Best Coast Tuesday, May 28, at Granada Theater, $24 L.A.'s surf-pop duo Best Coast blew up on everyone's radar in 2010 when they were one of the most blog-worthy bands around after releasing their debut LP Crazy for You. Then, last year they had an equally as powerful follow-up with The Only Place, so we all knew it was only a matter of time before they hit the road again. Maybe I'll try to see them again, since the last time I had the chance it was during 35 Denton's torrential downpour, giving everything an air of misery. Either way, get your tickets early, folks.
Future Wednesday, April 24, at House of Blues, $22.50 If you don't yet know who Atlanta rapper Future is, you will soon. He's released a handful of decent mix-tapes, but most important, he just dropped his second full-length Future Hendrix, which is a follow-up to 2012's stunning debut Pluto. Go check out his track "Neva End," which features a guest appearance from Destiny's child member Kelly Rowland, and you'll get a feel for his stuff.
Fela! Tuesday, May 7 through Sunday, May 19, at AT&T Performing Arts Center, $30-$150 Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday, March 18, for Fela!, a Broadway musical that is the winner of three 2010 Tony Awards, including best choreography. The musical is produced by some of Hollywood's biggest names and hip-hop artists, including Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, and stars former Destiny's Child's member Michelle Williams. I normally don't announce musicals, but this one is so packed with stardom that I couldn't resist. It's also based on the life of Fela Kuti, who created Afrobeat -- a blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm and harmonies -- and mixed the eclectic rhythms with simple but powerful lyrics that openly assailed Nigeria's corrupt and oppressive dictatorships. Hell yeah.
The Octopus Project Saturday, June 1, at Granada Theater, $20-$38 Austin's experimental electro-pop quartet The Octopus Project has been putting out albums since the early aughts but have never quite picked up national steam until a couple of years ago with their album Hexadecagon. As far as I know, they're still riding out the immense buzz and praise from that release, and although nothing has officially been announced, I'm sure they have a trick or two up their sleeves this summer. The group puts as much energy into their visual performance as they do their musical one, with video-projecting equipment and whatnot. Should make for an entertaining show.
Brad Paisley Saturday, July 27, at Gexa Energy Pavilion I don't know enough about Brad Paisley to chat him up, but there is one pretty cool thing he's doing this summer on his "Beat This Summer" tour: partnering with Live Beyond and donating $1 from each ticket sale to provide medical care, clean water, nutritional support and development activities to impoverished communities in Haiti. Fellow country music singer-songwriters Chris Young and Lee Brice will open the show. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 15 .