- The annual Closer to the Sun music festival is taking place January 10 – 14, 2026 in Riviera Maya, Mexico, with San Diego’s Slightly Stoopid, Hirie and Pepper amongst this year’s headliners.
- An amazing 4-CD Box set, featuring 24 tracks, for almost 3 hours of music, is out now: The Alien Territory Archives: A Collection of Radical, Experimental, & Irrelevant Music from 1970s San Diego features an overview of the area’s more adventurous recordings from that decade, drawn from the archives of UCSD. Tracks range from industrial sounds (Robert Turman) to spoken word tone / scale demonstrations (Harry Partch). A curated museum of sound. nyahhrecords.bandcamp.com
- A new compilation album, It’s All Her Fault (A Cindy Walker Tribute), has just been released, featuring Kimmi Bitter’s version of “Hey, Mr. Bluebird,” & Rosie Flores update of “You Don’t Know Me.” In related news, Flores, who was inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame earlier this year, will be opening for Robert Plant’s Saving Grace feat. Suzi Dian on tour this month, with 14 dates wrapping up on November 23 at Harrah’s Resort. greydelisle.bandcamp.com
- Alison Brown & Steve Martin’s new album, Safe, Sensible & Sane is out now, with various exclusive colored vinyl editions available. In addition to Black Vinyl, collectable editions include: Barnes & Noble / Green Grass Swirl, Amazon / Blue Swirl, and via the Compass Records Website / Clear Red. The album hit #1 on the Bluegrass album chart, with the pair making appearances to promote it on NBC’s the Tonight Show on October 29, and The View on October 30. Notably the album features several guests including Jackson Browne, Vince Gill and Jason Mraz, who adds vocals to track six of twelve, “Statement Of Your Affairs.”
- Go-Go’s singer Belinda Carlisle’s latest solo album, Once Upon a Time in California, features ten soft rock covers, including a version of Jim Croce’s 1973 #1 hit, “Time In A Bottle.”
- Tim Ellison (The Nephews) and Donna Daly (Cat 22) have teamed up for a new group, The Chartreuse, with a 7-inch vinyl single, “Nothing Serves” b/w “Up In The Sky,” due soon via Pacific Records. Guests on the record include Ted Stern (pedal steel), Chloe Lou (vocals) and Mike Kamoo (drums).
- Encinitas based Surfdog Records releases its first non-solo Eric Clapton related title on February 20, 2026, a 2-disc green splatter colored vinyl reissue of the 19-song live album, Cream – Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6, 2005.
- Country singer Lissa Dee will be performing at The 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo taking place this December in Las Vegas, with shows on December 8 & 10. While in Las Vegas, she’ll also be appearing at the Sand Dollar on December 5 & 6 and at the Rio Hotel on December 9.
- Guitar Workshop Plus has set the date for their next San Diego Session, on June 21-26, 2026, at the Handlery Hotel in Mission Valley. guitarworkshopplus.com
- Jewel’s debut album, Pieces of You, has been re-released by Craft Recordings in a special 30th-anniversary pressing on limited “amethyst” color vinyl. The 2-LP set includes the original album, plus five bonus tracks.
- Legendary guitarist Jake E Lee’s (Mickey Ratt, Rough Cutt, Ozzy Osbourne) album, Runnin’ With the Devil, is being reissued by Cleopatra Records, with five bonus tracks. The album collects cover songs from Lee’s many compilation appearances including recast versions of songs by Metallica, Queen, Rush, Van Halen and Joe Satriani.
- On Feb. 14 and 15, 2026 The Jason Mraz Foundation will present two special concerts, fundraisers for five San Diego nonprofit arts organizations, at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. Mraz will be joined onstage by musical friends as well members of the nonprofit’s being celebrated: The Art of Elan, Culture Shock, the San Diego Young Artists Music Academy, Arms Wide Open, and the PASACAT Philippine Performing Arts Academy.
- The 40th Anniversary of Ratt’s debut album, Invasion of Your Privacy, is being celebrated with the release of a 12” 3-track picture disc EP, Dangerous but Worth the Risk.
- Singer Eric Sage (Wayne’s World, Ian Mitchell’s Bay City Rollers) has recorded a new theme tune, “Rise Up San Diego,” for The San Diego Gulls, to be heard starting this season at Pechanga Arena. Sage next performs at the 9th Annual San Diego Gulls Golf Classic, taking place on November 10 at Singing Hills Golf Club at Sycuan. He’ll also make an appearance in the Artois Lounge at Pechanga Arena on December 13 during the Gulls game.
- Sven-Erik Seaholm has a Thursday evening residency, Thirsty Thursdays, at the Asian Bistro (aka the historic Golden Dragon) in Hillcrest, 5 – 8 p.m. “I love interacting with the passersby,” said Seaholm of the weekly gig. “I’ve even had a few folks on the street tip me for my original songs!”
- Slack Key Ohana is performing at the Alohana Festival taking place at the Palm Springs Cultural Arts center on November 16th.
- The upcoming 30th Anniversary Edition of The Smashing Pumpkins album, Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness, includes three bonus live tracks recorded at SOMA on January 30, 1996: “Geek U.S.A.” “X.Y.U.” and “Cupid De Locke.” The show was part of a two-night stand for the band, which bodes well for the possibility of additional tracks from the show being released in the future.
- Switchfoot has their first two dates of 2026 booked. They’ll be appearing at Rock The Universe in Orlando, FL (January 23) and The Innings Festival in Tempe, AZ (February 22).
- Blues legend Johnny Vernazza is releasing a single a week from his new album, Home By Christmas, through the end of the year. Amongst the highlights will be “I’ll Be Your Santa Baby” with Anthony Cullins and Laura Chavez (November 17), and “Back Door Santa” featuring Tommy Castro (December 22). In related news, Vernazza reunited with Elvin Bishop at the latter’s show on October 28 at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.
- San Diego Beatles Fair update! The 21st edition of the Fab Four themed event, will take place on April 5 & 6 at the Deanza Springs Resort. Multiple activities, plus plenty of music is planned for the event, with Britian’s Finest, The Revolution Band, Oasiz, Fred Benedetti, Ashley Norton & Friends, The Surf Birdz, Come Together and The 63eatles amongst the artists scheduled so far. https://beatlesfair.com
- GAS Trading Cards has released a series of collectable tour related cards, which includes artists who have performed in San Diego. Each card features the poster art from a show on the related tour, with the night’s set list on the reverse. Artists with San Diego cards include The Smashing Pumpkins (08/10/23 & 09/28/24), Wu Tang Clan (10/06/22), The Jonas Brothers (10/28/23), Red Hot Chili Peppers (05/12/23), Bruce Springsteen (03/25/24) and The Cure (05/20-21/23). The cards are generally available via the artist’s website. More info at gastradingcards.com
