Hometown Heroes Hit the Track

With the impressive lineup that the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) already has scheduled for its Summer Concert Series, we never imagined they'd announce yet another addition that could get us even more excited. Boy, were we wrong! On Aug. 22, feast your eyes and (most importantly) your ears on the Del Mar Track for the all-local showcase of three of San Diego's biggest and brightest acts: The Silent Comedy, Transfer and Vokab Kompany.

The hometown musical powerhouses promise to bring a wallop to the Track which would rival any other big-name act listed on the DMTC's schedule, and that's no small feat. With a schedule consisting of Weezer, Steel Pulse, the Cult, Counting Crows and Steve Aoki (among others), getting a local lineup to stand out among a field of such musical luminaries could be a challenge -- but the DMTC has definitely brought the thunder with this show.

Alt-hip-hop group Vokab Kompany graced one of our own SoundDiego LIVE events recently and we can attest firsthand that from the moment the quintet steps onstage, the party hits full-speed. The band recently released a collection of remixes and collaborations entitled, V-Sides, and a hilarious new video for their single, "Where's My Delorean." Vokab Kompany has been a mainstay in the San Diego hip-hop scene, winning the San Diego Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Group three years in a row.

If you've been to a sold-out show with a local lineup around San Diego in the last decade, you've most likely been to a Transfer show. The alt-rock titans, fresh off the release of their fourth studio album, Shadow Aspect (read our review here), have toured the world over with acts like the Killers' Brandon Flowers and Kaiser Chiefs, and become synonymous with "rock & roll juggernaut" after taking home San Diego Music Awards in years past for Best Rock Band, Song of the year, Best Rock Album and Best Alternative Album.

The Silent Comedy has also made huge waves over the last few years with their self-described "whiskey-fueled tent revival," which has gained them a worldwide following and song placements in shows such as Hatfields & McCoys and the History Channel's The Men Who Built America. Their feverish live shows are frequently described by fans as religious experiences -- and their massive, devoted fan base has solidified the alt-rock Americana quartet as one of the greatest groups to ever call San Diego home.

Currently holed up in a studio in Texas working on their upcoming full-length record, the Silent Comedy's bassist/co-singer Joshua Zimmerman talked to us in between tornado warnings (no joke). "It should be awesome," he enthused. "We're definitely looking forward to it. The whole Summer Concert Series is such an awesome tradition and we're just glad to be part of it."

When asked what we can expect from their performance, he sounded upbeat: "We'll absolutely be playing some new material at the show, including some stuff we've been testing in other markets across the U.S. The show might be nearly half new material."

For a band that's made their name with intense, sweat-filled ruckuses that threaten to blow roofs off music clubs, the show at the Track promises a different experience for fans of the group: "Summertime outdoor shows are their own kind of fun -- they're about having a good time and hanging out with friends. Sure, there's a certain electricity to being a room with all that trapped energy, but there's a performance power to outdoor shows and they're just joyous experiences all-around."

Take it from us: On Friday, Aug. 22, concert-goers are in for a treat.

As always, the concerts at the DMTC take place after the last races of the day and are always free to patrons of the track. Otherwise, tickets are $20, if attending after the last race has taken place. For more information, please visit here.

The 2014 Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Summer Concert Series