Music Critic

George Varga

San Diego Union-Tribune music critic George Varga began drumming in rock bands at 12 and writing professionally about music at 15. A Louisiana native who grew up mostly in Germany, Varga has earned three Pulitzer Prize nominations for his writing at the U-T and is a voting member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has interviewed everyone from Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Britney Spears and (over a game of chess) Ray Charles to Willie Nelson, Kanye West, Twyla Tharp and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Anthony Davis. After attending San Diego City College and San Diego State University, Varga created and taught the 2002 UC San Diego Extension course “Jazz in a Post-Ken-Burns World.” He won three first-place awards at the 2024 San Diego SPJ Pro Chapter Awards.

Artists set to perform around San Diego County include Leslie Odom Jr., Joyce DiDonato, Jake Shimabukuro and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra

Music and Concerts |
2024 Holiday Guide: Rock, pop, jazz, Latin and country acts will bring sounds of the season

November 17, 2024 at 3:14 p.m.

Artists set to perform around San Diego County include Leslie Odom Jr., Joyce DiDonato, Jake Shimabukuro and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra

Retiring after 52 years is "bittersweet" for Average White Band co-founder Alan Gorrie. But he is adamant that the chart=topping soul and funk band from Scotland is stopping at the right time.

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Average White Band bidding farewell after 52 years: ‘It’s bittersweet’ says co-founder Alan Gorrie

November 15, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.

Retiring after 52 years is "bittersweet" for Average White Band co-founder Alan Gorrie. But he is adamant that the chart=topping soul and funk band from Scotland is stopping at the...

Crafting vivid stories with his music was an enduring passions for San Carlos native Paul Kamanski, whose best-known songs were recorded and popularized on albums by the globe-trotting San Diego roots-rock band the Beat Farmers.

Music and Concerts |
Award-winning San Diego singer-songwriter Paul Kamanski dies at 68

November 15, 2024 at 10:52 a.m.

Crafting vivid stories with his music was an enduring passions for San Carlos native Paul Kamanski, whose best-known songs were recorded and popularized on albums by the globe-trotting San Diego...

Our picks include Patti Labelle, Charles McPherson, Sara Petite and the Pat Bianchi Organ Trio

Music and Concerts |
Four San Diego concerts you absolutely don’t want to miss this week

November 14, 2024 at 8:16 a.m.

Our picks include Patti Labelle, Charles McPherson, Sara Petite and the Pat Bianchi Organ Trio

Buoyed by the seven Grammy Award nominations she received last week, Sabrina Carpenter's sold-out Sunday show earned deafening cheers from the sold-out crowd of 11,000.

Music and Concerts |
Review: Sabrina Carpenter gets fizzy with it at her flirty San Diego concert

November 11, 2024 at 4:57 p.m.

Buoyed by the seven Grammy Award nominations she received last week, Sabrina Carpenter's sold-out Sunday show earned deafening cheers from the sold-out crowd of 11,000.

Also nominated are former San Diegans Eddie Vedder, Gregory Porter and Anoushka Shankar and the Broadway soundtrack for La Jolla Playhouse-born "The Outsiders"

Music and Concerts |
2025 Grammy nominees include La Jolla’s Alicia Keys, Oceanside’s Shemekia Copeland and other San Diegans

November 8, 2024 at 1:57 p.m.

Also nominated are former San Diegans Eddie Vedder, Gregory Porter and Anoushka Shankar and the Broadway soundtrack for La Jolla Playhouse-born "The Outsiders"

Music and Concerts |
Grammys 2025: Top nominees include Beyonce, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift

November 8, 2024 at 1:42 p.m.

Beyonce or Taylor Swift? The Beatles or the Rolling Stones? Kendrick Lamar or Post Malone? Sabrina Carpenter or Chappell Roan? Dolly Parton or former president Jimmy Carter? Friday morning's announcement...

Music legend Quincy Jones, who died Sunday at the age of 91, was a lifelong pedestrian. He was delighted to learn, during a 1996 interview, that his non-driver status was shared by his interviewer. Here's the resulting conversation.

Music and Concerts |
Quincy Jones bonded with me over a shared trait: Neither of us knew how to drive

November 5, 2024 at 3:15 p.m.

Music legend Quincy Jones, who died Sunday at the age of 91, was a lifelong pedestrian. He was delighted to learn, during a 1996 interview, that his non-driver status was...

The Grammy Award-winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and multimedia powerhouse passed away Nov. 3 at his Los Angeles home

Music and Concerts |
Appreciation: Quincy Jones, dead at 91, knew no musical boundaries

November 5, 2024 at 3:17 p.m.

The Grammy Award-winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and multimedia powerhouse passed away Nov. 3 at his Los Angeles home

The 2024 San Diego Music Hall of Fame inductees include Peter Sprague, Cathryn Beeks, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Electric Waste Band, Jim Plank, and, posthumously, Tomcat Courtney and Daniel Jackson. They will be honored Nov. 8 at Vision in Mission Valley.

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The 2024 San Diego Music Hall of Fame inductees cover many bases. Here are their stories

November 13, 2024 at 3:38 p.m.

The 2024 San Diego Music Hall of Fame inductees include Peter Sprague, Cathryn Beeks, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Electric Waste Band, Jim Plank, and, posthumously, Tomcat Courtney and Daniel Jackson. They...

The future of Grammy-nominated San Diego metalcore band As I Lay Dying is in doubt after four members abruptly quit. The group made international headlines in 2013 when its lead vocalist, Tim Lambesis, was arrested and concicted for soliciting the murder of his first wife. The fate of the group's new album, which is scheduled for release on Nov. 15, remains unclear.

Music and Concerts |
San Diego band As I Lay Dying rocked by more controversy as four members abruptly quit

November 1, 2024 at 4:13 p.m.

The future of Grammy-nominated San Diego metalcore band As I Lay Dying is in doubt after four members abruptly quit. The group made international headlines in 2013 when its lead...

The unconventional composer, who died here in 1974, hand-built dozens of one-of-a-kind instruments designed specifically to play his unique, other-worldly music. Tom Wats and Paul Simon are longtime admirers of Partch's work.

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Harry Partch’s priceless musical instruments return to San Diego after 33-year odyssey

October 7, 2024 at 10:53 a.m.

The unconventional composer, who died here in 1974, hand-built dozens of one-of-a-kind instruments designed specifically to play his unique, other-worldly music. Tom Wats and Paul Simon are longtime admirers of...

The debut edition of the San Diego Tijuana international Jazz Festival opened with performances by Cindy Blackman Santana, the Gilbert Castellanos All-Star Band, Gerald Clayton and Magos Herrera.It is billed as: Three days. Two countries. One world of musical artistry."

Music and Concerts |
Review: San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival kicks off with borders-blurring verve

October 6, 2024 at 12:00 p.m.

The debut edition of the San Diego Tijuana international Jazz Festival opened with performances by Cindy Blackman Santana, the Gilbert Castellanos All-Star Band, Gerald Clayton and Magos Herrera.It is billed...

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Eric Clapton, a source of controversy in recent years, performs at Pechanga Arena. Tom Jones will sing at SDSU.

Music and Concerts |
The four most intriguing San Diego concerts of the week

October 3, 2024 at 6:33 p.m.

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Eric Clapton, a source of controversy in recent years, performs at Pechanga Arena. Tom Jones will sing at SDSU.

Con un total de 11 presentaciones de ocho artistas que se llevarán a cabo a ambos lados de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México

Festival Internacional de Jazz de San Diego Tijuana: Aquí te contamos quiénes se presentarán, cuándo y dónde

October 1, 2024 at 3:25 p.m.

Con un total de 11 presentaciones de ocho artistas que se llevarán a cabo a ambos lados de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México

A music star who became a movie star, Kristofferson was a Rhodes Scholar, a U.S. Army helicopter pilot and one of the finest singer-songwriters of his generation.

Music and Concerts |
Appreciation: Music great Kris Kristofferson, dead at 88: ‘I was a janitor for a couple of years.’

September 30, 2024 at 4:41 p.m.

A music star who became a movie star, Kristofferson was a Rhodes Scholar, a U.S. Army helicopter pilot and one of the finest singer-songwriters of his generation.

Green Day and its fans happily looked back to the band's landmark 1904 and 2004 albums during the pop-punk band's Saturday concert at San Diego's Petco Park.

Music and Concerts |
Music review: Green Day celebrated at its Petco Park concert in San Diego

October 1, 2024 at 7:11 a.m.

Green Day and its fans happily looked back to the band's landmark 1904 and 2004 albums during the pop-punk band's Saturday concert at San Diego's Petco Park.

Drum dynamo has collaborated with everyone from Herbie Hancock to Chris Stapleton to Snoop Dogg in her career

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Cindy Blackman Santana delighted to headline San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival

September 29, 2024 at 11:21 a.m.

Drum dynamo has collaborated with everyone from Herbie Hancock to Chris Stapleton to Snoop Dogg in her career

Performers at the San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival will include Cindy Blackman Santana, Gerald Clayton, Magos Herrera, Gilbert Castellanos, Nortec Jazz Experience and more.

Music and Concerts |
San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival: Here’s who is performing, and when and where.

October 6, 2024 at 2:57 p.m.

Performers at the San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival will include Cindy Blackman Santana, Gerald Clayton, Magos Herrera, Gilbert Castellanos, Nortec Jazz Experience and more.

The lineup for the nearly sold-out show includes Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and The Linda Lindas

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Music and Concerts |
Green Day at Petco Park: 15 things to know if you’re going to Saturday’s concert

September 27, 2024 at 1:25 p.m.

The lineup for the nearly sold-out show includes Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and The Linda Lindas

Our picks include Marquis Hill at UC San Diego, Kacey Musgraves, Nickel Creek and Father John Misty at Pechanga Arena.

Music and Concerts |
The San Diego concerts you definitely won’t want to miss this week and next

September 25, 2024 at 8:46 p.m.

Our picks include Marquis Hill at UC San Diego, Kacey Musgraves, Nickel Creek and Father John Misty at Pechanga Arena.

"One Hand Clapping" will make its cinematic debut, 50 years late, on Saturday. It will screen in San Diego, Tijuana and Murrieta for just one night.

Music and Concerts |
Paul McCartney & Wings 1974 film to screen Saturday. These are the San Diego-area theaters where you can watch it.

September 24, 2024 at 10:04 a.m.

"One Hand Clapping" will make its cinematic debut, 50 years late, on Saturday. It will screen in San Diego, Tijuana and Murrieta for just one night.

The laughs won't come cheap. Ticket prices for their joint Pechanga Arena San Diego performance range from $92.51 to $627.

Entertainment |
Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan announce 2025 arena tour that is headed to San Diego

September 24, 2024 at 12:41 p.m.

The laughs won't come cheap. Ticket prices for their joint Pechanga Arena San Diego performance range from $92.51 to $627.

Paul Scarbrough and the design and restoration company HGA worked together closely to reinvent the acoustics in Jacobs Music Center

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This acoustician is transforming the San Diego Symphony’s sound. Here’s how.

October 9, 2024 at 12:25 p.m.

Paul Scarbrough and the design and restoration company HGA worked together closely to reinvent the acoustics in Jacobs Music Center

Our picks include The Zeros at the 42nd annual Adams Avenue Street Fair, triple-Grammy-winner Samara Joy at CCAE, guitar wizard Julian Lage at the Belly Up and the Intrepid Jazz Combo at Dizzy's

Music and Concerts |
The four San Diego concerts you absolutely won’t want to miss this week

September 19, 2024 at 9:20 a.m.

Our picks include The Zeros at the 42nd annual Adams Avenue Street Fair, triple-Grammy-winner Samara Joy at CCAE, guitar wizard Julian Lage at the Belly Up and the Intrepid Jazz...

More than 30 other Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees have played at the 600-seat venue, which turns 50 this month. Here's who else is on the list.

Music and Concerts |
The Rolling Stones, Gregg Allman and Etta James are among the legends who performed at the Belly Up

September 18, 2024 at 2:48 p.m.

More than 30 other Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees have played at the 600-seat venue, which turns 50 this month. Here's who else is on the list.

The 600-capacity music venue in San Diego's North County has hosted some of the world's biggest music acts.

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A hairdryer for Stevie Nicks? A running track for Mick Jagger? The Belly Up’s 50-year history transcends music

September 18, 2024 at 2:51 p.m.

The 600-capacity music venue in San Diego's North County has hosted some of the world's biggest music acts.

Our picks include the U.S. debut concert by 18-year-old Irish blues and ragtime champion Muireann Bradley.

Music and Concerts |
The three San Diego concerts you won’t want to miss this week

September 12, 2024 at 9:14 a.m.

Our picks include the U.S. debut concert by 18-year-old Irish blues and ragtime champion Muireann Bradley.

Pink and Sheryl Crow head the lineup for Wednesday's Petco Park concert. Here's everything you should know before you go to the show.

Music and Concerts |
Pink and Sheryl Crow at Petco Park: 15 things to know if you go to their San Diego show Wednesday

September 11, 2024 at 1:08 p.m.

Pink and Sheryl Crow head the lineup for Wednesday's Petco Park concert. Here's everything you should know before you go to the show.

The musician will perform with several bands and lead his student ensemble at the inaugural San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival

Music and Concerts |
Fall Arts Preview 2024: Ivan Trujillo trumpets jazz and music education in Ensenada, San Diego and beyond

September 8, 2024 at 8:08 a.m.

The musician will perform with several bands and lead his student ensemble at the inaugural San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival

Choices abound, from Kacey Musgraves, Leon Bridges, Nickel Creek and Richard Thompson to the debut of the San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival

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Music and Concerts |
Fall Arts Preview 2024: Our top concert picks for the season

September 8, 2024 at 4:46 p.m.

Choices abound, from Kacey Musgraves, Leon Bridges, Nickel Creek and Richard Thompson to the debut of the San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival

Now 84, Ringo Starr will open his 2024 fall concert tour with his All Starr Band with a Sept. 7 San Diego show at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay

Music and Concerts |
The 4 San Diego concerts you absolutely don’t want to miss this weekend

September 5, 2024 at 1:15 p.m.

Now 84, Ringo Starr will open his 2024 fall concert tour with his All Starr Band with a Sept. 7 San Diego show at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay

Olympics gymnastics champion Simone Biles will open Frontwave Arena in Oceanside in mid-September. The $85 million venue is entirely privately owned.

Music and Concerts |
Will $85 million Frontwave Arena put Oceanside on map for concerts as well as sporting events?

September 6, 2024 at 8:53 a.m.

Olympics gymnastics champion Simone Biles will open Frontwave Arena in Oceanside in mid-September. The $85 million venue is entirely privately owned.

Danlee Mitchell stood out as the leader of the famed Harry Partch Ensemble, as a music professor at San Diego State University, and as a top percussionist with the San Diego Symphony, La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, and other orchestras

Danlee Mitchell, a nationally acclaimed San Diego music treasure, is dead at 87

August 31, 2024 at 7:35 a.m.

Danlee Mitchell stood out as the leader of the famed Harry Partch Ensemble, as a music professor at San Diego State University, and as a top percussionist with the San...

From Imperial Beach to Oceanside, San Diego County's historic piers set the scene at local beaches, and this playlist sets the sound

Music and Concerts |
A playlist of songs to listen to at the beach, inspired by San Diego

August 29, 2024 at 4:25 p.m.

From Imperial Beach to Oceanside, San Diego County's historic piers set the scene at local beaches, and this playlist sets the sound

Our picks include The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis at Soda Bar, Tower of Power at Humphreys,, Nathan and Noah East at the Jazz at the Creek festival, Sylvie Simmons at Folk Arts Rare Records, and The BellRays at the Casbah

Music and Concerts |
The 5 San Diego concerts you won’t want to miss this week

August 29, 2024 at 10:12 a.m.

Our picks include The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis at Soda Bar, Tower of Power at Humphreys,, Nathan and Noah East at the Jazz at the Creek festival, Sylvie Simmons...

Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Def Leppard, Journey and the Steve Miller Band are on tour and headed to San Diego's Petco Park. Here's everything you need to know if your are going to the show.

Music and Concerts |
Def Leppard, Journey, Steve Miller Band: 15 things to know if you are going to today’s Petco Park concert

August 30, 2024 at 6:42 a.m.

Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Def Leppard, Journey and the Steve Miller Band are on tour and headed to San Diego's Petco Park. Here's everything you need to know...

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Music and Concerts |
Exclusive: San Diego Symphony set for new era, after $125 million-plus concert hall redesign

August 26, 2024 at 12:23 p.m.

The orchestra returns next month to downtown's Jacobs Music Center, a 95-year-old venue that still looks historic but sounds brand new

The orchestra's season at Jacobs Music Center includes Alisa Weilerstein, Emanuel Ax and Michael Tilson Thomas

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Music and Concerts |
San Diego Symphony’s upcoming season is most extensive in orchestra’s history

August 26, 2024 at 6:23 a.m.

The orchestra's season at Jacobs Music Center includes Alisa Weilerstein, Emanuel Ax and Michael Tilson Thomas

A by-the-numbers inside look at what has gone into reimagining the soon-to-open Jacobs Music Center concert.

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Music and Concerts |
Inside the San Diego Symphony’s eye-popping $125 million-plus concert hall redesign

August 27, 2024 at 1:17 p.m.

A by-the-numbers inside look at what has gone into reimagining the soon-to-open Jacobs Music Center concert.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee is still going strong at 80

Music and Concerts |
Steve Miller, after collaborating with Eminem, on tour with Journey and Def Leppard

August 23, 2024 at 9:15 a.m.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee is still going strong at 80

Gary Clark Jr. and Suzanne Santo at The Shell; Santana and Counting Crows in Chula Vista; and the free "Celebrate Ameri'Kana" festival at UCSD

Music and Concerts |
3 San Diego concerts you won’t want to miss this week

August 22, 2024 at 4:08 p.m.

Gary Clark Jr. and Suzanne Santo at The Shell; Santana and Counting Crows in Chula Vista; and the free "Celebrate Ameri'Kana" festival at UCSD

Our picks include Dionne Warwick at Pechanga Resort Casino, Claudia Villela and Romero Lumbambo at Bread and Salt, Son Little at the Casbah. former Miles Davis keyboardist Kei Akagi at Tio Leo's, and rising pianist Theron Brown at UC San Diego's Park & Market

Music and Concerts |
The five San Diego concerts you definitely should not miss this week

August 15, 2024 at 12:32 p.m.

Our picks include Dionne Warwick at Pechanga Resort Casino, Claudia Villela and Romero Lumbambo at Bread and Salt, Son Little at the Casbah. former Miles Davis keyboardist Kei Akagi at...

Smash Mouth's new singer, Zach Goode, spent years with such San Diego indie-rock bands as Ghoulspoon and Geezer

Music and Concerts |
From Weezer tribute band to real-life Smash Mouth, singer Zach Goode rocks on

August 14, 2024 at 6:06 a.m.

Smash Mouth's new singer, Zach Goode, spent years with such San Diego indie-rock bands as Ghoulspoon and Geezer

Woodstock was "one of the most memorable experiences in my life," says one reader. The festival featured such rock icons as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis Joplin and Grateful Dead.

Music and Concerts |
Woodstock retrospective: Our readers share their memories of the landmark 1969 music festival

August 11, 2024 at 7:12 a.m.

Woodstock was "one of the most memorable experiences in my life," says one reader. The festival featured such rock icons as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis Joplin and Grateful Dead.

Our picks include Jason Marz and his Superband, with the San Diego Symphony, at The Shell, Mali's guitar-driven Tinariwen at the Music Box, and jazz pianist and computer programmer Dan Tepfer at The Jai

Music and Concerts |
The three San Diego concerts you don’t want to miss this week

August 8, 2024 at 1:15 p.m.

Our picks include Jason Marz and his Superband, with the San Diego Symphony, at The Shell, Mali's guitar-driven Tinariwen at the Music Box, and jazz pianist and computer programmer Dan...

Woodstock on their mind: Keith Richards, Jaan Baez, Chris Stapleton, Wynton Marsalis, Diamanda Galas, Carlos Santana and other artists tell us what Woodstock means to them. Billy Joel walked out of the legendary festival.

Music and Concerts |
Woodstock’s legacy: Reflections from musicians who played at the festival in 1969

August 7, 2024 at 6:01 a.m.

Woodstock on their mind: Keith Richards, Jaan Baez, Chris Stapleton, Wynton Marsalis, Diamanda Galas, Carlos Santana and other artists tell us what Woodstock means to them. Billy Joel walked out...

The festival debuted peacefully in 1969 and returned in 1994 as well as a violence-marred 1999 event

Music and Concerts |
Woodstock’s muddled legacy: Peace and love in 1969, riots in 1999

August 7, 2024 at 9:12 a.m.

The festival debuted peacefully in 1969 and returned in 1994 as well as a violence-marred 1999 event

A few hundred extra tickets went on sale Tuesday for what had previously been a sold-out show

Music and Concerts |
Foo Fighters at Petco Park: 15 things to know if you are going to tonight’s San Diego concert

August 7, 2024 at 8:28 a.m.

A few hundred extra tickets went on sale Tuesday for what had previously been a sold-out show

His legion of fans include Lana Del Rey, John Legend, Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, Carlos Santana and more

Music and Concerts |
Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue’ is, at 65, a shape-shifting album that transcends time and genre

August 17, 2024 at 8:29 a.m.

His legion of fans include Lana Del Rey, John Legend, Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, Carlos Santana and more

Our top picks include Mavis Staples, Norah Jones, Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys, all at The Shell; the Chase Morrin Trio at Tio Leo's; and Frank Zappa's oldest son, Dweezil Zappa, at The Magnolia.

Music and Concerts |
The five San Diego concerts you definitely should not miss in the coming week

August 1, 2024 at 10:48 p.m.

Our top picks include Mavis Staples, Norah Jones, Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys, all at The Shell; the Chase Morrin Trio at Tio Leo's; and Frank Zappa's oldest son,...

The upscale annual music marathon was held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds from 2015-2019. It has been dormant since then and mired in multiple lawsuits.

Music and Concerts |
KAABOO’s latest stumble: Festival’s Del Mar return pushed back to next year

August 12, 2024 at 4:46 p.m.

The upscale annual music marathon was held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds from 2015-2019. It has been dormant since then and mired in multiple lawsuits.

Their Outlaw Music Festival performance was a life-affirming musical delight by the two American music icons. John Mellencamp and Brittney Spencer also performed

Music and Concerts |
Review: Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan provide stellar night at San Diego concert

July 31, 2024 at 6:36 p.m.

Their Outlaw Music Festival performance was a life-affirming musical delight by the two American music icons. John Mellencamp and Brittney Spencer also performed

Top San Diego concert picks this week include jazz sax great Charles McPherson's 85th birthday celebration, the Boston-bred band Lake Street Dive and disco-funk stalwarts KC & The Sunshine Band headlining the annual Doors of Change's "Concert of Hope."

Music and Concerts |
The three San Diego concerts you won’t want to miss this week

July 26, 2024 at 6:06 a.m.

Top San Diego concert picks this week include jazz sax great Charles McPherson's 85th birthday celebration, the Boston-bred band Lake Street Dive and disco-funk stalwarts KC & The Sunshine Band...

John Mayall's death Monday at the age of 90 from undisclosed causes came less than three months before he was to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But for scores of music fans, the legendary godfather of British blues has been a hall of famer since the 1960s when his storied band, The Bluesbreakers, was a pivotal launching pad for Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac and more.

Music and Concerts |
Appreciation: John Mayall, dead at 90, was pivotal in careers of Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac and more

July 26, 2024 at 8:14 a.m.

John Mayall's death Monday at the age of 90 from undisclosed causes came less than three months before he was to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of...

The 2024 San Diego Music Hall of Fame inductees include Peter Sprague, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Cathryn Beeks, Jim Plank, Electric Waste Band and, posthumously, Tomcat Courtney and Daniel Jackson

Music and Concerts |
San Diego Music Hall of Fame announces its 2024 inductees

July 23, 2024 at 12:30 p.m.

The 2024 San Diego Music Hall of Fame inductees include Peter Sprague, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Cathryn Beeks, Jim Plank, Electric Waste Band and, posthumously, Tomcat Courtney and Daniel Jackson

The Alaska-born troubadour is now on tour with Melissa Etheridge. Jewel credits her early days in San Diego as pivotal to her career. 'I've never been a critic's darling," she says.

Music and Concerts |
Jewel shines anew as mental health care champion and multimedia artist

July 21, 2024 at 11:41 a.m.

The Alaska-born troubadour is now on tour with Melissa Etheridge. Jewel credits her early days in San Diego as pivotal to her career. 'I've never been a critic's darling," she...

Melissa Etheridge at Stagecoach Country Music Festival, Indio, Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Music and Concerts |
Melissa Etheridge craves challenges, be it singing in a prison or giving Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi a run for their money

July 21, 2024 at 11:43 a.m.

Two-time Grammy Award-winner Melissa Etheridge, now on a joint-tour with Jewel, bonded with five inmates at Topeka Correctional Facility in her native Kansas. She based her new song, "A Burning...

Bob Newhart, the legendary comedian who died Thursday at 94, was clearly not the retiring type. The legendary comedian would have been out on the road touring in the spring of 2020 if not for the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.

Entertainment |
Appreciation: Bob Newhart, dead at 94. ‘Standup comedians are basically anarchists,’ he told us

July 19, 2024 at 9:02 a.m.

Bob Newhart, the legendary comedian who died Thursday at 94, was clearly not the retiring type. The legendary comedian would have been out on the road touring in the spring...

Our picks include: Barrington Levy at San Diego Bayfest, which is headlined by Sublime; jazz drum great Peter Erskine and his band at the Athenaeum; and acclaimed troubadours Dave Alvin and Jimmy Dale Gilmore at the Belly Up.

Music and Concerts |
The three San Diego concerts you shouldn’t miss this week

July 19, 2024 at 7:30 a.m.

Our picks include: Barrington Levy at San Diego Bayfest, which is headlined by Sublime; jazz drum great Peter Erskine and his band at the Athenaeum; and acclaimed troubadours Dave Alvin...

Your choices range from Joe Walsh, Phoebe Snow, David Bowie and Sparks to Joni Mitchell, Pharaoh Sanders, Santana, Leo Sayer, and much more.

Music and Concerts |
Is 1974 the third-best year ever for albums? Our readers weigh in with their favorites

July 14, 2024 at 6:02 a.m.

Your choices range from Joe Walsh, Phoebe Snow, David Bowie and Sparks to Joni Mitchell, Pharaoh Sanders, Santana, Leo Sayer, and much more.

The band, led by singer Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, both 80, performed a 20-song, two-hour show that seemed to transcend time. Jagger, who sang well and was constantly in motion, was in top form, So were the Stones.

Music and Concerts |
Review: Rolling Stones defy, and define, rock of ages at life-affirming SoFi Stadium concert

July 11, 2024 at 5:32 p.m.

The band, led by singer Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, both 80, performed a 20-song, two-hour show that seemed to transcend time. Jagger, who sang well and was constantly in...

This week's top San Diego concert picks include Marty Stuart at Sycuan, Alejandro Escovedo at the Belly Up, Jake Xerxes Fussell and Robin Holcomb at the Casbah, and Gene Perry at Park & Market.

Music and Concerts |
Four San Diego concerts you surely won’t want to miss this week

July 10, 2024 at 10:05 p.m.

This week's top San Diego concert picks include Marty Stuart at Sycuan, Alejandro Escovedo at the Belly Up, Jake Xerxes Fussell and Robin Holcomb at the Casbah, and Gene Perry...

Our picks include Harry Connick Jr. at The Shell, The Artistocrats at Ramona Mainstage, and the third anniversary weekend at The Jazz Lounge with Leonard Patton, Peter Sprague and Curtis Taylor

Music and Concerts |
The San Diego concerts you definitely don’t want to miss this week

July 5, 2024 at 6:05 a.m.

Our picks include Harry Connick Jr. at The Shell, The Artistocrats at Ramona Mainstage, and the third anniversary weekend at The Jazz Lounge with Leonard Patton, Peter Sprague and Curtis...

The sold-out show, which also featured San Diego's Pierce The Veil and England's Hot Milk, was a welcome victory lap for the Poway-bred blink. The usually brash three-man band concluded its performance on an uncharacteristically poignant note.

Music and Concerts |
Concert review: blink-182 performs act of magic at Petco Park San Diego homecoming show

July 2, 2024 at 6:14 a.m.

The sold-out show, which also featured San Diego's Pierce The Veil and England's Hot Milk, was a welcome victory lap for the Poway-bred blink. The usually brash three-man band concluded...

The festival, which ran from 1984 to 2009, featured everyone from James Brown, Sheryl Crow and R.E.M. to Buckwheat Zydeco, B.B. King and the Beat Farmers

Things to do |
San Diego Street Scene: Our readers share their favorite memories of the homegrown music festival

June 30, 2024 at 6:01 a.m.

The festival, which ran from 1984 to 2009, featured everyone from James Brown, Sheryl Crow and R.E.M. to Buckwheat Zydeco, B.B. King and the Beat Farmers

Best albums from 1974 include discs by King Crimson, Gram Parsons, Randy Newman, Ann Peebles, and dozens more.

Music and Concerts |
Is 1974 the third-best year ever for great albums? From Bob Marley to Joni Mitchell, you tell us!

June 30, 2024 at 10:52 a.m.

Best albums from 1974 include discs by King Crimson, Gram Parsons, Randy Newman, Ann Peebles, and dozens more.

San Diego's Mojo Nixon was a close friend and collaborator of Freidman. So were Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan.

Music and Concerts |
Appreciation: Kinky Friedman, dead at 79. ‘You have to be miserable to write a good song’ he told us.

June 28, 2024 at 11:53 a.m.

San Diego's Mojo Nixon was a close friend and collaborator of Freidman. So were Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan.

Tips on parking, public transit, tickets and more at Sunday's blink-182 concert

Music and Concerts |
15 things to know if you are going to blink-182’s Petco Park concert Sunday

June 27, 2024 at 7:04 p.m.

Tips on parking, public transit, tickets and more at Sunday's blink-182 concert

Our picks include the San Diego Black Arts + Culture Music Festival, Audra McDonald and the Java Joe's Reunion Show

Music and Concerts |
San Diego concerts you absolutely won't want to miss this week

June 27, 2024 at 10:58 a.m.

Our picks include the San Diego Black Arts + Culture Music Festival, Audra McDonald and the Java Joe's Reunion Show

Two music legends, the Welsh singer and Atlanta rapper-turned-flutist, have announced their 2024 concert tours

Things to do |
Tom Jones and Andre 3000 announce San Diego concerts as part of their new tours

June 25, 2024 at 1:26 p.m.

Two music legends, the Welsh singer and Atlanta rapper-turned-flutist, have announced their 2024 concert tours

The production, which will premiere in both San Diego and Tijuana, will be sung in English, Spanish and border slang

Music and Concerts |
Pulitzer Prize-winner Anthony Davis and Bodhi Tree announce 2026 world premiere of bilingual ‘Pancho Rabbit’ opera

June 24, 2024 at 7:07 p.m.

The production, which will premiere in both San Diego and Tijuana, will be sung in English, Spanish and border slang

Multiple Grammy Award-winners Lauryn Hill and The Fugees have announced a major 2024 concert tour that will stop in three California cities, including San Diego

Lauryn Hill and The Fugees re-set anniversary tour; here are all the dates, including San Diego

June 24, 2024 at 1:25 p.m.

Multiple Grammy Award-winners Lauryn Hill and The Fugees have announced a major 2024 concert tour that will stop in three California cities, including San Diego

Things to do |
ArtPower’s 21st season at UC San Diego will feature Fran Leibovitz, Aofie O’Donovan, Ocean Vuong and more

June 24, 2024 at 5:24 p.m.

UC San Diego’s ArtPower will offer an outdoor bonus before kicking off its 21st season with October concerts by rising jazz trumpeter Marquis Hill and a pairing of Grammy Award-winning...

Gregory Porter at the 6th annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival At 6 feet 4 inches tall, Gregory Porter is a towering presence on and off stage. A gentle giant, the Bakersfield native earned a full scholarship to San Diego State University as a football player but a 1990 pre-season practice injury ended his college […]

These are the San Diego concerts you won’t want to miss this week

June 21, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.

Gregory Porter at the 6th annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival At 6 feet 4 inches tall, Gregory Porter is a towering presence on and off stage. A gentle giant,...

Tickets for will go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time to the general public for all the shows on Day’s tour

Things to do |
Andra Day sets 2024 tour, including San Diego concert at Humphreys. Here are all the dates

June 18, 2024 at 2:27 p.m.

Tickets for will go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time to the general public for all the shows on Day’s tour

Things to do |
Endless Sunsets one of five 2024 music festivals that will be held at San Diego’s Waterfront Park

June 14, 2024 at 4:39 p.m.

The award-winning San Diego band Thee Sacred Souls will headline the debut edition of the Endless Sunsets music festival at downtown’s Waterfront Park on Aug. 3. The lineup for the...

La Jolla Light |
La Jolla Music Society’s 2024-25 season will feature music and dance luminaries in nearly 70-show schedule

June 10, 2024 at 2:01 p.m.

How does a performing arts organization follow the most extensive and well-attended season in its 56-year history — a season that featured Pulitzer Prize winner Rhiannon Giddens, opera legend Renée...

There are few annual events more quintessentially Southern Californian than Switchfoot's annual Bro-Am.

Things to do |
Switchfoot’s Bro-Am and two other San Diego concerts you won’t want to miss

June 14, 2024 at 4:40 p.m.

There are few annual events more quintessentially Southern Californian than Switchfoot's annual Bro-Am.

La Jolla Music Society's 66th season will feature Emanuel Ax, Wynton Marsalis, Twyla Tharp, Terence Blanchard and other greats

Rancho Santa Fe Review |
La Jolla Music Society’s 66th season will feature Emanuel Ax, Wynton Marsalis, Twyla Tharp, Terence Blanchard and other greats

June 9, 2024 at 4:46 p.m.

How does a performing arts organization follow the most extensive, star-studded and well-attended season in its 56-year history? Is it even possible to top a 55th anniversary season that has...

Encinitas Advocate |
La Jolla Music Society’s 66th season will feature Emanuel Ax, Wynton Marsalis, Twyla Tharp, Terence Blanchard and other greats

June 9, 2024 at 4:44 p.m.

How does a performing arts organization follow the most extensive, star-studded and well-attended season in its 56-year history? Is it even possible to top a 55th anniversary season that has...

Del Mar Times Things to Do |
La Jolla Music Society’s 66th season will feature Emanuel Ax, Wynton Marsalis, Twyla Tharp, Terence Blanchard and other greats

June 9, 2024 at 4:43 p.m.

How does a performing arts organization follow the most extensive, star-studded and well-attended season in its 56-year history? Is it even possible to top a 55th anniversary season that has...

Things to do |
La Jolla Music Society’s 56th season will feature Emanuel Ax, Wynton Marsalis, Twyla Tharp, Terence Blanchard and other greats

June 9, 2024 at 7:22 p.m.

How does a performing arts organization follow the most extensive, star-studded and well-attended season in its 56-year history? Is it even possible to top a 55th anniversary season that has...

Rancho Santa Fe Review |
San Diego County Fair 2024 Grandstand Stage concert picks cover an array of styles

June 7, 2024 at 6:09 p.m.

The Euphoria Brass Band may not be the hardest-working band in show business, at least not yet. But this rollicking group's 11 performances between Wednesday and July 5 at the...

Encinitas Advocate |
San Diego County Fair 2024 Grandstand Stage concert picks cover an array of styles

June 7, 2024 at 6:04 p.m.

The Euphoria Brass Band may not be the hardest-working band in show business, at least not yet. But this rollicking group's 11 performances between Wednesday and July 5 at the...

Del Mar Times Things to Do |
San Diego County Fair 2024 Grandstand Stage concert picks cover an array of styles

June 7, 2024 at 3:54 p.m.

The Euphoria Brass Band may not be the hardest-working band in show business, at least not yet. But this rollicking group's 11 performances between Wednesday and July 5 at the...

Things to do |
San Diego County Fair grandstand concert picks cover an array of styles

June 13, 2024 at 9:09 a.m.

The Euphoria Brass Band may not be the hardest-working band in show business, at least not yet. But this rollicking group's 11 performances between Wednesday and July 5 at the...

From Pat Metheny to former Police members Andy Summers and Sting, the musicians who hold John Etheridge How accomplished and versatile is Soft Machine leader John Etheridge, the English guitar great who on Thursday will perform his first San Diego concert in 31 years?

Things to do |
Soft Machine, led by guitar great John Etheridge, back in San Diego after 56 years

June 13, 2024 at 5:31 p.m.

From Pat Metheny to former Police members Andy Summers and Sting, the musicians who hold John Etheridge How accomplished and versatile is Soft Machine leader John Etheridge, the English guitar...

Four-time Grammy Award-winner Brian Blade is a jazz great who also shines playing rock, funk, folk and other styles.

Things to do |
Brian Blade has drummed up magic with Joni Mitchell, Wayne Shorter, Bob Dylan, Chick Corea and his own band

June 13, 2024 at 5:09 p.m.

Four-time Grammy Award-winner Brian Blade is a jazz great who also shines playing rock, funk, folk and other styles.

Rancho Santa Fe Review |
Ringo Starr, with new San Diego and L.A. concerts set, talks candidly: ‘I’m giving away all the secrets here!’ he says

June 5, 2024 at 5:39 p.m.

Ringo Starr is on the phone from Las Vegas and he's got lots of fab things to talk about, including some that have been largely kept under wraps. "I'm giving...

Encinitas Advocate |
Ringo Starr, with new San Diego and L.A. concerts set, talks candidly: ‘I’m giving away all the secrets here!’ he says

June 5, 2024 at 5:34 p.m.

Ringo Starr is on the phone from Las Vegas and he's got lots of fab things to talk about, including some that have been largely kept under wraps. "I'm giving...

Del Mar Times Things to Do |
Ringo Starr, with new San Diego and L.A. concerts set, talks candidly: ‘I’m giving away all the secrets here!’ he says

June 4, 2024 at 12:31 a.m.

Ringo Starr is on the phone from Las Vegas and he's got lots of fab things to talk about, including some that have been largely kept under wraps. "I'm giving...

Things to do |
Ringo Starr, with new San Diego and L.A. concerts set, talks candidly: ‘I’m giving away all the secrets here!’ he says

June 4, 2024 at 4:48 p.m.

Ringo Starr is on the phone from Las Vegas and he's got lots of fab things to talk about, including some that have been largely kept under wraps. "I'm giving...

Things to do |
Reflections on Street Scene: San Diego’s original music fest was vital precursor to Coachella, Wonderfront, CRSSD, KAABOO and more

June 4, 2024 at 3:56 p.m.

A small start. A big impact. A far-reaching, if sometimes underappreciated, legacy.Coachella, Wonderfront, Gator by the Bay, the Tijuana Jazz & Blues Festival, CRSSD, North Park Music Fest and KAABOO...