San Diego Info
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 Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:21 am Post subject: NIGHTLIFE IN SAN DIEGO / SAN DIEGO NIGHTLIFE GUIDE |
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NIGHTLIFE IN SAN DIEGO
San Diego's cultural scene has never been second-rate, but it's long lounged in the shadows of Los Angeles and San Francisco, content to take a back seat to the beach, the zoo and the meteorologically inspired state of affairs. But the dot-com wave brought new blood and new money into the city, and arts organisations have felt the impact. The biggest winner was the San Diego Symphony, which in 2002 received a $120 million bequest from Joan and Irwin Jacobs -- the largest single donation to any symphony ever. The city's opera, live theatres, and other arts organisations are also thriving as new ears and eyes claim San Diego's art scene as their own.
But don't think "after dark" in this city is limited to highfalutin affairs for the Lexus crowd -- it also means night lively: rock and pop concerts, trendy martini bars and nightclubs, and dinner-and-dance cruises on the bay. You'll find fine outdoor concert venues that take advantage of the balmy weather, plus several choice indoor clubs. Not all of the city streets pulsate with nightlife, but you'll find late-night activity beyond the Gaslamp Quarter: Hillcrest and Pacific Beach are particularly lively at night.
For a rundown of the week's performances, gallery openings, and other events, check the listings in the free San Diego Weekly Reader (www.sdreader.com), published on Thursday (also distributed in hotels and tourist areas under the name The Weekly), or in "Night and Day," the Thursday entertainment section of the San Diego Union-Tribune (www.uniontrib.com). For what's happening at the gay clubs, get the weekly San Diego Gay & Lesbian Times.
The local convention and visitors bureau's Art + Sol campaign provides a calendar of events and profiles of 11 member institutions; see www.sandiegoartandsol.com. The San Diego Performing Arts League produces What's Playing?, a performing arts guide, every 2 months. You can pick one up at the ARTS TIX booth or write to 701 B St., Suite 225, San Diego, CA 92101-8101 (tel. 619/238-0700; www.sandiegoperforms.com).
Half-price tickets to theatre, music and dance events are available at the ARTS TIX booth in Horton Plaza Park, at Broadway and Third Avenue. Pull into the Horton Plaza garage (where you can validate your parking) or, if there's room, just pause at the curb. The kiosk is open Tuesday through Thursday at 11am, Friday through Sunday at 10am. The booth stays open till 6pm daily except Sunday, when it closes at 5pm. Half-price tickets are available only for same-day shows except for Monday performances, which are sold on Sunday. For a daily listing of offerings, call tel. 619/497-5000 or check www.sandiegoperforms.com; the website also sells half-price tickets for some shows.
Full-price advance tickets are also available; the kiosk doubles as a Ticketmaster outlet, selling seats to concerts throughout California. As always, although Ticketmaster sells seats for a majority of local events, you'll avoid bruising "convenience" fees by purchasing directly from the venue's box office.
In 1998, California enacted legislation that banned smoking in all restaurants and bars. As a rule, don't light up in any public area indoors. If you're looking to light up in clubs, lounges, and other nightspots with outdoor terraces, check with the staff first.
Downtown is the busiest place for nightlife, but much of it is concentrated into just 2 nights a week, Friday and Saturday, when the late-night dance clubs spring into action. Keep in mind that this is an ever-changing scene.
Free Summer Nights
Beach Bonfires
Fire pits are free to the public in Pacific Beach and around Mission Bay. Head out early to stake your claim, as they tend to get snagged pretty quickly. Glass is never permitted on the sand, and alcohol isn't allowed past 8pm. Be sure to check signs for local laws.
Music
Every night of the week, San Diego County is a chorus of free music. On select Sunday nights from June through August, the hills of Alpine come alive with the sound of music at the Alpine Summer Concert Series tel. 619/445-1818. Head south of downtown and across the Coronado bridge for more free Sunday nighttime music at the Annual Coronado Promenade Concerts at Spreckels Park tel. 619/437-8788. Fridays in North County really are all that jazz. Parks throughout Carlsbad kick off the weekend with free jazz concerts. Call tel. 760/434-2904 for information. Spreckels Organ Pavilion presents Twilight in the Park Summer Concerts (tel. 619/235-1105) Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights in Balboa Park.
Festivals
Celebrate San Diego's diverse communities at these free festivals, which keep the party alive well past sunset. The 25th annual Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off (tel. 619/226-2193) held from 10am to 8pm in late June. Independence Day celebrations, held throughout the county, include Coronado (tel. 619/437-8068), La Jolla (tel. 858/454-1444), and Oceanside (tel. 760/754-4512). The 11th annual Encanto Street Fair & Cultural Arts Festival (tel. 619/266-0936), a multi-ethnic themed festival in mid-August, features entertainment, food, vendors, and a custom car show from 10am to 10pm. Celebrate Chula Vista (tel. 619/420-6603), held at the end of August on the bayfront; this family event features sports demonstrations, entertainment, food, and fireworks from 11am to 9pm.
Casinos
San Diego County has 18 Native American Indian tribes -- more than any other county in the nation. Half of them operate casinos in east and north San Diego County, and the Convention & Visitors Bureau publishes an Official Casino Guide (tel. 800/701-WAVE) with a comprehensive listing and discount coupons.
The Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino is located at 1932 Wildcat Canyon Rd., Lakeside (tel. 888/7-BARONA or 619/443-2300; www.barona.com). Take I-8 east to Highway 67 north. At Willow Road, turn right and continue to Wildcat Canyon Road; turn left, and continue 6 miles to the 7,500-acre Barona Reservation (allow 40 min. from downtown). The casino features 2,000 Vegas-style slots, 59 table games, and an off-track betting area. The resort (which includes 397 guest rooms and an 18-hole championship golf course) is alcohol-free, but not smoke-free (the Indian reservations are exempt from California's nonsmoking laws). Sycuan Casino & Resort is outside El Cajon, at 5469 Casino Way. (tel. 800/2-SYCUAN or 619/445-6002; www.sycuancasino.com). Follow I-8 east for 10 miles to the El Cajon Blvd. exit. Take El Cajon 3 blocks to Washington Avenue, turning right and continuing on Washington as it turns into Dehesa Road. Stay on Dehesa for 5 miles, and follow the signs (allow 30 min. from downtown). Sycuan features 2,000 slots, 65 game tables, a 1,200-seat bingo palace, an off-track betting area, and a 450-seat theatre that features name touring acts.
To bet on the ponies, go to the Del Mar racetrack during the local racing season (July to mid-Sept). At any time of the year, you can also bet on races being run far and wide at Del Mar Satellite Wagering, at the Del Mar fairgrounds (tel. 858/755-1167).
The Club & Music Scene
Live Music
In addition to the listings in this guide, San Diego's new House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave. (tel. 619/299-2583; www.hob.com), is located downtown and features and eclectic lineup of rock, blues, reggae and world music.
Large Venues
San Diego is a popular destination for major and minor recording artists. In fact, there's a worthwhile concert just about any night of the week -- you just need to know where to find it. The free San Diego Weekly Reader, published on Thursdays (and distributed in tourist areas as The Weekly), is the best source of concert information, listing dozens of shows in any given week; check the website at www.sdreader.com for an advance look. Tickets typically go on sale 4 to 10 weeks before the event -- dates are usually announced in the Reader or the Sunday San Diego Union-Tribune. Depending on the popularity of a particular artist or group, last-minute seats are often available through the box office or Ticketmaster (tel. 619/220-8497; www.ticketmaster.com). You can also go through a broker like Advance Tickets (tel. 858/581-1080; www.advancetickets.com) if you're willing to pay a higher price for prime tickets at the last minute.
The city has two monster venues. The San Diego Sports Arena (tel. 619/225-9813; www.sandiegoarena.com) is located west of Old Town. Built in 1967, the 15,000- to 18,000-seat indoor venue has middling acoustics, but many big-name concerts are held here because of the seating capacity and availability of paid parking. Qualcomm Stadium (tel. 619/641-3131), in Mission Valley, is a 71,000-seat outdoor stadium and is used only a few times a year for major tours like the Rolling Stones.
The Open Air Theater (tel. 619/594-6947), on the San Diego State University campus, northeast of downtown along I-8, is a more intimate 4,000-seat outdoor amphitheatre. It has great acoustics -- if you can't get a ticket, you can sit outside on the grass and hear the entire show. Cox Arena (tel. 619/594-6947), also located at SDSU, has equally superb acoustics in an indoor, 12,000-seat facility that is used for bigger draws -- these venues are easily accessed by San Diego Trolley. Coors Amphitheatre (tel. 619/671-3600) is a slick new facility located seemingly a stone's throw north of the Mexican border, in Chula Vista. Built in 1999, the 20,000-seat venue has excellent acoustics and good sightlines, and it lures many of the summer tours. The drawbacks: overpriced snacks and drinks, and a location 25 to 45 minutes south of downtown (depending on traffic).
The Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway (tel. 619/235-9500), and Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St. (tel. 619/235-0804), are wonderful old movie houses which also are used by touring acts throughout the year; past shows have included Annie Lennox, Sting, Margaret Cho, and Forever Tango. For both venues, tickets are available at the box office or through Ticketmaster.
The Performing Arts
Theatre
Don't hesitate to try a less prominent venue if the show appeals to you. Also, keep in mind that the California Center for the Performing Arts in Escondido has its own productions, as does the East County Performing Arts Center, 210 E. Main St., El Cajon (tel. 619/440-2277; www.ecpac.com).
Dance
The San Diego Dance Alliance is the umbrella organireation for the local dance community (tel. 619/230-8623; www.sandiegodance.org). The alliance puts on the Nations of San Diego International Dance Festival, held each January and spotlighting the city's ethnic dance groups and emerging artists. The website provides links to 22 local dance outfits.
Among San Diego's major dance companies is the California Ballet (tel. 858/560-5676; www.californiaballet.org), a classical company that produces four shows annually at the Civic Theatre downtown and elsewhere -- The Nutcracker is a Christmas tradition. San Diego Ballet (tel. 619/294-7378; www.sandiegoballet.org) and City Ballet (tel. 858/274-6058; www.cityballet.org) also focus on classical dance pieces. For modern dance, check out Malashock Dance (tel. 619/260-1622; www.malashockdance.org), Eveoke Dance Theatre (tel. 619/238-1153; www.eveoke.org), Jean Isaacs' San Diego Dance Theatre (tel. 858/484-7791; www.sandiegodancetheater.org), and McCaleb Dance (tel. 858/488-5559; www.mccalebdance.org).
The Movies
A variety of multiscreen complexes around the city show first-run films. A popular venue, from a sheer presentation standpoint, is Pacific's Gaslamp Stadium, Fifth Avenue at G Street, downtown (tel. 619/232-0400); the 15 theaters all offer stadium seating with large screens and great sound systems. The AMC chain operates swarming complexes in both the Mission Valley and Fashion Valley shopping centers (tel. 858/558-2AMC); both have free parking but popular films sell out early on weekends. Current American independent and foreign films play at Landmark's five-screen Hillcrest Cinema, 3965 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest, which offers 3 hours of free parking (tel. 619/299-2100); the Ken Cinema, 4061 Adams Ave., Kensington (tel. 619/283-5909); and the four-screen La Jolla Village, 8879 Villa La Jolla Drive, La Jolla, also with free parking (tel. 858/453-7831).
The Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park (tel. 619/238-7559; www.mopa.org) has a well-chosen revival series featuring American and foreign classics, shown Friday and Saturday and some weeknights. The IMAX Dome Theater at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center (tel. 619/238-1233), also in Balboa Park, features movies in the early evening projected onto the 76-foot tilted dome screen (later screenings on weekends). Planetarium shows are held the first Wednesday of the month. |
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