The other day I admitted to Al Howard and Sean Martin of the Heavy Guilt that I'd long ignored their band because I had confused their band name with another band with a similar name. That changed the first time I saw Al and Erik set up outside of the Soda Bar to promote a show they had the next night. I was a fan instantly.
The Heavy Guilt have recorded a new record, and though it won't be officially released until this summer, I can tell you that if you haven't heard about them much, by the release you'll be kicking yourself for not having them on your radar, just as I did. The songwriting is fantastic, the orchestration is full and warm, and when they vibe together onstage, you want to be a part of their magic. Tonight they're at Winston's, and the show is free if you get there before 10, so I suggest heading down to OB, grabbing a burger a Hodad's or some fish tacos at South Beach, and then calling your old burnout friends to see if you can crash on their couch for the night.
Friday, April 22:
- The Heavy Guilt, River City, the Black Sands @ Winston's
- Indian, Hotel St. George (album release), Handshakes @ Tin Can
- The Dickies, Jungle Fever, the Lumps, DJs Mikey Ratt and Miggs @ Til Two Club
- Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels @ La Puerta
- “Blowoff,” with DJ’s Bob Mould and Richard Morel @ Casbah (doors at 10 p.m.)
- MarchFourth Marching Band, with Vokab Kompany, Solovox and DJ ManCat @ Belly Up
- I Heart SD Hip Hop, with AUDIOS, Brendan B, Sighphur One, Destructo Bunny, Left n Company and Pyro @ Soda Bar
- Bonkers! EDM dance party with Junior and Vaughn @ Bar Pink
- Bedbreakers, Blues/Roots DJs @ Whistle Stop
- 45 Grave, Yeastie Boys and Revenge Club @ The Shakedown
- 21 Stereo, Standing Shadows, Black Party Politics, the Vein Transfer, Misc. Ailments @ Ruby Room
- Cumbia Machin, with Roots Factory DJs Ana Brown and Bob Green @ Ken Club
- Full Moon Fever, the Hard Part @ Eleven
- Fresh Sound: Theo Bleckmann @ The Loft, UCSD
- Feel the Noise Electro Dance. with DJs Gabe Vega and Friends @ U-31
- Deeper Purple, Hellbent (Judas Priest tribute), Smack This (Godsmack tribute) @ O'Connell's
- Kottonmouth Kings, Krizz Kaliko, Kutt Calhoun, Saigon, Potluck @ House of Blues
- Dub Frequency presents Creme de la Creme, with Alexander Spit, DJ Mark Marcelo, DJ Julz @ House of Blues, Delta Room
- In Every Breath, Aghori, Beneath Lanston, My Elysian, Sight Unscene @ Soma
- Sun Diego’s 30th Anniversary, with Shoreline Rootz, DJ Prophecy @ Sound Wave
- The Gregory Page Show @ Lestat's
- Pato Banton and the Now Generation, Nano Bravo and Mad Lion, Mondorico, Circus Junkies, Native Yit @ Brick By Brick
- The Devastators, the Concrete Project, ArtOfficial @ 710 Beach Club
- The Review, New Year, Kissing Youth, Nostalgic People, Stray Children @ Epicentre
- Red Fox Tails @ The Marble Room
- Gotham City San Diego, featuring Kid-Rockin, Artistik, Dyno, Krucial, Royal Rich, Gooniees @ World Beat Center
- Battle of the Bands @ Porter’s Pub, UCSD
- Happy Hour, with the Mar Dels Brenda O'Brien Cancer Benefit @ Belly Up (5:30 p.m.)
- Blues Night feat. Curtis Salgado @ Humphrey's Backstage Lounge
- Creepy Creeps, DJ Danny G @ Hensley's Flying Elephant
- Sidekicks Duo @ Donovan's Circle of Fifths
- Ramsey Lewis @ Anthology (7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.)
- “Subversive 3” Nasty Nasty, indaskyes, Facemelter, Traxmyth @ Kava Lounge
- Fayuca, Groove Stain, DJ R2 @ Gallagher's
- Tocadisco, Anthony Ross @ Voyeur
- Zenbu Fridays, with DJ Leif @ Zenbu Cardiff
- N-Zone @ Stage Bar
- Charlie Rock, Grandmasta Rats@ El Dorado
- ELEV8, featuring Arkon, Jason, Austin Speed, B2B, CRMNL, Puppykicker, Osal8, Eshone, Galactic Reign @ Spin
- Fluxx*adelic, with Lupe Fiasco, DJ Brett Bodley @ Fluxx
- Rocafornia Cartel T.A.P., Z-Row/Seed in tha Dirt, Blakkat, Lojec and Guests @ Ramona Mainstage
- Stomp! @ Balboa Theatre
Rosemary Bystrak writes about the San Diego music scene, events, and general musings about life in San Diego onSan Diego: Dialed In. She does social media for the Casbah, books at West Coast Tavern West Coast Tavern, and is trying her hand at band management. Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.
