Living under the LA shadow
Being about two hours south of the central hub of music in the western half of the United States, San Diego has never been seen as having a legit music scene. I don't believe San Diego will ever be the same as LA and THANK GOD!
There is potential for San Diego to become its own unique and special music center. It is already on its way with all of the different venues that exist. Venues like Music Box, House of Blues, Soma, Soda Bar, Humphrey's, BellyUp and so many others offer a space that is both unique and intimate for artists to come and perform. They are great for up and coming artists, or artists who are well known on a local stage. On a larger scale for more popular artists, there are venues like Viejas Arena and Cal Coast on SDSU campus and Pechanga Arena in Point Loma.
In the past few years there have been a couple venues that have opened up that have become San Diego music staples. One of those is the Rady Shell at Jacob's Park. Though it is owned by the San Diego Symphony, there are several other shows and concerts that come through. It's an outdoor venue that is open to the public any time that there is not a ticketed show going on. The Shell has become one of San Diego's landmarks.
Another one of the more recent venues to open up is The Sound which is owned by BellyUp. Opening in February of 2023 just a few miles from the Del Mar Racetracks, the venue premiered with performance from Ziggy Marley. The venue can hold around 1,900 people which is more than any of smaller well known venues and smaller than the large arenas. The beauty of this venue is that it holds a sweet spot for performers who are middle of the road in popularity. This venue could be huge for the growth of San Diego's music scene.
I don't know if San Diego will be as big as LA in music ever, but I think it has potential to become one of the most unique and fun music scenes in the US.
