Well, so much for the Mayans, but on a brighter note, we get to see what 2013 holds for all of us.
San Diego continues to grow up and is becoming the city she was destined to be, a true world-class destination with music, art, culture and nightlife. Now if we could just get the public transportation system to operate 24 hours a day. A new year means a new start or a fresh start for some. My suggestion when making New Year's resolutions is to decide to support more local musicians. Just saying. Let's take a look at the best shows January has to offer, shall we?
Jan. 3-5: Social Distortion @ House of Blues
Southern California punk rock legends, and all shows sold out
Jan. 4: Pato Banton @ Belly Up
Reggae artist and toaster
Jan. 5: Third Annual Beat Farmers Hootenanny, featuring the Farmers @ Belly Up
An annual party honoring SD legends the Beat Farmers, with very special guests Mojo Nixon, Dave Alvin, Steven Berlin and Nancarrow, plus Joey Harris & the Mentals
Jan. 8: Sum 41 @ House of Blues
Pop punk band from Canada that may owe their career to Blink 182
Jan. 9: Lucinda Williams @ Belly Up
Country, folk, blues and Americana
Jan. 9: Matthewdavid @ Soda Bar
Beatmaking sound-collage artist
Jan. 10: Red Wanting Blue @ Griffin
Rock band from Ohio
Jan. 11-12: English Beat @ Belly Up
1980's UK Two-Tone ska legends featuring Dave Wakeling, who lives in Southern California
Jan. 13: Keane & Youngblood Hawke @ House of Blues
English alt-rock balladeers with a crooner for a frontman with a hot new LA indie rock band opening
Jan. 13: Steve Earle @ Belly Up
Singer/songwriter, record producer, author and actor who has lived a hard life, which inspires his songwriting
Jan. 15: Social Distortion @ House of Blues
Still tickets for this Social D show
Jan. 17: Femi Kuti @ Belly Up Tavern
Eldest son of Afro-beat pioneer Fela Kuti
Jan. 17: He's My Brother, She's My Sister @ Casbah
Folk rockers!
Jan. 18: TheBreax @ House of Blues
Hometown positive hip-hop
Jan. 19: Cadillac Tramps @ Casbah
Orange County '80s punk band.
Jan. 19: Tumbleweed Wanderers @ The Griffin
Oakland-based band playing dark, chaotic banjo rock, and other styles, but that stood out
Jan. 20: Gemini Club @ The Griffin
Indie-electronic dance band doing on the fly re-mixing of their songs during the set.
Jan. 21: Muse @ Valley View Casino Center
One of the biggest music groups in the world right now
Jan. 21: FM94/9 Holiday Hootenanny, with Beware of Darkness and Hit Dog Hollar @ The Griffin
Rock, soul and blues, with an emphasis on rock!
Jan. 24: SoundDiego LIVE @ Casbah
Shake Before Us and SocialClub, and whoever wins the Garage 2 Glory competition. These are always a good time and free -- thanks, Jack Daniel's. I will be your host and you need to RSVP. If you RSVP, you get some beverages and might win a sick Jack Daniel's guitar.
Jan. 24: Designer Drugs @ Fluxx
Electro-industrial dance punk
Jan. 25: Fidlar @ Che Cafe Collective
They rock, and the name stand for F--- It Dog, Life's a Risk.
Jan. 25: Midge Ure (the voice of Ultravox) @ Brick By Brick
Did you know he co-wrote and produced the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?"?
Jan. 25-26: Ozomatli @ Belly Up
Big band mixing their brand of latin, soul, hip-hop and rock
Jan. 26: El Ten Eleven @ The Loft UCSD
Experimental instrumental rock and soundscapes.
Jan. 27: Ben Folds Five @ House of Blues
The '90s piano rockers!
Jan. 29: Niki & The Dove @ Casbah
Indie electronic band from Sweden.
Jan. 30: Geographer @ Casbah
Spacy soul music
Jan. 31: The Parlotones & Irontom @ The Griffin
One of the biggest bands in South Africa.
Jan. 31: Nashville Pussy @ Casbah
Rock & Roll buzz saw!
Time to get out and support the touring bands and local bands! Come see me at the Casbah for the next SoundDiego LIVE, and please come say hello. And if you ever see me at a show, do the same. I'm very friendly and I don't bite ...
Happy New Year!
Tim Pyles, a longtime local who grew up in La Jolla, is the unofficial mayor of local music who hosts The Local 94/9 via FM94/9 every Sunday from 9 p.m. to 12 a.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
