First look: San Diego spring concert preview

SEAN MURPHY
CONTRIBUTOR

The magnificence of San Diego is rarely lost on its inhabitants, especially in the spring. In the land of endless summer, no night goes by without a show.
For students, the next couple of months will be busy, as an abundance of talented acts come to the city. Also, with the impending music festival season, one can sometimes get so carried away planning how to keep their phone charged at the Coachella campgrounds that they miss what is playing in their very own backyard. With much to do, it is easy to forget the bevy of concerts and live music attractions that tour the area.
San Diego is host to a variety of musical talent year round. That being said, the purpose of the spring concert preview is to give the University of San Diego community a concise look at a jam-packed season, and some of the shows that stand out. Here is brief a look at what is ahead.
Country music draws a sizable crowd in this town. Brad Paisley lands in town June 6, at the Sleep Train Amphitheater for his “Crushin’ It World Tour.” Having emerged in the 2000s as country’s predominant male star, Paisley continues to advance the genre, and record sales, with his 2014 album “Moonshine in the Trunk.”
Speaking of endless summer, Lana Del Rey, a pop artist with a sensuous and moody singing style, is bringing her “Endless Summer Tour” to the Sleep Train Amphitheatre on May 16. The spooky sounding 2014 album “Ultraviolence” brought Del Rey an abundance of popularity, as did her radio hit from that record, “West Coast.” Be sure to look at the lawn seating option that can be found on livenation.com: tickets in that area are about $35, whereas tickets slightly closer to the stage are nearing $100-150.
The popular San Franciscan balladeers, Train, also comes to Sleep Train Amphitheatre on their “Picasso At the Wheel” 2015 tour on May 23.  This event comes a few days after the last final examinations of the spring semester, which means attending could either serve as a way to soothe the soul, or as a prayer, depending on whether they play their hit single, “Calling All Angels” or not.
A night at the Casbah is assuredly not one soon forgotten. The Casbah has been open since 1989, with a reputation for the best bands on the near nightly billing. Having booked acts like Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins, it is no wonder that the Casbah has an exciting spring ahead. Right now, tickets are on sale for Benjamin Booker, the young New Orleans based bluesman and guitarist. For only $15, you can go see what others will pay hundreds to see at Coachella. Tickets can be found at casbahmusic.com.
Next on the list of outstanding venues in San Diego is the House of Blues. Kongos, the popular alt-rock outfit, will be on stage there March 9, with supporting act Sir Sly. Fans of acts like the Black Keys or Zac Brown Band should not miss this one.
Fortunately, the House of Blues will be featuring a few more upcoming groovy attractions. On April 16, the celestial rock-meets-electronica duo, Ratatat, will be putting their experimental beats and acid rock on display. Tickets are general admission and priced at $32.50.
Another exciting show at the House of Blues will be the Winter Blackout Tour that includes The Expendables, Fortunate Youth, and Katastro.  The Expendables are a group of Santa Cruz reggae rockers with a wide range of musical styling that goes from dub reggae to punk. This tour has coincided with their latest album release, “Sand in the Sky.”
Lastly, there are quite a few small venues around that support the punk, folk, reggae, metal, and hip-hop scenes if ever in need for a cheap fun show. They include: the Belly Up Tavern, Soda Bar, the North Park Theatre, and the Che Café Collective.