I have said before that hating Journey is one of the things that definitively made me who I am today. The same could easily be said about Asia. They had less presence in my consciousness, but they were still really sucky in the same way: big, soulless, rockless rock that left me feeling suffocated and sad and drove me running and screaming into the welcoming arms of punk. I suppose in some ways I should be thankful, but I am mostly just annoyed. The icing on the cake is that writing this short piece about them has put "Heat of the Moment" in my head, and I have no doubt it will take up at least a week-long residence there, bringing me to the brink of insanity. Thanks, Asia! The four original members of Asia perform 8 p.m. Sunday at the House of Blues. Tickets are $35 to $55. Call 214-373-8000 or visit ticketmaster.com.
Sun., April 27, 8 p.m., 2008