Perhaps it’s up to the artist, then, to decide when they’ve reached the next echelon. For San Diego synth-pop duo Glass Spells, it came down to a moment.

The band opened up Huntington Beach’s Darker Waves Festival in the fall of 2023, performing for tens of thousands of people and sharing the stage with some of the most legendary new wave and post-punk bands, including New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Tears for Fears.

“[I] felt like, ‘Is this real life?’” says keyboardist Anthony Ramirez. “I was blown away. Just being around all the other artists—walking to your trailer and [seeing] all these other musicians, it’s like, ‘Whoa. I never expected to be near these people.’”

Glass Spells’ ascent to this stage, crossing paths with new wave and goth royalty, was a long time coming. Ramirez first launched the group back in 2013 with an entirely different lineup and a somewhat darker sound, leaning heavily on the more pronounced gloom of post-punk groups like Joy Division. (The genre descriptor the band used at the time was “disco goth,” which also became the name of the still-ongoing, seasonal, curated event that they launched.)

But when the members of that version of Glass Spells eventually parted ways, Ramirez saw a new opportunity for the band and asked his friend Tania Costello if she was interested in making music together. After an inaugural trial run in a DIY performance space in San Diego in early 2019, the duo hit the ground running, quickly building up an audience that connected with their goth-tinged, synth-driven pop, carrying the influence of some of their favorite artists from the ’80s. 

“We overlap in our love of ’80s music,” says Costello, the band’s vocalist. “That’s definitely where we connect the most. [Ramirez] comes from more of a Siouxsie and the Banshees background—more punk in a way. And then I’m over here with the Cyndi Lauper, Human League side of the ’80s.”

In 2021, Glass Spells released their debut album, Shattered, a super catchy, beat-driven set of pop songs that pair the immersive melancholy of The Cure with the pop immediacy of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark—or for those born after 1981, a little bit of M83 or Nation of Language. The group followed that album with their 2023 single “Hechizos,” a bright and danceable synth-pop anthem draped in neon and featuring Costello singing lyrics in Spanish. As of yet, they haven’t announced a new album to go along with it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not in the works. “We’re cooking,” Costello says.

And they’ve been busy nevertheless. Despite leveling up to bigger audiences and stages with more impressive square footage, the duo remain almost totally DIY behind the scenes, handling most of their business affairs on their own (though they do have a booking agent), including social media. Their 131,000-follower (at time of publishing) Instagram feed is rife with videos depicting the duo performing their dreamy pop anthems in front of familiar San Diego locales such as Chicano Park and Balboa Park, as well as in cities they’ve played on tour. 

“It’s been a learning experience,” Ramirez says of their do-it-yourself approach. “We didn’t really think about all the admin work that goes into it. It’s a lot of emailing back and forth and messages, and it can get overwhelming on top of trying to play your shows.” 

Fresh off a turn at Pasadena festival Cruel World (where they shared a venue with Siouxsie Sioux), Glass Spells is now embarking upon a headlining tour that will see them deliver a hometown show at the Observatory North Park. The bar for success is likely to creep ever higher, but they’re still taking the moment to enjoy where they are, to savor the memory of that sea of faces at their afternoon set at Darker Waves.

“We didn’t think many people would come out, because, normally, people might think, ‘Oh, I’ll wait until the sun goes down,’” Costello says. “But we looked out into the crowd, and it kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger as we were playing. People were singing along in the crowd, and the front row had quite a few fans wearing Glass Spells t-shirts. Even speaking about right now just gives me so much euphoria.”

Glass Spells perform at The Observatory North Park on Saturday, July 20.

The post Glass Spells Ascend from DIY Spaces to Mega Festivals appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

September 16

Blossoms and Breeze Opening Reception at La Playa Gallery

La Jolla’s La Playa Gallery current exhibition Blossoms and Breeze, opened earlier this month, captures various artists’ views on the intersection of humanity and nature. This exhibition includes several local artists like oil painters Rebecca Noelle and Cathy Carey, mixed media painter Cate Dudley, sculptor Jon Koehler and potter Maureen Raheja. The opening reception for the exhibition will be held from 5-8 p.m. this Friday, September 16. The exhibition will continue through October 25 and is free to the public. | 2226 Avenida De La Playa, La Jolla

September 16-18

San Diego Bayfair

The San Diego Bayfair Festival has been a fixture of seaside entertainment in Mission Bay for years, and at the center of it all are the exhilarating hydroplane races taking place in Crown Point, East Vacation Island and Fiesta Island. Throughout the weekend there will also be the return of hydro games, as well as a car and motorcycle show, “A Taste of East Count” craft beer festival and BBQ By the Bay. Ticket options include individual tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday or a three-day Superpass for the entire weekend for $45. | 1404 Vacation Road, Mission Bay

Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro

The 15th annual Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro brings together the world’s best professional female surfers, vendors and several live performances from September 16-18 at the Oceanside Pier. The surfing event will feature Olympic Gold Medalist Carissa Moore and surfing icon Bethany Hamilton leading the way on the waves along with many other high-caliber competitors. Additional features include an all-female DJ competition, a women’s beach soccer tournament, the annual Super Girl Gamer esports tourney, several women speakers, a beer garden and a food court. The Nissan Concert Series also includes 15 live performances from artists like Hoobastank, Smash Mouth and The Offspring happening throughout the weekend. | Pier View Way & North Pacific Street, Oceanside

September 16 – October 31

SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream

SeaWorld is gearing up for Halloween as the theme park prepares for frightful fun from September 16 through October 31. Enjoy haunted houses, scare zones, themed bars and live entertainment as you travel through their house of horrors, along with rides, coasters and more. Tickets to Howl-O-Scream are not included with regular SeaWorld park admission. | 500 SeaWorld Drive, Mission Bay

September 17

Bonitafest Performing Arts Festival

Come celebrate the best of Bonita this Saturday during the event’s 50th anniversary. This free festival will take place from 12-4 p.m. and give event-goers the chance to try lots of food, listen to South Bay’s best choirs and bands and participate in arts and crafts. All of the money raised from the event will go towards the Bonita Vista High School Vocal Music Department and choirs from Bonita Vista Middle School. | 5305 Sweetwater Road, Bonita

Amps & Ales

Amps & Ales is back at 3rd Avenue and Memorial Park this Saturday from 12-4 p.m where guests can try the bests craft beers and wines from San Diego and south of the border. The 20+ participating breweries include Cerveza Xteca, Third Avenue Alehouse, Setting Sun Sake among others. And there will be plenty of food including TJ-style hot dogs. Headlining this year’s musical lineup is the B-Side Players with performances by The Gravities, Cumbia Machin, The Routine and more. General admission tickets are $45 and include admission from 1-4 p.m. while the $60 VIP tickets grant admission starting at noon. | 373 Park Way, Chula Vista

September 17 – October 30

The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular

Celebrate Halloween with the Count, as Sesame Place gets in the spooky spirit. This family-friendly Halloween event will include a Halloween Parade, Halloween-themed shows, trick or treating inside the park and a spot the ghost scavenger hunt. Tickets can be purchased here. | 2052 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista

September 18

Bad Bunny at Petco Park

Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny is coming to SoCal for his “World’s Hottest Tour” and his next stop is at San Diego’s very own Petco Park for two nights of shows this Saturday and Sunday. Known for songs like “Yo Perreo Sola,” “Tití Me Preguntó” and “La Noche de Anoche,” he has quickly become one of the world’s most prolific artists. Saturday night’s show is already sold out but it’s not too late to get a ticket for Sunday night’s show here. | 19 Tony Gwynn Drive, Downtown

Nissan Surfer Girl Pro

Courtesy of Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro

The post 8 Things To Do in San Diego: Sept 15–18 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Sun Room Live

Courtesy of Sun Room

In summer 2021, a human pile of sunburns and cutoff denim filled the yard of an infamous house in Ocean Beach—a house loved by nearby Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) students and not-so-loved by neighbors. The swarm of 20-somethings was so tightly packed they looked like one unit, swaying to the twangy melodies and stomping rhythms of Sun Room—a foursome of home-grown blonde-mopped surf rockers. Everyone could sense it: the band was special.

Louis Tomlinson soon picked up on the same vibe. After discovering them on a playlist, the former One Direction band member summoned them from their life of noise disturbances to his world tour. “It was one of those moments where it was a little bit too crazy to wrap your head around,” says vocalist and guitarist Luke Asgian of the first time they walked on stage at a sold-out arena. “Luckily, I could only see like the first four rows because of the lights.”

But back to the house, where the members of Sun Room—Asgian, Gibson (Gibby) Anderson on drums, Max Pinamonti on bass, and Ashton Minnich on guitar—live. For almost 10 years, PLNU students have handed the residence off like an heirloom, and it’s become an off-campus clubhouse of sorts for creative students. Seeing a Sun Room house show quickly became a summer staple for pandemic- frustrated college kids.

Sun Room huddle

Courtesy of Sun Room

Asgian formed Sun Room in the summer of 2020 after being in many admittedly bad high school garage bands and independently recording music for years. Their fun, front-porch project turned serious when one of their songs blew up on TikTok, then “Crashed My Bike” was featured in the second season of the hit Netflix show Outer Banks. Sun Room’s members, all in their late teens and early 20s, hail from various beach towns across the Southern California coast, so the surf rock came honestly. Asgian’s vision for the band was simple: bring Southern California’s signature sound to a wider audience.

“[I wanted to] take the sound we all grew up with and loved, the sound that all the kids in beach cities play, and present it in a way where everyone can enjoy it [regardless of] what part of the country or even the world you are from,” he says.

They pulled that off somewhere in northern Europe.

Sun Room roof

Courtesy of Sun Room

“I had this full circle moment where we are playing these songs about summer in San Diego in the middle of France or Norway,” he recalls. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do with Sun Room, and now we get to do it.”

It’s been go, go, go for the band. Now they’re taking full advantage of being back home. Asgian says this summer is about working on new music, recharging, and enjoying what San Diego has to offer before they head off on their first headlining North American tour this fall.

“It’s a really cool little time in life where we’re just hanging with our friends and trying to surf everyday and work on a ton of new music,” Asgian says, embodying the dream. “The two best feelings in the world are leaving home and getting to come back home.”

The post Sounds Like Summer appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Fresh Glass Fest

Fresh Glass Fest

September 1 – October 16

Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical

Coming to the Old Globe Theatre beginning this Thursday, Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical tells the story of Simran, a young Indian American woman, and her exciting summer in Europe. Love and tradition clash as Simran’s own interests go against her family’s wish for an arranged marriage as the story takes her from Boston to Europe to India. This stage musical adaptation of the 1995 musical romance film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge promises lots of fun plus all new songs created just for the stage. | 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park

September 3

Farewell to Summer Arts Festival

End your summer on a high note with this free arts festival at the City Heights Performance Annex put on by Teatro San Diego. The festival will include various food trucks, games, interactivity booths and performances from various community artists as well as performances from Teatro SD’s performing arts students. | 3795 Fairmount Avenue, City Heights

Julian Grape Stomp Fiesta

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday, Julian’s Menghini Winery will be hosting the town’s annual Julian Grape Stomp Fiesta where visitors can participate in the old-world tradition of squishing grapes with their feet. There will also be several food and shopping options as well as live music. Regular admission tickets are $20 and include a wine glass and stomping, while reserved shaded seating is $30. Tastings cost $1 each and are separate from the price of admission. | 1150 Julian Orchards Drive, Julian

Lil Jon at Parq Nightclub

Atlanta hip-hop party pioneer Lil Jon will be making an appearance at Parq Nightclub this Saturday night at 10 p.m. The music legend, known for hits like “Bia’, Bia’” “Get Low” and “Lovers and Friends,” has had a significant impact on club music in the Dirty South and nationwide since the early ‘90s. Now after performing in clubs for decades and as a resident DJ in Las Vegas, he’ll be making a rare performance in SoCal and you won’t want to miss it. | 615 Broadway, Downtown

BOARDED! A New Pirate Adventure

The San Diego Maritime Museum is bringing back its interactive pirate-themed live show for a second performance date this year with two shows this Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Guests in the crowd will be taught the ins and outs of the at-sea lifestyle as they become a member of the pirate’s crew and go on various adventures. Tickets for adults are $60 and $25 for children 12 and under. Online sales have closed but walkup tickets are still available until they sell out. | 1492 North Harbor Drive, Embarcadero

September 3-4

Jazz at the Creek 2022

The 11th Annual Jazz at the Creek reins in Labor Day Weekend at the Market Creek Plaza Amphitheater with a theme of “We Are One.” Saturday’s “Grown Folks Music” will be headlined by jazz band Pieces of a Dream while Sunday’s “Sophisticated Soul” will be headlined by jazz singer/songwriter Will Downing. Hosted by local radio personalities Kelly Cole and John Phillips, spend your weekend listening to intimate jazz performances from 2-7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. | 310 Euclid Ave, Lincoln Park

September 4

Swedish House Mafia

Swedish house music supergroup Swedish House Mafia continues their recent run of appearances with a concert Sunday night at Pechanga Arena. Known for their exhilarating and visually stunning live shows, the group is touring for the release of their debut album “Paradise Again” in April, which featured appearances from the Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, Ty Dolla Sign and more. This is the group’s first large-scale tour since their hiatus in 2013 and after blowing fans away at Coachella earlier this year, San Diego EDM fans should expect a massive performance. | 3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway

Fresh Glass Fest 2

To commemorate the upcoming KPBS series “Fresh Glass,” debuting on September 15, the festival highlighting San Diego’s women and BIPOC food and alcohol innovators returns for another year. The festival, hosted at the California Center for the Arts Escondido, will also feature DJ’s spinning throughout the day, and a live performance from Kendrick Dial & The Lyrical Groove. General admission tickets are $125 and come with admission, a tasting wristband with ten tastings, a Fresh Glass souvenir cup and bag. | 340 North Escondido Boulevard, Escondido

The post 8 Things To Do in San Diego: September 1-4 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Music, mountains and weed delivery—the recipe for any good music fest

Same Same But Different

The Same Same But Different Festival (SSBD) is returning for its fourth year, adding 20 new additional artists to its already stacked lineup. The art-and-diverse-genre-music festival returns to the beaches of Lake Perris Sept. 8th-11th.

“We chose Lake Perris State Park because it’s truly a hidden gem,” says Brad Sweet, the festival’s co-founder and CEO. “Everywhere you look, there are stunning views of the lake, mountains and trees.”

Though staying true to its former location, organizers sought out a new area this year within the same park. But don’t worry, guests can expect the same scenic views as well as plenty of grassy areas, electric car camping, park-maintained bathrooms with hot showers, and RV parking hookups.

And of course, this year’s event wouldn’t be complete without floatopia. Each day of the festival, the Coconut Club becomes a waterfront stage where attendees grab an adult beverage cool off in the water, and listen to their favorite musicians all day long. There’s also the signature Funky Floatie Competition which encourages festival goers to create the most unique floatie to win a ticket to next year’s event.

Headlining this year will be Tipper, Vulfpeck, Chromeo and GRiZ while 60+ artists will perform across four stages throughout the weekend. But, choosing which acts made the cut this year, was more than just choosing the top bands of the moment—it was in itself, a love letter to the city.

“The majority of the core festival team are from San Diego,” says Peter Eichar, the festival’s co-founder and director. “We go out in San Diego, we play music in clubs in San Diego, and we see shows in San Diego. This festival has more of San Diego in it than any other city, and might play host to more local San Diego talent than any major music festival in California,” shares Eichar.

In addition to the performances, attendees can get their creative juices flowing with workshops led by yoga, breathwork, meditation, reiki, dance, and art experts. Or enjoy the new CannaBass Oasis, a waterfront hangout spot for cannabis aficionados, where guests can order a range of cannabis products for delivery within the festival grounds.

And, in case you’re worried about the fest’s environmental impact, Sweet shares that they’re trying to work toward being a negative carbon footprint organization. Currently, for every ticket purchased, SSBD plants groups of trees to help restore and enhance ecosystems. Last year, SSBD planted more than 18,000 trees and this year, they hope to go even bigger with a goal of more than 40,000.

During the fest, guests can also purchase upcycled and locally crafted handmade goods a the Vendor Village. Vegan, vegetarian and raw food options will also be available and of course,  compostable and recyclable silverware, cups and plates will be on hand. “SSBD was named the ‘Best Emerging Festival’ of 2020 by USA Today, and we continue to build off of that momentum.” Eichar says. “The 2022 lineup will be the largest in the festival’s history.”

The post Same Same But Different: A Nod to SD’s Music Scene appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

ArtWalk at Liberty Station

Paul Nestor

August 2:

Summer isn’t officially official until—please hold for the plane passing overhead—Shakespeare outdoors begins at The Old Globe’s Lowell Davies Theatre. Bonus points if it’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which blends poetically with the stage’s Balboa Park backdrop (through September 4).

August 2:

In Here There Are Blueberries at the La Jolla Playhouse, World War II-era photographs lead a museum archivist and a Nazi descendent down separate rabbit holes of discovery. Slowly the stories behind the photos unfold, along with new revelations on the Holocaust and humanity (through August 21).

August 4:

California native, singer, TikTok superstar and supreme hair-owner Oliver Tree is coming to Petco Park’s Gallagher Square alongside alternative/indie singer Jawny. Last fall, the Santa Cruz singer/filmmaker announced his latest album, Cowboy Tears, may be his last. Hand-wash your primary-color track suit and tear-up like a real cowboy.

 Petco Park’s Gallagher Square 

August 6:

Twinzers, bonzers, rhino chasers. If those words get you emotional, head to the full display of San Diego surf culture at One Paseo’s Summer Surf Fest. Alongside live surf rock performances, pop-up shops, and interactive art installations, you can gawk at vintage surfboards and cars.

August 6-7:

At ArtWalk at Liberty Station you can score a new painting or vase or unidentifiable yet oddly compelling thing you just really need—and get the story of the pieces from the makers themselves. The festival gathers local and national artists who specialize in all forms, from ceramics to watercolor to sculpture, with demos and interactive pop-ups.

August 13:

San Diego Museum of Art’s book club, Art of Reading, highlights fictional reads that pair with the museum’s exhibits. This month, it’s a discussion about Deborah Davis’ Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X— Sargent’s most famous painting, and one that nearly ruined Madame X. Total scandal.

August 14:

Hillcrest’s CityFest is known by locals as Pride-Light, a massive neighborhood block party. The annual festival celebrates the restaurants and shops that make up San Diego’s most iconic LGBTQ+ neighborhood with six interactive art installations and performances over the nine-block span.

August 14:

Local bookstore legend Warwick’s has been bringing big names in the literary world to San Diego for decades. This month at Balboa Theatre, its iconic investigative journalist Bob Woodward, gives an inside look into his reporting on Watergate, Washington, and political dynamics.

Muna Band

Issac Schneider

August 15:

Fresh off their new self-titled album, Muna is taking the stage at The Observatory in North Park. The L.A.-based trio has carved out a name for their punchy, electronic indie-pop that addresses sexuality, gender, and love.

The post San Diego Events Calendar: August 2022 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

tulengua

Kelsey Bair

Tulengua was a concept. When the cross-border hip-hop group began back in 2016, their ambitions stretched beyond the simple idea of starting a band. They wanted something more. Something without a fixed lineup—a constantly evolving and growing entity, reflecting the culture and collaboration along the dividing line between two nations.

“The idea was that it was going to be more of a collective, people from both sides of the border coming together to make music under one name—producers and rappers,” says tulengua (the group prefers a lowercase t) emcee/vocalist Alan Lilienthal. “It wasn’t super clear what it was going to be, but I knew what I wanted it to feel like. It was around the time that Trump won, and there was all this buildup of energy around the border and immigration, as well as some pretty heavy things that I went through. So it became this vehicle for talking about these things happening on the border.”

In spring 2020 the group had congealed around the lineup of Lilienthal, his co-emcee Amari Jordan and producer Jaime Mora. Their bilingual/bi-national hip-hop solidified on their debut mixtape Baja Funk, offering a showcase for an eclectic sound that bounced from g-funk to soul to crackly boom bap with lyrics in both English and Spanish. The trio had found their groove in an intimate, interpersonal collaboration that grew from their own friendship.

But as the first pandemic lockdown began, live music ground to a halt. Travel between the U.S. and Mexico became more complicated just as this permanent iteration of tulengua built up steam with the release of their second LP LOWKEYBANGERSVILLE. The three musicians—Lilienthal and Jordan based in San Diego, and Mora in Tijuana—weren’t able to get together to tap into the chemistry that drove their unique musical hybrid. At that time Jordan was also pregnant, and played it safe for the sake of her own health.

Though the group thrives on being in the same room and playing off of one another, they made the most of their resources and after some time spent regrouping, began to build songs via files sent back and forth among the three of them. The product of that lockdown creativity, Lowkey Reduced is another creative shift, balancing trap, funk, psychedelia and lo-fi sounds that represent a unique era for the group.

“We like to make music together in the flesh,” Lilienthal says. “Once the border was open and once Amari’s son was a little bit older, it started reviving new music. Lowkey Reduced we put out almost to close a chapter, and now we can move on.”

Tulengua have now written more material and mapped out their next handful of releases, in large part because Lilienthal, Jordan and Mora are able to share the same space and reignite that collaborative spark once again. Operating as a unit, they’re already moving on to the next phase. The pandemic might have slowed their output—just as it did with other artists—but they’ve only grown closer in the process, both as collaborators and comrades.

“At this point of tulengua, I’m super comfortable,” Jordan says. “I know we’re going to go higher, I’m just super happy to be playing with the people that make me the happiest.”

Tulengua perform at Music Box on July 27.

The post Tulengua Reignites Their Eclectic Sound appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

SD Pride

San Diego Pride

July 1:

Jump, crawl, or web-sling over to the Comic-Con Museum to see the world premiere of Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing – The Exhibition (through January 1, 2023), an in-depth look at the superhero’s storied history that includes interactive installations, film set pieces, and one-of-a-kind artifacts. comic-con.org

July 4:

Once local beaches empty out and we relocate our car, we plan to catch the Big Bay Boom—California’s largest firework display in honor of Independence Day—launched from four barges in San Diego Bay beginning at 9 p.m. bigbayboom.com

Big Bay Boom

Big Bay Boom

July 12:

Head to Hillcrest for a rainbow of colors and a heavy dose of positivity and acceptance during San Diego LGBT Pride (through July 17), returning to an in-person celebration with this year’s theme, “Justice with Joy.” Diverse programming includes a festival (with all-queer headliners), parade, rally, 5K run, and more. sdpride.org

July 13:

Cygnet Theatre presents the hit musical Cabaret, set in a sleazy Jazz Age Berlin nightclub, complete with lavish costumes, signature songs, and fabulous dancing. It won eight Tony Awards on Broadway, and the last time Cygnet put it on, in 2011, it won local Theatre Critics Circle awards for direction and lead performance. cygnettheatre.com

July 16:

We’ll be raising a tasting glass to good causes at Best Coast Beer Fest at Waterfront Park, which benefits cancer research and local Ukrainian refugee families. Come get a taste of nearly 100 West Coast breweries, while enjoying live music from local bands and a variety of food truck cuisine. bestcoastbeerfest

July 20:

Based on the book by Omri Schein and David Ellenstein, The Remarkable Mister Holmes is a fresh take on the iconic detective in that it’s a musical comedy as well as a mystery. North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach is staging its world premiere (through August 14). northcoastrep.org

July 21:

Speaking of world premieres, we definitely plan on catching the new adaptation of Frederick Knott’s play Dial M for Murder, which inspired Alfred Hitchcock’s film. Showing at The Old Globe (through August 21), this murder mystery explores what happens when one jealous husband suspects his wife may be unfaithful. theoldglobe.org

The Blank Table

The Blank Table

July 21:

Highly curated, multisensory The Blank Table is a unique dining experience featuring a five-course, prix-fixe menu from star chefs and mixologists in a secret location. For readers who can’t make the July dinner, there are three more through October 20. theblanktablesd.com

July 22:

No need to understand betting lingo or know anything about racehorses to have a great time in the grandstand on Opening Day at Del Mar Racetrack—the bigger and more extravagant your hat, the better. High rollers should continue to the official after-party at L’Auberge Del Mar. dmtc.com

July 26:

Another world-premiere play this month is Here There Are Blueberries at La Jolla Playhouse (through August 21). The story centers on newly uncovered World War II–era photographs that spur a German businessman’s journey into his family’s past. lajollaplayhouse.org

July 26:

It would obviously be a “Big mistake. Big. Huge!” to miss the Broadway cast of Pretty Woman: The Musical at Civic Theatre (through July 31). A hit in New York, the production is based on the classic movie. broadwaysd.com

Pretty Woman

Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

July 29:

La Jolla Music Society’s annual SummerFest at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center has been extended to a four-week celebration (through August 26) and will offer intermission-free events on Wednesdays. This year’s program, Under the Influence, takes an inside look at the muses who inspired—and often seduced—composers throughout history. ljms.org/summerfest

July 30:

Kicking off at Attitude Brewing, the Taste of Barrio Logan promises plenty of food and drink samples throughout the neighborhood—plus an after-party at ReBru Spirits. For those looking for something a bit more rural, head to the mountains for wine, beer, cider, and cocktails at the Sip of Julian tasting event. tasteofbarriologan.com; visitjulian.com

Leon Bridges

Leon Bridges

July 31:

Spend an evening with soul maestro Leon Bridges at The Rady Shell, where we fully expect to be serenaded with hits such as “Steam,” “Coming Home,” and “Why Don’t You Touch Me: Part 1.” livenation.com

The post San Diego Events Calendar: July 2022 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Wonderbus is a traveling concert that will feature local artists and reach audiences all across the county. The top level of the bus features a full stage ready for any gig, with lights, a drum set, and complete sound system. The bottom level hosts a VIP section with tables, TVs, and a cocktail bar.

Wonderbus will tour three days a week through different communities, featuring artists of all genres of music, including rock, reggae, pop, and country. It sticks around for a few songs before it heads off to the next street. The appeal of the bus as a mobile entertainment venue is that it can take off at any minute—specifically if the crowds don’t follow the COVID-safe rules required for the experience.

Wonderbus’s mysterious nature is part of the fun. Every weekend, it changes route and features different bands that you won’t know until that week. No neighborhood will get left behind—the party machine will be rolling from South Bay to North and East County and everywhere in between.“It’s really about taking it to all different communities and bringing the gift of music,” says Ernie Hahn, one of the cofounders. “Live music is a gift, and our plan is to make sure everybody can see it and hear it.”

Hahn, who is also chairman of the board for Wonderfront Festival, says the bus will stick around after the pandemic and become a part of the Wonderfront experience (which he hopes can take place in November). There are plans to use the music bus for more pop-up concerts, events, and even a festival-like experience with several buses.“

The entertainment and fun that can happen with it is pretty endless,” Hahn says. “I think it’s going to be a whole new way of how people look at live entertainment and spontaneity.”

To find out where the bus will be next, follow @wonderbusentertainment on Instagram and sign up for email updates.

Wonderbus

The post This Traveling Bus Is Bringing Live Music Back to San Diego appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Khruangbin & Leon Bridges – “C-Side”

I’m not sure it would have occurred to me before that Texas psychedelic rock band Khruangbin and R&B crooner Leon Bridges, also from Texas, would make natural collaborators. But on their new EP Texas Sun, named in tribute to their home state, they work together in a kind of effortless harmony. This song is a particular highlight, all laid-back dub grooves and limitless atmosphere.

Bambara – “Serafina”

I think I’ve made it pretty clear that “make it more goth” is a proven formula to get me to like someone’s music, and few bands today are harnessing that darkness in a more exciting way than Bambara. The Brooklyn group merge narrative storytelling with a post-punk sound, and “Serafina” is a perfect example of how thrilling it can be when it all comes together.

Soccer Mommy – “lucy”

Soccer Mommy’s acclaimed 2018 breakthrough Clean presented Sophie Allison as an indie artist to watch, and she’s shown a lot of growth in just two years. Her new album color theory is out this week, showcasing more range, bigger production and some of the best songs she’s written to date, including “lucy,” a song with lots of dreamy layers, and the kind of unexpectedly tense ‘90s alt-rock sound that teenage me would have flipped my lid for.

Caribou – “You and I”

Caribou’s Dan Snaith has a catalog that comprises everything from relatively straightforward house music to kaleidoscopic psychedelic pop. “You and I,” a single from his upcoming album Suddenly, is somewhere between the two, a low-key synth-pop track that unexpectedly erupts into a euphoric collage of samples. It’s a haunted melancholy that seamlessly turns joyous and fun without warning.

Jeff Parker – “3 for L”

Guitarist Jeff Parker’s been playing in a variety of different groups and releasing solo material for more than two decades, including the iconic Chicago post-rock group Tortoise. His latest release, Suite for Max Brown, is a set of music dedicated to his mother, and it’s a delightful mixture of fusion-funk exercises and more straightforward jazz ballads. This is one of the latter, a spacious and cool number that finds a mood and gets comfortable with it.

Moses Sumney – “Conveyor”

Art-pop singer/songwriter Moses Sumney made a big entrance a few years back with his immersive, atmospheric debut album Aromanticism. His latest, grae, is being released in two separate installments, with the most recent having just dropped last week. And while it’s technically not a complete work on its own (the other half arrives in May), it feels self-contained, a rich world unto itself. It contains some of the most ambitious songs in Sumney’s catalog to date, like this, an experimental pop gem that features lots of electronic layers, gorgeous vocal melodies and plenty of curious ear candy.

Frances Quinlan – “A Secret”

Frances Quinlan’s best known for fronting Philadelphia indie rock outfit Hop Along, whose catalog is well worth diving into, if you haven’t already. But while Hop Along is a full-band effort now, it began as a solo project. So in some ways, releasing her first solo album Likewise was something of a return to her roots. Likewise is a diverse record that goes in a lot of different directions, but my favorite track is this stark, stripped-down acoustic track. You can easily hear it turning into a big rock anthem in Hop Along’s hands, but here it’s more intimate and given plenty of room to breathe. It’s perfect just as it is.

Destroyer – “Crimson Tide”

The greatest appeal of Dan Bejar’s songwriting is the intricate wordplay and layers of self-referential narratives that the Canadian singer/songwriter infuses into his songs as Destroyer. But he also changes up his musical approach with essentially every release, and after the darker textures of 2017’s ken, he’s opted for a maximalist approach reminiscent of ‘80s pop on new album Have We Met. Opener “Crimson Tide” is one of its best moments, an epic anthem heavy on synthesizers and slap bass.

Shabaka and the Ancestors – “Go My Heart, Go To Heaven”

If you had told me 10 years ago that the most exciting and influential new music in 2020 would be jazz, well, it’s not that I wouldn’t have believed you, it just might have taken a leap of faith given how long since it’s been part of pop music’s conversation. Shabaka Hutchings is one of the most important figures in making that case, having released some amazing recent albums with Sons of Kemet and The Comet Is Coming (who are playing Coachella this year). Shabaka and the Ancestors is his South Africa-based spiritual jazz outfit, and the first single from their upcoming album is a mystical, complex and enchanting mix of jazz and psychedelia that shows why, as far as I’m concerned, jazz is where you’ll find some of the most groundbreaking music this year.

Yves Tumor – “Gospel for a New Century”

Yves Tumor is easily the strangest and most enigmatic artist among this batch, but his unpredictability is what makes him one of the most exciting. Early on, his recordings were abstract and abrasive, but he’s evolved into making some of the most imaginative pop music in America today. “Gospel for a New Century” is the first taste of the upcoming Heaven to a Tortured Mind, and it’s simultaneously intense and a whole lot of fun, layering big, horn-heavy samples beneath his empowered break-up narrative. I definitely see this being on heavy rotation well into summer.

Recommended Shows This Week:

Lower Dens (February 26, The Casbah): Baltimore’s Lower Dens have been gradually evolving over the past decade, changing up their formula ever so slightly—from dream pop to a more hypnotic psychedelic sound to one more heavily drenched in synths. And it’s pretty much all great.

Hours Record Release Party (February 28, Black Cat Bar): Local shoegaze doom outfit Hours create dirges that lean toward the darker side, but never at the expense of a strong melody. Seeing them live will always reinforce that they’re one of the city’s most powerful live acts, but they’re finally releasing a new full-length, and their release party includes some other great local acts to have on your radar, including D.Wrex and Meager.

A Bowie Celebration: Bowie Alumni play Diamond Dogs and Ziggy Stardust (March 3, Belly Up): There will never be another artist like Bowie. There may be other artists who change our perceptions of music, certainly, but Bowie was a once-in-a-lifetime artist. So it’s perfectly natural that his music continues to live on in various tribute performances and the like. However, this is the only one that features musicians who have actually played in Bowie’s band before, including pianist Mike Garson.

Destroyer

Ted Bois

The post A Spring Playlist appeared first on San Diego Magazine.