Annual holiday show to feature Queens of the Stone Age

Logan Broyles | Noticias del Centro

Dating back to the 1980s, legendary local alternative radio station 91X has been putting on an annual holiday show to help ring in the season. The tradition began with Acoustic Christmas, then evolved into Frosty the Showman, Nightmare Before Xmas, and now it’s current incarnation, Wrex the Halls.

After last year’s show—with headlining acts The Killers, Passion Pit, Tegan and Sara, and Youngblood Hawke—expectations were at an all-time high when this year’s lineup was announced.

“We try our best to put together a lineup of bands that 91X listeners would want to see live,” said Christy Taylor, the radio station’s program director. “There’s always pressure, 91X has set the bar really high with our shows.”

It’s safe to say Taylor has lived up to those expectations.

This year’s rendition of Wrex the Halls, being held at the Valley View Casino Center in Point Loma on Dec. 8, aims to build on that tradition with some of the biggest bands in the music industry today.

It’s hard to beat a night that features performances by Vampire Weekend, Cage the Elephant, Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stone Age, The Silent Comedy, Alt-J, and J Roddy Walston & the Business.

“This show was strategically built to be made up of bands that can draw crowds on their own,” Taylor said. “Plus Queens of the Stone Age haven’t played in San Diego in over five years so we knew having them on the lineup would be huge!”

This will be Taylor’s second year in a row running the booking for the station’s signature holiday show and she successfully followed up a stellar lineup from last year with yet another great collection of big name acts that are sure to deliver.

“The main goal was to keep the lineup cohesive,” she said. “This year’s show is filled with bands that are really big draws on their own, plus many of the bands on this year’s bill have been playing the festival circuit this year.”

Valley View Casino Center—the Wrex the Halls venue formerly known as the San Diego Sports Arena—boasts the largest indoor capacity in San Diego.

“This is the third year in a row it has completely sold out,” Taylor said. “Get there early, you won’t want to miss a minute of this show.”

While this year’s Wrex the Halls is currently sold out, there are still plenty of chances for listeners to see some great live music.

For those unable to attend the Dec. 8 show, 91X will also be producing Holiday Bonus Show at the same venue on Dec. 6 and tickets are still available. Headlining that show will be indie pop band Fitz & The Tantrums, with other performances by The Airborne Toxic Event, CHVRCHES, and The Royal Concept.

Those who wish to win tickets to Wrex the Halls should tune in to 91X or visit the Free Stuff Page on their website.

Valley View Casino Center is located at 3500 Sports Arena Blvd. in Point Loma. For more information and a chance to win tickets go to 91X.com

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].