Sounds Like A Plan

By Catlin Dorset

12/12: 91X Wrex the Halls @ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com
In May, FoxWeekly named alt. pop/R&B artist Banks (born Jillian Rose Banks) one of its “Artists to Watch” in 2014. Two months later, the 26-year-old singer-songwriter from Orange County released “Beggin For Thread,” the fourth single from her debut album, Goddess, and her biggest hit to-date. Catch Banks performing live at this year’s 91X Wrex the Halls holiday music-fest with indie/alt. rockers Cage the Elephant, alt-J, Interpol, Billy Idol and more.
w

12/2: Alex Clare @ House of Blues, hob.com
British alt. rocker on the Three Hearts tour to promote his recent album by the same name.

12/2: Andy McKee @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
This indie acoustic guitarist dropped his Mythmaker EP on April 8.

12/2: Fleetwood Mac @ SDSU’s Viejas Arena, as.sdsu.edu
Rock and Roll Hall of Famers known for many ‘70s and ‘80s hits including “Landslide,” “Rhiannon” and “Gypsy.”

12/3: Dance Gavin Dance @ SOMA, somasandiego.com
Screamo quintet headlining The Rise Records Tour with Secrets, Alive Like Me and Defeat the Low.

12/3: Chris Isaak @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
This rockabilly musician and occasional actor recently guest-starred on the TV show Hot in Cleveland alongside actor/comedian Betty White.

12/4: Nipsey Hussle @ UCSD’s Porter’s Pub, porterspub.com
Twenty-nine-year-old rapper working on his new album, Victory Lap; release date TBA.

12/5: Phillip Phillips @ UCSD’s RIMAC Arena, ticketmaster.com
The pop rocker and American Idol Season 11 winner opened for John Mayer on the Born and Raised World Tour in 2013.

12/6: Ace Frehley @ Ramona Mainstage, ramonamainstage.com
This rock guitarist and his former KISS bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April.

12/6: Emmure @ SOMA, somasandiego.com
Following extreme controversy, these metalers changed the name of the lead track on their Eternal Enemies album from “Bring a Gun to School” to “Untitled.”

12/6: O.A.R. @ California Center for the Arts, artcenter.org
Alt. rock Marylanders most recognized for their 2008 hit “Shattered (Turn the Car Around)” and 2005’s “Love and Memories.”

12/7: 2 Chainz @ FLUXX, fluxxsd.com
This hip-hopper collaborated with the likes of Lil Wayne, Fergie and Pharrell Williams on his 2013 album, B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time.

12/7: Tristan Prettyman @ House of Blues, hob.com
Del Mar native pop singer-songwriter on a U.S. tour with singer-songwriter Eric Hutchison.

12/7: Judy Collins @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
This mid-’70s folk/country songstress appeared in Season Two of HBO’s Girls, where she sings her track “Song for Judith (Open the Door).”

12/7: Cannabis Corpse @ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com
Death metal band promoting its From Wisdom to Baked album with a tour by the same name.

12/7: Pink Martini @ California Center for the Arts, artcenter.org
TV shows The Sopranos, Castle and Sherlock have featured songs by this pop/jazz musical group.

12/8: Augustana @ House of Blues, hob.com
San Diego-native rockers most known for their 2005 hit, “Boston.”

12/10: Celtic Woman @ San Diego Civic Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org
This Irish folk foursome released its Celtic Woman: O Christmas Tree album in October.

12/10: Merle Haggard @ California Center for the Arts, artcenter.org
While intoxicated in 1957, this country/western musician attempted to rob a restaurant during business hours and was later sentenced to a 15-year term in San Quentin prison.

12/11: Moonshine Bandits @ Brick by Brick, brickbybrick.com
These country rappers are kicking off their Rebels on the Run tour during this show in America’s Finest.

12/11: Frankie Ballard @ House of Blues, hob.com
Country singer-songwriter climbing the charts with his recent single “Sunshine & Whiskey.”

12/11: Coolio @ Tin Roof San Diego, thetinroof.com
Rapper Artis Leon Ivey Jr., aka Coolio, is most known for his 1995 Grammy Award-winning hit, “Gangsta’s Paradise.”

12/12: Allah-Las @ Casbah, casbahmusic.com
These rockers released their latest album, Worship the Sun, in September.

12/12: Pepper @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
This reggae rock outfit has toured with Slightly Stoopid, Snoop Dogg and 311.

12/12: J. Stalin @ UCSD’s Porter’s Pub, porterspub.com
Rapper Jovan Smith says his stage name was inspired by Soviet Union dictator Joseph Stalin, because they have the same initials and because “[Stalin] was short like me, but he was always smashin’ on everybody.”

12/13: Strung Out @ Brick by Brick, brickbybrick.com
These punk rockers are working on their eighth studio album, Transmission Alpha Delta, which is expected to drop sometime in 2015.

12/13: Sheila E. @ Sycuan Casino, sycuan.com
Marvin Gaye, Prince and Beyoncé are just a few of the megastars this Latin pop artist has collaborated with during her nearly 40-year career.

12/13: KSON’s CountryFest Christmas @ Del Mar Fairgrounds, kson.com
Country stars Easton Corbin, Jon Pardi, Lucy Hale and The Swon Brothers perform at this holiday version of KSON’s ever-popular semi-annual CountryFest.

12/14: In this Moment @ House of Blues, hob.com
Metalcore band on the Black Widow tour in support of its recent album by the same name, which dropped November 17.

12/14: Howie Day @ House of Blues, hob.com
Pop rock singer-songwriter most recognized for his hits “Collide” (2004) and “She Says” (2005).

12/14: Yung Lean @ UCSD’s Porter’s Pub, porterspub.com
This 18-year-old Swedish rapper released his debut studio album, Unknown Memory, in September.

12/15: Ryan Adams @ Copley Symphony Hall, sandiegosymphony.org
Ryan Adams, aka actress Mandy Moore’s rocker hubby, produced Willie Nelson’s 2006 album, Songbird.

12/16: The Brian Setzer Orchestra @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
Swing and blues band on its annual Christmas Rocks tour.

12/18: HIM @ House of Blues, hob.com
Morgan Page, Tiësto and other DJs remixed tracks for this rock band’s 2010 SWRMXS album.

12/18: Johnny Marr @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
On November 11, this alt. rocker performed his new single, “Easy Money,” and a cover of the Smiths’ song “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard this One Before” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

12/21: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones @ House of Blues, hob.com
In the 1995 film Clueless, this is the band playing at the fraternity party where Tai (Brittany Murphy) falls down the stairs and dances with Josh ( Paul Rudd).

12/23: Dave Koz and Friends @ San Diego Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org
Stevie Wonder, India Arie, Trombone Shorty and many others collaborated with these smooth jazz instrumentalists on their recent album, The 25th of December.

12/31: Donovan Frankenreiter @ Belly Up Tavern, bellyup.com
Jack Johnson’s soft-rocking BFF and fellow surfer started his own label, Liquid Tambourine Records, in 2010.

12/31: Straight No Chaser @ San Diego Civic Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org
This a cappella group’s rendition of “The 12 Days of Christmas” has been viewed more than 17 million times on YouTube.