Birth is a new psychedelic band featuring members from retro rockers Astra, along with current or former members of Joy, Silver Sunshine, and Radio Moscow. The lineup includes Conor Riley (Astra, Silver Sunshine) on keyboards, …

Synth-pop group Glass Spells has released a music video for “Shattered,” the title track of the album that drops this week via Negative Gain; the band says it was “inspired by nostalgic synth-driven classics. The …

San Diego native Christian Ariza, aka Rad Cat, is a 25 year-old Mexican American DJ and producer turned solo artist. He began writing songs as a teenager, first learning guitar and then studying production techniques, …

Howlin’ Rain describes their sixth studio album, The Dharma Wheel, as “a six-track, 52-minute dive into a joyous fantasy realm of exaggerated present.” Due October 8 via founding member Ethan Miller’s label Silver Current Records, …

The upcoming Summer Years EP You Can’t Live There Forever will be released by Ecni Records (Beach Goons, The Joy Formidable), previewed so far by a single for their track “This Light.” According to singer-guitarist …

“Our 12-inch vinyl EP is still months out, due to the crazy pressing backlogs, so in the meantime, we’ll be doing several digital releases,” says Dewey Defeats Truman singer-bassist James Reader, who’s working with Scott …

MC Riston Diggs (the Known Unknowns) recorded his debut album, The Blvd Experience, following the completion of a nine-year Navy career where he served as an aviation administrator. His video for “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” …

“We’ll shoot a good deal of the show in studio,” says producer M. Florentino Buenaventura of the new online Music Scene SDTV program. “But like most news outlets, we plan to have correspondents out on …

Indie pop singer-songwriter Tamar Berk grew up playing piano and started writing songs on guitar as a teenager. Regarding her new album The Restless Dreams of Youth, she says, “I was an incredibly restless child. …

Before moving from Ohio to Ocean Beach in 2010, Kris Wott taught himself guitar, writing his first song at 14 and learning about vocal harmonizing from his brother Frank. In OB, he became friends with …

"J.D. passed away yesterday in a tragic accident and is no longer with us," according to a post today on J.D. Boucharde's Facebook page. Boucharde drowned in a diving accident just off a local beach. …

“As a San Diego born-and-bred artist, I’ve always enjoyed the vast differences in culture and creative approaches that our city has to offer, and I’ve strived as an organizer to bring its creators and audiences …

Drummer Brandon Young and bassist Jon Jameson were both in Noise Ratchet before spotting singer Matt Vasquez busking at a trolley station and forming Delta Spirit. They first earned national notice touring with Tokyo Police …

"For the past three months I've been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer," posted 49 year-old Blink 182 frontman Mark Hoppus online on Wednesday, June 23. "It sucks and I'm scared, and at the same time I'm …

Thought for Food Bob Peterson (husband to Mayor Maureen O’Connor) opened his first Jack-in-the-Box restaurant at 63rd Street and El Cajon Boulevard in 1951. Peterson had expanded his chain to include 350 units by the …

Originally a duo called Neck and Neck featuring J.T. Moring and Annie Rettic, folk-Americana-blues band Gemini Junction includes members based in Encinitas and Ocean Beach. Moring, who sings and plays banjo, guitar, and percussion, is …

“We’ve got a new song and video out for ‘Love in the Time of Virus,’ and yes, it’s about the pandemic, at least in a 1984-ish, story-song way,” says Strawberry Moons singer-guitarist-keyboardist Will A. Lerner. …

The trio that makes up Sonido De La Frontera - Karlos Paez, Luke Henshaw, and DJ Unite - describe their music as “the combination of Soundsystem culture, hip-hop production aesthetic, and the sounds of Latin …

Blues guitarist Laura Chavez grew up near San Jose and was still in grade school when she began playing guitar. By the time she graduated high school, she was already a working musician, going on …

The new album from Darius Degher (Sham Saints, Darius & the Magnets) features instrumental music inspired by surfing. “Groundswell Corduroy is a low-temperature variant of surf-rock,” he says, “the teen effervescence long gone, but it …

Jamal Smith (aka 10-19 The Numberman) is one half of Parker & the Numberman, a hip-hop trio with Jack King and Brandon Zamudio. Their EP Early was nominated for Best Hip-Hop Album at the 2011 …

Phil Keaggy at Legacy International Center June 27 Built on a locale that formerly hosted a motel and liquor store, Mission Valley’s newest concert venue is part of an 18-acre Bible-themed resort complex that offers …

Filipino-American producer/artist Lecx Stacy spent his early childhood in Chula Vista and grew up in Mira Mesa. The local scene helped shape his musical tastes, as he hung out at venues such as the Che …

The San Diego Music Awards nominations were made public at the beginning of May, with qualifying material required to be released between January 1 and December 31, 2020 in order to be eligible for trophy …

Fronted by singer-guitarist Travis Trevisan, Tape Deck Mountain began by releasing all their recordings on cassette tapes. Inspired to become a musician after seeing the Smashing Pumpkins, Trevisan’s first band Liberty Park had to change …

The Chris Holmes project the Rightovers has a new Kruise Kontrol EP coming out via Portland label Jigsaw Records on June 5. “Our last show was in December 2019 at the Soda Bar,” says Holmes. …

As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis in no stranger to legal problems, having served time for attempting to hire a hit man to murder his wife. This time, he's in civil hot water. A …

A surprise new song and video from costumed rockers Steam Powered Giraffe appeared online this month. “Fart Patrol” is their first new release since last year’s ambitious 1896 album, which came with a separate acoustic …

Evening’s Empire is an alternative rock band fronted by Rock ’n’ Roll San Diego honcho Shannon Woods, aka Shannon Sabin of the reformed Dinettes, alongside guitarist Sam Strohbehn and bassist David Skolnik. They released their …

Van Bates - aka Black Hesher - has reportedly passed away. Originally from Boston before relocating to Lemon Grove, Bates grew up in the North Street projects, a colorful but hard life that later inspired …

As one half of the folk duo Berkley Hart, Jeff Berkley has toured the world and performed countless concerts with Calman Hart, including a continuing series of themed shows paying tribute to pop culture touchstones …

“I’m a musician and entrepreneur who believes in the power of music,” says Curbside Vinyl bassist M. Florentino Buenaventura of the new ConcertsCafe website he helped launch from Miramar this month. “Our live streaming concert …

It’s been around two years since Josh Rosenblum released his album Move Yourself. “The album is labeled as pop rock, but our jazz, funk, and blues roots always find a way into our music in …

Fronted by Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin, the New Regime recently released two live performance videos off their third album Heart Mind Body & Soul, “You Can Be” and “Smoke and Mirrors,” with six …

“It’s go time. This is not a drill. The Zeros documentary is in production,” says Javier Escovedo, who is working with filmmakers Anthony Ladesich and Michael Webber on a movie about his influential 1970s punk …

Hardcore punk rock band the Undertaking was founded in 2018 by Brent Jasperse (drums), Keith Butsko (guitar), and Austin Visser (vocals), later joined by bassist James Moyer (Mainsail) and singer-guitarist Johnny Mercuri. The following year, …

Innerds was founded by Brandon Relf (Sleeping People) and Bobby Bray (The Locust, Holy Molar). By 2016, with the addition of Chad Deal (Phantom Twins) on bass, the band had changed its name to INUS …

“I’m releasing my debut single on March 26, called ‘Melancholy Treasures’” says Sky Star, one half of the musical duo Smokelines. “The song talks about my move from San Diego to New York City for …

Goth-inclined Silent was founded in Mexicali, Baja California by singer-percussionist Jung Sing (All Leather) and guitarist Alejandro Lara. The band has toured the USA and Mexico, alongside San Diego labelmates like Dead Cross, Retox, the …

Acoustic troubadour Drew Douglas, aka Grampadrew, was nominated Best Alt Country and Best Songwriter at the 2008 San Diego HAT (Honoring Acoustic Talent) Awards. He came up performing at the Whistle Stop and later formed …

Bassist/guitarist Mark Goffeney, who was born without arms and played with his feet, reportedly passed away on March 2 at the age of 51. He and his wife were found dead in their El Cajon …

“We feel very strongly how important footage is and why it needs to be preserved,” says David Peck, president of local Reelin’ in the Years. Founded in 1992, Reelin’ maintains and licenses over 30,000 hours …

Rapper Jack King, aka Parker Edison, is a TedX speaker and a member of the award-winning rap-jazz group Parker Meridien. He came to local notice in Parker & the Numberman, who earned a Best Hip-Hop …

Guitarist Louis Valenzuela is a vet of adventurous bands such as Áfrojazziacs (fusing contemporary and traditional Cuban, jazz, funk, reggae, cumbia, salsa, and Afro-beat), Juice Box (founded by drummer/composer Matthew Smith), the Humankind (R&B, soul, …

Scott Mercado (aka Manuok) is a vet of local bands such as Via Satellite, which he cofounded, as well as touring or recording with the Black Heart Procession, Mr. Tube & the Flying Objects, the …

“It was pretty ironic, losing our home during a stay-at-home order,” says Valentine Byrne, who was recording an EP last April when disaster piled on top of pandemic. “I’ll never forget receiving that phone call …

The untold stories about Hillcrest’s Friendship Hotel would probably read like William Burroughs’ dream journal. Once a nurse’s dorm for the nearby hospital, by the turn of the 21st century the two buildings across the …

Singer-guitarist Esteban Rene attended boarding school in Ensenada, while bassist Beto Bautista grew up in Tijuana. Rene met Bautista while working for Hornblower Cruises and the duo formed the Slashes. They have a new album …

According to alternative-indie rocker Be Mine Phantom Valentine, “BMPV incorporates post-punk guitars with a full range of synths and haunting organs. The name was inspired by phantom valentines who perform anonymous acts of kindness.” A …

“I really thought I’d build a simple archive and hoped that a few of the old crowd would turn up to participate, but within a year, we’d located most everyone involved,” says Matthew Rothenberg, co-founder …