In what just might be the music event of the year, U2 is set to take over the newly named SDCCU Stadium tonight. Going back to "The Joshua Tree," this tour is supposed to highlight the best of the band (and hopefully make you forget those years around "Get On Your Boots"). With Beck opening the night, expect some heavy tailgating before the show, a lengthy and celebratory concert, and tons of traffic afterward. Ridesharing isn't so great for such events, your best bet is taking the trolley. For those of us without tickets, we've got some fun ahead, too. I, for one, will be checking out shoegaze legends Swervedriver as they play two of their seminal albums in their entirety at the Casbah. Skylar Spence, formerly known as Saint Pepsi, plays at Space, and Tycho (who dissed our town last time around) returns to the Observatory. Atlas Genius plays House of Blues, Los Amigos Invisibles stop into Music Box, or just hang out with the Fast Crowd at Soda Bar for Sloppy Seconds. It's a good night of music, but plan your transportation and routes wisely.
Friday, Sept. 22:
- U2, Beck @ Qualcomm Stadium
- Swervedriver performing "Raise" and "Mezcal Head," DJ Ian Utero @ Casbah
- Skylar Spence, Jonah Baseball, Nature's Kid @ Space
- Queen Nation, Livin' On A Prayer @ Belly Up
- Tycho, Two Feet @ The Observatory
- Atlas Genius, Flor, Half The Animal @ House of Blues
- San Diego Festival of Beer 2017 @ Port Pavilion, Broadway Pier (read the SoundDiego preview here)
- Los Amigos Invisibles @ Music Box
- Wintertime, Swaghollywood @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
- Al Di Meola @ Balboa Theatre
- 20cms, PunchCard, Roman Watchdogs, SecondHand @ The Merrow
- Mackenzie Leighton plays Mingus @ Dizzy's
- Sloppy Seconds, Jon Cougar Concentration Camp, Sidekick, Tiltwheel @ Soda Bar
- Volar Records 8th Anniversary @ Whistle Stop
- Digisaurus @ City Pub
- Bump! with Bob Dazzla, Shige & guests @ Blonde
- Effe Emme, the Grinns, the Abstracts, the Hynas, Endo Sol and guest @ SOMA
- Glory Bound Productions @ Bar Pink
- Redwoods 66: The Midnight Pine, Birdy Bardot @ Panama 66
- Songwriter Showcase: Jeff Berkley, Gregory Page, Robin Henkel, Rob Deez, Nina Francis, Sven Erik Seaholm, Savannah Philyaw, Courtney Preis, Tony Palkovic, the Brothers Burns @ Java Joe's
- Andrew McKeag Band, Bread & Butter, Crimson Cavalry @ Black Cat Bar
- Tiffany Jane & the Kicks @ Park & Rec
- Beatriz Adriana Con Mariachi @ Sycuan
- ¡Mayday! Search Party Tour with Demrick, Van Brando, 1 Ton & IFL @ Winston's (10 p.m.)
- Ryan Griffin @ Moonshine Beach
- Chris Shrader @ Moonshine Flats
- Glen Meadmore & the Kuntry Band, Dum Cumpsters, New Swears @ Tower Bar
- Tori Roze & the Hot Mess @ De Oro Mine Co
- No Duh, DJ Ofier @ The Holding Company 1502
- Breakthru Entertainment @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
- Leyla McCalla @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
- Musica en la Plaza: Los Montano @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
- In Your Neighborhood with Lou Niles presents Great Electric Quest, Loom @ Pour House (Oceanside)
- California Rangers @ Pour House (Happy Hour 5 p.m.)
- Bob Fossil, Flight-42 @ The Bancroft
- Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Charlie Rae @ 710 Beach Club
- Janice & Nathan @ Martini's Above Fourth
- AfterHours in The Office w/DJs Adam Salter & Kid Wonder @ The Office
- Bellsaint, Lizzie Waters, Bad & The Ugly @ Lestat's
- All-Vinyl Happy Hour w/Monsieur Turbeau @ The Office (6pm)
- DJ Freeman @ U-31
- The Reflectors @ Tio Leo's
- High Tide Society @ Humphreys Backstage Live (5 p.m.)
- Rising Star @ Humphreys Backstage Live (9 p.m.)
- Mad Zach, G Jones, and Eprom @ Bassmnt
- Supa Fly Friday with DJ Charlie Rockm DJ Kidriz @ El Dorado
- Current Joys, Celebrity Crush, Los Shadows @ Queen Bee's Art & Cultural Center
- Cazzette, Erick Diaz @ Bang Bang
- Dash Berlin @ Omnia
- PillowTalk presented by theDangleZone @ Spin Nightclub
- Circle of Fifths, DJ Nico @ V Lounge, Viejas Casino
- DJ Bad @ FLUXX
- BB and Company @ Lobby Bar, Viejas Casino
- Goodtimes @ Henry's Pub
- Royalty Technomancer, Tripsy, Pro-k, Joe Pea, Will Lavin @ Kava Lounge
- Club Musae @ Boar Cross'n
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.