WHEN HOUSTON HAD THE BLUES: Celebrating Bayou City’s Blues Music and Culture

Arthouse Houston, Houston Blues Society and KTSU, proudly co-present, WHEN HOUSTON HAD THE BLUES: Celebrating Bayou City’s Blues Music and Culture, taking place at the historic DeLUXE Theater on Feb. 18th, 2026.

WHEN HOUSTON HAD THE BLUES is a documentary film focused on the rich, but sadly unheralded, spawning ground of great Black music. No other city can claim giants such as Lightnin' Hopkins, Big Mama Thornton, Clifton Chenier, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Albert King, Freddie King, and Albert Collins, plus great (pre-Motown) Black-owned labels like Duke and Peacock. With new interviews featuring Billy Gibbons, CJ Chenier, Marcia Ball, Augie Meyers, Grady Gaines, and many others.

The night starts with live music by local Blues and Zydeco musician B. Cole, followed by the film WHEN HOUSTON HAD THE BLUES, and ending with a Q&A panel with Houston Blues experts Roger Wood, Rod Evans, Nuri Nuri, and musician Larry Fulcher. There will be drinks, popcorn and concessions available in the lobby and beer courtesy of Saint Arnold Brewery.

House Opens and Live Music: 6:30PM

Film Plays: 7:30PM

PROUDLY CO-PRESENTED BY:

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When Houston Had the Blues focuses on the rich, but sadly unheralded, spawning ground of great Black music. No other city can claim giants such as Lightnin' Hopkins, Big Mama Thornton, Clifton Chenier, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Albert King, Freddie King, and Albert Collins, plus great (pre-Motown) Black-owned labels like Duke and Peacock.

Wes & Rick's Pix | THREE COLORS: BLUE

Arthouse Houston is proud to present Wes Anderson’s next pick, Krzysztof Kieślowski’s THREE COLORS: BLUE (1993), as the next installment in our “Wes & Rick’s Pix” film series. The film was selected by Wes Anderson for this series because it was one of the most impactful films he watched at the River Oaks Theatre and he wants us all to see it on the big screen and in community.

Doors open at 6:20 PM. Arrive early for dinner and drinks from the River Oaks Theatre menu. Enjoy a pre-film performance by Loop38 musician Chelsea Desouza and a personal film intro made and sent by Wes Anderson just for this audience, followed by the feature film at 7:00 PM.

General admission tickets are $20, and Arthouse Houston Cinephile Members can reserve up to two (2) free member tickets here.

About Wes & Rick’s Pix: A series celebrating the cinematic influences of acclaimed Texan filmmakers Wes Anderson and Richard Linklater, both of whom spent their formative years watching films at the historic River Oaks Theatre in Houston. The films in this series are hand-selected by Wes Anderson and Rick Linklater.

In the devastating first film of the Three Colors trilogy, Juliette Binoche gives a tour de force performance as Julie, a woman reeling from the tragic death of her husband and young daughter. But Blue is more than just a blistering study of grief; it’s also a tale of liberation, as Julie attempts to free herself from the past while confronting truths about the life of her late husband, a composer. Shot in sapphire tones by Sławomir Idziak, and set to an extraordinary operatic score by Zbigniew Preisner, Blue is an overwhelming sensory experience.

Wes & Rick's Pix | THREE COLORS: BLUE - Cinephile Tickets

Arthouse Houston is proud to present Wes Anderson’s next pick, Krzysztof Kieślowski’s THREE COLORS: BLUE (1993), as the next installment in our “Wes & Rick’s Pix” film series. The film was selected by Wes Anderson for this series because it was one of the most impactful films he watched at the River Oaks Theatre and he wants us all to see it on the big screen and in community.

Doors open at 6:20 PM. Arrive early for dinner and drinks from the River Oaks Theatre menu. Enjoy a pre-film performance by Loop38 musician Chelsea Desouza and a video intro made by Wes Anderson just for this audience, followed by the feature film at 7:00 PM.

General admission tickets are $20, and Arthouse Houston Cinephile Members can reserve up to two (2) free member tickets here.

About Wes & Rick’s Pix: A series celebrating the cinematic influences of acclaimed Texan filmmakers Wes Anderson and Richard Linklater, both of whom spent their formative years watching films at the historic River Oaks Theatre in Houston. The films in this series are hand-selected by Wes Anderson and Rick Linklater.

In the devastating first film of the Three Colors trilogy, Juliette Binoche gives a tour de force performance as Julie, a woman reeling from the tragic death of her husband and young daughter. But Blue is more than just a blistering study of grief; it’s also a tale of liberation, as Julie attempts to free herself from the past while confronting truths about the life of her late husband, a composer. Shot in sapphire tones by Sławomir Idziak, and set to an extraordinary operatic score by Zbigniew Preisner, Blue is an overwhelming sensory experience.