The almost overnight mothballing of the concert business due to the coronavirus has been a disaster for musicians worldwide, with canceled tours decimating schedules and earnings alike. But many artists soon dusted themselves down and started producing improvised audio and video content from quarantine in order to stay connected with their fans. We took a look at the lockdown efforts of 10 well-known Orange County bands and artists.

For Anaheim girl-next-door-gone-glam Gwen Stefani, boyfriend Blake Shelton’s 1,200-acre Oklahoma ranch is hardly the worst place to be quarantined. While coronavirus caused the last leg of her Las Vegas Just a Girl residency to be postponed, the former No Doubt chanteuse has been doing more than okay out in OK. In early April, the self-isolating Stefani and Shelton gave a remote performance of their No.1 country hit “Nobody But You,” bundled up in front of a campfire, for an Academy of Country Music special that replaced the cancelled ACM awards. More bizarrely, the couple then made a virtual appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, during which Stefani took clippers to her beau’s quarantine mullet, mid-interview.

Lockdown wouldn’t have been such an issue for Irvine’s favorite musical sons Young the Giant a few years ago, when all the band’s members shared a house in L.A. But these days they’ve had to go to considerable lengths to stay in touch with their sizable following while self-isolating. The quarantined quintet have revisited a project called “Song A Day,” in which they begin writing a new song every Monday, then hot-potato it between members before revealing the completed tune at the end of the week (all shared through video clips). They even switched-up the idea one week in May, instead demonstrating the writing process behind one of their existing tracks, “Glory.”

In late April, Garden Grove poppy punkers The Offspring got doubly topical with their social-distanced video rendition of Tiger King star Joe Exotic’s “Here Kitty Kitty” (which is actually by obscure Washington country duo The Clinton Johnson Band). The clip features frontman Dexter Holland and guitarist Noodles performing masked and six feet apart; a drummer in a tiger suit (probably not regular Offspring skin-beater Pete Parada, as he lives in Tennessee); kitty-suited dancers; and footage of a skateboarding “tiger.” Turns out that The Offspring make quite a convincing country band, and their lockdown video enjoyed around 80,000 YouTube views in its first month — pretty fly (for a striped guy).

As the creators of an Emmy-winning TV series, The Aquabats are no strangers to making video content. With their May/June tour with Reel Big Fish postponed, the cartoon-ish Huntington Beach fivesome have been making various video and audio overtures to their fans in the run up to new album Kooky Spooky … In Stereo in June. Perhaps the most unlikely was scholarly guitarist Eaglebones Falconhawk (a.k.a. Ian Fowles) demonstrating the equipment, techniques, and tones intrinsic to the surf rock that so influences The Aquabats’ sound, on Fender Play LIVE.

The Aquabats (Photo by Forrest Locke)

Alongside Young the Giant, veteran foursome Thrice are probably Irvine’s best-known rock export. Their frontman Dustin Kensrue has stayed busy while isolated, performing a heartfelt virtual duet of the Peter Gabriel classic “In Your Eyes” with Switchfoot singer Jon Foreman, and then a solo acoustic set for the Riot Fest At Home livestream series.

Members of Yorba Linda metalcore mainstays Atreyu also kept at it during lockdown, with many of their efforts focused on raising money to help support their idled road crew. Singing drummer Brandon Saller performed a streaming “Live From My Living Room” concert on May 22, with a portion of the proceeds going to the band’s crew, and various members have also streamed acoustic jams and playthroughs of favorite Atreyu tracks.

Atreyu (Courtesy Spinefarm Records)

Predictably, Placentia’s pot-fixated hip-hoppers Kottonmouth Kings traditionally mark 4/20 (April 20) in some special way. With face-to-face performances ruled out this year, they had to celebrate this unofficial “Weed Day” with a split-screen remote livestream. This consisted of the three remaining members of the kinda-on-hiatus group rambling on from their respective homes about their stoner lifestyles under lockdown and recounting episodes from KK’s nearly 25-year history, augmented by various drop-in guests, for nearly two hours.

With their fun-focused M.O. deflated by current conditions, Orange County punk veterans Zebrahead have been keeping the party going in cyberspace with weekly “Songs in the Key of Quarantine” playlists on Spotify. These have leaned towards punk, and especially O.C. punk (including, of course, Zebrahead), but have also featured everything from pop to full-blown metal. Additionally, drummer Ed Udhus and guitarist Dan Palmer have recorded “quarantine play-alongs” of popular ZH songs from the band’s rehearsal space.

Lit (Photo by Kevin Scanlon)

Fullerton’s Lit – best-known for huge 1999 hit “My Own Worst Enemy” — offered fans the opportunity to “Get Lit with Lit” for four days in April. This entailed doing personalized virtual liquor shots with founder members Ajay and Jeremy Popoff on Cameo, with 100 percent of proceeds going to the MusiCares non-profit (which aims to “safeguard the health and well-being of all music people”).

I mentioned Huntington Beach alt-metal up-and-comers BI·AS in my article last month about area musicians coping during lockdown, but they earn another shout-out here for sheer extent of their creativity during the pandemic. The quintet actually wrote and self-produced a song, then self-recorded and edited an accompanying video; all while sheltering-in-place in their respective homes. Considering that the band features founding Korn drummer David Silveria, it’s little surprise that the resulting song, “Unsavory”, is throwback nu-metal. But the songcraft, recording and split-screen video are all impressively professional (under any circumstances).

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The post How O.C. Musicians Kept Creating While Quarantined appeared first on Irvine Weekly.

Last month, we interviewed Irvine-area concert venues about how they’re coping with the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, and their predictions for the future of the region’s music scene. With no sign of SoCal live music returning anytime soon (concerts are categorized as Stage 4 in Gov. Newsom’s four-phase plan for reopening the California economy), we contacted local musicians to learn how COVID-19 is impacting their careers and creativity, and what they expect to happen next.

Area bands and musicians at all levels of activity and professionalism have been negatively affected by the current lockdown, most palpably in being unable to conduct face-to-face rehearsals and recording sessions, or to perform concerts before live audiences.

“We’ve had multiple festivals and a 10-week European Tour that has been postponed to 2021,” says Robert Jon of Orange County band Robert Jon & The Wreck.

Robert Jon & The Wreck (Rob Boyd)

The Wreck, which Jon describes as “a double shot of Southern rock with a blues chaser,” nonetheless released their new album, Last Light on the Highway, on May 8. They’ve been promoting the record as best they can through livestreams, social media and email lists.

Concert fees are notoriously low for original semi-pro bands in the oversaturated Southland music scene (“It’s great; we’ve stopped losing money for a couple of months!” quips James O’Brien, guitarist with South O.C. band Stone Hill, about the lockdown). So it’s the lack of opportunities to sell merchandise — T-shirts, CDs, posters etc. — at shows during the pandemic that’s often had the most significant financial impact.

“Not selling records or merchandise at shows means we don’t get the extra income to help pay for the rehearsal studio, or to offset recording costs,” explains Irvine resident Mel Schantz, who fronts O.C.-based socio-political dark punk band Unit F. 

For Unit F, their COVID-19 concerns are complicated further by members having parents or significant others who’re considered high-risk for the virus.

“That made rehearsals a no-go for us,” Schantz continues. “[And] prevented us from doing a true live streaming or even any kind of rehearsed collaborations.”

Unit F (Roger Kruger)

Schantz also stressed the less tangible impact of losing live performance, and even rehearsals, as a cathartic emotional outlet.

“Rehearsals are my relief valve … that two or three times a week I get to let off all the steam that paying attention to things tends to generate,” he says. “In some genres that is not so bad; in punk rock it can take away the visceral aspect of the energy of the music which expresses so much.”

But the coronavirus crisis has also prompted area musicians to respond in myriad positive and imaginative ways in order to keep creating, and to stay connected with their fans. Many bands continue to collaborate on songwriting and recording (both audio and video) remotely, and some have been able to stream live performances, albeit often in stripped-down formats. The latter can even be monetized through the sale of virtual tickets.

“Sure, we had gigs lined up and were gaining momentum, and we miss getting together and rehearsing and creating, but there have been more than a few unexpected positives,” says Stone Hill bassist Joe Hickey, who describes his band as “high-energy hard rock with soaring vocals and heavy ’90s grooves.” 

“We were able to utilize an empty building for a social distancing-compliant rehearsal session, and we have been super busy at [guitarist] James’ home studio. Zoom, Facebook Live, FaceTime band meetings, and digital music file sharing have all been more fun than expected.”

Huntington Beach alternative hard rock band BI·AS, which features founding Korn drummer David Silveria, responded to the “Lockdown Challenge” started by veteran rocker Sammy Hagar. This encourages bands to write and record a song and accompanying music video remotely, without a professional studio or producer, and then release the results online.

“I thought it would be fun to use this time to build this song and release the demo for fans to hear the song evolve from the demo state to the final version later on,” offers BI·AS vocalist Rich Nguyen, who mixed their “Lockdown Challenge” song “Unsavory” and edited its video. “It was a ton of work, but in the end it was fun and different.”

“Unsavory” was released on YouTube and social media on April 20, and at the time of writing had already enjoyed nearly 5,000 YouTube views.

To augment such remote collaborations and livestreams, many bands are also posting or re-posting old content, such as video outtakes and previously unreleased demos. Some have also self-edited music videos from existing concert footage, often augmented with stock images.

Online collaboration has also provided artistic lifelines for solo musicians who are currently deprived of open mic nights and restaurants at which to perform.

Aaron Wertheimer (Emily Vielma)

“I have responded by reaching out on Craigslist to other musicians who feel like jamming virtually, and I also have attended a couple of open mic nights that are virtual,” says Aaron Wertheimer, a pianist and drummer from Long Beach. “One of them is called ‘Afflicted by Youth’ … [it’s] been a saving grace on Saturdays in terms of being able to have friends to play music with.”

Wertheimer has also been collaborating with musicians he’s befriended on Craigslist, working on songs via Google Drive and using Ableton Live audio workstation software.

All the musicians interviewed for this article expressed unequivocal enthusiasm to return to in-person rehearsals and live performance, but were equally unanimous in their uncertainties about the post-pandemic music scene in and around Irvine.

“I think some people will be itching to get back to bars and restaurants, and some will be reluctant,” says Jon. “I know some restaurants shut their doors for good already, which is really sad.”

“If [COVID-19] can be contained, properly treated and eventually eradicated in a reasonable amount of time, then I think bands and venues still have a fighting chance,” Nguyen concludes. “Shows most likely won’t be jam packed at first, but they also won’t be empty either.”

Some, like Stone Hill’s O’Brien, foresee the pandemic producing a fresh sense of common cause among venues and performers, which in the long term could prove to be positive for all parties.

“It’s a new start. Smaller venues will need musicians and bands like never before,” he says. “We will need to work together to bring the crowds back and to really push the shows on social media … sharing events with live streaming of all shows. It’s a worldwide audience — the venues should take advantage of this.”

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The post Creating During Coronavirus: Area Musicians Find Positives in a Time of Pandemic appeared first on Irvine Weekly.

Under normal circumstances, I’d be writing my usual previews of Irvine-area concerts for the coming month. It’s usually a challenge to pick just seven or eight live music events from literally dozens of diverse choices in Irvine and surrounding cities. But the prohibition on gatherings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has changed all that.

Scouring the web today revealed only postponed or canceled concerts, and shuttered venues. It began in early March with individual shows being rescheduled due to concerns about coronavirus. Then, as the implications of the pandemic became horribly clearer, entire tours got pulled. Soon venues were closing their doors, at first for just weeks, and then indefinitely. A shudder went through SoCal’s concert industry.

Writing at the expected peak of America’s COVID-19 outbreak, it’s clear that there will be long-term, industry-wide ramifications from venues being closed for extended periods. Some smaller facilities may simply not make it; others may struggle to recover for months. Because even after lockdowns are lifted, music fans may be uneasy about assembling in large numbers.

We spoke to Irvine-area music venues about how they’re weathering these unprecedented circumstances, and to poll their predictions for both their own businesses and across the wider SoCal music scene.

Soka University of America Performing Arts Center (Courtesy Soka Performing Arts Center)

What is your operational status, and when/how do you expect this to change?

Renee Bodie, general manager, Soka Performing Arts Center in Aliso Viejo: We have postponed all remaining shows in our current season. We are working with artists and artist agencies to reschedule all postponed shows into our ’20-’21 season.

Eric Keilman, talent buyer at The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa: Playing the waiting game like a lot of people are. It’s hard to say when we are opening back up. We are pushing for May but want to make sure it’s safe for everyone before starting shows again.

Gabriela Luna, marketing director at The Coach House Concert Hall in San Juan Capistrano: It is difficult to predict when our venue will be fully operational again. … We receive changes to our schedule almost daily as many of our booked artists have decided to postpone their tours until later this year or until 2021. 

Casey Reitz, president of Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa: We are working every day to reschedule as many shows and artists as possible as soon as possible. We are of the mind and tradition that the show must go on, and so it will at Segerstrom Center as soon as possible.

Vanessa Kromer, vice president of communications, Nederlander Concerts: City National Grove of Anaheim is working on virtual event programming, and we encourage fans to follow our social media platforms to stay informed and engaged. We look forward to presenting live entertainment in the future, and are committed to providing a safe space for fans to enjoy their favorite artists!

Coach House (Bob Steshetz)

How has this unique situation impacted your business? What have you been doing to mitigate these effects?

Keilman: We’ve taken a huge hit. It takes a lot of work from a small, amazing team to run an independent music venue/bar/restaurant. The longer we are closed, the more of a chance we might not open.

Luna: We are currently brainstorming ways to maintain engagement within our community and we encourage people to support artists in any way they can. 

Bodie: Our season ends early in May for the summer, so while we did have to postpone shows scheduled between March and May, that number is far less than many venues. … We are presenting lightly September through December, and scheduling the majority of events for the remainder of our season starting in January 2021.

What are your predictions for live music in the Irvine area and beyond? How might the “scene” be different after the pandemic?

Bodie: Live music will return — it will always return. … [But] I believe it may take some time for people to feel safe again, and for live audience numbers to return to “normal” levels.

Tim Dunn, senior director, public relations at Segerstrom Center for the Arts: It’s likely that people will be cautious. … People may return to our free outdoor events on the Argyros Plaza first. And possibly people will continue with safe practices, such as wearing masks.

Luna: When government officials allow for regular operations, there may be different approaches on concert culture. For example, many people might be eager to connect with the concert scene and others may be more hesitant in order to protect their health. 

Keilman: Good music comes from tough life situations. I am hoping to hear some great music and collaborations come out of this from the local community. 

Segerstrom Center Pacific Symphony and Pacific Chorale

Do you believe that some venues may have to close down altogether, if the lockdown continues much longer?

Keilman: There is no question some venues will close down. We are pushing to be open but the longer this pandemic keeps us closed, the closer we will be to shutting down.

Luna: Smaller venues may be more susceptible to permanently closing if this continues for a few more months.

Do you foresee a huge rush of interest from concertgoers, in the short term at least, once venues re-open?

Luna: I can see younger adults eagerly looking for events to attend after quarantine so I believe that their enthusiasm to reconnect will help heal the damage done to the entertainment scene. Older music lovers may remain a bit more cautious with large crowds in order to protect their health.

Keilman: Everyone’s stir crazy right now, so people will want to get out when it’s safe. … A small boom right out of the gate will help, but it’s going to take a longer, consistent flow for venues to open and stay open.

Bodie: I am not sure I see a boom or huge rush in the short term. Our audience is an older demographic, and many may still be reticent to return to “business as usual” until they feel safe. Once that occurs, I believe we will see a measured climb back to normal. … I would say it will likely take about a year and a half to see “normal” again.

 What would your advice be to readers looking to satiate their cravings for live music while self-isolating?

Luna: Follow your favorite musicians on social media, as many artists have been virtually performing for their fans. As a music fiend, my favorite way to stay connected to music during quarantine is by searching for new music to listen by “crate-digging” on YouTube.

Bodie: Streaming, streaming, streaming! Take advantage of all the artists streaming incredible shows. Either for free or for a fraction of what it would cost normally to see these artists.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting Irvine Weekly and our advertisers.

The post How Irvine-area concert venues are weathering the COVID closedown appeared first on Irvine Weekly.

sat 3/7

Sponge

While Detroit’s Sponge hit their creative high watermark with wonderfully tense 1996 single “Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina),” their robust blend of anthemic classic rock and hooky alt-pop has proven durable, with frontman Vinnie Dombroski continuing to perform under the name ever since. While they rode in on grunge’s coattails, with ’94’s gold-certified Rotting Piñata album, Sponge simply never stopped touring and — unlike many so-called “legacy” acts — recording new material (and high-quality stuff, at that). Recently championed by Howard Stern, and benefiting from something of a grassroots resurgence in interest for ’90s rock, Dombroski and his current Sponge incarnation (which has retained a stable lineup for longer than the original band) represent the both the best of the post-grunge era and a heartening example of a band sticking around long enough to enjoy a second wave. Gallagher’s Pub, 300 Pacific Coast Highway Ste. 113, Huntington Beach.

sat 3/14

Yves Tumor

Tennessee-raised Yves Tumor occupies an ever-changing creative space sufficiently artsy to earn simultaneous shunning from the masses and cult-like devotion from the few. His recent output reflects a Throbbing Gristle-esque fascination with sounds both hypnotic and ominous, soothing and disruptive. A former fixture on SoCal’s experimental music scene, he crafted post-chillwave bliss as Teams and toured with alt rapper Mykki Blanco before re-emerging in Europe under his current name. Critically embraced from the get-go, Tumor made a paranormal leap forward of 2018’s Safe in the Hands of Love, an unusually transparent outpouring of coexistent conviction and vulnerability all the more resonant for refusing to pander to either genre or audience expectations. Gambling carefree through U.K. bass, plunderphonics, rock and noise, the incongruously easy-to-listen-to experimentalism of Safe is a small revolution unto itself. Constellation Room @ The Observatory, 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana.

Livingston Taylor (Mim Adkins)

Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor

Best known as a songwriter for the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt and Wynonna Judd, SoCal native Karla Bonoff is also a popular performer in her own right, who scored a 1982 hit with “Personally” (ironically, a song she didn’t write). Bonoff’s solo performances are a joy for anyone with a passion (or nostalgia) for the sort of folk-tinted soft rock that wafted from radios in the 1970s, full of lamenting melodies and soaring hooks, immaculately delivered. Her peer Livingstone Taylor — brother of singer-songwriter James Taylor — enjoyed a trio of successful singles straddling the turn of the 1980s. Livingston, who turns 70 this year, still tours extensively, punctuating his acoustic guitar-accompanied singing (which, yes, can sound very like his more famous bro) with warm, relatable tales from his 55-year career and beyond. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine.

Arturo Sandoval (Irvine Barclay Theatre)

thu 3/19

Arturo Sandoval

Ten-time Grammy winner Arturo Sandoval preserves a palpable passion for jazz trumpet that defies the rigors of a 40-year career and a list of accolades that would spill off this page. Born in Cuba, Sandoval, who defected to the U.S. in 1990 while touring with his mentor Dizzy Gillespie, has retained the inclusive swagger of his Caribbean street-performing roots, even as his virtuosity has found him at the world’s most stately venues (including the White House in 2012) and most glamorous occasions (such as 1995’s Super Bowl Halftime Show). Also an accomplished composer and pianist, Sandoval has been both a prolific band leader since the early ’80s and an in-demand sideman for the likes of Gloria Estefan, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, and Paul Anka. Every Sandoval performance remains an ode to music itself, lovingly transcending both genre and fashion. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine.

sat 3/21

Transviolet

Quintessentially of their time, Transviolet originated as an online collaboration (since centralized in L.A.) and creates radio-ready, intelligent indie pop that feels like it was conceived in a laboratory backstage at Coachella. Centered upon the sometimes detached yet oddly soulful croon of Sarah McTaggart, the foursome indulgences subtly danceable, xx-indebted arrangements, and production influenced as much by hip-hop and electronica than anything guitar-based. On stage, McTaggart’s interpretative dance-y gyrations and delicate self-assuredness bring a transfixing humanity to the sleek and contemplative, come-down moods created by her bandmates (with some digital support). Championed by the likes of Katy Perry and Harry Styles, Transviolet join a super-cred clique — including Sia, Lana Del Rey and Børns — that has made shameless pop music once again palatable to hipsters and even self-styled music snobs. Constellation Room @ The Observatory, 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana.

Mnozil Brass (Courtesy of Irvine Barclay Theatre)

fri 3/27

Mnozil Brass

Austrian septet Mnozil Brass was founded more than a quarter-century ago by graduates of the prestigious Vienna College of Music. As their educational pedigree suggests, these are virtuoso musicians (trumpet, trombone and tuba players), yet they’re on a mission to remind us that classical music needn’t be — and maybe shouldn’t be — po-faced. Their sets comprise original compositions alongside classical faves, jazz standards and popular hits (including happy-go-lucky Austrian and German schlager songs) brilliantly enmeshed with borderline slapstick, Monty Python-ish humor. Delving into various historical strands of European brass band music, Mnozil Brass references circus bands, village bands, vaudeville orchestras and marching bands in crafting musical foils for its clever skits, mimes and even magic. Not always hilarious, but nonetheless a fun night that asks serious questions about the artificial constraints so often imposed upon classical music. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine.

mon 3/30

The Warning

Mexico’s The Warning initially earned YouTube notoriety in for what was, in retrospect, a fairly unremarkable 2014 cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” Unremarkable, that is, were it not for the fact that these three sisters were then aged just 14, 12 and 9, with bassist Alejandra Villarreal little taller than her instrument. Unlike most viral cover sensations, the Villarreals have followed through — assisted by GoFundMe, The Ellen Show, and even Target — in crafting a legit career that has already included opening for the likes of Aerosmith and The Killers, and now, after two albums of robust original rock, their first full-blown tour. While the entire trio has hugely matured since their Rock Band beginnings, drummer Paulina in particular has stepped up as a natural performer, her stick-smashing virtuosity embellished by rare showmanship and potent lead vocal stints. Constellation Room @ The Observatory, 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana.

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The post March Concert Guide appeared first on Irvine Weekly.

Sat 2/1

Trapt

As their 25th anniversary approaches next year, NorCal melodo-rockers Trapt find themselves in that parallel touring universe wherein formerly theater-filling bands — Trapt’s “Headstrong” single topped Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart in 2003 — headline clubs, with local acts often paying for the privilege of padding out bloated opening bills (in this case, no less than six support acts). Hailing from Los Gatos, one of America’s wealthiest cities, Trapt’s lyrical content has resonated with audiences who may have shared their comfortable yet sometimes spiritually unfulfilling experience, making them perhaps the ultimate suburban rock band of the aughts. But it’s their ear for a huge chorus and a road–honed work ethic that allowed Trapt to weather the massive industry upheavals of the 2000s, plus multiple lineup changes, to continue flying the flag for muscular, self-searching — and nowadays nostalgic — guitar rock. Malone’s, 604 E. Dyer Road, Santa Ana.

Keola Beamer and Moanalani Beamer (Mark Modeen)

Fri 2/7

Keola Beamer with Moanalani Beamer

Slack-key guitar is an aural testament to Hawaii’s cultural history: an open-tuning, fingerstyle approach that adapted the playing of visiting paniolo Mexican cowboys in the late-19th century to the rhythms of Hawaiian dancing and the harmonic structures of pre-existing local music. Hailing from one of Hawaii’s most respected musical families, Keola Beamer and his younger brother Kapono together helped to define “Hawaiian contemporary” music in the 1970s and early ’80s by allowing their deep island roots to be influenced by folk-revival, Latin, pop and rock. Their super-mellow and sentimental ’78 release Honolulu City Lights remains one of the best-selling songs in Hawaiian music history, and was later covered by The Carpenters. At the Barclay Keola is joined by his wife Moanalani, a hula (Polynesian dance) master who provides accompanying movement, chanting, percussion, and background vocals. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine.

Tue 2/11

Young Dolph

The apparent target of multiple shootings and a self-proclaimed “crack baby,” Young Dolph boasts immaculate gangsta rap credentials, which his actual shooting outside a Hollywood hotel in 2017 only enhanced. Dolph’s recordings milk this rep hard: ominous, chest-beating tales of street-life survival in his native Memphis characterized by endless references to drugs (“Everyday 420,” “Cut It”), conspicuous consumption (“Cutthroat Committee,” “By Mistake”) and guns (“Choppa On The Couch,” “Major”) alongside relentless misogyny (apparently dropping the word “bitch” over 100 times in his 20 most popular songs). The crafted menace of Young Dolph’s best work backs his head-tossing yet somehow fatalistic arrogance with insistent hi-hats and sparse kicks juxtaposed against incongruously airy keys. These brooding soundscapes brilliantly summon the sense-of-doom adrenaline of under-the-influence evenings stalked by impending violence. The Observatory, 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana.

The Glorious Sons (Rob Blackham)

Wed 2/12

The Glorious Sons

A chart fixture in their native Canada, The Glorious Sons are making stateside inroads with last year’s A War on Everything. Radio and stadium aspirations haunt the 14-song collection, the quintet reveling in the same robust, Southern-tinted sense of bluesy melody and harmony that has served the likes of Kings of Leon so well. Immaculately executed and produced, A War on Everything has an air of something created under pressure for commercial success, deftly flirting with a sufficient number of genres (including 1970s arena rock, country-lite and old-school soul) to touch a broad demographic at the expense of making a signature sonic statement. But originality isn’t everything, and The Glorious Sons nonetheless offer nostalgic kicks to almost anyone who’s ever been moved by an electric guitar or a spirited 4/4 groove. Yost Theater, 307 N. Spurgeon St., Santa Ana.

Wed 2/19

Nascar Aloe

Both an expression and a product of his time, Nascar Aloe has brought his perpetually agitated, raw-throated rap/punk/metal melange to the masses mostly through self-uploading material to SoundCloud and YouTube. Emerging from North Carolina’s genre-blending underground rap scene (but now apparently L.A.-based), Aloe’s irate, finger-in-your-face rhythmic ranting will likely be largely alien, musically and lyrically, to anyone under 25 — and that’s precisely his appeal. This is deceptively hooky music that resonates with disaffected kids seeking escape in bass-heavy earphones in pitch-black rooms, or communion with the similarly misunderstood and disconnected at Aloe’s confrontational, chaotic (and, tellingly, usually all-ages) live performances. Young and chiseled beneath distinctively extravagant hair spikes, Nascar Aloe is a savvy Sid Vicious for the tech-neck generation — and about as punk as you can get with a phone in your hand. Constellation Room at The Observatory, 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana.

Tom Scott

Thu 2/27

Tom Scott & the L.A. Express

Even if you’ve never heard of L.A. saxophonist/composer Tom Scott, you’ve almost certainly heard his work. As well as earning 13 Grammy nominations (including three wins) as a solo artist, his talents have graced diverse recordings by the likes of Michael Jackson (“Billie Jean”), Paul McCartney, Blondie (“Rapture”), Frank Sinatra and Pink Floyd. Scott was a founding member of the legendary Blues Brothers band (though he didn’t appear in their eponymous movies), and also composed the period–evocative theme songs for 1970s TV shows Starsky and Hutch and The Streets of San Francisco. Now in his seventies, Scott still brings it with the aptly-named L.A. Express (who themselves played on a number of Joni Mitchell albums), delivering the sort of slinkily impassioned performances that artists half his age can only aspire to. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine.

The Aggrolites

The Aggrolites have been reggae stalwarts since forming in 2002, not only in their own right but also as a backing band to the likes of Prince Buster, Tim Armstrong and Phyllis Dillon. Yet it had been eight years since they’d released a studio record of their own when these kings of “dirty reggae” — a signature combo of old-school skinhead reggae, 1960s soul, and funk — unleashed their crown-reclaiming (and aptly named) Reggae Now! last year. Defying the band’s tough-guy trappings — a skinhead–adjacent fashion sense, and the “aggro” of their name being British slang for “aggressive” — Reggae Now! is a Hammond organ–driven delight of sunny Caribbean escapism and dancehall nostalgia. The record is unlikely to change many opinions of The Aggrolites, but their rocksteady consistency is part of the quintet’s enduring allure. Gallagher’s Pub, 300 CA-1 Ste. 113, Huntington Beach.

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IRATION, KATASTRO, FORTUNATE YOUTH, PEPPER

Iration’s easy-going, optimistic sunshine reggae promises to be the perfect soundtrack for a summer Friday night. While the past five of their six albums to have landed at the top of the reggae charts, it’s always been the Santa Barbara sextet’s live show that’s been their big draw, all the way back to their college roots up in Isla Vista. With breezy guitar and contented tempos just oozing island-time attitude, it’s little surprise to find that all Iration’s members hail from Hawaii. Completing this good-times, head-bobbin’ bill are Arizona’s funky rock/hip-hop crew Katastro, the nuanced reggae rock of Hermosa Beach’s 420-friendly Fortunate Youth, and the apparently perpetually shirtless Hawaiian trio Pepper (who, ironically, Iration opened for on their first national tour). FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

Blondie (Guy Furrow)

Sun 8/4

BLONDIE, ELVIS COSTELLO & THE IMPOSTERS

The impossibly-cheekboned Debbie Harry flanked by her besuited bandmates on the cover of Blondie’s 1978 album Parallel Lines remains one of new wave’s defining images. Yet it wasn’t mere visual appeal that propelled these New Yorkers to global stardom, but rather potent power-pop songwriting (with multiple band members, plus outside writers, contributing), concisely stylized arrangements, and Harry’s glacial, semi-detached vocals. Unlike many of new wave acts, Blondie also proved to be musically multi-dimensional, their enduring discography including explorations of disco (“Heart of Glass”), rocksteady (a cover of The Paragons’ “The Tide is High”) and even then-embryonic rap (“Rapture”). Completing what for many will be a double-header, Blondie peer Elvis Costello remains one of the most critically-credible artists treading the boards, his 30-album back-catalog almost defying categorization. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

Wiz Khalifa (Jimmy Fontaine)

Fri 8/9

WIZ KHALIFA, PLAYBOI CARTI, MONEYBAGG YO

An adolescent rap prodigy who’s even now barely into his thirties, Wiz Khalifa seems to have been a pop culture fixture forever, signing to Warner Bros. Records as a teenager, marrying tabloid-fodder model Amber Rose, and collaborating with everyone from Snoop Dogg to Imagine Dragons. His grassroots following translating into mainstream success with 2011’s double-Platinum Rolling Papers, the weed-obsessed Wiz has stayed at the top ever since through gritty subject matter sweetened with hands-in-the-air flows and fluttering beats (plus the ability to break into song when required). Playboi Carti went from Internet sensation to serious contender when his giddy swag-rap debut Die Lit hit number three on the Billboard charts last year, while the more menacing storytelling of Memphis rapper Moneybagg Yo has been similarly soaring for the past couple of years. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

Sat 8/10

CHRIS YOUNG, JIMMIE ALLEN, CHRIS JANSON

Occasionally, a reality TV show still turns real. After a stuttering start, 2006 Nashville Star winner Chris Young has become a true country star, enjoying a string of hit albums. There’s little secret to Young’s success, which is the reward for solid songwriting, timeless Tennessee-boy lyrics, and an endearing baritone timbre that can survive even the tinniest of smartphone speakers. Jimmie Allen was 32 before his debut album, Mercury Lane, emerged last year, but the record’s R&B-infused country was worth his years of struggle in Nashville, with “Best Shot” becoming the first debut single by an African-American artist to top the Country Airplay chart. A renowned songwriter (for the likes of Tim McGraw and Justin Moore), Chris Janson has lately enjoyed his own hits, beginning with 2015’s initially self-released “Buy Me a Boat”. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

Fri 8/23

LYNYRD SKYNYRD, ZZ TOP

For evidence of rock & roll’s rather alarming maturity, consider this bill of bands formed in 1964 (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and 1969 (ZZ Top). Skynyrd, who put Southern rock on the map in the ’70s and remain all-but synonymous with the subgenre, have extended what was supposed to be their 2018 farewell tour, and a final album (their first since 2012) is apparently written and ready to record. While Skynyrd’s lineup was decimated by a 1977 plane crash, and fluctuated before and since, ZZ Top has boasted the same threesome since its earliest days. Following their rather unlikely, synth-embellished and video-driven chart successes in the 1980s (notably the multi-million-selling Eliminator), ZZ returned to their guitar-driven underpinnings and, while no longer a household name, are nonetheless one of the most respected blues-rock outfits anywhere. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

Tue 8/27

BLINK-182, LIL WAYNE

In the late 1990s, Poway’s Blink-182 personified the explosion of a distinctly Californian brand of pop-punk (genre peers Green Day, the Offspring, Lit and Eve 6 are also Cali bands). While still fast ‘n’ fuzzy, Blink and their ilk took a more flippant and less aggressive approach to punk, shunning weighty political lyrics or macro social angst in favor of adolescent-humor-laced bemoanings of girlfriend problems and teen frustrations. To mark the 20th anniversary of breakthrough album Enema of the State, the trio is performing the entire record on its current tour. In an intriguing move, this tour is co-headlined by veteran rapper Lil’ Wayne (who’d previously announced that he’d retire at age 35, and is now 36) – hopefully the start of a genre-blending trend which might encourage open-mindedness among mainstream concert goers. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

The Smashing Pumpkins (Olivia-Bee)

Thu 8/29

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS, AFI

So great is the appetite for Smashing Pumpkins’ sound that during the band’s 2000-2006 hiatus L.A.’s similarly-named Silversun Pickups were able to forge a career out of lovingly emulating it. The Pumpkins’ fizzy alchemy is songs and arrangements both intimate and epic, darkly introspective yet loftily optimistic. With their original lineup once again three-fourths intact (singer/guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin), these alt-rock icons are revisiting their ’90s heyday magic. Being built around “that bloke from Oasis” is both a blessing and a curse for Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds: attracting instant interest from Oasis’ huge fanbase, but also raising expectations perhaps unreasonably high. AFI have never quite hit the arena-headlining status they’ve long been tipped for, yet their goth-tinted rock still commands an enviably fervent following. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

KORN (Jimmy Fontaine)

Fri 8/30

KORN, ALICE IN CHAINS, UNDEROATH

Even as “nu metal” became a dirty term, Korn, who’d helped popularize its bludgeoning signature in the late ’90s, prevailed. Because the Bakersfield band has always harnessed hard rock and hip-hop to youthful anguish like no other, becoming a down-tuned voice for young people – not necessarily poor, but certainly bored and cynical – for whom the capitalist world appears to offer only materialist ambition or escape into substance abuse. With singer Jonathan Davies still an ultimate middle finger from nerds everywhere, Korn’s dense yet oddly grooving music has grown with its audience. Co-headlining grunge stalwarts Alice in Chains soldier on in the enormous shadow of their late vocalist Layne Staley, while Underoath – with the lineup that recorded 2004’s screamo high-water mark They’re Only Chasing Safety returned – announced a focused return to form with last year’s Erase Me. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

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Sundays (7/7, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4 & 8/11)

City of Irvine’s Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts

Happening on six consecutive Sunday evenings, the Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts combine live music and gourmet food trucks (or the opportunity to picnic) to create a free, family-friendly entertainment experience at Mike Ward Community Park. On July 7, the cleverly-named Pop Gun Rerun pay tribute to all that’s good about 1980s pop music, with the all-girl Suffragettes performing era-straddling Top 40 hits the following week. The Trip arrives on July 21, with its energized ’60s-’90s cover tunes, while country cover band the Country Club will also offer a little rock, pop, jazz and swing on the 28th. The Pacific Symphony brings it popular “Symphony in the Cities” to the park on Aug. 4 (see below), while O.C.’s Tijuana Dogs provide high-octane party rock for the series’ final show on Aug. 11.

Mike Ward Community Park – Woodridge, Irvine

Thursdays: 7/11, 7/18, 7/25 & 8/1

OC Parks Summer Concert Series

With food trucks, a beer and wine garden, and free admission, there’s little not to like about OC Parks’ Summer Concert Series. On July 11 at Mason Regional Park, Aliso Viejo ‘90s cover band SEGA Genecide throws back to listening to Alanis, Eminem and Smash Mouth on cassettes and CDs. Costa Mesa’s veteran Irish folk/rock band play the same venue on July 18, bringing the blend of trad Emerald Isle tunes and old-school rock ‘n’ roll that’s had them headlining theaters for nearly 30 years. On July 25, Irvine Regional Park welcomes ska/new wave stalwarts the English Beat, who enjoyed a string of household-name hits in the 1980s. But this series saves the best for last, with the evocative alt-country of The White Buffalo, who’s wonderfully weathered voice was frequently heard on TV’s Sons of Anarchy, at Irvine Regional Park on Aug. 1.

Mason Regional Park & Irvine Regional Park

Sat. 7/13

Hammer’s House Party: M.C. Hammer, 2 Live Crew, Biz Markie, Sir Mix-A-Lot

With its rotating bill of early ’90s hit machines, always topped by ol’ parachute-pants himself, MC Hammer’s “House Party” tour is an ultimate celebration of retro R&B and hip-hop. Billed as Hammer’s first major tour since 1991, its Irvine stop also features Florida’s controversial 2 Live Crew (“Me So Horny”, “Banned in the U.S.A.,” etc.), the juvenile humor of “Just a Friend” rapper Biz Markie, and Seattle’s Sir Mix-A-Lot who, despite being overwhelmingly best-known for 1992 mega-hit “Baby Got Back”, has retained a cult following for his bouncy, bass-heavy style. But at the end of the day (or night) “Hammer’s House Party” is all about the iconic MC Hammer, whose ability to laugh at himself has kept him in the public eye through TV commercials, reality shows, and movie cameos long after the hits dried up.

FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

Beck (Peter Hapak)

Wed. 7/17

Beck, Cage the Elephant

A quarter-century since his breakout album Mellow Gold, Beck Hansen remains rock royalty, the critical drooling over his multi-genre musical mosaics consistent even as his commercial fortunes have fluctuated. Angeleno through and through, his wide-eyed collage of folk, psychedelia, hip-hop, noise, jazz and more reflects the myriad cultures and social undercurrents of his home city. It seems safe to assume that at least one Grammy has already been set aside for Beck’s imminent 14th studio, Hyperspace. This co-headlining bill continues a relationship begun when Beck featured on (and co-wrote) “Night Running” on Cage the Elephant’s latest album, Social Cues. One of those bands you can seemingly find on radio anywhere in America at any time, CtE’s savvy revisiting of funky, bluesy classic rock shows little sign of losing momentum.

FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

Sat. 7/20

Rockstar Energy Disrupt Festival: The Used, Thrice, Circa Survive and More 

While the inaugural Disrupt Festival features solid, mostly post-hardcore lineups throughout — at its FivePoint Amphitheatre stop including Circa Survive, Sleeping With Sirens, and pop-punk bill misfits Sum 41 — the big draw for Irvinites may be a rare hometown appearance by Thrice, plus Huntington Beach’s similarly seasoned Atreyu. Initially helping to define before ultimately far transcending screamo, Thrice have earned that rarest of rock accolades as truly a genre of one. Their original lineup constant and intact, last year’s 10th album, the wonderfully organic-sounding Palms, continues to classify Thrice as unclassifiable. Once metalcore personified, Atreyu have increasingly incorporated ’80s and Gothenburg-scene metal into brave recent releases, with last year’s In Our Wake further indulging arena-friendly melodies and epic ambitions.

FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

Shinedown (Atlantic Records)

Sun. 7/21

Shinedown

Perhaps epitomizing the kind of robust, melodic mainstream rock beloved of faux-hawked and half-sleeved fans worldwide, Shinedown — while hardly a household name — have built the kind of career rock bands seldom enjoy anymore: slowly evolving and gathering commercial momentum over six albums and relentless touring since forming in 2000. At once almost the solo vehicle of lead vocalist Brent Smith (the band’s sole constant, alongside drummer Barry Kerch), and borderline rock-by-committee (with Atlantic Records heavily involved from the band’s inception), Shinedown has artfully ridden trends including nu-metal, alt-rock and post-grunge, while never overly committing to any one style. The sole constant has been arena-ready, slightly Southern-tinted songwriting, performance and production, which was once again delivered on 2018’s Attention Attention.

FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

Zac Brown Band (Courtesy of Atlantic Records)

Thu. 7/25 & Fri. 7/26

Zac Brown Band

It says much about Zac Brown’s devotion to the craft of country music that over the first dozen years of his eponymous band he gradually swelled its ranks to its current octet — happy to shoulder a seven-strong payroll in order to fully realize his embroidered, harmony-heavy sonic vision. And embroidery is central the ZBB sound, which takes simple, bluegrass- and Caribbean-tinted country — songs that could easily translate on just an acoustic guitar and voice — and lovingly embellishes it through up to four-part vocal harmonies and instruments (including banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and Hammond organ) that both fill-out and flit in and out of Brown’s blue-collar narratives. The result is a challenge to traditional country that flirts with jam band habits and world music influences — and an annual estimated band income of a decidedly white-collar $32 million.

FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

Symphony in the Cities violinist Strauss Shi (Courtesy Pacific Symphony)

Sat. 7/27, Sun. 7/28, Sat. 8/3 & Sun. 8/4

Pacific Symphony’s Symphony in the Cities

An enduring O.C. tradition, the Pacific Symphony’s “Symphony in the Cities” is a free, family-friendly evening of music and fun in local parks. Led by music director Carl St. Clair and emceed by Classical KUSC radio host Alan Chapman, its program features both lightweight orchestral classics and sing-alongs with patriotic favorites. The series contests the notion that classical music and kids can’t coexist, with interactive activities for children including a drum circle, instrument making, an instrument petting zoo, and even the chance to learn how to conduct with Maestro St. Clair and then help lead the orchestra in its performance of Sousa’s “Hands Across the Sea.”

Oso Viejo Community Park on the Village Green and Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, Mission Viejo, July 27

Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall (indoors), Costa Mesa, July 28

Aitken Arts Plaza at Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University, Orange, Aug. 3

Mike Ward Community Park – Woodridge, Irvine, Aug. 4

Beast Coast (Courtesy of the artist)

Tue. 7/30

Beast Coast

While the “Beast Coast” idea been bandied about for years — certainly since 2013’s Joey Bada$$-headlined Beast Coast Tour — only now does the collective have a defined membership, potent debut album (Escape From New York, released in May), and now an eponymous national tour. Consisting of Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers and members of Pro Era (including Bada$$), the 10-strong Beast Coast deliver satiating beats and, as expected from such an A-list lineup, hypnotic flows from the likes of Meechy Darko, Kirk Knight and CJ Fly on Escape. The tour format wasn’t announced at the time of writing, but it appears that Bada$$ will headline, with Flatbush Zombies and The Underachievers also performing portions of the show, plus Beast Coast songs being delivered by the entire crew.

FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine

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Sat 6/1

FISHFEST w/TOBYMAC, ZACH WILLIAMS, JORDAN FELIZ, GENESSIS & NIKKI, KIM WALKER-SMITH AND MORE

A longtime fixture at Irvine Meadows, 95.9 The Fish’s annual multi-act Fishfest bash moved to that venue’s de facto (albeit temporary) replacement, FivePoint Amphitheatre, after the Meadows’ 2016 demise. Headlined by genre-straddling former DC Talk man TobyMac, this year’s Fishfest lineup once again represents a broad cross section of contemporary Christian music, including inspirational Arkansas singer/songwriter Zach Williams, retro rock/R&B phenom Jordan Feliz, bilingual SoCal worship leaders Genessis & Nikki, and the Jesus Culture band’s Kim Walker-Smith. But, as ever, FishFest offers more than just music, with opportunities for worship, games, prizes, and to actually meet some of the performing artists. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine.

Brad Paisley (Jeff Lipsky)

Sat 6/8

BRAD PAISLEY

One of country music’s most consistent stars – all eleven of his studio albums to date have been certified Gold or better, plus an incredible 32 singles making the Top 10 of the BillboardCountry Airplay chart — Brad Paisley offers few surprises on his most recent album, 2017’s Love and War. A classic case of “if it ain’t broke”, the record hits all his usual marks: small-town sentimentalism, beer-swillin’ celebration, diverse collaboration (this time including Mick Jagger and Timbaland) and, yes, some filler. But what’s always set Paisley apart is his agile guitar playing and sheer savvy professionalism, which buff even his occasional duds into arena-ready sing-alongs. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine.

Young Dubliners (Elisa Savoia)

Sat 6/15 & Sun 6/16

IRISH FAIR AND MUSIC FESTIVAL feat. YOUNG DUBLINERS

Characteristically for one America’s hardest-working bands, L.A.’s Young Dubliners will play a brace of shows on each of this Emerald Isle-themed fest’s two days. While the Dubs’ original members, vocalist/guitarist Keith Roberts and bassist Brendan Holmes, are indeed from Dublin (and friends since their mid teens), the other three are American. Their take on Celtic rock melds the fireside nostalgia of Irish folk and shanties with the rabble-rousing optimism of robust, punk-tinged rock, recalling The Pogues and Waterboys as much as any traditional pub session. All this makes the Young Dubs feel more accessible and less exclusive than purist folk, which may explain their three decades of international popularity. Orange County Great Park, 8000 Great Park Blvd., Irvine.

Goo Goo Dolls (Bob Mussel)

Sun 6/16

TRAIN, GOO GOO DOLLS

Apt co-headliners Train and the Goo Goo Dolls both enjoyed commercial heydays at the turn of the millennium, when their earnest, singable rock sold millions. Both have also endured, regardless of fashion, even shunning the apparently obligatory hiatuses common to veteran acts (Train formed in 1993, Goo Goo Dolls in ’86). A classic rock band at heart, Train were never the stuff of bedroom-wall posters, but their very “adultness” has served them well, aging nicely while more faddy peers disappeared. While the Goo Goo Dolls transitioned from early punkiness into radio-friendly alt-poppers, their live shows have always flashed back to their more sonically reckless beginnings. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine.

Thu 6/20

SANTANA, DOOBIE BROTHERS

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Santana’s storied Woodstock performance, and 20 years since comeback album Supernatural put the band (essentially a vehicle for guitarist Carlos Santana) back atop charts. While Santana’s classic lineup, including subsequent Journey men Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie, reunited as a studio outfit in 2013, the live band is mostly come-latelies, including Carlos’ wife Cindy on drums. As band that peaked at the turn of the 1970s and again on the cusp of the millennium, Santana prevails as a multi-generational crowd puller. Still boasting two original members, Santana’s harmony-heavy NorCal peers the Doobie Brothers infuse this bill with yet more history and nostalgia. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine.

Carlos Santana (©Roberto-Finizio)

Sun 6/23

HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH, BARENAKED LADIES

Two of the most feel-good bands of the 1990s are well-matched on this Hootie & the Blowfish reunion tour, following a decade-long hiatus during which frontman Darius Rucker established himself as a legit country music star. Formed at the University of South Carolina in 1986, Hootie went on to almost define (alongside the likes of Blues Traveler and the Dave Matthews Band) the strummy, jam band-adjacent blues-rock that saturated Americas airwaves in the mid to late ‘90s. Meanwhile, Canada’s Barenaked Ladies offered a more lighthearted take on that subgenre, with smartypants lyrics and live shows that, to this day, feel more three-dimensional thanks to comedic between-songs banter. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine.

Sun 6/30

BRIT FLOYD

While the lately all-powerful “tribute band” trend has spawned acts of wildly varying ambition and ability, Brit Floyd are surely the zenith of this phenomenon to date. Featuring a number of former members of the long-running Australian Pink Floyd Show, this 19-strong, England-based ensemble recreates not only Pink Floyd’s epic soundscapes, but also endeavors to at least honor that band’s famously elaborate stage productions. Though only formed in 2011, Brit Floyd have for some years been capable of headlining venues the size of the 12,000-capacity FivePoint, thanks to both their own tireless perfectionism and passion, and, of course, the enduring resonance of the real Floyd’s songcraft. FivePoint Amphitheatre, 14800 Chinon, Irvine.

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DILLY DALLY
Fri. 4/5

A welcome throwback to the angsty grunge of Hole and early Smashing Pumpkins, Canada’s Dilly Dally is a reminder of why that genre, when done right, once ruled the airwaves. The quartet is all about whisper-to-a-scream dynamics: intimacy exploding into overt outpouring, with tiny sounds – often the textured murmur of chief songwriter Katie Monks – juxtaposed against tortured guitars and gangly drums. Having retreated into a time-apart hiatus following the hard-touring behind acclaimed 2015 debut “Sore,” Dilly Dally returned to slobbering reviews with last year’s relentlessly cathartic “Heaven”; both an unlikely continuation of its predecessor’s fiery form and a 34-minute advert for a full-blown grunge revival.

At Constellation Room at the Observatory, Santa Ana (Click here for tickets)

Anvil – Photo courtesy of SPV Records

ANVIL
Sat. 4/6

The relatively successful recent career of veteran Canadian metalheads Anvil was triggered by an immensely poignant 2008 documentary, “Anvil! The Story of Anvil,” which detailed their relatively unsuccessful prior three decades. Fronted by the irrepressible “Lips” Kudlow, the tragi-comic trad-metal trio now plays the sold-out clubs and top-flight fests which largely eluded them prior to finding big-screen fame (and was the stuff of dreams during a good 20 years of numbing obscurity). While Lips and co. can genuinely claim to have influenced the likes of Metallica and Slayer, their recent recorded output is workmanlike, if brisk, fist-in-the-air metal distinguished by Kudlow’s much-admired guitar work.

At The Wayfarer, Costa Mesa (Click here for tickets)

THE HAVANA CUBA ALL-STARS
Sat. 4/6

There’s something insanely uplifting and infectious about the Havana Cuba All-Stars – a collective of some of Cuba’s most revered musicians who, for this “Asere!” (“Friendship”) performance, are joined by three of that island’s most accomplished dancing couples. But in fact everyone in this dozen-strong band – comprising brass, Spanish and steel guitar, electric bass and multiple types of Latin percussion – dances, and there are few in their audience who don’t join in. The SoCal winter is far from frigid, but this ultra-rhythmic blast of sunny Caribbean bliss, which lovingly traverses rumba, cha cha chá and habanera, will nonetheless be a welcome escape at Segerstrom.

At Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Costa Mesa (Click here for tickets)

Buddy Guy – Photo by Paul Natkin

BUDDY GUY
Tue. 4/9

Still touring as he approaches age 83, Buddy Guy’s shudderingly inspired take on rock ‘n’ roll blues guitar has been both a blessing and a curse. Or rather it was the other way around, as it was early in his career that conservative label execs and radio programmers stifled an ultra-dynamic take on a genre that few have explored with such wide eyes and wild ability. It was not until the late 1980s blues revival that he began enjoying consistent commercial recognition for such startling originality. A relatively gentle vocal timbre further offsetting fiery fretboard virtuosity and emotive showmanship, Guy’s a national treasure best appreciated live.

At The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano (Click here for tickets)

JACK & JACK
Thu. 4/11

Few acts are such products of their time as Jack & Jack, a pair of Omaha-raised pop rappers who initially earned a following through satirical YouTube content and Vine cover tunes before, while still teens, starting to self-upload original co-compositions to iTunes. Only 22 today, these childhood buds are now big business, enjoying multiple brand partnerships which have brought further exposure to their safe, phone-ready fluff. Essentially cascades of call-and-response lyrical clichés between Jack Johnson’s nasal rhyming and Jack Gilinsky’s pitch-corrected croon, backed by drag-and-drop beats and bleeps, Jack & Jack are a crash course in what the uncool kids are buying.

At City National Grove of Anaheim (Click here for tickets)

Josh Abbott Bank – Photo by Gary Dorsey

JOSH ABBOTT BAND
Thu. 4/11

The Josh Abbott Band’s fifth full-length, 2017’s “Until My Voice Goes Out” is a contemplative yet ultimately sanguine, strings- and horns-adorned contrast to its predecessor, “Front Row Seat.” Whereas the latter documented the arc of Abbott’s failed marriage, “Until My Voice” is an appreciate-the-moment celebration shaped by both the joy of impending parenthood and the simultaneous loss of his father. His clean-cut septet defy their (quite literal) frat boy origins at Texas Tech to produce a melodious yet earthy collision of to-be-expected Texan country and more overtly outlaw Red Dirt influences, with burbling banjo, fiddle and guitars embroidering Abbott’s marvelously relatable storytelling.

At House of Blues, Anaheim (Click here for tickets)

BEN RECTOR
Fri. 4/12

Over the past dozen years, Oklahoman tunesmith Ben Rector has built the type of organic music career that simply isn’t supposed to exist anymore: over hundreds of shows and seven albums he’s gone from part-time college crooner to Top 10 seller (with 2015’s “Brand New”). Rector took his longest between-records pause yet before releasing last year’s “Magic”: another worthy collection of polished, mostly piano- and synth-driven pop with occasional country-ish melodies and echoes of 1990s college rock. Now 32 and a father, what this singing pianist/guitarist does so well is getting nostalgic while remaining optimistic – a emotional balancing act that resonates widely with his peers and beyond.

At House of Blues, Anaheim (Click here for tickets)

Pink – Photo by Sølve Sundsbø

PINK
Sat. 4/13

When Pink’s career exploded with her 2000 debut “Can’t Take Me Home,” she seemed destined to parallel poppy peers like Britney Spears (who she compared herself on 2001 single “Don’t Let Me Get Me”) and Jessica Simpson (who she mildly dissed on 2008’s “So What”). But the genre- and style-hoppin’ gal born Alecia Moore wanted more, and so has co-composed, collaborated (with everyone from Linda Perry to Tim Armstrong), and lustily sung herself into a rare, two-decades-and-counting combo of artistic credibility and chart/radio ubiquity. Pink’s famously elaborate – and downright athletic – live shows have only enhanced her rep as America’s favorite singing tomboy.

At Honda Center, Anaheim (Click here for tickets)

AARON WATSON
Fri. 4/19

Aaron Watson is a proudly independent Texas country artist who, over a 20-year career, has grazed the top of the genre – his appropriately-titled 2015 album “The Underdog” debuting at number one on the Billboard Country Albums chart – while retaining rare creative and commercial control. But that’s where any “outlaw” spirit stops for this unabashedly well-balanced, mainstream family man. On 11th studio album, “Vaquero,” however, Watson – intentionally or otherwise – tosses political hot potatoes on “Clear Isabel” and “Amen, Amigo”, which detail the cultural and literal crisscrossing of the U.S.-Mexican border (in both directions) which is fundamental to the story of Texas itself.

At House of Blues, Anaheim (Click here for tickets)

LOS LOBOS
Sat. 4/20

Incredibly, East L.A.’s Los Lobos have been exploring the music of their Mexican heritage and American lives – including rock, Tex-Mex, R&B, blues and traditional south-of-the-border sounds – for over 45 years, with four original members still aboard. From clawing their way up as a wedding band, to the years of global stardom following their international hit cover of Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba,” and lately back playing in clubs, this multi-award-winning outfit has palpably retained a passion for musical (and cultural) adventure. Los Lobos’ most recent full-length, 2015’s self-produced “Gates of Gold,” while patchy, shows that the preceding 23 albums have barely dulled their creative curiosity.

At The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano (Click here for tickets)

MUSIC OF QUEEN / PACIFIC SYMPHONY
Fri. 4/26 and Sat. 4/27

Epic rock riffs and majestic symphonic strings will come together in perfect harmony as Pacific Symphony pays tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time. Joined by high-energy band and vocalists Windborne, the symphony performs hits such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” “Killer Queen,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Another One Bites the Dust” and many more. The orchestra opens the show with Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, Gardel’s “Por una Cabeza” (the tango heard in “Scent of a Woman” and in the famous Arnold Schwarzenegger/Jamie Lee Curtis dance scene in  “True Lies”) and a medley of hits by The Beatles.

Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Costa Mesa (Click here for tickets)

SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE
Tue. 4/30

Formed by celebrated Chinese American cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the ambitious Silk Road Ensemble has been a culture-straddling collaboration of diverse virtuoso musicians for the past 20 years. To mark this milestone, it’s performing an entirely new concert, “Heroes Take Their Stands,” conceived by kamancheh player/composer Kayhan Kalhor and folklorist Ahmad Sadri. Comprising five works from members and friends of this unique world music ensemble, “Heroes” explores how ordinary people can make a difference, from Greek mythology’s Elektra to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Expect instruments including Galician bagpipe, Chinese lute, Japanese bamboo flute and Indian tabla to come together to thought-provoking, bridge-building effect at Segerstrom.

At Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa (Click here for tickets)

Robin Trower – Photo by Rob Blackham

ROBIN TROWER
Fri. 5/3

Robin Trower’s famed onstage gurning, while the object of lighthearted jibes, is further evidence of the deep sentiment propelling this blues-rock legend’s guitar playing. Alternately simmering and snarling on his signature Stratocaster, and sometimes sharing vocal duties with bassist Richard Watts, the now 74-year-old Brit has little to prove and apparently performs largely for pleasure. From his turn-of-the-1970s breakout with Procol Harum through a solo career featuring collabs with the likes of Jack Bruce and Bryan Ferry (and spawning new album “Coming Closer to the Day” in March), Trower’s individualist approach to soulful phrasing and blistering, post-Hendrix soloing has influenced legions of fellow axemen.

At City National Grove of Anaheim (Click here for tickets)

BERLIN
Sat. 5/4

You don’t have to even half close your eyes for Berlin front-gal (and sole constant) Teri Nunn to look paranormally similar to her 1980s chart-topping persona. And that’s a good thing, because today’s Berlin – a quartet featuring none of the instrumentalists from the band’s new wave heyday – is an almost pure nostalgia vehicle, with sets featuring throwback hits like “No More Words,” “Metro,” and ‘86’s monster-selling “Take My Breath Away” alongside only cursory nods to recordings made by the New Millennium incarnation of the band. But Nunn still utterly has it as both singer and performer, which makes Berlin one of the more convincing Reagan-era reminders.

At The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano (Click here for tickets)

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While Irvine is rightly famed for its world-class schools, prestigious corporate headquarters, fine dining and retail — there’s also a variety of outdoor areas perfect for hiking in Irvine, showcasing the city is far from just concrete and glass.

In fact, Irvine (which was mostly ranchland until the 1960s) and nearby communities boast extensive hiking trail networks with something to suit all levels of fitness, enthusiasm and time commitment. We visited 10 worth exploring.

HANGMAN’S MONUMENT

Don’t just show up in your boots and sunscreen for this 6-mile, sometimes challenging trek (1,800 feet of climbing elevation) to the site of one of Irvine’s darkest historical incidents. See, you’ll need to join an organized hike led by Irvine Ranch Conservatory-certified volunteers in order to visit the spot where, in 1857, two notorious bandits were summarily hanged by one General Andres Pico. The stone monument marking this grim event, surrounded by wildflowers and wonderful views, was lost beneath brush for decades, before the 2007 Santiago Fire scorched the area. Hikes begin close to Hwy. 241/Foothill Toll Rd., near the end of Presida Canyon.

For details of this and other Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks guided and trails for hiking in Irvine activities visit LetsGoOutside.org/activities.

BOMMER CANYON TRAIL

This 4.6-mile, moderately strenuous loop through historic Bommer Canyon is a staple of Irvine’s outdoorsy types, yet is still only gently trafficked much of the time (and is plenty wide enough to accommodate hikers and mountain bikers alike). Much of its 810-foot elevation gain happens in its furthest mile out, but this last steep stretch is so worth it for gasp-inducing views inland toward Saddleback Mountain and out over the twinkling Pacific and Catalina Island. Clean restrooms are available at the trailhead. Note that there are only 14 parking spaces at the 6400 Shady Canyon Dr. trailhead, but continue and make a left into Sunnyhill for more (starting your hike here will add 1.4 miles, roundtrip).

San Joaquin Marsh Figeater Beetle – Photo courtesy of Irvine Ranch Water District

SAN JOAQUIN MARSH & WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Just blocks from John Wayne Airport and UC Irvine lurks 300-plus acres of freshwater wetlands which host more than 200 bird species and, in fine weather, numerous varieties of human walkers and runners. The 12 miles of meandering trails within the hidden haven of Irvine Ranch Water District’s San Joaquin Marsh – which is nearly two-thirds the size of New York’s Central Park – are best suited to leisurely wanderers, with seemingly endless options and few signs. All flat (though with little shade), this relaxing and ultra-convenient, kid-friendly escape can reward visitors with sightings of pelicans, herons and ducks, not to mention raccoons and cottontails. Open from dawn ‘til dusk year-round, San Joaquin Marsh is accessed from Campus Drive and Riparian View.

TOP OF THE WORLD (Laguna Beach)

Officially named Alta Laguna Park, Top of the World soars some 1,000 feet above Laguna Beach, with views of much of O.C. on a clear day (or at least out to sea and inland toward Aliso Viejo). Add this to your list of locations for hiking in Irvine. Since the hiking/biking trails here include easy options (like West Ridge and Oak Grove), moderately strenuous workouts (such as Mathis Canyon), and a few downright difficult stretches (such as the short-but-rocky Car Wreck trail, featuring the incongruous remains of a 1946 Dodge coupe). Dripping Cave trail leads to the eponymous overhang where hikers can grab a shaded rest or picnic. It can get busy here, and proper hiking boots or trail shoes are recommended. Parking is at 3299 Alta Laguna Blvd.

TURTLE ROCK / FRENCH HILL LOOP

This ultra-convenient, 4.2-mile urban/scenic stroll offers not only some of the best land/sea vistas anywhere in Irvine, but also peeks of the gorgeous homes and pools of the prestigious Turtle Rock Summit neighborhood. While Turtle Rock / French Hill can be tackled in sneakers, there are some steep, boulder-strewn scrambles (though even these can be circumvented). A combination of dirt and paved paths, this trail is heavily trafficked, with leashed dogs welcome. Hardly a “wild” experience – most of the near views are of low brush or manicured housing tracts – it’s nonetheless a calves-toning workout in the heart of town, with the most popular of numerous starting points being the corner of Turtle Rock Drive and Concordia Way.

Peters Canyon Regional Park – Photo courtesy of O.C. Parks

PETERS CANYON REGIONAL PARK (Orange)

The 340 acres of Peters Canyon Regional Park are well worth the short drive for Irvine hikers, with its diverse array of trails and graded roads. Home to the substantial Upper Peters Canyon Reservoir and Peters Canyon Creek, the park hosts all manner of wildlife, including hawks, smaller amphibians, mule deer, bobcats and, yes, snakes. There’s something for everyone here, including the 2.5-mile Peters Canyon Lake View Trail (which lives up to its name, yet has only 203 feet of elevation gain), and the heavily-trafficked, 5.9-mile Peters Canyon Loop Trail, which presents a moderately strenuous challenge through undulating terrain. Open 7 a.m. through sunset, the park is located at 8548 Canyon View Ave. in Orange.

QUAIL LOOP TRAIL

Ideal for a swift dog or power walk, even on your lunch break, Quail Loop is a couple of miles of natural-surface trail around the base of Quail Hill. The only wilderness trail in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks that allows dogs (on leashes), it offers great views of Saddleback and of Irvine itself. Birds are plentiful – quail, of course, plus western meadowlark, hummingbirds and more – especially near the wetland area at the loop’s start. A free cell phone audio tour, featuring experts explaining significant features, is available (dial 949-743-5943). Quail Hill Trailhead, at 34 Shady Canyon Dr., is also the perfect place to connect to southern Irvine’s broader network of hiking trails.

EL MORO CANYON LOOP TRAIL (Laguna Beach)

One of 28 trails totaling 18 miles in Crystal Cove State Park, this well-maintained 5-mile loop through El Moro Canyon repays an 800-foot climb with sweeping coastal views and colorful wildflowers. Rated moderate overall, it includes only one sweat-breaking ascent. While the trail through 2,400 acres of coastal sage scrub is mostly shadeless, an ocean breeze fans even the hottest of hikes. Expect to see plentiful bunnies, birds and maybe even a twilight coyote before descending back to more than three miles of beach, which can be enjoyed on the same day pass (the park also includes four overnight campsites). Crystal Cove State Park is at 8471 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach. Day-use parking is $15/vehicle (or $5/hour).

Cyrstal Cove State Park backcountry – Photo courtesy of Crystal Cove Conservancy

WOODBRIDGE TRAIL

The relaxed, paved 1.7-mile out-and-back Woodbridge Trail is a favorite of families, dog owners, joggers and casual walkers, with a pleasant lake-side stretch and views of nearby mountains which shift with every curve. For the more ambitious, Woodbridge can also form part of a lengthier jaunt, connecting as it does with both the Freeway and San Diego Creek trails. Though it also traverses a neighborhood, the meandering pathway offers brief escape from urban sprawl on its way through a field and alongside North Lake. Almost literally flat (just a 29-foot elevation gain), its supremely civilized hiking experience is completed by the restrooms, barbecues, picnic table and drinking fountains near the parking at Mike Ward Community Park (20 Lake Rd.)

SHADY CANYON TRAIL

With both paved and dirt paths, this 7.8-mile out-and-back trail questions the dividing line between hiking in Irvine and just “walking,” as it bisects both housing tracts and open ground. Whatever you call it, Shady Canyon Trail is a safe and non-stressful way to stretch your legs over 574 feet of elevation gain without the need of specialized attire or equipment (though a hat and sunscreen are recommended, as there’s little shade). Also well trafficked by bikers and even inline skaters (and wheelchair accessible), there’s a sense of community connection here that most of the more rugged local trails lack. Shady Canyon Trail shares a trailhead and parking with Quail Hill Trail (see above) at 34 Shady Canyon Dr.

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The post Hike Irvine: Top 10 Trails For Hiking In Irvine appeared first on Irvine Weekly.