I realize this is a cliché thing to say, but I can’t believe the year is over. I feel like I’ve done a lot and also nothing at all. Do any of you feel the same? I know I was fortunate enough to travel way more than I usually do each year for birthdays, bands, Broadway, and chef cruises alike, but I also feel like I’ve done a lot of nothing. I think at the end of the year, it’s normal to look back and: a) think about where the year went, b) what you accomplished (or didn’t), c) what you learned, and d) what you took away from this year to take into the next. I was pondering this today more so than normal and I’m not sure I’d change a thing, which is something I’m really proud of. I think we all should be proud of ourselves at the end of the year because we made it through and did the best we could. That’s really all anyone can ask for, right?

And now that I’m done waxing poetic, here’s a look at what we have for the rest of the year and the beginning of the new year…

Monday: The Roots @ The Magnolia at 7pm
AND: Writer’s Round @ The Ould Sod at 6pm

Tuesday: Slacker @ Casbah at 9pm

Wednesday: Emo vs. Pop Punk: Myspace Music Video Party @ The Holding Company at 8:30pm
AND: The Record Company, Shane Hall, Joel Eckels @ Belly Up at 9pm
AND: Starcrawler, Plague Vendor @ Casbah at 9:30pm
AND: Aviator Stash @ The Pour House at 8pm

Thursday: Starcrawler, Plague Vendor, Doll Riot @ Casbah at 8:30pm

Friday: Starcrawler, Plague Vendor @ Casbah at 8:30pm
AND: Rotten Cabal, Nathan Raney @ Music Box at 7:30pm
AND: The Cabriolets @ Soda Bar at 7pm
AND: Crimson Coil @ Winston’s OB at 7pm
AND: Dolphins on Acid @ Soma at 7pm

Saturday: The Mystery Lights @ Soda Bar at 7:30pm

Sunday: Duran Duran @ Viejas Arena at 8pm
AND: Seashell Radio, Social Cues @ Soda Bar at 7pm
AND: T.S.O.L. @ Observatory North Park at 5pm

Keep in Mind:
January 10th: Dean Lewis @ The Sound
January 14th: Almost Monday @ Music Box
February 7th: Alex Sampson @ House of Blues Voodoo Room
February 25th: Joseph @ Music Box
February 25th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
February 26th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
March 5th: The Strumbellas @ Music Box
March 9th: Nine Inch Nails @ Pechanga Arena
March 13th: Colony House @ House of Blues
March 23rd: Hawthorne Heights @ House of Blues
April 1st 2026: Calum Scott @ Soma
April 24th: Cheap Trick @ Humphreys
May 17th 2026: MGK @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 20th: Yungblud @ Rady Shell
July 21st: Ed Sheeran @ Petco Park
July 23rd: Rainbow Kitten Surprise @ Gallagher Square
August 9th 2026: O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw, Lisa Loeb @ Cal Coast Credit Union Theater
August 30th: My Chemical Romance @ Petco Park
October 9th 2026: Jack Johnson @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

With Christmas on the calendar, I was expecting it to be a nearly dead week. But much to my surprise, some music is afoot!

Monday: Sunny Day Soap Opera @ Soda Bar at 7pm
AND: Writer’s Round @ Ould Sod at 6pm

Tuesday: Slacker @ Casbah at 8:30pm

Wednesday: Merry X-Mas Eve!

Thursday: Happy Christmas!

Friday: Recovery day?

Saturday: Mumford & Sons, Lord Huron @ Petco Park at 4pm
AND: The Suede Grenades, Dusk Drama, The Gravities @ The Holding Company at 2pm

Sunday: Paul Cauthen, Liam St. John @ Belly Up at 8pm

Keep in Mind:
January 10th: Dean Lewis @ The Sound
February 7th: Alex Sampson @ House of Blues Voodoo Room
February 25th: Joseph @ Music Box
February 25th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
February 26th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
March 5th: The Strumbellas @ Music Box
March 9th: Nine Inch Nails @ Pechanga Arena
March 13th: Colony House @ House of Blues
March 23rd: Hawthorne Heights @ House of Blues
April 1st 2026: Calum Scott @ Soma
April 24th: Cheap Trick @ Humphreys
May 17th 2026: MGK @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 20th: Yungblud @ Rady Shell
July 21st: Ed Sheeran @ Petco Park
July 23rd: Rainbow Kitten Surprise @ Gallagher Square
August 9th 2026: O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw, Lisa Loeb @ Cal Coast Credit Union Theater
August 30th: My Chemical Romance @ Petco Park
October 9th 2026: Jack Johnson @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

We are definitely feeling the wind down of shows this week. Many venues are officially done for the year and to be frank, I completely understand. How many of you are out there holiday-ing it up?

Monday: Writer’s Round @ Ould Sod at 6pm
AND: Faith Belle’s Holiday Spectacular! ft Nena Anderson, Jess Roberts, Ash Easton, Trey Hill @ Belly Up at 7:30pm
AND: Jackson and the Janks, Francis Blume @ Soda Bar at 7pm

Tuesday: Tower of Power @ The Magnolia at 7:30pm
AND: Stitched Up Heart @ House of Blues Voodoo Room at 8pm
AND: Slacker @ Casbah at 8:30pm

Wednesday: OutCold @ Soda Bar at 7pm
AND: Soft Truth, Sutton James @ Casbah at 8pm

Thursday: Save Ferris @ Belly Up at 8pm
AND: Daring Greatly, Jesse Ray Smith, Alex Bergan @ Music Box at 8pm
AND: Urethane @ Soda Bar at 7pm

Friday: Letter Kills @ House of Blues Voodoo Room at 8pm
AND: Donavon Frankenreiter @ Belly Up at 9pm
AND: Jenny & The Tramps @ Prohibition Lounge at 8pm

Saturday: Ash Easton @ Moonshine Flats at 8pm
AND: Emo Nite @ Casbah at 9pm
AND: Donavon Frankenreiter @ Belly Up at 9pm

Sunday: We The Commas @ Music Box at 8pm

Keep in Mind:
December 27th: Mumford & Sons, Lord Huron @ Petco Park
January 10th: Dean Lewis @ The Sound
February 7th: Alex Sampson @ House of Blues Voodoo Room
February 25th: Joseph @ Music Box
February 25th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
February 26th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
March 5th: The Strumbellas @ Music Box
March 9th: Nine Inch Nails @ Pechanga Arena
March 13th: Colony House @ House of Blues
March 23rd: Hawthorne Heights @ House of Blues
April 1st 2026: Calum Scott @ Soma
April 24th: Cheap Trick @ Humphreys
May 17th 2026: MGK @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 20th: Yungblud @ Rady Shell
July 21st: Ed Sheeran @ Petco Park
July 23rd: Rainbow Kitten Surprise @ Gallagher Square
August 9th 2026: O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw, Lisa Loeb @ Cal Coast Credit Union Theater
August 30th: My Chemical Romance @ Petco Park
October 9th 2026: Jack Johnson @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

This week’s calendar is brought to you by me again. I was initially going to write here about how the upcoming holidays is slowing things down but I’m actually impressed by the offerings this week. We have the second holiday show from 94/9 with The All American Rejects with Joyce Manor at the Sound and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is back in town too! There are some other gems this week as well. Not bad for the second week of December in San Diego.

Monday: Writer’s Round @ Ould Sod at 6pm

Tuesday: Violent Vira @ Observatory North Park at 8pm

Wednesday: Andy Bell, Savannah Pope @ Music Box at 8pm
AND: John Morgan @ Moonshine Flats at 7pm
AND: ATREYU @ Observatory North Park at 7pm
AND: HRT ARCVST @ Soda Bar at 7:30pm

Thursday: HOLDFAST. @ The Template at 7pm
AND: The Haunt, Himalayas @ House of Blues Voodoo Room at 8pm
AND: Catbite @ Casbah at 9:30pm

Friday: The All American Rejects, Joyce Manor @ The Sound at 8pm
AND: Disorient @ Brick By Brick at 9pm
AND: Sammy Listoe @ Moonshine Flats at 8pm
AND: Har Mar Superstar @ Casbah at 8:30pm

Saturday: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus @ Brick By Brick at 7:30pm
AND: The Bouncing Souls @ Observatory North Park at 7pm
AND: Sammy Listoe @ Moonshine Flats at 8pm
AND: Fiore, Trevor Davis @ Prohibition Lounge at 8pm

Sunday: Doublecamp @ House of Blues Voodoo Room at 8pm
AND: Dude Cervantes and the Panchos @ Casbah at 4pm

Keep in Mind:
December 18th: Save Ferris @ Belly Up
December 27th: Mumford & Sons, Lord Huron @ Petco Park
January 10th: Dean Lewis @ The Sound
February 7th: Alex Sampson @ House of Blues Voodoo Room
February 25th: Joseph @ Music Box
February 25th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
February 26th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
March 5th: The Strumbellas @ Music Box
March 9th: Nine Inch Nails @ Pechanga Arena
March 13th: Colony House @ House of Blues
March 23rd: Hawthorne Heights @ House of Blues
April 1st 2026: Calum Scott @ Soma
April 24th: Cheap Trick @ Humphreys
May 17th 2026: MGK @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 20th: Yungblud @ Rady Shell
July 21st: Ed Sheeran @ Petco Park
July 23rd: Rainbow Kitten Surprise @ Gallagher Square
August 9th 2026: O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw, Lisa Loeb @ Cal Coast Credit Union Theater
August 30th: My Chemical Romance @ Petco Park
October 9th 2026: Jack Johnson @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

This concert calendar is brought to you by Kristen, who was kind enough to fill in for me while I was without a computer. I had the pleasure of breaking my laptop screen earlier in the week and just now got it back. All hail Kristen!

Monday: Writer’s Round @ Ould Sod at 6pm

Tuesday:

Wednesday: Almost Monday @ Music Box at 8pm
AND: Two Runner, Francis Blume @ Casbah at 8:30pm

Thursday: Shane Hall, Ash Easton, Alex Bergan @ Casbah at 8pm
AND: Elijah Scott at House of Blues Voodoo Room at 7pm

Friday: Tijuana Panthers, Mask Appeal @ Soda Bar at 7:30pm
AND: Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs @ the Magnolia at 7pm
AND: Rebecca Jade & Friends: Jingles & Jams at Live & Up Close Theater at 8pm

Saturday: Say Anything, Motion City Soundtrack @ Soma
AND: Pleasure Pill @ Casbah at 8:30pm
AND: Able Machines @ Vinyl Junkies at 8pm
AND: Molly Tuttle @ House of Blues at 7pm
AND: KSON Country Christmas @ Frontwave Arena at 7pm
AND: Tim Pyles Presents Rock N Roll X-Mas Toy Drive @ Winston’s at 1pm

Sunday: Jack Pavlina, Cherry Blonde, Hannah Geller, Nevi @ Soda Bar at 7pm
AND: Jake Shimbukuro @ Belly Up at 6pm and 8:30pm (two shows)

Keep in Mind:
December 12th: The All American Rejects, Joyce Manor @ The Sound
December 13th: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus @ Brick By Brick
December 18th: Save Ferris @ Belly Up
December 27th: Mumford & Sons, Lord Huron @ Petco Park
January 10th: Dean Lewis @ The Sound
February 7th: Alex Sampson @ House of Blues Voodoo Room
February 25th: Joseph @ Music Box
February 25th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
February 26th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
March 5th: The Strumbellas @ Music Box
March 9th: Nine Inch Nails @ Pechanga Arena
March 13th: Colony House @ House of Blues
March 23rd: Hawthorne Heights @ House of Blues
April 1st 2026: Calum Scott @ Soma
April 24th: Cheap Trick @ Humphreys
May 17th 2026: MGK @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 20th: Yungblud @ Rady Shell
July 21st: Ed Sheeran @ Petco Park
July 23rd: Rainbow Kitten Surprise @ Gallagher Square
August 9th 2026: O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw, Lisa Loeb @ Cal Coast Credit Union Theater
August 30th: My Chemical Romance @ Petco Park
October 9th 2026: Jack Johnson @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

This week I went to a free comedy show. It was… not my jam and I’ll leave it at that. However, I did take a jaunt up to Riverside to see The Wrecks absolutely kill it! No Wrecks show is ever the same and this was no exception. I left feeling so happy that it’s carried over to today. Hopefully, I can continue to ride that while the holidays gear up…

Monday: Séamus Scanlan @ Soda Bar at 7pm
AND: Writer’s Round @ Ould Sod at 6pm

Tuesday: hannah bahng @ House of Blues at 8pm
AND: Static Junkies @ Winstons OB at 8:30pm

Wednesday: The Faint @ Observatory North Park at 8pm
AND: Chris Avetta, Hippy & the Goods, The Wellsprings @ Pour House at 8pm

Thursday:

Friday: The Frights @ Quartyard at 6pm

Saturday: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ Magnolia at 7pm
AND: Ash Easton @ Moonshine Flats at 8pm
AND: The Mars Volta @ Soma at 7pm
AND: Hauntu @ Vinyl Junkies at 3pm

Sunday: The Fall of Troy @ House of Blues Voodoo Room at 8pm

Keep in Mind:
December 3rd: Almost Monday @ Music Box
December 4th: Shane Hall, Ash Easton, Alex Bergan @ Casbah
December 6th: Say Anything, Motion City Soundtrack @ Soma
December 6th: KSON Country Christmas @ Frontwave Arena
December 12th: The All American Rejects, Joyce Manor @ The Sound
December 13th: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus @ Brick By Brick
December 18th: Save Ferris @ Belly Up
December 27th: Mumford & Sons, Lord Huron @ Petco Park
January 10th: Dean Lewis @ The Sound
February 7th: Alex Sampson @ House of Blues Voodoo Room
February 25th: Joseph @ Music Box
February 25th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
February 26th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
March 5th: The Strumbellas @ Music Box
March 9th: Nine Inch Nails @ Pechanga Arena
March 13th: Colony House @ House of Blues
March 23rd: Hawthorne Heights @ House of Blues
April 1st 2026: Calum Scott @ Soma
April 24th: Cheap Trick @ Humphreys
May 17th 2026: MGK @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 20th: Yungblud @ Rady Shell
July 21st: Ed Sheeran @ Petco Park
July 23rd: Rainbow Kitten Surprise @ Gallagher Square
August 9th 2026: O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw, Lisa Loeb @ Cal Coast Credit Union Theater
August 30th: My Chemical Romance @ Petco Park
October 9th 2026: Jack Johnson @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

I can’t believe this year is already so close to a close. We have Thanksgiving after this week. Some people already (wrongly) have Christmas trees and decorations up. I’m fairly sure if I sneeze and look again, it will be the new year. Whew!

Monday: Waylon Wyatt @ Music Box at 8pm – SOLD OUT
AND: Eilen Jewell, Kimmi Bitter @ Belly Up at 7:30pm
AND: Writer’s Round @ Ould Sod at 6pm

Tuesday: Grandson @ Observatory North Park at 8pm

Wednesday: Madison Ryann Ward @ Music Box at 8pm

Thursday: John Splithoff @ Belly Up at 8pm
AND: Lily Rose @ Moonshine Flats at 7:30pm
AND: Ari Abdul @ Soma at 7pm
AND: Trestles, Dolphins on Acid @ Winstons OB at 8pm

Friday: Belmont @ House of Blues at 7pm
AND: Trapt @ House of Blues Voodoo Room at 8pm
AND: American Mile @ Moonshine Flats at 9pm
AND: The Expendables @ Music Box at 8pm
AND: ASTN @ Soma at 7pm
AND: Emo Nite @ Casbah at 9pm

Saturday: Lucius @ Belly Up at 9pm
AND: The Stews, Margot Sinclair @ Casbah at 8:30pm
AND: American Mile @ Moonshine Flats at 9pm

Sunday: Jack’s Mannequin @ The Sound at 8pm
AND: Chorduroy, Kit Major, The Band Cope @ Soda Bar at 7pm
AND: John Legend @ Rady Shell at 7:30pm
AND: Low Volts @ Casbah at 4pm

Keep in Mind:
November 29th: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ Magnolia
December 3rd: Almost Monday @ Music Box
December 4th: Shane Hall, Ash Easton, Alex Bergan @ Casbah
December 6th: Say Anything, Motion City Soundtrack @ Soma
December 12th: The All American Rejects, Joyce Manor @ The Sound
December 13th: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus @ Brick By Brick
December 18th: Save Ferris @ Belly Up
December 27th: Mumford & Sons, Lord Huron @ Petco Park
January 10th: Dean Lewis @ The Sound
February 7th: Alex Sampson @ House of Blues Voodoo Room
February 25th: Joseph @ Music Box
February 25th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
February 26th: The Violent Femmes @ The Sound
March 5th: The Strumbellas @ Music Box
March 9th: Nine Inch Nails @ Pechanga Arena
March 13th: Colony House @ House of Blues
March 23rd: Hawthorne Heights @ House of Blues
April 1st 2026: Calum Scott @ Soma
May 17th 2026: MGK @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 20th: Yungblud @ Rady Shell
July 21st: Ed Sheeran @ Petco Park
July 23rd: Rainbow Kitten Surprise @ Gallagher Square
August 9th 2026: O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw, Lisa Loeb @ Cal Coast Credit Union Theater
August 30th: My Chemical Romance @ Petco Park
October 9th 2026: Jack Johnson @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre