It recently occurred to me that I've been friends with Steve Poltz for 25 years. That is a very, very long time to know someone, and still he continues to surprise and entertain old and new fans alike with every performance. Tonight, he returns to San Diego with a show at Birch Aquarium for the Green Flash Concert Series and it's a super beautiful place to see a sunset concert if you've got the scratch. At the Casbah, indie-electro artist Men I Trust performs, Janelle Monae is back with a show at SDSU's Open Air Theatre, and Donavon Frankenreiter is back at the Belly Up.
For the old-school hardcore kids (who aren't kids anymore), Shelter perform at Soda Bar. The only time I was fortunate enough to see this band was sometime in the mid-'90s, and the straight-edge hardcore scene was pretty massive. Shelter showed up with a school bus full of fellow Hare Krishnas who danced in with small bongos, bells, tambourines and other noisemakers -- and filled the Che Cafe to introduce the band onstage. It was incredibly moving and powerful and while I don't know what a Shelter show in 2018 looks like, I'd imagine it won't be soon forgotten.
Wednesday, June 20:
- Steve Poltz @ Birch Aquarium (Green Flash Concert Series)
- Men I Trust, Anemone @ Casbah
- Janelle Monae, St. Beauty, Dirty Computer @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU
- Cheat Codes @ Grandstand Stage, San Diego County Fair
- Shelter, Give, Soul Power, Distant Beds @ Soda Bar
- Donavon Frankenreiter, Mikey Pauker @ Belly Up
- Le Chateau, BNBC Live! @ Whistle Stop
- Hey! Ho! Let’s Go! Ramones Tribute Band @ Bar Pink
- Eric Paslay @ The Observatory North Park
- Escalera Sessions @ Bar Sin Nombre
- Glenn Miller Orchestra @ Jacobs Music Center's Copley Symphony Hall
- Sleepspent @ Clutch Bar
- Instant Crush with Nastea & Camilla Robina @ The Office
- San Diego Live with the Farmers @ Tio Leo's
- Fresh Veggies Brass Band, Adeumazel @ The Merrow
- Gilbert Castellanos' Young Lions Series & Jazz Jam @ Panama 66
- Dance Klassique with Joe Pea, Ryan Bauer, Gomez @ Blonde
- The Love Messengers, DJ Carlos Culture @ Winston's
- Kodasounds, Blacksky Nectar @ Navajo Live
- Bayou Brothers @ Humphreys Backstage Live
- Wu-Tang Wednesday with DJs Mr Hek & Cros1 @ El Dorado
- Open Mic Night @ Pour House
- Open Mic/Open Jam @ 710 Beach Club
- Open Mic @ Midnight Jack
- Open Mic with Jefferson Jay @ Winston's (6-9 p.m.)
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.
