Kevin Smead | SDUN Reporter

Don’t have a resolution for the New Year yet? Here, I’ve got one for you: Go to more shows. To get you started, here are five of the best shows coming up during the next two weeks.

25 Years of The Casbah @ The Birch North Park Theatre
8 p.m., Thursday, January 23
$10 – 30
casbahmusic.com

Alright, so this is cheating since it isn’t exactly a show, but this will still be a great event for fans of local music. Casbah founder Tim Mays will be joined by a bunch of guests, musical and otherwise, to explore the history of arguably San Diego’s most famous venue. Did you know January 14 was proclaimed Casbah Day by the City?

Gloomsday, Pheasants, Chess Wars, Shovel @ The Tower Bar
9 p.m., Friday, January 24
$5
thetowerbar.com

I saw Gloomsday a little while back at the Ché and was very impressed. With a two-piece set up and “doom pop” sound, it’s the perfect band to see at The Tower. Couple the fact there’s a group of solid openers with the probability that this show won’t be more than a few bucks and you have yourself a great night.

Forever Came Calling, Africats @ House of Blues, San Diego
7 p.m., Friday, January 24
$12
houseofblues.com

There’s a part of me that still loves angsty pop-punk, and seeing how Title Fight got a spot playing Coachella this year, I’m apparently not alone. Forever Came Calling is not one of the bigger bands in that scene, but they’re definitely one of my favorites.

Ultra Bide`, The Steinbacks @ Til-Two Club
9 p.m., Friday, January 24
$8
tiltwoclub.com

While this is already a packed night, this is one show you might be bummed you missed. Ultra Bide` is an old-school — we’re talking late ‘70s here — alt-punk band hailing from Japan. Their sound is a familiar one, though that’s because they’re one of its pioneers. According to their latest press-release, they’re “Back into OLD SCHOOL to NEW SCHOOL to JUST PUNK ART ROCK to Blow Up your L & R Braines!” If that doesn’t sound fun, I don’t know what does.

Reggie and The Full Effect, Dads, Pimento @ Soda Bar
7:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 29
$13.50 advance / $16 day of show
sodabarmusic.com

While it’s rad that Reggie is back from an extended hiatus, I’ll be at this one seeing two-piece twinkly group Dads. Noodly guitars and songs like “If Your Song Title Has The Word ‘Beach’ In It I’m Not Listening To It” followed by “Get to the Beach!” make these guys one of my favorites from Midwest-emo revival scene.