When December Nights happens, even if you can't make it to Balboa Park during the weekend, it really, really means the holidays are here. We are in it, and I am here for it. Head to the Casbah to get your shopping done with the gift of vinyl, or hang out at the park where music will fill the air. By nightfall, you've got some great options, like the always stunning Neko Case at the Observatory or the heavy Author & Punisher at Casbah. Fleetwood Mac is in town with their shaken-up lineup at Viejas Arena at SDSU, or catch Hands Like Houses at an all-ages show for the Casbah's final Irenic show of the year. If you're in the mood for pop music and holiday festivities, get to UTC, where Echosmith plays a free show in their open courtyard, replete with Christmas lights, fake snow falling from the palms and tons of goodies to warm you up in the cold December air.
Saturday, Dec. 8:
- Vinyl Junkies Record Swap @ Casbah ($5, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.)
- December Nights @ Balboa Park
- Island Food and Beer Fest @ Waterfront Park
- Fleetwood Mac @ Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl, SDSU
- Neko Case, Destroyer @ Observatory North Park
- Echosmith, Josh Vietti, Ben Benavente @ Westfield UTC
- Hands Like Houses, Emarosa, Devour the Day, Arlington @ The Irenic
- Author & Punisher, Lingua Ignota, Street Sects, Otherr, New Crimes @ Casbah
- DJ Mike Delgado @ Bar Pink
- Club Sabbat @ The Merrow
- West Coast Podcast Expo @ Worldbeat Center
- Gnarlywood Presents: 16th Annual Turtleneck & Sweater Party with the Young Guns @ Belly Up
- Sol Orchid @ Seven Grand
- End of Data @ Space
- Late Night Jackin' Holiday Party with Arturo Garces, Josh Lewis, Paul Najera, Boys Don't Disco @ Blonde
- December Nights @ Panama 66
- Avi Avital and San Diego Symphony @ Jacobs Music Center at Symphony Hall
- Fred & Friends @ WildWood Crossing (4:30-6:30 p.m.)
- West of 5 @ WildWood Crossing (8-11 p.m.)
- Another Holiday Show featuring Fashion Jackson, Retra, yujin13 @ Lestat's
- Don Vedda, Ben Limpic, 33 North, the Adam Bruck Experience, the Infidels featuring Aaron New, Why July @ Soma
- Nathan James @ Pour House (5:30 p.m.)
- Booty Bassment with Dmitri & Rob @ Whistle Stop
- Inspired and the Sleep, Miles Bandit, Petite Lumiere @ Pour House
- 4SDA's Nutcracker @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
- Mark Twain's "A Christmas Carol" @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
- Carols by Candlelight @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
- Pilita Corrales & Sonny Turner @ Sycuan
- The Original Blues Brothers Band @ The Events Center, Harrah's SoCal Resort
- Drainbows, Black Hesher, the Resinators @ Black Cat Bar
- Jeff Berkley, Veronica May, Lindsay White, Lisa Sanders, Bobo Czarnowski, Cici Artemsia @ Backdrop (formerly Java Joe's)
- 25 Years of Enter the Wu-Tang @ Border X Brewing
- Whitechapel, Chelsea Grin, Oceano, Slaughter to Prevail @ House of Blues
- Asi Suena presents Allison, Buen Viaje, Tesuque Revolt @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
- Sophia Alone @ Martini's Above Fourth
- Drac & the Swamp Rats, the Writhers, Busted Coffins @ Tower Bar
- The Rinds, Puke, Suburban Park, Remedelics, Avo @ Che Cafe Collective
- Electric Division @ De Oro Mine Co.
- Watch Me Burn, Cave Bastards, Artowar @ Bancroft Bar
- Fungineers "Ice Cream Truck Show" @ Quartyard
- Whiskey, Cash, and Roses @ Moonshine Beach
- Matte Gray Band @ Moonshine Flats
- Sometimes Julie @ Winston's (5 p.m.)
- Boostive, the Routine @ Winston's (10 p.m.)
- Wild Heart @ Rosie O'Grady's
- Naughty Is the New Nice: Brolesque Show @ Queen Bee's
- Crimeapple, Eto, Big Twin @ Til-Two Club
- Shred for Dime: Annual Tribute Show @ Brick by Brick
- T-Dance @ The Merrow
- Strictly Business with DJs Heminguey & Gabe Vega @ The Office
- Paging the '90s Pacific Beach Party @ 710 Beach Club
- Rising Star, DJ Ayla Simone @ V Lounge, Viejas Casino
- Detroit Underground @ Tio Leo's
- Sue Palmer @ Humphreys Backstage Live (5 p.m.)
- GruvMatic @ Humphreys Backstage Live (9 p.m.)
- Ego Trip presents Creatures of the Forest featuring Emancipator @ Spin
- Serious Guise @ Navajo Live
- Saint Clair @ Oxford Social Club
- Galactic Goddess @ Kava Lounge
- Rockstar Saturdays @ Henry's
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.
