With summer making a gradual ramp-down, it's high time for the Bing Crosby Season to kick off at the Del Mar Racetrack! Track officials announced the fourth annual fall concert season lineup on Wednesday -- and you've now got two very big reasons to hit the place where the turf meets the surf!
The Roots, taking a night off their busy "Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" schedule, are scheduled to hit the stage on Saturday, Nov. 11 -- while one of San Diego's favorite reggae/dub/rock groups, Iration, cruise through on Saturday, Nov. 18. Talk about a pre-Thanksgiving feast!
The announcement of the fall shows comes in the wake of a great summer season with acts like Steve Aoki, Slightly Stoopid and others playing for packed crowds.
First up: The Roots. The hip-hop/funk/R&B group got their start busking on the streets of Philadelphia and helped push the city's renowned neo-soul movement into a worldwide phenomenon. They achieved mainstream success with their 1999 album, "Things Fall Apart," and ever since then, they've collaborated with a who's who of the music industry (John Legend, Erykah Badu, Common, Mos Def, Patrick Stump, Sufjan Stevens, and Elvis Costello, to name just a few) while releasing acclaimed album after acclaimed album. It all seemed to culminate when they were tapped by Fallon in 2009 to act as the house band for his late-night NBC talk show. The group was last in San Diego in July at the Observatory North Park -- and since they're known for putting on an incredible live show, the track will be the place to be come Nov. 11.
Their fellow November headliners, Iration, rep the West Coast to the Roots' East. Originally formed in 2004 in Isla Vista, California, the band started out playing mostly reggae covers. They released their debut EP, "New Roots," in 2006, and, after building a solid fan base through steady touring, they embarked on their first national tour in 2008 with Pepper. With the release of their sophomore album, 2010's "Time Bomb," Iration topped the Billboard Reggae Albums chart -- which is no easy feat! In August of 2016, fans got their hands on their latest album, "Hotting Up." The group has been on a roll, especially in San Diego, where they're festival favorites, and needless to say, their Nov. 18 ticket will be a hot one.
As always, entry to the shows is free with paid admission to the track. Check out Del Mar Racing's official website for more details and information.
Del Mar Racetrack's 2017 Bing Crosby Season:
- Saturday, Nov. 11: The Roots
- Saturday, Nov. 18: Iration
