Carnival of Soul

Concerts headed to San Diego in December include A$AP Ferg, 1975, DIIV, Snoop Dogg, Black Flag, Angel Olsen and more.

12.1: A$AP Ferg

A cornerstone of Harlem-based hip-hop collective A$AP Mob, rapper A$AP Ferg (aka Darold Ferguson Jr.) released his latest nine-track collection, Floor Seats, in August. Guest appearances on the new album include Ty Dolla $ign, MadeinTYO and Rico Nasty. Ferg also features on Big Sean’s latest single, Bezerk.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego

12.3: Angel Olsen

In San Diego last year between appearances at Coachella’s dual weekends, Olsen returns to America’s Finest City with a new album under her belt. Released in October, All Mirrors is the fourth full-length for the singer/songwriter, and is part of a two-volume collection. A stripped-down, more acoustic version of the album is expected in the coming months.

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com

12.3: The Make-Up

Hot diggity dog! After reuniting briefly for a short run of shows in 2017, the sporadically playing, Washington, D.C.-based post punk band is back on the road. The tour comes in conjunction with the reissue of the band’s classic 1999 album, Save Yourself.

@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com

12.5: The 1975

Notes on a Conditional Form, the 1975’s fourth studio album, won’t be released until February 2020, but the British pop-rock band has already released three singles from it: The 1975, People and Frail State of Mind. This 91X-sponsored show also features performances from Catfish and the Bottlemen, IDKHOW and Fashion Jackson.

@ Pechanga Arena, pechangaarenasd.com

12.5 DIIV

Last year, DIIV performed in San Diego as part of the Desert Daze Festival Caravan alongside Ariel Pink, Suuns, Nick Hakim and JJUUJJUU. Now the Zachary Cole Smith-led rock quartet returns for its own headlining show to promote its latest album, Deceiver. It’s DIIV’s first release since Smith checked himself into rehab two years ago for substance abuse.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com

12.5: Unknown Mortal Orchestra

New Zealand-born, Portland-based musician/songwriter Ruben Nielson and his psych-rock trio Unknown Mortal Orchestra released their fourth studio album, Sex & Food, in 2018. That was immediately followed by the group’s instrumental fifth album, IC-01 Hanoi, an excursion into ambient noise, freeform, and experimental jazz that was recorded in the Vietnamese capital while working on the Sex & Food sessions.

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com

12.5: Casey Donahew

The Texas country singer has lived on the Billboard charts lately, with his last four albums cracking the U.S. Country Top 10. Donahew’s most recent collection, the 15-song One Light Town, was released in July. Wyoming singer and former rodeo cowboy Chancey Williams is also on the bill.

@ Moonshine Beach, moonshinebeachsd.com

12.5: Black Flag

Not to be confused with the Keith Morris-fronted FLAG, the pioneering SoCal punks are back and founding guitarist/songwriter Greg Ginn is at the helm. These shows are the first the band has performed in over five years.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego

12.6: Lee Fields and the Expressions

Once earning the nickname “Little JB” for his undying love of James Brown (really though, who doesn’t love “the hardest-working man in show business?”), the New Jersey-based soul man and his amazing band head back to San Diego. Their latest album, It Rains Love, was released earlier this year on Big Crown Records.

@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com

12.8: Kim Petras

Despite being a month or so late, this show is for anyone looking for something a little spooky during the holiday season. The German-born, L.A.-based pop singer/songwriter released her Halloween-inspired album, Turn Off The Light, in October.

Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com

12.8: Snoop Dogg

The Doggfather heads back to this neck of the woods after a KAABOO performance in September that included a career spanning set, an in-memoriam section that honored Eazy-E, Tupac, and the Notorious B.I.G., as well as a quartet of (PG-13) pole-dancing strippers. What will he have in store this time?

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego

12.11: Son Little

Aaron Earl Livingston, aka L.A.-based singer, songwriter and musician Son Little, is set to release his new album, Aloha, in January. Livingston teased the album by releasing the five-song Invisible EP in October, primarily comprised of tracks from the upcoming new collection.

@ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

12.12: Thievery Corporation

Yes. The Washington D.C.-based, sitar-tinged beatmakers are returning to San Diego for another show at the Belly Up. But what makes this night all the more interesting is the fact that they’re bringing New York electro-pop quartet Brazilian Girls with them. Get there early for this one.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com

12.13: Allah-Las

In October, the ex-Amoeba-staffers-turned-psych-rockers returned with their fourth studio album, LAHS. The new collection features drummer Matthew Correia singing in Portuguese on the song Prazer Em Te Conhecer, while the video for album cut In The Air spoofs 1989 comedy film Weekend at Bernie’s.

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com

12.16: Kiefer Sutherland

After a couple of years away, the 24 and Lost Boys actor returns to the Belly Up. While a tour bus staircase injury forced Sutherland to postpone a handful of dates earlier this summer, it seems the multitalented performer is back in action and ready to play songs from his latest album, the April-released Reckless & Me.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com

12.17: Silversun Pickups

Widow’s Weeds, the fifth full-length album from L.A.-based pop-rock quartet was released in June. It’s the band’s first album in four years. Be sure to ask a friend with tickets for an early Christmas present on this one. It’s already sold out.

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com

12.17: Chris Isaak

Speaking of sold-out shows, hey, Chris Isaak is coming back to town. And while that’s not all that special in and of itself, I mean, Isaak has to be an honorary San Diegan at this point, right? The singer/actor is swapping venues from Humphreys (where he performed in August) to the far smaller Belly Up for his annual holiday show.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com

12.21: Phantom Planet

Phantom Planet, the L.A.-based pop rock outfit that originally boasted actor Jason Schwartzman as its drummer, has officially reunited. While there’s no Schwartzman this time around, the band is set to play its first shows since 2012 and release new music for the first time since 2008.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego

12.28: The Crystal Method

Scott Kirkland returns to the Music Box for the third year in a row as The Crystal Method. The Trip Home, the band’s first album without longtime member Ken Jordan, was released last year and it’s reported that even more new music is on the way.

@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com

12.29-30: Donavon Frankenreiter

It’s a thing now. The people’s favorite surfer/musician returns for yet another pair of shows at the Belly Up after playing a two-night dip on almost exactly the same dates last year. Dude, like, Happy New Year!

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com

12.31: Bone Thugs-n-Harmony

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Clearly that’s not referencing the veteran hip-hip outfit that returns to the Gaslamp venue after last playing there in April. But there are far worse ways to ring in the New Year than hanging with this Grammy-nominated crew.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego

12.31: Steel Pulse

Sure. The veteran U.K. roots reggae act (still fronted by band founder David Hinds) is heading back to San Diego after closing down summer here with a show at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. But after releasing Mass Manipulation, its first album of original music in more than 15 years, the iconic act returns to help close down 2019.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com