Living the dream in San Diego -- you are if you live here already, but you know that. The weather here makes people complacent, kick off the flip-flops, put on some shoes and go to a show -- trust me, they have local craft beer at most establishments. Personal plug: You can find me at the Merrow every Tuesday hosting local and touring bands, so stop by and say hello. I will give a big shoutout to Midnight Jack Brewing and the Pour House in North County, two places really stepping up and supporting local music on another level. I apologize for not writing about North County venues more, but I really don't make it up there that often, and I don't expect people living up there to drive down here all the time, so it's nice a new scene is brewing to make it easy for locals all over. On with the show ...
July 2: Jon Snodgrass & Buddies, Gods of Mount Olympus and Zach Quinn (Pears) at the Casbah. Jon is also in Drag the River and Armchair Martian. The Gods say they "are four rad dudes, getting rad," and I can get behind that. Zach is pretty wild on stage in Pears, so I wonder what he is like acoustic?
July 3: Come see me at the Merrow with Reed Stewart, Abnormal Mammal and Orchid X Mantis. These are not always all local bills, so come get exposed to something new -- you never know what you might get.
July 4: Celebrate Independence Day!
July 5: Hawthorne Heights at Black Box. Emo-punk band plays Tijuana.
July 6: Mastodon, Primus and Jjuujjuu at Cal Coast Credit Union Amphitheatre. Duuuuuuuude, this will be epic! And by the way, Primus sucks!
July 7: The Donkeys at the Casbah -- they play the night prior as well. The band is set to release "Sun Damaged Youth," an amazing album that reflects a California lifestyle imagined by bands like the Beach Boys.
July 8: Petal, Camp Cope and Sidney Gish at the Che Cafe Collective. Petal are from Scranton, Pennsylvania -- home of Dunder Mifflin -- and they just released a new album, "Magic Gone," on Run for Cover records. Call it emo indie-rock. Camp Cope is an alt-rock trio from Australia and you get lo-fi bedroom pop from Gish.
July 9: TWRP, Planet Booty and JP Incorporated at Soda Bar. TWRP is an intergalactic party band from Toronto inspired by Daft Punk and '80s hair metal.
July 10: Joan of Arc and Rob Crow at Soda Bar. Indie inspired art rock and our very own Mr. Crow.
July 11: Goodnight, Texas and the Havnauts at the Casbah. American folk rock and one of SD's newest bands that has all the buzz!
July 12: Opia and Russo at Casbah or Teenage Wrist at the Irenic. You have to decide, but I must mention Russo is Cailin Russo -- daughter of Scott Russo -- and he wrote a song about her you all know.
July 13: We Are Scientists and Beverly at the Casbah. Indie pop to open the night and danceable indie rock to close it out.
July 14: Converge, Neurosis and Amenra at Observatory North Park. Math metal, avant-garde art metal and an extreme metal band from Belgium that is equally experimental and atmospheric.
July 15: Christopher Cross at Sycuan Live & Up Close. Ride like the wind to the king of '80s adult contemporary radio.
July 16: In the Whale, Parade of Horribles and Bosswitch at the Casbah. All bands have only two members.
July 17: Chris Isaak at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Just revisit the song "Wicked Game" to tantalize your ear drums.
July 18: The Fixx at Birch Aquarium. Epic '80s British rock and new wave band.
July 19: Rhye and Lawrence Rothman at Observatory North Park. A new generation of R&B inspired sophisticated pop.
July 20: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks plus Dommengang at the Casbah. The dude from Pavement.
July 21: Car Seat Headrest and Naked Giants at Soma. The kid began his music career recording music in the back seat of his parents' car to an audience of?
July 22: X at the Belly Up. Legends!
July 23: Fashion Jackson, Mdrn Hstry and Secret Lynx at the Casbah. Support local music that is good enough to go national.
July 24: Now, Now at Casbah. Minneapolis-based indie rock band returns after a few year hiatus with a new album, "Saved."
July 25: Shannon Lay at Soda Bar. Singer/songwriter (and a member of Feels) that might surprise you.
July 26: Stephanie Brown & the Surrealistics, the Strawberry Moons, Dream Phases and Miss New Buddha at the Casbah.
July 27: Our next SoundDiego LIVE party hits the Air Conditioned Lounge with Summer Twins, Twin Ritual, beers and more!
July 28: Alphabet Records and 91x Loudspeaker 30 present Swindle, Agent 51 and the Classified all reuniting for one night only at the Casbah!
July 29: Adam Ant at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. You don't drink, you don't smoke, what do you do?
July 30: The Decemberists and Whitney at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Folkish indie pop and remember you can still ride your kayak and listen from the bay.
July 31: Loudspeaker Day celebration at the Casbah with Low Volts, N-E-1, Rob Crow, Pall Jenkins, Chris Cote, Pony Death Ride and Scotty Pants all-local Karaoke in the Razzmatazz Room (formerly Atari Lounge). The City of San Diego is honoring Loudspeaker's 30 years of service to the local music community since 1988 with a day, special thanks to David Alvarez.
Good times, great oldies! You have been given a mission: Go to a show, pick one from above; it isn't that hard, or is it? You have 30 days to choose from, and it's summer, so it's time to get off that couch and go to a show. I offer free hi-fives to all attendees at any show that I am at -- just ask. On that note, I'll 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, hosts the weekly Anti-Monday League, books/hosts the monthly Maryjane's Underground at the House of Blues and is an entertainment writer for Pacific San Diego Magazine. Check out his website thelocalpyle.com and and follow him on Twitter @thelocalpyle. You can reach him directly here pyleste@yahoo.com
