all upcoming performances because of her pregnancy; Playboi Carti; Trippie Redd; and Ski Mask The Slump God. On top of the star-studded performances across two stages, the daylong festival provides free water-filling stations to avoid dehydration, food vendors, full bars, shade structures, water slides and more. JMBLYA isn’t just a first-rate festival; it’s a first-rate festival that is unique to Dallas, Austin and Houston and continues to grow each year. It’s an opportunity to be a part of a Texas tradition. Mikel Galicia


Mike Jones
9:30 p.m. Friday, May 4, Curtain Club, 2800 Main St., 214-342-2030, $20

It’s sad to say that nowadays, the once ironic “Who?” that used to follow Mike Jones’ name is less of a rhetorical rap gimmick and more of a legitimate query. But regardless of whether you slept on him or were just too young to remember the rap landscape of 2005, Jones will always be remembered as one of the most entertaining acts to come out of Houston. His iconic, pre-Twitter, brand of self-promotion consisted of loudly shouting his name on other people’s tracks and handing out T-shirts emblazoned with his cellphone number, which oddly enough made Jones an over-night sensation. Club bangers like “Still Tippin’” and “Back Then” sent Jones’ stock even higher as his prophetically titled debut album, Who is Mike Jones?, went platinum in only two months. Lawsuits, rap beefs and disputes with his record label all contributed to the rapid decline of Jones’ career after his initial success. But shows like these aren’t meant dissected and picked apart — they’re time capsules. Take this show for what it is, a fun night with an almost-forgotten rap sensation. Nicholas Bostick


The Texas Gentlemen
with R.C. and the Gritz and Medicine Man Revival, 8 p.m., Saturday, May 5, at Granada Theater,3524 Greenville Avenue, granadatheater.com, $15

The Texas Gentlemen are a Dallas-based rotating group of about 25 studio musicians that play with about five members at a time. They mix honky-tonk with rock 'n' roll and have shared the stage with Kris Kristofferson. Members come from all parts of the country — from Texas to Nashville and New York City — and although they play mainly country-inspired music, most were raised on the Beatles and '60s psych-rock. DV


Punk in Drublic Festival
With NOFX, Bad Religion, Mad Caddies, The Interrupters and The Last Gang, 1 p.m. Sunday, May 6, Panther Island Pavilion, 395 Purcey St., Fort Worth, punkindrublicfest.com, $39.50-$59.50

Named after one of NOFX's best-known albums, this craft beer and punk rock festival is meant for people who still love punk rock but don't go to shows all the time. Headliners NOFX and Bad Religion, both of which remain great live bands, will play with other worthy punk bands. There will be free beer samples of 100 flavors for the first few hours of the festival. This is the one time of the year when outdoor festivals are tolerable in North Texas, so it should be a wonderful day. Eric Grubbs