Once again, our man Sgt. Tiki has surveyed the musical landscape and selected the best of what’s happening locally for your musical enjoyment and edification.
Whether your tastes run to hip-hop, indie soul, or classic alt-rock, you’ll find something to satisfy your auditory appetite.
The Violent Femmes
The Violent Femmes are celebrating their 45th year, having formed in 1981 on the streets of Milwaukee, Wisconsin playing punk covers influenced by Gene Vincent and The Velvet Underground. They were essentially learning their trade as street buskers until being spotted playing outside a Pretenders gig and being invited by singer Chrissie Hynde to open the show for her group. This led to being signed, and to their self-titled debut album becoming the first — and still the only — album in Billboard history to enter the charts with a platinum certification, eight years after its release. They’re known for their pioneering blend of folk and punk, blending acoustic instrumentation with jitter rhythms and sarcastic/amusing lyrics. Their catalog includes evergreen tracks still getting alt-radio and college airplay, including the “Blister In the Sun,” a setlist staple known for its iconic bassline and relatable lyrics about youthful lust and frustration, as well as “Gone Daddy Gone” and “Add It Up.”
- Where: The Sound, 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar
- When: Thursday, February 25 and Friday, February 26, 2026, at 7:30 pm
- Ages: 21+
- Get tickets
Mercedes Moore
Winner of the 2024 San Diego Music Award for Best Jazz Artist and nine time SDMA nominee for Best Blues Artist, Mercedes Moore brings a blend of ’50s/’60s swingin’ blues and soul to the stage, along with a touch of gospel, jazz, and R&B. The longtime staple of the local music scene wears many musical hats, among them that of a swing dance instructor who holds classes at area venues such as Queen Bee’s, teaching dancers how to move to everything from Little Richard and Little Walter to Etta James and James Brown. Her Mercedes Moore Trio appears regularly at Gaslamp clubs and restaurants, and she’s been seen performing at high profile events like the Gator by the Bay outdoor festival and the Blues Summit, supporting young aspiring musicians from BLUSD’s Blues Camp for Teenagers. In addition, she frequently collaborates with other local talents, including guitar icon Laura Chavez, harmonica player Dennis Gruenling, and singer-pianist Taryn Donath.
- Where: Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa Street, San Diego
- When: Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 7 pm
- Ages: All ages
- More info
Riston Diggs
The newest edition of the Songwriter Sanctuary series presents a celebration of Black History Month with Riston Diggs and others, staged in the acoustically excellent church venue that formerly hosted the Acoustic Music San Diego headliner concert series. Diggs first earned widespread notice with his album PTSD, which documents his struggles, desires, and ambition following the completion of a nine-year military career (2004-2013) with the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Administrator. The video for “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” quickly earned over 68,000 views. He has consistently been recognized at the San Diego Music Awards, achieving early honors for Best Hip-Hop/Rap Artist/Collaboration, as well as winning trophies for Best Hip-Hop/Rap Album for his full-length 35 (2022) and Best Hip-Hop/Rap Song with “Life Of a Dreamer” in 2024. He has a new collaborative five-song EP with Mike Holmes, Roadmaps, available on Spotify. The bill includes Kevin Cooper and Cedrice.
- Where: Normal Heights United Methodist Church, 4650 Mansfield Street, San Diego
- When: Friday, February 27, 2026 at 7:30 pm
- Ages: All ages
- More info
Ozomatli
Grammy winners for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album, Ozomatli is known for its fusion of Latin music, hip-hop, rock, salsa, and funk, as well as for social activism that resulted in them being named U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassadors. With lyrics sung in both English and Spanish, they frequently tackle political subjects, as well as LGBT rights in tracks such as “Gay Vatos in Love.” They’ve released around a dozen full-lengths and EPs, including a 2005 concert album, Live at the Fillmore. Later records drew inspiration from global travels, including recording with South African children. Their most recent full-length Marching On was released in 2020. Ozomatli also created music for the award-winning 2026 documentary feature film Seeds For Liberation, concerning the Free Palestine movement. The bill includes 8-piece SoCal surfadelic band Seapoodle, who draw inspiration from the ’60s psychedelic and surf sounds as well as pulses from more contemporary genres like heavy metal and reggae.
- Where: The Music Box, 1337 India Street, San Diego
- When: Friday, February 27, 2026 at 8 pm
- Ages: 21+
- Get tickets
The Polish Ambassador
San Francisco DJ/producer David Sugalski, AKA The Polish Ambassador, is an EDM/live crossover artist who has earned international attention for his signature bass-heavy funk sound and brightly colored 1980s-style jumpsuits. Specializing in amix of global-house, mid-tempo funk, West African percussion, and psychedelic elements, he has released over a dozen albums, as well as numerous remixes and fronting various side projects. The founder of Jumpsuit Records and an early progenitor of the permaculture action movement, he promotes what he calls an eco-conscious “party with a purpose” ethos, organizing environmental action days and advocating for ecologically aware lifestyles and volunteerism. He uses his tours to connect fans with local environmental projects, such as reforestation and community gardens, as well as producing his music in a solar-powered studio.
- Where: Belly Up Tavern, 143 S Cedros Street, Solana Beach
- When: Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 8 pm
- Ages: 21+
- Get tickets
Sound Praxis
Sound Praxis presents an evening of adventurous electronic music featuring Scottish/Arizona-based Lauren Sarah Hayes, laptop computer music composer Michelle Lou, and electro-acoustic sound artist T. Putnam Hill. This event brings together live electronics, field recordings, sound collage, embodied performances, and more. Lauren Sarah Hayes is a Scottish improviser, sound artist, and scholar recognized for her mix of experimental pop with live electronics, techno, noise, and free improvisation. UCSD faculty member Michelle Lou is a renowned composer and performer specializing in experimental electro-acoustic music, sound installations, and contemporary chamber works. T. Putnam Hill is an Austin, Texas-based electro-acoustic musician, sound artist, and record label founder known for creating immersive soundscapes for his Bandcamp page using field recording, experimental guitar playing, feedback loops, and digital processing and editing. Refreshments will be available for attendees, and all proceeds from the event go to the artists.
- Where: Folk Arts Rare Records & Tapes, 3610 University Avenue, San Diego
- When: Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 6 pm
- Ages: 21+
- More info
Marelle
Singer-songwriter Marelle specializes in jazzy R&B, neo-soul, and pop originals and covers. An accomplished guitarist as well as a versatile singer, she was nominated last year as Best Singer/Songwriter by @sandiegomag and her recording for “Alone” was nominated Best R&B, Funk, Or Soul Song at the 2025 San Diego Music Awards. With a voice that has earned comparisons to artists such as Corinne Bailey Rae, Ella Fitzgerald, and Norah Jones, she got her local start by playing open mics with a portable Roland Street Cube amp, learning her trade while networking and getting herself heard by potential talent bookers. Now a working musician who has made her living on stage since losing her job as a waitress around 2022, she can frequently be found playing around town as a solo act at various restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, resorts, nightclubs, weddings, and corporate and private events.
- Where: L’Auberge Del Mar, 1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar
- When: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at 5 pm
- Ages: All ages
- More info
Shea Givens
Born and raised in Missouri before relocating to San Diego around 2014, indie-soul artist Shea Givens grew up singing and playing the piano since the age of thirteen, often performing alongside her mother and even trying her hand at songwriting as well. Although she studied Speech Pathology at the University of Missouri, she continued to play music all throughout college, which helped her to develop a unique mix of soul, pop, and R&B, writing songs that explore themes of love, modern living, and mental health. Shortly after the release of her debut EP SHEA, preceded by a single for “Moonlight,” she landed a slot co-headlining a 20-city U.S. tour with St. Louis poet and MC Landon Wordswell. Her indie-soul EP Fly Away earned critical accolades and comparisons to artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Aretha Franklin, and Whitney Houston.
- Where: Carte Hotel, 401 West Ash Street, San Diego
- When: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 5:30 pm
- Ages: All ages
- More info