So it begins. The first of two sold-out nights of Morrissey at the Observatory and calls from every long-lost friend who has my phone number asking me for tickets. But I shall not oblige, because sold out is sold out. And besides, there are plenty of other worthy musicians in town, including the Drums -- another show that's sold out -- Esperanza Spalding at Summer Pops (read our interview here), Soft Lions at Soda Bar, and Holychild at the Loft at UCSD. But if you've ever read anything I've ever written, you know that I have an eternal soft spot for Rocky Votolato. His latest record, Hospital Handshakes, is beautiful and heartbreaking and hopeful, and in between tour stops, Rocky has been visiting injured veterans in hospitals who are suffering from PTSD. With Dave Hause and Chris Farren of Fake Problems opening this show, not even Moz could make me miss Rocky's show on Thursday at the Casbah.
Thursday, August 20:
- Rocky Votolato, Dave Hause, Chris Farren @ Casbah
- The Drums, Froth @ The Irenic (sold out)
- Morrissey @ The Observatory North Park (sold out)
- Holychild, Nothing Special @ The Loft, UCSD
- Soft Lions, Globelamp, Garden Echo @ Soda Bar
- Esperanza Spalding @ San Diego Symphony's Summer Pops, Embarcadero Marina Park South -- read our interview here
- Kevin Cavannaugh's Morrissey Piano Bar @ Bar Pink
- The Palms, the Midnight Pine, Taming the Fox @ Belly Up
- Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club's Adios Tour, featuring Omara Portuondo, Eliades Ochoa, Guajiro Mirabal, Barbarito Torres, Jesus "Aguaje" Ramos @ Humphrey's Concerts By the Bay (sold out)
- Landis, Fusebox @ Sycamore Den
- Saxon, Armored Saint, Symbolic @ Brick By Brick
- Amy Obenski, Kevin Pugh @ Lestat's
- Steve Harris and Friends @ Java Joe's
- Punchcard, Just In Case, Somatic, Arson Academy @ The Merrow
- Club '80s @ The Bancroft
- Throwback Thursday @ U-31
- Gilbert Castellanos & the Park West Ensemble @ Croce's Park West
- Los Hollywood @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
- Ragan, Nasty Dilemma, Age of Collapse, Victis @ Tower Bar
- Open Jam Session @ Winston's (6-9 p.m.)
- Open Beach Hip-Hop Night @ Winston's
- Rockin Aces @ Tio Leo's
- Jae Murphy @ Fluxx
- Dash Berlin @ Omnia
- Rock Out Karaoke @ Tin Roof
- Astrojump, Kill Quanti DJs @ Whistle Stop
- DJ Reefah, TRC Soundsystem @ Gallagher's Irish Pub
- Liquid Courage Karaoke @ 710 Beach Club
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.
