10 can’t-miss concerts this week: San Diego’s best musicians celebrate the holidays

Some of San Diego’s top local talent hits stages across the county this week, from blues guitar masters and punk legends to ska orchestras and prog-rock supergroups.

Here are ten shows you won’t want to miss, especially if you’re looking for some live music to put you in the Christmas spirit.

Blues guitarist Johnny Vernazza celebrates the release of his new album, “Home by Christmas,” with a special event at Humphreys Backstage Live on Dec. 17. Best known for his hit recordings with The Elvin Bishop Group, for this show Vernazza will be joined by the same all-star lineup that performs on his album, including guitarist Anthony Cullins, singer Mercedes Moore, saxophonist Walter Gentry, bassist Rob Burnham, and drummer Edward Cleveland. Vernazza’s bluesy take on classics such as “Merry Christmas Baby” is the perfect soundtrack to get anyone in the Christmas spirit.

• Johnny Vernazza: Wednesday, Dec. 17 at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. 6 p.m. $15. humphreysconcerts.com.

Guitarist Roni Lee holds her annual Christmas party on Dec. 18 at The Holding Company. Lee was a pioneer in the early Southern California punk scene, playing with Venus & The Razor Blades and writing the song “I Wanna Be Where The Boys Are,” recorded by iconic all-female group, The Runaways. Fifty years since those initial forays into music, Lee is still touring the world and releasing great music, most recently an EP, “Feels Good 2 Be Bad,” featuring a rock ‘n’ roll take of the Michael Jackson hit, “Dirty Diana.” Opening the show will be Manzanita Blues and The Taz Taylor Band.

• Roni Lee: Thursday, Dec. 18 at The Holding Company, 5046 Newport Ave., 8 p.m. $20. theholdingcompanyob.com.

Hard rock fans won’t want to miss Black Sabbath tribute group, Zakk Sabbath at the House of Blues on Dec. 16. Led by Zakk Wylde, former lead guitarist for Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, the group plays hard-hitting versions of some of the biggest rock songs of the 1970s, including “Snowblind,” “Hand of Doom” and set closer, “War Pigs.” Fans of either Osbourne or Zakk Sabbath’s namesake group will love the passion Wylde and his bandmates pour into their concerts, playing with an authenticity that can only come from having actually performed with the artist being honored.

• Zakk Sabbath: Tuesday, Dec. 16 at the House of Blues, 1055 10th Ave., 6 p.m. $99. sandiego.houseofblues.com.

Lou Lou’s famed shell-shaped stage is going to be extra crowded on Dec. 12, when the 20-piece Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra returns to the historic venue for two free shows. For these sets, the band will feature music from their new album, Fire and Water, as well as seasonal favorites. The band’s updated version of classic uptempo 1960s Jamaican sounds will have the audience on their feet most of the night, with highlights sure to include such inspired song choices as The Beatles’ “Blackbird” and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.”

• The Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra: Friday, Dec. 12 at Lou Lou’s, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., 8 and 10 p.m. No cover. loulousclub.com.

San Diego has one of North America’s healthiest jazz communities, and that’s largely due to the region’s thriving music education programs. Anyone wanting to hear the area’s top new jazz talent should head to Dizzy’s on Dec. 12, when two of SDSU’s jazz combos will perform under the direction of instructors, trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos and tenor saxophonist Brian Levy. Both Castellanos and Levy are headliners in their own right, but for this event, they will keep the focus squarely on their students, with a set list full of ’50s and ’60s era jazz standards sure to please even the most critical jazz buff.

• SDSU Jazz Combos: Friday, Dec. 12 at Dizzy’s at Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd. 7:30 p.m. $20. dizzysjazz.com.

Roots-rock combo Ypsitucky mark the release of their debut album, “How The Hell,” with a performance at Panama 66 on Dec. 13. Featuring singer-guitarist Ian Trumbull, fiddler Heather Vorwreck, bassist Ruben Ramos, and local drum legend Paul Brewin, the quartet plays music that country music fans in particular will love. Tracks on the album and in their current set, such as “Fall Out Of Love,” sound like they could’ve been sung or played by a lost band from the 1970s, while songs such as the title track could score airplay on modern country radio.

• Ypsitucky: Saturday, Dec. 13 at Panama 66, 1450 El Prado. 6 p.m. No cover. panama66.com.

On Dec. 14, Daniel Cervantes holds a matinee release show at The Casbah for his new live album, “The Ride Or Die of Dude Cervantes and The Panchos.” Best known for his work in acclaimed bands like Chest Fever and Mrs. Henry, Cervantes’ own group shows a range of influences, from the glammy stomp of opener “Lesson Learned” to the heartfelt cover of Santana’s “Samba Pa Ti.” Making this show a must for local music fans, opening the afternoon will be The Sleepwalkers, whose infectious cumbia rhythms will be sure to keep the dance floor packed.

• Daniel Cervantes and The Panchos: Sunday, Dec. 14 at The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd. 3 p.m. $14. the casbah.com.

Originally from Calgary, Canada, harmony-driven rockers Daring Greatly have built a tremendous following since relocating to San Diego in 2015. Headlining Music Box on Dec. 18, Daring Greatly has a sound centered on rock ‘n’ roll with touches of Americana, country and folk, all wrapped around anthemic song hooks, as heard on their most recent single, “Oh Brother.” Winners of the 2023 San Diego Music Awards’ “Song of the Year” for their single “Never A Goodbye,” the band is stadium-ready with a big sound and stage presence to match. Opening the show will be Jesse Ray Smith and Alex Bergan.

• Daring Greatly: Thursday, Dec. 18 at Music Box, 1337 India St., 9 p.m. $26. musicboxsd.com.

The San Diego Troubadour holds its annual Christmas party at Tio Leo’s on Dec. 14. The year’s biggest holiday gathering for the local music community, a who’s who of the area’s performers are usually in attendance, with an ongoing tented jam session during the event, as well as main stage performances from the Zzymzzy Quartet, Dolly’s Revenge, Chuck Schiele’s American Grind, Zavala Sol, Blame Betty, and The Bastards. All these groups are great and well worth hearing, but the Bastards are standouts, with an impressive lineup that includes some of San Diego’s best players, including Jeff Berkeley, Shawn Rohlf, Tim Flannery, Ben Zinn, Patrick McClory, and Danny Campbell.

• The San Diego Troubadour Christmas Party: Sunday, Dec. 14 at Tio Leo’s, 6333 Mission Gorge Rd. 7 p.m. $25. www.tioleos.com

Acclaimed prog-rock super group Stick Men stops in at The Bornemann on Dec. 14. The band features percussionist Pat Mastelotto of King Crimson, guitarist Markus Reuter, and one of the most recorded bassists in history, Tony Levin. This is a dream gig for prog-rock aficionados. Each night’s set opens with an improvisation piece before heading into tracks from their 14 albums to date. While the concert’s focus is on new material, several King Crimson covers have been included in recent shows, including “Red” and “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part Two.” Opening the night will be Chapman Stick player Tom Griesgraber, joined by guitarist Andre Cholmondeley of Project/Object.

• Stickmen: Sunday, Dec. 14 at The Bornemann, 555 Deer Springs Road. 5 p.m. $35 and up. thebornemann.com.