The cheesy 1999 hit "Smooth" almost ruined my beach vacation. An open air bar fifty steps from the room I rented in Southern California blared Santana’s hit around midnight each night of my trip. After exhausting myself on the beach, I was subjected to played-out rock songs as I tried to sleep. The torture wasn’t cheap. I couldn’t afford pricey tickets to the concerts by Beyoncé and Bob Dylan that open my October concert recommendations for KCUR.