December Nights

Tim Pyles of the Local Pyle and FM 94/9 peruses the December calendar for all the best shows

What the ho, ho, ho!  Happy holidays, music lovers. I hope you get everything you wanted and more. If I could suggest one thing, please support one of our many great independent record stores like M-Theory, Thirsty Moon, Off the Record, Record City, Lou's Records, Spin Records, TAANG! or Access Music.  As for shows and happenings in town this month, let's peruse the calendar:
 
12/3:  Paul Banks @ House of Blues
Interpol frontman gone solo, again. Remember Julian Plenti?
 
12/3:  Hot Snakes & Night Marchers @ Casbah (sold out)
Two behemoths in the local music scene, both featuring John Reis
 
12/4:  Streetlight Manifesto @ House of Blues
Third wave ska punk heroes from NJ get together and form a fourth wave ska punk band
 
12/5:  Death Grips @ Casbah
Not sure what to call it, but it's good.  Punk, electro, hip-hop, beats, destruction, awesomeness!
 
12/5, 12/6:  Chris Robinson Brotherhood @ Belly Up
New project from the former frontman of the Black Crowes.
 
12/6:  David Bazan @ Casbah
Former frontman for Pedro the Lion
 
12/7:  The Killers, M83, Passion Pit and more @ Viejas Arena
This big radio station holiday show has a nice lineup
 
12/7:  The Whammy (Slim Jim Phantom of Stray Cats, Tim Polecat from the Polecats and Jonny Bowler of the Guana Batz) @ Casbah
Rockabilly legends '80s revival
 
12/6:  Metric @ House Of Blues
Awesome Canadian band that sounds nothing like Rush
 
12/8, 12/9:  Chris Issak Holiday Show @ Belly Up
The dude is actually funny and he has hit songs.
 
12/10:  The Mountain Goats @ The Irenic
Folk rock band from Claremont, Calif., not our Clairemont
 
12/10:  Supersuckers @ Casbah
The self-described greatest band in rock & roll in the world
 
12/12:  Justin Townes Earle @ Belly Up
Son of Steve Earle, who is named after his mentor, Townes van Zandt, a poet and Texas country-folk music singer
 
12/12:  Allen Stone, ZZ Ward @ Balboa Theater
Mixing blues, hip-hop and soul, her first name is actually Zsuzsanna.  Allen the hipie with soul recently toured with Dave Matthews Band, but don't let that keep you away
 
12/12:  Public Enemy @ 4th & B
Fight the power with reality star Flavor Flav.
 
12/13:  Alt-J @ Casbah
Big stuff in the UK, new to America and sold out
 
12/14: The Soft Pack @ The Griffin
A band known once as the Muslims before they moved on from San Diego
 
12/14, 12/15:  The Growlers @ Casbah
Self-proclaimed beach goth band from Dana Point
 
12/15: King Tuff @ Til Two Club
Garage rock and power pop make for a nice mix from this band
 
12/16:  Boys Noize @ House Of Blues
Cool indie dance rock for the kids who hate the Gaslamp
 
12/16:  Los Lobos @ Belly Up
Music legends that represent East Los Angeles so well.  Still love their takes on Ritchie Valens songs from the movie La Bamba.
 
12/19:  High on Fire @ Brick By Brick
Awesome stoner metal from Oakland, which has quite the cannabis industry
 
12/19: Bootsy Collins @ Belly Up
The funkiest bass player ever, especially having rose to fame with James Brown, then Parliment-Funkadelic
 
12/21: Kinky @ House of Blues
Amazing electronic alternative rock from Monterrey, Mexico. Lyrics in both Spanish and English, but either ways it's just good
 
12/21:  The Burning of Rome @ Soda Bar
The best psychedelic alternative pop band in the universe, and they are from San Diego
 
12/22: El Vez @ Casbah
Mex-mas 2012 from the former local that started his music carreer with South Bay punk legends the Zeros. Another cool thing is, he's taking Pat Beers of locals Schitzophonics on tour with him
 
12/27:  Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven @ Belly Up
Both bands are great, but all I will say is "Take the Skinheads Bowling," so classic
 
12/27:  Primus @ Balboa Theater
Experimental alternative funk-rock metal band, and that only maybe slightly describes them. My favorite things is that their fans love saying "Primus Sucks"; it's a term of endearment
 
12/31:  Reverend Horton Heat @ House of Blues
Psychobilly, rockabilly and country from one of the hardest-working men in show business
 
12/31: Dirty Sweet @ The Griffin
Local legends reunite for New Years Eve. Does it mean more?
 
12/31: Steve Poltz @ Casbah
This is the hardest-working man in local music, with fans that would do anything for him
 
12/31: Little Hurricane @ Lafayette Hotel
These kids have Taco Bell money, now. Congrats!
 
So now you have your holiday season shows as picked by me, but these are just my picks to be shared with you. I saw a bunch of other shows I left out -- one is the two-night stint Snoop Dogg is doing at the Belly Up. Those should be fun. Anyway, happy holidays, and to sum it up, my favorite holiday statement came about a few years ago courtesy of Virgin Mobile. Here it is Merry Chrismahanukwanzakah!

Tim Pyles hosts The Local 94/9, FTP show and the Coup d'Eat on FM94/9 on Sundays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. He also books local acts at the Casbah and hosts the weekly Anti-Monday League. Check out his website and follow him on Twitter @thelocalpyle. You can reach him directly here pyleste@yahoo.com

 

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