The annual Pacific Beach Summer Concerts series wraps up on Aug. 12 with a performance from Christopher Dale & The Rabbit Hole.
Dale is a charming performer, adept at both guitar and ukulele, with an impressive roster of songs in his repertoire, with recast versions of everyone from Ozzy Osbourne to Sting. However what truly makes Dale a standout are his terrific originals, all instant sing-a-longs, such as his new single “Boat Club.” His five albums to date are all worth hearing, but you’ll want to catch Dale live where his engaging stage presence really shines through.
Christopher Dale & The Rabbit Hole: Sunday, Aug. 12 at Pacific Beach Summer Concerts, 5115 Soledad Road. 4 p.m. All ages. No cover. pbtowncouncil.org. The building at 3105 Oceanfront Walk has done business under many names during the years, but the wonderful view remains the same. Located across the boardwalk from the Mission Beach, and now called Cannonball, the venue is hosting live music throughout the summer, such as soulful singer K. Emeline on Aug. 16. Accompanied for this gig by guitarist Stefan Hillesheim, Emeline provides a nice soundtrack to Cannonball’s dining and drinking options with a set list that includes modern tunes from the likes of Elle King’s “Ex’s and Oh’s” as well as classics such as Prince hit, “Kiss.”
K. Emeline: Thursday, Aug. 16, at Cannonball. 3105 Ocean Front Walk. 5 p.m. 21 and up. cannonballsd.com. Jazz fans won’t want to miss legendary guitarist Lee Ritenour’s two performances at Humphrey’s Backstage Live on Aug. 17. Ritenour is best known for a string of classic solo albums starting in 1976 with “First Course” and including his most recent disc, “A Twist of Rit.”
He will be in jazz mode for these shows, however it should be noted that his guitar work can also be heard on a number of big hits by others, including The Brothers Johnson R&B favorite “Strawberry Letter #23” (1977) and Pink Floyd’s immortal “Comfortably Numb (1979).”
Lee Ritenour: Friday, Aug. 17 at Humphrey’s Backstage Live, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. humphreysbackstagelive.com. With their mix of rock, acid jazz, reggae, Latin funk and soul, it’s easy to see why Psydecar has long been one of San Diego’s favorite party bands. Appearing aboard the Bahia Belle Mission Bay Cruise, the band’s horn-driven brand of dance music is infectious, with original songs that sound like genre favorites. Led by singer Tim Pacheco, the band is all about groove and rhythm, with the splash of reggae in their sound perfect for dancing or as a soundtrack for cruising around Mission Bay.
Psydecar: Friday, Aug. 17, at the Bahia Resort, 998 West Mission Bay Drive. 9:30 p.m. 21 and up. $10. bahiabelle.com. Rock-a-billy and its musical offshoots continues to be amongst the most popular music in clubs today. On Aug. 18, Tio Leo’s will host an excellent double bill featuring San Diego’s The Sleepwalkers and Orange County-based, Abby Girl & The Real Deal. Led by singer Abby Maharaj, the latter is blessed with an impressive voice, which echoes Patsy Cline. Meanwhile the band has a vintage sound that will also appeal to fans of early country music or rock ‘n’ roll. Perfect for swing dancing, Abby Girl & The Real Deal’s beat will have the crowd jumping from the first note.
Abby Girl & The Real Deal: Saturday, Aug. 18 at Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St. 8 p.m. 21 and up. tioleos.com. On Aug. 19, Dizzy’s will be the site of a CD release concert for Joe Garrison and Night People’s new album, “The Broken Jar.” Garrison has had an impressive career in music that kicked off in 1964 with his first band, garage rockers, The Id. Now a lynchpin of the area’s jazz community, Garrison will be joined for this show by all-star band that includes Lori Bell (flute/alto flute), Robert Zelickman (clarinet/bass), Jane Zwerneman (French horn), Brian O’Donnell (bass trombone), Melonie Grinnell (piano) and Mackenzie Leighton (bass), with Garrison as composer/conductor. Joe Garrison and Night People: Sunday, Aug. 19, at Dizzy’s at Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd. 7 p.m. dizzysjazz.com.
