It's all relative, right? It goes like this: you like stuff, I like stuff and some of it meets in the middle -- but not all of it. So don't expect to love everything on my list, it's just a guide for you and your nightlife soundtrack. SoundDiego is here for you, San Diego. Summer is in full swing, it's a little sticky and we all hope whatever venue we're at has working air conditioning, but sometimes they don't and I hate that. And just so you know, I am at the Merrow every Tuesday hosting local and national talent, so swing by, if not this Tuesday, maybe I'll see you next Tuesday (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). And now for something completely different.
Aug. 1: Peter Case at the Whistle Stop. Frontman for the Plimsouls, a great band and I love them in the movie "Valley Girl" with Nicholas Cage.
Aug. 2: Bad Cop/Bad Cop at Soda Bar. These ladies from San Pedro know how to rock and punk it up.
Aug. 3: Dead Horses at Soda Bar. Folk music from Wisconsin; a good spot for folk music, it seems like a folky place.
Aug. 4: Bars of Gold, Shades McCool and Phantom Twins at Soda Bar. Members of Bear vs. Shark make up Bars of Gold.
Aug. 5: Lord Huron, Shakey Graves and Julia Jacklin at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. This certainly seems like a good deal, all artists are bonafide in my book.
Aug. 6: The Psychedelic Furs and James at the Observatory North Park. This looks like a spectacular bill filled with hit songs you all know!
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Aug. 7: Weyes Blood at the Irenic. Natalie Mering is a diverse artist; she is also Weyes Blood.
Aug. 8: Beach Bums, Bad Kids and Sustivity at Soda Bar. Some of that good stuff, that beach-punk sound.
Aug. 9: Death Cab For Cutie for two nights at the Observatory North Park with Jenn Champion opening. I think one of the shows is sold out so don't delay.
Aug. 10: The Quakes at Soda Bar. Buffalo, New York psychobilly band that formed in the late '80s.
Aug. 11: Prince Daddy & the Hyena, Kississippi and Retirement Party at the House Of Blues Voodoo Room. This one is for fans of pop-punk or just the simpleness of punk.
Aug. 12: Rorre, Feelers and Almost Monday at the Casbah. Switchfoot-approved local show because I met two of these bands through the Bro-Am -- oh, and I booked it.
Aug. 13: Inure, Machine Politik and the Tale at the Casbah. Guess what? I booked this all-local bill also!
Aug. 14: Planet Booty and One Hot Planet at Soda Bar. Booty-shakin' music!
Aug. 15: Orville Peck and Dick Stusso at the Casbah. Sold out, but you need to check out the man with the fringed mask -- sort of Elvis, sort of Chris Issak, but all Orville...
Aug. 16: 3Teeth with Author and Punisher at Brick By Brick. Some good ol' industrial music.
Aug. 17: Lost '80s Live at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay with A Flock of Seagulls, Wang Chung, Missing Persons, Musical Youth, Real Life, the Vapors, Escape Club, Annabella of Bow Wow Wow, Boys Don’t Cry, the Motels, Farrington & Mann (original members of When In Rome UK) and Trans X. Damn, that's like all of the '80s!
Aug. 18: Emery, Hawthorne Heights and Oh, Sleeper at the Irenic. Some of that good ol' post-hardcore.
Aug. 19: Boris at the Casbah. Boris is heavy and they rock; they are from Japan.
Aug. 20: Herbie Hancock at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. At 79, this may be your last chance to see a legend in modern jazz, fusion and hip-hop.
Aug. 21: Snail Mail at the Irenic. Indie-rock by Lindsey Jordan, she is Snail Mail.
Aug. 22: Kyle Craft and Showboat Honey at Soda Bar. This rocker has a full-fledged band now, they are Showboat Honey.
Aug. 23: Beach Goons at the Irenic. Local barrio beach-punkers headline a night of like-minded bands.
Aug. 24: Shonen Knife at Soda Bar. Pop-punk from Japan and some songs are about food!
Aug. 25: The Commodores at Embarcadero Marina Park. Lionel Richie was a Commodore, but I don't think he will be at the show this night.
Aug. 26: The White Buffalo for two nights at the Belly Up. Country and Americana rock, a little bit outlaw and it goes down well with whiskey.
Aug. 27: Bryan Ferry at Copley Symphony Hall. Roxy Music frontman!
Aug. 28: The Smashing Pumpkins, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and AFI at the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre. Maybe we will hear some Oasis songs...
Aug. 29: The Bird and the Bee at the Casbah. Chilled-out indie duo with a touch of comedy in the lyrical content.
Aug. 30: Throwing Muses at Soda Bar. Hard to believe this band has been around since the early '80s, but became more prominent in the '90s -- welcome them back!
Aug. 31: The Stray Cats at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay -- can't beat Brian Setzer and his crew!
That's it kids, in a nutshell anyway, so what are you going to do? Sit on the couch? Or get off your ass? If you prefer the couch, be sure to check out SoundDiego TV on Saturday night right after "Saturday Night Live" on NBC and pretend that you went to all the cool things we cover. If you do go out, well, then 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, Public Square Coffee and the Merrow. Check out his website thelocalpyle.com and follow him on Twitter here. You can reach him directly at pyleste@yahoo.com
