In the San Diego music clubs Sunday–Wednesday, March 30–April 2

Sunday 30
I’m just going to go ahead and call Saintseneca my surprise find of the week. These ANTI- folkies from Columbus, Ohio, are all kinds of weird Amerikana, in the vein of Violent Femmes and, yuh-huh, Neutral Milk Hotel. Leader Zac Little has that pitch-imperfect, over-ripe adenoidal tone of Gano and Mangum in spades. Sorry if that bothers Mr. Little, but it’s true and it’s awesome, imo. Their new one, Dark Arc, drops Tuesday, April 1, and prompted this from the Pitch: “...stompy folk songs that are more artfully crafted than all the bands you probably thought of when you read the words ‘stompy folk songs.’” Saintseneca takes the stage at Casbah after SanFran psych-pop band Blank Tapes and folk fableist Vikesh Kapoor (The Ballad of Willy Robbins).... Otherwise: there’s more folky fare at Soda Bar with Texas tunesmiths Wild Child and Robert Ellis...Stephen Rey and Low Volts plug in for a night of blues-rock stomps at the Shakedown...northatown, you got Belly Up serving “polyethnic Cajun slam grass” act Leftover Salmon...Pechanga’s a safe bet with Texas boogie-rock vets ZZ Top...and, as mentioned last week, Malky’s Jicks and Speedy Ortiz are up at Pioneertown hot spot Pappy & Harriet’s for a night of tangy 'cue, cold brew, and “wigging out at jag bags.” Yee-haw.

Monday 31
Swami blues-punk artist Dan Sartain splits a bill with San Diego’s art-punk supergroup Ghetto Blaster (Fishwife, Irradio, Rats Eyes) at Bar Pink Monday night...while Soda Bar sets up Nashville indie-folkie William Tyler (a utility player for Silver Jews and Lambchop — solid pedigree) with Athens, GA’s latest ’80s-style export New Madrid. Got a comp’d copy of their Sunswimmer CD and sunk in easy. They had me at “college rock with an SEC accent.”

Tuesday 1
Tuesday’s up to youse: enjoy “an evening with” Vegas-based homemade-instrument music-maker That 1 Guy (and his “magic boot, pipe, and saw”) at Casbah...or there’s a Bruin CD-release thing at Soda Bar if you’re a fan of the beatronica brand.

Wednesday 2
Austin-based guitar-rock trio Ume split a bill at Soda Bar Wednesday night with the shred-rock pride of San Diego, the Schitzophonics. Finally saw the Schitzos last week at Casbah and, omfg, where does Pat Beers get off doing that to a guitar, swinging and strangling the thing while thrashing around like a tornado in rhythm. Totally amazing and I can’t wait to see it again. Ume’s Lauren Larson is cut from the same cloth, guitar groupies, so we’ll see you there... Miss the door to that one, Portland goth-pop quartet Genders hit the blighted Hideout after Gift Machine and Karl Blau...while “troll-core” Oregonians Marmits take the Tower after our own full-contact spazz acts Homeless Sexuals and Kodiak.... If you’ve yet to take the Crawler aurally, what are you waiting for? My mouth, your ears, lots of band clips, and tips for upcoming tix. Just. Push. Play.

More from SDReader

• More stories by Barnaby Monk