This evening, Lou Lou’s will be closed for a private affair—an intimate celebration tucked beneath the chandeliers and velvet glow. We know evenings out are special, and we never take it lightly when we must turn you away. Please accept our heartfelt apologies for the inconvenience. Nights like these are rare, but sometimes the room asks for a little secrecy. For your next night out, we invite you to check our calendar for upcoming dates featuring live music, good company, and the kind of evenings you won’t soon forget. With love and gratitude, Lou Lou’s at The Lafayette Hotel 

COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY | NO RESERVATION REQUIRED | SEATING ON A FIRST-ARRIVAL BASIS | NO DINNER SERVICE | 21+ “Deke Dickerson’s newest band venture is Deke Dickerson and the Whippersnappers. Dickerson is a veteran of the Southern California roots music scene and has toured for years with various bands, including the Dave and Deke Combo and Deke Dickerson and the Ecco-Fonics. His former band members have gone on to play with Social Distortion, X, Tiger Army and Los Straitjackets. Dickerson formed the Whippersnappers with an energetic backing band of younger musicians from Los Angeles: Bert Avalos on guitar, Zander Griffith on bass, and Dylan Patterson on drums. With Dickerson’s experience entertaining audiences worldwide and the Whippersnappers shot in the arm of rockabilly excitement, the band has been thrilling fans all over the USA (playing such festivals as Viva Las Vegas, touring the East and West Coasts) and Europe (playing such festivals as the Rockabilly Rave in England and the Rockin’ Race Jamboree in Spain). The band released their debut album, “Honky Tonkin’ Rhythm,” in 2023 on Major Label Records and have been touring behind the album since then.” 

*GENERAL ADMISSION | 21+ | NO DINNER SERVICE | $12 advance tickets, $15 at the door* Get ready to heat up the dance floor at Lou Lou’s Jungle Room in the iconic Lafayette Hotel for an unforgettable Salsa Night! This electrifying evening is brought to you by Bacardi Ocho, promising a night of rhythm, passion, and pure Latin energy. The night will be led by the sensational Kini Kini, directed by the talented David Castañeda, whose vibrant beats will have you moving from the very first note. Whether you're a seasoned dancer or just starting out, the event features exclusive dance lessons by Josh & Kirsten Gorden, who will guide you through the steps to make you shine on the dance floor. Immerse yourself in the lush, tropical ambiance of Lou Lou’s Jungle Room, sip on expertly crafted cocktails, and let the music take control. Don’t miss this chance to experience a night of salsa, community, and celebration under the stars. Mark your calendars and bring your dancing shoes—Salsa Night with Kini Kini is the event of the year you won’t want to miss! 

*Doors open at 6pm | 21+ | Dinner starts promptly at 7pm | No dinner service in bar area* Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and raised in Fresno, California, Gilbert’s musical career was preordained; the only son to his eponym father, a touring Cumbia band leader, singer and arranger, Gilbert was strongly influenced by his predecessor’s deep appreciation for classical composers and big band jazz ensembles, broadening young Gilbert's horizons from an early age. Gilbert Sr. strongly encouraged Gilbert toward the Jazz genre when at first he showed an interest in trumpet at age 6. By age 11, Gilbert’s intensive training and education provided the context to begin playing professionally, and at age 15 he preformed with mentor and icon Dizzy Gillespie at the Monterrey Jazz Festival. A fierce advocate of formal jazz education, Gilbert held the position of Adjunct Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music from 2001 to 2013. Thereafter, he served as the Artistic Director of the International Academy of Jazz San Diego from 2014-2016, during which time he began conducting high school workshops and developing a more proactive role in mentorship. During his time visiting Title I schools, he recognized a need for increased accessibility to formal education, noting that many truly gifted students were deprived the opportunities to further their education due to monetary constraints. Thusly, in 2016 Castellanos founded the Young Lions Jazz Conservatory based in San Diego, California. Using his influence in a burgeoning Jazz community, one he is credited in large with establishing, Gilbert began successfully soliciting donations for and supporting thousands of dollars of scholarship to finance Conservatory Education Equity for economically disadvantaged students of promise. To date, the Young Lions Jazz Conservatory has graduated hundreds of bright musicians of diverse backgrounds with Gilbert serving as personal mentor and advocate for each, often writing college recommendation letters and offering every one of his students "real world" experience each Wednesday evening at ensemble performances 

COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY | NO RESERVATION REQUIRED | SEATING ON A FIRST-ARRIVAL BASIS | NO DINNER SERVICE | 21+ Whitney Shay’s Birthday Bash, featuring Joe Amato- Guitar, Jody Bagley- Keys & Vocals, Jodie Hill- Bass, Phil Pardell- Drums, Bradley Nash & Chaz Cabrera- Saxes @whitneyshaysings With sparkly dresses, fiery tresses, and a talent rivaled only by her unstoppable hustle, Whitney Shay is one #busylittlesinger. The five-time San Diego Music Award winner, and Blues Music Award nominee is scorching stages at home and internationally throughout Europe and South America. Shay’s latest release on Ruf Records Stand Up! debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Album Charts, reached #1 on the Roots Music Report Blues Album Charts, and won the 2021 San Diego Music Award for Best Blues Album. Shay has received high praise from music critics calling the singer “a future blues icon” (Blues Matters!), “one of the next best things in soul music” (Blues and Rhythm Magazine), and “the epitome of a rising star” (Elmore Magazine). Shay’s tracks have also been placed in TV/film, including shows on NBC, Fox, HBO, Bravo, BET, Hulu, and Disney+. Whether in studio, on screen, or stage, Whitney Shay's electric energy, soulful style, and powerhouse pipes keep listeners connected and coming back for more. 

This evening, Lou Lou’s will be closed for a private affair—an intimate celebration tucked beneath the chandeliers and velvet glow. We know evenings out are special, and we never take it lightly when we must turn you away. Please accept our heartfelt apologies for the inconvenience. Nights like these are rare, but sometimes the room asks for a little secrecy. For your next night out, we invite you to check our calendar for upcoming dates featuring live music, good company, and the kind of evenings you won’t soon forget. With love and gratitude, Lou Lou’s at The Lafayette Hotel 

COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY | NO RESERVATION REQUIRED | SEATING ON A FIRST-ARRIVAL BASIS | NO DINNER SERVICE Trombonist Matt Hall and LA Jazz Saxophone Legend Doug Webb join forces in a quintet setting that features Jason Shattil on keys, Julian Esparza on bass, & Justin Joyce on drums. The selections will be in the stylings of Charlie Parker, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Lee Morgan, JJ Johnson,Horace Silver, Jackie McLean, McCoy Tyner and MORE! For Matt Hall, Jazz is a journey—a lifelong endeavor spearheaded by the trombone.  A cool trip that began in Kingsport, in his home state of Tennessee. A student of Rick Simerly, Matt studied the Masters: Urbie Green, Frank Rosolino, Carl Fontana, JJ Johnson and of course Bill Watrous.  At age 21 he joined the United State Marine Corps where he would move to Southern California. It’s where he met Charlie Arbalaez whose alto sax chops were are already gaining great momentum.  During his time in the service, Hall would gain a chair in the highly prestigious USMC Jazz Orchestra, touring the country. After an enlistment with the Corps, Matt and Charlie tackled SUNY Purchase Conservatory in New York, studying with John Faddis before earning Masters degrees on their instruments under the direction of Bill Yeager at San Diego State University. 

Doors: 6:30PM Showtime: 7:30PM 21+ | NO DINNER SERVICE Experience the hilarity at Laugh At Lou Lou’s, an evening of stand-up comedy hosted by the razor-sharp Mal Hall. Join us on the last Wednesday of every month as Mal Hall introduces a stellar lineup of seasoned headliners who have graced stages nationwide and appeared on Netflix and Comedy Central. Each comedian will offer their distinct brand of humor, promising a night filled with laughter and entertainment. Don’t miss out—reserve your tickets now for an unforgettable night of comedy. 

COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY | NO RESERVATION REQUIRED | SEATING ON A FIRST-ARRIVAL BASIS | NO DINNER SERVICE Joining Rob will be Melonie Grinnell on piano, Richard Sellers on drums, with special guest vocalist, Steph Johnson on vocals and Carter Key on trombone. Rob Thorsen Bio Jazz bassist Rob Thorsen maintains a diverse and busy schedule in Southern California as a performer, educator, clinician and composer. He has found his true voice in the upright bass and performs regularly as a leader and with artists including the Mike Wofford/Holly Hofmann Quartet, Gilbert Castellanos, Charles McPherson, Steph Johnson and a host of others. He has released six recordings as a leader, the most recent release, “Bass is the Space - Solos and Duos” featuring an array of jazz talents including Joshua White, Steph Johnson, Gilbert Castellanos and Marshall Hawkins in duo and solo performances. Also recently released is "So In Love”, a 10-track album with his wife/lead vocalist Steph Johnson featuring songs from Cole Porter, Joni Mitchell, and others. Jazz education plays an important role in his career. He teaches at Gilbert Castellanos Young Lions Jazz Conservatory, presents educational programs through the Family Arts Collaborative and the La Jolla Athenaeums “The World Of Jazz” as well as teaching privately. He is also involved with and performs with the Voices of Our City Choir, a choir created by his wife Steph Johnson for people experiencing homelessness in San Diego. 

*GENERAL ADMISSION | 21+ | NO DINNER SERVICE* Boogaloo Assassins are a 13-piece Latin Soul and Salsa group from Los Angeles, California. A Los Angeles live music favorite since 2008, their independently released 2013 debut album Old Love Dies Hard was inspired by the soulful Latin records of the 1960s, and their 7-inch lead single “No No No” took radio and dancehalls around the world by storm. Boogaloo Assassins receive airplay on Los Angeles radio stations like KCRW, KKJZ, KPFK, KPCC, KXLU and were featured on Giles Peterson’s BBC Radio 6 and received accolades from NPR, Vice, the LA Weekly, the OC Weekly, including winning the OC Weekly Music Awards “Best Latin Band” on three occasions. In 2014, Boogaloo Assassins joined the legendary New York City 1960s-70s Latin label FANIA, and backed two of FANIA’s icons - Joe Bataan and percussionist Roberto Roena - for FANIA’s 50th Anniversary show in Stern Grove Park, San Francisco. 2016 saw the release of the rare 7-inch Boogaloo scorcher “One and Only”, produced by Innovative Leisure recording artist Nick Waterhouse, as well as tour dates in support of Nick Waterhouse. By 2018 the Boogaloo Assassins single “No No No” struck yet again, creating a sensation in the clubs and on the radio of modern Salsa music’s South American home, Colombia. In 2019 Boogaloo Assassins were invited to perform in Cali and Bogota, Colombia, with 17k+ in attendance at Salsa al Parque, one of Bogota’s premier Salsa festivals, which included live coverage on Colombia’s national public television show, Canal Capital. 

This evening, Lou Lou’s will be closed for a private affair—an intimate celebration tucked beneath the chandeliers and velvet glow. We know evenings out are special, and we never take it lightly when we must turn you away. Please accept our heartfelt apologies for the inconvenience. Nights like these are rare, but sometimes the room asks for a little secrecy. For your next night out, we invite you to check our calendar for upcoming dates featuring live music, good company, and the kind of evenings you won’t soon forget. With love and gratitude, Lou Lou’s at The Lafayette Hotel 

COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY | NO RESERVATION REQUIRED | SEATING ON A FIRST-ARRIVAL BASIS | NO DINNER SERVICE | 21+ "Grab your (faux) furs and a friend to hit the dance floor at Lou Lou's for Kaylee & the Manouche à Cinq - San Diego's high-energy jazz manouche supergroup playing 20's swing to 2020's vintage pop covers. Featuring local greats Aaron Lind of New Orleans on Guitar, Nightshade Navarro of Los Salvajes on the sax, Tony Econom of Bulbancha Yaya on drums, Brooks Salloum on bass, and led by multilingual and multigenre singer & songwriter Kaylee Daugherty on vox. Come celebrate Kaylee's return to Lou Lou's as well as her debut with this supergroup!" 

COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY | NO RESERVATION REQUIRED | SEATING ON A FIRST-ARRIVAL BASIS | NO DINNER SERVICE | 21+ Imagine a regular San Diego music community super session where the musicians (both in the house band and sitting in) include members of Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, The Greyboy Allstars, The Original Wailers, B-Side Players, Jungle Fire, Tiny Universe, Mitchum Yacoub's band, Spacehall Sound Machine, The Neighborhood Kids, Gypsy Sally, Hether, Band of Gringos, The Jazz 88 Allstars, Big Daddy Kane's band, and more. Rising from the ashes of the legendary Adams Gone Funky, Lou Lou's is proud to present: The Funky Resurrection - first Wednesday of every month. 

COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY | NO RESERVATION REQUIRED | SEATING ON A FIRST-ARRIVAL BASIS | NO DINNER SERVICE | 21+ Mackenzie Leighton is a bassist and composer from San Diego, CA. He has performed with jazz legends such as Pat Metheny, Donald Brown, and Geoffrey Keezer, and works regularly with Southern California jazz heroes Peter Sprague, Gilbert Castellanos, and Kamau Kenyatta. He has two albums as a leader ‘I Remember’ and ‘MLTRIO”, and his compositions have been featured on recordings by San Diego State University and themattsmithneujazz trio. He is a lecturer at CSU San Marcos where he directs the Jazz Ensemble and is studio faculty at a number of colleges in the San Diego and Orange county area. He holds a Masters in Music from San Diego State University. 

COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY | NO RESERVATION REQUIRED | SEATING ON A FIRST-ARRIVAL BASIS | NO DINNER SERVICE | 21+ Hailing from the foothills of North Carolina, Trey hit the road at 18, trading small-town roots for Nashville’s vibrant music scene. Over the years, he’s toured or recorded with an eclectic lineup of artists, from Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts to Big & Rich and Jessica Simpson. Trey’s talents have taken him to iconic stages and TV shows like The Tonight Show, The Ellen Show, the Grand Ole Opry, Good Morning America, and even ESPN’s College Game Day. September 2024 brought the release of his EP, The Search for Something Good. The album racked up 50,000 streams and earned airplay on Sirius/XM radio. Blending crowd-favorite covers with his own compelling originals, Trey is a rising voice with stories worth hearing. 

COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY | NO RESERVATION REQUIRED | SEATING ON A FIRST-ARRIVAL BASIS | NO DINNER SERVICE | 21+ Sandi King's Departure Anniversary Show "Sandi King’s Departure makes something new from old songs. [Departure] reworks standards with jazz-rock arrangements." (Andrew Hamlin, San Diego Reader) Celebrate the one year anniversary of Sandi's debut solo release in style! It's been a year since Departure was released, a record that not only marked a significant milestone in Sandi's musical journey but also serves as a heartfelt homage to her father, jazz trumpet player Ron King. Join us for an unforgettable evening as we celebrate this special anniversary with a live performance of the album in its entirety, plus more great music sprinkled in. This is more than just a concert; it's a journey through sound, memory, and the vibrant spirit of Ron King. Sandi King: Vocals Joshua Taylor: Guitar Jonny Tarr: Sax Harley Magsino: Bass Kevin Lum: Keys Abe Majors: Drums Featuring special guests, including Leonard Patton & The Brothers Burns. Sandi King Insta is @tinygrem Vocalist and songwriter Sandi King released her debut single as a solo artist in 2023. “Frozen Heart” is a collaboration with four-time San Diego Music Award-winner Jonny Tarr. King's debut solo record, Departure, a jazz tribute to her late father, was released in October 2024 and earned her a nomination for Best Jazz Album at the 2025 San Diego Music Awards. King is also the 2023 recipient of two San Diego Music Award nominations with her indie soul band King Taylor Project. She has contributed featured and backing vocals to numerous acclaimed original releases, including those of multi-award winners Joshua Taylor, Jonny Tarr, Black Market III, and Jeff Berkley. She is a highly active and sought after session and live vocalist in a diverse array of genres, and has performed with R&B legends The Manhattans and Heatwave. 

COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY | NO RESERVATION REQUIRED | SEATING ON A FIRST-ARRIVAL BASIS | NO DINNER SERVICE | 21+ The Antar Martin Aggregation: 40th Birthday Show. IG: @spinit_antar Antar Martin-Bass Ian Tordella-Sax Ian Patrick Cler-Guitar Ian Harland-Vibes John Opferkuch-Keys Christopher Cancelliere-Drums Antar Martin is a bassist, composer and DJ in the San Diego area, that is well versed in many styles of music. His influences are taken from jazz, classical, hip-hop, indie, and other lesser traveled areas of music, all of which lend themselves to a uniquely curated musical experience enjoyed by many. Antar has been playing bass since junior high school, his professional career took off during his time as a US Navy musician, and has led to performing with Charles McPherson, Kamau Kenyatta, Mikan Zlatkovich, Gilbert Castellanos, John Cain and Joe Morillo in addition to many other musicians in San Diego. He was also in the bass section of the La Jolla Symphony Orchestra for three seasons. 

This evening, Lou Lou’s will be closed for a private affair—an intimate celebration tucked beneath the chandeliers and velvet glow. We know evenings out are special, and we never take it lightly when we must turn you away. Please accept our heartfelt apologies for the inconvenience. Nights like these are rare, but sometimes the room asks for a little secrecy. For your next night out, we invite you to check our calendar for upcoming dates featuring live music, good company, and the kind of evenings you won’t soon forget. With love and gratitude, Lou Lou’s at The Lafayette Hotel 

@denguefevermusic They are back. Not because the 20th anniversary of a debut album usually demands it. Dengue Fever are back because they wanted to. Eight years after the release of The Deepest Lake, as new generations of listeners are catching up to the same omnivorous music taste the band has practiced since its inception, a new album, Ting Mong (September 15) captures yet another enthralling dimension of their genre-defying journey. Where most returns favour clamour and bombast, Ting Mong seeks the sonic balm these times so desperately need. Before the world went into full apocalypse mode, Dengue Fever were already looking for peace and quiet. Once the touring cycle of 2015’s The Deepest Lake was over, they were a band whose members needed time to focus on different ventures, whether those might be family or visual arts, session work or…metal detecting. Never really on hiatus, band members were soon drawn back to each other. Ask them, and they’ll tell you that they are a band because they’re family first. So they reconvened in 2019, rented a small cabin in the California desert near Joshua Tree, and converted it into a recording studio. They spent the day jamming and slept under the stars at night. Then, the pandemic hit, sending everyone into retreat. It was 2021 when Dengue Fever could meet in person again, and so they did: piecing together the many desert recordings they had, recording vocals, turning open jams into songs, casually reinventing their own music. They did a lot of writing, but also a lot of shredding. Of the 20 or so songs they ended up with, they only kept those that felt more natural and immediately fit in with Chhom Nimol’s one-of-a-kind vocal style. It had to be spontaneous. If in the past the band had extensively worked and reworked songs until they felt right for her, this time things simply had to come naturally. Tracks that sounded too tricky or had too many parts were swiftly scrapped. Dengue Fever were looking for a cohesive, mellow vibe. More than in the past, they set to play minimal, repetitive sounds, choosing nuance over intricate composition. And what they eventually emerged with was an album unlike anything else they had ever worked on. Ting Mong. In Cambodian culture, a Ting Mong is an effigy of protection, a scarecrow-like figure usually placed at the entrance of a village or a home. It wards off diseases and evil spirits. We’re all in desperate need of a Ting Mong, band members occurred. Here is Dengue Fever’s take on the concept of Ting Mong, then: half hour of mellow, soothing music. A response to what they were looking at when they first conceived it - walking among cactuses, flowers and snakes between recording sessions made the music subtler, and the players more observant - but also a reaction to what humanity at large faces. If life kept proving so jarring, they figured they’d gravitate towards a sound that could be comforting. As they were writing and recording, they never formally discussed it, but they ended up creating a record that has the feel of one long movement, where different songs are brought together by a similar groovy, soul-searching flow - you can put the album on, lay back and meditate to it. More than any previous Dengue Fever release, Ting Mong embraces electronic elements, too: there are vintage drum machines, analog synths, a subtle use of sequencing and drum programming that conjures a different pulse. The band’s improvisational flair, always a crucial component to their live performances, was brought into the studio with mesmerizing results. Some of the songs we now get to hear went through many different changes, eagerly malleable to pure, spontaneous instinct. Take slow-burning centrepiece ‘Prohok In My Suitcase’, for instance: once Chhom Nimol added vocals to an already intriguing instrumental, the song called for new, freshly inspired rhythm parts. “We’d work on something until it became even more pure”, bassist Senon Williams enthuses. “What we should make had nothing to do with this album - it was always a feeling of want, not should”. On Ting Mong, Dengue Fever’s unmistakable amalgam of styles and musical traditions is at its most cohesive and prismatic. There’s Chhmon Nimol’s Cambodian identity, of course, in constant dialogue with the discursive playing of a tight band that has always proudly contained multitudes. Whether they’re evoking psychedelia or surf rock, Afro grooves or vintage soundtracks, there’s a dense, profound curiosity characterising these mysicians playingone solidly built on life experience. Elements of exotica surface over the course of Ting Mong, particularly on tracks such as ‘Late Checkout at the Cedarwood Inn’, with its Martin Denny vibe. But it’s exotica turned inside out: traditionally a musical solution for platonic escapism, in the hands of this global-trotting group it is a reflection of real life. "One of the reasons why Dengue Fever has not come off as a kitsch band is because of the honesty of what we play”, Williams considers. “Each of us plays from their own perspective, we don’t emanate anything that is outside of our experience”. Their 2003 self-titled debut had featured covers of Cambodian songs - an acclaimed singer in her native country before she moved to the United States, Chhom Nimol had never been in a band that wrote its own music. Since then, Dengue Fever have perfected their unique language, resolutely focusing on original material. It’s not unlike what Cambodian rock did in the 60s and 70s, taking the electric sounds coming from the West and reimagining them altogether. It’s an exciting endless cycle filled with surprises and memorable songs. ‘Touch Me Not’ opens the album with one of Nimol’s finest vocal performances to date. It originated from a tune she started singing one day - she wrote the lyrics and the band built hypnotic, desert-tinged music around it. ‘Silver Fish’ was named after a small bug that eats paper: it’s a reflection on erasing the past and being unable to learn from its mistakes. The treble-heavy guitar parts Zac Holtzman recorded for the song were influenced by the phin guitar played by Thai musicians. Being invited to perform at world music festivals, and meeting musicians from all around the globe, has always been a cherished influence for the band, whose third full-length Venus on Earth won them the award for Best Fusion Album in the 2009 edition of the Independent Music Awards. But for Dengue Fever the next musical or lyrical epiphany can come from closer to home, too. Take ‘Room 720’, for instance: cradled by dusty Western guitars and light touches of eerie electronics, Nimol’s voice, itself close to a ghostly presence, sings about a haunted hotel in Phoenix, Arizona the group were once guests of…and mysteriously lost a pair boots to. Ting Mong is equal parts soil and air, the many indelible real places that birthed it and the timeless world-embracing spirit that inhabits its sound. ‘Wake Me Up Slowly’, with its two melodies floating over the same rhythm, perfectly captures its constantly daydreaming state. Wherever your mind is taking you is a better place than the one you’ll be waking up to, Dengue Fever confide. Far from noise, day-to-day frenzy and uninventive expectations, Ting Mong proves a one-way ticket to that very dream state. Dengue Fever is: Chhom Nimol (vocals), Zac Holtzman (guitar/vocals), Ethan Holtzman (keyboards), David Ralicke (horns), Paul Smith (drums) and Senon Williams (bass) 

This evening, Lou Lou’s will be closed for a private affair—an intimate celebration tucked beneath the chandeliers and velvet glow. We know evenings out are special, and we never take it lightly when we must turn you away. Please accept our heartfelt apologies for the inconvenience. Nights like these are rare, but sometimes the room asks for a little secrecy. For your next night out, we invite you to check our calendar for upcoming dates featuring live music, good company, and the kind of evenings you won’t soon forget. With love and gratitude, Lou Lou’s at The Lafayette Hotel