Snoop Dogg, The 1975, Angel Olsen and more top concerts this week
Top performances coming to town this week include DIIV, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Black Flag, Steve Aoki, Gryffin and more.
12.3: Angel Olsen
In San Diego last year between appearances at Coachella’s dual weekends, Olsen returns to America’s Finest City with a new album under her belt. Released in October, All Mirrors is the fourth full-length for the singer/songwriter, and is part of a two-volume collection. A stripped-down, more acoustic version of the album is expected in the coming months.
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com
12.3: The Make-Up
Hot diggity dog! After reuniting briefly for a short run of shows in 2017, the sporadically playing, Washington, D.C.-based post punk band is back on the road. The tour comes in conjunction with the reissue of the band’s classic 1999 album, Save Yourself.
@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com
12.5: The 1975
Notes on a Conditional Form, the 1975’s fourth studio album, won’t be released until February 2020, but the British pop-rock band has already released three singles from it: The 1975, People and Frail State of Mind. This 91X-sponsored show also features performances from Catfish and the Bottlemen, IDKHOW and Fashion Jackson.
@ Pechanga Arena, pechangaarenasd.com
12.5 DIIV
Last year, DIIV performed in San Diego as part of the Desert Daze Festival Caravan alongside Ariel Pink, Suuns, Nick Hakim and JJUUJJUU. Now the Zachary Cole Smith-led rock quartet returns for its own headlining show to promote its latest album, Deceiver. It’s DIIV’s first release since Smith checked himself into rehab two years ago for substance abuse.
@ Belly Up, bellyup.com
12.5: Unknown Mortal Orchestra
New Zealand-born, Portland-based musician/songwriter Ruben Nielson and his psych-rock trio Unknown Mortal Orchestra released their fourth studio album, Sex & Food, in 2018. That was immediately followed by the group’s instrumental fifth album, IC-01 Hanoi, an excursion into ambient noise, freeform, and experimental jazz that was recorded in the Vietnamese capital while working on the Sex & Food sessions.
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com
12.5: Casey Donahew
The Texas country singer has lived on the Billboard charts lately, with his last four albums cracking the U.S. Country Top 10. Donahew’s most recent collection, the 15-song One Light Town, was released in July. Wyoming singer and former rodeo cowboy Chancey Williams is also on the bill.
@ Moonshine Beach, moonshinebeachsd.com
12.5: Black Flag
Not to be confused with the Keith Morris-fronted FLAG, the pioneering SoCal punks are back and founding guitarist/songwriter Greg Ginn is at the helm. These shows are the first the band has performed in over five years.
@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego
12.6: Lee Fields and the Expressions
Once earning the nickname “Little JB” for his undying love of James Brown (really though, who doesn’t love “the hardest-working man in show business?”), the New Jersey-based soul man and his amazing band head back to San Diego. Their latest album, It Rains Love, was released earlier this year on Big Crown Records.
@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com
12.6: Steve Aoki
Aoki, an OMNIA regular, has already played the club a couple of times this year. But the Grammy-nominated DJ and entrepreneur returns for his first show there since May with a new album under his belt. Aoki’s sixth full-length collection, Neon Future IV, features collaborations with everyone from the Backstreet Boys and actor Darren Criss to Dutch duo Showtek and South Korean boy band Monsta X.
OMNIA, omnianightclub.com
12.6: ILLENIUM
Nicholas Miller is having a pretty good year. In March, the Denver-based DJ picked up a pair of wins — Best Male Artist (Bass) and Best Remix (Halsey’s Without Me) — at the 2019 International Dance Music awards (IDMAs). Then, in August, Miller released his major-label debut (and third studio album overall), Ascend, which features collaborations with The Chainsmokers, X Ambassadors, Jon Bellion and more.
Pechanga Arena, pechangaarenasd.com
12.7: Sébastien Léger
Over the last two decades, Léger has remixed the likes of Armand Van Helden, Justin Timberlake, Kylie Minogue, Deadmau5 and Daft Punk. The French producer and house DJ has released four studio albums, and more than 20 EPs, in that same time as well. The savvy vet heads to Quartyard on a bill that also includes Ofier and Andrew Wilkinson.
Quartyard, quartyardsd.com
12.7: Gryffin
In October, instead of releasing a follow-up to his 2018 debut EP, Gravity, Pt. 1, New York house DJ and classically trained pianist Dan Griffith repackaged the EP’s six songs with 10 new ones for his full-length studio debut, simply titled Gravity. Among the new tracks were collaborations with Aloe Blacc, Carly Rae Jepsen, Gorgon City, Slander and Seven Lions.
SOMA, somasandiego.com
12.7: Carnage
Guatemalan-born, L.A.-based trap DJ and producer Diamante Blackmon released his sophomore full-length album, Battered Bruised & Bloody, last year. He’s spent 2019 releasing seven new singles, including his most recent, Don’t Get Me Started with Pia Mia and Gunna.
Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com
12.8: Kim Petras
Despite being a month or so late, this show is for anyone looking for something a little spooky during the holiday season. The German-born, L.A.-based pop singer/songwriter released her Halloween-inspired album, Turn Off The Light, in October.
Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com
12.8: Snoop Dogg
The Doggfather heads back to this neck of the woods after a KAABOO performance in September that included a career spanning set, an in-memoriam section that honored Eazy-E, Tupac, and the Notorious B.I.G., as well as a quartet of (PG-13) pole-dancing strippers. What will he have in store this time?
@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego
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