Point Loma Nazarene University will host a free, all-ages Spring Music Festival, featuring all of the Music Department’s ensembles on Friday, May 4. Among the groups taking part instrumentally will be the university orchestra, jazz band, concert band and chamber groups. Vocal groups will include the Point Loma Singers, vocal jazz ensemble, concert choir, concert chorale and Choral Union. Featuring some of San Diego’s brightest up-and-coming musicians, the concert promises to be one of the year’s highlights for fans of music other than pop. • PLNU Music Department’s Spring Music Festival: 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 4 at Point Loma Nazarene University, Crill Performance Hall, 3900 Lomaland Drive. Free. www.pointlomaoperatheatre.com All-ages venues are a rare thing in San Diego, but Ocean Beach is fortunate to have Electric Ladyland. The nightspot will feature jam-band Avradelix on Friday, May 4. The band manages to mix bits of everything from rock to reggae, progressive to ska, but its best moments are the funk-inspired jam sessions with keyboards that might have been played by 1970s-era Stevie Wonder set against Jeff Beck-sounding guitar solos. The band turns in solid covers of groups like Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, but its originals are well constructed and a lot of fun. A band well worth experiencing live. • Avradelix performs at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 4 at Electric Ladyland, 4944 Newport Ave. www.reverbnation.com/venue/electricladylandob Admittedly, tribute bands have to put a lot of work into making their music sound just right. But imagine how difficult that could be when you are dealing with an instrumental virtuoso like Carlos Santana. As one of the all-time lead-guitar greats, the man has his own difficult-to-replicate and very identifiable technique. It takes a special guitarist to pull off not just a song, but a set of Santana’s music, and Viva Santana has just that. Appearing at Humphrey’s Backstage lounge on May 5, the band is still going strong after 22 years. Featuring lead guitarist Arnie Vilches and singer Thomas Conner, who sang in a latter-day version of Blood Sweat & Tears, you can expect the band to play all the hits, including “Black Magic Woman,” “Europa” and “Smooth.” But no matter what songs the excellent seven-piece group chooses for their set, it’s Vilches who carries the day. • Viva Santana performs at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 5 at Humphrey’s Backstage Live, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. www.humphreysbackstagelive.com. Funk and soul fans, if you haven’t caught the Styletones yet, make it a priority. The next opportunity will be May 5 at Winston’s Beach Club. With horn section and keyboards, the band plays original music in the tradition of such classic R&B labels as Stax and early James Brown. Led by Stevie Harris, possibly the best frontman in the city, the band is as captivating to watch as it is to listen to. It is currently promoting its new self-titled album, which is an excellent collection. Music like this needs to be experienced live, however, preferably in a venue with a good dance floor. • The Styletones perform at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 5 at club de playa de winston, 1921 Bacon St. $7. 21 and up. Appealing to a wide fan base, Defamation League won the 2006 San Diego Music Award for “Best Hip Hop,” but also released one of 2010’s best rock songs in “No Sympathy,” the title track of the band’s third album. Appearing at Gallagher’s on Friday, May 11, the group tops a bill that also includes Shizz Dirt, Character Assassins, Crawdad and Yung Dunce. New tracks like “White Pigeon” make good use of new wave-sounding keyboards, but hip-hop fans will still find much to enjoy, with the band’s songwriting and arranging better than ever. • Defamation League performs at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 11 at de gallagher, 5046 Newport Ave. 21 and up. www.gallagherspubob.com