My name is Tim Pyles, I am the Mayor of Local Music (self-proclaimed), and in my top March concert picks, I listed some sold-out shows and some not-so-sold-out shows. Don't let a sold-out show discourage you -- I always say just go, weird things can happen (like someone showing up with an extra ticket). It's looking like March is going to be a stellar month; lots going on. Remember: If you like local music, I host a local showcase at the Merrow every Tuesday might and I also help book locals at the Casbah (but that is less consistent, could be any night of the week). I love music and see bands many nights a week and I hope to inspire some of you to join me occasionally. Now, let's get to it.
March 2-3: Earthless, JJUUJJUU, and Kikagaku Moyo at the Casbah! Stoner-rock for two nights. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
March 3: Gogol Bordello and Lucky Chops at the Observatory North Park. Legendary gypsy-punks return to San Diego.
March 4: Ex-Cult, Kids in Heat and Cat Scan at Soda Bar. Let's party with these garage-rockers formerly known as Sex Cult.
March 5: I was going to pick Lo Moon at the Casbah but this show has been rescheduled to May 2. Casbah will be closed; find another band to support.
March 6: Celebrating David Bowie at the Balboa Theater. Celebrate the music of David Bowie with a band featuring former members of his bands.
March 7: Coin and the Aces at the Loft (UCSD). Check out some great new indie bands and revisit the Loft.
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March 8: U.S. Girls and Trip Advisor at Soda Bar and/or Shame and Protomartyr at Space. Two shows to choose from: One indie-experimental, the other more post-punk -- but both really coming from the same place. I can't decide.
March 9: Palm and the Spirit of the Beehive at Space. Don't confuse Palm with Palms: Palm is an art-rock band from Philly.
March 10: Xylouris White at the Loft (UCSD). It's drummer Jim White (of Dirty Three) and George Xylouris, a Cretan lutist. Cretan is a style of music from Greece.
March 11: Halfnoise and the Gloomies at Soda Bar. Halfnoise is Zac Farro, formerly of Paramore.
March 12: He Is We at Soda Bar. Emo-pop duo from the Pacific Northwest.
March 13: Hibou at Soda Bar. Hibou's Peter Michel started in a walk-in closet making shoegaze/dream-pop.
March 14: (Thee) Oh Sees and Prettiest Eyes at the Belly Up. Don't take the brown acid for these psych-rockers -- or should you?
March 15: Mainsail, Avenue Army, and Chasing Claymores at the Casbah. A night of local pop-punk and presented by myself. Yea, I booked it.
March 16: Soul Junk, Pistolita, Miss New Buddha, Sumatraban at Soda Bar. A night to celebrate Singing Serpent, a local production company that has a stellar lineup of talent creating music and jingles you hear on television and the radio. Also an official #Loudspeaker30 show celebrating the 30th birthday of 91x's local show Loudspeaker!
March 17: St. Patrick's Day: Drink green beer with your friends!
March 18: C.W. Stoneking and Stephen El Rey at Soda Bar. Blues in many forms, from acoustic to jungle.
March 19: Liza Anne and Valley Queen at Soda Bar. A night of emo-folk music.
March 20: Ghost Light at Winston's Beach Club. A band from Philly that is pretty indie, definitely not world music or reggae.
March 21-22: Queens of the Stone Age at the Observatory North Park. Two sold-out nights of stoner rock! No photos, please!
March 22: Public Access TV and the Soft White Sixties at the House of Blues' Voodoo Room. This is the band, not public television. Years ago, their apartment in NYC burned while playing San Diego at the Casbah.
March 23: BirdBath, Mittens, and the Havnauts at Soda Bar. Support local music!
March 24: LA Salami at the Casbah. UK blues with a modern alternative twist.
March 25: The Go! Team and Skating Polly at the Casbah. A UK band that always brings the party, an array of sounds.
March 26: Jake Bugg at the Observatory North Park. He is a machine and a great songwriter -- little Jake Bugg from the UK.
March 27: Lovelytheband play 91x's 'Inspired By Music' series -- more info at 91X.com.
March 28: George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic at House of Blues. Who brought the funk? Did you bring the funk?
March 29: HO99O9 at Brick by Brick. The horror of your mind! Basically, it's hip-hop.
March 30: Ella Vos at the Casbah. LA-based singer, songwriter, and visual artist.
March 31: O.M.D. and Ggoolldd at House of Blues. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are synth-pop hitmakers from the '80s.
How do you decide? So many great shows, but money can be tight, so I get it. But please let your hair down and support a touring or local band -- they will feel better, you will feel better, we will all feel better. 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, hosts the weekly Anti-Monday League, as well as Tuesday nights at the Merrow, 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
