Feb. 27
Soma, near Sports Arena
$16 advance
somasandiego.com

Photo by Pieter M Van Hattem

When Irvine rockers Young the Giant (YTG) learned that famed producer Joe Chiccarelli (U2, Beck, Elton John) would record their debut album, they knew they had to get their sh!t together.

“It was eye-opening, and we grew from it immensely,” says YTG’s lead-howler Sameer Gadhia, who cites Radiohead, Dr. Dre and The Walkmen as influences. You may be hard-pressed to hear Dre’s influence in YTG’s soaring rock-anthems, but the band’s tunes do float around in the moody guitar-hook territory that Radiohead perfected (and Coldplay diluted and popularized).

Last year, the band killed Lollapalooza and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; now they’re psyched for a promising 2012. “We have a big North American tour from February to April—by far the biggest shows we’ve ever headlined,” Gadhia tells PacificSD, enthused that most of their dates have already sold out. “It’s pretty nuts.” —TD

Photo by Carol Friedman

Bobby McFerrin

Feb. 22
Balboa Theatre, Downtown
$26-80
livenation.com

Bobby McFerrin is best known for his 1988 pop classic “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” which was hijacked by the elder President Bush during his White House run that year. McFerrin has collaborated with instrumental legends including Herbie Hancock and Yo-Yo Ma. In 1984, he released the first-ever vocals-only jazz record, The Voice, on which he sings and plays percussion by tapping beats on his chest.

An early-2011 Facebook post by singer-pianist Bruce Hornsby suggested that McFerrin was forming a vocal supergroup for debut this year, which would be remarkable were it not that the Grammy Award magnet (he’s got 10) and beatbox pioneer was a one-man super-band himself. —Ryan Hume

Gardens & Villa

Feb. 17
The Casbah, Little Italy
$10
casbahmusic.com

Photo by Luca Venter

It’s hard to look (and sound) cool while wailing on a flute in an indie rock band, but Santa Barbara pop luminaries Gardens & Villa manage to pull it off. Lead singer/flautist Chris Lynch dons a quiver of flutes, which he whips out like so many arrows during live jaunts. Exhibiting the youthful exuberance of off-center popsters Men at Work, MGMT and The Kinks, Gardens & Villa explore future-pop soundscapes oozing mainstream appeal. Given their recent booking by Coachella 2012, the band’s February 17 gig at The Casbah could be the last chance to catch them at a micro-venue before they blow up. —TD

Photo by Danny Clinch

Jake Shimabukuro

Feb. 15
Balboa Theatre, Downtown
$20-40
livenation.com

Jake Shimabukuro has a motto: “If everyone played the ukulele, the world would be a better place.” Better still would be if everyone could play the ukulele like Shimabukuro, whose finger-picking virtuosity is on par with the classic rock-guitar shredding of Jimi Hendrix. The Honolulu-born musician’s performance technique is a must-see/ must-hear for anyone who can appreciate rock, jazz, flamenco and island-style numbers flawlessly executed on a two-octave instrument. —TD

Other shows:

2/1: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com
2/2: Storm Large @ Anthology, anthologysd.com
2/3: MuteMath @ 4th & B, 4thandbevents.com
2/4: Adam Ant @ 4th & B, 4thandbevents.com
2/7: Dr Dog/Purling Hiss @ Belly Up, bellyup.com
2/10: Young the Giant @ SOMA, somasandiego.com
2/11: Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa @ HOB, houseofblues.com
2/13: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour @ Belly Up, bellyup.com
2/14: The Darcys @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com
2/14: Love is in the Air: Sinatra Tribute @ Anthology, anthologysd.com
2/15: Jake Shimabukuro @ Balboa Theatre, livenation.com
2/15: Jimmy Cliff @ Belly Up, bellyup.com
2/16: The Fray @ HOB, houseofblues.com
2/17: Gardens & Villa @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com
2/19: G. Love & Special Sauce @ HOB, houseofblues.com
2/22: Bobby McFerrin @ Balboa Theatre, livenation.com
2/23: Ra Ra Riot @ Belly Up, bellyup.com
2/25: Grimes @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com
2/26: Cursive @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com
2/27-28: Ozomatli @ Belly Up, bellyup.com
2/29: Cloud Nothings @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

By Brandon Hernández

Miller’s Field bartender Ciara Guedesse has had a front-row view of San Diego’s beach-bar scene since she began serving the hard-partying masses in 2001. In August 2009, she was named PacificSD’s co-Bartender of the Month (along with younger sister Lindsay Willis).

With more than a decade behind the bar, Guedesse has gained a sobering perspective: that despite the camaraderie among their patrons, bar owners were competing against each other in ways that didn’t contribute to the common good.

Six months ago, to establish greater solidarity in her sandy corner of the industry, Guedesse formed the Beach Bar Guild—a collective of bar owners and their staff who meet each month at one of the member’s venues. To date, nearly 20 bars and restaurants have joined the group.

“The idea came about when I started seeing a disconnect between the staffs at Pacific Beach bars,” says Guedesse. “People were becoming overly competitive as opposed to cooperative, and it hit me that we’d all be better off if we worked with each other.”
Guild members, for example, strive to prevent drunk driving, collaborating with RADD (Recording Artists Against Drunk Driving) and the Hospitality Task Force of Discover Pacific Beach (the neighborhood’s business improvement district) to make sure all bartenders, servers and security personnel are better trained to protect their customers.

They’re also pooling resources in support of neighborhood fundraisers and community causes (like saving the Pacific Beach Christmas Parade) in an effort to improve business for all members, as well as the bar- going experience for patrons.

“The Guild is open to anyone in PB or Mission Beach who wants to work to create a better industry,” says Guedesse. “We are adamant about giving back to the community we work and live in—and unifying the beach bar community, one bar at a time.” Safer drinking, better service and more profits? If Guedesse has anything to do with it…“Guild” it, and they will come.

ciara.beachbarguild@gmail.com

BEACH BAR GUILD MEMBERS

Brewley’s Pint
Bub’s Dive Bar
Cabo Cantina
Dirty Birds
Firehouse
Fred’s Mexican Café
Guava Beach Bar & Grill
Miller’s Field
Moondoggies
Pacific Beach Alehouse
PB Shore Club
RT’s Longboard Grill
Sandbar Sports Grill
Sneak Joint
Tap Room
Thrusters Lounge
Typhoon Saloon

Nicki Minaj

Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

Feb. 14

Trinidad-born and Queens, New York-bred Nicki Minaj started writing raps at age 12, developing alter egos to help herself cope with the emotional challenges of a rough, impoverished childhood. While she may overdo the fantastical, Lil’ Kim-inspired aesthetic, Minaj is a gifted emcee with an otherworldly pop vision. In her sophomore album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (to be released on Valentine’s Day as a follow-up to her sales record-breaking debut, Pink Friday) Minaj channels her alter ego Roman, a “little gay-boy” who favors motorcycles and violence. Kiss-kiss, vroom-vroom! —Tim Donnelly

Cranberries

Roses

Feb. 27

In the mid-1990s, The Cranberries dominated MTV and the alt-rock airwaves with “Zombie,” a single whose plaintive vocals managed to temporarily consume the American rock-conscious with the lyrics: “With their tanks and their bombs. And their bombs and their guns. In your head, in your head…” While lead singer Dolores O’Riordan’s pipes can induce aural exhaustion at times, musically, The Cranberries certainly know their way around mournful pop hooks a la The Smiths. Roses, the band’s first release in more than a decade, is worth a listen if, come Valentine’s Day, you’re dateless, drinking heavily and dosing yourself with chocolates out of self-pity. —TD

Photo by Jess Baumung

According to Sarah Ellis at Jayne’s Gastropub in North Park, becoming a great bartender is simple. “The best way to learn about drinks is by drinking them, and I dedicated quite a bit of time to my studies,” she says. Being well-versed in the cocktail classics (and keen to the importance of proper dilution, accurate jiggering and fresh ingredients), Ellis feels free to experiment: she’s now working on a line of bottled aperitif cocktails, including one made with Cymar, an artichoke-based liqueur. “Imagine being able to pop open a little bottle and have a perfectly crafted, bubbly pre- dinner cocktail,” says Ellis, who, off the clock, pours on the punk as the guitarist for her all-girl band, Lady Parts.

jaynesgastropub.com

Ask Joan Rivers—every girl needs to get a little work done sometimes. And Whiskey Girl is no exception. The popular, everyone’s-welcome Gaslamp bar/nightclub, which has been sitting pretty at 600 Fifth Avenue since it opened seven years ago, is moving to a new location a block away. Despite the facelift, this chick will remain recognizable. “I think it’s good to keep the same general concept,” says co-owner David Schiffman. “There’s no reason to change it, because it’s doing so well.” Say “hello” to Whiskey Girl at her new home on the former site of Trattoria La Strada when she opens her doors mid-January. Tell her she looks beautiful…but maybe don’t mention the makeover.

Whiskey Girl
702 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp
619.236.1616
whiskeygirl.com

Photo: William Richards

The Wailers Revolution

1/11
House of Blues, Downtown
$20-37
hob.com

When Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and the Barrett brothers (bassist Aston and drummer Carlton) formed various incarnations of The Wailers in the 1960s-70s, they helped forge the roots reggae genre—at the same time creating an enduring band that has sold more than 250 million albums worldwide.Today, although comprised mostly of newcomers, The Wailers continue their heartbeat-tempo tradition with original band- mate Aston Barrett (pictured, far left) and the late Marley’s able stand-in, Jamaican singer Koolant Brown (far right). Find your rhythm at House of Blues, mon. —Larry Jameson

Photo: José del Río Mons

Nada Surf (with The Soft Pack & Cuckoo Chaos)

1/28
4th & B, Downtown
$20
4thandbevents.com

Trippy and mellow, the indie rock group Nada Surf—a New York-based three-piece band that kills it when touring Europe—is playing 4th & B to promote their new studio album, The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy. Also on the bill are San Diego’s own accessible garage punk rockers, The Soft Pack, and the super-tight pop-rock five-piece, Cuckoo Chaos (catch them live before their momentum forces them to fly the Finest City coop). —Ryan Hume

Photo: Family Stone

The Family Stone

1/18
Anthology, Little Italy
anthologysd.com

Fueled by saxophonist Jerry Martini, trumpeter Cynthia Robinson (pictured) and drummer Greg Errico—all founding members of the groundbreaking and interracial 1960s-born band, Sly and the Family Stone—The (now Sly-less) Family Stone rolls their classic raw funk groove into Anthology with vintage hits such as “I Want to Take You Higher,” “Everyday People” and “Dance to the Music.” If your taste in tunes falls between soul and psychedelic, this show will hit your nostalgic sweet spot. —Frieda Noone

1/4: Dick Dale @ Belly Up, bellyup.com
1/6: Pato Banton @ Belly Up, bellyup.com
1/7: DJ Quik & Suga Free @ 4th & B, 4thandbevents.com
1/9: STRFKR @ Casbah, casbahmusic.com
1/9-10: NOFX @ House of Blues, hob.com
1/11: The Wailers Revolution Tour @ House of Blues, hob.com
1/13: Slightly Stoopid @ SOMA, somasandiego.com
1/14: Voodoo Glow Skulls @ SOMA, somasandiego.com
1/15: Nervo @ Hard Rock Hotel San Diego’s Wintervention, interventionsd.com
1/15: Handsome Furs w/D/Wolves & Hotel St. George @ Belly Up, bellyup.com
1/17: Sundress @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com
1/18: The Family Stone @ Anthology, anthologysd.com
1/21-22: Michael Jackson The Immortal Tour @ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasioncenter.com
1/22: Wilco @ Copley Symphony Hall, sandiegosymphony.org
1/26: Infected Mushroom @ FLUXX, fluxxsd.com
1/26: Queensrÿche’s Geoff Tate Unplugged @ Anthology, anthlogysd.com
1/28: New Mexico @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com
1/28: Nada Surf w/The Soft Pack & Cuckoo Chaos @ 4th & B, 4thandBevents.com
1/29: Showtek @ FLUXX, fluxxsd.com
1/29: Dengue Wave @ Casbah, casbahmusic.com
1/29: The Toasters @ SOMA, somasandiego.com

TANNER ROSS

Straight outta South Jersey, DJ Tanner Ross is coming to Analog in the Gaslamp to mellow the masses with his melodic tribal beatsmithery. Ross grew up playing in bands ranging from funk to punk, but it was studying synthesizers at Berkeley College of Music that refocused his passion on lounged-out, hypnotic beats. Might want to visit a dispensary (while their doors are still open) and chillax before hitting this show.

LEE “SCRATCH” PERRY
WHEN: Dec. 9, 9 p.m.
WHERE: 4th&B
TICKETS: $25
INFO: 4thandbevents.com

“Legendary” falls short in describing reggae musician/producer Lee “Scratch” Perry, who helped define Bob Marley’s sound, pioneered the creation of dub music, recorded more than 40 albums, starred in Guinness commercials and a whole lot more, mon. Now 75, “Scratch” is reggae royalty—still riding high on irie vibes. Seeing his current live-show garb, a blend of blingy pimp and Jamaican robot, is reason enough to attend.

DAZZ BAND
WHEN: Dec. 30, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Anthology, Little Italy
TICKETS: $12
INFO: anthologysd.com

Hailing from an era of pure cocaine and rockin’ bellbottoms, Cleveland natives Dazz Band set the disco ball spinning into overdrive with their ’70s-born, bass-laden funk. The group’s in-the-pocket grooves are funkier than George Clinton’s week-old leftovers, and their classics like “Let It Whip” and “Shake Your Pants” will have all in attendance wishing Soul Train was still on TV.

The Growlers-Photo by Jack Coleman

THE GROWLERS
WHEN: Dec. 31, 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Casbah, Little Italy
TICKETS: $20-24
INFO: casbahmusic.com

Costa Mesa beach-goths The Growlers tour in an old veggie oil-powered school bus. They shoot music videos with VHS cameras, record albums on analog tape machines and probably shower monthly. A true neo-hippy commune, The Growlers create jangly surf rock that defies categorization—melding Dick Dale, The Doors and The Grateful Dead with random pinches of Middle Eastern flavor. Their mystique is so sexy, bizarre and liberating that it compels many female fans to do “The Swim” (a dance move that involves holding your nose and waving your hand while crouching in mock submergence).

CASBAH PRESENTS NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE LAFAYETTE HOTEL & SWIM CLUB
WHO: The Silent Comedy, Transfer, The Creepy Creeps, The Heavy Guilt, Hell on Heels Burlesque, Creepxotica, Low Volts and The Visual Underground
WHEN: Dec. 31, 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Lafayette Hotel & Swim Club, North Park
TICKETS: $35-40, $169 combo (1 room for 4 + 2 tickets)
INFO: lafayettehotelsd.com/nye2012

Built in 1946, the timelessly hip Lafayette Hotel was once a hideaway for celebrities like Bob Hope, Ava Gardner and Betty Grable. This New Year’s Eve, the property becomes a local-rock mansion. Kick off the night with a poolside set by one-man blues wrecking machine Low Volts, then grab a whiskey and cruise over to the Lafayette Room—where folk-rockers The Heavy Guilt will share a stage with surf punks The Creepy Creeps. Anthemic alt-rockers Transfer will chase The Silent Comedy’s folk-stomp revival into 2012 and close the night.

The List:

12/1: Cass McCombs @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com

12/1: DJ Donald Glaude @ FLUXX, fluxxsd.com

12/2: Black Heart Procession @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com

12/3: FM 94/9 Holiday Hootenanny @ Jenny Craig Pavilion USD, fm949sd.com

12/3: Tanner Ross @ Analog, lovelifeparty.com

12/3: Jason Mraz @ Belly Up, bellyup.com

12/5: Scout Niblett @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

12/7: The Sea and Cake @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com

12/8: Tennis @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com

12/9: Lee “Scratch” Perry @ 4th&B, 4thandbevents.com

12/10: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

12/10-11: 91X WreX the Halls @ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com

12/11: Blind Boys of Alabama Xmas Show @ Belly Up, bellyup.com

12/13: Dinosaur Jr. w/Henry Rollins appearance @ Belly Up, bellyup.com

12/16: Cuckoo Chaos w/Jamuel Saxon @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

12/17: Chris Cornell @ Balboa Theatre, livenation.com

12/19: Pinback w/Ghetto Blaster @ Belly Up, bellyup.com

12/22: TV Girl @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

12/30: Greyboy Allstars @bellyup.com, bellyup.com

12/30: Dazz Band @ Anthology, anthologysd.com

12/31: El Ten Eleven @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

12/31: The Growlers @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com

The secret to a snazzier nightlife: it’s not what you know…actually, it is. But it’s also who you know.

The Who, in this case, are San Diego’s VIP elite, the hospitalians at the top of the nightclub food chain. Knowing these guys (you’re about to, if you don’t already) means skipping lines and not paying to get in. It also means attentive service, bottles of top-shelf alcohol delivered to your private table by hot women (men, at Eden in Hillcrest) carrying sparklers and, with certain high-roller packages offered by Stingaree, use of a stretch yellow Hummer limo.

For most San Diego clubs, the highest demand for bottle service is on Saturdays, and pricing for the limited real estate—i.e., private tables—can be much higher on those nights. But most venues offer lower prices and reduced minimum purchases on other nights, which aren’t less fun (to the contrary, they’re often more fun and with fewer tourists), just less spendy.

So, there’s the Who and the What. Regarding the Where, here are seven VIP teams—from FLUXX, Side Bar, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, Eden, Ivy Nightclub at Andaz and Bar West—who’d love to give you the royal treatment you deserve.

As for Why? Hey, why not? It’s only money, and if you don’t have a vacation planned, might as well let the sky be the limit for at least one big night out.

IVY NIGHTCLUB AT ANDAZ

600 F St., Gaslamp
ivyentertainmentsandiego.com

Rising above the rest of downtown (literally) is Ivy Rooftop at Andaz, offering sweeping views of downtown and a personalized VIP service team that has catered to Prince Harry, among other celebrity guests.

Now you know: VIP manager Tim Brand (pictured)
For a good time, call: 619.814.2055
Most affordable nights: Thursdays (industry night)
Minimum purchase on those nights: $275 for bottle of Grey Goose vodka
Most expensive nights: Saturdays
Minimum purchase on those nights: two bottles at $325 each

SIDE BAR

536 Market St., Gaslamp
sidebarsd.com

Billed as a “swanky ultra-lounge,” Side Bar is home to the famous Industry Night Wednesdays, where bartenders get served and go-go girls swing from the ceiling and the giant birdcage that doubles as a DJ booth.

VIP manager: Matt Ridley
For a good time, call: 619.696.8040
Most affordable nights: Thursdays
Minimum purchase on those nights: $421 (during Fortune 421 events)
Most expensive nights: Wednesdays (industry night)
Minimum purchase on those nights: $750–1000

STINGAREE

454 6th Ave., Downtown
stingsandiego.com

Downtown’s veteran VIP hot spot, Stingaree (and the “club-within-a-club,” Guest House) provides nightlife opulence in the form of a private room overlooking the dance floor, shout-outs from the DJ and end-of-the-night home delivery in the back of a stretch yellow Hummer limo.

Now you know: bottle service manager Kara Knooihuizen and VIP host Zack Stephens (right)

For a good time, call: 619.544.1VIP (1847)
Most affordable nights: Mondays (industry night at Guest House)
Minimum purchase on those nights: $175 for bottle of Ultimat Vodka
Most expensive nights: Saturdays
Minimum purchase on those nights: one bottle per five people

High roller package: private penthouse overlooking the club, private bar, personal bartender and cocktail waitress, use of the Stingaree Stretch Hummer limo, DJ shout-outs to boost celebrity status. (Ten-bottle purchase minimum.)

FLUXX

500 4th Ave., Gaslamp
fluxxsd.com

This enormous, one-room Gaslamp venue is best known for its monster sound system, the fiery FLUXX Girls go-go performers and being named the nation’s 2011 Nightclub of the Year by Nightclub & Bar Magazine.

Now you know: VIP host Ariadna Jacob (left), cocktail server Sara Clift, VIP manager Jason Mitchell
For a good time, call: 619.255.1004
Most affordable nights: Thursdays and Fridays
Minimum purchase on those nights: $400–700
Most expensive nights: Saturdays and special events
Minimum purchase on those nights: $1,000–2,000

EDEN

1202 University Ave., Hillcrest
edensandiego.com

Hillcrest’s VIP boom-boom room is Eden—where to go for an alternative to downtown…and a more alternative crowd. Go-go guys take center stage at this high-energy club (and restaurant and adjoining Ciro’s Pizza), which brings together talented DJs and a warm and welcoming crowd.

Now you know: VIP host Mike Gerstel (right) and VIP bottleserver Jonathan Partida (left)
For a good time, call: 619.780.3933
Most affordable nights: varies by event demand
Minimum purchase on those nights: $250
Most expensive nights: varies by event demand
Minimum purchase on those nights: $250

HARD ROCK HOTEL SAN DIEGO

207 5th Ave., Gaslamp
hardrockhotelsd.com

Bottle service takes on new dimension at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, which offers VIP tables in its ground-floor venue, 207 (as in 207 5th Avenue), and on the pool deck at Float (home to San-Diegans-gone-wild, 2,500-person Intervention Sundays).

VIP services: VIP manager Evan Lopez and senior VIP host Paul Dilongo (pictured), who sometimes serves clients while wearing a Lamb Chop head
For a good time, call: 619.764.6926
Most affordable nights: Thursdays and Sundays
Minimum purchase on those nights: $250
Most expensive nights: Saturdays
Minimum purchase on those nights: $325

BAR WEST

959 Hornblend St., Pacific Beach
barwestsd.com

For bottle service just steps to the sand, check out Bar West, where it’s “sun down, music up” on BPM Thursdays, no-cover Fridays and $200 bottle Saturdays. Bar West’s Sunday night industry party has been a favorite spot for San Diego Chargers players for years.

Now you know: VIP manager Gary Kindle
For a good time, call: 619.467.6005
Most affordable nights: varies by event demand
Minimum purchase on those nights: bottles start at $150
Most expensive nights: varies by event demand
Minimum purchase on those nights: bottles start at $200

ARTIST

Guy-girl electronic rock duo Phantogram is the pairing of childhood pals Sarah Barthels and Josh Carter, who had no intention of pursuing careers in music. They just wanted to make music they wanted to hear. Lucky for us, they have impeccable taste.

Phantogram cites as influences an eclectic batch of artists and manages to channel elements from each into their latest brew, Nightlife: tasty sampling and blippy beat-triggering (Madlib), white noise-inspired soundscapes (Sonic Youth), glossy production (Missy Elliot, thanks to Timbaland) and celestially roomy guitar arpeggios (Pink Floyd).

Barthels’s airy vocals sound like what getting hit in the face by a feather pillow with a hole in it feels (and looks) like—an initial soft impact followed by a delicate explosion, climaxing in cinematic slo-mo bliss.

For fans of: Madlib, Caribou, Thievery Corporation
Standout tracks: “Don’t Move,” “Turning into Stone”
Goes well with: chairlifts, bedroom dancing, Friday traffic

ARTIST Justin Bieber
ALBUM Under the Mistletoe
SLUG Holiday Re-Gifting Pick
RATING 1 & 1/2 out of 5

It’s been a rough winter for Biebs. Between allegations of copulating with (or getting statutorily raped by) a fan, purportedly siring a baby Biebs and hitting puberty, let’s just say his holiday plate is full.

With past hits like “Baby,” Biebs sounded young and fem, but the hooks were so damn catchy even grown men were humming them in the shower. In Under the Mistletoe—his first release since his balls dropped—he sounds more adult, though weirdly enough, more gangsta. In the chorus of the album’s lead single, “Mistletoe,” he boasts, “Amma be under the mistletoe/with you/shawty with you.”

Get it, Biebs!

Still, you gotta give JB credit. “Mistletoe” is themed around ditching his family (and Baby Jesus) to swap spit with yet another zombie-groupie. Joking aside, there are some high points. His duet with Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas is You,” proves that despite adolescent vocal fluctuations, he can still sing his little chestnuts off.

For fans of: Justin Bieber
Standout tracks: “All I Want for Christmas is You,” “Mistletoe”
Goes well with: other annoying Xmas albums, lines at Old Navy, bridge jumping

Thank you ladies and gents for scribbling “a pair of kick-ass music bashes” on your year-end wish lists. The not-so-secret Santas at local radio stations 91X and FM 94/9 have delivered (again).

FM 94/9 is gift-wrapping its annual Indie Jam, Holiday Hootenanny, for presentation December 3 at USD’s Jenny Craig Pavilion. Not to be outdone, 91X is re-stocking its yearly rock-out, Wrex the Halls—stuffing top acts including Death Cab for Cutie into Valley View Casino Center December 10 and 11.

What a Hoot

My Morning Jacket-Photo by Danny Clinch

This year’s FM 94/9’s Holiday Hootenanny—featuring station favorites My Morning Jacket, Two Door Cinema Club, Matt & Kim and Delta Spirit—is a dream come true for station program director Garett Michaels.

“It’s going to be a hell of a show,” says Michaels, noting that the event’s emphasis on just four solid acts playing full sets will distinguish this event from other local holiday concerts.

Michaels’ biggest score (seven years in the making, he says) is My Morning Jacket. The Louisville, Kentucky-rooted band, known for the impressive vocal range of frontman Jim James and currently enjoying success with its new album, Circuital, has been contracted to play for two hours at Hootenanny.

“They’re legendary for really long performances—sometimes four or five hours,” Michaels says. “You’re really going to get your money’s worth.”

Raising the Hooten-ante, three-piece Irish rock band Two Door Cinema Club is making their second San Diego appearance (having sold out House of Blues in October). Thanks to a touring schedule that would intimidate the most intrepid reindeer team, the buzz surrounding these lads is heavy.

Matt & Kim

Also making their sophomore stop in town (having sold out House of Blues with Blink-182 and My Chemical Romance in September), the equally energetic Matt & Kim are bringing their Brooklyn-based dance-punk, which typically involves keyboardist Matt Johnson getting the crowd’s fists pumping while drummer Kim Schifino gets her jollies on her kick drum.

Rounding out the show is soulful San Diego-born rock quintet Delta Spirit, which is using the Holiday Hootenanny to kick off a tour with My Morning Jacket.

Death Cab for Cutie-Photo by Danny Clinch

WreX-mas Greetings

91X’s annual holiday concert will sound off with something for all ears. “For this year’s WreX the Halls, we had the opportunity to do two shows— each representing distinctly different colors in our musical palette,” says Capone, 91X’s singularly named program director.

Day One (December 10), orchestrated as a gift to 91X’s hipster audience, features Florence + the Machine, Death Cab for Cutie, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Cage the Elephant, The Airborne Toxic Event and The Naked and Famous.

Comprising the alt-rock ticket for Day Two (December 11) are Blink-182, Social Distortion, Pennywise, DMC, Switchfoot, Everlast and Mutemath.

(Each day’s lineup requires separate admission.)

Capone says he’s excited about all of the bands performing at WreX and is “pretty damn stoked” to welcome Florence + the Machine (English singer Florence Welch and the various genre-blending musicians who back her up) to San Diego for the first time. Florence had a huge year with her debut album Lungs and its infectious track “Dog Days Are Over” (heard on the hit TV series Glee and performed live on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report); the band is now promoting a new album, Ceremonials.

Florence + the Machine

Delivering their pop punk hits, hometown heroes Blink-182 will boost energy levels on WreX’s second day. And Capone predicts a “truly memorable” performance by the “King of Rock,” DMC (from the revolutionary hip-hop group Run-DMC), who will be backed by a live band.

“Our desire is always to do the best for our listeners,” Capone says. “I think we’ve managed to do that with this year’s WreX.”