So the hottest ticket in town tonight is the xx, but I mean, who really needs to see a stage shrouded in hazers and fog machines, feel the pulse of the music, press against hundreds of music-starved fans? Actually, I can't make it sound dreadful, I'm just really, really jealous that I wasn't able to score a ticket this time around. It's cool, though. As always, the backup plans are pretty great, too, like Ben Folds at House of Blues, Frankie Rose at Soda Bar and super-buzzy Hundred Waters at the Casbah. If you feel like a night of kayaks or canoes, the Beach Boys play a double-header at Humphreys -- just don't get caught at high tide or you can't squeeze under the bridge.
Saturday, Sept. 23:
- Hoppy Beer, Happy Life Festival featuring Imagery Machine, Jesse Nova, Mimi Zulu @ Memorial Park, Chula Vista (1-5 p.m.)
- The xx, Niia @ Observatory North Park (SOLD OUT)
- Ben Folds, Tall Heights @ House of Blues
- Frankie Rose, Suburban Living @ Soda Bar
- Hundred Waters, Banoffee @ Casbah
- Natalia Lafourcade @ SOMA
- The Beach Boys @ Humphreys Concerts by the Bay (5:30 & 8:30)
- Siavash Ghomayshi @ Balboa Theatre
- Zoo, Food and Wine Festival @ San Diego Zoo
- Grown Folk Music with the Husky Boy All-Stars @ Bar Pink
- The Toadies, Local H @ Belly Up
- Citizens & Saints, the Sing Team, the Eagle and Child @ Irenic
- Red Not Chili Peppers, Renegades of Rage, Pearl Jammed @ Music Box
- Derek Gripper & Debashish Bhattacharya @ Museum of Making Music
- Soul Works @ Blonde
- Tramps Like Us, Yellow Claw, Seven Lions, Joyryde, TJR, Cesqeaux, Angelz, Sikdope, Bear Grillz @ Valley View Casino Center (SOLD OUT)
- Club Sabbat @ The Merrow
- DJ Claire's Unwind Yourself @ Whistle Stop (5 p.m.)
- Booty Bassment @ Whistle Stop (9 p.m.)
- Sunburn Pool Party @ Float, Hard Rock Hotel
- Dead Sea Horse, Alvino & the Dwells @ Lestat's
- Decker, Noble War, the Honky's @ Pour House (Oceanside)
- The Benedetti Trio present the Summer of Love 1967 @ Dizzy's
- Nirvanish, DJ OMZ @ The Holding Company 1502
- Lisa Sanders @ Java Joe's
- Hot Shot Drifters, Steel City Jug Slammers @ Black Cat Bar
- SD Cajun Playboys @ Crossroads, House of Blues (FREE)
- The Jesse Cantlay Band @ Martini's Above Fourth
- Sending Signals, Punchcard, 20CMS, Tricountry Terror @ Tower Bar (3 p.m. matinee)
- Rebel Rebel, Squirrelly Arts, Hyperactive Slackers, Horsefly @ Tower Bar
- Deborah Liv Johnson & Peter Sprague @ Pilgrim United Church of Christ
- Falling Doves, Spice Pistols @ De Oro Mine Co.
- Fools Brew @ Bancroft Bar
- Chris Shrader @ Moonshine Beach
- Ryan Griffin @ Moonshine Flats
- The Travel Agents @ Winston's (5 p.m.)
- Garnish That & Hinano Present, PIFA After Party with Jordan T. and Swells Music hosted by the BBQ show @ Winston's (9:30 p.m.)
- SD City Soul Club presents Women of Reggae @ Til-Two Club
- Tye Fall Kickoff: Ritual Potion, Coast Red, DiVad, Nights Like Thieves, Roman Watchdogs, the Ocean Natives, Beyond My Afterlife, Smarter Than Robots, Hardly Human @ Brick by Brick
- Strictly Business with DJs Kanye Asada & Gabe Vega @ The Office
- Electric Mud, Max Fite, Electric Church @ 710 Beach Club
- DJ Junior theDISCOpunk @ U-31
- Kearny High Class of 1987 @ Tio Leo's
- Full Strength Funk Band @ Humphreys Backstage Live (9 p.m.)
- Butts Ta Nuts with DJs Waterfalls, Julz, Kev Mighty @ El Dorado
- Wiwek @ Bassmnt
- Brett Bodley @ FLUXX
- Soul Work presents Eden, Deep Jesus @ Spin (3 p.m.)
- TJR, Cesqeaux, Curbi presented by LED @ Spin (10 p.m.)
- Pat Lok @ Bang Bang
- Jayceeoh @ Omnia
- Fluid in Motion, DJ Diamond @ V Lounge, Viejas Casino
- Caliber @ Lobby Bar, Viejas Casino
- Dragon Lounge Presents Monarch Camp Fundraiser @ Kava Lounge
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.