The San Diego Symphony’s annual summer concert series along the waterfront returns this weekend and will bring some big names to the scenic stage.
The Bayside Summer Nights 2018 season – which includes live music as well as movie screenings accompanied by a live symphony orchestra playing the score – kicks off June 29 and will run through Sept. 2 at Embarcadero Marina Park South. Each concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
The season kicks off with a bang with “Star-Spangled Pops,” a three-day concert (June 29 to July 1) that pays tribute to America ahead of the Fourth of July. The Symphony will perform patriotic tunes and selections from movies and Broadway, ending each show with fireworks.
On the Fourth of July, county superstar Clint Black will take the stage, performing his many No. 1 hits. At the Bayside Summer Nights venue, concertgoers will have a front-row seat to San Diego’s annual “Big Bay Boom” fireworks spectacular, which pops off at 9 p.m.
The rest of the season features 18 more special events – from jazz and Motown to Broadway and classical. Some highlights include:
Megan Hilty (July 6 and July 7)
Broadway and TV actress Megan Hilty – known for her roles in “Wicked,” “9 to 5: The Musical” and “Smash” – will bring her powerhouse voice to the bayside stage for two nights in early July.
Rick Springfield (July 13 and July 14)
Rick Springfield brings his 1980s anthems to San Diego for a couple of nights. If you’ve never rocked out to “Jessie’s Girl” with everything you’ve got, you haven’t lived. Now is your chance.
Local
Community Day (July 15)
This day of music will feature top-notch musicians from our region, plus a free performance by the San Diego Symphony.
Patti LaBelle (July 28)
The “Godmother of Soul,” Patti LaBelle, performs her hits spanning several decades for one night only.
'Chicago: The Musical' Live in Concert (Aug. 17 and Aug. 18)
The famed American musical, “Chicago,” gets the concert treatment. This show features the talents of veteran Broadway singers accompanied by a razzle dazzle-packed, orchestrated music score. “Mr. Cellophane,” anyone?
The Four Tops & The Temptations (Aug. 24 and Aug. 25)
Motown fans can enjoy two legends of the genre on two nights in August: Abdul “Duke” Fakir of the Four Tops and Otis Williams of The Temptations. Expect hits like “I Can’t Help Myself,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and “My Girl” to come from that stage.
Concert Under the Stars (Aug. 30)
The San Diego Symphony will perform it’s free annual concert for military families as a token of appreciation for their service and sacrifices.
The 2018 season will also bring a three-concert series called “Thursday Night Jazz,” including an Aug. 23 show dubbed “Ladies Who Jam: Women in Jazz,” showcasing up-and-coming artists. Movie screenings accompanied by an orchestra will include “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” (Aug. 4 and Aug. 5) and “West Side Story” (Aug. 10).
Bayside Summer Nights will wrap with its three-day concert, “1812 Tchaikovsky,” led by associate conductor Sameer Patel, on Aug. 31 through Sept. 2. The season’s finale includes booming cannons and a fireworks display over the San Diego Bay.
Single-show tickets for Bayside Summer Nights go on sale April 29, with prices ranging from $18 to $95. Subscription packages are available now, which include access to three to eight concerts for a fixed price, starting at $63.
The San Diego Symphony will perform at many of the shows over the summer. The 82-member symphony, which was founded in 1910, is the oldest orchestra in California.
