San Diego has a lot to offer these days. Have you been to the Observatory North Park or Music Box yet? Those two and a new all-ages venue, the Lamppost Warehouse, have just been added to the mix, and it's a busy calendar moving forward. Some nights, I can't decide which show to go to -- it's overwhelming, but it's a good problem. Look over and peruse the calendar I have laid out in front of you. These are only suggestions, so it's up to you how you spend your hard-earned money.
Nov. 2: Ghost at the Observatory North Park. Swedish metal band that dropped the B.C. that used to follow their name (it was for legal reasons). Doom metal with epic hooks!
Nov. 3: Antemasque at the Observatory. At The Drive In and the Mars Volta came before these guys formed Antemasque.
Nov. 4: Ryn Weaver at House of Blues. Young lady from Encinitas that has been blowing up in the alt-indie-pop world. Who knew?
Nov. 5: Timmy's Organism at the Tower Bar. I just love the name, but the dude is a Detroit punk-rock legend.
Nov. 6: Leon Bridges at the Observatory North Park. Rock, soul, gospel and blues -- the dude is a bona fide star.
Nov. 7: Mr. Tube & the Flying Objects, Widows, Victory Mansion at Casbah. Fall Brewing One Year Anniversary! Have you tried the Loudspeaker IPA?
Nov. 9: The Sloths at Casbah. After nearly half a century, the legendary Sunset Strip garage band is back and showing the kids how it's done.
Nov. 10: Health at Casbah. Noise/pop-rock: yes it's a thing.
Nov. 11: Andra Day at Casbah. San Diegan channeling Eartha Kitt and drawing you in with her stylings. Currently touring the nation.
Nov. 12-14: San Diego Music Thing is Thursday through Sunday at various venues across San Diego. All of these bands are playing: Soulside, Creative Adult, Wildhoney, the Briefs, Yo La Tengo, Blitzen Trapper, Viet Cong, A.A. Bondy, Mrs. Magician, Gateway Drugs, the Widows, the Touchies, Born Ruffians, the Album Leaf, Young Rival, Andrew St. James, James Supercave, My Goodness, Eagle Rock Gospel Singers, Swingin' Utters, the Paper Kites, Beach Slang, the Bombpops, Ilya, Success, Oh Spirit, Old Man Canyon, Summer Twins, Soft Lions, Inspired & the Sleep, AJ Froman, L7, the Joy Formidable, the Midnight Pine, Birdy Bardot, Erik Canzona & the Narrows, Creature & the Woods, Dani Bell & the Tarantist, No Age, Chicano Batman, Retox, Milo Greene, In the Valley Below, Tamaryn, Here We Go Magic, the Moth & the Flame, Froth, Babes, Wild Wild Wets, Paragraphs, Hills Like Elephants, Guides, Diamond Lakes, Old Tiger, Subsurfer, Big Bad Buffalo, the Palace Ballroom, JJUUJJUU, Paper Days, Grizzly Business, Super Buffet, Brad Perry & the Acoustic Fingerprints, Think No Think and Neighbors to the North to name almost everyone playing.
Nov. 15: Firethorn, Velvet Club, the Roxanne Wars at the Casbah. Mondays are local nights that I've booked, so let's call them Loudspeaker Presents!
Nov. 16: The Anomaly, Captain Viejo, the Sinclairs at the Casbah. Loudspeaker Presents, support local music!
Nov. 17: Movits! at the Irenic. Swedish band that Stephen Colbert broke in America. Swing, jazz and hip-hop fun.
Nov. 18: Mac Miller at House of Blues. Pittsburgh-based alt-pop rapper, who even wrote a song about Donald Trump and I'll just leave it at that.
Nov. 19: Trails and Ways, the Verigolds, Bad & the Ugly at Casbah. Trails and Ways are a self-described "bossa nova dream pop" band.
Nov. 20: Inspired & the Sleep and Nite Lapse at Maryjane's Underground inside the Hard Rock Hotel. Free shows, booked by me inside the Hard Rock Hotel. RSVP here - http://www.hardrockhotelsd.com/maryjanes-underground.htm
Nov. 21: Holly Golightly, the Loons, Dani Bell & the Tarantist, Madly at Casbah. Holly has worked with Rocket From the Crypt and has a bluesy swagger in her music.
Nov. 22: Rise Against at SOMA. Chicago-based politically charged alt-punk band.
Nov. 23: DJ Artistic's Hip Hop Battle Bot at the Casbah. Support local hip-hop culture!
Nov. 24: Borns at the Belly Up. Indie psych-pop that makes you dance.
Nov. 25: Cash'd Out at Casbah. Spend the night before Thanksgiving with the best Johnny Cash tribute band on the planet!
Nov. 26: Thanksgiving: Eat, eat, eat and be thankful!
Nov. 27: Robert DeLong, Coleman Hell at the Music Box. Alternative indie-dance rock for your hips to move to.
Nov. 28: X, Mike Watt & the Secondmen at the Casbah. Night two of two legends playing the world famous Casbah!
Nov. 29: The Bird & the Bee at the Irenic. Inara George (the Bird) and Greg Kurstin (the Bee) play indie dream-synth-pop for you, and they are from L.A.
Nov. 30: A John Waters Christmas at the Irenic. Spend an evening with the Holiday stories of a legendary cult filmmaker.
November looks good, doesn't it? Seriously good, I mean, I must have tickled your fancy with something on my list. I'm surprised I'm ever at home with all of these awesome shows -- maybe I'll see you at one.
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
