San Diego Music Week: Ten Venues, Diverse Genres, and a $10 Entry Point
A packed schedule in November features everything from acoustic singer-songwriters in La Jolla to a Grateful Dead tribute band in Ocean Beach and a tribute to The Band's final concert in La Jolla.
By Fatou Kim ·
The San Diego music scene shifts gears this week with a lineup that spans four neighborhoods and eight different genres. The slate begins on Wednesday, Nov. 6, and runs through Thursday, Nov. 12. Fans can choose between high-energy rock shows, intimate acoustic sessions, and free outdoor performances in Balboa Park.
The week opens with the Chunky Hustle Brass Band at Panama 66 in Balboa Park. The seven-piece horn group performs a set that includes New Orleans standards like "St. James Infirmary" and occasional pop references, such as the "Sesame Street Theme." The concert takes place in the sculpture garden from 6 to 8 p.m. with no cover charge. That same evening, Shakedown Citi, a New York-based Grateful Dead tribute group, plays at Winston’s in Ocean Beach. Their set lists feature Dead classics like "Touch of Grey" and "Terrapin Station" alongside songs by Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. Tickets cost $10.
Acoustic Evenings, a series promoted by Jefferson’s Jay, moves its venue for the first time this week. The show shifts from the Athenaeum to the La Jolla Community Center at 6811 La Jolla Blvd. Tim Flannery, Steve Bulman, and Jay perform three short sets on Friday, Nov. 6. The source notes that Flannery’s sound sits between Richard Thompson and late-period Tom Petty. Admission is $30. On Saturday, Nov. 7, Eternal Wave plays at Beaumont’s in La Jolla. The Santa Barbara-based quartet performs early 1960s dance anthems including "Louie Louie" and "Walk Don’t Run." The show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $10.
The Psychedelic Furs head to The Sound in Chula Vista on Sunday, Nov. 8. The UK post-punk band will perform 1980s hits like "Pretty In Pink" and "Heaven" alongside recent material from their album "Made of Rain." Singer Richard Butler, who has been active for nearly five decades, remains a central figure on stage. Tickets start at $67. On the same Sunday, 3 Car Garage plays in the food court at Clairemont Town Square. The band performs a set of classic rock covers ranging from The Monkees to The Romantics. The event is free and runs from 6 to 9 p.m.
Pianist Danny Green performs a free solo concert at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library on Monday, Nov. 9. The session musician, known for work with Peter Sprague and Allison Adams Tucker, plays songs from his new album "Let The Music Happen." The set includes jazz originals and covers of Stevie Wonder’s "I Wish" and The Beatles’ "A Day in the Life." Later that evening, Thomas Dolby performs at Music Box in the Gaslamp Quarter. The British musician, best known for 1982’s "She Blinded Me With Science," plays a set drawn largely from his 1988 album "Aliens Ate My Buick." Tickets start at $56.
The week concludes with two tribute-focused events in La Jolla. On Thursday, Nov. 12, Chest Fever, a local band, stages a recreation of The Band’s 1976 "Last Waltz" concert at Belly Up Tavern. The show features guests including Kimmi Bitter, Mike Stax, and Isaiah Mitchell. Tickets are $45 and up. Also on Nov. 12, Billy King and the Bad Bad Bad perform at The Casbah in North Park. The Austin-based group mixes rock, psychedelia, and blues. The show opens with The Film Company and Bloo, with doors at 8:30 p.m. and tickets at $16.
