Anyone looking for a relaxing Halloween evening might want to check out Gabriela Aparicio, performing at Waterbar on Oct. 31. Singing in both English and Spanish, Aparicio excels at her chosen cover tunes, but the magic is in her originals. Her latest album, “La Bella Vita,” is full of radio-friendly tunes, such as “Captivate Me,” mixing Latin rhythms with pop songcraft, with the resulting tunes sounding like lost classics. It’s even better live where her interaction with musicians such as percussionist Kimo Shim can be a lot of fun. No costumes here this Halloween night, but the music promises to be enough of a treat for area music lovers. Gabriela Aparicio: Thursday, Oct. 31 at the Waterbar, 4325 Ocean Blvd. 5 p.m. All ages. No cover. waterbarsd.com. On Oct. 19, Dizzy’s will hold a celebration of John Lennon’s birthday, featuring a performance from The Benedetti Ensemble. Featuring guitar virtuoso Fred Benedetti, with vocalists Regina Moomjean and Julia Picone, multi-instrumentalist/bassist Jeff Pekarek, and percussionist James Morton, the music played will include selections from Lennon’s solo career as well as The Beatles, from “In My Life” to “Imagine.” Beyond the birthdate, the event is well-timed, with the re-release of The Beatles “Abbey Road” album currently at No. 3 on the charts, clearly showing that the world’s love for the Fab Four continues unabated 50 years after their split. The Benedetti Ensemble celebrates John Lennon: Saturday, Oct. 19 at Dizzy’s at Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd. 8 p.m. $20. dizzysjazz.com. Tio Leo’s second powerpop event, Big Stir Night, takes place on Oct. 20. An early evening show, with music from 5–8 p.m., performers include Oklahoma-based The Lunar Laugh, Los Angeles quintet The Armoires and local favorite Scott Samuels. Particularly good are The Lunar Laugh, playing ultra-melodic, classic-sounding pop, reminiscent of bands such as Jellyfish, Teenage Fanclub, and Crowded House. Their songs such as, “Apollo” feature equal parts melody, harmonies, and jangly guitar, with tunes that are the very definition of an “earworm.” Big Stir Night: Sunday, Oct. 20 at Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St. 5 p.m. 21 and up. $10. tioleos.com. Guitar virtuoso Greg Vaughan returns with his band Danyavaad for a reunion show on Oct. 20 at Tango Del Rey. The acclaimed guitarist recently lost his eyesight and is now returning to live music full time, reuniting his middle-eastern themed/gypsy rock quartet, alongside belly dance duo, The Shimmy Sisters in a special show. For fans of adventurous music, this is a feast for the senses, with Vaughn’s kaleidoscope of influences making this performance appealing to listeners of jazz, world music, and prog rock. Danyavaad and The Shimmy Sisters: Sunday, Oct. 20 at Tango Del Rey, 3567 Del Rey St. Free. 6 p.m. All ages. $20. tangodelrey.com. British punk band Subhumans performs at SOMA on Oct. 23. The quartet started out in 1980, with the same onstage lineup since 1983 and indeed, as their new album, “Crisis Point,” shows, the song remains much the same. Thankfully for fans, time has not mellowed Subhumans. Anyone who has ever enjoyed the band’s manic tunes will find Subhumans to be an adrenaline-charged time warp back to the early days of punk rock.
Subhumans: Wednesday, Oct. 23 at SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd. 7 p.m. All ages. $17.50. somasandiego.com. With a catalog of hits such as “Joy To The World,” “Shambala” and “One,” it’s easy to see how Three Dog Night was one of the biggest bands in the world during the 1970s. Performing at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay on Oct. 25, the band still includes original members in singer Danny Hutton and guitarist Mike Allsup, for a show that’s a veritable greatest hits album played live. While the show is definitely a nostalgia fest, it will also be a wonderful sing-a-long to some of the best-known songs of the 20th century.
Three Dog Night: Friday, Oct. 25, at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. 7 p.m. $59. humphreysconcerts.com.
