heART on Center
Holly Golightly
Wednesday, April 7
PLAN A: Transfer, Scanners, Lyon Crowns, DJ Al Squared @ Beauty Bar. Local alt-rockers Transfer always put on a great show, but it’s the moody Brits in Scanners that tighten my undies. I tweeted about these guys a few months ago after hearing their PJ Harvey-flavored single “Salvation,” and I’m excited to see how they bring it live. PLAN B: Non (Boyd Rice), Cult of Youth, Skinwalker, Axxa, DJ Human Jerky @ Radio Room. He’s reportedly a hero of Marilyn Manson’s, and he may or may not be some kind of fascist, but Rice is pretty much the forefather of modern industrial and noise music, so listen up. At 53, the dude can still belt out, “Do you want total war?” over that death-drum marching band, and it sounds as timely as ever. BACKUP PLAN: Rocco Deluca, Josh Damigo, Tommy Graf @ The Casbah.
Thursday, April 8
PLAN A: Carsick Cars, AV Okubo, P.K. 14 @ Brick by Brick. Great Chinese bands don’t often get to come here, but, luckily, there’s the China Invasion Tour, where you can see some of the country’s best and brightest. Carsick Cars sound like the next great indie-rock band from Brooklyn, and experimental popsters AV Okubo will lighten the mood, but the real treat here is P.K. 14, who play a diplomatically poppy brand of post-punk that had Spin singing their praises at SXSW and NME proclaiming they “sound like The Fall fed on fried rice.” Nice. PLAN B: Bostiche + Fussible, Illuminauts, Revulab @ The Casbah. Speaking of international relations, Tijuana’s Bostiche + Fussible are an off-shoot of electronic ensemble Nortec Collective who make a sweet pastiche of electro, Norteño music and TJ street sounds recorded while driving around the city. BACKUP PLAN: Rats Eyes, Stab City @ Bar Pink.
Friday, April 9
PLAN A: Blowoff @ The Casbah. You think the big, hairy bears that show up for this night (see the feature on this page for more deets) will accept a Scene Wolf into their fold? PLAN B: Cattle Decapitation, Phobia, Warkrusher, Dead Ghosts @ Ruby Room. Undoubtedly the scariest sounding death-metal band in San Diego, if not in the country, Cattle Decapitation are actually vehement animal-rights advocates and vegans. Makes sense, because frontman Travis Ryan sounds like a rabid bear in heat. There I go again with the bear references. BACKUP PLAN: Colin Hay @ Anthology.
Saturday, April 10
PLAN A: Pepper Rabbit, Writer, Black Mamba @ Bar Pink. Both local openers are swell, but it’s the lush, folk-pop of the unfortunately named L.A. duo Pepper Rabbit that puts this one on top. If you ever wanted to know what Animal Collective might sound like if they were a little less weird or Band of Horses if they actually had any talent, then check these guys out STAT. PLAN B: The Mashtis, Black Hondo, Cozy Corners, Joey Harris and the Mentals @ Ruby Room. So close to being Plan A, The Mashtis are the new project from local mainstay Itai Faierman (see our feature on Page 25), and psychedelic badasses Black Hondo should be a nice, if not musically dissimilar, opener. BACKUP PLAN: Jungle Fever, The Watusis, The Sharp Objects, Mermaid @ Soda Bar.
Sunday, April 11
PLAN A: Murder by Death, Ha Ha Tonka, Linfinity @ The Casbah. In a just world, Bloomington, Ind.-based Murder by Death would be as big as their brethren in O’Death, Drive-By Truckers and Lucero. With somber lyrics with a bombastic, psych-country sound, they live up to their ridiculously awesome name. PLAN B: Elvis Costello @ Balboa Theatre. No Attractions or Imposters in tow, and you can likely expect Costello to be sans Telecaster, as well. Not to worry. The songs on his new, mostly country LP, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, would make his hero George Jones stand up and clap. And in all likelihood, he’ll play stripped-down versions of his hits, too. Ever hear “Pump it Up,” hoedown-style? BACKUP PLAN: Sleep @ The Loft at UCSD.
Monday, April 12
PLAN A: Michael Rose, Garth Dennis, DJ Carlos Culture @ Belly Up. A member of ’70s reggae heroes Black Uhuru, Rose still has a golden voice that triumphs over the bumbaclatt white boys who jacked his sound and made millions. And the guy still performs like a 17-year-old kid from Kingston (just look him up on YouTube). PLAN B: Serena Ryder, Ryan Star, Cuff The Duke @ The Casbah.
Tuesday, April 13
PLAN A: Holly Golightly and The Broke-Offs, The Creepy Creeps, Green Stamps, DJ Claire @ The Casbah. Golightly’s MySpace page may say she still resides in dreary old England, but she actually moved to, of all places, a farm in rural Georgia last year. Makes sense. Her music has trended more and more toward back-porch-style country lately, and while the Southern accent might be missing, the heartbreak and longing in her voice are perfectly suited for the job. BACKUP PLAN: Monomate, Supersonic, The Silph Scope, Bleeds @ Soda Bar.
