I write about shows every day that I think are worthy of your eyeballs and ear holes. Sometimes those choices are supported by popular media -- bands that get a lot of blog love or indie buzz. But sometimes, I'm really passionate about bands and it's all I can do but use all caps and tell you, "NO, REALLY, YOU HAVE TO TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!" Such is the case tonight at the Casbah. Maybe you've never heard of Imagine Dragons or CHAPPO, but I'm telling you, when I see bands like them, I have renewed faith in the pure fun and enjoyment of music. Maybe they'll catch on with the indie masses, maybe they won't, but either way, there is not a chance I'm missing their show tonight at the Casbah, and I think you'll dig 'em if you give 'em a chance. Trust me on this one.
Friday, Aug. 19:
- Imagine Dragons, Long Live Logos, CHAPPO @ Casbah
- Sezio presents Ganglians, Cuckoo Chaos, Little Deadman @ Soda Bar
- Devo @ Del Mar Racetrack Summer Concert Series
- Local Brews Local Grooves All Access, featuring the Farmers, Jelly Bread, Vagabond Junction, Paul Cannon, Gayle Skidmore, Enreverie, Kenny Eng, the Heavy Guilt Duo, Kendrick Dial, Lenny Morris, Bosen Arrows, Deblois Milledge, Beggar and the Pen, For the Faint @ House of Blues
- Steven Rey and the Slicks, the Old In Out, the Bloodflowers, Low Volts @ Til Two Club
- London Below (formerly Tragic Tantrum), the Burning of Rome, Roswell That Ends Well @ Ruby Room
- The Styletones @ Bar Pink
- Phantom Ratio, Clockwork, Dead Daze @ The Shakedown
- Beatles vs. Stones night. featuring Rubber Souls and Rocks Off with Elite Elvis Tribute @ Belly Up
- F---ing in the Bushes, with DJ Rob Moran @ Whistle Stop
- Indians, Queen Kwong, Small Talk, Gllomsday @ Tin Can
- Nuclear Tomorrow, Chinese Rocks, White Murder @ Tower Bar
- Houston Jones, Plow @ New Expression Music (Formerly Old Tyme Music)
- Tiki Oasis, featuring Los Straitjacket, Big Sandy, Burlesque, Marc and the Escorts, Hot Pink Feathers, Marty Lush and His Latin Livers @ Crowne Plaza Hotel
- Bill Cardinal and the Canyon Band, Old Devil, the Cutaways @ Eleven
- Rhythm and the Method, DJ Nik B @ The Griffin
- Feel the Noise Electro Dance, with DJs Gabe Vega & Friends @ U-31
- Big Toe, Craig Shannon @ Lestat's
- The Roosters @ Riviera
- Unity Tour, featuring 311, Sublime with Rome @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
- Divebomber, Silence Betrayed, Media Solution, Break the Chain @ Brick By Brick
- Stranger @ Winston's
- West Swell @ Wavehouse
- The Fabulous Pelicans @ Belly Up (happy hour, 5:30 p.m.)
- Days to Change, Monkeys in Space, Dose of Adolescence, Almost New, Vignette @ 710 Beach Club
- Emmure, Alesana, Blessthefall, In This Moment, IWrestlesABearOnce, the Ghost Inside, After the Burial, Motionless in White, Chelsea Grin, Sleeping With Sirens, Attila, For All Those Sleeping, Memphis May Fire @ Soma
- Bassist Rob Thorsen & His Quartet, featuring pianist Joshua White, trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos and Duncan Moore drums @ Dizzy's (San Diego Wine & Culinary Center)
- Detroit Underground @ Humphreys Backstage Lounge
- Tower of Power, Ruby and the Redhots @ Humphreys Concerts By the Bay
- Kevin McCarty Concept @ Hensley's Flying Elephant
- Taboo Band (tribute to Sade) @ Anthology (7:30 p.m.)
- Noel Gourdin @ Anthology (9:30 p.m.)
- FilmOut San Diego @ Birch North Park Theatre
- Endoxi, DJ Arox @ Gallagher's
- Bill Magee Blues Band @ Marble Room
- Sydney Blu, Yusef @ Voyeur
- EDM, featuring Mikey High Jinks, Sudonim, DJ Misha @ Analog
- Zenbu Fridays with DJ Leif @ Zenbu Cardiff
- DJ Artistic, Saul Q, Kid Wonder @ El Dorado
- Moonlight presents Autoerotique, Tristan D @ Spin
- DJ Scooter @ Fluxx
- Lynch Mob @ Ramona Mainstage
Rosemary Bystrak writes about the San Diego music scene, events and general musings about life in San Diego on San Diego: Dialed In. She does social media for the Casbah, books at West Coast Tavern and is trying her hand at band management. Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.
