The Vintage & Handmade Market 
Nosaj Thing plays at The Loft @ UCSD on Saturday, Jan. 9. Photo by Mikey Tnasuttimonkol.
Wednesday, Jan. 6
PLAN A: The Long and Short of It, Spider Fever, Life Deposits @ The Casbah. The headliner beat out big names like Cattle Decapitation and Goblin Cock to win Best Hard Rock Album at last year’s San Diego Music Awards, and it was well-deserved. They play some killer Jesus Lizard-inspired metal that’s harder than anything in the city. PLAN B: Kera & The Lesbians, Stealing Love Jones, Brenda Xu @ U-31. I finally got to check out Kera & The Lesbians, who play shows at what seems like a weekly pace, a few weeks ago. Yes, their work ethic certainly won’t hurt them, but it’s their blend of folk, garage and balls-out (sorry, probably a bad choice of words in this instance) rock, not to mention the namesake’s stellar voice, that truly makes them a local band to watch in 2010.
Thursday, Jan. 7
PLAN A: Abe Vigoda, Best Coast, Zola Jesus @ Soda Bar. The L.A. band named after the dour-faced actor once described their music as “tropical punk,” and it stuck. But as evidenced by last year’s Reviver EP, their music has progressed way beyond just playing guitars. Darker, denser and decidedly more defined, it’s the sound of a band finding its sound, and it sure sounds great. PLAN B: Crash Encore, Republic of Letters @ The Casbah. Both bands are decent, as far as big-chorus alterna-rock goes, but this show marks the return of O.G. arts collective The Visual Underground, which will fill The Casbah with local artists and screen films, as well. BACKUP PLAN: Sonic Youth, Sic Alps @ House of Blues.
Friday, Jan. 8
PLAN A: Candyflip, Apres Fellini, Shines Like Gold, Raptor, Batwings Catwings @ Beauty Bar. What an eclectic cast this is. From Salinas, Calif., Candyflip play cool, grandiose psychedelic rock that sounds like Caleb Followill backed by Mars Volta’s rhythm section. Batwings Catwings are L.A. Fugazi-type screamers, while Vegas electro act Raptor and local DJ brothers Apres Fellini provide the post-band beats. PLAN B: The Western Set, Dark Horse Candidates, Taming the Fox @ Tin Can Ale House. Locals Western Set channel the best parts of the old Bakersfield sound made famous by Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, while fans of Taken By Trees and vintage Parsons / Harris duets will want to check out Dark Horse Candidates. BACKUP PLAN: The Mashtis, Lessons From Zeke, Golden Red, Simeon Flick @ Ruby Room.
Saturday, Jan. 9
PLAN A: Nosaj Thing @ The Loft at UCSD. Aside from Shark Attack’s debut and that sweet Hyperdub compilation, I don’t think I listened to any electro album in 2009 more often than Nosaj Thing’s debut, Drift. The brainchild of 24-year-old L.A. producer Jason Chung, Nosaj combines glitchy atmospherics and dubstep influences that put the intelligence back in IDM. PLAN B: Chris Pureka, The Dirty Legs, Mermaid, Wendy Bailey @ Ruby Room. Despite Pureka having released five pretty great albums filled with heartbreaking Americana and folk, most people will think you’re talking about a dishwasher detergent when you say her name. But those in the know are drawing comparisons with Damian Rice and Gillian Welch, and it may be just a matter of time before she’s no longer playing clubs. PLAN C: The Nervous Wreckords, Midnight Rivals, Black Hondo @ The Casbah. Brian Karscig’s new band is entertaining enough live, but I’d definitely show up early for psych-rockers Black Hondo. Last time I saw them, they had expanded both their songs and sound for something altogether more menacing that should appeal to fans of Jefferson Airplane and The Black Angels.
Sunday, Jan. 10
PLAN A: Slut Sister, This Runs on Blood @ Soda Bar. Hardcore metal from Arizona, This Runs on Blood’s MySpace page describes their sound as “Bon Scott written in sharpie across an ocean of wet baby hooves.” I think it sounds like Slayer and latter-day Ministry. You know, it’s all subjective. BACKUP PLAN: Tribe of Kings @ U-31.
Monday, Jan. 11
PLAN A: Lymbyc Systym, Helios, Drew Andrews & The Spectral Cities @ Che Café. With the exception of local Drew Andrews, there won’t be many vocal mics set up for this show. Fans of The Album Leaf surely already know Brooklyn instrumental duo Lymbyc Systym, but it’s Helios’ minimalist electro ballads that gets me the most excited. PLAN B: Alberta Cross, Hacienda @ The Casbah. Alberta Cross just released a decent album of grandiose alterna-rock, but it’s the openers you might want to follow in 2010. The San Antonians have already opened for Dr. Dog and The Black Keys and made a fan in the latter’s frontman, Dan Auerbach, who asked the blues-pop band to back him up on his solo tour.
Tuesday, Jan. 12
PLAN A: Minipax, Carney, Stripes and Lines @ The Casbah. I’m not sure who the four prodigies are who named their band after what sounds like a more travel-friendly tampon, but I can’t wait to see their lovely lo-fi electro-pop performed live. BACKUP PLAN: Junior Brown @ Belly Up.
