A quick web search will tell you that June 20th is the official start of summer 2012, but since we live in glorious San Diego, I would like to declare that for most of us, it kicked off a week or two ago. The weather here has been amazing, and that also ushers in weekends jam packed with street fairs and festivals, along with our regular music nightlife. On Saturday, you can enjoy Art Around Adams, stretching over two miles at bars, venues, restaurants, cafes and various businesses along Adams Avenue in Normal Heights and Kensington, with far too many bands and artists to mention. For you North County folks, Fiesta del Sol returns, with another two-day festival; the English Beat headlines Saturday night. By nightfall, there are some great shows, but I'd recommend checking out Steve Poltz's CD release show at Anthology to kick things off. The San Diego-based troubadour has been all over the world and tours relentlessly, which means not only are his songs always poignant, but sometimes it's just worth it to hear his stories between songs. It is a great weekend to live in San Diego.
Saturday, June 2:
- Steve Poltz (CD release) @ Anthology (7:30 p.m.)
- Ben Howard @ The Loft, UCSD (sold out)
- Supersuckers, the Creepy Creeps, Viking Death @ Casbah
- CANCELED!!
Sonic-Con feat. The New Limb, The Colourist, Bullet & Snowfox, The New Kinetics, Kelsea Little and the 78s, This Time with Feeling, The Very, Tan Sister Radio @ Porter’s Pub - Art Around Adams (more than 80 artists) @ Adams Avenue (various venues from Oregon Street to Vista Street)
- Fiesta Del Sol, featuring English Beat and more @ Solana Beach
- Donavon Frankenreiter, Matt Jennings @ Belly Up (sold out)
- Xiu Xiu, Yamantaka, Sonic Titan, Father Murphy @ Soda Bar
- Husky Boy All-Stars @ Bar Pink
- Bushwalla, Rob Deez @ Java Joe’s (4976 Newport Ave., OB)
- Emily Jane White, Grampadrew (CD release), Miss Erika Davies @ Tin Can
- Ming & Ping, Mike Diva, NVR-NDR @ Til Two Club
- LadyFest Day 2, featuring Antiquark, Erleen Nada, Writer Prima, 2 Bit Radio, Little Red Lung @ Eleven (4 p.m.)
- Raygun Cowboys, Gene Butler Band, Most Eligible Basturds, Bunny West @ Eleven
- Cruz (Brazil), Dead Alphabet (South Africa) & Badwater @ The Shakedown
- Records With Roger @ Whistle Stop (4-8 p.m.)
- Sleepwalking with Jeff Graves & Michelle Rubano @ Whistle Stop
- Dread Crew of Oddwood (CD release), Calefaction, Los Seafinks, Toothless George @ Ruby Room
- Hit Dog Hollar, Jeramiah Red, Danny Tramp@ The Griffin
- Electric Falcons, JJCNV @ Tower Bar (7 p.m.)
- Club Ascension, featuring Robin Roth, Tom King @ Kava Lounge
- Rockabilly Night, featuring Rip Carson, the Jive Bombers, Roy Rapid & the Rhythm Rock Trio, Stack-Aly @ Tower Bar (9 p.m.)
- Party Rock Saturdays, with Saul Q, Kid Wonder, Groundfloor @ U-31
- Aaron Bowen, John Dee Graham @ Lestat's
- Home Grown Productions presents In It to Win It (cd release) Home Grown, Mr. Doobie, DJ Mike Zee @ Brick By Brick
- San Diego Jazz Collective @ Winston's (5 p.m.)
- Todo Mundo, Bateke Beat @ Winston’s (9:30 p.m.)
- 3TonE (CD release), Bad Neighborz, Stir Crazies @ 710 Beach Club
- Ottly Mercer, Sandollar, Neveready, the Combos, Shoot Z Pier @ Soma
- Hollow Earth, Fed to the Wolves, Pushers, Bone Breaker, the Cold Front @ Che Cafe
- Seaholm Mackintosh (CD release) @ Swedenborg Hall
- The Skains, Bucket of Fish, the Skains, Thanks Jack, Eskera, Ash Williams & the Horde, Tuesday After School, Save the Swim Team, HB Surround Sound, Captain Smooth Talk @ Epicentre (4 p.m.)
- Bill Magee @ Marble Room
- Mango Bay @ Humphreys Backstage Lounge (5-7 p.m.)
- Rising Star @ Humphreys Backstage Lounge (9:30 p.m.)
- Help (Beatles tribute) @ Flying Elephant
- Eddie Griffin, DFam, Shortdudes, hosted by Eric Blake @ 4th & B
- Charlie Chaves y su Afrotruko @ Anthology (9:30 p.m.)
- Boys & Girls with Wero, Rchrd Oh, Adam Salter @ El Dorado
- Deth Hertz, No Body @ Voyeur
- Wobble Events & Opulent Temple present Krafty Kuts, A-Skillz, Dynamite MC , Bassmechanic, Dulce Vitr, Jonny Quest @ Spin
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.
