The incredibly successful indie band Death Cab For Cutie put on a solid, 10 song set showcasing some of their greatest hits, including “Soul Meets Body,” “You are a Tourist,” “Title and Registration” and “Cath.” Lead singer Ben Gibbard, sporting what can best be described as a lumberjack-ish look, greeted the crowd with a “What’s Happening, San Diego?” He entertained the crowd by not only singing and playing the guitar, but also playing piano and drums on a couple of songs. Many of Death Cab’s songs were over five minutes long, not your standard rock fare, for sure. They ended with “Marching Bands of Manhattan,” and received a standing ovation from the loyal crowd.
Manchester rock icon Noel Gallagher sauntered on to the 91X stage, pointed at the crowd without even acknowledging them, took his guitar and began the his High Flying Bird’s set with “The Death of You and Me.” Throughout the group’s performance, the crowd in the Valley View Casino Center showed their appreciation by punching their fists in the air to accentuate key lyrics, bobbing their heads in unison, and holding up their plastic cups filled with beer to show their merry approval. Loud cheers and screams came when the Gallegher launched into the Oasis hit “Wonderwall.” Noel and company ended the set with another Oasis hit, “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” As hands and arms swayed, the crowd sang along with the chorus, and beach balls bobbed up and down amongst the people in the pit. This is San Diego, after all.
Los Angeles band Airborne Toxic Event was introduced to the 91X Wrex the Halls crowd by radio DJ Capone who gushed that they were his favorite four people on the planet. The highlight of their energetic set was their cover of “I Fought The Law,” popularized by The Clash, which they dedicated to the LAPD.
The Naked and Famous, hail from New Zealand and their atmospheric and melodic music entertained the still-gathering crowd at 91X‘s Wrex the Hallz Saturday night. Lead singer Alisa Xayalith had a fun and casual stage presence. The Naked and Famous ended their set with their hit, “Young Blood,” off of their 2010 debut album Passive Me, Aggressive You.
Dan Mangan delivered an incredible performanc at The Belly Up in Solana Beach on Sunday night as he opened up for Blind Pilot. His multifaceted voice is compelling and witty, raucous and delicate. Combine that vocal ability with a genuine zeal for the performance and you have an unforgettable show – definitely one of my favorites of all time. Mangan sang selections from his three albums, Postcards and Daydreaming, the critically acclaimed Nice, Nice, Very Nice, and the recently released Oh, Fortune. Crowd favorites included “Road Regrets,” “Post-War Blues,” “Basket,” and “Rows of Houses.” Mangan ended the show with his hit, “Robots,” joined by the crowd singing “Robots need love, too/They want to be loved by you/They want to be loved by you/ They want to be loved by you.” Dan Mangan is one performer you do not want to miss. Catch him as he tours Canada, Australia, and Europe next year.
Touring to promote their newest CD, We Are The Tide, Blind Pilot played at The Belly Up in Solana Beach on Sunday night. They played songs off of the new album, but also featured songs from their popular debut album 3 Rounds and a Sound.
San Diego favorites, The Silent Comedy, played three short sets throughout the day at KPRI‘s Street Beat. They commanded the stage at the swanky Anthology bar/restaurant/music space. Catch them when they are in town – they are great performers!
