For my 18th birthday, I had front-row tickets to see Counting Crows at Coors Amphitheatre. At the time, I was a huge fan of their "August and Everything After" and "Recovering the Satellites" albums, only to find out the band was canceling the tour. I got redemption a couple years later when I got to do a meet-and-greet with the band at Aztec Bowl, then got to catch them with Matchbox Twenty at the Pond. It's decades later and the tour is for anyone with strong nostalgic impulses for two of the top selling bands of the '90s. See them at Mattress Firm and let the memories wash you away. There are tons of other shows to get you into the weekend, like the second night of Psychedelic Furs at Sycuan Casino, Violent Femmes at the racetrack, or get down with the Schizophonics Soul Revue at the Casbah. Observatory has a great show with Taking Back Sunday and Lower Class Brats play Soda Bar for another solid option. Whatever your calling, Friday in San Diego is going to be pretty amazing.
Friday, July 28:
- Matchbox Twenty, Counting Crows @ Mattress Firm Amphitheatre
- Psychedelic Furs @ Sycuan Casino
- Violent Femmes @ Summer Concert Series, Del Mar Racetrack
- The Schizophonics Soul Revue, the Magnificent with Mighty Manfred, Thee Allyrgic Reaction, DJ Claire and Mr Mazee @ Casbah
- Beatles vs. Stones: An Evening With @ Belly Up
- Taking Back Sunday, Every Time I Die, Modern Chemistry @ The Observatory North Park
- World Surf League 6-Star Paul Mitchell Neon Supergirl Pro Concert feat. Elise Trouw, Alec Joseph, Charlie Rae, Mittens, Raelee Nikole, Emily Zeck, Zander @ Oceanside Pier (Noon-6 p.m.)
- Matt Hall Quintet @ Dizzy's
- KAABOO's Discovery Tour will include Faulkner, Spare Parts for Broken Hearts, Cali Conscious, Spare Parts For Broken Hearts @ Music Box
- Berkley Hart, Nina Francis, Jimmy Lunsford, Courtney Preis, David Beldock, Rob Deez, Kenny Eng, Dave Easton @ Java Joe's
- Karina Frost & the Banduvloons, Soul Ablaze, Lillian Leblanc, Hurt and the Heartbeat @ The Merrow
- Art Unites presents Bright Lights @ Ken Club
- Other Voices: A Dark Wave New Wave Dance Party @ Space
- Lower Class Brats, Special Duties, Dead on the Wire, Sculpins @ Soda Bar
- Music! Music! Music! @ Whistle Stop
- Through Being Cool SD's Original Emo Night w/ Steven Oira of My American Heart & Derek Hubbard @ Blonde
- Beach Goons, Jurassic Shark, Super Lunch, Hot Brothers, Transpirations @ SOMA
- Antonette Goroch, Eddie Lenhart @ Lestat's
- Fatal Sting 1 vs. 1 B-Girl/B-Boy Event @ Queen Bee's
- Sick Balloons, Hello Penelope @ Stag and Lion
- The Routine @ The Rabbit Hole
- Miss Erika Davies @ Panama 66
- Atomic Groove’s Happy Place #3 @ Belly Up (Happy Hour 5 p.m.)
- Kitty Plague, Gone Baby Gone @ Black Cat Bar
- Black Pussy, Ironaut, Uber Monk @ Brick By Brick
- Divided Heaven, Dead Frets, Bossfight, Laughing Liars @ Tower Bar
- Zep-Tune, Cowgirls from Hell, Hardwired @ Winston's
- Lola Demure's Burlesque & Variety Show @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
- David Allen Coe, Sickstring Outlaws @ Ramona Mainstage
- Haeley Vaughn @ Moonshine Beach
- Martin McDaniel @ Moonshine Flats
- DJ Wendi Cakes @ De Oro Mine Co
- The Faux Fighters, DJ Oren @ The Holding Company 1502
- Puttin Down Roots: Veracruz Blues @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
- The Tighten Ups @ Pour House (5:30 p.m.)
- In Your Neighborhood with Lou Niles featuring the Surrealistics, Spooky Cigarette @ Pour House (Oceanside)
- Missie Page & the Rifftones @ The Bancroft
- Johnny Love, Red Sage, African Postman @ 710 Beach Club
- Janice & Nathan @ Martini's Above Fourth
- AfterHours in the Office w/DJs Adam Salter & Kid Wonder @ The Office
- San Diego Soul Club presents Soul A Go-Go @ Til-Two Club
- All-Vinyl Happy Hour w/Monsieur Turbeau @ The Office (6 p.m.)
- DJ Freeman @ U-31
- Nightshift @ Tio Leo's
- Y3K @ Humphreys Backstage Live (5 p.m.)
- Detroit Underground @ Humphreys Backstage Live (9 p.m.)
- Serious Bastard Sons (Serious Guise All Stars) @ Navajo Live
- Mayhem, G-Buck @ Bassmnt
- Supa Fly Friday with DJ Charlie Rock, DJ Kidriz @ El Dorado
- King Taylor Project @ Dublin Square
- DJ E-Rock @ Oxford Social Club at the Pendry
- Deejay Al @ FLUXX
- Sam Bybee @ Hooley's El Cajon
- Cherokee, KARTELL @ Bang Bang
- Tribe Out West Presents: Temple @ Spin
- Zedd @ Omnia
- Goodtimes @ Henry's Pub
- Highlander #gotsliceee @ Kava Lounge
- Club Musae @ Boar Cross'n
- Tres the Band @ Lobby Bar, Viejas Casino
- Rising Star, DJ Dust @ V Lounge, Viejas Casino
Rosemary Bystrak is the publicist for the Casbah and writes about the San Diego music scene, events and general musings about life in San Diego on San Diego: Dialed In. Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.
