
Ska/reggae band Ease Up hosts a CD release show for its second EP, “If You Only Knew,” at the 710 Beach Club on March 23. Perhaps uniquely for a reggae band, Ease Up’s tunes are sung in both English and Spanish. A cut above the average beachfront reggae combo, its Ease Up’s up-tempo, ska-flavored originals that generate the most attention, providing plenty of opportunity for dance floor action. No matter the language, with reggae it’s the groove that counts and Ease Up delivers. Ease Up: Tuesday, March 23, 9 p.m. at the 710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave. 21 and up. Cover TBD. http://www.myspace.com/easeup Without a doubt, Rockola is one of the best classic rock cover bands in the U.S. today, but it’s when it stages one of its special theme shows that the band truly shines. On March 27, the band will perform its annual birthday tribute to George Harrison at Tango Del Rey with near note-perfect renditions of songs from throughout the late Beatles’ entire career. While there will be plenty of solo hits, such as “What Is Life?” and “Got My Mind Set On You,” in the set list, the biggest cheers this night will likely be for the evergreen tunes Harrison penned while still with the Fab Four, particularly 1969’s “Something.” Tribute to George Harrison: Saturday, March 27, 8 p.m. at Tango Del Rey, 3567 Del Rey St. All ages. $20. www.myspace.com/rockola.com Punk and bluegrass might sound like an odd combination of genres to mix, but throw in “roots music” and you have Pushin’ Rope, which performs at the Tiki House on March 27. With song titles like “Hell Bound Man” and “Ditch Diggers,” as well as a rough around the edges’ vibe, Pushin’ Rope sounds like a transplanted group from some roadhouse in the deep South. Acoustic based, complete with banjo, stand-up bass and fiddle, the quintet mines a whiskey-soaked vein of Americana that’s both dark edged and compelling. Pushin’ Rope: Saturday, March 27, 9 p.m. at the Tiki House, 1152 Garnet Ave. Cover TBD. 21 and up. http://www.myspace.com/ipushrope There’s not much live country music in San Diego, but that’s not to say there aren’t talented musicians here. Case in point is Off the Wagon, which performs at Tio Leo’s on March 27. The six-piece band cites Merle Haggard and Bob Wills as influences and, indeed, this is classic country topped with pedal steel guitar and close harmonies. The band does include a few, crying in your beer-type tunes in its repertoire, but the majority of the tunes fall squarely in the country swing field, making this band a favorite with listeners and dancers alike. Off the Wagon: Saturday, March 27, 9 p.m. at Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St. 21 and up. Cover TBD. www.myspace.com/offthewagonmusic Although 1970s British punk band The Stranglers never scored a hit in the U.S., as one of the key bands of the era, music fans continue to be drawn to its music. A version of the Stranglers still tours today, but original front man Hugh Cornell, who appears at Brick by Brick on March 28, made his exit in 1990 after 16 years and most of the hits. Currently touring behind his 16th solo album, “Hooverdam,” Cornell isn’t shy about his past — recent shows have included complete airings of The Stranglers’ 1977 classic “Rattus Norvegicus,” neatly contrasting Cornell’s musical growth over the past 33 years. Hugh Cornwell: Sunday, March 28, 8:30 p.m. at Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave. 21 and up. $10. www.myspace.com/hughcornwell