There are some really famous acts playing in town today, but I gotta say, none of them trump my love for A.A. Bondy. The last time he played in town, it was a bit of an unorganized affair, as set times for the San Diego Music Thing got all jumbled and by the time he played, everyone was high or drunk or both, so you couldn't really experience the intimacy of his melancholic music. Hoping that is rectified as he returns to the Casbah tonight, a venue he's played numerous times and always seems his most comfortable. As for the big shows of the day and night, the legendary B-52s play the Embarcadero under the stars, reggae rules at the practice field at SDCCU Stadium with the Island Vibe festival, and Downtown Throwdown goes appropriately down at Petco's Park at the Park with '90s artists like Vanilla Ice and Coolio.
Saturday, Aug. 3:
- Vinyl Junkies Record Swap: 6-Year Anniversary @ Casbah (11 a.m.-5 p.m., $5)
- An Evening with A.A. Bondy @ Casbah
- The B-52s, Berlin @ Embarcadero Marina Park South
- Downtown Throwdown with Vanilla Ice, Coolio, All-4-One, Color Me Badd, Young MC, Geezer @ Petco's Park at the Park
- Jason Hanna Quartet, Goldettes @ Bird Park Concerts
- Carlsbad Music Festival (various locations; read our fest preview here)
- Dead Horses, Mara Connor @ Soda Bar
- Island Vibe Music Festival with the Green, Maoli, FIA, Irie Love @ Practice Field/SDCCU Stadium (3 p.m.)
- C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band @ Museum of Making Music
- Ascension w/ DJs Robin Roth, Kaerie, Baron @ Kava Lounge
- The PettyBreakers: Tribute to Tom Petty, Justin Paul Sanders @ Belly Up
- Iration, Tacos & Beer Festival @ Del Mar Racetrack
- Otzi, Egrets On Ergot, DJs Vaughn Avakian & Javi Nunez @ Bar Pink ($5)
- Magical Animals, Runs Deep, Cabuloan @ Black Cat Bar
- Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone @ Sycuan Casino (5 p.m. & 8 p.m.)
- The Wright Stuff @ Seven Grand
- Hide and Go Freak with Austin Millz, Like (PAC DIV), HNGF DJs @ Space
- Just Like Heaven '80s Night with Dave Parkey (of Prayers), Aaron Wallace, Josexx @ Blonde
- Steady 45s, the Amalgamated @ Panama 66
- Bear Night San Diego with DJ Jon Williams @ The Merrow
- Foxtide, Street Surfers @ The Che Cafe
- Chloe Lou & the Lidells @ Grand Ole BBQ & Asado (1-4 p.m.)
- Paul Chesne @ Grand Ole BBQ & Asado (5-8 p.m.)
- Pacali Roots (EP release), I-Abide, Burning Up @ Manhattan Bar
- "Back to the '80s" featuring the Molly Ringwalds, DJ LV @ House of Blues
- Spencer Day in "Broadway By Day" @ Martini's Above Fourth
- Burn Burn Burn, the Lucky Eejits, Fishing for Chips, Them Cuts @ Tower Bar
- The Turbos @ De Oro Mine Co
- Steam Powered Giraffe @ Mandeville Auditorium, UCSD
- MDRN HSTRY, Whiskerman, Aviator Stash, DJ Mancat @ The Holding Company
- "Art of Flamenco" Dinner Show @ Cafe Sevilla
- Steph Johnson @ Plaza Bar, Westgate Hotel
- 54 Reasons To Die @ Bancroft Bar
- Kennedy Tracy, Natalie Gheorghita, Cordelia Degher @ Lestat's
- Georgia Chrome @ Moonshine Beach
- Hunter Phelps @ Moonshine Flats
- Dom Katz @ Winston's (5pm)
- Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Boostive @ Winston's (9:30 p.m.)
- Holy Grail, Striker, Bewitcher, Malison @ Brick By Brick
- ShineBox @ The Rabbit Hole
- Punk Goes Pop '90s Charity Event ft. Fallen Monuments, Ghost City, Ready Set Survive, the Rough, Say Days Ago @ Himmelberg's
- Strictly Business w/ DJs Edroc & Heminguey @ The Office
- Island Vibe After-Party With Leilani Wolfgramm, Tapeheads, Flowmads @ Music Box
- Baja Bugs @ Riviera Supper Club & Turquoise Room
- Musehead, Fooz Fighters @ 710 Beach Club
- Patrick Howard Trampus @ Renegade
- Detroit Underground @ Tio Leo's
- Wildside @ Humphreys Backstage Live (9 p.m.)
- Sue Palmer @ Humphreys Backstage Live (5 p.m.)
- Finesse, DJ Annalyze @ V Lounge, Viejas Casino
- Private Domain, DJ Annalyze @ Lobby Bar, Viejas Casino
- Cassian + Willaris. K @ Bang Bang
- DROELOE @ Bassmnt
- Distrikt: Metamorphoses Fundraiser @ Spin
- Serious Guise @ Navajo Live
- Savi @ Omnia
- Glow Hard Weekend @ Onyx Room
Rosemary Bystrak is the publicist for the Casbah and 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.
