Every great music scene has at least one local record label of note, and in San Diego, nobody is pushing harder than The Redwoods. On Sept. 27, three of the imprint’s best will appear at the 710 Beach Club in a special show for NBC-TV’s “Sound Diego” program. Wonderfully showcasing the label’s diversity, on hand will be spectral folk band, The Midnight Pine, indie rocker Birdy Bardot, and soul combo Rebecca Jade and the Cold Fact.
The unifying element in Redwoods’ music is the sheer quality; great songs, production and playing adding up to albums that are worth repeated listens and deserving of radio play. These artists are currently primarily known to locals, but on the strength of their releases, that likely won’t be the case for long.
The Redwoods Revue: Friday, Sept. 27 at 710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave. 9 p.m. 21 and up. No cover. 710bc.com. Female hard-rock quartet The Iron Maidens appear at Brick by Brick on Sept. 21. Dedicated to the music of hard rock heroes, Iron Maiden, the band excels at playing their namesake bands best-known songs with bombastic energy and plenty of heavy guitar. While there are plenty of tribute bands out there, The Iron Maidens are a rarity in that they have built their own following, releasing a series of well-received recordings in the process. If you like your music played hard, fast and loud, The Iron Maidens will fit the bill perfectly.
The Iron Maidens: Saturday, Sept. 21 at Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave. 7:30 p.m. 21 and up. $20. brickbybrick.com. Legendary trumpeter Herb Alpert and his wife, Lani Hall, stop in at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay on Sept. 22. Touring in support of his brand new album, “Over the Rainbow,” in addition to the new cuts, Alpert will be playing a selection of music throughout his career, from a medley of his Tijuana Brass classics to his dance hits such as “Rise,” as well as newer tracks such as his version of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours.” Meanwhile, Hall, will include songs from her days in Brasil ’66. Alpert is one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, not only for his own hit recording but also those of dozens of others from The Carpenters to Janet Jackson. Music fans should not pass up this opportunity to spend time with a true music icon.
Herb Alpert & Lani Hall: Sunday, Sept. 22 at Humphrey’s Concert by the Bay, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. 8 p.m. humphreysbackstagelive.com. On Sept. 27, swing dancers will want to head to Tio Leo’s for music from zoot-suited combo, Pachuco Jose Y Los Diamantes. While dancing is not required, it will be hard not to keep your feet from tapping as you will hear plenty of irresistible vintage Latin rhythms, including horn-driven rumbas, mambos, cumbia, Pachuco boogie, swing, and rockabilly. With the band’s outfits and classic tunes on point, a set from Pachuco Jose is a time warp, taking you back to the days of vital, vibrant post big band music.
Pachuco Jose Y Los Diamantes: Friday, Sept. 27 at Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St. 9 p.m. 21 and up. $20. tioleos.com. As anyone who has come across his playing at street fairs and coffee shops can attest, bluesman Robin Henkel is a gifted solo performer, with a manic stage presence and energy to spare. As impressive as that is, when he plays “with horns,” in full band mode, as he will on Sept. 27 at Dizzy’s, he manages to somehow ramp things up even more. Mixing up blues, jazz, and touches of early rock ‘n’ roll, Henkel delivers the goods with uptempo music that’s sure to get the feet tapping. If you’ve only seen Henkel in solo acoustic mode, this show will be a revelation.
Robin Henkel with Horns: Friday, Sept. 27 at Dizzy’s at Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd. 8 p.m. $20. dizzysjazz.com. If you like the music of Eric Clapton, you won’t want to miss tribute band, Clapton Hook at Humphrey’s Backstage Live on Sept. 25. Led by guitarist Dan Litwin, the band does a great job of playing songs from Clapton’s six-decade-long career, including songs from Cream, Derek and the Dominoes and solo tracks. It’s an impressive mix of tunes, including such evergreens as “White Room,” “Lay Down Sally” and “I Shot The Sheriff,” making this show a wonderful trip down rock’s memory lane for fans of either classic tunes or great guitar playing. Clapton Hook: Wednesday, Sept. 25, at Humphrey’s Backstage Live, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. 8 p.m. $5. humphreysbackstagelive.com.