Adams Avenue Street Fair Opens Submissions

The Adams Avenue Street Fair returns for its 32nd year in Normal Heights and it's time to get your submissions in if you would like your band to be considered for the free festival.

This year's festival will be held on Saturday, September 28, and Sunday, September 29, 2013 and they're now accepting music submissions from now until Monday, July 15.

Please submit an EPK that includes a couple of tracks, photo, and a one paragraph bio to Steve Kader: smkader@cox.net

Or by mail at:

Adams Avenue Business Association
Attn: Adams Avenue Street Fair Music Submissions
4649 Hawley Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92116

That seems easy enough, right? Well, as someone on the music committee that has to sift through all of the entries, here are some tips:

-sending a package with a CD with all of the bands info on the case and on the CD is the best way to get your band heard

-if you choose to send an email, use a CLEAR SUBJECT on your email, i.e. "Adams Avenue Band Submission from (Band Name). These emails are forwarded to several people and will be junk mail if it isn't clear what they're about.

-While Steve accepts MP3 files, his inbox will fill up really fast. A better option is to link to EACH TRACK hosted on SoundCloud, Bandcamp. SonicBids and Reverbnation also work, but the sound is pretty terrible. We pretty much listen through a laptop speaker, so consider that when you submit.

-Submit tracks with a VERY SHORT intro. Imagine a room of 5 or 6 people sifting through 100 or 300 or 500 emails. If your music doesn't catch the ears in the first 30 seconds, it could just be moved aside.

-Be realistic. Does your band belong on a festival stage? Can you draw a crowd? Where have you played before and what was the turnout? Certainly all bands are considered, but we walk into the meeting with "dream lists" of bands we would like to see perform. Budget is set aside for big touring acts to anchor the stages, local bands are paid very modestly to perform as support.

-Have a concise bio. "So and so is a (insert genre) band from San Diego that sound like X, Y, and Z. The # members met at XYZ and have been performing live at venues like A, B, and C, for # years."

-If you are an ACOUSTIC act, send your package in to Steve, but also get in touch with Louis at Lestat's, as he generally handles all acoustic acts.

-Don't email me. This is Steve's baby, I don't know if or how much I'll be involved.

-Include your preferred stage and availability. The stages are rock, world music, acoustic, roots, and blues. If you can only play one day or the other or are limited to daytime or nighttime, say so, though being available anytime on either day will increase your chances of performing.

-The music committee tries not to repeat performers. If you played in 2012, you might not be asked to play in 2013. Try again in 2014.

Things To Do In San Diego: June 14, 2013

I've been holding onto these listings since Tuesday but I've been kinda crazy busy so whatever. I also fear I've got one of those repetitive motion injuries that people get when they overuse a computer without ergonomic seating so it kinda has been killing me to type lately. Hopefully taking a week vacation will help, but before we leave, I've got a bajillion things to share with you so I promise one way or another I'll get some posts up. A little update- after I heard about The Ruby Room closing, I should've chosen better words. Shiloh, my beautiful bearded friend behind the soundboard, will remain at the bar and handle booking. So Sean and Brittni are taking the name with them, but the bar will remain open with regular bookings, art, and all the stuff you've come to expect at that location. It is also the last weekend to dance with MayStar at The Flame. It's closing or restructuring or something. The word on the street is that nobody has heard from the owners in over 6 months.  Anyway, I'll be working merch at the Casbah on Friday and Saturday, so come say hi, otherwise I'll see you when I'm back from Hercules. Friday archives are after the jump.

San Diego Newsy Bits: Ruby Room Shutters, Peter Holslin Splits and other stuff you already read on Facebook

I haven't done newsy bits in some time, and when a friend told me he heard the Ruby Room was closing, I decided I'd just wait to hear from Sean and Brittni, since I've gotten in trouble for prematurely opening my mouth. Today, that announcement came down the pipe:



For Immediate Release

Tuesday June 11, 2013

Thank you, San Diego. Ruby Room Closing Its Doors and Starting New Project

After 5 years, 1500+ shows, 19 parking lot festivals, 3 CityFests, countless art shows, numerous charity events, and several friends and drinks later, The Ruby Room will be closing its doors and changing ownership the week of June 11, 2013. Due to creative and directional differences, operators and half-owners Sean and Brittni Cute are selling their shares of the Hillcrest music venue to their business partner, and taking the name with them. “This isn’t goodbye,” Sean Cute states, “This is reincarnation. The body is still there, but the soul of The Ruby Room is moving on to take new form”.

The Cutes have already starting shopping for new locations for their next project in the San Diego area. “Live music and art is who we are, and you will be sure to find a bigger and better version of this with our new project. The talent in San Diego is vast and we feel so fortunate to be a part of it,” says Brittni.

The Cutes would like to personally thank the community of San Diego, the fabulous neighborhood of Hillcrest, the Hillcrest Business Association, all the artists, musicians, non-profits, promoters, patrons, journalists, friends, neighbors, and staff that have passed through the doors of The Ruby Room. “It takes involvement from everyone to make a creative project of this magnitude happen. This has been an extremely exciting chapter in our life,” adds Sean.

Sean Cute will also be stepping down as Secretary of the Hillcrest Business Association, although he plans to re-join following the opening of the new location. Sean says of Hillcrest: “Giving back to the community that I was a part of even before we opened The Ruby Room is a high priority. Our neighborhood is definitely something special.”

Although owners Sean and Brittni Cute have left, The Ruby Room name will change by mid-July. The new concept will be led by their former business partner, with less of an art and music orientation, and more focus on being a local tavern.

Artists themselves, the Cutes do have a few side projects cooking in the summer months. Sean is currently working on a self-penned book about the experience and exploits of owning a rock venue titled “What The Hell Do I Know”. Brittni will be giving her abstract photography career a resurgence, which has spanned New York, LA, London, and Milan.

In other news, you've all read and heard by now that Peter Holslin has stepped down as music editor of San Diego CityBeat. (In case you missed it, David Rolland wrote a nice bit about it here.) I just wanted to add that San Diego: Dialed In has always appreciated all of the great pieces Peter has written and we have been inspired by San Diego CityBeat through the years, and we look forward to working alongside Jeff Terich covering this great music scene.

In little news, the Black Cat recently got an upgraded license. I believe the new license allows them to have one mic, though I've already seen bands like Trailduster and others in the location. I would venture to guess you might see karaoke or some of the quieter bands on the scene who will really only bring positive traffic to the neighborhood. (Black Cat is in City Heights, at University between 42nd and Van Dyke, just east of the 15.) Keep an eye out in our listings for shows. I'll post them whenever I can find them.

There were other things I meant to tell you...like 4th&B is supposedly going to reopen...but right now the building looks like shit so I'll believe it when I see it. (CityBeat posted the story at the beginning of May). There's other stuff I'm supposed to tell you, like Adams Avenue submissions can be sent in to the Adams Avenue Business Association and that San Diego Music Thing has started to announce acts, but I'll give you full posts on those when I have more time. 

xoxo

Things To Do In San Diego: June 11-13, 2013

Doesn't look like any updates for this week's shows, but I thought I'd repost the listings anyway since they've been a little buried with so much content from all of my awesome contributors. I definitely feel a diary post coming on soon because there's been so much good stuff going on, but that's something I'll have to do on an all-nighter or something so I don't waste away my day. Listings through Thursday are after the jump. 

Tuesday June 11, 2013:

• Bad Veins, Harriet, Grampa Drew @ Casbah
• 91X Loudspeaker Live Presents: The Paragraphs, Subsurfer, Recordable Colors @ The Griffin
• Harriet and the Tubmans, Kahgoo, The Great Okra @ Soda Bar
• JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound, The Grass Heat @ Belly Up
• Magic Brotherhood Presents: Bedlam and Beyond w/ The Young Jerks, DJ Mikey Ratt @ Tin Can
• The Chop Tops, The Strikers @ The Void
• REO Speedwagon @ San Diego County Fair Grandstand Stage
• Dave Davies @ San Diego County Fair Paddock Stage
• Joker's Wild @ San Diego County Fair Rock On Stage
• Local Brews Local Grooves feat. Cult Vegas, La Madness, Julia May and the Pemguins. Two4Flinching @ House of Blues Voodoo Stage
• Vicious Circle, Psychosomatic, Condemned?, Christ Killer @ The Shakedown Bar
• GZA @ Porter's Pub
• Subrosa Union @ Winston's
• Party Planet Karaoke @ Riviera Supper Club
• Jesse Davis @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
• Mike Wofford, Holly Hofmann Quartet @ Croce's
• Train of Thought @ Queen Bee's
• Comedy Night @ Lestat's
• Tomcat Courtney @ La Gran Tapa
• Doug Allen @ The Kraken
• Sweet Deams @ Tiki House
• Friends Chill @ Whistle Stop
• Walter's Chicken Jam @ Patrick's Gaslamp Pub
• 2 Guys Will Move U @ McP's Irish Pub
• 710 Bass Club @ 710 Beach Club
• Karaoke @ Kensington Club

Phoenix Playing San Diego October 10, 2013

Photo by PSquared Photography

Those lovable French rock darlings Phoenix, fronted by Thomas Mars, have booked a return date here in San Diego, La Jolla to be exact. The show is happening at RIMAC Arena on Thursday, Wednesday October 10. This is the final US stop on their tour promoting their recently released album Bankrupt!.Tickets go on sale Thursday June 13 at 10 am PST via Ticketmaster. The link can be found here.

Phoenix

ON SALE               Fri., June 14 at 10:00 AM

SHOW DATES     Oct. 10 at 8:00 PM

TICKET PRICES   $45.00 / $35.00

!!! @ Casbah- 05.29.13

 
!!! made their triumphant return to San Diego to close out the month of May and blew the lid off the Casbah with a killer set of their special brand of psych-dance-punk (emphasis on 'dance').  If you've seen them live before, you know exactly what type of show they put on and this one upped the ante as it was full on Danceparty3000 from start to stop.  More photos after the jump.

Recommended Shows in San Diego June 10-16, 2013

While June gloom has become the favorite weather term in San Diego, the upcoming week of musical events is looking to be on the bright side. A closer look at some shows worth attending is below.

The Steelwells continue their Casbah residency on Monday with some good local openers...

On Tuesday Cincinnati duo Bad Veins headline a great bill with LA band Harriet opening, also at the Casbah...

The Casbah continues to offer great lineups with Desert Noises (UT), The Parson Red Heads (PDX) and Said the Whale (Vancouver) on Wednesday...

On Thursday Okapi Sun and Oh Spirit play the monthly show at MaryJane's Underground at the Hard Rock Hotel...RSVP for the 619 Vodka specials here...head over to the Casbah for frenetic Portland band The Thermals to cap off the night...

Soda Bar is the place to be on Friday for Brooklyn indie rockers Small Black, touring in support of their recently released album Limits of Desire...

The Burning of Rome headline Soda Bar on Saturday...The Greyboy Allstars complete their two night run at the Casbah...

Sunday night (Father's Day) offers a variety of shows...power pop band Free Energy play the Casbah...if garage/punk is more your style then head over to Soda Bar for Ex-Cult...They Might Be Giants headline the Belly Up...

A great week of shows lies ahead, be a part of the live music scene here in San Diego...

Watch a video of Lucky from Said the Whale below.

Photos: 91X Presents: The Unlikely Candidate @Soda Bar

91X presents:

The Unlikely Candidate.

Things To Do In San Diego: June 7-10, 2013

The weekend is already in progress and I couldn't be happier. While Darren's cab gets some work done, I get to enjoy pretty much a 72-hour date weekend with him, minus a few hours tomorrow when I work, which actually kicked off earlier today with a bike ride from North Park to Downtown and around the bay with a stop for clam chowder from The Fish Market. We're about to head to the Belly Up, but I thought I would update the listings just in case you might need them later from your mobile device and since I forgot to add tonight's show at the Ken Club. Also, I was on KPBS yesterday. You can hear my radio interview here or watch the TV interview here (which didn't make the cut for the show, I guess). Friday through Monday archives are after the jump. 

Photos: The Appleseed Cast | The Casbah 5.19.13

The Appleseed Cast at The Casbah.

 See more photos after the jump.

Sandy Parts Festival Set Times

For those heading to Oceanside for the sold out SPF on Saturday, sponsor FM 94.9 has posted the set times. There will be two stages for the event.  Gates open at 3:00.

3:30-4:00- Soda Pants...FM 94.9 Main Stage

4:15-4:45- The Palace Ballroom...Red Bull Tour Bus Stage

5:00-5:45- The Mowgli's...FM 94.9 Main Stage

6:00-6:45- Family of the Year...Red Bull Tour Bus Stage

7:00-7:45- Capital Cities...FM 94.9 Main Stage

8:00-8:45- Youngblood Hawke...Red Bull Tour Bus Stage

9:00-10:00- Matt & Kim...FM 94.9 Main Stage

As always, if you will be consuming alcoholic beverages before, during or after the event, use public transportation or a designated driver...Enjoy the show...

Sunset Sessions Rock! Returns to San Diego

For 16 years, Michele Clark has been hosting Sunset Sessions. The idea was simple- bring new music and sounds to people who can do something with them...radio program directors, film supervisors, advertising agencies and more all have incredible power to break new music. These industry professionals are flown in to attend daytime panels, listening parties, mixers and keynote speakers, and by night are required to attend music showcases. They actually call roll to make sure that the people who have been brought to hear music are actually present to hear it.

Originally, Sunset Sessions targeted the "Triple A" format (radio speak for Adult Album Alternative). A bit of a vague category that countered the easy listening and yacht rock music of the 80's, not quite hard enough to be rock, but not quite fitting into labels like "alt-rock". Often, AAA bands gain a wider audience in Top 40 or Alternative Rock, but sometimes years after they've been nurtured on the AAA format. A few years ago, Sunset Sessions expanded to two events, the new one to focus on the demands of TV and film who wanted a little more edge without having to filter the vast interwebs to find the next big thing, and thus Sunset Session Rock was born.

After hosting the event in Palm Springs last year (and moving the 2013 AAA Sessions to San Francisco), the event is back in San Diego and for the first time ever, the music showcases will be held at the Belly Up with some tickets available to the public. After the industry professionals spend their days at panels, they'll be shuttled to three nights of showcases, two of them hosted by 91X and one hosted by FM 94/9.



I've been fortunate to attend several Sunset Sessions over the years, long before I started a music blog, and every year I've attended I've discovered great new music, met incredibly inspiring professionals and have learned so much about how the wheels of the industry really work.

This year's Sunset Sessions is taking place at The Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa. And while that portion is still open only to select invited industry professionals, it would behoove you to check out some or all of the showcases at the Belly Up.

Thursday:
7PM - 10:30PM: MAIN STAGE * Belly Up Presented by 91X
Cameron Rafati * The Unlikely Candidates * Faulkner *
Semi Precious Weapons * Monster Truck * DJ Skratch N Sniff (between sets)

10:30PM - 11:30PM: LATE NIGHT LOUNGE * Belly Up
FERAL VINCA * Big B

Friday:
7PM - All Night! MAIN STAGE * Belly Up Presented by 94.9
Cheating Daylight * Leogun * Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. * 7Lions *
Redlight King * Heaven's Basement * Michelle Delamor *
Ed Hale & The Transcendence * DJ Skratch N Sniff (between sets)

Saturday:
7:30PM - 11PM: MAIN STAGE * Belly Up Presented by 91X
The Boxer Rebellion * Eve To Adam * ACIDIC * Dig The Kid *
Brand New Machine

11PM - 12AM: LATE NIGHT LOUNGE * Belly Up
Strange Native * D-Strutters

For information, go to www.sunsetsessions.org

Here's me talking it up on KPBS (which will air on Friday during the 6:30 broadcast.

Things To Do In San Diego: June 5-6, 2013

I feel like I haven't written on my own site for awhile- had to do a ceiling to floor cleaning of my pad trying to help my dog overcome her butt chomping, Darren's taxi was out of service over the weekend so we had a blast on a rare weekend off, hitting Tame Impala and Crystal Fighters and Lisa Loeb, and this week we hiked Cowles (my first time ever) and spent the greater part of Tuesday at the Zoo, enjoying the relative calm before it gets crazy for summer. So I've been out and been keeping occupied though it's making me feel somewhat disorganized as we plan a vacation later this month and all the things coming up between now and then. It's all been really good, though I think I'll take the afternoon to catch up with as much as I can. There's a lot going on this weekend-Sunset Sessions, and SPF and San Diego County Fair kicking off plus a lot of work in between. Listings are done through next week (Thanks as always to Jordan and Josh and Jeff) so hopefully you can find some fun ways to spend your time, too. Wednesday and Thursday archives are after the jump. 

Mumford & Sons Traffic Advisory

From Livenation: We have just found out that the 805 is closed near the 905, so please let everyone know that they can get to Sleep Train Amphitheatre via 5 south, exiting MAIN STREET in Chula Vista, and Main Street will take them all the way to the venue.

AVOID THE 805 ENTIRELY! It is backed up to the 8 and beyond.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Things To Do In San Diego June 3-6, 2013

Monday June 3, 2013:

• The Steelwells, Family Wagon, Midnight Pine, The Heart Beat Trail @ Casbah (FREE)
• Mumford & Sons, Michael Kiwanuka, Mystery Jets @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre (Sold Out)
• Miss Erika Davies @ Old Town Theatre 7 pm
• Soda Bar Presents: Ceremony, Blank Realm, Suspect @ Che Cafe
• Jewel (Greatest Hits Tour- solo acoustic), Atz Lee, Steve Poltz @ Humphreys Concerts By the Bay
• The Tin Can Country Club feat. Emily Schrader @ Tin Can
• Metal Monday Presented by Cattle Decapitation and Some Girls @ The Void
• WG & the G-Men @ Patrick's Gaslamp Pub
• Dave Scott & Monsoon Jazz @ Croce's
• The Groove feat. Stellita @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
• Monday Night Mass w/ The Husky Boy All-Stars @ Bar Pink
• Open Mic @ Lestat's
• Electric Waste Band @ Winston's
• Karaoke @ Coyote Bar & Grill
• Modern Day Moonshine @ House of Blues Voodoo Stage
• Monday Night Jams @ 710 Beach Club
• Doug Allen @ The Kraken

Tuesday June 4, 2013:

• Moosejaw, One I Red, Buffalo Picnic, Amigo @ Casbah
• And And And, Sun Angle, Hello Penelope @ Soda Bar
• 91X Loudspeaker Live Presents: XNY, Ocean Hands @ The Griffin
• Soda Bar Presents: Parquet Courts, Shiva Trash, Nostalgic People @ Che Cafe
• Chris Lindgren Tribute: Second Generation, DJ Tadd Samuelson, DJ Diana Shayegan @ Belly Up
• Deep Sea Thunderbeast, Brick Mower, Cash Crop @ Tin Can
• Scott Weiland @ House of Blues
• Local Brews Local Grooves feat. Sister Speak and friends @ House of Blues Voodoo Stage
• Party Planet Karaoke @ Riviera Supper Club
• Christan Hastings Band @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
• Tripp Sprague @ Croce's
• Tiki Tuesday feat. Adrian Demain's Exoticatronica @ Bar Pink
• Walter's Chicken Jam @ Patrick's Gaslamp Pub
• Friends Chill @ Whistle Stop
• Psydecar @ Winston's
• Train of Thought @ Queen Bee's
• Comedy Night @ Lestat's
• Tomcat Courtney @ La Gran Tapa
• Doug Allen @ The Kraken
• Sweet Deams @ Tiki House
• 710 Bass Club @ 710 Beach Club
• Gene Warren @ McP's Irish Pub
• Karaoke @ Kensington Club

Wednesday June 5, 2013:

• Generationals, Young Empires @ Casbah
• 91X Presents: The Unlikely Candidates, Carousel, The Sinclairs @ Soda Bar
• Walter Trout, Blitz Bros @ Belly Up
• Trails and Ways, Bad Suns, Marco Polo @ The Griffin
• Suburban Campers, El Toro de la Muerte, The Paper Thins @ Tin Can
• Godwana, El Dulce Lobo @ House of Blues
• Cut Hands, Black Rain @ The Void
• Dan Gindling, Jimmy Lunsford @ Lestat's
• Swimm @ The Saloon (Encinitas)
• Full of Hell, My Iron Lung, Globe & beast, Haruka @ Che Cafe
• The Tighten Ups @ El Dorado
• BLUSD Presents Jammingout the House of Blues @ House of Blues Voodoo Stage
• Open Mic @ Brick By Brick
• SoMo, Nick Luebke @ Porter's Pub
• Kice Simko and Friends @ Riviera Supper Club
• Backwater Blues Band @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
• Sue Palmer @ Croce's
• DJ Grandmasta Rats @ Bar Pink
• Future Wednesdays @ Kava Lounge
• Club M.A.W. @ Henry's Pub
• Lady Dottie & The Diamonds @ Gallagher's Irish Pub
• Christopher Dale, Robin Henkel @ Handlery Hotel
• New Best Thing @ Whistle Stop
• Blue Rockit Band @ Patrick's Gaslamp Pub
• Open Mic @ Winston's
• Ron's Trio @ McP's Irish Pub
• Firehouse Swing Night @ Queen Bee's
• Wild Nite @ Coyote Bar & Grill
• Open Mic @ 710 Beach Club

Thursday June 6, 2013:

• Cayucas, JBM @ Casbah
• Wayne Hancock, The Screamin Yeehaws @ Soda Bar
• Grace Potter & The Nocturnals @ Humphrey's Concerts By the Bay
• Sunset Sessions Presented by 91X @ Belly Up
• Polynesian Underground Presents: Inna Vision, Hi Roots @ The Griffin
• Bruisecaster, The Vaginals, Invisible Path @ Tin Can
• Chris Velan, Mississippi Gann Brewer, PI jacobs @ Lestat's
• Club Mercy Presents: YG @ House of Blues
• Moonlight Serenade Orchestra @ Crystal Ballroom (414 N. Magnolia, El Cajon)
• Turn Up w/ DJ Artistic @ Bar Pink
• In The Cut @ El Dorado
• The Matadors, The Butchery Boys, tba @ The Shakedown Bar
• Jamie Laval, Max Newman @ Dizzy's
• Cult Vegas @ Riviera Supper Club
• SoulJazz @ Croce's
• Miki Vale, Jon Black, Tramlife, Amanda Mercedes, XIV @ Kava Lounge
• Slabratory Clothing Presents: Authoruty Zero, Hoist the Colors, Versus the World, Implants @ Brick By Brick
• Michelle Lundeen@ Humphrey's Backstage Live
• EDM w/ Ummet Ozcan @ Fluxx
• Kayla Hope @ Tiki House
• Too Rude for Sunday @ Coyote Bar & Grill
• Missy Andersen @ The Marble Room
• Bumping Uglies @ Boar Cross'n
• Timelines @ Whistle Stop
• Mystique Element of Soul @ Patrick's Gaslamp Pub
• 3rd Borough, The Red Fox Tails @ Winston's
• Beyond I Sight, DJ Reefah, TRC Soundsystem @ Gallagher's Irish Pub
• Big City Shaman @ McP's Irish Pub

Del Mar Racetrack 4 O'Clock Fridays/Summer Concert Series

The Yeah Yeah Yeah's Karen O
courtesy of Dana Yavin

With the opening of the annual San Diego County Fair next week, I thought it would be worthwhile mentioning the music events happening throughout the fair and racetrack season. The family oriented fair offers a variety of entertainers on several stages, the link to all the events can be found here. The San Diego County Fair runs from June 8 through July 4 (closed Mondays except July 1).

The popular 4 O'Clock Fridays offers 10 concerts this summer, happening at the Seaside Stage during race season. George Varga's UT preview can be found here. Suffice to say, a potpourri of artists with local favorites Pinback, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fitz and the Tantrums to name a few. Admission is included with racetrack entrance prior to the start of the day's final race. Parking at the Solana Beach train station (free) and catching a bus (also free) to the track are highly recommended.

Things To Do In San Diego: June 1-6, 2013

This week was a little bit crazy, so I didn't really get a chance to add all the little extras to the listings, but I think I got most of them now. I'm really looking forward to lots of good stuff today, tonight, and tomorrow and am kinda geeking out that I'll be selling merch for Lisa Loeb on Sunday. If you've never had a chance to see her live, you should definitely head to the Casbah and you'll quickly discover that her catalog is a lot more extensive than just "Stay".  Listings through Thursday are after the jump.

Saturday,  June 1, 2013:

• ART AROUND ADAMS @ Various Venues, Normal Heights & Kensington, Free, 2-10pm
• Fiesta Del Sol feat. Greyboy Allstars and more @ Fletcher Cove (Solana Beach)
• Crystal Fighters, Alpine, Pruitt Igoe @ Casbah (SOLD OUT)
• Imagine Dragons, Nico Vega, , X Ambassadors @ Open Air Theatre, SDSU (SOLD OUT)
• Casbah Presents: Bunny Gang (Nathan Maxwell of Flogging Molly), Todo Mundo, Happy Campers @ Soda Bar
• The Heavy Guilt, Hills Like Elephants, We Are The West @ Winston's
• Psychedelic Furs, My Jerusalem @ Belly Up (SOLD OUT)
• Sunny Rude, The Stircrazies & 80 Proof @ 710 Beach Club
• Vamonos! @ Bar Pink
• Imagine Dragons (DJ Set) feat. Dan Reynolds @ Voyeur
• The Palace Ballroom, The Beautiful View, Bullet & Snowfox, Rob Bondurant @ The Griffin
• FIDLAR, Death Hymn #9, The Frights, Tan Sister Radio @ Ché Café (SOLD OUT)
• Lady Zep, Jane's Diction, Dayavaad @ Brick By Brick
• Dre Cat x Cali King James Flo Dizza Slayedbacc Elevated Co. Franki Dekker @ Epicentre
• Sid Vicious + Rico DeLargo @ Fluxx
• First Friday Club (2:00), Rising Star (9:00) @ Humphrey's Backstage
• Anne McCue, Lisa Sanders @ Lestat's
• Luicidal, The Hula-Guns, The Nite Crawlers, Chia King, The Entities @ Ramona MainStage
• Elektrofied Variety Art and Music Showcase @ Ruby Room
• Aim to Kill, Vanguard, Dark Matter, Terminal Velocity, Fatal Disease, Exception, Psychophobia @ Soma
• ELEV8 & EGOTRIP presents Nico Luminous @ Spin
• The Natives, Gentlemen of Verona (Belgium), The Pheasants @ Tin Can
• Left4Dead @ Tio Leo's
• Elvia and the Fellas @ V Lounge
• Caliber @ Dreamcatcher
• Cat500, Protect Me, Infinity Dots w/ DJ Rene Hell & Purple Image (Sun Araw) @ The Void
• School of Rock Presents: Big 4 (3:00) @ Sunset Temple
• School of Rock Presents: The Pixies (7:00) @ Sunset Temple

Things To Do In San Diego: May 31,2013

Holy shit! This week has been amazing and it only continues through the weekend. There are so many great bands to see this weekend that I'm actually stressing about how to see all of them. I'll fill you in on my diary soon, but most likely you just care about the shows anyway, so here's the weekend laid out in front of you. Friday Archives after the jump.  

Things To Do In San Diego: May 28-30, 2013

It certainly was a great weekend in San Diego. My weekend started off by winning an iPad Mini and Imagine Dragon tickets from FM 94/9. My phone was barely working, so it was amazing that the last time it properly booted up was 3 minutes after my name was called and I was able to call in from Darren's phone. I'll save the rest of the weekend for a diary post, but I'd like to thank everyone at the Casa Bonita BBQ for not Twitpic-ing me slipping on water by the pool and totally eating it (completely sober, I might add). Lots of good stuff this week though my main concern is taking care of my dog who appears to have ringworm, which means a lot of cleaning and sanitizing and observation. Ugh. If anyone has any recommendations, let me know. Anyway, listings through Thursday are after the jump. 

Tuesday May 28, 2013:

• Mice Parade, The Midnight Pine @ Casbah
• Stained Glass Windows, The Roman Watchdogs, Plastic City Pariah, Diving For Earth @ Soda Bar
• CANCELED!! Mr. Vegas, Los Rakas, DJ Mawkus @ Belly Up
• Jerry Olea and the 805 Drifters, Misc Ailments, Anson @ The Griffin
• Nothing Haunts Me, Quor, Radios Silent @ Tin Can
• Retox, Graf Orlock, Fucking Invincible, Griever @ Che Cafe
• Voz: A Night of Brazilian Music featuring Kamau Kenyatta, Danny Green, Tonga Ross-Mau, Julien Cantelm, Evan Adams, Chris Duvall, Claudia Lyra, Rana Tabrizi and lead vocalist, Tiffany Guerrero, plus special guests @ The Loft, UCSD
• Comedy Night @ Tower Bar
• Local Brews Local Grooves feat. Manifold, Meridian 65, Oh Deer, Lauren Taylor, Johnny Tarr @ House of Blues Voodoo Stage
• Trevor Green @ Winston's
• Starlit's Acoustic BOTB w/ Gayle Skidmore, Chris Carpenter, Happy Ron Hill, Pamela Jean, Jaime Hart, Sean Dough @ 98 Bottles
• Party Planet Karaoke @ Riviera Supper Club
• Bill Magee @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
• Mike Wofford/Holly Hofmann Quartet @ Croce's
• Tori Roze Presents: Ruby Tuesday feat. Todo Mundo, AfroJazziacs, Restoration One @ Ruby Room
• Tiki Tuesday feat. Mr. Craig Prior @ Bar Pink
• Train of Thought @ Queen Bee's
• Comedy Night @ Lestat's
• Tomcat Courtney @ La Gran Tapa
• Doug Allen @ The Kraken
• Drew Butcher @ Tiki House
• 710 Bass Club @ 710 Beach Club
• Karaoke @ Kensington Club
• Friends Chill @ Whistle Stop
• Walter's Chicken Jam @ Patrick's Gaslamp Pub

Show Preview: Crystal Fighters @ Casbah Saturday June 1, 2013 (SOLD OUT)

Spanish band Crystal Fighters recently released their sophomore effort Cave Rave. They have been categorized as an alternative dance, folktronica, synth pop band. Suffice to say, the music has not always been an easy listen, but their live shows are always interesting, to say the least. Their first US show playing songs from the new album is happening this Saturday at the Casbah. Many elements have been part of their live performance, such as heavy beats, synths with vocals reminiscent of an indie opera. It has been three years since Crystal Fighters released their first album, Star of Love. This album is somewhat of a difficult listen, with good songs mixed with songs that are somewhat chaotic. When I heard Cave Rave for the first time, I initially did a double take to see if it was indeed the same band. The band have simplified things, the songs are quite structured and melodic. I guess this becomes clear: when Crystal Fighters let their talent become the focal point of the music, rather than trying too hard, the results are impressive. This is a band that is truly finding its way in the overcrowded musical landscape. Catch them showcasing their new songs at the iconic Middletown venue this Saturday.

Alpine set the stage.

Watch a video of You and I below.

Opening Today: San Diego Zoo Australian Outback

If you've been paying attention lately, you know that I spend a lot of time at the San Diego Zoo. For the price of annual membership ($114 for dual membership), I have been taking full advantage with nearly weekly visits to the park. Whether you want to see the animals, get a quick jaunt on the Skyfari, have a picnic in the Fern Canyon, or watch a kid (like Zane) master the art of walking on all of the varying terrains at the park, it has to be one of the best deals in town if you make it worth your while to visit frequently.

Today, Friday, May 24, the San Diego Zoo opens the brand new Conrad Prebys Australian Outback. For months, the upper mesa (formerly the elephant mesa) has been blocked with green meshed fences, but today is the grand opening, and I happened to be hovering around yesterday just to take some photos of the parts that I could see. Once upon a time I was invited to opening parties for events like this, but I suppose everyone is a blogger these days so parties are reserved for those who donate the big bucks. No matter, I'm sure over the weekend the Zoo will be nuts to butts, but I'll be there again soon enough to enjoy the park on a weekday with minimal crowds. See the full press release and more photos after the jump.

Things To Do In San Diego: May 24-27, 2013

Oh, my goodness! What a great week it has been in San Diego! The weather has been perfect which means that I've spent more time babysitting and hanging out at the San Diego Zoo and several parks than I have at bars and shows. Still, the Casbah rocked last night and there are so many rad shows this weekend that I will be seeing that even if I'm not delivering photos and video, you know I'll just be there rocking it out. There are some things you should know: the Casbah is giving out tickets and meet&greet passes for Fiction Family on Monday via Facebook and Twitter, the Casbah presents shows at the Belly Up are all selling swiftly and will all sell out before show dates (Little Hurricane 5/31, Chvrches 6/2, Palms 7/10, Peter Murphy 7/28, The Heavy 8/5, Godspeed You! Black Emperor 9/15, Conor Oberst 10/8),  FM 94/9 SPF is almost sold out, and it is Memorial Day weekend so there are going to be DUI checkpoints everywhere. Spend the money for a cab (Darren is working all weekend) or Uber or the bus or whatever. Weekend archives are after the jump. 

Saturday Morning: March Against Monsanto

A strong marketing campaign in the last election meant that Prop 37, the GMO Labeling Law, was defeated in California. Since then, the fight against Monsanto and GMOs has gained more momentum across the country and the world. This Saturday, a March Against Monsanto has been organized with cities across the globe participating. Below are a couple of articles as well as the press release for the local march starting at the Balboa Park Fountain on Saturday morning at 11am.

Monsanto Banned In Several Countries

Stop Monsanto

‘March Against Monsanto’ planned for over 30 countries

March Against Monsanto has announced that on May 25, tens of thousands of activists around the world will “March Against Monsanto.” Currently, marches are being planned on six continents, in 36 countries, totaling events in over 250 cities, and in the US, events are slated to occur simultaneously at 11 a.m. Pacific in 47 states. The San Diego March will be starting at 11am on May 25th at the Balboa Park fountain in front of the Science center.

San Diego March Against Monsanto Facebook event page with details of activities planned.

Read more of the press release after the jump.

Things To Do In San Diego: May 22-23, 2013

I think I've finally recovered from last weekend. The North Park Festival of Arts was awesome but apparently some guera left the house without sunscreen so I've got my first sunburn of 2013. It's been a great week so far, though admittedly it's been absent of any shows. I'll make up for that the rest of the week. Listings are in early this week, so we've got you covered. Wednesday & Thursday archives are after the jump.

Craft Beers to Drink in San Diego: May 23rd, 2013 - Cask for a Cause -

What better way to spend an evening than donating some money to a good cause and being awarded with some finely crafted homebrew? That's exactly what is going on this Thursday night at Local Habit in Hillcrest. My homebrewing buddy, Jeff Crane, is donating a special blended cask of a two year old Sour Belgian Brown Ale and a 14% Imperial Stout cask that should be a beautiful treat to everyone there.

Here is the flyer for the event below:

More info about the event can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/539963516047644/

Or read the details below:

Join the SoCal Chapter of Hope Through Health for “Cask for a Cause,” an evening of community and craft beer to benefit HIV/AIDS initiatives in Togo, West Africa. Philanthropic partner and popular farm-to-table restaurant Local Habit is hosting HTH on this special night, with all proceeds from the cask, raffle and 10% of restaurant sales going directly toward underserved communities living with HIV/AIDS abroad. This fine evening will feature a special donation sour beer on cask, live music from bluegrass band Songs for People (www.wesingsongsforpeople.com), and raffle prizes which feature rare beer and other fantastic goodies!  Jeff Crane has brewed a special cuvee for this event by blending together a 2 yr old Oud Bruin (sour Belgian brown ale) with a 14% Imperial Stout. The end product has a tart cherry aroma with rich dark fruit flavors and a balanced sweet-sour finish. Other specially made local beer will also be available that night, so be sure to come out and try these one-of-a-kind brews!  Learn more about Hope Through Health here: www.hthglobal.org Twitter: www.twitter.com/@hthglobal Facebook: www.facebook.com/hthglobal Cheers, Charles Eck

North Park Festival of Arts: The Craft Beer Block Version

This past Saturday, the historic neighborhood of North Park celebrated its 17th Annual Festival of Arts by closing off University Ave. between 30th Street and 32nd Street to allow vendors, artists, chefs, bands and local craft breweries entertain the masses. If you were out and about on Saturday, you already know that the weather couldn’t have been any better for this festival.

I was fortunate enough to break away from my house and make it to the Craft Beer Block which was located off Ohio Street and University Ave. The Craft Beer Block is a mini-beer festival of sorts where dozens of local craft breweries pour their finest brews for attendees. Local favorites such as Ballast Point, Green Flash, Stone, Mother Earth, Belching Beaver, Hess and Pizza Port were some of the twenty four breweries on hand pouring liquid gold.

Some of my honorable beer mentions include Mother Earth Brewing’s Cinco De Rye-O, a rye pale ale brewed for Toronado’s 5th Anniversary as well as Belching Beaver Brewing’s Beaver Milk Stout. The Cinco De Rye-O was a well balanced pale ale with a beautiful amber hue, plenty of rye maltiness and a hoppy pine finish. The Beaver Milk Stout doesn’t sound like a typical summer ale but it was incredibly smooth, roasty and chocolatey enough to make you feel like you were having some yogurt on a warm summer day.  I would not be surprised if the event was sold out because there were people lined up shoulder to shoulder having their taster cups filled with these delicious brews. With that said, it was great to run into some familiar faces at the festival.

One of those familiar faces was local craft beer artist Rudy Pollorena Jr., also known as Craft Beerd. I met Rudy a couple months ago at another local beer festival and have been following his artwork’s success on Facebook and Instagram since then. Rudy is contributing some very original, creative and fun artwork for the San Diego beer community with his most popular piece being the “SD Beer Matrix” pictured below:

You can find this as well as his other pieces printed on t-shirts, posters, canvas, bamboo and aluminum prints (my favorite) at www.craftbeerd.com. If you’re looking for something to do on Tuesday, May 21st (that is tomorrow) at 5pm, Mr. Craft Beerd himself will be debuting his latest custom piece for local craft beer bar and grill, Fathom Bistro Bait and Tackle on Shelter Island. Click on the link below for the event info:

Craft Beerd Fathom Print Release Party

I was also fortunate enough to talk with one of the owners of Belching Beaver Brewing based out of Vista. These guys are brewing some incredible beers including the Beaver Milk Stout I mentioned earlier. They just recently opened up a tasting room in North Park on 30th Street right next to Crazee Burger so if you hadn’t had a chance to try some of their beers, go check out their tasting room and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of camaraderie, passion and love that people in the craft beer industry share for one another. Attending the Craft Beer Block reminded me once again of these feelings and it really is one hell of an industry to be a part of. With that said, I know I haven’t been posting a whole lot the past few months on here but it is partially because I have been working on a project over the past year that I am proud to share with you today.

My brother and I as well as a talented team of web gurus have been working on a website dedicated to the rising movement of craft beer trading. With over 2,400 craft breweries currently operating in the United States and many more to come, it is becoming more and more common for craft beer drinkers across the country to trade beer amongst each other. These are beers that wouldn’t normally reach different parts of the country because of limiting distribution laws as well as growing demand of breweries working at maximum production, and this is only the tip of the craft beer iceberg. This is where BottleTrade comes in.

We are working day in and day out to bring a website that revolutionizes the beer trading experience for traders across the country. We are not quite ready for primetime, but will be there in the coming months. Until then, check us out at www.bottle-trade.com and get social with on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Did you make it to the North Park Festival of Arts this weekend? Make sure to post your favorite bands, artists and beers in the comments below.

Cheers,

Charles Eck

Pompeya Show Tonight @ Soda Bar Canceled

As posted on Soda Bar's website, Russian band Pompeya have canceled their show tonight, May 20, due to visa problems...those who purchased tickets will be refunded asap...

Recommended Shows in San Diego May 21-26, 2013

May continues to be an impressive month here in San Diego, with many musical options for one's evenings. Some noteworthy shows for the week leading up to the Memorial Day weekend are:

JJAMZ (LA) return for a great night of music on Tuesday at The Griffin...The Presidents of the United States of America headline the Belly Up...

The Casbah offers two shows of note on Wednesday...Twin Shadow plays his biggest local show yet at the Belly Up...If experimental rock is up your alley, Tera Melos headline the Casbah...

Thursday songwriter Mikal Cronin begins his US tour at the Casbah...his sophomore release is impressive...Juliet Commagere (Hello Stranger) makes a rare SD appearance at The Griffin...

On Friday LA buzz band The Mowgli's bring their entourage to The Loft at UCSD...

TV Girl return to Soda Bar on Saturday...Cold War Kids begin their first of two sold out shows at the Belly Up...

Enjoy Sunday before Memorial Day with outdoor activities, a BBQ perhaps, but mostly be thankful we live in the greatest place in the greatest country...

Watch a video of Change from Mikal Cronin below.

May 19, 2013: North Park Festival of Arts Stage Lineups and Set Times

The North Park Festival of Arts is finally here! I'm so excited about my stage performers and also excited to get a chunk of time back in my life. But all the work and meetings and emails and time are totally worth it and I hope everyone comes down to say hi and check out the amazing talent, the great vendors, and all of the unique art. So that you can access the lineups from your mobile devices, I've posted all of the set times after the jump. Also a heads up that there are two whisky tasting events at Seven Grand, the Craft Beer Block (which is going to sell out), and the Beer Garden where the Bar Pink Stage is located. 

Things To Do In San Diego: May 17-21, 2013

It has been an amazing week and I can't wait to share it all in another diary post, but for now I'm just so excited for the weekend ahead. I mean, we are in the glory of outdoor festival time here in San Diego and there's so much fun stuff to do this weekend that it's going to be hard to miss things that are overlapping, but I'm looking forward to jumping on my bike and doing as much as I can. Friday through Tuesday archives are after the jump. 

Rosey's Diary: May 11-17, 2013

I have to say it was a very, very good week. I posted that really long diary post a few days ago, but I'd rather not get so backlogged and since I'm awake and somewhat alert and avoiding my inbox, I feel like sharing.

I feel like my vocabulary is so limited these days. Amazing and epic and great and beautiful and exciting seem to be so overused in my posts lately, but when I think about how I was a year ago, dealing with my eviction and moving, I was a total mess, completely depressed, and living in a constant state of anxiety. I was binge-living. Binge eating and binge drinking and binge sleeping and binge working. It wasn't pretty. Since then, work fell into a better place with a Casbah promotion, regular site sponsorships, and it turned out that my eviction was a total bonus because I'm so much happier in my current location than I was in Kensington. And of course, Darren. There's something pretty amazing about meeting someone who is my partner in every way- supportive and kind and loving and funny and smart and an incredible dad and generous boyfriend and no offense to anyone who came before, but this love is completely unprecedented in my life. After 8 months, none of the glow has worn off. Read the post after the jump.

Things To Do In San Diego Thursday May 16, 2013

Thursday May 16, 2013:

• Baby Alpaca, Okapi Sun, Church Hustlers @ Casbah
• Sons of Fathers, Deadly Birds, The Grass Heat @ Soda Bar
• Beer Fest w/ Oliver Trolley, DJ Man Cat @ Belly Up
• Purple/Image (Sun Araw), Lake Reflector (Memorial, Ghost Shores), Light Light @ The Void (free)
• Space Camp and Wallflower Food Present: Kisses, Island Boy, Colourvision @ The Griffin
• Amerikan Bear, Shake before Us @ MaryJanes Underground Hard Rock Hotel
• The Dark Side w/ Western Scene, Jackson Price, Lucky & Wild, DJ Sean Guthery, Cam Ron @ El Dorado
• Brooke Nicole Telarico, Jerry Olea and the 805 Drifters @ Lestat's
• Idyll Wild,, Callow, Gift Machine @ Tin Can
• Noelia @ House of Blues
• Tom Rush @ AMSD Concerts
• Moonlight Serenade Orchestra @ Crystal Ballroom (414 N. Magnolia, El Cajon)
• RIP Entertainment Presents @ Ruby Room
• The Soul Fires @ Bar Pink
• Atlantis Rizing and friends @ Winston's
• Gilbert Castellanos and The New Latin Jazz Quintet @ Croce's
• David Borga @ Kava Lounge
• Starlit Presents BOTB w/ Locjaw, Sara Groban Band, Tin Star @ Brick By Brick
• Cult Vegas, Astra Kelly @ Go Lounge
• Tritons for Israell Presents: Israels 65th Birthday @ Porter's Pub
• Blue Sound @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
• Blast Unit Moscow, tba @ The Shakedown Bar
• EDM w/ David Solano @ Fluxx
• LED Presents: Bro Safari @ Voyeur
• Kayla Hope @ Tiki House
• Danny Langdon Band @ Coyote Bar & Grill
• Lyrical Skoolyard @ Boar Cross'n
• Piracy Conspiracy, DJ Reefah @ Gallagher's Irish Pub
• Johnny Vernazza @ Patrick's Gaslamp Pub
• 321 Stereo @ Second Wind Navajo
• Club 710 @ 710 Beach Club

Show Preview: The Appleseed Cast, Hospital Ships @ Casbah Sunday May 19, 2013

The Appleseed Cast

The last place indie bands might reside is Lawrence, Kansas. A smallish university community is indeed home base for the two bands playing the Casbah this Sunday. They are veteran band The Appleseed Cast and relative newcomers Hospital Ships. Both bands share the same label, Graveface Records. The Appleseed Cast moved from LA to their current home in 1999. Many lineup changes have occurred within the band, with lead guitarist and founder Christopher Crisci being the lone remaining original member. Their eighth album, Illumination Rituals, was recently released on April 23. Many have described the band as emo or post rock. I would lean toward the latter, as many of the songs tend to feature drawn out guitar riffs, with little emphasis on vocals. Make no mistake, this a blue collar indie rock band, unafraid to play their brand of music to those who either know their style or still desire to discover them. A recent van accident destroyed much of the band's gear (thankfully nobody was injured).

Hospital Ships formed in 2007 as a solo project for Jordan Geiger, who previously played keyboards during a brief period for The Appleseed Cast. Their sophomore release, Lonely Twin (2007), features a melodic combination of guitar, keyboards, drums, and vocals that gel quite nicely. Their third album, Destruction in Yr Soul, is due to be released in June. Guitarist Taylor Hollenbeck will be doing double duty for both bands.

Cap off the upcoming weekend with great music at the iconic Middletown venue. Tickets can be purchased here.

Watch a video of Servants, from Hospital Ships, from their yet to be released album, below.

San Diego Celebrates National Bike Month: Silent Ride, Bike To Work Day, Mini-CicloSDias,

This month is National Bike Month and there have been and continue to be several bike-related events and such going on. There are great resources in San Diego for all kinds of biking information, including Bike San Diego and San Diego County Bike Coalition. There  was also a ride in conjunction with San Diego River Days which continues through next weekend.



Tonight, join the 10 mile SILENT RIDE. This is a national event that started in Dallas, but this will be the first one in San Diego. The ride is in honor of cyclists who have been injured or killed while cycling. We will be riding in honor of Barry Whittaker, Darren's father, who was killed by a motorist while cycling in Northern California in 2009. Here's the information from the Bike Coalition:

All people who ride bicycles are invited to join the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition on Wednesday, May 15 at 7 p.m. for a ride to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured and raise awareness that all people have a right to safe accommodation on San Diego's roads. The Ride of Silence is free, starts at the South Clairemont Rec Center and open to cyclists of all ages and abilities. Participants are asked to ride no faster than 12 mph, wear helmets, bring lights, follow the rules of the road and remain silent during the ride.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 15, 2013, 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: South Clairemont Recreation Center
3605 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117

Friday is National BIKE TO WORK day. You can REGISTER and get all of the information here,  Obviously registration isn't required, but it sends a message to our politicians and community that there are a lot of people who would ride bikes if facilities were safer, more convenient, and incentivized.

Finally, Sunday you can get ready for the big CicloSDias (August 11, 2013) with a Mini-CicloSDias at Marston Point Loop on the Southwest side of Balboa Park on Sunday, May 19. These are free and open to all levels of riders from 10am-4pm. Maybe you can hang out for a while, then ride down to Little Italy for Festa Siciliana which happens all day from 10am-6pm.

If you don't have a bike and are in the market for one, or you'd like to rent a good road, city, or mountain bike, go visit Mo down at San Diego Bike Shop or reserve a bike online and he'll take good care of you. Not to knock beach cruisers, but at most rental shops, that's what you're gonna get, and they're pretty laborious to ride if the road is anything other than flat. That's where my Biria came from, as well as my awesome lights and basket. Tell him @sddialedin sent you!\

I'll be adding a bike resource page up next to the music resources to this site in a couple weeks, so if you have good resources, feel free to send them my way. Also, if you didn't check out last week's 2013 Summer Guide from SD CityBeat, you can see plenty of bike stuff to do there, too.

Tonight: Living North Park Launch Party

A few weeks ago, I did a little roundup of newsy bits wherein I mentioned that my dear friends Kristian & Pat and their company, MySMN, created a new site for North Park called Living North Park. Tonight, they're celebrating the launch of that endeavor at URBN North Park. You can find the Facebook event listing here. It open to all from 8-11pm and they'll have food and drink specials as well as raffle prizes. It should be a nice pre-gathering for the North Park Festival of Arts happening on Saturday. Meet your friends, neighbors and business owners in the community over some tasty pizza and beer. Be there or be L7.



Incidentally, there's a Pre-Festival of the Arts Mixer at LiveWire from 5-8pm for festival participants. Not really sure if that means vendors or performers because I'm the main stage producer and didn't know about it, but whatever. Sounds like a good time if I didn't have other plans.

Things To Do In San Diego: May 14-15, 2013

As I mentioned in my diary post, the past three days have been absolutely amazing, so I'll save all of that for another post and just remind you how lucky you are to live in San Diego. There is so much awesome in this city and you should take advantage that even if you're cash strapped, you can still get out to free events, parks, and beaches. You can also enjoy free music- like Local Brews Local Grooves every Tuesday at House of Blues or catch the Casbah Twitter Tuesday password for free entry.  Here' the listings through Thursday. Weekend listings will come in the next day or two, but all you need to know is that on Saturday we have the FREE North Park Festival of Arts all day long. My stage is on 30th and University, so plan on being there!! Tuesday and Wednesday archives  are after the jump.

Rosey's Diary: March/April/May 2013

It has been nearly three months since I've written a diary post. Jeff recently pointed out to me. He says that it is clear my life has changed, and with it my priorities have shifted. And while that may be true to an extent, between trying to keep up with marketing for the Casbah, writing for SoundDiego, booking the North Park Festival of Arts Main Stage, picking up some babysitting, and still working door or merch at the occasional show, nothing has slowed down except for my posts here. And I'm sorry for that, but I'd rather be out enjoying all that San Diego has to offer and I have a partner who has renewed my love of this city- the shows, yes, but also hole in the wall restaurants, bike rides, parks, and tennis and ping pong and archery and hikes and river cleanups and participating in civic activities. The reality was that I lived this critically unhealthy life of going out pretty much nightly, then I laid in bed all day writing about it. This face hadn't seen much sun, the only exercise this body got was the occasional walk to a bar or show, and I took intermittent naps until it was time to go out and do it all over again.

My daily life has had a major overhaul and I honestly couldn't be happier about that, even if it means less frequent posting here and just quick updates on Facebook and Foursquare and Twitter. Fortunately this site has grown with several contributors who keep you abreast of shows and photos. Still, sometimes I hit writing road blocks and the only way to resolve them is to purge all of my shit out into the ether in a long winded diary post. After the jump, if you dare.

Recommended Shows in San Diego May 13-19, 2013

The middle of May continues with many live music choices here in San Diego. A closer look at the upcoming week reveals some shows worth attending.

On Monday chillwave artist Christopher Dexter Greenspan, aka oOoOO (pronounced oh), brings his act to Soda Bar...Austin rockers Speak headline The Void...

Tuesday is "find a show from the listings and go" day...

Chicago rockers Filligar invade The Griffin on Wednesday...Dead Feather Moon open for a great bill...

Thursday roots/folk rockers Sons of Fathers make their San Diego debut at Soda Bar...Kisses play their sugary pop at The Griffin...

The weekend begins with a great local bands show at the Casbah with The Burning of Rome...say no more...

Head to Soda Bar on Saturday for Seattle based  singer/songwriter Damien Jurado with John Meeks and Matt Curreri lending support...

Cap your weekend on Sunday with indie rockers The Appleseed Cast at the Casbah...a recent accident destroyed much of the band's gear...go show some San Diego support...

This represents only a few of the many live music events; most important is getting out and enhancing your life by watching live music...

Watch a video of Museum of Flight from Damien Jurado below...

Things To Do In San Diego: May 10-13, 2013

I don't know about you, but this was kind of a long week. Super busy but super fun. I've been without a working phone all week, so maybe it feels even longer without immediate contact to everyone I know. Yesterday I even used a pay phone! (Fortunately, there are two in front of the Zoo for tourists)  Anyway, this weekend is gonna be nuts, too. I'm heading to The Observatory with Jeff tonight, and tomorrow there are some great shows, and then back to the family tradition of Gator By The Bay for Mother's Day on Sunday. I'm leaving the listings through the weekend before the jump since I might not have a chance to update. Of course, it's all available in a simple format on your mobile device, too. Have a great weekend!!

Marina & the Diamonds and Charli XCX tonight @ House of Blues

For those of you lucky enough to have tickets to tonights Marina & the Diamonds show with Charli XCX tonight at the House of Blues are in for a treat.  What you may not know is that Marina & the Diamonds and Charli XCX recently collaborated together on a new track.  Here it is to get you in the mood for tonights show, and for people who do not have tickets enjoy the music and buy tickets earlier next time.





Or download the song here

Things To Do In San Diego: May 8-9, 2013

What a crazy world we live in, huh? The news about Tim Lambesis of As I Lay Dying being arrested for allegedly trying to hire a hitman on his wife is shocking, those kidnapped women that were found have been slightly overshadowed by Charles Ramsey, the hilariously awesome neighbor who busted them out, and that Arias trial is supposed to have a verdict today. I guess it is good just to be healthy and chugging along in this crazy world without any major crazy distractions. San Diego has a lot to offer this week so we're giving you the listings a little early so you can plan out your Mother's Day weekend. Wednesday and Thursday archives are after the jump.

Show Preview: Minus the Bear @ UCSD Price Center Ballroom Wednesday May 8, 2013

Seattle five piece indie rockers Minus the Bear will be making their next San Diego appearance this Wednesday on the campus of UCSD. The Band released their fifth full length, Infinity Overhead, on Dangerbird Records last summer. Many have described their sound as math rock with the unexpected time changes. There is a certain precision to the overall effect, with guitar riffs filled with pleasant vocals throughout. Earlier albums focused more on the electronic aspects of their music, so one never quite knows what to expect. What is readily apparent is a band that is always searching to improve and add to their kaleidoscope of sound.

Minus the Bear recently finished a European tour and this headline show is one of only a few on the West Coast. Fans will be treated to a band that has found its stride and is clearly capable of delivering in the live setting. The show will be taking place at Price Center Ballroom West. Tickets can be purchased here.

Watch a video of Steel and Blood below.

Recommended Shows in San Diego May 6-12, 2013

The first full week of May shows no let down in the number of quality musical events right here in sunny San Diego. A closer look reveals the following of note:

New Yorker Laura Stevenson stops at Soda Bar on Monday with her new album Wheel...Field Mouse opens for a great bill...

The Casbah is the place to be on Tuesday for LA indie rockers Bleached and Brooklyn based Ex Cops (SD debut)...both bands recently released their initial full length offerings...

Head to UCSD on Wednesday as Seattle based band Minus the Bear play in front of the youngsters (and me) at the Price Center Ballroom West...tix still available here...The New Limb open...

Cleaner shaved Devendra Banhart headlines the Belly Up on Thursday...his new album is a keeper...oops this show is sold out...

Marina and the Diamonds play to  a sold out crowd on Friday at the House of Blues...if you don't have a ticket check out Unwritten Law playing an early acoustic show (6 pm doors)  at the Casbah...

On Saturday Bar Pink has a great show on tap with newly formed Pyrramids, featuring OK Go's Tim Nordwind and vocalist Drea Smith...their new album, Brightest Darkest Day, is worth a listen...

Sunday offers great choices, such as Cloud Cult at Porter's Pub, Chrome Sparks at Soda Bar, or The Milk Carton Kids up at the Belly Up...choose and you won't lose...of course, only after you have enjoyed some or all of the day with your Mom...

Who claims San Diego has a sleepy music scene?...I beg to differ...see you at the show(s)!

Watch a video of Paper Doll from Pyrramids below...

Things To Do In San Diego: May 4-7, 2013

I'm sitting in the Casbah office at the moment so I thought I'd update the listings because I'm a big jerk and failed to wish my great friend Mr. Tim Pyles a happy birthday. He's my partner in crime a lot of the time and everyone knows that without him, the music scene in San Diego would flounder. I was supposed to work at Brick By Brick tonight but apparently they have a merch dude on tour with them, so I get a night off. Yay! Saturday through Tuesday archives are after the jump. There are DUI checkpoints everywhere tonight, so be safe out there.

Things To Do In San Diego: May 3, 2013

I'd say I'm such a slacker for just posting your weekend listings, but I'm a little rundown so whatever. Yellow Red Sparks were amazing last night, so outside of the 20 or people or so who were there, I'm sorry you missed out and I'm sure when they're super famous you'll be clamoring to spend $40 to see them at the House of Blues or some shit. I was really looking forward to going to Prince tonight, but feeling sick in a SRO room is the last thing I need, so I gave my ticket to Pyles so he can take his wife and instead I'll be slinging merch at the Casbah for Black Mountain. Tomorrow I'll be doing the same for Killing Joke at Brick By Brick.  Maybe I'll see you there. Friday archives are after the jump.

Things To Do In San Diego: May 1-2, 2013

Sorry for the last minute update, but time got away from me and I wanted everyone to know that Os Mutantes is SOLD OUT tonight at the Casbah. Today has been awesome for a million reasons but I'm in the middle of a quasi-#24hourdate so I'll tell you about it another time. Tomorrow is going to be super busy, too, but hopefully I'll get your weekend listings up soonish. xoxo

Wednesday May 1, 2013:

• OS Mutantes, Capsula @ Casbah (SOLD OUT)
• Casbah & Soda Bar Present: Chad Valley, Ski Lodge, Mothlight @ Soda Bar
• Helmet, Ape Machine, I Wish I @ The Griffin
• 91X Presents: Face to Face, Teenage Bottlerocket @ House of Blues
• Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus w/ Actor Peter Story feat. Monique Marvez @ Belly Up
• Moon Block Party w/ Jjuujjuu, Black Feet Braves, Wild Wild Wets, Barbarian @ The Void
• The Young Gents, Neighbors To the North, District Verdant @ Tin Can
• BLUSD Presents: Jammingout the House of Blues @ House of Blues Voodoo Stage
• Club Kingston w/ Piracy Conspiracy, DJ Carlos Culture @ Winston's
• SD Music TV Open Mic @ Brick By Brick
• Kice Simko and Friends @ Riviera Supper Club
• Absu, Condemned, Ruines Ov Abaddon, Invocation War, Cosmonogy @ Ruby Room
• Backwater Blues Band @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
• Fuzzy @ Croce's
• DJ Grandmasta Rats @ Bar Pink
• Future Wednesdays @ Kava Lounge
• Club M.A.W. @ Henry's Pub
• Lady Dottie & The Diamonds @ Gallagher's Irish Pub
• Firehouse Swing Night @ Queen Bee's
• Rhythm Method @ Coyote Bar & Grill
• Open Mic @ 710 Beach Club

Thursday May 2, 2013:

• Lauren Ruggles Presents: Yellow Red Sparks, Tyson Motsenbocker, Lowly Spects @ The Griffin
• Javelin, Helado Negro, Jamaican Queens @ Casbah
• Casbah & Soda Bar Present: CJ Ramone, guests @ Soda Bar
• Paul Collins Beat, The Widows @ Til-Two Club
• Al Howard @ Riviera Supper Club
• Glow Party w/ DJ Man Cat, Chamberlin, Digital Opinion Dbear, DJ Gina Cat @ Belly Up
• Crash Engine, Rad Company, From Scars, J Wang, Matty Kirkly @ The Void
• Tar Halos, Prize Hog, Tit Wrench @ Tin Can
• Eyes Set to Kill, Shining Through, Within Ourselves, Five Body Blade, The I In Self, Parliament Of Owls @ Soma
• Moonlight Serenade Orchestra @ The Crystal Ballroom
• Lovebirds, Sister Speak, guests @ Ruby Room
• Top Shelf, Mystic Roots, Bare Feet @ Winston's
• Gone Baby Gone, Queen Caveat @ Bar Pink
• Sue Palmer @ Croce's
• Aligning Minds @ Stage bar & Grill
• Critical Beatdown @ Kava Lounge
• Stitched Up Heart, Punchcard, Undead Garden @ The Shakedown Bar
• SD Music Tv's BOTB w/ Michele Lundeen, Backwater Blues Band, Swirl @ Brick By Brick
• Tiffany Alvord & Jason Chen @ The Loft
• Breez'n @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
• EDM w/ Carnage @ Fluxx
• LED Presents: Gladiator + Kennedy Jones @ Voyeur
• Jaeryoung Lee Presents @ Dizzy's
• Jerome LOL @ Typhoon Saloon
• Kayla Hope @ Tiki House
• Missy Andersen @ The Marble Room
• Mor Sol @ Coyote Bar & Grill
• Club 710 @ 710 Beach Club