It's Rocktober and you know what that means? We will rock! The months ebb and flow into one another and some are better than others, but October is one of the good ones -- just look, look! You can find me around town quite a bit, I can be out four to five nights a week checking out local and touring bands. One good place to find me on a regular basis is the Merrow every Tuesday; they have everything! I Host Tuesday nights and it's a great mix of all styles and bands from all over, not just local, so come say hello. And if you don't already know, this serves as a reminder: Listen to my radio show on 91X every Sunday night at 7 p.m. -- it's called Loudspeaker and it's all about local music, see you somewhere below...
Oct. 2: Dale Watson & His Lonestars, Wayne Hancock and the Sea Monks at the Casbah. Real honky tonk! Ask Dale about "Chicken S--- Bingo" and his favorite beer.
Oct. 3: MC50 at the House of Blues. Celebrate 50 years of the MC5 -- kick out the jams!
Oct. 4: Future Generations and Zuli at Soda Bar. NYC-based indie-pop band; you might dance a little.
Oct. 5: Interpol, Sunflower Bean and the Kills at SDSU's Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre. Triple-threat bill! That is some serious band for your buck, just look at that lineup...
Oct. 6: Shonen Knife, the Touchies and Creepseed at the Casbah. Japan's favorite all-girl punk band singing about food and stuff.
Oct. 7: The Mattson 2 at the Centre in Escondido. Twins laying down jazz and surf instrumentals that will take you on the trip you have been looking for, in your mind!
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Oct. 8: Jupiter & Okwess and the Jack Moves at Soda Bar. Afro-pop, African rhythms, funk, rock and politically charged -- he's from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Oct. 9: Mew at the Observatory North Park. Danish prog-rock band with cool atmospherics.
Oct. 10: Shannon & the Clams, Tropa Magica and Spooky Cigarette at the Belly Up. Oakland-based indie-garage-punk band with elements of Buddy Holly.
Oct. 11: Hinds at the Irenic. Indie-rock from Madrid with some noise thrown in.
Oct. 12: Dream Wife, Russo and the Aquadolls at the Casbah. London-based pop-punk indie-rock band that formed in art school.
Oct. 13: Prayers at the Observatory North Park. Cholo goth!
Oct. 14: The Greyboy Allstars at the Centre in Escondido. Kings of the acid-jazz movement, formed at the legendary Green Circle Bar here in San Diego.
Oct. 15: King Khan & the Shrines at the Belly Up. Some people call him a psychedelic shaman, let's rock!
Oct. 16: Monster Magnet at Brick By Brick. It's rock & roll!
Oct. 17: System of a Down, At the Drive In, St. Lucia, the Night Game, U.S. Girls, the Joy Formidable, Tancred, the Growlers and Thievery Corporation are all playing in town tonight and at different venues -- what is your poison?
Oct. 18: FIDLAR, Dilly Dally, and the Side Eyes at the Observatory North Park. "F--- it dog, life's a risk." Be ready to mosh!
Oct. 19: Maggie Rogers and Mallrat at the Observatory North Park. Remember that video of Pharrell Williams listening to a young woman's song with her sitting there and how much it moved him? That's Maggie!
Oct. 20: Scallywag at Waterfront Park presented by 91x with Rancid, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Hepcat, Less Than Jake, the Interrupters and locals Beach Goons. And it's a beer fest!
Oct. 21: Nowhereland, the Littlest Viking and Secret Lynx at the Casbah. What if I told you I booked this show?
Oct. 22: Matthew Sweet and Mostly Sunny at the Belly Up. He never dissapoints with his amazing power-pop.
Oct. 23: Deap Vally and the Paranoyds at the Casbah. Two-piece rock band that will topple you over with their bombastic sound.
Oct. 24: Saintseneca and Trace Mountains at the Casbah. "Pillar of Na" is the new album from this folk-rock-tinged band.
Oct. 25: Mad Caddies at Brick By Brick. Third-wave ska band, pick it up, pick it up!
Oct. 26: SoundDiego LIVE at Seven Grand with Dog Party, Hawk Auburn and Sights and Sages; sponsored by Mason Ale Works, so you better RSVP here!
Oct. 27: Pinback, Buckfast Superbee and Gods of Mt. Olympus at the Lafayette.
Oct. 28: Nekromantix, U.K. Subs, the Guana Batz, Agent Orange and Messer Chups at the Observatory North Park. Rockabilly and punk, that about sums it up.
Oct. 29: An evening with Dawes at the Observatory North Park. It has that contemporary-pop feel I got from radio in the '70s, maybe a little yacht-rock vibe but to be honest, the band has elements of all kinds of things.
Oct. 30: Joan Baez at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. A folk singer, but not just any folk singer, she is the female folk singer of our generation.
Oct. 31: Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat! Happy Halloween!
What are you going to be for Halloween? I think I will go as a can of beer, I like beer! It truly is Rocktober this month, hopefully you were happily overjoyed by a show listed above and it's enough to get you off the couch and out n' about! More things are afoot in this town, just take a look at places like Navajo Live, Salty Frog and Manahattan Bar -- which book local original talent, not just cover bands. Thank you for supporting local music! As for me, you know me well enough by now, so on that note: I will see YOU at a show!
Tim Pyles, a longtime local who grew up in La Jolla, is the unofficial mayor of local music and hosts Loudspeaker via 91x every Sunday from 7-10 p.m. He also books local acts at the Casbah, Public Square Coffee and the Merrow. You can follow him on Twitter or reach him directly at pyleste@yahoo.com
