It's a little bit funny that on the debut weekend of our Coachella-like Festival, the Fingers CRSSD Festival, we get Coachella-worthy weather. It's going to be a scorcher, but an all-weekend festival by the bay sounds like a pretty OK way to enjoy the sunshine. I only hope they leave the wading fountains on so we can cool down. Be sure to catch LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy, and don't miss Empire of the Sun, both major festival highlights wherever they perform. However, if you're not willing to fork over the big money for a festival pass, head up to UCSD to support the historic Che Cafe at Che Fest 2015. There are a ton of awesome bands and, of course, this is a last-ditch effort to keep the cafe alive -- at $10, it can't be beat. By night, the Cambodian pop band Dengue Fever return to the Casbah, singer/songwriters Jackie Greene and Lauren Shera perform at the Observatory North Park, and the buzz-band Wand performs at Soda Bar.
Saturday, March 14:
- CRSSD Festival: Empire of the Sun, Hot Natured, Classixx, Strfkr, Damian Lazarus & the Ancient Moons, Goldroom, Slow Magi, Jason Bentley, James Murphy, Lee Burridge, Pete Tong, DJ Harvey, Infinity Ink, Amtrac, Kill Frenzy, Nina Las Vegas, Lee K, Kaytranada, Thomas Jack, Breakbot, Giraffage, Aeroplane, Klangkarussell, Treasure Fingers, Carmada, Wa Motif, Klatch @ County Waterfront Park
- Che Fest 2015: Big Bad Buffalo, PSO, Inspired and the Sleep, Left Astray, Coolside, Shady Francos, Debt Ritual, Drug Control, Haruka, Malinchista, Nerve Control, Plastic City Pariah, Cuddle Weather, VRIL, Fist Benders, All My Wishes, DNLL, Texas 1976 @ Che Cafe (12 p.m. to 12 a.m., $10/free to UCSD Students)
- Dengue Fever, California Bleeding @ Casbah
- Jackie Greene, Lauren Shera @ Observatory North Park
- Wand, Walter TV, Gooch Palms, Death Valley Girls @ Soda Bar
- Quiet Life @ Seven Grand
- Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México @ Symphony Hall
- The Milkcrates DJ @ Bar Pink
- Tommy Castro & the Painkillers, the 44s @ Belly Up
- Flakes, Lady Low, Focke Wolves @ Black Cat
- The Australian Bee Gees Show @ Balboa Theatre
- Shadmehr Aghili @ Spreckels Theatre
- Hawai'i: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
- Irish Festival in Balboa Park 2015, featuring Lexington Field, the Fooks, Shawn Rohlf & the 7th Day Buskers @ Balboa Park
- ShamROCK Festival 2015 @ Gaslamp District
- Naomi Punk, PC Worship, Subtropics @ Tower Bar
- Fred Benedetti & George Svoboda @ Dizzy's
- Glamor Kills Spring Break '15, featuring Set It off Against the Current, As It Is, Roam, With Age @ Epicentre
- Ringo Starr & His All Star Band @ Pala Casino
- Paper Days, Lobster Party, Splavender, Huj, Adult Films @ SOMA
- TV Girl @ The Hideout
- La Banda el Recodo and Ezequiel Pena @ Del Mar Fairgrounds
- Pete Tong, Thomas Jack @ The Hornblower
- Damage Inc., Ozzmania @ House of Blues
- Andre Nickatina @ Porter's Pub
- Black Market III, the Sickstring Outlaws, Scott Mathiasen & the Shifty Eyed Dogs, the Whiskey Circle @ Brick By Brick
- Trent Hancock @ Wine Lover
- Justin Young, Josh Damigo, Sophia Bacino @ Lestat's
- Damian Lazarus @ Bang Bang
- Dmitri & Rob Moran @ Whistle Stop
- Bailey, the Invaderz @ The Merrow
- Deadbeat Debauchery, Baby Coyote, Crossmoon Supercult, Centurion Weild @ The Bancroft
- DJ Ayla Simone @ U-31
- Mark Fisher @ Croce's Park West (12 p.m.)
- Berkley Hart Selis Twang @ Croce's Park West (7 p.m.)
- The Fabulous Ulratones @ Humphrey's Backstage Live (5 p.m.)
- Beta Maxx @ Humphrey's Backstage Live (9 p.m.)
- Lust for Life @ Winston's (5-8 p.m.)
- Restoration One, Royal Heart and Destructo Bunny @ Winston's
- Helsott, Santa Claus, Madrost, Orphan Crippler @ Til-Two Club
- Sid Vicious @ Fluxx
- Max Vangeli @ Bassmnt
- Serious Guise @ Tio Leo's
- Simpler Times @ Kava Lounge
- Crown Roots, DJ Chelu @ Gallagher's Irish Pub
- Revival @ Boar Cross'n
- Irie Love, Pali Roots, True Press, KL Noise Maker @ 710 Beach Club
- DJ E & Yoday @ Henry's Pub
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.
