Sounds Like A Plan
By Catlin Dorset
2/22: Karmin @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com
Amy Heidemann and Nick Noonan are Karmin, an acoustic pop duo that broke into the limelight in 2011 with their cover of Chris Brown’s hit “Look At Me Now,” featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. In the video (it’s worth a peek, as is their version of Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass”), which has nearly 90 million views on YouTube, Heidemann spits rhymes while Noonan plays hip-hop beats on keyboard.
Recognized for their 2012 chart-topping hit “Brokenhearted,” the twosome garnered 850,000 votes to win Rolling Stone magazine’s “Women Who Rock” contest the same year. Karmin’s 2014 Pulses tour wraps February 22 at House of Blues; their first full-length studio album by the same name drops March 25. Look at you now, Karmin.
w
2/1: Ash @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com
Irish alternative rockers recording their first album in seven years. It’s expected to drop sometime in 2014.
2/1: Fortunate Youth @ Winstons, winstonsob.com
Reggae band on its West Coast Cruisin’ Tour with HIRIE.
2/1: Guttermouth @ Brick by Brick,
brickbybrick.com
In 1998, offensive on-stage behavior got these punk rockers banned from performing in Canada for 18 months.
2/2: Yuck @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com
English indie rock band touring worldwide to promote its album Glow & Behold, released late-2013.
2/4-5: Pepper @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
This rocking trio previously toured with Flogging Molly, Slightly Stoopid and The Expendables, among others.
2/6: Marc Broussard @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
Blues and soul singer-songwriter who’s performed live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
2/6: Moonspell @ Ramona Mainstage, ramonamainstage.com
These Portuguese heavy metalers will play at the Out and Loud Festival in Germany and the Total Metal Festival in Italy later this year.
2/6: Whisky Myers @ The Griffin, thegriffinsd.com
Country rockers with a new album, Early Morning Shakes, dropping February 4.
2/7-8: Ramón Ayala @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com
“King of the Accordion” Ramón Ayala has released 105 musíca norteña albums during his 50- year career.
2/7: The Toasters @ SOMA, somasandiego.com
Nickelodeon’s show KaBlam! used this ska punk band’s song “Two- Tone Army” as its opening theme.
2/7: Kenny Wayne Shepherd @ Ramona Mainstage, ramonamainstage.com
Bluesy rocker married to Mel Gibson’s oldest daughter, Hannah.
2/7: Pat Benatar @ Pechanga Resort & Casino, pechanga.com
Pop rocker most known for her ‘80s hits “Love Is A Battlefield,” “We Belong” and “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” She’s also playing at Belly Up Tavern on 2/8.
2/7: Joshua Bell @ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org
Grammy Award-winning classical musician and violinist.
2/7: Jerry Rivera @ Blue Agave Nightclub, ticketmaster.com
This Puerto Rican salsa singer’s song “Amores Como El Nuestro” was used in Wyclef Jean’s 2004 song “Dance Like This” for the Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights soundtrack.
2/8: Citizen Cope @ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org
This folk rocker’s songs have been featured on the soundtracks for the films The Lincoln Lawyer, Accepted and Ghost Town.
2/8: Northlane @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com
These metalcore Aussies will appear with Bring Me the Horizon and Of Mice & Men on the final leg of The American Dream Tour in late-February.
2/9: Young the Giant @ SOMA, somasandiego.com
This SoCal indie rock band released its sophomore album, Mind Over Matter, on January 21.
2/10: St. Lucia @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com
Jean-Philip Grobler, aka St. Lucia, is a South African pop singer.
2/11: Brandon Boyd @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com
Incubus front man working on solo alt. rock endeavors.
2/13: Augustines @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com
Indie rock trio with self-titled album dropping February 4.
2/13: Touché Amoré @ Epicentre, epicentreconcerts.org
Post-hardcore band on a month-long tour with mewithoutYou, Seahaven, Drug Church and Caravels.
2/13: Los Lobos @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
Chicano rockers most known for their cover of Ritchie Valens’ song “La Bamba.”
2/14: Kid Ink @ FLUXX, fluxxsd.com
L.A. rapper who collaborated with Chris Brown on his current hit “Show Me.”
2/14: The Devil Makes Three @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com
Santa Cruz-based bluegrass band.
2/14: Lonestar @ Sycuan Casino, sycuan.com
These country boys have charted No. 1 hits including “Mr. Mom,” “I’m Already There” and “My Front Porch Looking In.”
2/14-15: Engelbert Humperdinck @ Pechanga Resort & Casino, pechanga.com
Born Arnold Dorsey, this soft rock singer changed his name to the more memorable and less easy to spell Engelbert Humperdinck.
2/15: BoomBox @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
These disco rock singersongwriters wrap their U.S. winter tour at this show in San Diego.
2/15: Imagine Dragons @ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com
This alt. rock band’s recent release, Night Visions, was the most streamed album on Spotify in 2013. The album’s track “Radioactive” was the most streamed single.
2/16: Clint Black @ Sycuan Casino, sycuan.com
Country crooner whose notable chart-toppers include “Killin’ Time,” “When I Said I Do” and “Desperado.
2/16: Amon Amarth @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com
Five-piece death metal band from Sweden, touring to promote its recent album, Deceiver of the Gods.
2/17: Tribute to the Reggae Legends Festival @ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com
Don Carlos, Alborosie, Midnite and many more reggae acts come together for a hazy, weed- and patchouli-filled day along Sports Arena Boulevard.
2/17: Jon McLaughlin @ The Griffin, thegriffinsd.com
This pop rocker enjoyed mainstream success in 2008 with his radio hit, “Beating My Heart.”
2/17: Boz Scaggs @ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org
R&B singer-songwriter and guitarist, most known as the former lead singer of the Steve Miller Band.
2/19: Ziggy Marley @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
Like Pops, Bob Marley’s eldest son is a reggae musician. Ziggy founded Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment (URGE), which supports children around the world.
2/20: Van She @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com
Indie pop band that played the LAUNCH Festival in Sacramento with Imagine Dragons and Girl Talk in September 2013.
2/21: Ane Brun @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com
In October 2013, this folk singer released Rarities, a collection of covers and outtakes from her previous albums.
2/21: Abandon All Ships @ Epicentre, epicentreconcerts.org
Metalcore band on tour with The Browning, My Ticket Home, I Am King and more.
2/21: Air Supply @ Sycuan Casino, sycuan.com
Soft-rocking duo responsible for ‘80s hits including “Making Love Out of Nothing At All,” “All Out of Love” and “Lost In Love.” How schmoopy.
2/21: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ Ramona Mainstage, ramonamainstage.com
This jazz/swing band hit the road in 2013 for its 20th Anniversary Tour.
2/22: Rotting Out @ Che Cafe, sodabarmusic.com
L.A. punk band promoting its album The Wrong Way with a tour of the same name.
2/22: Noah Gundersen @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com
Indie/folk singer-songwriter who releases his first full-length album February 11.
2/22: Amos Lee @ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org
Adele says of this folk rocker: “Amos is a magnificent singer, incredible. His voice blows me away.”
2/22: Huey Mack @ UCSD’s Porter’s Pub, porterspub.com
Writing music as a joke at age 14 evolved into a hip-hop career for Joseph Dalton Michael (aka Huey Mack).
2/22: Hollywood Ending @ Epicentre, epicentreconcerts.org
This pop rock band announced via Facebook that it would release the video for its recent song “Freak Like Me” only after the band’s page had 100,000 “likes.”
2/23: John Butler Trio @ House of Blues, houseofblues.com
Three-piece alt. rock band from Australia, touring worldwide to promote its album Flesh & Blood.
2/24: Dom Kennedy @ SOMA, somasandiego.com
This L.A. rapper’s second album reached No. 4 on the R&B/ Hip-Hop charts in October 2013, right behind Drake, Justin Timberlake and Pusha T.
2/25: Kodaline @ The Casbah, casbahmusic.com
Songs from this indie rock band have been featured in TV shows Grey’s Anatomy, Catfish and Vampire Diaries.
2/25: Pentatonix @ SOMA, somadandiego.com
Since winning Season Three of NBC’s The Sing-Off in 2011, these pop a cappella singers have received millions of views of their song covers on YouTube.
2/26: Robert Randolph and The Family Band @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
The American funk front man has made guest appearances in songs with Santana, Rob Thomas, Elton John and many others.
2/28: Tony! Toni! Toné! @ Sycuan Casino, sycuan.com
R&B/soul trio from Oakland that enjoyed some success in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
2/28: Buddy Guy @ Pala Casino, palacasino.com
Now in his 70s, the six-time Grammy Award-winning blues singer and guitarist released his most recent album, Rhythm & Blues, in July 2013.