Hey it's Tim Pyles and from the time I started writing this column until now, the scene just keeps getting bigger. I love that some of the old-timer bars are now featuring "live" music (bars that have few windows and are dark for day-drinking and old drunks) -- but the tide is changing. Don't worry: You can still day-drink if needed, it's just that a transition is happening and it's changing everything; music matters. It's a good time for local bands and fans! I've listed an entire month of shows, but sometimes several good shows on a single night make it hard to pick -- but I did my best. Just take a look and I'll see you at a show! A good chance I will be at quite a few of these, but not all of them...
Aug. 1: Unsane, Fashion Week, Archons and Lo And Be Told at Casbah. It will be loud tonight and features the influential noise-rock trio Unsane.
Aug. 2: The Buttertones and Frankie & the Witch Fingers at the Casbah. I like butter, but the Buttertones are the best; a night of rock & roll.
Aug. 3: Inspired and the Sleep, Lightning Cola, Chroma and High Minded at the Belly Up. A stellar night of local music and some of the best.
Aug. 4: Eagles Of Death Metal at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Good-time boogie rock, but "Will Josh Homme be on drums?" is the real question.
Aug. 5: Vans Warped Tour at the Qualcomm Stadium Parking Lot. Too many bands to mention, but let me say I am happy they are bringing back some punk-rock legends to round out the bill for the punk-rock kids of today.
Aug. 6: Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold and Gojira at Petco Park. It will be loud and you will probably be able to hear it downtown.
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Aug. 7: Bent Knee, Heatwarmer and Big Bad Buffalo at Soda Bar. Bent Knee is an art-rock band from Boston.
Aug. 8: Neil Diamond at Valley View Casino Center. This man is a legend and should be seen live.
Aug. 9: Rag 'N' Bone Man at the Observatory North Park. Big story out of the UK and a big burly man with a voice...oh, that voice.
Aug. 10: O-Town at the Music Box. Did you know a member of O-town was from San Diego? Jacob Underwood wants to croon for you.
Aug. 11: Betty Who and Geographer at the Observatory. Betty Who is a pop-based singer/songwriter from Australia but based in the U.S., while Geographer is synth-pop from San Francisco.
Aug. 12: Beer X at Waterfront Park -- a day of beer and music with Iration, J Boog, Magic, Chicano Batman, Trouble in the Wind and Splavender.
Aug. 13: Systems Officer, Montalban Quintet and Hexa at the Casbah. Support local artists associated with all the best bands to come from San Diego e.g. Pinback, No Knife, and the Jade Shader.
Aug. 14: Electric Elms and Aviator Stash at Soda Bar. I love local music and local bands, let's rock! Plus Aviator Stash is 91x's Local Break for the month of August.
Aug. 15: Royal Blood at the Observatory North Park. Two-piece rock band from the UK and a big sound!
Aug. 16: Matthew Sweet at the Casbah. He writes some songs that make the young girls cry because he's sweet. Just listen to "Girlfriend" from the early '90s.
Aug. 17: Wang Chung, Tony Hadley, Cutting Crew, Naked Eyes, Missing Persons, the Flirts, Gene Loves Jezabel and Trans-X at Humphreys. Looks and feels like an '80s dance party to me.
Aug. 18: Dungen at the Casbah: Prog-rock from Stockholm, Sweden.
Aug. 19: Dead Cross at the Observatory. A punk-rock supergroup featuring Mike Patton of Faith No More, Dave Lombardo of Slayer, Mike Crain of Retox and Justin Pearson of the Locust.
Aug. 20: Warbly Jets and the Schizophonics at Soda Bar. You should all know about the Schizophonics by now, so make sure you see Warbly Jets, especially if you are a fan of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, for one.
Aug. 21: Moon Honey at the Casbah. "Cotton candy dipped in peyote" is what NPR said about the band -- and it's good enough for me.
Aug. 22: Warning, Conan and Temblad at Brick by Brick. Please support heavy/sludge/death/doom metal in SD and the premiere club showcasing it in our fine town, Brick By Brick.
Aug. 23: Bryan Ferry at Humphreys. Roxy Music crooner...
Aug. 24: Mew at the Observatory; a great Danish prog-rock band.
Aug. 25: Lord Huron at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. As heard on the controversial Netflix show "13 Reasons Why" and on the radio.
Aug. 26: Sylvan Esso at the Observatory. Sylvan Esso is a band, not a person and you may have heard them on the radio.
Aug. 27: GBH at the Casbah. Punk-rock legends from the UK.
Aug. 28: Black Oak Hymnal at Soda Bar. Country-death-folk from San Diego plays for you.
Aug. 29: Brave Spirit at the Merrow. Have you been to the Merrow? A merrow is a male mermaid.
Aug. 30: San Cisco at the Irenic. A great Aussie band returns to the states.
Aug. 31: The Pharcyde at the Observatory. Hip-hop in San Diego! It used to not happen as much as it does now -- I thank the Observatory for that.
I've done my best, but I never claim to know what you like -- I just want to showcase some of the best (but my best may not be your best, so thanks for playing along). I hope I enticed some of you to get out and see a show. If you do, please come up say hello and redeem your free hug! I love free hugs!
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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, and books/hosts the monthly Maryjane's Underground at the Hard Rock Hotel. Check out his website thelocalpyle.com and and follow him on Twitter @thelocalpyle. You can reach him directly here pyleste@yahoo.com