Groove: February concert calendar
Top performers coming to San Diego this month include Kristin Chenoweth, Lana Del Rey, Demi Lovato and Dua Lipa.
2.1: Passion Pit
Passion Pit (aka Michael Angelakos) first uploaded portions of his latest album, Tremendous Sea of Love, to YouTube. It was then self-released on Twitter for anyone who shared a neuroscientist’s tweet on the importance of science and research.
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com
2.1: Banditos
The Birmingham, Ala., via Nashville, blues/rock sextet released their second full-length album, Visionland, last summer. It was named after a local $60 million dollar theme park that went defunct after only five years.
@ Space, spacebarsd.com
2.1: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
The long-running African choral group was pretty busy last year. They celebrated the 30th anniversary of their Paul Simon-produced Shaka Zulu album with a revisited version, Warner Music put out a 24-song retrospective of their songs and the band released the 12-track, Songs of Peace & Love for Kids & Parents Around the World.
@ Belly Up, bellyup.com
2.2: Kristin Chenoweth
The Tony Award-winning actress and singer released her fifth studio album, The Art of Elegance, last year. It is her second collection with the Great American Songbook as a theme after her 2001 debut, Let Yourself Go.
@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com
2.2: Tyler, The Creator
The Odd Future guru packed quite a bit into 2017. He released his critically-acclaimed fourth album, Flower Boy, launched two TV shows — one on Viceland and one on Adult Swim, and designed two different shoes for Converse.
@ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com
Tyler, The Creator.
2.3: Fetty Wap
While Fetty Wap (aka Willie Maxwell II) dropped three mixtapes in 2016, and a pair of EPs last year, there’s still no sign of King Zoo, the long talked about follow-up album to the Trap Queen rapper’s 2015 smash self-titled debut.
@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego
Fetty Wap.
2.5: Bermuda Triangle
Anchored by Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard, this Nashville-based trio is rounded out by Becca Mancari and Jesse Lafser.
@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com
2.6: Majid Jordan
The Toronto-based R&B duo is signed to Drake’s record label OVO and released their second studio album, The Space Between, last year. It features collaborations with fellow OVO labelmates PartyNextDoor and Dvsn.
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com
2.7: Pink Martini
Portland’s “Little Orchestra” returns to Escondido just over a year after their last visit there. The ensemble released their 10th album, Je dis oui!, in 2016 featuring appearances from longtime friends Rufus Wainwright and NPR White House correspondent Ari Shapiro.
@ California Center for the Arts, Escondido, artcenter.org
2.7: Lights
The Canadian singer-songwriter released her fourth studio album, Skin & Earth, last September. A comic book series she designed accompanied its release.
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com
2.8: Allah-Las
The ex-Amoeba-staffers-turned-psych-rockers released their first-ever EP of covers last November. Among the artists getting the L.A.-based band’s unique interpretation are George Harrison and Television.
@ Belly Up, bellyup.com
2.9: Ja Rule & Ashanti w/ Ray J
Queens rapper and actor Ja Rule (aka Jeffrey Atkins) once again teams with Ashanti in North Park. And despite repeated announcements of his upcoming eighth (and final) studio album, Coup de Grace, nothing has been released.
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com
Ja Rule & Ashanti.
2.10: Dua Lipa
The English singer and model released her self-titled debut last year. It features collaborations with Miguel and Coldplay’s Chris Martin. She also appeared on singles with Sean Paul, Martin Garrix, Wale and Major Lazer.
@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego
Dua Lipa.
2.11: David Dondero
Named by NPR’s All Songs Considered as one of the “best living songwriters,” the Minnesota singer and musician released his 10th album, Inside the Cat’s Eye, last year.
@ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com
2.13: Killswitch Engage & Anthrax
The Killthrax Tour pairs Massachusetts metalcore 5-piece Killswitch Engage with NYC metal vets Anthrax for a night of getting “Caught in a Mosh!”
@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego
2.13: Lyle Lovett & Robert Earl Keen
The two long-running Texas singer/songwriters have joined forces many times before and first met as students at Texas A&M University in the late ’70s.
@ California Center for the Arts, Escondido, artcenter.org
2.15: Lana Del Rey
The singer/songwriter’s fifth studio album, Lust for Life, was released last year and featured appearances by The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, Stevie Nicks and others. She is also being sued by Radiohead over the album’s closing track, Get Free.
@ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com
Lana Del Rey.
2.17: You Are Going To Hate This Fest 3
Local rockers The Frights, one of San Diego’s best current exports, curate their third annual mini-fest with Together Pangea, Diet Cig, HUNNY and more.
@ SOMA, somasandiego.com
2.19: Dan Auerbach and the Easy Eye Sound Review
This label-based collective headed by producer and Black Keys front man Auerbach also features Easy Eye Sound artists Robert Finley and Shannon & the Clams.
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com
2.20: Tune-Yards
The Merrill Garbus-led indie pop outfit released their fourth studio album, I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life, last month.
@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com
2.20: Shovels & Rope
South Carolina-based Americana duo Shovels & Rope released their second installment of cover songs, Busted Jukebox, Vol. 2, at the end of last year. It features interpretations of songs by Rhett Miller, Brandi Carlile and others.
@ Belly Up, bellyup.com
2.21: Superchunk
Still fronted by Merge Records co-founder Mac McCaughan, the veteran Chapel Hill indie rockers release their 11th studio album, What a Time to Be Alive, this month.
@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com
2.22: Willie Watson
A founding member of Old Crow Medicine Show, the songwriter and multi-instrumentalist released his second solo effort, Folk Singer, Vol. 2, last year. It was produced by David Rawlings and released on Rawlings’ and Gillian Welch’s Acony Records.
@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com
2.23, 24: The Spits
The cult punk rock act from Kalamazoo, Mich., takes over Space for a weekend double dip. Cruz Radical opens Friday night’s show, while that honor belongs to Beehive & the Barracudas on Saturday.
@ Space, spacebarsd.com
2.24: Bruno Major
The British singer/songwriter’s 2017 collection, A Song for Every Moon, was compiled by releasing one track a month for a year.
@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com
2.26: Demi Lovato w/ DJ Khaled
Last year was a big one for Lovato — she voiced the character of Smurfette in the animated film Smurfs: The Lost Village, launched an activewear collection with Fabletics, did charity work in Africa with WE and also released her sixth studio album (and sixth consecutive
Top 5 entry on the Billboard 200), Tell Me You Love Me.
DJ Khaled opens the show.
@ Viejas Arena, viejasarena.com
Demi Lovato.
2.27: Burger A-Go-Go #1
Burger Records hits Solana Beach for the first night of their traveling Burger A-Go-Go series. Headlined by Atlanta punk trio The Coathangers, other bands set to perform are Death Valley Girls, The Flytraps and Feels.
@ Belly Up, bellyup.com
2.27: Real Estate
Real Estate released their fourth studio album, In Mind, last year. It was the first for the Brooklyn-by-way-of-New Jersey indie rockers since guitarist Matt Mondanile left the band.
@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com
2.28: Thurston Moore Group
Kim Gordon was just here last month with Body/Head and now Moore follows shortly after with his namesake group. While the one-time couple will likely never perform together again as Sonic Youth, it’s nice to have them both back in San Diego.
@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com
2.28: Burger A-Go-Go #2
Night two of the Burger A-Go-Go series concludes with Cambodian pop and psych sextet Dengue Fever holding down a lineup that also includes Winter, Summer Twins and Roya.
@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com
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