San Diego Shows – Tuesday November 18

PLAN A: Café Tacuba @ House of Blues. Some say they’re the greatest Hispanic rock band on the planet. I’m not making such a sweeping generalization (not here, anyway), even though “Esta Vez” could easily be a Beatles song circa 1965 if it weren’t in Spanish. PLAN B: AIDS Wolf, Night Wounds @ The Casbah. Ultra-negative noise-rock is the name of the game. Fans of sheer musical antagonism, your nightmares are recreated by neo no-wavers (AIDS Wolf) and sunlight-deprived basement dwellers (Night Wounds). -Todd Kroviak

I’m still not sure why these guys get called the “Mexican Radiohead” all the time. Sure, they’re sonically adventurous, but they’re more akin to U2 if anyone. Big, poppy choruses mixed with catchy, melodic rock hardly seems Radiohead-related, but there’s no doubt that Cafe is the most talented rock en espanol band out there:

AIDS Wolf is almost the exact opposite of Cafe Tacuba. Aggresive, deconstructed noise-rock that would certainly scare animals and small children (but, you know, in a good way). Openers Night Wounds site Suicide, Killing Joke and The Jerks as influences, which is funny seeing as how the majority of their songs sound exactly like Joy Division (no, really, they do. Just listen to “Night Wounds on their MySpace page) or atleast, Liars.

My Plan C: ohGr @ House of Blues-If only for the people-watching. Weird, industrial music for the few dorks who are still into KMFDM and Thrill Kill Kult and just aren’t satisfied with Dresden Dolls.

And the rest:

Jasmine Commerce, Alyssa Jacey with Sara Haze @ Belly Up

STEM, Alpha Channel, DJs Necessary Kneepads @ Beauty Bar

Too Cool For Karaoke: Dearly Beloved Prince Contest @ The Ruby Room (former San Diego Sports Club)

The Echelons @ Hensley’s Flying Elephant

Peace N Melody, Mad In & guests TBA@ Brick By Brick

Ishmael The Peacemaker, Jordan Loader @ Winston’s

Barbara Tobler @ Anthology