Memorial MonDaze

Add some juicy San Diego music news to that tasty BBQ

All hail the three-day weekend! Crowds and traffic be damned. Let us unite in our common quest to BBQ, imbibe, be lazy, stick our toes in the sand, and spend time with family and friends – all on a random Monday afternoon. Rejoice in the rare gift of looking forward to the first day of the week for a change! And while this is anything but a solemn day for many of us, it’s important to remember all of the sacrifices that were made so we could have a few more hours with the ones we love. This day is first and foremost about remembering those who made it possible.  

And lest we forget the wise words of one Mr. Chuck Berry (but I’m also totally down with Linda Ronstadt and MC5 versions): “Well, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A./Anything you want, we got right here in the U.S.A.”
 
Plus, you’ll undoubtedly have some spare moments between innings or bites of corn on the cob, so it’s time to spend a few of them catching up on music news:
 
• After a wild 34-year run, the Che Cafe is closing. On Friday, after a week of postponements on the vote, UCSD’s student-led advisory board redacted the on-campus venue from next year’s budget. Shows are scheduled to continue at the iconic venue until the start of the next school year (the Burning of Rome and New Kinetics are playing June 14), and critics of the move have promised to fight the decision. Read the full SoundDiego story here.
 
• Local sunbaked rockers the Donkeys (finally!) have a new record coming out. Released through the Easy Sound Recording Company in L.A., it’s called Ride the Black Wave. The band will kick off a national tour in support of the new album June 6 at the Irenic in North Park. Extra Classic, John Meeks and Octagrape support.   
 
• It’s almost time for another Art Around Adams music and arts festival. The two-mile Normal Heights/Kensington art and music walk takes place along Adams Avenue from 2-10 p.m. on June 7. It’s all-ages and free to the public. Live music this year will include Gone Baby Gone, Neighbors to the North, Schitzophonics, Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra, Trent Hancock, Marie Haddad and more. Get more info here.  
 
• The Vinyl Junkies Record Swap is back. They’ve got another great roster of DJs providing the perfect crate-digging soundtrack, and they’ll be giving away a Sector 9 skate deck as well. After you hit Art Around Adams, head over to the Casbah. It goes down on June 7 as well.  
 
• New albums this week from: Haunted Hearts, Hercules and Love Affair, Hundred Waters, moe., Neil Young, Robyn, Sam Smith, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, and Sharon Van Etten.
 
Show of the week: Eagulls at Soda Bar on Wednesday (see the band's SoundDiego interview here). The Leeds-based punk quintet is known for their incendiary live shows and Soda Bar should be no exception. Twin Peaks and Ditches support.
 
Blogger Scott McDonald covers music in San Diego for a few different publications and is the editor of Eight24.com
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