While TV Girl is a pop band at heart, its music is a bit harder to pinpoint. The group takes the last 40 years of music and pop culture and puts it in a blender, in the process creating a seemingly endless stream of catchy tunes that any fan of melody in rock needs to hear. Appearing at The Griffin on Sept. 28, its biggest influence to date seems to be Todd Rundgren, with interesting vintage-sound samples mixed throughout the repertoire. But this is music that stands on its own and will replay in your head for days after hearing. • TV Girl performs at 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 28 at The Griffin, 1310 Morena Blvd. 21 and up. $12. www.thegriffinsd.com Anyone wanting to dance to the rock ’n’ roll hits of the 1970s and 1980s will want to check out Rockandy, appearing at Tio Leo’s on Sept. 29. With both female and male lead vocals, the five-piece group is able to cover a lot of ground stylistically. The band is versatile, able to play funk like classic “Boogie Oogie Oogie,” as well as the rock song “Sweet Child of Mine.” Rockandy’s music is perfect for a Saturday night of dancing and singing along. You won’t hear any unfamiliar tunes in the set list. This is comfort food for the ears. • Rockandy performs at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29 at Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St. 21 and up. Cover TBD. www.tioleos.com Electronic industrial rockers My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult (MLWTTKK) return to Brick by Brick on Friday, Oct. 5. Though very much a cult band since its 1987 Chicago founding, MLWTTKK’s music has appeared in projects as diverse as the Flintstones movie and TV’s “CSI: N.Y.” Currently a quintet, the band has had an ever-shifting lineup since its inception, but has remained true to its musical vision with songs that rock, but also which often have a dance element running through them. Anyone looking for modern-edge dance music or rock with an insistent beat will enjoy every second of this show. • My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult performs at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5 at Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave. 21 and up. $15. www.brickbybrick.com One of the finest musicians in San Diego, jazz guitarist Peter Sprague appears at Tango Del Rey on Saturday, Oct. 6. Sprague will perform with an all-star group that includes harmonica virtuoso Joe Powers, bassist Gunnar Biggs, drummer Duncan Moore and special-guest guitarist Yosuke Onuma. Though relatively unknown in the U.S., Onuma is a major jazz figure in Japan, recording for Sony and inspiring a generation of players. This will be Onuma’s first appearance in California, so aficionados of fretwork prowess won’t want to miss a second. • The Peter Sprague Group performs at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 at Tango Del Rey, 3567 Del Rey St. All ages. $15. www.tangodelrey.com Some might think 1920s-style hot jazz (or gypsy swing) might be a little too old-fashioned for modern ears, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Though the sound is quite different from modern jazz, its energy, virtuoso musicianship and incredible catalog of great songs makes it an appealing, joyous sound. None play it better locally that The Zzymzzy Quartet, which appears at the Pacific Beach/Taylor Branch Library on Wednesday, Oct. 10. Though some of the music it plays is approaching 100 years old, this combo’s terrific playing confirms that great music is truly timeless. • The Zzymzzy Quartet performs at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at Pacific Beach/Taylor Branch Library, 4275 Cass St. All ages. No cost. www.pblibraryfriends.org/concert.htm
