Get to Know the Wild Psychedelic Rock of Mexico’s Los Dug Dug’s

It’s official: Live music isn’t happening much of anywhere throughout San Diego for the next couple weeks at least, confirming what I suspected in my last column. Venues such as Belly Up, Music Box, The Casbah and Soda Bar will be shuttered for the remainder of March, and many of the bands who had tour dates lined up through the spring have either canceled or postponed them. And it’s not an ideal situation to be in. It means lost revenue for the musicians, but also the venues and the people who work there.While Soda Bar and The Casbah are closed, each is having merch sales to benefit their employees—and a lot of it is pretty cool, so I’d highly recommend that anyone who supports local music should get a t-shirt, a hoodie or a mug. But it’s also a good time to buy music directly from the artists.The best way to do that is to either buy merch from a band’s online store or to buy their albums via Bandcamp. I’ve chosen some of my favorite albums from the past year or so, and better yet, I’ve paired them with specific situations you might find yourself in while social distancing. You’re going to be indoors for a while, most likely, and you’ll need some music for every scenario. Also, if you’re planning to wait until Friday to buy some of these, Bandcamp is waiving its revenue share for a day, so all the money goes directly to the artists.

Music for a Quiet Morning

Jessica Pratt – Quiet Signs

Jessica Pratt has recorded three full-length albums, and each of them is gentle, hushed and stark. They’re all quite beautiful, though her third, Quiet Signs, is the most maximalist of the three, which isn’t really saying that much. Most of these songs still mostly comprise her voice and acoustic guitar, with occasional touches of piano or light percussion. It’s great music for rising with the sun and enjoying a cup of coffee before telecommuting or, if you prefer, going back to bed.

Music for Motivation

Kaleta and Super Yamba Band – Médaho

I don’t know about anyone else, but music helps motivate me a lot better than, say, listening to a podcast. Don’t get me wrong—podcasts are fine, but they can be distracting when I need to get down to business. So sometimes I’ll opt for the loudest most intense music at my disposal, but more often than not, I need something with a groove. Benin-born Kaleta and his New York based Yamba Band most certainly have groove. Theirs is a blend of Fela Kuti-style Afrobeat, James Brown’s funk and King Sunny Ade’s juju guitar, and it’s got groove for days. I don’t know about you, but I feel ready to take on whatever comes my way (which is just email and takeout, I suppose).

Music for Daydreaming

Jay Som – Anak Ko

A little distracted? That’s OK! Distracting yourself or even just zoning out for a bit is entirely permitted. While you’re doing this, put on the new album by Bay Area artist Jay Som, which is a lush and gorgeous indie pop record full of dreamy melodies and dense arrangements.

Music for In-Home Happy Hour

Ratboys – Printer’s Devil

Working from home means that the lines between work and time off are going to be a little blurry, which is why it’s important to set some boundaries for yourself. Choose a time to “clock out”, and have yourself a stay-at-home happy hour. And you’ll need some music for that, of course. I recommend the new album by Chicago’s Ratboys, whose style of indie rock has the kind of energy and upbeat melodies that feel appropriate for a little treat-yourself time after work.

Music for a Living Room Dance Party

P.E. – Person

My favorite album of the year thus far is one that’s probably going to keep me grounded for a little while, just because it’s so much fun. P.E. is a Brooklyn band that features members of Pill and Eaters, and their sound is somewhere between weird, no-wave industrial and super-catchy synth-pop. So while some of their sounds are a little experimental, songs like “Soft Dance” and “Pink Shiver” are basically perfect pop singles. You can’t go out to dance right now, so put this on and do it in your living room.

Music for Insomnia

Caribou – Suddenly

I should clarify that when I say “Music for Insomnia,” this probably isn’t music that will get you to sleep. To be honest, I’ve always had trouble sleeping with music on. Some soothing voices? Perhaps, but not music. But the new Caribou album, while riddled with beats and samples, is to my ears very much a late night album, and it’s something to keep you company if you’re up at night, deciding whether or not you should mix together all the types of cereal in your cupboard.

Music That Soothes (Without Being Too Sedate)

Four Tet – Sixteen Oceans

Perhaps you just need something to listen to that’s not too intense, not too gentle or sparse, just something pretty with enough energy to make you feel like a human being. Well, UK producer Kieran Hebden, aka Four Tet, is great at that. Most of his music has energy and momentum, but never veers into sensory overload EDM. And his newly released Sixteen Oceans is one of his prettiest to date.

Music for Meditation

Tengger – Spiritual 2

Most of us will probably need some time for meditation, to re-center ourselves, to find a moment of peace while things are a bit scary. Some would probably prefer silence, but if you can add music to the equation, then you should do so, at least that’s my personal take on it. Tengger is a South Korean group that makes epic and beautiful electronic music that tends toward the hypnotic. Perfect for your solitary moment of inner peace. Or yoga. That works too.

Music To Hear Just Because It’s Really Good

Moses Sumney – græ Part One

But do you really need an excuse to buy some good new music? The best reason is because we enjoy listening to it! And one album I enjoy a whole lot right now is the first installment of Moses Sumney’s græ. He’s releasing it in two parts, with the second installment coming in May. But even if it’s half an album, these 12 tracks are some of the most sonically inviting, emotionally powerful songs I’ve heard all year.But no need to stop there, spend some time on Bandcamp and stream new albums to find other music you might want to buy. It’ll make a musician’s day, and they could really use that right now.

In hindsight, the ’90s were pretty weird. People tend to remember the decade’s music in terms of its novelties (“Macarena”), its heavily hyped trends (grunge) or the Spice Girls. But a lot of what was happening just under the mainstream radar was a lot more interesting. And big record labels with money to burn certainly thought so as well; in the wake of Nirvana’s massive success with 1991’s Nevermind, every company with seemingly endless A&R resources was snatching up every last indie artist without a contract. There were success stories, of course, but the market only had so much room for an alternative rock hitmaker. So for every Beck or Cake, there were dozens of groups like Royal Trux, Boredoms, or even San Diego’s own Drive Like Jehu, who simply didn’t write radio-ready anthems and likely weren’t all that interested in doing so.

There were some interesting exceptions, however, like Soul Coughing. In 1996, the New York band landed their own hit with “Super Bon Bon,” a sort of nonsensical, bohemian beat-poetry breakdown driven by an upright bass groove and frontman Mike Doughty’s off-kilter Dadaist lyrics: “Too fat, fat, you must cut lean/You gotta take the elevator to the mezzanine.” There’s no question why it was a hit—it’s an incredibly catchy song—but it’s certainly weird. Yet it’s got nothing on the band’s debut album, Ruby Vroom.

Released in the fall of 1994, Ruby Vroom introduced Soul Coughing at a time when samplers and drum machines were starting to supplant guitars in alternative music. The Beastie Boys, a hip-hop group, had become staples of modern rock radio while the breakthrough of Beck’s “Loser” early on in 1994 had spawned a number of soundalikes—Primitive Radio Gods, Forest for the Trees (who actually cowrote “Loser”) and Fun Lovin’ Criminals, to name a few. Soul Coughing emerged more as a parallel, their style a hybrid of beat poetry, jazz, hip-hop, and rock that doesn’t make a lot of sense on paper but is a hell of a lot of fun in your headphones. Take, for instance, the single “Screenwriter’s Blues,” a spoken-word narration of Hollywood clichés and ennui featuring a number of one-liners like “We are all in some way or another going to Reseda, someday, to die” and “I am going to Los Angeles to build a screenplay about lovers who murder each other.” Is it bizarre, perhaps too much so for a mainstream radio audience? Absolutely. But is it an absolute blast to listen to? You bet.

That’s true of the whole of Ruby Vroom, which turns 25 this year. I’m not sure how the album might sound to those who weren’t around the first time to hear it—without the context of the fairly absurd alt-rock explosion of the ’90s, it’s an odd one. But to these ears, it holds up well. The cartoonish Raymond Scott samples on “Bus to Beelzebub,” the free-association absurdities of “Casiotone Nation,” the surprisingly tender ballad “True Dreams of Wichita”—it’s all playful, innovative, and fun. A lot of other albums from the same era haven’t fared so well.

Mike Doughty is playing the album in its entirety on tour for its anniversary, and though I don’t ordinarily go for the album-anniversary concert gimmick, something about this one appeals to me. Perhaps it’s because Soul Coughing hasn’t and will likely never reunite, or that this album just hit me at the right time in my life. Maybe you just had to be there.

Mike Doughty plays Soul Coughing’s Ruby Vroom
Saturday, March 23
Soda Bar

Other Recommended Shows This Week:

Veronica May Band, Ariel Levine, The Havnauts (Casbah, March 22): Three different local artists with three different styles and approaches will be sharing the stage on Friday. The Havnauts just won a handful of San Diego Music Awards, and with good reason—they’re one of the best new bands in town. But headliner Veronica May’s been around awhile, and her bluesy songs about her own mental health struggles are both compelling and deeply affecting.

Stay Strange presents: A Night of Strange Music (Black Cat Bar, March 22): The title isn’t misleading at all. Local curator Sam Lopez has been putting together showcases of truly peculiar sounds for many years, and every time I’ve gone to one, I’ve walked away from them having been exposed to something new and unfamiliar, and had a really fun time. Open your ears and your mind and see what happens.

Foals (The Observatory North Park, March 23): In terms of contemporary alternative rock, well, it’s honestly not that different from the ’90s; you still hear a lot of Foo Fighters, for instance. But Foals is one of the few Big Indie bands that have kept my interest, thanks to songs with big hooks and an even bigger focus on richly layered atmospheric elements.

Films, concerts and an exorbitant amount of lemons comprise this week’s most entertaining events in San Diego. Those looking to beat the heat can find shelter and cinematic gold with The Treasure of the Sierra Madre at Digital Gym Cinema, or check out a cult classic at the Balboa Theatre’s 40th anniversary screening of Little Shop of Horrors. From South Bay to La Jolla, concertgoers can catch collaborative tours from the likes of Santana & the Doobie Brothers, Helado Negro & Reyna Tropical and Jason Aldean & Luke Bryan. This weekend also marks the return of the two-day San Diego Made Summer Market and the yearly Lemon Festival, both of which are ripe for shopping unique local vendors.  

JUMP TO: Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend

Bayside Bands, Brew & BBQ at SeaWorld San Diego

August 14 – September 7

SeaWorld San Diego’s beer and barbeque party is back with a live music component and an extra ‘B’ in its name. Every Friday-Sunday (and Labor Day) through Sept. 7, the Bayside Bands, Brew & BBQ festival will feature 60+ locally crafted beers and bites like pork belly tater tots, root beer baked beans and s’mores pie. SeaWorld visitors can also check out rock concerts featuring Saliva (Saturday), Uncle Kracker (Aug. 22) and Skillet (Aug. 29) in the Bayside Amphitheater. Park entry starts at $74 for Bayside Bands, Brew & BBQ dates, and includes festival admission. 

500 Sea World Drive, Mission Bay

Lemon Festival 

August 15

Seize the day, or squeeze the day—whichever your preference—at the Downtown Chula Vista Association’s free Lemon Festival. This annual event celebrates lemons in all their citrusy glory and ensures the city’s lemon legacy still bears fruit for years to come. This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., enjoy a lemony menu, two live music stages, arts and crafts vendors, kids activities at Memorial Park and photos with the festival’s mascot, Tarty the Lemon. And be sure to save room for the lemon pie eating contest, with registration still open to those ages 12-99. 

Third Avenue, Chula Vista

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend

Santana & the Doobie Brothers at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

August 11

Few regions have birthed as many iconic bands as the Bay Area, with Santana (San Francisco) and the Doobie Brothers (San Jose) among the area’s most influential. Though they’ve mastered different variations of rock n’ roll—with Santana championing Latin rock and the Doobie Brothers masters of breezy yacht rock—both groups understand the importance of a good groove. This Tuesday (7 p.m.), the two bands will run through their greatest hits at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, and showcase their shared roots. Tickets start at $28 for this concert. 

2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista

Helado Negro & Reyna Tropical at Esptein Family Ampitheater 

August 12

One of the year’s best musical teamups—combining the talents of Roberto Carlos Lange (Helado Negro) and Fabi Reyna (Reyna Tropical)—produced Helado Tropical, a subtle yet audacious daliance with Latin pop and wavy soundscapes. This Wednesday (7 p.m.) at Epstein Family Amphitheater, Lange and Reyna will pull from their respective catalogs and play their collaborative album in full. Ticket options include youth admission for ages 2-18 ($25-$28) and adults ($35-$50). 

9480 Innovation Lane, La Jolla

An Evening with Goose at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre

August 13

The defining quality that makes a jam band truly so is a willingness to improvise, keeping audiences, and even their most dedicated fans, waiting with bated breath for their next move. As with pioneers of the practice like the Grateful Dead, Connecticut rock group Goose treat concerts as a nightly display for their vast musical chemistry. When Goose performs this Thursday (7 p.m.) at Cal Coast Credit Union Theatre, don’t be surprised if a familiar track is extended by an extra five, ten or thirty minutes into a new cosmic space. Tickets start at $55 for this concert. 

5500 Campanile Drive, College Area

Jason Aldean & Luke Bryan at Petco Park

August 16

Georgians Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan both began their rise to country music stardom in the 2000s, and have since become two of the genre’s revered elder statesmen. After a sold-out one-off show at the University of Georgia in April, the pair decided to take the Peach State experience nationwide with co-headlining stops in Missoula, Montana, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and San Diego’s Petco Park. This Sunday (4 p.m.), country fans can catch the two stars, as well as a slew of up-and-coming talent, with openers Gavin Adcock, Chase Matthew, Dee Jay Silver and DJ Rock. Tickets start at $74 for this concert. 

100 Park Boulevard, Downtown

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Play is underrated. Somewhere along the way, someone decided it was something we should outgrow. That you A good song comes on, and they dance. A game appears, and they’re in. Someone hands them a melting ice cream cone, and somehow it’s the best part of the day.

Adults tend to need a reason. Or maybe just the right setting.

That’s part of what makes the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival feel different. Yes, the week revolves around food and wine, with celebrated chefs, winemakers, and restaurants drawing crowds from across the region. But what lingers afterward is the conversations that stretch a little longer than expected, the strangers who become dinner companions, the live music that pulls people out of their seats, and the rare chance to spend a few hours simply enjoying yourself without much of an agenda.

The Grand Tasting is the festival’s centerpiece, bringing thousands of guests together over two days for hundreds of bites and pours. But some of the week’s most memorable experiences happen on a smaller scale. In the days leading up to the main event, intimate dinners, chef collaborations, and guided tastings create opportunities for guests to interact more closely with the people behind the food and wine and with each other.

Here’s your guide to the 2026 Del Mar Wine & Food Festival happening September 30–October 4.

Wednesday, September 30

Signature San Diego Opening Night Party at Monarch Ocean Pub

Start festival week the San Diego way: ocean views, Baja-inspired bites, and a drink in hand as the sun goes down. The Signature San Diego Opening Night Party at Monarch Ocean Pub sets the tone for the week ahead with a walk-around tasting experience celebrating the flavors that make this city impossible to replicate. It’s an evening of fresh coastal cuisine, bold Mexican flavors, Baja seafood, and plenty of local favorites—all served against one of Del Mar’s most iconic backdrops. Consider it your first official toast to the weekend ahead…

• Monarch Ocean Pub | 1555 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar
• 5–9 p.m.
• Get Tickets 

Friday, October 2

Celebrity Pickleball Tournament Presented by Justin Vineyards & Winery

Wine and competition make an unexpectedly perfect pair. You can join Drew Brees and celebrity players at Barnes Tennis Center for a pickleball tournament benefiting Feeding San Diego, where the sidelines are just as exciting as the court. Grab a paddle, cheer from the sidelines, or simply enjoy a glass of wine while the action unfolds. The day blends friendly competition with an all-inclusive tasting experience.

Since year one, Del Mar Wine & Food Festival has partnered with Feeding San Diego to raise $100,000 in support of the organization’s mission to fight hunger across the region. Every serve, sip, and bite helps give back to the community that makes this festival possible.

Remember that pickleball paddle you swore you’d use? Time to put it to work.

• Barnes Tennis Center | 4490 W Point Loma Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107
• 11 a.m.—3 p.m.
• Get Tickets

Thursday, October 1

Rioja Uncorked at Rancho Valencia

This is essentially a passport to Spain with no airport required. Set among the lush grounds of Rancho Valencia, Rioja Uncorked celebrates one of Spain’s most iconic wine regions with an evening of exceptional pours and thoughtfully paired bites. Guests will sip their way through Rioja wines while enjoying a menu featuring everything from Hiramasa crudo and uni toast to duck rillette, birria mini tacos, Cardiff Crack tri-tip sandwiches, and a sweet finale from Karen Krasne of Extraordinary Desserts (date night plans, solved).

• Rancho Valencia | 5921 Valencia Cir, Rancho Santa Fe
• 6–9 p.m.
• Get Tickets

Friday, October 2

Justin Wine Dinner with Chefs Kaitlyn Weber, Buddha Lo & Jackson Kalb

Justin Wine Dinner sounds simple: three chefs, one unforgettable table. But chefs Kaitlyn Weber (Estancia La Jolla), Buddha Lo (Top Chef), and Jackson Kalb (Top Chef) are taking you on a one-night-only culinary ride where three styles collide over a multi-course menu paired with exceptional pours from Justin Vineyards & Winery. Set in Estancia’s coastal estate, the evening unfolds course by course with pairings from Justin wines as each chef brings their own style to a menu focused on craft, connection, and a bit of friendly culinary overlap. It’s the kind of culinary conversation that only happens when very, very talented people cook together. 

• Estancia – Olive Lawn | 9700 N Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 
• 6–9:30 p.m
• Get Tickets

Saturday, October 3

Official After Party at Guesthouse La Valle

August is San Diego at full volume. Summer crowds are still chasing sunshine, but the calendar belongs to locals who know this is when the city really shows off. One night you’re dancing under the stars, the next you’re watching thoroughbreds with a plate of oysters in hand, catching Broadway hits, wandering gallery exhibitions, or rallying on a downtown pickleball court. Whether you’re looking for live music, festivals, theater, food, or an excuse to spend as little time indoors as possible, these are the August events worth putting on your calendar.

JUMP TO: Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Month

August 9

On the heels of Cross Pollination II’s release, house musician Lane 8 will co-headline FNGRS CRSSD x Cross Pollination, a day of back-to-back grooves at Waterfront Park.

August 11–16

Cross coasts at the Civic Theatre for a jukebox musical rooted in family, coming of age, and blossoming talent in Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen, inspired by the 16-Grammy Award-winning singer’s NYC upbringing.

August 23

Jeff Goldblum is a classic man. In his show at The Rady Shell, Goldblum will accentuate his old-school charm with his Mildred Snitzer Orchestra and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month

August 1–October 10

Explore gallery walls lined with artwork juried by acclaimed artist Paul Mpagi Sepuya and chosen by the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library for its esteemed 34th Annual Juried Exhibition.

August 7

As you already know, we adore San Diego. That’s why we’re assembling the city’s crème de la crème—including over 90 curated vendors—in Liberty Station for our annual Best of San Diego Party, presented by Pechanga Resort & Casino.

August 12

Helado Negro and Reyna Tropical each specialize in bilingual music, songs overflowing with proud markers of Latinx identity. Hear the ear-tingling transmissions from their collaborative LP at Epstein Family Amphitheater.

August 16

Country music superstars, proud Georgians, and close pals Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan are doubling down on their summertime stadium tour with a boot-stomping concert at Petco Park.

August 27–September 6

The one-woman play Eleanor—told via the eloquent perspective of Eleanor Roosevelt—will make a limited return to the North Coast Repertory Theatre.

More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month

Now Through September 3

For six straight Thursdays, downtown’s Fifth Avenue will shut down and become the city’s first-ever street-style pickleball event. Bring a paddle and enjoy DJs, a wellness market, and zero-proof drinks at Gaslamp Urban Pickleball.

August 8

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s newest foodie event, the buttery Turf & Surf Festival, offers a luxurious combo of land and sea, built for watching trackside with a loaded plate in hand.

August 22

For the first time since 2019, the free Chula Vista HarborFest will hit the shores of Bayside Park with a classic car expo, lucha libre showdowns, and the chance to meet a mermaid.

August 29

Celebrate the seven decades (and counting) spent upholding Point Loma’s coastal landmark during Cabrillo Under the Stars, a 21-plus fundraiser with bites, Beatles covers, and, best of all, twinkling lights.