Sounds Like San Diego: May 14

The San Diego Zoo celebrates 100 years, and live-music hits the town

The San Diego Zoo to me, like for so many other people, is a magical place. I grew up in Chula Vista, so a field trip to the zoo when you're little always felt like some big adventure, and as I grew up, it maintained that mystique. As I grew to love photography, the San Diego Zoo always provided the best subjects. While taking courses at City, I would study in the newly opened treehouse between classes. At my first media job, I was privileged to attend fancy luncheons at Albert's. Moving into blogging, I'd get amazing invitations to behind-the-scenes events, and now, raising a child, I get to experience all the wonder through her eyes. The San Diego Zoo is ingrained in me, and as they celebrate 100 years with a free celebration and concert at the Organ Pavilion, thousands others will all get misty-eyed with their own memories. By nightfall, thousands more will flock to Petco Park for Billy Joel, the Nashville Ramblers rock the Casbah, Pennywise play the second of three nights at the Observatory, and "American Idol"-alum Kris Allen is at Music Box.  

Saturday, May 14:

  • San Diego Zoo 100 Year Celebration @ Spreckels Organ Pavilion & Plaza De Panama, Balboa Park, 6 p.m., FREE!
  • The Reader's Tacotopia with La Diabla, Cumbia Machin, Madame Ur y sus Hombres, Angel Peralta Project @ Golden Hill Park
  • Billy Joel @ Petco Park
  • Paper Days, Neighbors to the North, the Paragraphs, Brothers Weiss @ The Merrow (watch our SoundDiego Spotlight on Paper Days)
  • The Nashville Ramblers, the Rosalyns, the Diddley Daddies @ Casbah
  • Pennywise performing "Unknown Road", T.S.O.L. @ The Observatory North Park
  • Kris Allen, Marie Miller @ Music Box
  • Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Insects vs Robots @ Belly Up
  • Bad & the Ugly; Oh, Spirit!; The Younger @ Soda Bar
  • The MilkCrates DJs @ Bar Pink
  • Grampa Drew's Flim Flam Revue @ Whistle Stop (5 p.m.)
  • Booty Bassment @ The Whistle Stop (9 p.m.)
  • Motion City Soundtrack, the Spill Canvas, Microwave @ House of Blues
  • Scar Eater (AZ), the Tramplers, the Hathcocks @ The Bancroft
  • Maysa @ California Center for the Arts Escondido
  • Jean Will Strings Spring Concert @ California Center for the Arts Escondido
  • Against the Odds, Moxie, Nothing Sacred, With Age, Awake Me Daylight @ SOMA
  • The Liquorsmiths, Ghost Lit Kingdom @ Sycamore Den
  • Bang Pow, Cumbia Machin @ Winston's
  • Barra Brava, the Gritty, Lexicons @ Til-Two Club
  • Anthony Wilson & the Curators @ La Jolla Athenaeum
  • Primal Fear, Luca Turilli's Fear Factor, Alchemy (MEX), Helsott, Sentinel @ Brick By Brick
  • Tony P and Courtney Preis @ Lestat's
  • Reduced Shakespeare Company: The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) @ Poway Center For the Performing Arts
  • Zero To Billy @ Java Joe's
  • UCSD Salsa Night @ The Loft, UCSD
  • Foliage @ The Industry (Chula Vista)
  • West Coast Weekender @ World Beat Center
  • Strange Weather, Blue Jean Simmons, Sonic Moonshine @ 710 Beach Club
  • Comedy @ The Bancroft
  • Colour @ Tio Leo's
  • The Cadillac Wreckers @ Humphreys Backstage Live (5 p.m.)
  • Rising Star @ Humphreys Backstage Live (9 p.m.)
  • Brett Bodley @ Fluxx
  • Mark Eteson @ Omnia
  • fungi.Psych @ Kava Lounge

Rosemary Bystrak is the publicist for the Casbah, the content manager for DoSD, and writes about the San Diego music scene, events and general musings about life in San Diego on San Diego: Dialed In. Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.

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