Carnival of Soul

Concerts headed to San Diego in December include Tool, Chance The Rapper, King Princess and Hayley Kiyoko.

1.2: T.S.O.L.

Although it formed in 1978, the veteran Orange County punk band is still on tour as part of its 40th anniversary. Opening the show is The Detours, one of the first SoCal punk bands to break out in 1977’s first wave.

@ Casbah, casbahmusic.com

1.3: Willie Nelson & Family

The braided weed ambassador, 12-time Grammy Award winner and Kennedy Center Honoree sure likes San Diego. He was last here in May for a show at Humphreys, and not long before that was paired up with 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss at the exact same venue. This time around, the iconic country music patriarch and his family band head indoors for a show at Balboa Theatre.

@ Balboa Theatre, sandiegotheatres.org

1.8: Cedric Burnside

The Grammy-nominated grandson of legendary Mississippi bluesman R.L. Burnside and six-time winner of the Blues Music Award’s Drummer of the Year Award, Burnside gets out from behind the kit to sing and play guitar from his latest album, 2018’s Benton County Relic.

@ The Loft, theloft.ucsd.edu

1.10: Mandolin Orange

The North Carolina-based Americana duo of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz expanded into a five-piece in 2016 and hasn’t looked back since. Produced by Marlin, the band released its sixth studio album, Tides of a Teardrop, last year and it shot to the top spot on Billboard’s U.S. Heatseekers chart.

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com

On their first tour since 2016, the Maynard James Keenan-led prog rockers head back out on the road with new album, Fear Inoculum, under their belts. This is the band’s fifth full-length release in its almost 30-year career (and first in more than 13 years), and it debuted on top of the Billboard 200. Local industrial one-man band Author & Punisher opens both shows.

@ Viejas Arena, viejasarena.com

1.15: Chance The Rapper

Originally scheduled for last September, this make-up date brings the Grammy Award-winning, Chicago-based MC and producer back to San Diego after he released his first “official” album, The Big Day, six months ago. The three-time Grammy winner’s current The Big Tour! also features Atlanta rapper Lil Yachty and fellow Chicago rapper (and Chance’s older brother) Taylor Bennett.

@ Pechanga Arena, pechangaarenasd.com

1.16: Trey Anastasio Band

Lead vocalist of perennial jam band Phish, Anastasio switches gears and hits the road with his second-longest running ensemble. Originating in 1998 as a backing band for the frontman’s solo releases and featuring a full horn section, the current septet reunites for its first live dates in more than two years.

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com

1.18: Elbow

Last October, Manchester’s Mercury Prize-winning rockers released their eighth studio album, Giants of All Sizes. The critically acclaimed nine-track collection finds singer Guy Garvey at his most serious — penning a variety of songs about death, including the witnessed suicide of a stranger, the 72 lives lost in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire and the 2018 death of his own father.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego

1.18: Boomshaka Fest

Hosted by local reggae siren Hirie, the second edition of this local festival is set to feature performances from Iration, Cypress Hill, The Green, Don Carlos, The Movement, KBong, and Sensi Trails.

@ Pechanga Arena, pechangaarenasd.com

1.18: Hieroglyphics

Only releasing three albums as a collective over a nearly 30-year career, all nine members of this influential Bay Area crew (A-Plus, Opio, Tajai and Phesto from Souls of Mischief, Del the Funky Homosapien, Pep Love, Casual, Domino and DJ Toure) are reuniting to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of their debut album, 3rd Eye Vision.

@ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

1.19: Reverend Horton Heat

Jim “Reverend Horton” Heath and longtime bassist Jimbo Wallace were in Solana Beach last April after adding a couple of new members to the band. The new crew returns for a show downtown, which should include selections from the band’s latest release, 2018’s Whole New Life.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego

1.23: Raphael Saadiq

The Grammy winner, Academy Award nominee, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer released his fifth solo album (and first since 2011), Jimmy Lee, last summer. Named for Saadiq’s brother who died from a heroin overdose, the album features appearances from Kendrick Lamar, actor Daniel J. Watts and film composer Taura Stinson.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego

1.25: Jacquees

Returning to the Gaslamp venue almost exactly a year after last playing there, 25-year-old Atlanta rapper Jacquees (aka Rodriquez Jacquees Broadnax) released his sophomore studio album, King of R&B, last November. It features appearances from T.I., Future, Young Thug, Quavo, Tory Lanez and more.

@ House of Blues, houseofblues.com/sandiego

1.26: Scarface

The veteran Houston-based MC (Brad “Scarface” Jordan of both solo and Geto Boys fame) was last in San Diego 10 months ago for a show with Compton rapper/producer DJ Quik. He returns alone this time around, after making it to his hometown’s runoff election as a Houston Chronicle-endorsed candidate for city council.

@ Music Box, musicboxsd.com

1.26: Trippie Redd

Another member of the ‘I-play-San-Diego-once-a year’ club, 20-year-old Ohio-born rapper Michael White hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 last November with his sophomore studio album, A Love Letter to You 4. It features appearances from late rappers XXXTentacion and Juice Wrld, as well as DaBaby, Tory Lanez, Smokepurpp, PNB Rock and Lil Yachty.

@ SOMA, somasandiego.com

1.27: The Marcus King Band

The 23-year-old namesake for these South Carolina-based blues rockers spent his youth as a sideman in his father’s band. Now the singer, songwriter and guitarist has a band of his own, and it released its third album, Carolina Confessions, in 2018. And for whatever reason, if you can’t make it to Solana Beach, King and his crew also play the next night at Music Box.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com

1.28: King Princess

Mikaela Straus, the 21-year-old singer-songwriter known as King Princess, is in the middle of an amazing run. In October, she released her highly anticipated debut studio album, Cheap Queen, on Mark Ronson’s Zelig Records. And in November, she was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live when former beloved cast member Will Ferrell came back to host for the fifth time.

@ Observatory North Park, observatorysd.com

1.28: Mattiel

Atlanta rockers Mattiel, fronted by singer, songwriter and namesake Mattiel Brown, released their second album, Satis Factory, last summer. And Brown recently co-directed the video for the band’s latest single from the album, Millionaire. Canadian singer Calvin Love opens the show.

@ Soda Bar, sodabarmusic.com

1.29: Hayley Kiyoko

L.A.-based singer and actress Hayley Kiyoko returns to San Diego after kicking off her Expectations Tour here in 2018. Kiyoko, who currently also stars on the Facebook Watch series Five Points, is once again starting her latest run of dates in America’s Finest City. This one, called the I’m Too Sensitive For This Sh*t Tour, takes its name from the title of her upcoming sophomore album, set for release later this year.

@ SOMA, somasandiego.com

1.31: Wolf Parade

After a five-year hiatus, the Canadian indie rockers reunited in 2016 and released their fourth full-length album on Sub Pop Records, Cry Cry Cry, a year later. Their fifth, the upcoming Thin Mind, is set for release later this month.

@ Belly Up, bellyup.com