Thursday 11/21/02
Get ready to swoon, girls. Bob Schneider, the heartthrob of the Austin indie rock scene, is coming to San Diego. He’s gorgeous and he’s a musician. Although the first factor in itself has helped many artists sell out shows, Schneider actually does have talent. The hot young songwriter is notorious for playing shows with music about isolation, drugs and lost loves. His eclectic array of music is influenced by funk, rock and folk, and accompanied by his husky voice, he has left females nationwide seeing hearts in their eyes. He plays at the Belly Up Tavern tonight at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Critically acclaimed Broadway show “”Blast!”” is playing at the Civic Theatre in downtown San Diego. The mind-blowing show has its roots in the national militaristic tradition of drum corps, color guards and outdoor pageantry; these traditionally outdoor spectacles are now part of a theatrical music performance that you can’t miss. Check out this amazing drum and bugle show while it’s at the Civic Theatre until Nov. 24. Tickets are $22 to $60.
Friday 11/22/02
Need ideas for a romantic date? Take your lucky girl or guy ice skating at Horton Plaza. For the opening tonight, there will be a special ceremony with celebrated ice skaters and free ice skating for everyone afterwards! The ceremonies start at 5:30 p.m. and the rink is in Horton Square, across from the Westin Hotel. The ice skating rink will be open until Jan. 26, 2003, and will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Regular admission is $6 and rentals are $2.
Dark, resonant vocals and admirable keyboard and guitars have made the band Ilya one of the most promising and exciting groups in the area. To commemorate the release of their first full-length album (and to sell it, too, of course) they will be playing at The Casbah at 8:30 p.m. Maquiladora, Loopdrop and Mutant DJs will open. Tickets are a mere $8, so you’d better be there.
Saturday 11/23/02
All the music of sweaty, dark nightclubs but none of the icky drunk guys (hopefully) is what you find at 4th and B when Lords of Acid play tonight. With songs like “”Scrood Bi U”” and “”Get Up, Get High,”” what’s not to love? See them when they go onstage at 9 p.m. Tickets are $17.50.
You must love a man who names his band after a possible children’s book character. You can love him for his melodic emo-pop-punk about love and relationships, too. For the release of his fourth album, “”Control,”” David Bazan of Pedro the Lion will play at The Casbah, where he will make a crowd of devoted fans and strangers fall in love with his humble manners and quirky sense of humor. The show will start at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $10. For tickets and information call (619) 232-4355.
There is nothing more astonishing than musical skills that are passed down from one generation to the next. Extraordinary guitarist John Pizzarelli learned his skills from his dad Bucky, who performed with the swing bands of the ’50s and ’60s. Although not as skilled a guitarist as his father, his charming voice is sure to enchant. Seeing a one-of-a-kind show with Pizzarelli on guitar, his borther Martin on bass and Ray Kennedy on piano will undoubtedly get you your money’s worth. They play at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $43 to $45.
Sunday 11/24/02
If you didn’t see them last time they were touring on the West Coast you must be sure not to miss them now that they will be playing at Canes Bar and Grill. The internationally acclaimed British duo Zero 7 (Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns) is notorious for their mature and seductive soul and jazz sounds and will most likely be toting their group of proteges and performers to guarantee an awe-inspiring performance. The show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $12 to $14.
Young, innovative and recently graduated from college, the members of Roots of Orchis are now out of school and can devote their lives to their music. The band that began with strange high school kids experimenting with synthesizers and drum machines has evolved into an invigorating band that is continually growing. Influenced by jazz, post-rock and other forms of music, they have brought together what they love and what they know to make an interesting array of music. Check them out at the Che Cafe when they play with Oma Yang at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5.
Monday 11/25/02
Rappers from Kentucky? An oxymoron, you say? They do exist, and they’re good, too. Nappy Roots, the group that formed at Western Kentucky University in 1995, has been producing great rhyming lyrics and soul without any of the flashy gold chains or big-bootied dancers that are characteristic of MTV gangsta rap. The group that has an album titled “”Watamelon, Chicken, and Gritz”” on Atlantic Records will be performing at the Belly Up Tavern at 9 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Wednesday 11/27/02
Who says disco is passe? Well, it’s one of the most popular events at The Casbah, and there are many reasons as to why this might be. Perhaps it is the great array of music: rock, techno, garage, hip-hop and rockabilly. Or maybe it’s the fact that all the people that show up are dance-crazy fiends looking for a good time. Or maybe it’s because there’s no cover! For whatever reason, if you’re over 21, be sure to get your booty down their before they reach capacity and have yourself a good time.
