A stacked menu of some of the best music and live performances this month has to offer
Logan Broyles | Downtown News
Prince @ Hard Rock Hotel, May 3-4: Three-and-a-half decades into his career and the legendary performer is still going strong. The musical icon Prince returns to town for the first time in years to play four rare, intimate shows before sold-out crowds in the Legends Ballroom of the Hard Rock Hotel in Downtown. There will be two shows a night, one at 7:30 and one at 10:30 p.m., with Prince’s new all-female backup band 3RDEYEGIRL performing, as well. The 1,000-person ballroom will be the second smallest venue Prince has ever played in San Diego, the first being his after-show at the now extinct Cane’s in Mission Beach years ago. Prince is still churning out new music, having released thirteen albums just since the turn of the century. But fans lucky enough to have tickets can still expect to hear a good dose of all the classics, like “Purple Rain,” “I Wanna Be Your Lover,” and “When Doves Cry.”
Built to Spill @ Casbah, May 5-6: The Boise, Idaho-based Indie rockers seem to make a living playing sold-out shows at the Casbah, and they’re back for more with this two night appearance. Expect to hear a wide range of songs from their seven albums, with plenty of soul, acoustics, and a jam-band style that pulls the audience in.
Mindless Self Indulgence @ House of Blues, May 5: Their website bills them as New York’s first ever ‘industrial, jungle, rock, punk, techno freaks,’ and that may be the most accurate description one can give of this hardcore punk band that has an affinity for powerful guitar riffs and an in-your-face lead singer that isn’t afraid to push his larynx to its limits.
Pepper @ Belly Up Tavern, May 10: Some of the originators of surf-reggae and good friends with local legends Slightly Stoopid. Pepper will likely be playing before a sold-out crowd at North County’s legendary venue by the sea.
Devin the Dude @ Porter’s Pub, May 16: The smooth-voiced lyricist and Houston-based rapper brings his hilarious and stylish beats to Porter’s Pub off Gilman Drive in La Jolla. A definite must for all rap and hip-hop fans.
Hills Like Elephants @ The Griffin, May 21: The SDMA Best New Artist winners of 2012 will be burning up the Griffin off Morena Blvd. with plenty of keyboards, synths, and a whole lotta’ funk.
Cold War Kids @ Belly Up Tavern, May 25: The Long Beach indie rockers just released their third album Dear Miss Lonelyhearts last month and so far they have received nothing but praise. Their hit single, “Hang Me Up to Dry” from their 2007 album Robbers & Cowards may be their best work and is worth a listen.
American Idiot the Musical @ Civic Theatre, May 28 – June 2: Nearly a decade after the hit album’s release in 2004, the Green Day classic American Idiot has been turned into a hit musical that’s making its way to the Civic Theatre.
Tame Impala @ House of Blues, May 31: Hailing all the way from Perth, Australia, these psychedelic rockers sound like a modern day version of the Beatles with their smooth vocals, unique sounds, and great storytelling. The show is already sold out but they’re well worth looking up online. The group got their first big break with the release of their album, Innerspeaker, and just made the trek back home from their first appearance at Coachella to play some shows in Australia before returning here at the end of the month.
Imagine Dragons @ SDSU Open Air Theatre, June 1: Rounding out the end of the month will be Imagine Dragons playing the first show of the summer season at San Diego State’s Open Air Theatre with Nico Vega and X Ambassadors. Expect their performance to be as contagious as their hit song “Radioactive,” which has been all over local radio stations for months now.
Contributing writer Logan Broyles is the former managing editor of Pacific San Diego Magazine and editor-in-chief of Construction Digital magazine. He likes to write about music and news, and can be reached at [email protected].
