I work behind the scenes in several capacities, so for me, any time a show sells out in advance I am pretty happy. San Diego is known as a last-minute city among venues and booking agents, and sometimes I think it is because we're behind the buzz curve, but mostly I think it is because we wait for the best offer to come our way. Sometimes that means a good show, sometimes a good art opening, and sometimes just a place to enjoy the beauty of our city, like the blue moon that will be hovering over all of us on Friday.
In any case, M83 is sold out and Awesome Fest is sold out, but there are plenty of other great shows around town to satisfy your aural needs. Dahga Bloom is at the Casbah, Latex Grenade is at the Ruby Room, and one of our favorites, Tropical Popsicle, is performing a free show at the Flame. Don't let me be your filter, because these listings have some great options, and there is certainly something for everyone to kick off the holiday weekend with a big kick. Take your pick.
Friday, August 31:
- Casbah presents M83, Hyena @ Soma (SOLD OUT)
- Awesome Fest 666 featuring Mean Jeans, Sass Dragons, Too Many Daves, Rumspringer, Turkish Techno, Big Eyes, Siren Songs, Joyce Manor @ Soda Bar (SOLD OUT)
- Awesome Fest 666 featuring Mind Spiders, Something Fierce, Lenguas Largas, Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band, Occult Detective Club @ Eleven (SOLD OUT)
- Dahga Bloom, Astra, Joy, Shiva Trash, Operation Mindblow Lightshow @ Casbah
- Latex Grenade, Beneath Lanston, Zone of the Interior, Forge the Sky, One Theory @ Ruby Room
- Tropical Popsicle, Erleen Nada, Skrapez, Vampire @ The Flame (free)
- Death Punx Distro presents Buried at Birth, Crime Desire, Pig Life (Members of Titanarum), Waco F---, Vulva Essers @ The Yard (All Ages, 4 p.m., $4)
- Rat City Riot, the Widows, Midnight Eagle @ Ken Club
- Ozomatli @ Del Mar Race Track
- Beatles vs. Elvis, DJ Man Cat @ Belly Up
- Okay At Best, Isaac Cheong @ The Skybox
- Jeff Bertino and Mike Stubblefield, Lacemakers @ Templar’s Hall in Old Poway Park
- Fam Royal @ Bar Pink
- The Goods: Sonic Soul & Jazz Grooves @ Whistle Stop
- Los Lobos Locos, Batwings, From Scars, the Colton Boys @ The Shakedown
- Hapa @ Anthology (Early Show 7:30 p.m.)
- Kristin Hersh @ Anthology (Late Show 9:30 p.m.)
- Tiny Frank, Tommy Dubs & the Seismic Leveler @ The Go Lounge
- Run Luca, Adam Arcuragi & the Lupine Chorale Society, Tori Rogg @ Tin Can
- Taboo @ Til-Two Club
- The Dreaming, Red Wizard, Andora @ The Griffin
- Punk vs. Hip Hop with Skrapez vs. the Lumps, Brother Nature vs. Batwings, Dj Unite, Mr. Henshaw, Pelengue @ Tower Bar
- Ladies Night with DJ Von Kiss, Dust & Pocket @ U-31
- Kottonmouth Kings, Big B, Prozak, KMK Side Prohect @ House of Blues
- Brooke Nicole, Telarico, Christine Parker, the Novelists @ Lestat's
- Motley 2, Blackout, Rattz, Vasoline @ Brick By Brick
- Renegade Roller Girls Fundraiser featuring Psydecar, Haleamano, Kush Kounty, Irieality @ Winston's
- Reeform, Brewfish, Stircrazies @ 710 Beach Club
- The Lifted, Turning Tricks, Save the Bear @ Epicentre
- Dizzy’s presents Wes Bound, a tribute to Wes Montgomery with Jamie Valle & Bob Boss, Bob Magnusson, Ramon Banda @ Tango Del Rey
- Noisy Toys @ Humphreys Backstage Lounge (Early Show 5 p.m.)
- Viva Santana @ Humphreys Backstage Lounge (Late Show 9:30 p.m.)
- G.F.I. Live Music @ Flying Elephant
- Junior theDISCOpunk @ A/C Lounge
- Smasheltooth, Carlo & Rossi @ Analog
- Keyser Soze, DJ LYA @ Gallagher's
- Whitney Shay @ Marble Room
- LED presents Eats Everything @ Voyeur
- Zenbu Fridays with DJ Leif @ Zenbu Cardiff
- Redefinition with Mr. Choc, Charlie Rock, Question @ El Dorado
- Notorious Country Prod, DeezKids @ Spin
- Neon Hitch, DJ E Rock+ Ricky Rocks @ Fluxx
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.
