Sometimes you stumble into really cool events that will never be replicated. A few years back, a friend of mine called me around lunchtime and said that Calexico was playing a show at Lestat's that afternoon. It was some warmup thing for a now-defunct radio station, and living close had its benefits as a couple dozen people got this very intimate and private show while Calexico tested new songs on the crowd. I'd seen them before, and I've seen them since, but nothing endeared them to me quite like that special lunch. Tonight, they'll share the stage at Humphreys with Iron & Wine, and while not quite so intimate, they have no problem filling the night sky with their amazing music. Around town, Hiss Golden Messenger is nearly sold out at the Casbah, metal "Ned-core" band Okilly Dokilly returns to Soda Bar, and rocker misfits Starcrawler play a free show at Vinyl Junkies Record Shop in South Park.
Friday, Oct. 4:
- Calexico, Iron & Wine, Natalie Prass @ Humphreys Concerts by the Bay
- Hiss Golden Messenger, Daughter of Swords @ Casbah
- Okilly Dokilly, MC Lars, Digital Lizards of Doom @ Soda Bar
- YG @ Parq
- Jake Shimabukuro @ Poway Arts
- The Motet, Jennifer Hartswick & Nick Cassarino Duo @ Belly Up
- Starcrawler @ Vinyl Junkies Record Shack (7:30 p.m., free)
- The Amandas @ Whistle Stop
- Stabbing Westward, Street Cleaner @ House of Blues
- Hip Hop vs Punk Rock: Midnight Track, Billy Nojokes, Yazi, Just in Case @ Tower Bar
- No Kings, Ras-1, Crucial Blend @ The Holding Company
- Mafia Rusa, Los Muertos, Johnny Deadly Trio, Beta7 @ Ken Club
- First Friday with DJ Artistic, Cros1, Johaz @ Bar Pink ($5 after 11 p.m.)
- Mad Hat Hucksters @ Panama 66
- The PettyBreakers, SantanaWays, the Black Crowes Revival @ Music Box
- Night For Freedom: Benefit Concert for Humans Against Trafficking ft. Alternate Era, Santé Prince, the Happy Return, 33 North, Broads, Bole, Doah’s Daydream @ SOMA
- Fox Medicine, Gloomsday, Poor @ Black Cat Bar
- Super Nacho @ Belly Up (5 p.m.)
- Beyond Creation, Fallujah, Arkaik, Equipoise @ Brick by Brick
- Dead End Pacific, Avenue Army, Art Disposal, Roger!, Bummer Dreams @ The Che Cafe
- Rosa's Cantina @ Grand Ole BBQ & Asado
- AJ Froman , Aunt Cynthia's Cabin, Banana Gun @ Winston's
- Three Land Live @ Moonshine Beach
- Martin McDaniel @ Moonshine Flats
- Viscous @ De Oro Mine Co
- Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers, Los Elk @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
- Hidden City Sounds: Gunhild Carling @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
- The Chrome Domes @ Mr. Peabody's
- Rock en Espanol with Zenith @ Border X Brewing
- Pat Travers @ Ramona Mainstage
- Rip Carson @ Pour House (9 p.m.)
- Bonneville 7 @ Pour House (5 p.m.)
- Just Can't Get Enough: '80s New Wave Nite @ Blonde
- Rituals (coldwave, dark '80s, EBM, darkwave), DD Dunkin Dave @ Space
- Fiona Joy Hawkins with Rebecca Daniel @ Dizzy's
- Hallow Point, Fire & Flesh, Osmium, Zero South @ Bancroft Bar
- Gilbert Castellanos @ Plaza Bar, Westgate Hotel
- 2nd annual "An Evening of Aloha" featuring Kalapana @ Portuguese Hall - Grand Ballroom
- Irieality, Highland Steppers, the Drëdnötz @ 710 Beach Club (during PB Beachfest)
- Spencer Yenson & the Fever, Governor Drive @ 710 Beach Club
- The Janice Edwards Trio @ Martini's Above Fourth
- The Cheez Whiz Band @ Wildwood Crossing
- Motive, Surface Tension, Dead Serial Killers, the Midas Touch @ Til-Two Club
- All-Vinyl Happy Hour w/Monsieur Turbeau @ The Office (6 p.m.)
- Detroit Underground @ Tio Leo's
- Swiss Rolls, Suckerfish, Brite On @ Salty Frog
- Funk’s Most Wanted @ Humphreys Backstage Live (9 p.m.)
- Bastard Sons of the Serious Guise @ Navajo Live
- En Stereo Total: '80s and Rock en Espanol! @ Manhattan Bar
- "From Gypsy to Belly Dancing to Flamenco: The Journey” @ Cafe Sevilla
- The Groove, DJ Autumn @ V Lounge, Viejas Casino
- David Owen, DJ AUtumn @ Lobby Bar, Viejas Casino
- Loud Luxury @ Omnia
- DJ Young O @ Cafe Sevilla
- Booty Bassment presents: Booty Fest 2 @ Spin
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.
