The Vintage & Handmade Market These are bands we especially dig, not
full listings. For those, please see
“Concerts and Clubs."
For more top shows featuring local acts, please see “Nightgeist."
Wednesday, June 18
PLAN A: Hayden, Haley Bonar, Vanja James Music @ The Casbah. Although Hayden’s debut album, Everything I Long For, made some waves on MTV in the mid-’90s, he doesn’t get much coverage anymore for one of three reasons: 1. He doesn’t write hip-hop songs. 2. MTV doesn’t play videos anymore. 3. American programmers hate Canadians. PLAN B: Semi Precious Weapons, The Ringers @ Beauty Bar. Despite receiving praise from former Bowie producer Tony Visconti and ex-Creation Records owner Alan McGee, Semi Precious Weapons are incredibly annoying, but in that “so over-the-top that you have to see them once” sort of way. BACKUP PLAN: The Burning of Rome, Austin James Band, Aurora @ U-31.
Thursday, June 19
PLAN A: Dwight Yoakam @ Del Mar Fair. Country isn’t really my thing, but Dwight held his own with Tommy Lee Jones in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. Plus, dude wrote “Guitars, Cadillacs,” a badass honky-tonk song if there ever was one. PLAN B: Islands, AWOL One, Broken Spindles, Crayonsmith @ Epicentre. Nothing says “diversity” like an ornate Canadian indie band (Islands) touring with an underground MC from Southern California (AWOL One) and a one-man electro project from Omaha (Broken Spindles). PLAN C: Citizen Fish, Bumbklatt, Intro5pect @ Che Café. Featuring two former members of DIY punkers Subhumans, British ska-punk group Citizen Fish is not to be confused with Citizen Dick, the fictional Matt Dillon-led grunge group in Singles. BACKUP PLAN: The Blakes, The Broken West, The Feeling’s Mutual @ The Casbah.
Friday, June 20
PLAN A: Death Cab for Cutie, Rogue Wave @ SDSU Open Air Theatre. Skinny white kids in sweaters unite! Check out our Death Cab feature on this page. PLAN B: Drive By Truckers, Dead Confederate @ Belly Up. Judging from their name alone, Drive By Truckers could have a pretty solid joke band on their hands. Actually, they play the purest Southern rock that’s emerged since Lynyrd Skynyrd. No shit. PLAN C: Static Static @ Bar Pink Elephant. Static Static offer proof that having an awesome record collection filled with punk, post-punk and rock ’n’ roll gems makes a band vicariously excellent. BACKUP PLAN: The Game @ 4th & B.
Saturday, June 21
PLAN A: “House of OM” w/ Colette, DJ Heather, Andy Caldwell @ On Broadway. Maybe if you take enough E, you can forget you’re surrounded by douche-nozzles and enjoy two of the biggest female dance DJs in the country. PLAN B: The Smithereens @ Anthology. If you’re under the age of 25 and can name even one Smithereens song off the top of your head, I will personally come to your house and give you a free back massage. PLAN C: Idiot Pilot, Nurses @ Beauty Bar. They’re really young and incredibly talented, but when all is said and done, Idiot Pilot end up sounding like a two-man American version of Muse. That’s not necessarily a good thing.
Sunday, June 22
PLAN A: Billy Idol @ 4th & B. Yeah, so he’s over 50 and isn’t nearly as sprightly as he once was, but “Dancing with Myself” and “White Wedding” will always be the cream of the crop when it comes to ’80s pop-rock. PLAN B: Phobia, Skarp, Basura @ Che Café. It’s grindcore night at the Che, so if you don’t shower or change your clothes until Sunday, you should fit in just fine. PLAN C: The Human Abstract, Eyes Set to Kill, In Fear and Faith @ SOMA. It’s emo-metal night at SOMA, so if you dye your hair black, apply some eyeliner and get about 20 tattoos before Sunday, you should fit in just fine.
Monday, June 23
PLAN A: Qwel, Qwazaar, Silence, Robust @ Kava Lounge. These three MCs and one DJ from Chicago-based hip-hop label Galapagos4 are relatively unknown, but on the strength of tracks like Robust’s hilarious Sage Francis diss cut, “Chubby Vegan,” they’ll get their recognition soon. PLAN B: Frightened Rabbit, Oxford Collapse, Austin James Band @ The Casbah. Sample lyrics from Frightened Rabbit’s “Head Rolls Off”: “Jesus is just a Spanish boy’s name/How come one man got so much fame?” Good question. PLAN C: Bird Names, The Gift Machine @ Che Café. Bird Names sound like what was going on in Brian Wilson’s head during his “secluded” period. Basically, they tread a thin line between brilliance and drug-induced nonsense. BACKUP PLAN: Bebel Gilberto, West Indian Girl @ Belly Up.
Tuesday, June 24
PLAN A: Torche, Boris, Clouds @ The Casbah. If The Casbah collapses under the crushing weight of Torche’s sonic assault, don’t say we didn’t warn you in the feature on this page. PLAN B: Widespread Panic @ San Diego Civic Theatre. A bunch of guys thast look like your dad with longer hair play long jams influenced by pot, the wilderness and, presumably, environmentalism. At least they’re not named after their favorite snack. PLAN C: Mad Caddies, The Skank Agents, High Tide @ SOMA. Yep, another ska-punk show made the list. No, it’s not 1997 all over again. It’s just kind of a slow week. BACKUP PLAN: Third World @ Del Mar Fairgrounds.
