10 Year Anniversary Weekend

Old Man Wizard

Specializing in metallic prog perfect for a smoked-out fog, Old Man Wizard was founded in late 2011 by singer/guitarist Kris Calabio and bassist/guitarist/violinist/singer Andre Beller (both of Platypus Egg), along with drummer/keyboardist/singer Francis Roberts (Dread Crew of Oddwood). Among the influences they cite are Queen, King Diamond, Rainbow, Jethro Tull, and Opeth. Their retro-Euro vibe was evident from the start, with a debut full-length, Unfavorable, released in a limited edition 12-inch version, pressed on clear vinyl with black haze and featuring a poster insert and clear poly sleeve. Their most recent album, Blame It All On Sorcery, is currently being promoted with a music video streaming online for “Innocent Hands,” with the band performing the raucous track outdoors in an open wooded thicket right out of The Wicker Man.

Their must-see video, however, is for the track “The Bearded Fool,” a Game of Thrones-ish barbarian tale complete with hand painted cartoon sets. The bill includes Witch Ripper, Forming the Void, and Mezzoa.

10 Year Anniversary Weekend

Opened ten years ago by Adam Cook and Cuong Nguyen, City Heights club Soda Bar hosts local and touring musicians several nights a week. In January 2018, the venue’s ownership transferred to Big Soda LLC, operated by Casbah owner Tim Mays, bar manager Angie Ollman, and musicians Cory Stier (booking agent for the venue) and Andrew Montoya. With such savvy local music mavens running the locale, it quickly rivalled both the Casbah and Belly Up in the quality of acts being booked (no surprise, since the same folks book many shows at all three venues). The 10 Year Anniversary celebration takes place over two days, with Friday’s lineup to include male-female duo Cults (with Ryan Mattos, AKA Brian Oblivion, who once fronted a Slayer cover band, and Madeline Follin, whose stepfather co-founded White Zombie), Weatherbox (coming off a hiatus with new recordings taped live in studio for Half Way Home earlier this year, including “A Band Astride Clouds”), Positioner, and DJ Alejandra Frank. Saturday features another set by CULTS, Jacob Turnbloom (Mrs. Magician and First Wave Hello guitarist with a new solo album), Beating (formerly known as Beaters), and DJ Nathan Aguilar.

Dia De Los Deftones

Grammy Award-winning alternative-metal band Deftones will headline the self-titled festival, hosting a wide-ranging lineup that includes Chvrches, Gojira, JPEGMAFIA, Hum, Youth Code, and Brutus. Formed in Sacramento, Deftones have been crossing Judas Priest with Los Lobos for over thirty years now, honing their festival-friendly stage act over thousands of outdoor performances that have earned them a Deadhead-sized following of devotees. Though their last studio album came out in 2016, bandleader Chino Moreno has hinted that new material is on the horizon, said to be “considerably heavier” than their previous release. Glasgow, Scotland’s Chvrches just dropped a new original song, “Death Stranding,” from an album based on the video game Death Stranding: Timefall. Gojira is a French death metal band with a tendency toward ecological themes in their lyrics, JPEGMAFIA is a punk-infused rapper, Hum is an alternative rock band from Champaign, Illinois best known for their 1995 hit “Stars,” Youth Code is an L.A. EBM duo, and Brutus is a Sabbath-inspired Belgian trio fronted by powerful singer-drummer Stefanie Mannaerts.

Glory

Seventies hard rockers Glory included Iron Butterfly rhythm section Greg Willis and Jack Pinney and future Beat Farmer Jerry Raney, as well as guitarist/keyboardist Jack Butler, and singer Mike Millsap. They appeared regularly at Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park, opened locally for Steely Dan and ZZ Top, and were reportedly the first local band to play both the Belly Up Tavern and San Diego Stadium. Raney had come from the band Thee Dark Ages, while Greg Willis and Jack Pinney had played with the Palace Pages, later known as Iron Butterfly. Both Raney and Mike Millsap had previously been members of Blues Messenger, and Raney had played with Pinney in the Roosters. Glory split in 1978, with some members regrouping as Jerry Raney & the Shames (with Raney, Jack Pinney, and Greg Willis). This Glory reunion gig will feature Jack Pinney, Jack Butler, and Jerry Raney. “We may be able to get Mike Millsap to come and sing a couple,” says Raney. “It’s hard to get him out. He was our lead singer in the early days. I’m hoping to have Preacher Patterson on bongos and percussion.” The all-local bill includes several more acts with histories that span decades, including the Blitz Brothers, the Farmers (remnants of the Beat Farmers), and the Bayou Brothers.

Matt and Kim

Brooklyn, NYC electronic duo Matt and Kim -- Matt Johnson (vocals/keyboards) and Kim Schifino (drums) -- are on their Grand 10 Year Celebration Tour. It can be noted that they began as somewhat of a novelty act, utilizing blatantly swiped samples to stage indie shows at obscure venues, on street corners, and at parties where they honed an act somewhere between Ra Ra Riot and Weird Al Yankovic. They didn’t even seem to take themselves that seriously until their 2009 album Grand unexpectedly spawned a hit single, “Daylight,” and an award-winning video for “Lessons Learned.” Their last studio album, Almost Everyday, came out back in May 2018, but you may have heard new Matt and Kim music recently such as “Come Together Now,” from The LEGO Movie 2. The relatively new singles “Go Go” and “Money” are said to preview an upcoming release.