This is a great weekend for live music as one of my favorite and most underrated festivals returns: Gator by the Bay. You'll hear more from me about it this weekend, but for Friday let's focus on some of the other shows in town.
At the Casbah, Hanni El Khatib performs. I checked him out on recommendation from a friend and all I can say is that if you love the grittiness of the Black Keys, the energy of Langhorne Slim and the swagger of Low Volts (who is opening for Hanni), then you definitely want to check out this show.
Over at the Soda Bar, Lotus Plaza -- the solo project of Deerhunter's Lockett Pundt -- tours in support of his second record, Spooky Action At A Distance. This fuzzy indie-pop won't change your life, but it is a solid project and worthy of a Friday night on the town.
Elsewhere around town, Augustana return to the House of Blues (with Dan Layus fronting a whole new band), Pussy Galore is at the Whistle Stop with Family Wagon, Bunny Gang and the hostess with the mostest, Robin Roth, and Secret Samarai headline the Tiki pool party at the Lafayette Hotel. If you're feeling really adventurous, Snow Patrol perform at Pechanga Casino, their closest stop to San Diego.
Friday, May 11:
- Gator by the Bay @ Spanish Landing/Cancer Survivors Park (Harbor Drive across from Airport)
- Casbah presents Lotus Plaza, Wympnd Miles, Mirror Mode @ Soda Bar
- Hanni El Khatib, the Sundelles, Shiva Trash, Low Volts @ Casbah
- Snow Patrol, Ed Sheeran @ Pechanga Theatre (Pechanga Casino, Temecula)
- Augustana, Greylag @ House of Blues
- Pussy Galore featuring Family Wagon, Bunny Gang, DJ Robin Roth & Jaime Ali @ Whistle Stop
- San Diego CityBeat presents Tiki-Beat 2012 featuring Secret Samarai, Hot Tropix, Caburlesque Kittens @ Lafayette Hotel (6:30-10:30 p.m.)
- Rachel Platten, Madi Diaz @ Anthology (late show 9:30 p.m.)
- Keiko Matsui @ Anthology (early show 7:30 p.m.)
- Rat City Riot, All City Boot Boys, the Industry @ Tower Bar
- Smogtown, Shake Before Us, Cat Party @ The Shakedown
- Cumbia Machin, La Diabla @ Ken Club
- Ana Sia, Knight Riders, DINK @ Winston's
- Tommy Lee, DJ Aero @ Voyeur
- Telemetry, The Wagon @ Eleven
- Wild Child (Doors Tribute), Clapton Hook @ Belly Up
- Pocket @ Bar Pink
- The Gregory Page Show @ Lestat's
- Cactus Jack, Roy Rapid & the Rhythm Rock Trio, the Palominos, Mary Simich, DJ Malone @ Tin Can
- Channel 933 Summer Kickoff featuring Maroon 5, Flo Rida, Wiz Khalifa, Gym Class Heroes, the Wanted, Dev, Dj Havana Brown, Chris Rene, Karmin @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
- Flo Rida, DJ Scooter @ Fluxx
- Taboo @ Til-Two Club
- R.A. the Rugged Man, Thirstin Howl the 3rd, 33rd Infantry (CD release), The Ghetto Zoo @ Ruby Room
- Art Fist Collective presents Your Mom (group art show), Granny Pearl @ Zepf Alt.
- San Diego Surf Film Festival presented by Primo featuring Mattson 2 @ The Griffin
- Atomic Groove @ Belly Up (Happy Hour)
- Feel the Noise Electro Dance with DJ's Gabe Vega & Friends @ U -31
- Clairemont High School Fundraiser with Mid Life Crisis @ Brick By Brick
- Ease Up, Indubious, Pilot Touhill, Audible Mainframe @ 710 Beach Club
- Alessa Is Red, Drop the Gloves (CD Release), A Shattered Hope, Globe & Beast, the I In Self, Quorra, Fall to Ruin, Nautilus @ Epicentre
- The Supervillains, Kayavibe, Oceanside Sound System, Thanks Jack, SONO VERO @ Soma
- The MFA Acting Class of 2013 presents Maggie Bofill’s Drawn and Quartered @ Che Café (8 p.m.)
- Quino @ Humphreys Backstage Lounge (9:30 p.m.)
- Full Circle @ Flying Elephant
- Daygo All-Stars featuring Y.P.F.A.B., Yung Blesd, Smoke Break Records, the Movement, D-Boy P. Chase, Beatshop, Cash Me Out Ent., Headnodmusic, Domi Young, M.H.B., Flame da Hollagen, Blood Brothers Empire, Kay Nine Tha Boss, Shawn Rude @ 4th & B
- Amanda Wilson @ Stingaree
- Groundfloor & DJ Afterlife @ Bar Basic
- Defamation League. DJ R2 @ Gallagher's
- Whitney Shay Trio @ Marble Room
- San Diego Surf Film Festival @ Bird’s Surf Shed
- Midnight Lightning @ Tio Leo’s (Napa St.)
- Seria Star featuring DJ's Jude Roshi, Anthony Bottoli, Michael B, Blackass, Ringleader @ Kava Lounge
- Zenbu Fridays with DJ Leif @ Zenbu Cardiff
- Tribe of Kings @ El Dorado
- Dale Da Dred’s Bday bash featuring Kleo Thomas, DJ's Big Daddy, Rage, and Hektik @ Spin
Rosemary Bystrak 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.
