I grew up in town called Hull. Hull was bombed flat during the war, not because it was of any particular strategic importance, but because it was the last population center on the German planes’ route home, a suitable place to lighten their load by dumping any remaining bombs before starting back across the North Sea.

I remembered this when I noticed that three bands I would not have expected to see play in Houston have announced shows in the three days before the Austin City Limits festival in October, the Shins and M83 on Wednesday night, and Gotye at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (are they really that big of a draw?) on the Thursday.

It’s nice to have an opportunity to experience each band’s full set instead of the abridged 45 minute slot they are allotted at ACL but I can’t help but wish they weren’t obviously coming because they have another show nearby. A couple of years ago I missed the opening day of the festival to go see LCD Sound System at the Verizon Theatre instead, the day before their appearance at ACL. I am very glad I did, it was an awesome show and a real treat to see such an amazing band two days in a row, but it would have been even better if it they had come to town a month before or a month after.

Peter Gabriel is another offender. Apparently the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion was fine for his recent “New Blood Orchestral” outing (no drums, no guitars, plenty of strings), but Houston was not one of the five U.S. cities honored with a scheduled appearance as he tours behind the 25th anniversary of the release of his landmark album So.

“Tchah!” I say to you, struggling to suppress a “fie!”