Cage the Elephant's first San Diego show was in the tiny Delta Room downstairs at the House of Blues. The sold-out room witnessed the youthful swagger of the band that just the day before had played to a sweaty and crowded tent at Coachella, riding high on their summer anthem, "Ain't No Rest For the Wicked."
The song was a self-fulfilling prophecy for the band that has been touring endlessly, trying to keep their buzz alive, while maturing and solidifying their signature sound. I've seen them a handful of times, and while their recorded music is made for driving along the beach with the windows down, their live show is phenomenal, with band members usually risking limbs to launch off of amps or crowd-surf over adoring fans.
In other options, the Midwinters are an under-the-radar San Diego band that doesn't play often but bring a mature sensibility to its easily digestible and soothing-to-the soul pop-rock. Their CD release is tonight at the Belly Up. Recommended for fans of Toad the Wet Sprocket.
Wednesday, June 9:
- Cage the Elephant, 22-20's, Autovaughn @ House of Blues
- The Midwinters (CD release), Jackson Price, The Fabulous Rudies @ Belly Up
- Good Old War, Yukon Blonde, Audra Mae, the New Archaic, Meseta @ Soma
- The Kabbs, the Paragraphs, Schitzophonics @ Casbah
- Wendy Bailey and True Stories, Mouse Fire, DJ Bob Dazzla @ Beauty Bar
- Patrick Norton, Dave Smallen, It's True!, Adams and Eves @ Soda Bar
- Live Wednesday presents Four Minutes Til Midnight, Bitter Sober, Sweet Tooth @ U-31
- Incomplete Neighbor, A Scribe Amidst the Lions and Boombox Renaissance @ Che Cafe
- The Preservation, River City @ Bar Pink
- Runner Runner, Amber Pacific, We Are the Arsenal, Flight to Athena, Counter Launch, Add the Color @ Ramona Mainstage
- Musicpalooza Finalists @ Anthology
- The Insecurities, the Amalgamated, 2000 Tons of TNT @ Radio Room
- Reverend Mothers, Paper Forest, Dead Animal Mod @ Tin Can
- A Night of Belly Dancers and Music @ Lestat's
- Audios, Type None Other, Reverb 7 Santos, Awkward Congregation, Existence 76 @ Winston's
- Barfly Promotions presents J Bradley Band, Jimmy Lewis with Chuck Prada, the Carlos Blues Experience, Esjay Jones @ Humphreys Backstage Live
- Lady Dottie and the Diamonds @ Gallaghers
- Rob Deez, Mama Red, Rebel Diamond @ O'Connell's
- Len Rainey's Midnight Players @ Patrick's ll
- Social Spit, the Touchies, the Canton Mudders @ Skybox Sports Grill
- Machete @ Tiki House
- The Dirty Heads, Natives of the New Dawn @ 710 Beach Club
- Laguna @ McP's Irish Pub
Rosemary Bystrak writes about the San Diego music scene, events, and sometimes whatever creeps into her head on her music blog San Diego: Dialed In. Check it for even more listings. Follow her updates at twitter.com/sddialedin or submit your music listings.
