It's Mother's Day weekend, which also means it's Gator by the Bay weekend. Arguably San Diego's longest running and best festival isn't one where hipsters are trying to out-Instagram one another, but one where fans across generations pack up their blankets and beach chairs and spend an entire day by the bay listening to zydeco, blues, Americana, rockabilly and other roots genres. It's a great time, and it grows bigger each year. Once the sun sets, locals Joy and Loom celebrate a homecoming with a face melting show at Casbah. Or, you can catch metal at Soda Bar with Author & Punisher and Tijuana's Thanatology. Belly Up welcomes local reggae veterans Common Sense, while Ugly Things magazine bring the '60s psychedelic feel to Space. It's not a massive Saturday night, but there's plenty to do to make it enjoyable.
Saturday, May 13:
- Gator by the Bay @ Spanish Landing Park
- Tacotopia @ Golden Hill Park
- Double Homecoming Show: Joy, Loom, Sacri Monti, Petyr @ Casbah
- Pomo, Harrison Brome @ Bang Bang
- Grampadrew's Flim Flam Revue @ Whistle Stop (5 p.m.)
- Common Sense, Psydecar @ Belly Up
- Divinity presents Techno Sabbath @ Blonde
- OHMME, Alina Bea, Le Chateau @ Blonde (5 p.m., free)
- Icon for Hire, Assuming We Survive, October Sky @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
- Ebi @ Balboa Theatre
- Ugly Things featuring the Shag Rats, Los Sweepers @ Space
- Cashmere Cat @ Observatory North Park
- Do LaB & tHe gRaNd aRtiQue Lightning in a Bottle Pre-Party with ORGŌNE, Henry Pope & Littlefoot, W.C. Thornbush & the Great American Show @ Quartyard
- Suburban Legends, Pilfers, Be Like Max, Bucket of Fish @ The Irenic
- Author & Punisher, Thanatology, Lurid Memory, Cave Bastard @ Soda Bar
- The MilkCrates DJs @ Bar Pink
- Real Friends, Have Mercy, Tiny Moving Parts, Broadside, Nothing, Nowhere @ Soma
- Loverboy @ Sycuan
- Soul Collective (celebrating DJ Dale’s birthday) @ Music Box
- Booty Bassment @ El Camino
- The Finucci Brothers Quartet @ Dizzy's
- Berkley Hart @ Java Joe's
- Gaslamp Quarter Jazz Orchestra @ Panama 66
- Custard Pie, Gone Blonde @ Pour House (Oceanside)
- OVMS First Annual Gala Concert @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
- THC Anniversary Party with Quel Bordel, DJ Mancat @ The Holding Company 1502
- Aaron Tveit @ House of Blues
- Lead Pony @ Seven Grand
- Damsels in Defense @ Bancroft Bar
- The Devastators @ Winston's
- The Bastards, the Walking Toxins, Revolt-Chix, In the Midst 777 @ Brick by Brick
- The OrangePickers, the Clean Cut Hippies, Anthony Sanchez @ Lestat's
- Mario Esteban & the Blessed Hellhounds, Mala Vida Band, Township Rebellion (Rage Against the Machine tribute) @ The Merrow
- Brewfish, Seedheads, Kng Mkr @ 710 Beach Club
- DJ Freeman @ U-31
- Backwater Blues @ Humphreys Backstage Live (5 p.m.)
- Party Quake @ Humphreys Backstage Live (9 p.m.)
- Butts Ta Nuts with DJs Waterfalls, Julz, Kev Mighty @ El Dorado
- Koko & Bayati @ Fluxx
- LIB 2017 Pre-Party: Minnesota, Dimond Saints, Doorly & M!NT, Galangsta, Hylas, Dink, CaliParis, Andrew Wilkinson @ Spin
- Popvinyl @ V Lounge, Viejas Casino
- Cassie B Trio @ Lobby Bar, Viejas Casino
- Volldrauf @ Bassmnt
- Archetype VI featuring Shatterer, Netika, SASO, Terri Lee @ 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.
