Genre

Indie and Alternative in San Diego

80 shows coming up. Other sounds below.

Upcoming Shows

Tue Nov 106:30 PM
Underoathwith August Burns Red, Atreyu and As Cities BurnSOMA Midway District
Tickets
Wed Nov 117:00 PM
Adam AntThe Magnolia El Cajon
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Fri Nov 137:00 PM
The Damnedwith The CourettesHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Fri Nov 139:00 PM
Donavon FrankenreiterBelly Up Tavern Solana Beach
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Fri Nov 139:00 PM
PrayersMusic Box Little Italy
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Sat Nov 147:00 PM
The Tallest Man On Earthwith Andrea von KampenThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Sat Nov 148:00 PM
Southern Culture on the SkidsThe Casbah Middletown
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Sat Nov 149:00 PM
Donavon Frankenreiterwith The Band of HeathensBelly Up Tavern Solana Beach
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Mon Nov 168:00 PM
Kate NashMusic Box Little Italy
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Wed Nov 187:00 PM
RhyeThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Thu Nov 197:00 PM
Manic Street Preacherswith BenchesThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Fri Nov 207:00 PM
Three Days Gracewith I Prevail and The Funeral PortraitViejas Arena SDSU
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Fri Nov 207:00 PM
Of Mice & MenHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Sat Nov 216:00 PM
Senses Failwith Koyo and InitiateThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Sat Nov 218:00 PM
Houndmouthwith DogparkThe Sound Del Mar
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Sat Nov 219:00 PM
Son Voltwith Kelly WillisMusic Box Little Italy
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Sun Nov 227:00 PM
Andrew McMahonwith Ivory LayneBelly Up Tavern Solana Beach
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Sun Nov 227:00 PM
The Wreckswith Worry Club and Kid SistrMusic Box Little Italy
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Mon Nov 236:00 PM
Bodysnatcherwith Gideon, Psycho-Frame and Volatile WaysHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Wed Nov 256:00 PM
Fear Factorywith Darkest Hour and BrotalityHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
Tickets
Sat Nov 287:00 PM
Saosinwith Silent Planet, Like Moths to Flames and SAVE USSOMA Midway District
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Sat Nov 287:00 PM
Agent OrangeThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Sun Nov 297:30 PM
The Blind Boys of Alabamawith Shemekia CopelandBelly Up Tavern Solana Beach
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Tue Dec 17:30 PM
Mannheim Steamroller Christmaswith Chip DavisCalifornia Center for the Arts, Escondido Escondido
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Tue Dec 18:00 PM
The ResidentsBelly Up Tavern Solana Beach
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Thu Dec 38:30 PM
Drag the RiverThe Casbah Middletown
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Fri Dec 46:30 PM
Spike and the Gimme Gimmeswith Riverboat GamblersThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Fri Dec 47:00 PM
Bleeding Throughwith Eighteen VisionsSOMA Midway District
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Fri Dec 48:00 PM
Tuan Hung Nguyenwith Nhu QuynhHarrah's Resort Southern California Events Center Valley Center
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Sun Dec 67:00 PM
The Pineapple ThiefThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Sun Dec 68:00 PM
Des Rocswith Goodbye JuneSOMA Midway District
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Tue Dec 88:00 PM
Young The GiantThe Sound Del Mar
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Fri Dec 118:00 PM
InterpolSOMA Midway District
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Fri Dec 118:30 PM
SwervedriverThe Casbah Middletown
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Fri Dec 186:30 PM
The Vandalswith Bad Cop Bad CopThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Fri Dec 187:00 PM
Pokey LaFargeMuseum of Making Music Carlsbad
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Thu Dec 318:00 PM
Dubbestwith Tribal SeedsThe Sound Del Mar
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Sat Jan 26:00 PM
Totally Tubular Festivalwith A Flock of SeagullsNewPala Events Center Pala
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42 shows from January 10 onShow fewer

Sun Jan 104:00 PM
The Loved OnesThe Casbah Middletown
Tickets
Sun Jan 107:00 PM
Black Flagwith The DickiesNewHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Fri Jan 158:00 PM
Greensky Bluegrasswith MagooNewThe Sound Del Mar
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Sun Jan 178:00 PM
Pepperwith Bumpin UgliesNewThe Sound Del Mar
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Fri Jan 227:00 PM
Missing Personswith Gene Loves JezebelNewHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Fri Jan 228:00 PM
Portugal. The Manwith Anthony GreenNewThe Sound Del Mar
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Tue Jan 268:00 PM
Five For FightingBelly Up Tavern Solana Beach
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Thu Jan 287:00 PM
IbeyiThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Thu Jan 288:00 PM
Five For FightingBelly Up Tavern Solana Beach
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Fri Jan 298:00 PM
Ballyhoo!with Chad Tepper and Keep FlyingNewMusic Box Little Italy
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Thu Feb 47:00 PM
Death from Above 1979The Observatory North Park North Park
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Sun Feb 77:00 PM
Dropkick Murphyswith Spiritual Cramp and Home FrontThe Sound Del Mar
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Wed Feb 107:30 PM
The SheepdogsThe Casbah Middletown
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Thu Feb 118:00 PM
Blue OctoberHarrah's Resort Southern California Events Center Valley Center
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Fri Feb 126:00 PM
The Bouncing Soulswith The Suicide MachinesThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Sat Feb 137:00 PM
Save FerrisNewHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Sun Feb 218:00 PM
Bad SunsHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Mon Mar 18:00 PM
Sylvan EssoThe Sound Del Mar
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Tue Mar 28:00 PM
The LemonheadsThe Casbah Middletown
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Fri Mar 57:00 PM
Chelsea Cutlerwith googly eyesThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Sat Mar 67:30 PM
Stanley Clarkewith HiromiBalboa Theatre Gaslamp Quarter
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Sun Mar 77:00 PM
As I Lay DyingThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Thu Mar 118:00 PM
G. Love & Special SauceBelly Up Tavern Solana Beach
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Fri Mar 127:00 PM
CHVRCHESThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Fri Mar 197:00 PM
Twin TempleThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Fri Mar 197:00 PM
VNV NationHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Thu Mar 256:30 PM
Frank Turnerwith The Sleeping Souls, Skinny Lister and Beans on ToastHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Wed Apr 76:00 PM
Four Year Strongwith Drug Church, Heart Attack Man and SunblocHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Thu Apr 226:30 PM
Iron Maidenwith Bullet For My Valentine and The Raven AgeNorth Island Credit Union Amphitheatre Chula Vista
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Sat Apr 249:00 PM
LSDREAMwith Kill The NoiseArtist presale Wed, Nov 11 at 10:00 AMNewThe Sound Del Mar
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Sat May 16:00 PM
The InterruptersSOMA Midway District
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Sat May 16:30 PM
Queens Of The Stone Agewith Pixies and Wheelchair Sports CampViejas Arena SDSU
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Wed May 57:30 PM
Silversun Pickupswith Hannah ColeArtist presale Wed, Nov 11 at 10:00 AMNewThe Sound Del Mar
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Fri May 77:00 PM
cleopatrickHouse of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Thu May 136:00 PM
Metallicawith Limp Bizkit and AvatarSnapdragon Stadium Mission Valley
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Fri May 217:00 PM
DIIVwith She's GreenNewThe Observatory North Park North Park
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Fri May 217:00 PM
Powerman 5000House of Blues San Diego Downtown
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Mon May 247:30 PM
Two Door Cinema Clubwith Friendly FiresThe Sound Del Mar
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Sat Jun 57:30 PM
The Airborne Toxic EventHumphreys Concerts by the Bay Shelter Island
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Sat Jun 58:00 PM
Ocean AlleySOMA Midway District
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Tue Jun 88:00 PM
A Perfect Circlewith The CultNorth Island Credit Union Amphitheatre Chula Vista
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Tue Aug 175:30 PM
Fall Out Boywith The Offspring, Good Charlotte and The Story So FarArtist presale Wed, Nov 11 at 10:00 AMNewPetco Park East Village
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In the early 1990s, music writers kept calling San Diego "the next Seattle." Rocket from the Crypt was the band they usually pointed to, and Drive Like Jehu, also founded by John Reis, came up right beside it. Both signed to Interscope. The hype faded, but the clubs that grew up with those bands stayed.

The Casbah is the anchor. It opened in 1989 on Kettner Boulevard, booked Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins in its early years, and moved to a bigger room down the street in 1994. The city has marked January 12 as Casbah Day. Its sister club, Soda Bar, holds about 230 people on El Cajon Boulevard and has been run by Casbah owner Tim Mays and partners since 2018.

Bigger Rooms and North County

Music Box is a three level club on India Street in Little Italy that opened in 2015 and holds around 700. The Observatory North Park on University Avenue and House of Blues downtown take the larger indie tours. Up the coast, the Belly Up Tavern and The Sound give North County its own dates, so check both before you drive south for a band.

Age limits vary in the small clubs. Read the ticket before you bring a friend who is under 21, and get there in time for the openers, which are often local bands worth knowing.