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Friday, December 26
Murs
House of Blues Anaheim
There are living legends, and then there are Living Legends. Even among all the members of the celebrated Southland hip-hop supergroup, Murs stands out as an especially incisive and provocative rapper. His sharp words are put to good use in his newest project, The White Mandingos, wherein Murs collaborates with Bad Brains bassist Darryl Jenifer and examines the contradictions of a black artist trying to succeed in the still-narrow confines of the rock scene. Whether the former Nick Carter is performing solo or with his various projects (including The Invincibles, 3 Melancholy Gypsies and Felt), he is ever evolving. (Falling James)
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Face to Face
The Observatory
When he first formed Face to Face in 1991, Trever Keith wanted the band to be his full-time project. Outside a break between 2004 and 2008, it has been. The punk veterans are now more than 20 years into their career, and the front man says they have no intention of stopping any time soon. In fact, Keith says, the band have tentative plans to keep the train moving through their 25th anniversary in 2016, with a tour and reissues coming. For now, they've gone to great lengths to make OC audiences happy by performing their albums Don't Turn Away, Big Choice, and Self-Titled back to back on three separate nights starting Friday. (Daniel Kohn)
Saturday, December 27
Sublime With Rome
House of Blues Anaheim
This past year saw Sublime with Rome play in large theaters and amphitheaters across the country–and their three-day holiday run at the House of Blues is an intimate venue for a band of this size. But these shows are for a good cause. The concert proceeds benefit the Orangewood Children's Foundation, a charity that houses Orange County children who were victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment. With the band in the holiday spirit, don't be surprised if they cull deep into their catalog and include some rarities along with the well-loved career-spanning set lists. One thing is for certain, seeing the Long Beach-natives rock at a smaller room, at least for them, is what makes this the most wonderful time of the year. (Daniel Kohn)
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Norin and Rad
The Yost Theater
Success came rather quickly for young, OC-bred DJs Norin and Rad, who after only a couple of remixes and originals where quickly picked up by Above & Beyond and their esteemed label Anjunabeats. Since they have toured all over the world with the Anjunabeats family at major festivals and shows, while also continuing to produce hit after hit, Bruce Karlsson (Norin) and Nick Sember (Rad) have cultivated their own take on EDM–specifically, the trance genre for which Anjunabeats is known by crossing boundaries and not being afraid to take risks. Expect a lot of fresh sounds that'll make crowds go hard on the dance floor. (Alejandra Loera)
Casey Veggies
Constellation Room
There's no denying that Inglewood rapper Casey Veggies has cut his own path in the indie rap game over the last several years. A founding member of Odd Future, Veggies first distinguished himself amongst the pack with 2010's Sleeping in Class. Off the heat generated from his 2013 mixtape Life Changes, the 21 year-old emcee is definitely an artist to watch in 2015 as he prepares the release of his full length studio debut in the coming year. See him live up to the hype at the Constellation Room with Audio Push. (Nate Jackson)
