@ReaderAndy

For this year’s music issue, the Reader’s rock, pop, and jazz writers blasted through their virtual mountain of music and hit the streets to bring you stagefront, backstage, behind the soundboards, and over the border. Armed with a colorful (and pungent) array of crunchy snacks in a backfiring rattletrap van we nicknamed “Kanye,” the team agreed this year’s thing should have some staying power — a cheat sheet for the busy 2015 scene. So whether you’re a fan or in a band, jump in “Kanye,” grab a bag of chips, and join us as we map the local clubs, the year’s festivals, San Diego’s standout recording and rehearsal studios, the bands to watch, the open jams to catch and get caught up in. We’ll roll you through the Anglophile side of town, hit some pawn shops, and then head over the border for something muy caliente...

Wired for sound — An homage to our fallen music venues of 2014, the clubs that won’t be stamping wrists, distributing drink tickets, or adjusting stage mics in 2015. By Dryw Keltz

Crowd sourcing — San Diego music festivals past and present. By Ken Leighton.

Bands to watch — Cheat sheet for local bands to add to your must-see list in 2015. By Dryw Keltz and Dave Good

Studios for let — Where to book your next project. By Dave Good

Where the jazzcats jam — Seven Grand vs 3rd Space vs 98 Bottles. By Robert Bush

Touched by the hand of Mod — Inside the San Diego broad church scene. By Robert Duffy

Sound science — Music of a different stripe. By Robert Bush

Hock and roll — Treasure troves of used gear. By Patrick Henderson

Borderlanding — Tijuana’s nightlife is becoming a force to be reckoned with. By Matthew Suarez and Chad Deal