Acoustic Soul

A popular Downtown concert series goes unplugged to benefit the city’s post-Harvey recovery efforts.

Katya Horner
Us performs during Canned Acoustica at Discovery Green_Photo by Katya Horner
Us performs during Canned Acoustica at Discovery Green_Photo by Katya Horner

As the region continues to operate in recovery mode post-Harvey, there is no shortage of unique ways to donate time, money and resources to a city in need. Perhaps one of the most fun philanthropic experiences is Canned Acoustica, a concert series at Discovery Green.


Curated by veteran concert promoter Mark C. Austin, the monthly event is free and family-friendly, and guests are encouraged to bring canned goods as donations to the Houston Food Bank, which distributed more than 22 million pounds of food, water and supplies in the six weeks after Hurricane Harvey.

It’s actually the second iteration of the series, which debuted in 2010 and went on hiatus in 2012. “I often get asked to bring the series back to life,” says Austin, who challenges local artists like The Suffers and Fat Tony to rearrange songs using only acoustic instruments. The result? Moody and personal performances, distinct and unique to each group. “Discovery Green’s small stage is an ideal setting for these intimate acoustic sets.”

With five or six local bands representing a variety of genres — including rap, metal, indie, Latin, rock and soul — performances during each concert are multi-faceted and vibey. This month, music lovers and do-gooders can look forward to performances by pop-punk-rockers 30footFALL, female duo Say Girl Say, metal act Dead to the World, The Voice alum Stephanie Rice, and rising-star four-piece band Mind Shrine. The scenic 12-acre park also hosts lawn games and serves bites and beverages from The Grove during the concert — and all for a small “can”tribution.

Wellness+Giving Back
Thrive & Inspire: Creating ’Something Bigger Than Ourselves’ Drives Gooch and Pappas of RYDE

Ashley Gooch and Andrew Pappas, Co-Founders

WHAT INSPIRES YOU as you grow RYDE? The RYDE community and our team inspire us every day. The goal from the start was to create something that is bigger than ourselves — our community is just that. We want to push the limits of what a fitness experience can be. Our new Heights studio is a testament to that commitment, offering a high-energy indoor cycling experience in a stunning space. RYDE Heights opens in April, exactly eight years after our first location opened on West Gray in River Oaks.

Keep Reading Show less

Casey Axelrod, Stacey White, Christy Robinson, Laura Lewis and Mia Oliva

PETE BELL'S COTTON Holdings company, known for never doing anything halfway when it comes to parties, celebrated the return of the of the A&M-UT football game after a 13-year hiatus with the most lavish tailgating more gridiron fans have ever seen.

Keep Reading Show less
Style+Culture

David Cordua

FOODIES WITH BIG hearts were in heaven at the annual Signature Chefs restaurants expo and fundraising dinner benefitting the March of Dimes. Held at The Revaire and chaired by Kristen J. Cannon and Mignon Gill, the event took in some $425,000 in support of healthier mothers and children.

Keep Reading Show less