Top concerts this week in San Diego (May 21-27)

May 21, 2018 6 AM PT

Top performers coming to San Diego this week and Memorial Day Weekend are Benny Benassi, Sofi Tukker, RL Grime at My LED USA and The Head and the Heart.

5.22: Godspeed You! Black Emperor

While they took a hiatus between 2003 and 2010, this Canadian experimental collective released their sixth studio album, Luciferian Towers, last September.

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com

5.22: The Head and the Heart

The Seattle-based folk-pop sextet released their third album, Signs of Light, last September. After releasing two albums with Sup Pop Records, the band’s recent 13-song collection was released by Warner Bros.

@ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, as.sdsu.edu/calcoast

5.23: James Hunter Six

English soul singer James Hunter has released a slew of records on his own, and also with Howlin’ Wilf & The Vee-Jays. He’s performed as the James Hunter Six for more than five years now and just released the band’s third album, Whatever It Takes, on Daptone Records in February.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com

5.24: Rufus Wainwright

The erudite composer and piano man hasn’t released an album since 2016’s Take All My Loves – 9 Shakespeare Sonnets, but he did drop a perfectly droll cover of Stevie Wonder’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered last year.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com

5.24: Phantogram / Tycho

New York dream-pop duo Phantogram joins forces with NorCal chillwave composer Tycho for a bi-coastal double dip of electro goodness.

@ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, as.sdsu.edu/calcoast

5.24: Billy Idol

It’s weird to think that Bill Gates, Bill Nye and Billy Idol are all the same age. But the blondest and most rock and roll of that triple Bill continues to fist-pump, snarl and cry for “More, more, more!” night after night. How? He stays in shape with all that dancing by himself.

@ Harrah’s, harrahssocal.com

5.25: George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic

The captain of Parliament Funkadelic’s spaceship was just here in March for a solo excursion. It went so well that he’s returning just two months later with the pioneering Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted collective that he founded and has led since 1968.

@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com

5.25: Armin Van Buuren

Last at OMNIA in September, the veteran Dutch DJ, producer, Grammy nominee and co-founder of Armada Music has been DJ Mag’s No. 1 DJ a record five times. His latest release, the two-disc, 42-track mix, A State of Trance 2018, came out last month.

@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com

5.26: Kimbra & Son Lux

The Grammy-winning New Zealand siren released her third studio album, Primal Heart, last month. She joins forces with New York post-rock trio Son Lux, who released their fifth studio album, Brighter Wounds, in February.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com

5.25, 26: My LED USA

The kids are fast, man. Tickets for this two-night, 18+, Memorial Day weekend extravaganza featuring Galantis, RL Grime, 3LAU, Habstrakt, Hotel Garuda, ARMNHMR and more, are long sold out.

@ Valley View Casino Center, valleyviewcasinocenter.com

5.26: Stafford Brothers

The Australian-born, L.A.-based DJ siblings have already collaborated with the likes of MAKJ, Timmy Trumpet, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Rick Ross. Their January-released single, The Money (feat. Waka Flocka Flame), got its own three-track remix EP last month.

@ Parq, parqsd.com

5.27: Sofi Tukker

Riding the success of their song Best Friend, which was featured in Apple’s iPhoneX commercials last September, the New York-based EDM duo hits San Diego after releasing their debut studio album, Treehouse, last month.

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com

5.27: Benny Benassi

After releasing a handful of new singles last year, the globe-hopping Grammy-winning Italian DJ and record producer collaborated with UK singer/rapper Yxng Bane on the pair’s April-released latest single, Vroom.

@ Bassmnt, bassmntsd.com

5.27: Nipsey Hussle

After spending the last decade dropping four mixtapes, L.A. rapper Nipsey Hussle finally released his official debut album, Victory Lap, earlier this year. It features guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Puff Daddy, CeeLo Green, YG and more.

@ Fluxx, fluxxsd.com

Nipsey Hussle. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for BET)

5.27: NGHTMRE

Connecticut-born/L.A.-based producer Tyler Marenyi follows up his latest encore performance with another. After helping shut down 2017 at OMFG!’s NYE two-day extravaganza at Valley View Casino Center, the trap DJ hit S.D. again in January. He’s back once again, this time on the heels of his April-released collaboration with Dillon Francis, Another Dimension (YOOKiE Remix).

@ OMNIA, omnianightclub.com