This is my favorite time of year in San Diego -- the tourists are gone and it's Rocktober! Check out a month full of shows -- an amazing month, like really amazing! When you have Depeche Mode, the Black Angels, Afghan Whigs and the Bronx all in the same month, you know it's gonna be a good one. Enjoy!
Oct. 1: Algiers at Soda Bar. Is this the not miss show of the year? Have you heard their Matador Records release "The Underside of Power"? Experimental is a word that can be used to describe the band.
Oct. 2: Chelsea Wolfe and Youth Code at the Belly Up. Experimental describes Chelsea -- as does gothic rock and doom metal.
Oct. 3: The Blow at Soda Bar. If you like electro-pop, then this show is for you.
Oct. 4: Archons, Old Iron, Age of Collapse and Low and Be Told at Casbah. Heavy, heavy, heavy and more heavy.
Oct. 5: Arkells and Irontom at Space. A band from Canada (where they subsidize musicians), and one from LA (where they do not). Arkells are mega in Canada and will be back to play 91x's Wrex the Halls.
Oct. 6: Depeche Mode and Warpaint at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre. Too many hits to mention and fans will come from both sides of the border.
Local
Oct. 7: The Woggles, Prima Donna and the Jackets at the Casbah. Garage-rock from Atlanta, LA and Sweden.
Oct. 8: Ratboys at Soda Bar. "Elvis Is in the Freezer" is a great song from this Chicago-based indie band.
Oct. 9: Chill Clinton, Kwame Badu, Flash and Mike Holmes at Casbah. Local hip-hop party jams!
Oct. 10: Coast Modern at House of Blues. An indie-pop duo from LA.
Oct. 11: JD McPherson and Nikki Lane at Belly Up. Have you heard JD's song "Lucky Penny"? I love that song.
Oct. 12: Afghan Whigs and Har Mar Superstar at the Belly Up. I'm sure you've heard alt-rock legends Afghan Whigs before, but have you heard Har Mar? He looks like Ron Jeremy and sings like Stevie Wonder.
Oct. 13: Rainer Maria and Olivia Neutron John at Casbah. Great emo-rock band back after a long hiatus.
Oct. 14: Action Bronson at Observatory North Park. "F$%& That's Delicious" is a great show on Vice he hosts, but have you heard his rhymes?
Oct. 15: The Aggrolites and the Skatalites at the Belly Up. Great double bill of Ska, and one of them is credited with starting the genre.
Oct. 16: Fletcher and Faulkner at the Loft (UCSD). Brit-rock from Chicago? Plus alt-rock from Venice, California -- not Italy ...
Oct. 17: The Black Angels and Ron Gallo at the House of Blues. Psych-rock legends from Austin and a new guy that mixes garage, punk and art-rock. Don't be late.
Oct. 18: The Strypes at the Casbah. Do yourself a favor and see one of the best live bands in the world from Cavan, Ireland. Blues, rock and mod revival. At press time, local mod revival band the Bassics aren't on this bill yet, but dammit if I have anything to do with it, they will! And I sorta do ...
Oct. 19: The Bronx, Plague Vendor and '68 at the Casbah. If this isn't sold out yet, it will be soon.
Oct. 20: Joyce Manor and Wavves at SOMA. The hits keep on coming, will I ever get any sleep? It's always great when Nathan (Wavves) plays his hometown.
Oct. 21: Ye Scallywag! at Waterfront Park. 91x brings local beer and bands to Waterfront Park. Pennywise, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes, the Vandals, Lagwagon, Strung Out, the Adolescents and locals Western Settings.
Oct. 22: Avatar at Brick by Brick. Melodic Death Metal from Gothenburg, Sweden. So they're Swedish, or as I like to say, sweet-ish ...
Oct. 23: Regina Spektor at Balboa Theatre. Discovered by the Strokes! Russian-born singer/songwriter and pianist.
Oct. 24: Alice Glass at Observatory North Park. She used to front Crystal Castles, who are strangely playing the next night at the same club. Weird.
Oct. 25: Paul Weller at House of Blues. Former frontman for the Jam and Style Council, the Modfather.
Oct. 26: Thievery Corporation at the Belly Up. Two shows to pick from in one night!
Oct. 27: Roky Erickson at the Casbah. The 13th Floor Elevators -- enough said ...
Oct. 28: Splavender, Valley Cult, Matcha and Lead Pony at Public Square Coffee House. It's another Locally Grown, the all-ages event I am producing in La Mesa.
Oct. 29: The Interrupters and SWMRS at House of Blues. Did you know the drummer in SWMRS is the son of Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day?
Oct. 30: Zombie Surf Camp, the Touchies and Parade of Horribles at Casbah. All-local pre-Halloween bill. I will be Mr. Clean.
Oct. 31: It's Halloween, find something to do ...
See what I mean? Do you see what I am up against? I feel like it's my civic duty to go to as many of these as possible, so, like I say, I'll see you at a show!
Tim Pyles, a longtime local who grew up in La Jolla, is the unofficial mayor of local music and hosts Loudspeaker via 91x every Sunday from 7-10 p.m. He also books local acts at the Casbah, hosts the weekly Anti-Monday League, books/hosts the monthly Maryjane's Underground at the House of Blues and is an entertainment writer for Pacific San Diego Magazine. Check out his website thelocalpyle.com and and follow him on Twitter @thelocalpyle. You can reach him directly here pyleste@yahoo.com
