Justin Caruso, Sage Armstrong, Steel Pulse and more top concerts this week
Top performances this week include Donavon Frankenreiter, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, T.S.O.L., Willie Nelson & Family, Ashley Wallbridge.
12.30: Donavon Frankenreiter
It’s a thing now. The people’s favorite surfer/musician returns for yet another pair of shows at the Belly Up after playing a two-night dip on almost exactly the same dates last year. Dude, like, Happy New Year! (Also on 12.29)
@ Belly Up, bellyup.com
12.31: Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Clearly that’s not referencing the veteran hip-hip outfit that returns to the Gaslamp venue after last playing there in April. But there are far worse ways to ring in the New Year than hanging with this Grammy-nominated crew.
@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego
12.31: Steel Pulse
Sure. The veteran U.K. roots reggae act (still fronted by band founder David Hinds) is heading back to San Diego after closing down summer here with a show at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. But after releasing Mass Manipulation, its first album of original music in more than 15 years, the iconic act returns to help close down 2019.
@ Belly Up, bellyup.com
1.2: T.S.O.L.
Although it formed in 1978, the veteran Orange County punk band is still on tour as part of its 40th anniversary. Opening the show is The Detours, one of the first SoCal punk bands to break out in 1977’s first wave.
@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com
1.3: Willie Nelson & Family
The braided weed ambassador, 12-time Grammy Award winner and Kennedy Center Honoree sure likes San Diego. He was last here in May for a show at Humphreys, and not long before that was paired up with 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss at the exact same venue. This time around, the iconic country music patriarch and his family band head indoors for a show at Balboa Theatre.
@ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org
1.3: Justin Caruso
L.A.-based DJ Justin Caruso was here last summer when he performed with Outkast’s Big Boi as part of the Horizon Music Fest. He returns to San Diego after releasing a handful of singles last year, including Broken Hearts featuring Hilda, a track that New York house duo Black Caviar remixed in December.
@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com
1.4: Ashley Wallbridge
Last year saw the English DJ join forces with trance DJ/producer (and fellow countryman) Gareth Emery on the collaborative album, Kingdom United. The 14-track collection also includes guest appearances from the likes of NASH, PollyAnna and Jonathan Mendelsohn.
@ Spin, spinnightclub.com
1.4: Sage Armstrong
Florida-bred, L.A.-based DJ Sage Armstrong made his breakthrough in 2015 on Claude VonStroke’s Dirtybird Records with What’s Yo Tempetcha? Since, Armstrong has released a steady stream of singles, and in 2018, dropped a pair of EPs. Last year, the house producer released his debut full-length, Unify, on Dumb Fat Records.
@ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com
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