April showers brings May flowers! Holy moly Batman, did you see all the epic shows coming to San Diego? I wonder how many touring bands will use the "Whale's Vagina" joke? They always do. I am your humble tastemaker, who has perused the calendar and selected these shows for you. I admit, I missed a few -- but when there are several shows On the same night, well, you just have to prioritize. I am extremely excited about the new SoundDiego events at Harrah's -- I hope you can join me on May 21 with the Boxer Rebellion and the Verigolds! Here are selections I have handpicked for you, along with some guilty pleasures.
May 1: Puscifer at Jacobs Music Center at Copley Symphony Hall. Tool frontman's other band...
May 2: The Subways and Pins at the Casbah. Indie rock from the UK; hooks galore!
May 3: Dungen at the Casbah. A trippy band from Sweden, trippin' the light fantastic!
May 4: Kool Keith at the Casbah. An underground hip-hop legend.
May 5: Mariachi El Bronx at the Belly Up. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a side project from the Bronx, which is more of the main project these days.
May 6: Violent Femmes at Humphreys Concerts By the Bay.
SoundDiego
Music. Community. Culture.
May 7: The Slackers at the Music Box. Original rocksteady ska, featuring former San Diegan David Hilyard -- formerly of the Donkey Show.
May 8: The Residents at the Belly Up.
May 9: Rihanna at Viejas Arena. Guilty pleasure and I will admit it!
May 10: Young Empires at Casbah. This may be the band you have waited all your life for and they are from Canada.
May 11: Wild Belle at the Casbah. What do you need to know? Just go!
May 12: Beyonce at Qualcomm Stadium. "Becky with the good hair"!
May 13-15: Pennywise at the Observatory North Park. Three nights in a row covering their seminal albums.
May 14: Billy Joel at Petco Park. The piano man!
May 15: Swami Records Hardcore Matinee Record Release Party at Bar Pink, starts at 4 p.m. The Loons, the Creepy Creeps, Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place, Octagrape, Mrs. Magician, Ale Mania, the Soaks, the Widows, Death Eyes, Plateaus, Shake Before Us, the Lumps, the Sultans, Teenage Burritos and the Schizophonics. Order to be determined day of show.
May 16: Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience at Sycuan Live & Up Close (El Cajon). His Dad was one of the greatest drummers of all time -- did it rub off?
May 17: Modern English at the Hideout. I will melt with you!
May 18: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard at Soda Bar. Australian psych-garage rock band with an epic name.
May 19: Filter and Orgy at House Of Blues. The '90s never sounded so good.
May 20: The Cure at Sleep Train Amphitheater. Robert Smith is a genius and doesn't know how to apply lipstick.
May 21: Harrah's Resort Southern California presents the start of SoundDiego's Summer Splash concert series with the Boxer Rebellion and the Verigolds. This party will be Richter and I may jump in the pool fully clothed. Get the deets on discounted tickets right here.
May 22: Nada Surf and Prism Tats at the Irenic. If you think you are "Popular," you should go to this show!
May 23: The Little Richards and the Bassics at the Casbah. Do I need to explain? It's a Little Richard cover band, but like no other.
May 24: Son Little at the Casbah. American music, it's from America.
May 25: Sticky Fingers at the Belly Up. Australia-based band that fuses world sounds and indie rock.
May 26: Anti Nowhere League at Soda Bar. Punk-rock legends!
May 27: The Who at Valley View Casino Center. A long and storied career from these rock & roll legends -- ride your scooter to the show.
May 28: US Girls at Soda Bar. Pop-art music, witness it.
May 29: Big Black Delta at Casbah. Electronic pop-rock for your ear holes.
May 30: Refused, the Coathangers and Plague Vendor at the Belly Up. Three incredibly awesome bands on one bill; I can hardly contain myself.
May 31: The Briefs at Soda Bar. Punk-rock dance party!
Thanks for reading, but reading is only part of it. Get off your ass and let your freak flag fly, go see a show. If you see me at a show, please come and introduce yourself, cause I love meeting like-minded music fans. So I will see you at a show! Free hugs!
Tim Pyles, a longtime local who grew up in La Jolla, is the unofficial mayor of local music and hosts Loudspeaker via 91x every Sunday from 7-10 p.m. He also books local acts at the Casbah, hosts the weekly Anti-Monday League, books/hosts the monthly Maryjane's Underground at the House of Blues and is an entertainment writer for Pacific San Diego Magazine. Check out his website thelocalpyle.com and and follow him on Twitter @thelocalpyle. You can reach him directly here pyleste@yahoo.com
