Saturday: San Diego Entrepreneur Day™ 2013

San Diego Entrepreneur Day™ 2013

"The Evolution of a Startup begins with the Entrepreneur"

Entrepreneurs and small business owners are invited to support the 2nd San Diego Entrepreneur Day™ 2013 on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2012, from 10:50AM to 4PM on J Street between 7th & 10th Ave. in the East Village, San Diego.

The event will recognize San Diego's Entrepreneurs and business owners, create a network of resources to promote business growth, inspire entrepreneurship, and stimulate job creation.

Stop by the Hiscox Small Business Insurance booth at San Diego Entrepreneur Day and tell them your company story for the chance to win great prizes. All interviews will be recorded and promoted on the Hiscox Small Business Blog and their social media channels.

Share your secrets for entrepreneurial success to win:

1st prize - Admission to ONTRApalooza - The Ultimate Event for Business Rockstars, Oct. 2-3 in Santa Barbara.

2nd prize - Annual subscription to pitch engine for creating social media press releases.

3rd prize - One-year premium subscription to LinkedIn.

Show Preview: Islands @ the Casbah Friday September 27, 2013

Islands

Nicholas Thorburn, aka Nick Diamonds, will be bringing his indie pop rock band Islands to the intimate Middletown venue this Friday. This is somewhat of a rare visit from the LA via Montreal based group, who last time played Queen Bee's to a very small crowd. Islands just released their fifth full length, Ski Mask. The songs have a wonderful ebb and flow, with the lyrics rhyming while relating interesting stories. Therein lies one of the main features about Thorburn: he is willing to take chances and try different things with his music while still being quite accessible. Many remember his short lived project The Unicorns, but the current project has been flying quite comfortably under the radar since 2005. Now is the time for fans and curiosity seekers alike to hear and see one of indie rock's better bands.

Bear Mountain (Vancouver) and Red Pony Clock set the stage.

Tickets for Islands this Friday at the Casbah can be purchased here.

Listen to Wave Forms from Islands below (courtesy of SoundCloud).

Things To Do In San Diego: September 25-27, 2013

My computer is finally fixed! At least that's what I'm told- it's still up at San Diego Computer Consultants and I need to pick it up, but I've got a new hard drive and they did the virus removal for free with the diagnostics which saves me a lot of money, so though I can't wait to have it back in my hands, I've got Darren's laptop for now and feel relieved just knowing I don't have to go buy a new computer just yet. I'm hoping to have listings through the weekend up tonight, but tomorrow is more likely because I'll be bowling tonight for the San Diego Music Foundation fundraiser. Listings are now up through next THURSDAY! Woo-hoo. Just a head's up, this weekend is going to be nuts! Adams Avenue Street Fair runs Saturday and Sunday, Tour De Fat returns to Golden Hill park on Saturday, and there's a block party downtown to celebrate the opening of the new public library. On top of all that, Darren and I picked up new jobs and have 8am training on Saturday and potentially start work on Sunday. I'm not sure if we can talk about that yet, but let's just say you would never believe me if I told you anyway. Oh, and Saturday is my birthday. We'll be celebrating at the Unknown Mortal Orchestra show on Saturday night at the Casbah. So yeah- lots going on this week. Wednesday-Friday archives after the jump.

Things To Do In San Diego: September 25-26, 2013

My computer is finally fixed! At least that's what I'm told- it's still up at San Diego Computer Consultants and I need to pick it up, but I've got a new hard drive and they did the virus removal for free with the diagnostics which saves me a lot of money, so though I can't wait to have it back in my hands, I've got Darren's laptop for now and feel relieved just knowing I don't have to go buy a new computer just yet. I'm hoping to have listings through the weekend up tonight, but tomorrow is more likely because I'll be bowling tonight for the San Diego Music Foundation fundraiser. Just a head's up, this weekend is going to be nuts! Adams Avenue Street Fair runs Saturday and Sunday, Tour De Fat returns to Golden Hill park on Saturday, and there's a block party downtown to celebrate the opening of the new public library. On top of all that, Darren and I picked up new jobs and have 8am training on Saturday and potentially start work on Sunday. I'm not sure if we can talk about that yet, but let's just say you would never believe me if I told you anyway. Oh, and Saturday is my birthday. We'll be celebrating at the Unknown Mortal Orchestra show on Saturday night at the Casbah. So yeah- lots going on this week. Thursday listings after the jump.

Wednesday Night Preview- The Naked And Famous @ HOBSD

Short notice, but if you were fortunate enough to grab a ticket to The Naked And Famous show at House of Blues tomorrow night, you are most certainly in store for a visual and aural treat.  More from Big Hassle:

Beyond a life hardwired to pop culture via the 24 hour news feed, The Naked And Famous elicit a romantic connection inspired by the golden era of alternative rock; a shared response to a teenage soundtrack of epic, emotionally charged mid nineties music.
Released in March 2011, their ambitious debut Passive Me, Aggressive You featured the singles, ‘Young Blood’ and ‘Punching In A Dream’. Lauded by the NME, it was “A classic case of lovely and beautiful: TNAF’s passive melodicism and aggressive innovation clash in a dazzling blaze of psych/sonic fireworks” and Rolling Stone magazine described Young Blood as one of the year’s “best singles”.
Fronted by Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers, The Naked and Famous lit a fire under an online fan base, with a video subculture built through YouTube and into radio. M83 invited TNAF to remix a single and a Tiesto remix transformed ‘Young Blood’ into a club smash. Agencies fell into The Naked and Famous slipstream, and theirs became the go-to soundtrack for gaming, Hollywood and TV shows mining a zeitgeist of young and interesting.


Tix are still to be found on Craigslist and other such second-hand sellers.  If you can get your mitts on one, guaranteed it'll be worth the price you pay.  Openers NO and The Colourist kick things off promptly at 8pm.  Hope to see you there!

Recommended Shows in San Diego September 23-29, 2013

The last week of September continues in San Diego with beautiful weather and more music options than one can possibly attend. A closer look reveals some of the shows worthy of attention.

On Monday Austin folk rockers The Lonesome Heroes headline an impressive lineup with The Easy Leaves and John Meeks at the Casbah...

Consult the listings and try something different on Tuesday...

New Zealand synth pop artists The Naked and Famous will be at the House of Blues on Wednesday...Portland's dream pop band Blouse headline The Void for the late night show...

Woods and The Fresh & Onlys team for a great indie rock bill at the Casbah on Thursday...highly recommended...

Nick Thorburn, aka Nick Diamonds, brings his Canadian band Islands to the Casbah on Friday...they just released their quirky new album Ski Mask...if you have yet to see them perform live, now is your chance...

If psychedelic pop is your thing, catch Portland's Unknown Mortal Orchestra at the Casbah on Saturday...the Adams Avenue Street Fair offers a tremendous variety of musical offerings during the daylight hours...

Sunday marks the second day of wonderful music along Adams Avenue...for the adventurous, head over to The Void to watch Lapalux close the weekend...

All in all, a great way to end the month and fall into October, San Diego style...

Watch a video of From the Sun by Unknown Mortal Orchestra below.



Watch a video of Hallways by Islands below.

Things To Do In San Diego: September 21-24, 2013

There is so much cool stuff happening around town today that I forgot to add the Pacific Islander Festival at Fiesta Island, Fleet Week Speed Festival in Coronado. I found this cool site that lists some cherry picked events. What I like about it is they list other cool things to do in the area. You should check it out, as a supplement to sddialedin, of course. That also reminds me that this site made the top 5 :best music blogs" for the Best of CityBeat. You can VOTE HERE. You only have to vote for 10 categories to make your vote count. We're in the last section of voting. I'll be running around town, with my family bday party in CV, then Indie Jam in O-Side, then back to Casbah for The Vaccines. Saturday through Tuesday archives after the jump.

Saturday: FM 94/9 Independence Jam Coastal Invasion 2013

We love all of radio friends around here, and we're looking forward to another awesome year on the Pier for FM 94/9 Independence Jam. I made the mistake of letting my parents plan my birthday party on Saturday, so I'm going to be there late, but you should get there early for this cool lineup of eclectic bands. Bookmark this page for easy reference on your mobile device. Other than my birthday BBQ and seeing American Authors and DEJJ, we'll be on call for the van anyway, so hit us up if you need Darren's Van.

Click here for more information about Independence Jam.

SET TIMES
FM 94/9 MAIN STAGE
3:45 - 4:15 pm DEAD FEATHER MOON
5:15 - 5:45 pm ROYAL TEETH
7:00 - 7:45 pm DALE EARNHARDT Jr Jr
9:00 - 10:00 pm CAGE THE ELEPHANT

BOOM MOVEMENT STAGE
4:30 - 5:00 pm THE COLOURIST
6:00 - 6:45 pm AMERICAN AUTHORS
8:00 - 8:45 pm SMALLPOOLS


MEET & GREET TIMES (Next to broadcast stage)
4:00p-4:15p - Cage The Elephant
5:00p-5:15p - American Authors
5:45p-6:00p - The Colourist
6:00p-6:15p - Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
6:45p-7:00p - Royal Teeth
7:00p-7:15p - Smallpools
- See more at: http://www.fm949sd.com/concerts/Details.aspx?ConcertID=183355#sthash.mmsjUclB.dpuf

FRIDAY: 91X X-Fest at Sleep Train Amphitheatre

Once again, 91X has assembled a lineup of acts for their annual X-Fest. It's back at Sleep Train Amphitheatre this year and set times have been released. Bookmark this page on your mobile device for easy reference. It would serve you well to check out the X-Fest page for autograph times, restricted items, parking, traffic and other helpful clues. Darren's Van will be in service and though we have a reservation for an end of X-Fest group pickup, we've got plenty of time in between if you need a safe ride down or if you need to skirt out a little early.

2:30 Doors Open
3:00 IAMDYNAMITE
3:30 New Politics
4:00 Atlas Genius
4:35 Wavves
5:05 Fitz and the Tantrums
5:35 The Dirty Heads
6:15 Silversun Pickups
7:05 Jimmy Eat World
8:00 The Offspring
9:00 30 Seconds to Mars
10:00 Blink 182

Things To Do In San Diego: September 19-20, 2013

So I gave in. Today I took my laptop to San Diego Computer Consultants. Maybe this was a mistake. They used to have a small office on Adams Avenue with a couple guys who fixed anything and everything in a day or so. Now they're bigger and my laptop will be at least three business days just for diagnostics. I'm having a small heart attack just thinking about being away from her for so long. If you read this blog regularly, then, it should be stated that you owe no small amount of gratitude to Jeff and Jordan for diligently keeping listings updated. It's been a long day and I'm heading out to the Hard Rock Hotel in a little while, but I added listings through next Thursday. I'm on Darren's laptop but no telling how much time I'll be online this weekend with X-Fest and my family birthday party and Independence Jam and stuff all happening this weekend. Let's just hope I have my shizz back in time for Adams Avenue. Thursday and Friday archives after the jump.

Misleading Assumption: Diarrhea Planet @ Soda Bar Friday September 20, 2013

Let me start by making a statement before going any further. Diarrhea Planet, the youthful pop punk band from Nashville, are a must see when they play in your city. I realize many are put off by the rather awkward band name, but then again, it is only a name. When this bunch of crazed (in a good way) lads last played San Diego I forgot about the name and clearly focused on the mayhem occurring on stage. Five guitars (incl. a bass) were being played in a variety of angles and positions. The overall effect was mesmerizing, and I was disappointed when the all too short set came to its conclusion. Well, skeptics, this time the Planeteers(?) are touring with a new album under their belts. I'm Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams was released last month and is the latest installment in the ongoing punk legacy of the Nashville band. The songs are immediate without being over the top, which would not in itself be a bad thing. Therein lies the secret of their success, this is a band that is having a good time, and what is wrong with that? Absolutely nothing, I must admit.

Join the fun on Friday at Soda Bar. You won't regret it. Heck, you might even buy a t shirt bearing their name. The So So Glos will be headlining, making this a great night of music for your ears and eyes.

Watch a video of Separations from Diarrhea Planet below.

The Silent Comedy and Sound Off Apparel Fight Human Trafficking

The Silent Comedy Helps Fight Human Trafficking from Sound Off Apparel on Vimeo.

Let us start by saying thank you to everyone who helped support our cause last month, Rady Children's Hospital! We're excited to continue to make a difference in the community and we're stoked to have just unveiled this month's collaboration with The Silent Comedy benefiting the fight against human trafficking. When we first approached The Silent Comedy about coming on board to do a benefit collection for their charity of choice singer Josh Zimmerman immediately told us about their very personal connection to the issue of human trafficking.

Throughout the process of designing this tee we learned about the severity of the issue the statistics were shocking. Today there are more people held in slave trade than during the entire trans-Atlantic slave trade. Each year nearly two million children are abused through commercial sex trade and an often corrupt system of local police forces allow the 32 billion slavery industry to continue.

So with The Silent Comedy on board until October 14th we will be trying to make a dent in issue of human trafficking. $8 from the sale of each of these shirts goes to programs that fund investigations into slavery, legal resources to obtain justice for survivors, consueling, and preventative community efforts including rebuilding the legal system in corrupt areas.

Shirts can be purchased through www.soundoffapparel.org

Things To Do In San Diego: September 18, 2013

Consider this round one of weekend listings. I know there are tons of fun things happening this weekend, but I can't muster anymore energy to stay up. I've been fighting a cold and spent all day Tuesday at the beach (which acts as nature's best neti-pot). It was awesome, as I never in my life ever tried to use a boogie board as anything more than a flotation device and actually caught some waves. But back home it's all dusty and I'm all stuffed up all over again with a cloudy head. Hopefully it all burns off before date night tonight. Darren and I are heading up to Vista to check out the opening night of Tommy at the Moonlight Theatre. Listings through the weekend are after the jump. Leave comments for the things I missed. I'll update through next Thursday before the weekend arrives.

Meet Intercom.FM - The Next Big Way To Engage Your Fans

You all know that I am always trying to help people promote their band, art, or brand. I jumped on the Twitter bandwagon quite early, have been on Facebook long enough to hate it more than you do, and this blog is evidence that when I find something I like, I kinda stick to it and ride it out. So my friends have created this cool app for iPhones, so I'll share with you, bands and artists, why you should use audio to introduce your music

Intercom.FM is a great way share your music using your personality. You can download it HERE (currently for iPhones/iPads only). You may have noticed Tim Pyles using this format- which pushes out to Twitter and Facebook- to read my show listings a while back.

We all know there are a lot of tools and websites to get your name out there, but this seems like a great way to connect and show your personality and bring fans along with what you are doing on the road, in the studio or whatever you’re working on, with short clips of actual audio.

Here are some of the features I liked:
• It’s got a real cool way to upload an mp3 from Dropbox into the app
• You can MIX your sounds with a personal audio message right from the in app Mix board.
• Your fans can interact with you and with your music
• You and your fans can post to Twitter or Facebook

In the next week I’m going to grab some cool band clips from the app to show you some examples. Let me hear what you mix using Intercom.fm and I’ll feature it here.

Heatwarmer comes to the Che

An evening of deep thought! From the densely wooded forests of Washington, Heatwarmer will light a fire beneath your heels and get your feet moving with their infectious and virtuosic arrangements. Local mainstay Brian Warren will make a rare solo appearance, tapping into the wealth of material released through his Weatherbox moniker. Fans of SD math rock titans WITT and Japandi rejoice! Members of both groups convene in Swift Intruders, a brand new 3-piece that combine unconventional guitar interplay with equally compelling chants and vocal harmonies. The night will be opened by Meraki, a formidable group of high school grads who have crafted an eclectic mix of math rock and classic emo (this is their last show before they split off to college!).

Emerging Artist: Rathborne

At the tender young age of 22, Luke Rathborne has been producing music since he was 16. He has that certain DIY ethic usually found in artists much older. This has only enabled him to carve a path into the independent musical landscape on his own terms. Rathborne's soon to be released full length, SOFT, is filled with songs that seem to be simple, but reveal much more upon closer examination. In his own words "We're all reaching for something, and art helps people deal with those things. I hope people realize the album is about something deeper than what's on the surface. It's a record about hope and redemption and energy and possibility. And hopefully, it can be a record about people's lives."

For those unfamiliar with his music, Rathborne (first name dropped for performing) will be opening for Scottish pop artist and fan favorite Travis at the House of Blues on Sunday, October 6. Tickets can be purchased here.

Listen to Rathborne's album SOFT (courtesy of SoundCloud) below.

Recommended Shows In San Diego September 16-22, 2013

With all the shows this past weekend (SDMT), the upcoming week promises to be one filled with many viable music choices in San Diego. A closer look reveals some worth attending.

For those who are not going to the sold out Bastille show at the House of Blues on Monday, catch New York funny man Todd Barry at the Casbah...

Synth pop band Body Language headlines the Casbah on Tuesday...Jason Isbell plays the Belly Up...Seattle's Rose Windows bring their psychedelic rock to Soda Bar...

Denton, TX is home to folk rock band Midlake...they will be releasing their next album in Nov....catch them at the intimate Soda Bar on Wednesday...highly recommended...

On Thursday live music returns to Hard Rock's 207 bar with Magic Wands and Carousel headlining...Okapi Sun opens...

The weekend kicks off in style with The So So Glos and the wonderfully named Diarrhea Planet taking over Soda Bar...do not miss this show...'nuf said...

The Vaccines make their San Diego debut on Saturday at the Casbah...read a preview here...Deap Vally will be heating things up at Soda Bar...

Austin's The Octopus Project bring their unique sound to Soda Bar on Sunday...Catch Lee Fields and his soul/funk at the Casbah...

This is only a small slice of what lies ahead for music fans in San Diego...be sure to support all the bands and venues by attending a show (or two)...

Watch a video of Melody Calling by The Vaccines below.



Watch a video of Space by Magic Wands below.

Things To Do In San Diego: September 15-19, 2013

San Diego Music Thing has wrapped, the Chargers eked out a win, and all the kids have loaded up on exta to head down to the Mad Decent Block Party. Darren and I are available for pickups today if you need to get to the Belly Up, Casbah, or down to Sleep Train Amphitheatre for Operation Kick Ass. In the meantime, I was going to try to convince my crowd-averse boyfriend to accompany me to Old Town for Fiestas Patrias, but they only did stuff on Saturday. WTF? Mexican Independence Day isn't until tomorrow, you'd think Old Town would capitalize. Anyway, we'll find something to keep us entertained between calls. Listings through Thursday are after the jump.  

Sunday, September 15th, 2013:

• Mad Decent Block Party feat. Major Lazer, Zeds Dead, Big Gigantic, Dillon Francis, Jack U, The Partysquad & Mitchell Niemeyer, Sasha Go Hard, Samo Sound Boy, Smalltown DJs @ Petco Park Parking Lot (18+, 2-10pm
• The Casbah Presents: Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Gate @ The Belly Up
• Slut Machine, Prelude to a Pistol, Heavenly Trip to Hell, Quor @ Brick by Brick
• Coeur De Pirate, Gayle Skidmore, Natasha Kozaily @ Casbah
• Rock 105 Operation Kick Ass Fest Feat. Alice In Chains, Jane's Addiction, Coheed and Cambria and more @ Sleep Train Wireless Amphitheatre
• Local Bands/ Local Brews @ 710 Beach Club
• John Bowe @ Humphreys Backstage
• S.M. Familia, TRC Sound System @ The Griffin
• Bill Bloomers, Rick Raw @ Lestat's
• Awahnichi, Sneeze @ Soda Bar
• Pookie and the Poodles, Cum Stain, Poontang Clam, Kids In Heat @ The Tower Bar
• 2013 OB Oktoberfest Band Slam Week 3 featuring The Journey Men, The Big Lewinsky (6:00), Jose Sinatra hosts O.B. -o-ke (10:00) @ Winston's
• War & Peace Tour feat. Immortal Technique and Brother Ali @ Worldbeat Center
• Cheryl Wheeler with special guest Kenny White @ AMSD

Things To Do In San Diego: September 13-14, 2013

I'm only updating listings to make it easier for all of you. Start times and headline times for all San Diego Music Thing shows vary, so I'd suggest grabbing this week's CityBeat which has an insert and might be a little more accurate. If you're paying attention, this whole weekend has amazing shows and I can honestly say no matter where you go among the SDMT venues, you will be happy. If you need to get from the Sheraton to any venue, Darren will be circulating, and since the idea of him as a shuttle didn't necessarily take off, you can get a super cheap ride from the Sheraton to North Park, and from North Park to any of the participating venues. Save his number (619) 990-5064 and call when you need to hop around. It turns out I'm working at the Irenic on Friday and the Casbah on Saturday, so come by and say hi. Archived after the jump.

Local Filmmakers Release "Short Term 12"

Ron Najor and Destin Cretton, the guys behind the film I Am Not A Hipster, are back with another film. Support your local filmmakers! All the info is below.

Come see SHORT TERM 12 this weekend in over 60 theaters across the country (LA, NY, San Diego, Portland, Washington D.C., to name a few). Critics are raving and the film has a 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Peter Travers from Rolling Stone Magazine says "BRIE LARSON IS A REVELATION...ONE OF THE YEAR'S BEST PERFORMANCES. An exceptional film in every way."

Entertainment Weekly declares: "GRADE A: A drama of astonishing emotional purity."

Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times says "A WONDER, EXCEPTIONAL MOVING AND INTIMATE. Honestly earns every bit of its emotional impact."

"THE FINEST AMERICAN DRAMA SO FAR THIS YEAR. Brie Larson gives a star-making performance." David Edelstein, New York Magazine


Watch the trailer for SHORT TERM 12

BUY TICKETS/SEE THEATERS & SHOWTIMES

SHORT TERM 12 Q & A SCHEDULE for SAN DIEGO:

FRIDAY: Arclight La Jolla 7:45pm Q&A
SATURDAY: ArcLight La Jolla 5:15PM Q&A/Landmark Hillcrest 7:10PM Q&A
SUNDAY: Landmark Hillcrest 2:00PM Q&A/ArcLight La Jolla 5:15PM Q&A

(BUY TICKETS EARLY in SAN DIEGO; pick your day and your screening with links below):

ARCLIGHT, LA JOLLA
LANDMARK, HILLCREST
AMC, FASHION VALLEY
Arclight, La Jolla Thursday SNEAK Peak 10pm & 11pm

Things To Do In San Diego: September 12, 2013

I am so excited for this weekend, but also feel a bit overwhelmed by just how many things are going on. San Diego Music Thing is always a fun event and it looks like I'll be working merch at the Casbah on Thursday and Friday nights. Darren will be running the van as a shuttle from the Sheraton to North Park, so you can buy a shuttle pass here. At least 40 people need to buy wristbands to make it worth his while, so get them in advance or he'll just run his regular service on his own throughout the weekend. I'll do a separate post with all the SDMT info, but in the meantime, here are listings through next Thursday.

I was finally ready to go to sleep and then I realized that I still have some loose ends I haven't tied up. I'm going to admit that I'm exhausted, and this weekend isn't going to make me any less so. Tuesday was crazy busy with an afternoon canoeing with Darren and Nova, meeting with the guys at Intercom.FM, a SIMcenter symposium about Community Planning Groups and Eco-Districts, the San Diego Music Award Party at House of Blues, Mozes and the First Born at the Casbah, Gold Fields at El Dorado, and then a late night hang at the Ken Club. That was maybe a bad idea. Then Wednesday was our Casbah meeting, work at home, some time in Chula Vista with family, Neko Case at House of Blues and Ewert and the Two Dragons at the Casbah. I'm very much expecting SDMT to kick my ass, but I'm really looking forward to it, too. I am working at the Casbah tonight, but if you're free, you have to check out On an On at Soda Bar. They're incredible and totally worth the late night.

SAN DIEGO MUSIC THING- NUTS & BOLTS

SDMT is back for its 6th year, and my, my, my, has this thing grown. If you're a band, you have no excuse not to attend. If you're a fan, you're going to want to be a part of all of the great showcases all over the area. I'll be around all weekend and I've posted all the schedules separately so you can quickly pull them up on your mobile devices. Here's the official press release about the conference.


San Diego Music Thing music and media conference
September 13-14 2013

Keynote speakers Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) and Mike Herrera (MxPx)

Top industry professionals in panel and mentoring sessions by day
Critically acclaimed band showcases by night including Ra Ra Riot, Titus Andronics and more

Beautiful San Diego, California once again plays host to the San Diego Music Thing, a music and media conference now in its sixth year. This year’s SDMT is scheduled for September 13 and 14 and features numerous top industry professionals and critically lauded musicians.

The keynote speakers are Mike Herrera (MxPx) and Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) who will also showcase her new project Body/Head. The conference has a new home this year for the daytime panels at the Sheraton Mission Valley located at 1433 Camino Del Rio South in San Diego. Daytime activities include an Instrument Petting Zoo where attendees can sample various manufacturers’ gear as well as artist sessions with Lol Tolhurst (The Cure), Scott Page (Pink Floyd) and Brett Anderson (The Donnas).
Also new this year is a partnership between Noise Pop and SDMT with daytime poolside showcases at the Sheraton on September 13 and 14 featuring music from Alpha/Beta, Mike Herrera, Tropical Popsicle, Hindu Pirates, and The Soft White Sixties. Vinyl Junkies will be getting in the mix with a pop up record store on site for conference attendees.

Industry experts will share on a variety of panels with such topics as radio promotion, music supervision, finding affordable health care as an indie artist, tour marketing, songwriting, music distribution and much more. Musicians will learn how to pitch their band to media, be more creative in their social media approaches and network. Speakers this year include Ben Westhoff, music editor of the L.A. Weekly, Michael Schneider from BandPage, manager Pat Magnarella (Green Day), Rebecca Haithcoat from newly revamped My Space, Benji Rogers from Pledge Music and many others. Panel and mentoring schedules can be viewed here.

Radio station 91X will co-host The Local Break Stage on Saturday the 14th from 5 to 9PM featuring The Silent Comedy. The street stage will be located in North Park’s University District on University and Ohio Streets Tickets and tickets for that event only cost $12.

Evening showcases will take place throughout North Park and featured performers include media acclaimed acts such as Ra Ra Riot, Caveman, Pictureplane, Wild Nothing, Titus Andronicus and many others. The full list of musical acts can be viewed here.

The San Diego Music Thing hosts its annual Kick Off Party on Thursday, September 12 with New Politics appearing at The Casbah. Tickets for the party will be $13.91.

Information on purchasing badges, wristbands, media credentialing and more can be found here.

Official Site
Facebook
Twitter

**The annual event is presented by the San Diego Music Foundation, (www.sandiegomusicfoundation.org) a non-profit organization that provides experiential music programs to San Diego County schools via its Guitars for Schools Program, organizes the San Diego Music Awards show and provides professional development opportunities to the community’s musicians. Proceeds from both the San Diego Music Thing and the San Diego Music Awards benefit the Guitars for Schools Program.

SAN DIEGO MUSIC THING 2013 - SATURDAY MUSIC SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

SAN DIEGO MUSIC THING 2013 - FRIDAY MUSIC SCHEDULE

SAN DIEGO MUSIC THING 2013- SATURDAY CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

SAN DIEGO MUSIC THING 2013- FRIDAY CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

New Monthly Music Event: Third Thursdays @ Hard Rock Hotel

It seems like an eternity since the last live music show occurred downtown at the Hard Rock Hotel 207 bar. A disappointing early ending to the night left many wondering if live music was in the cards for the swank street level club. On the other side of the hotel, the man who seems to be everywhere, Tim Pyles, has been hosting a live music series in MaryJanes restaurant for some time. The new date for these intimate shows has been moved to the second Thursday of the month. This frees the following week for the new series, with co-presenting partners the Casbah. Also a shout out to Hard Rock music guru Matt Dufour for helping to make this happen. Benefiting San Diego's Invisible Children charity, the music will feature touring as well as local musicians. The first evening will be September 19, with Carousel, Magic Wands, Okapi Sun and DJs Gabe Vega & Adam Salter. Read the official announcement here. Tickets for this show are only $8 in advance and can be purchased here.

Do You Know The Vaccines?

If you follow the music scene in San Diego (yes, there is one) you might have noticed The Vaccines are playing their first local show here on September 21. Couple that with the designated venue being the Casbah and you have the recipe for what promises to be one killer show. Since forming in London back in 2010, the indie rock quartet with an edge have released two full length albums. Much of their touring in the US and abroad has been as openers for the likes of Mumford & Sons, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Phoenix (in the fall), so to see the young quartet at the intimate Middletown venue will be quite the exception. I urge you to purchase tickets here before the show sells out (which it will).

For those unfamiliar with The Vaccines listen to a few tracks below (courtesy of SoundCloud).

Show Preview: On An On, The Love Language @ Soda Bar Thursday September 12, 2013

While the San Diego Music Thing has a kickoff show with New Politics at the Casbah this Thursday, Soda Bar is presenting a quality show of its own the same night. Headlining will be Midwestern trio On An On, fronted by keyboardist Alissa Ricci and her two band mates Nate Eisland and Ryne Estwing. Splitting time between Chicago and Minneapolis has kept the band busy since releasing Give In this past January. Their sound is rooted in dream/synth pop with songs which are easy to dance to. I had the opportunity to watch them perform live at the House of Blues earlier this year. It will be great to see them play an extended set this time.

It has been three years since we last heard from The Love Language, Stuart McLamb's indie pop project. Apparently, much of the time was spent recording the band's latest album Ruby Red. Some new band members have joined for touring and a host of collaborators were utilized for recording, yet one fact remains evident: this is McLamb's project, plain and simple. There is much to like about the new album, so more might translate to actually being more. This is lush indie pop music. The listener and critics are always the judge and jury in such matters. It should be interesting to see the band perform the new songs at the intimate City Heights venue.

Be sure to arrive early for L.A. indie rockers Hands. Tickets for the show can be purchased here.

Watch a video of  The Hunter from On An On below.




Watch a video of Calm Down from The Love Language below.

Recommended Shows In San Diego September 10-15, 2013

Now that San Diego is relatively free from the annual summer visitors from the north and east, let's see what is looming on the musical horizon. Culminating in the 2 day conference known as the San Diego Music Thing this Friday and Saturday, there are some quality shows in and around the event.

On Tuesday Oklahoma garage rockers Broncho blast off at the Casbah...Gold Fields (Australia) bring their catchy electronica to El Dorado downtown...

Neko Case makes a rare local appearance at the House of Blues on Wednesday...her latest album with the long title might be her best yet...Seattle's Pickwick open for a terrific show....Minus the Bear play the Belly Up...

The Love Language open for On An On at Soda Bar on Thursday...the Raleigh natives recently released Ruby Red...highly recommended...

Rather than choose any particular show(s) for the SDMT, I will only highlight the ticket link here...

If that isn't enough, check out French Canadian singer Beatrice Martin, aka Coeur de Pirate, at the Casbah on Sunday...Gayle Skidmore opens...

One of the best weeks of music is straight ahead for music fans of all ages in San Diego...

Watch a video of Night Still Comes from Neko Case below.



Watch a video of Dark Again from Gold Fields below.

TODAY!! Justin Roberts and the Not Ready For Naptime Players at the Irenic

I've been telling you for awhile about Justin Roberts and the Not Ready For Naptime Players show happening today at the Irenic. This is the first ever KIDS show presented by the Casbah. It should be really fun with all the kiddos jumping, dancing, and baby-moshing. There are plenty of tickets at the door, so come on out and have some fun in the carpeted and air-conditioned comfort of the Irenic. Doors are at 11:30 am.

Sunday Night Preview: ZZ Ward w/ The Wild Feathers & James Bay @ HOBSD- 09.08.13

 Photo credit: Suzi Pratt

What better way to close down a sweltering weekend than with a set from one of hip-hop's up-and-coming acts at the House of Blues?  Sunday night Oregon- born, LA- based ZZ Ward brings her unique blend of hip-hop, blues and smoky vocals to the main stage in benefit of her late 2012 debut LP 'Til The Casket Drops'.  More from Big Hassle Media:

ZZ started out playing in her father's blues band at dive bars around Oregon when she was 12 years old. A talented songwriter with a big voice and an encyclopedic knowledge of hip hop, she put out a mixtape early last year flipping Kendrick Lamar Tyler the Creator, and more, and Kendrick, Fitz & the Tantrums and Freddie Gibbs are on her acclaimed debut album, Til The Casket Drops. She's spent the last year selling venues across North America with everyone from Grace Potter to Gary Clark Jr., and is embarking on her own headlining tour this fall. She's been on Good Morning America, Leno, Conan, and and her songs have been featured in Nashville, The Voice, Pretty Little Liars and MTV's Awkward. A remix EP with Passion Pit, Dave Sitek, Com Truise and Schoolboy Q is due later this year.
 
 

Doors @ 6:30, opener James Bay takes the stage at 7:30 in advance of support The Wild Feathers and the headliner.  See you there!

Things To Do In San Diego: September 6-11, 2013

When your "desk" is your bed, and your laptop actually sits on your lap, it seems impossible to work in a studio apartment with no a/c. So I posted the listings yesterday then split to an afternoon at the beach and then realized there were a ton of events that I didn't add. I've updated, and now I think I really have you covered for the weekend. Thanks for all the positive response for Justin Roberts tomorrow at the Irenic, and keep spreading the word to your friends with little ones. It's the perfect way to reward the kiddos for surviving their first week of school (for SD Unified, anyway). I also wanted to mention that Darren's Van will be back on the road this weekend, and I'll be with him except Sunday when I'm working at the Casbah. If you and your friends need rides to DMB, Kid Cudi, Blues Fest, Russell Brand, Treasure Chest Fest, Intervention or any of the other big events this weekend, hit us up. We can carry up to 8 passengers, but can also pick up individuals or small groups. Cheaper than a cab all the way around. We have a bike rack for up to 3 bikes, too, if you and your North Park friends just need to get to the beach. (But call ahead, we don't leave it on the van all night). Friday through Wednesday archives after the jump.

Things To Do In San Diego: September 5, 2013

It's been a pretty awesome week and it looks like the beach is calling out my name, so I thought I'd get these listings posted for your perusal. Last night was a date night and Darren and I had a good night bike riding, making a nice dinner at home, and having the earliest bedtime I've had in months. It was much needed and awesome. Anyway, things are looking good for this weekend. If you have kids or nieces and nephews or kids you babysit, I highly recommend heading to the Irenic on Saturday morning (11:30) for Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players. It should be a really fun show for the kiddos. Thursday archives are after the jump.

Local Bands Collaborate for Rady Children's Hospital Benefit Shirts

If you saw Matt from Transfer’s post last month, you know what Sound Off Apparel is. If not, we’ll fill you in. Myself and Mark Maigaard (of Louis XIV) started the project in July, in an effort to do something that we loved with music and that had a positive impact on our community. The outcome of that wish was Sound Off Apparel, a company that partners with bands to design limited edition shirts sold for one month that donates a portion of proceeds to a charity of the band’s choice.

Recommended Shows In San Diego September 3-8, 2013

The first full week of September comes filled with options for San Diego music lovers. A closer look reveals some events worth putting on one's radar.

Vancouver's Said the Whale return to Soda Bar on Tuesday, this time as headliners...if you have yet to see them live, come find out why they love San Diego...

Local up and comers Barbarian return from the road to headline Soda Bar on Thursday...

Thomas Jefferson Cowgill, aka King Dude, will be playing the his neofolk songs at The Void on Saturday...Murder By Death will be turning things up several notches at the Casbah...The Tree Ring headline an all ages show at The Irenic...

Be sure to check the listings for all the shows and most importantly, go see live music...

Watch a video of I Love You from Said the Whale below.

Things To Do In San Diego: August 31-September 4, 2013

Arrgh. Cleaning in this weather sucks, but sometimes you gotta knock it out so you can get out and have some fun. Darren and I had a blast taking our big group to the track and back, and in between had some amazing beach time at Fletcher Cove. Lots of good stuff tonight and tomorrow, so hit us up if you need us. Contact info at http://www.darrensvan.com. Saturday through Wednesday archives are after the jump.

Things To Do In San Diego: August 30, 2013

I don't know about you, but this week has been awesome. It's too damn hot, but we beat the heat sneaking into our favorite hotel pools and a couple days at the beach, too. It's Labor Day weekend and tonight is going to be massive with Rocket From The Crypt playing at the track. Darren's already been reserved for a trip to/from the races, but we'll be out all weekend with the van if you need us for transportation to Bacon Fest, any of the hotel pool parties, or whatever else you might have going on this weekend. Also, don't forget to snag your $5 Rocktoberfest tickets!

Friday archives are after the jump.

Rocktoberfest Is Back! Blind Tickets for $5 On Sale Tomorrow!!

West Coast Tavern, The Casbah, and FM 94/9 are once again teaming up for Rocktoberfest! 

On October 19, the mini-fest that takes place in the parking lot behind Birch North Park Theatre will once again present two stages of touring and local bands, beer and food vendors, and an in-and-out policy so you can enjoy the surrounding businesses of North Park. The event is 21+ and gates will open at 3pm and the show will end by 10pm. As you might recall last year, this is a rain or shine event. 

Tickets will be priced starting at $15 once bands are announced, but starting Thursday, August 29 at 8am, you can trust that the lineup is going to be awesome and buy tickets for just $5. They will be at this low, low price for 10 days or until the allotment sells out, so don't wait to find out if your Great-Aunt Martha might be coming to town that weekend...just buy the tickets. The names I'm hearing thrown around will not disappoint. 

Tickets will be on sale at this link on Thursday at 8am: 

www.sdrocktoberfest.com 

Past acts for the event have included Everest, The Silent Comedy, The Creepy Creeps, Fitz and the Tantrums, Dead Feather Moon, Mariachi El Bronx and many more. You can be sure this lineup will be equally as awesome.   

Majical Cloudz @ The Casbah Tonight Wednesday August 28, 2013

Montreal based indie pop duo Majical Cloudz will be playing their intoxicating music at the iconic Middletown venue tonight. Devon Welsh (singer) and Matthew Otto (producer) play dreamy pop music which is easy on the ears. They were recently nominated for the Polaris Prize long list, which is a big deal for Canadian artists. Suffice to say, this is an opportunity to see emerging artists in an intimate setting. Majical Cloudz recently released their sophomore full length Impersonator. It is easy to put this one on repeat.

Arrive early to catch another Canadian (Toronto) duo Moon King and local band Nicky Venus set the stage. Tickets can be purchased here.

Watch a video of Bugs Don't Buzz below.

Things To Do In San Diego: August 27-29, 2013

San Diego is finally getting some August heat and I don't like it one bit. Pascha's skin doesn't like it so much either, but hopefully it breaks in a day or two and we'll be back to San Diego's perfect climate. Huge thanks to John for all of his tech support in trying to get my computer functional again...it is certainly faster now and I think I still have some tricks to get it back to how it is supposed to work. If you're free this evening, I highly recommend attending the Mid-City Bike Corridor meeting. This affects everyone who walks, drives, and bikes between University Heights to City Heights, with areas of Norrmal Heights and North Park affected in between. This is the final public comment meeting before design so it is important that the project managers hear from the us to make complete streets in San Diego's urban core. It's at Queen Bee's at 5pm. Tuesday through Thursday archives after the jump.

Tuesday: North Park – Mid-City Regional Bike Corridors Project Open House, 5-8pm @ Queen Bee's

North Park – Mid-City Regional Bike Corridors Project Open House

Tuesday, August 27, 5 – 8 p.m.

The final open house for the Mid-City Regional Bike Corridors Project is Tuesday night from 5-8pm at Queen Bee's.

For more information about this project, visit: KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/NorthParkMidCityBike

Music Monday: Barbarian

While surfing this weekend (the Internet not the Pacific) I noticed local band Barbarian have been doing some impressive touring of late. Opening for Natasha Khan's group, better known as Bat For Lashes, is impressive to say the least. While these fine lads are no stranger to San Diego music fans, here's hoping the word is spreading about just how good this band is in the live setting. Being label mates (Manimal Vinyl) provides a platform for undiscovered talent to emerge. A homecoming show of sorts takes place on Thursday September 5 at Soda Bar. Andrew Mills is the unassuming leader of Barbarian, and happens to be one of the really nice guys in the music world. Go to the show and support some of the best in local music.

If you have yet to see Barbarian perform live, head to City Heights on Sept. 5. Tickets can be purchased here. 

Watch a video of Medium Spirits below.

Foals @ House of Blues San Diego- 08.08.13

 
Despite my best efforts, sometimes life gets in the way of my ability to give a review of shows (regardless of how awesome they may have been) in a timely fashion.  C'est la vie.  Such is the case for the Foals show at HoB two weeks ago Thursday.  If you've had the opportunity to see these lads from Oxford, England, you're quite aware that their live performance inevitably evolves into an absurdly awe-inspiring affair that will at various times feature assaults on a variety of musical instruments, occasional stage jumping, and (in the case of their recent show) a jump from a balcony.  I've had the pleasure of seeing these guys bring their truly special brand of showmanship to the stage three times this year, and each show has been progressively more entertaining.  The most recent experience may have been the best performance that the House of Blues stage has seen this year.  Keep your eyes peeled for their return to San Diego or any nearby area.  More photos after the jump.

Things To Do In San Diego: August 23-26, 2013

I mentioned last week that I've been having some computer issues. This entire week has left me in complete meltdown mode, so I attempted to backup all of my files only to find that nothing transferred. I'm using Darren's laptop for the time being, but I'm open to suggestions from any of my tech-inclined friends. Listings through next Thursday are here, I hope to update with additions as I find them, but here's the basics for now. Friday through Monday Archives after the jump.

City of Angels Invasion: TV Girl, Races at The Casbah Friday August 23, 2013

It has become an all too familiar familiar theme among San Diego bands: leave town and seek fame and fortune in cities with a more vibrant creative artistic culture. While this may ring true, there are always opportunities to catch these aspiring musicians when they return to our laid back city to play in a live setting. Such is the case this Friday when indie pop artists TV Girl (Trung Ngo and Brad Petering) headline the Casbah. This is a band that frequently returns to their former hometown, playing their lo fi brand of pop. They never fail to keep everything on the brighter side. Another band on the bill is Races, fronted by Wade Ryff and his rotating cast of musicians. The first time I witnessed them live was at Soda Bar, where I became a fan on the spot. With a full length under their belt (Year Of The Witch), it will be interesting to see how the newer band members sound with their front man.

Be sure to arrive early for local bands Dudes and Champ. Tickets can be purchased here.

Watch a video of Misery from TV Girl below.

Watch a video of Big Broom from Races below.

For Your Eyes and Ears: Yellow Red Sparks

Yellow Red Sparks, the colorfully named indie folk rock trio from Los Angeles, return to headline The Griffin tonight (Tuesday). This show is part of the ongoing 91X Loudspeaker series and is free w/ RSVP or $5 at the door. The band is fronted by Joshua Hanson, who sings with a strong sense of conviction. The songs are pleasant and catchy on the first and subsequent listens. Accompanied by Sara Lynn Nishikawa (upright bass/vocals) and Goldy (drums/vocals), the songs go from quiet to loud at times while keeping the listener's attention. This is a band to watch and that chance happens tonight here in San Diego.

Watch videos of A Play To End All Plays and Monsters With Misdemeanors below.

Recommended Shows In San Diego August 19-25, 2013

Summer rolls on with another week of great musical shows in San Diego. A closer look reveals some events worth attending.

On Monday celebrate the music of Jeff Buckley with a tribute concert (many talented local performers) at the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre in Balboa Park...Australian synth pop band Strange Talk begin a West Coast tour at The Griffin...

L.A. indie folk band Yellow Red Sparks return to The Griffin for a headlining show on Tuesday....they recently released their well received eponymous debut album...

Austin psychedelic rockers The Black Angels play the Belly Up on Wednesday...

The Casbah is the place to be on Thursday when Blackout Party and The Palace Ballroom play a benefit show for Rady Children's Hospital...

On Friday Tim DeLaughter brings his choral pop collective The Polyphonic Spree to the House of Blues...they just released Yes, It's True...TV Girl and Races headline a stellar lineup at the Casbah...

Toad the Wet Sprocket and Grant Lee Buffalo will be bayside on Saturday at Humphrey's...Kim Lenz & the Jaguars bring their rockabilly act to Soda Bar...

Sunny and the Sunsets headline the Casbah on Sunday...curiosity seekers may want to head to the Belly Up to catch Courtney Love...

The above only represents a sampling of shows happening in the upcoming week...whatever you choose, be sure to support music here in San Diego by attending a show (or two) this week...

Watch a video of Cast Away by Strange Talk below.


Watch a video of You Don't Know Me by the Polyphonic Spree below.

Things To Do In San Diego: August 17-22, 2013

It's been a beautiful weekend so far. My brother and sister-in-law are now officially restationed in San Diego, so it was an awesome day at Kate Sessions with all the cousins playing together. Now I'm out and about with Darren and we're doing pickups in Darren's Van (up to 8 passengers since I'm riding along), but we popped into the Casbah to say hi to Boy King who are celebrating their album release. We'll be out all night if you need us. Updated listings through Thursday are below. 

Saturday, August 17, 2013:

• Burning of Rome, Boy King, Hills Like Elephants, Gloomsday @ Casbah
• Anuhea, Cas Haley @ Belly Up
• Allison Lonsdale, Abner, Ass Pocket, Whiskey Fellas, Jamie Hart @ Lestat's
• Neon Beat @ Bar Pink
• Stalins of Sound, Shiva Trash, Poontang Clam @ Tower Bar 
• Tower Bar Vinyl Swap Meet & BBQ @ Tower Bar (daytime)
• Godhammered, Parade of Horribles, Aghori, Calamitous Intent, Eli Santana and the Guests @ Brick by Brick
• Sasha Fest feat The Nothingful Band, Samhears, Indoor Cities, No Know, Edwyrrd @ Victory Theatre
• Mrs. Henry (CD Release Show), Dirty Sirens, Down Big (CD Release Show) @ The Tin Can
• Upsilon Acrux, Innerds, Molecules @ The Void
• The Screamin Yeehaws, Rat City Riot, Nick Bone and the Big Scene, Toothless George: Cancer! A Benefit for Ashley Moore @ Winston’s
• MayStar's Fashion Whore @ U-31
• 80s vs. 90s featuring DJs Gabe Vega & Saul @ The Whistlestop
• Arcade @ Fluxx
• Homeless Sexuals, Night Gaunts @ Bancroft (Spring Valley)
• Kahilofa, Dj Chelu @ Gallaghers
• Damage, Inc (Metallica Tribute) @ House Of Blues
• Trade Winds @ Humphreys Backstage
• Mercedes Moore Band @ Marble Room
• Selebrities, Rare Times, Idyll Wild @ Soda Bar
• Scarlett Avenue, Cut Your Losses, Welcome To Now, I Am The Conqueror, Growing Up Stupid @ Soma
• Conjunto Primavera @ Sycuan
• Sashamon, Hirie @ The Griffin (9:15pm)
• Record Swap Meet, Stalins of Sound, Shiva Trash, Poontang Clam @ The Griffin
• Left4Dead @ Tio Leo’s Lounge
• Joey & The Mentals, Augustus Maximus @ The Tiki House
• Caliber @ The V Lounge
• Adult Swim Saturday Pool Party feat EC Twins @ Dive Inside, Harrah's Rincon Casino
• Detroit Underground @ The Dreamcatcher

Things To Do In San Diego: August 15-16, 2013

It has been such a busy week! Trying to keep up with work, Nova's first week of school, setting up a bare bones site for Darren's Van, spending some time firing up my new sister site, San Diego: Cycled In, and still trying to enjoy the incredible weather with some parks, biking, badminton, all the while still catching some shows, like Yeasayer up in Anaheim, and man, maybe I'll just sleep all weekend. Tonight is an AMAZING night of music. I love Kopecky Family Band and Said The Whale, and I love Bobby Long and Jesse LaMonaca, so I'm going to do my best to catch as much of both shows. Or maybe I'll pop in for soundchecks. I don't know. Thursday and Friday archives after the jump.

Rosey's Diary: San Diego Summer 2013

It has been a few months since I've sat with my laptop to write a long winded diary post but summer came and went and it has been so busy and adventurous and incredible that I've never really had a chance to soak it all in. I thought about calling this post, "The Summer of Yoga Pants and Fanny Packs" and of course all along the way I've been Tweeting and Facebooking and Foursquaring and updating listings but it feels good to look back at the past few months.

Things To Do In San Diego: August 12-14, 2013

What a week, what a weekend...and what a summer! Nova starts first grade tomorrow so we spent today finishing up back to school shopping, hiking around the Mission Trails Dam and Flume (which is sadly really empty which the Visitor's Center attributed to climate change), and finding out who her teacher will be tomorrow. Now I'm off to the Observatory in Santa Ana with Jeff to see Yeasayer. If you're looking for something to do tonight, Smith Westerns are pretty awesome and you can grab your tickets at the door. Monday through Wednesday archives after the jump.

Recommended Shows In San Diego August 12-18, 2013

August rolls on with another week of great musical happenings in San Diego. A closer look at the upcoming week reveals some shows worth attending.

On Monday Chicago's young indie rockers Smith Westerns headline the Casbah with their recently released Soft Will...Wampire open for a great night of music at the iconic Middletown venue...

Kyle Thomas, aka King Tuff, returns to San Diego this Tuesday at Soda Bar...he plays catchy garage rock/pop like no other....local touring band Pacific Air make an appearance at The Griffin...

Wednesday brings Chicago's Filligar to The Griffin...L.A. band Torches open for a nice bill...

Cold War Kids and PAPA play an all ages show at the House of Blues on Thursday...Nashville up and comers Kopecky Family Band return to Soda Bar...

On Friday Real Estate bassist Alex Bleeker (and The Freaks) brings his side project to Soda Bar with a new release, How Far Away, in tow...

Local bands The Burning of Rome, Boy King (cd release), and Hills Like Elephants rock the Casbah on Saturday...or catch Brooklyn's new wave band Selebrities at Soda Bar...

If you don't have a ticket to the sold out show featuring Kris Orlowski and Gregory Alan Isakov at Soda Bar on Sunday, head to the Casbah to catch the Bay Area's Leopold and His Fiction...

A great week of music is waiting for those who wish to enrich their lives...be sure and go to a show (or two)...

Watch a video of Varsity from Smith Westerns below...

Sunday Funday with CicloSDias!

I am totally excited about Sunday's CicloSDias. After riding around on University after Pride with no cars, a day dedicated to Open Streets is just what this city needs. This was one of Mayor Bob Filner's initiatives earlier this year, and it is a shame with everything going on that he probably won't be around to see it come to life, but I encourage everyone to take part...whether you bike, walk, skate, or scoot, a day without cars is a good thing for everyone and might bring us one step closer to complete streets when people realize the benefits of riding a bike every once in a while. The event is free and family friendly, with the route blocked to cars from 10am-4pm.

"Ciclo­vía," which translates to English as "bike path" was coined in Bogota, Columbia, a city that began experimenting with its model Ciclovia initiative in 1974 as a response to the congestion and pollution of city streets. CicloSDias San Diego is modeled after similar car-free events held in cities around the world, including New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. As of 2012, some 80 Open Streets initiatives are held regularly in North America. CicloSDias is all about connecting communities and giving people a break from the stress of car traffic. CicloSDias San Diego will bring families outside of their homes to enjoy car free streets. The message is clear – we all want a clean, healthy and vibrant San Diego.

CicloSDias welcomes everyone in San Diego to walk, ride, stroll and enjoy our streets. Approximately 5.2 miles of city streets will be opened to families, pedestrians, cyclists, joggers, skateboarders, and anyone else interested in using this public space in a new way.

The event will include a “Hub” in 4 different neighborhoods in San Diego – City Heights, Logan Heights, North Park, and South Park. These Hubs will feature CicloSDias merchandise, showcase event sponsors, and host a bicycle repair booth. Event participants are encouraged to check-in at each Hub and receive a free entry into our Bike raffle.

San Diegans will experience a free ‘open street’ event with activities along the route. Shops and restaurants will be open for business and neighbors and friends from all over will make our streets come alive.

Whether or not you're participating in the Open Streets event, it is important to note that along the route, there will be road closures with only periodic traffic crossing. You can read up on all of those fine details here. I'd just suggest you put your car keys away for the day and join the fun. There will be four hubs with toilets, bike repair, refreshments, and information, but anyone can access the route at any intersection along the way of the 5.2 mile stretch. This is your chance to see parts of the city from a whole new perspective...without cars!

Things To Do In San Diego: August 8-11, 2013

I realized that I forgot to include CityFest in Sunday's listings, so I'm updating these for your perusal. For anyone wondering, date night was awesome. We had lunch with Tim Pyles at Nate's Garden Grill, had a luxurious afternoon nap, then rode bikes to Belching Beaver, El Zarape, Small Bar, and The Void. Today was pretty awesome, too. After picking up Nova, we had lunch at West Coast BBQ & Beer in La Mesa, went swimming at the Handlery Hotel, then did part of the townie ride from Blind Lady. Now it's dinner time and then I'm off to Foals. Drowners start at 8, Foals on at 9. Thursday through Sunday archives are after the jump.

Show Preview: Mother Falcon @ Soda Bar Friday August 9, 2013

Photo Courtesy of Bryan Rindfuss

How do you like to size your bands? Solo artist, dynamic duo, trio, the popular foursome and when you get to 15 and more you can appropriately find Mother Falcon at the top of the list. This 15-20 member touring band from Austin started, believe it or not, as a side project. With a large string section, a bassoon, a glockenspiel, several horns combined with voices comprises a mini rock chamber orchestra that is usually too large to fit on the stages it has been booked to play. Such will be the case this Friday when the large ensemble descends into Soda Bar. With two full length albums to their credit, (You Knew was released in May), the songs are relatively short in length but not in texture. The classically trained musicians in Mother Falcon provide assistance in running a summer camp for young aspiring classical musicians. The reason this group is playing in San Diego is due, in part, to this writer's recommending that Cory Stier (talent buyer) explore the possibility of bringing the band here. This is an opportunity to see something very exciting and different (and still under the radar) in an intimate setting.

Mother Falcon are certainly a DIY project in many aspects. Here's hoping their live performance becomes one that lingers in our collective memories. Tickets to the show can be purchased here.

Watch a video of Blue and Gold and Dirty Summer below.

Show Tonight: The Grownup Noise, Goldenboy @ Tin Can Wed. Aug. 7, 2013

For those who haven't been to The Tin Can (Alehouse dropped from the moniker), suffice to say the venue hosts live music six nights a week. Tonight's bill offers two bands from out of town (and a local act), The Grownup Noise (Boston) and Goldenboy (Diamond Bar). The Grownup Noise are a six piece folk/pop/rock band that love touring and playing in the live setting. Their music is rooted in Americana, but contains many elements that are easy to listen to. Perfect to cure the midweek blues.

Watch a video of So It Goes from This Time With Feeling below.


Also playing tonight are California indie dream pop band  Goldenboy. Led by the haunting vocals of Shon Sullivan and Nicole Verhamme, the veteran band released The New Familiar last fall. Their sound is reminiscent of a time gone by but not forgotten. This is quality music for your ears.

Watch a video of The Walking Song below.



Try something different and head to Banker's Hill tonight...

Things To Do In San Diego: August 7, 2013

It's mid-week and there's so much to talk about. CicloSDias is on Sunday which is going to be awesome, there are some great shows this week including Sebadoh who I'm interviewing on Saturday for SoundDiego, my intern Jordan is back after playing with the School of Rock All-Stars at Lollapalooza, which I hope to tell you all about through his words, San Diego Music Thing is just a month out and deserves your support, and I have all kinds of videos and photos and events to talk about and diaries to write, but mostly what I want to say is that last night marked my life being forever changed when I met Darren. I walked into Soda Bar just beat down from the night and he looked at me as I was talking to the bartender and I didn't mean for sparks to fly, but they did and I was just lost in him. And so I have been ever since. So despite all of the stuff I should be doing to update the site and all, we're going to celebrate with today with another #24HourDate. Wednesday archives are after the jump.

Recommended Shows In San Diego August 5-11, 2013

The first full week of August means summer might be winding down, but there is no shortage of great musical happenings in San Diego. A closer look reveals some shows worth attending in the upcoming week.

For those not going to the sold out show featuring The Heavy and The Silent Comedy at the Belly Up on Monday, consult the listings for your choice...

On Tuesday Foo Fighter Chris Shiflett brings his country tinged band The Dead Peasants to the Casbah...Ex Twin Shadow bassist Russell Manning headlines Soda Bar with his project Rush Midnight...

Head to the San Diego Museum of Art on Wednesday...Teenage Burritos are performing as part of the 10 day Summer Break...http://www.sdmart.org/programs-events/summer-break-2013#7...

The Casbah Presents those wild and crazy lads from Oxford Foals at the House of Blues on Thursday...local faves The Donkeys headline The Griffin...

Fifteen (?) piece touring band Mother Falcon swoop into Soda Bar for a night of orchestral pleasure on Friday...Vancouver based duo Lightning Dust hit the Casbah behind recently released Fantasy...Ivan & Alyosha open for Brandi Carlile @ Humphrey's...

Saturday marks the return of indie rockers Sebadoh to the Casbah...a new album, Defend Yourself,  is due to be released next month...

Lo-fi band White Fence headline a great bill on Sunday at the Casbah...Jessica Pratt and Jonathan Rado (Foxygen) open..

A great week of music lies waiting for those willing to check out San Diego's under appreciated music scene...

Watch a video of Bad Habit (nsfw) from Foals below...

Summer Break 2013 @ SDMART

The San Diego Museum of Art is currently hosting its 10 day art festival titled Summer Break 2013. Combining art with music, lectures, workshops and more provides an excellent opportunity to visit one of Balboa Park's finest museums. The festival features Double Portraits, which is contemporary photographs next to paintings from the 16th through 20th centuries. Music performers include Island Boy (Aug. 6), Teenage Burritos (Aug. 7), Egyptian Lover and Aki Kharmicel (Aug. 8). A full festival guide can be found here.

Things To Do In San Diego: August 2-6, 2013

What an awesome day, right? So I'm reposting listings just so they're easy to access, although obviously the day activities have passed. I'm heading out to buy Johanna a birthday gift, drop by the Casbah for Jesse LaMonaca, and then Darren and I will be at Midnight Madness. If you haven't made plans tonight, it's the 40th Annual Midnight Madness bicycle ride around the bay. The festival starts at 9pm at Liberty Station and all proceeds benefit Hostelling International San Diego. The ride starts at midnight and participants wear their funkiest pajamas for the ride. It is going to be a really fun time. Hit me up if you decide to ride @sddialedin. Saturday through Tuesday archives after the jump.

Savages w/ Johnny Hostile @ El Rey Theater- 07.24.13

 
It is truly unfortunate that some bands just don't include San Diego in their tour plans.  Such was the case last Wednesday when the opportunity to see post-rock four piece Savages came with the caveat that attendance would require a trip up to Hollywood and the El Rey to make it happen.  Regardless of the soul crushing rush hour traffic on the 405, it was most definitely worth the drive.  More after the jump...

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

I hope this week was a good one for everyone. It feels like the weekend is already in effect tonight, so I thought I'd update the listings and post them all through next Thursday. I have a bunch of videos from Tom Odell and Jesca Hoop that I'm excited to share (sneak peek them on my YouTube channel) and lots of other stuff going on that I'd like to share but it's time for a bike ride with Darren so I'll have to get to all of that later. Thursday and Friday archives after the jump.

Bands Playing Pre-Lollapalooza Shows in San Diego

While the big festival happening this weekend is in Chicago (Lollapalooza), a couple of bands headed to the Windy City are playing warm up shows right here in sunny San Diego. First up is Wild Cub, the brainchild of Keegan Dewitt and Jeremy Bullock. The full five piece band from Nashville mix elements of pop and melodic rhythms into an indie/electronic dance style. Catch them live tonight at Soda Bar. Tickets can be purchased here.

The second festival-bound band are the Chilean psychedelic rockers Astro. The indie quartet are known for their energetic live performance. Their sound has often been compared to MGMT. Find out for yourself when they play the back room at Til-Two Club this Friday. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

This is an opportunity to see bands in an intimate setting before they play in front of thousands.

Watch a video of Thunder Clatter from Wild Cub below.



Watch a video Ciervos from Astro below.