Last week I was at the Casbah when I got a frantic call from a woman. "My son loves the Wombats and I want to buy him tickets to the meet and greet, but he isn't 21. Is there anything you can do?" Sadly, the Wombats' show (and their VIP soundcheck and meet and greet) is 21-and-up, but if you are of age, you already know that the band hasn't been back to San Diego in over four years.
The frenetic Wombats -- who are equal parts pop, rock and electro -- had a major crash with reality after their debut album made them an act beloved by thousands (if not millions) worldwide. They returned home broken and exhausted, hardly remembering or enjoying the whirlwind of touring that was just behind them. It took some adjustment to get back to normal life before they could even have experiences from which to draw inspiriation. But their follow-up record released four years later had some solid gems, too.
The Wombats aren't selling out stadiums in the U.S. but, lucky for you, they are coming back around and doing a club tour, which means this just might be the most intimate you've ever seen them. There are still tickets available for Wednesday night's show, so be sure to head to the Casbah and catch them. They'll be supported by the Static Jacks and the Neighbourhood.
Wednesday May 9:
- The Wombats, the Static Jacks, the Neighbourhood @ Casbah
- Lord Howler, the Makeup Sex @ Bar Pink
- The Orange Revival, the Electric Healing Sound, guests @ Soda Bar
- Idyllwild, Todd A., Defero @ Tin Can
- Madhouse 8: Animal Style with Gabe Vega, Fishfonics, DJ Man Cat, Dbear, Kitty Violet, 2 Bit Radio, Go Yama @ Belly Up
- Hot Buttered Rum, Andrew Duhon @ Anthology
- Sideways Heart, Abandon the Raft @ The Griffin
- Montana Skies @ Claire de Lune
- Conceptus, Gran Sasso, TBA @ Eleven
- Brothers In a Bind @ Riviera Supper Club
- Club Kingston presents Bordertown, DJ Carlos Culture @ Winston's
- Wreck Shop Wednesdays @ The Office
- 45th Street Blues @ Humphreys Backstage Live
- Comrades Comedy Show @ Ruby Room
- Sunset Trivia presents Music & Pop Culture Trivia Night @ House of Blues
- Gilbert Castellanos with the New Latin Jazz Quintet @ El Camino
- Wednesday Shakedown @ Henry's Pub
- Darkwave Garden @ Club Kadan
- Lady Dottie & the Diamonds @ Gallagher's Irish Pub
- Giant Mechanical Brain @ Tiki House
- Robin Henkel @ ArtLab Studios
- Tenshun, V-Rock, DJs Adamnt, Rudy Palos @ Kava Lounge
- Pullman Standard @ Hennessey's Gaslamp
- Firehouse Swing Night @ Queen Bee's
- Karaoke @ Chico Club
- Sue Palmer @ Croce's
- Taryn Donath @ Marble Room
- The Mystique Element of Soul @ Patrick's Gaslamp Pub
- Lone Gunman @ Coyote Bar & Grill
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.
