San Diego Shows–Sunday, June 28

PLAN A: Double Dagger, Hialeah @ Soda Bar–Is Baltimore the best city in music right now? If not, then they certainly have a case for being the most innovative and underrated.  Between Ponytail, Dan Deacon and Animal Collective–with the latter two having released two of the best albums this year–the “Charm City” has ruled my CD player lately. And now I can add Double Dagger’s third album, More, to the rotation. Ever since their 2003 self-titled debut, this was always a punk band that you had to see live to appreciate, yet you still got the sense that they had a recorded masterpiece somewhere in them. More lives up to that promise and, well, more. They shift effortlessly from fuzzed-out spoken word hardcore a la Fugazi to gorgeous indie-rock instrumental interludes (the first two minutes of “Vivre Sans Temps Mort” sounds like some lost, great Broken Social Scene side) and they do it like it’s all been done before. And if it has, it’s probably never sounded this awesome. I swear I even here some poppy, Weezerish hooks on “The Lie/The Truth”. If their performance is half as good as it is in my head, then I’m in for a world of pain. The good kind.  PLAN B: Drew Andrews, Trashcan Fires @ Bar Pink–If you didn’t pick up Andrews’ 2008 debut, Only Mirrors, then you missed what was probably one of the best and most aurally pleasing local releases in recent memory. And since they started playing as a duo (down from a three-piece), the cutie couple in Trashcan Fires have been steadily perfecting their lo-fi, Low-inspired lullabies. Seriously, when they start playing “Blood Supplier,” grab the most willing participant and make out gently for the next seven minutes or so. Heaven. PLAN C: Mondo Generator, It’s Casual, Gusto, Nick Oliveri @ Radio Room–When uber-control freak douchebag genius Josh Homme fired his friend Nick Oliveri from Queens of the Stone Age, Oliveri could have easily just faded into the desert as an obscure sideman that was once in a great band. But he didn’t. And while the Oliveri-fronted Generator might never record anything as catchy as “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” and “No One Knows,” Mondo songs like “Lie Detector” and the Ministry-esque “Meth, I Hear You Callin’” are further proof that Homme made a stupid mistake. That, and have you heard the last two Queens releases?  BACKUP PLAN: Satan Dance Party, Dead Ponies, Lilith Velkor, Autotonic, DJ Icaro @ Ruby Room–A rather bizarre lineup of pirate gypsy-folk (Satan), punk-metal (Dead Ponies) and a local band that’s a dead-ringer for Nirvana’s early material (Lilith Velkor). All to raise money for Charity Paws for Cures.

QUICK PICKS: 

Pullman Standard, The Minor Keys, The Perry Edwards, Roxy Jones @ The Casbah

Citizen Video Matinee showing of “The Road Warrior” @ Whistle Stop (4 p.m.)

“Too Many Creeps” feat. Mario Orduno and friends @ Whistle Stop

Stereo House @ Beauty Bar