The annual X-Fest was originally scheduled earlier in the summer, but after being postponed, it's back-to-back with FM 94/9's Independence Jam on Saturday, which is fine with me. It proves there's enough room for everyone to play and get along. X-Fest's great legacy is featuring bands who've been playing on the station for longer than some of us would like to admit with the "next big things." I'm a sucker for Silversun Pickups and Fitz & the Tantrums, but I'm sure everyone can find their favorites, too. By nightfall, you can still get around town to some awesome shows including, Metalachi, a mariachi band that plays metal covers, at the Casbah. Soda Bar will feature the amazing four shredding guitarists and a drummer called Diarrhea Planet. And the return of the Orb, an early trailblazer from the rave scene performs at Porter's Pub. Get out and get some, but remember to save energy for Saturday.
Friday, September 20:
- 91X X-Fest 2013 featuring Blink-182, the Offspring, 30 Seconds to Mars, Silversun Pickups, Jimmy Eat World, Dirty Heads, Fitz & the Tantrums, Wavves, Atlas Genius, New Politics and IAmDynamite @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre (2:30pm)
- Metalachi, Black Hondo, Cumbia Machin @ Casbah
- Diarrhea Planet, the So So Glos, yhe Frights @ Soda Bar
- Brian Warren (Weatherboxes), Heatwarmer, Meraki, Swift Intruders @ Ché Café
- Arsenal Concerts Presents the Orb, Nostalgia @ Porter's Pub UCSD
- Tori Roze & the Hot Mess, the Brothers ZMED, Tolan Shaw @ The Tin Can
- Happy Hour with Mark Hall (5 p.m.), Oceanside Sound System, Whiskey Avengers & Kingzland (9:30 p.m.) @ 710 Beach Club
- Johnny Manak & the Depressives, yhe Hip Priests, yhe Human Shields, Shark Blood @ Tower Bar
- Arise Roots, Escera, Mala Salud, Scatterbrain @ Til-Two Club
- Everything Is Terrible! Live! with the Milkcrates DJs @ Bar Pink
- Buhay Call, Digital Martyrs, Odessa Kane, Rocky R3y, Ollbata Garvinski @ The Griffin
- Liquid Blue (5 p.m.), Young Dubliners with Shake Before Us (8:30 p.m.) @ Belly Up
- White Poppy (Not Not Fun), Umberto (Disaro) @ the Void
- Sprung Monkey, Approaching Fiction, Zone of the Interior, Hazmatt @ Brick by Brick
- The Trishas, Nena Andersonand the Mules @ Queen Bee's
- Tigersex, Gloomsday, the Touchies, Jesus AD @ Ken Club
- DJs Daniel Sant & Rob Moran @ the Whistle Stop
- Colors of Latin Jazz with Jaime Valle, Allan Phillips, Tony Banda, Ramon Banda and Coral MacFarland Thuet @ Dizzy's
- Ocean Hands, Tim Connolly, Buddha Trixie, Patchwork Parachute @ Epicentre
- Effin-Palooza featuring the Brewhahas, the Bandits, the Ricks & Special Guests @ Effins Pub n' Grill
- Noise Makerz, DJ LYA @ Gallagher's
- Tech N9NE @ House of Blues
- Jerry "Hot Rod" DeMink @ House of Blues
- Cashmere Cat @ Bang Bang
- Carlsbad Music Festival (carlsbadmusicfestival.org)
- PopRx @ Humphreys Backstage Live
- Diana Krall-Glad Rag Doll World Tour @ Humphreys by the Bay
- Alaina Blair, Brian Johannessen, Kristi Krause @ Lestat's
- Mercedes Moore Band @ Marble Room
- Allison Adams Tucker Quintet @ 98 Bottles
- Black Oak Arkansas, Lynette Skynyrd, Sickstring Outlaws, Two Lane Highway @ Ramona MainStage
- Falkon Klan, deafsteadyrock, ANTHVM, BamCirca86, Anthony Jones, BVRD @ Soma
- Magic 92.5 Old School Block Party Live @ Valley View Casino Center
- Scarface @ Spin
- Polyester Express @ the Dreamcatcher
- Acorn Project with Brothers Gow @ Winstons
Rosemary Bystrak writes about the San Diego music scene, events and general musings about life in San Diego on San Diego: Dialed In. Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.