Few things in the concert industry are a sure bet, let alone at an $85 million venue whose 2021 opening coincided with a global pandemic resurgence that brought live events to a near-standstill.
But the San Diego Symphony’s Rady Shell at Jacobs Park quickly drew enthusiastic audiences to performances by major artists at the open-air bayside amphitheater. Its fifth anniversary summer season will offer a 33-concert lineup that mixes return engagements by Smokey Robinson, the Beach Boys and Earth, Wind & Fire with venue debuts by Beck, Chicago, Ludacris and more.
“Now that we have four years behind us, the Beach Boys, the Gipsy Kings and Trombone Shorty are almost annual favorites at The Shell,” said San Diego Symphony Vice President of Artistic istration and Audience Development Lea Slusher. “As more and more artists play here, they want to come back. And the audiences want them to come back.”
This year’s season will open with a June 27 performance by the symphony, led by its music director, Rafael Payare. It will conclude with a Sept. 20 Classic Albums Live performance of Prince’s 1984 album, “Purple Rain.” Season packages are on sale starting today; single tickets will go on sale at a later date. The full season lineup appears at the conclusion of this article.
The Shell will also host seven pre-summer concerts between March 28 and June 20. They include a show headlined by Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and a two-night stand by James Taylor and his All-Star Band. Taylor’s performances are being presented by AEG/Golden Voice, which is the producer of the annual Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals in Indio.
‘Our shoulder season’
“Because The Shell is open 365 days a year, we can do some concerts earlier and later in the year before our summer season starts,” Slusher said. “Right now is kind of our shoulder season.”
Last year’s summer season at The Shell featured 36 concerts, 15 of which were artist debuts at the venue. The 2025 season being announced today features 33 concerts so far, of which six — Beck, Ludacris, Shaggy, “Weird Al,” Maren Morris and Chicago — are Shell debuts.
“Every year is different,” said Craig T. Hall, the symphony’s vice president of marketing. “The huge number of debuts we did last year had a lot to do with how many artists were on tour.”
“Fewer debuts is not necessarily a bad thing,” Slusher stressed. “It means the word is out about The Shell, and that playing here — and getting invited back — is a good thing. So, in some years we will have less debuts than others. That doesn’t mean we aren’t always searching for new artists and for new collaborations.”
This year’s new collaborations will pair the symphony with such varied artists as Shaggy, Beck and the psychedelic Australian rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, which performed a rain-soaked, orchestra-free show at The Shell last fall.
That concert was put on by AEG/Goldenvoice, the world’s second largest live-events presenter. The largest, Live Nation, has also rented The Shell to present concerts in previous years and has already booked two there for this season — Croatian pop-classical cellist Ha and the indie-rock band Mt. Joy.
Last year’s eight biggest-draw concerts at The Shell — for which seats were removed and a standing-room only format was used — drew capacity audiences of 8,500 for King Gizzard, Stick Figure, Khruangbin and other acts that attract a younger audience. The seating capacity for most concerts at The Shell this year will be 4,516, the same as in 2024.
“Our presentations at The Shell are a mix of concerts presented by the symphony and concerts for which The Shell is rented by AEG, Live Nation and by the San Diego Padres for its corporate events,” Slusher said. “Our season last year was really strong, sales-wise and musically, because we had such a good mix of shows and presenters.”
‘How much is too much?’
The summer concert season is the busiest each year, in the the state and across the nation, as outdoor venues compete for acts with strong track records.
That may hold even more true for The Shell, since San Diego music fans can choose from a multitude of big-name acts at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU, Petco Park and its smaller Gallagher Square at Petco Park, and the San Diego County Fair’s Grandstand Stage in Del Mar.
“Like anything, concerts at The Shell are market-driven and there are a lot of events going on in San Diego,” Slusher said. “The question you always have to ask yourself is: ‘How much product is too much product?’
“I don’t always know what acts Cal Coast (Credit Union) Open Air Theatre at SDSU and Humphreys are going to present, so we don’t want to over-saturate the market.”
The COVID-19 pandemic brought the concert industry to a shuddering halt in 2020 and for most of 2021. Then came a dramatic rebound, with record attendance and ticket sales in 2022, 2023 and the first three-quarters of last year. Live Nation last week reported $23 billion in total earnings for 2024, up from $22.7 billion in 2023. But last fall also saw a number of major concert tours perform below expectations, and the forecast for this year is mixed.
“What we saw last summer was a couple of shows that maybe didn’t live up to what we expected,” Slusher said. “But we also had a couple of shows that completely oversold beyond our expectations — like Ziggy Marley, the Avett Brothers and the Jewel/Melissa Etheridge double-bill — so it leveled itself off.
“In general, San Diego concertgoers buy their tickets late, all the time, except for the really big headliners. So, we have learned a big lesson, which is not to panic too much. We’ve learned that if ticket sales are a little slow, we need to make some adjustments. All you can do is adjust and hope you hit your target.”
Like other concert promoters and talent buyers, Slusher does a lot of research before booking a band or solo artist. Factors that are considered include how well artists are doing in other markets, how recently they last performed here, and more.
“We have a lot of data now,” Slusher said. “We have data on specific acts, particularly if they are acts returning to this market, or are similar to acts that have played here. We look at what the (attendance) numbers for them were and what the ticket prices were. And we look at how they did at other San Diego venues to get an idea of how well they’d do for us, sales-wise. The Shell’s ticket prices are probably a little higher than ticket prices at some other venues. But we have a very special boutique venue.”
An adjustable venue
The Shell has several advantages that make it stand out, including the fact the venue in a public park that is open year-round, except during concerts.
Depending on the performer and audience, the venue’s capacity can be increased or decreased. For most concerts, the capacity is 4,516, including reserved seats up front and first-come, first-served open lawn seating at the rear. But the capacity can go up to 6,000 for some concerts, while standing-room only shows can accommodate 8,500.
Moreover, the number of table seats at the front of The Shell can be modified from concert to concert. And for some shows last year, including the Avett Brothers and the annual Experience Hendrix tribute tour stop, seating was moved back to allow audience to dance directly in front of the stage.
“That enables the audience to get close and feed off the energy of the artist,” Hall said. “I’m pretty sure we’ll have that configuration for Ludacris and several other artists at The Shell this year.
“We have open orchestra rehearsals that the public can attend and monthly yoga events that thousands of people come to. So, the venue is really owned by the community and a lot of people feel at home there. That’s something we’re leaning into for our fifth season at The Shell this year.”
The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park Pre-Season Concerts
All pre-season concerts are at 7:30 p.m., unless otherwise indicated, and are already on sale.
March 28: “The Princess Bride” in Concert, with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Jason Seber ($37-$123)
May 10 & 11: James Taylor & His All-Star Band, 7 p.m. ($108.70-$232.90)
May 29: Ha 8 p.m. ($39.50-$99.50)
June 5: Ludacris ($70.50-$162.50)
June 7: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, 6 p.m. ($49-$167)
June 20: Classic Albums Live presents David Bowie’s “The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars” ($37-$123)
The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park 2025 Summer Season Concerts
Season ticket packages go on sale today at 10 a.m. at theshell.org, at 619-235-0804, and at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park box office, 222 Marina Park Way, downtown. Single ticket sales for most concerts will begin April 25 at 10 a.m. Season ticket package prices range from $93 to $1,101, and include: Friday A — 6 concerts, Friday B — 3 concerts, and Friday C — 3 concerts; Saturday A — 8 concerts, Saturday B — 4 concerts and Saturday C — 4 concerts, and Sunday A — 8 concerts, Sunday B — 4 concerts and Sunday C — 4 concerts.
June 27: Opening Night with the San Diego Symphony: Ginastera’s Four Dances from Estancia, Marsalis’ Trumpet Concerto, Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Debussy’s La Mer, featuring music director Rafael Payare and trumpeter Paul Merkelo ($37-$123)
June 28: “The Music of the Knights”: A Salute to the Songs of Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez ($37-$123)
June 29: Dolly Parton’s “Threads: My Songs in Symphony,” featuring conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez and vocalists Katelyn Drye, Hollie Hammel and Julie Williams; Dolly Parton does not appear at this concert ($37-$123)
July 4: “Fourth of July: America in Song,” with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Ted Sperling and vocalists Morgan James, Bryonha Marie and Nicholas Christopher ($37-$123)
July 5: The Music of ABBA, with Rajaton and the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Sean O’Loughlin ($37-$123)
July 6: Earth, Wind & Fire ($71-$329)
July 11: “Top Gun: Maverick” in Concert with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor John Beal ($37-$123)
July 12: Alison Krauss & Union Station, featuring Jerry Douglas, with Willie Watson 7 p.m. ($75.65-162.50)
July 13: “Beethoven by the Bay”: Beethoven’s Overture to Coriolan, Symphony No. 6 Pastorale and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Marie Jacquot and violinist Clara-Jumi Kang ($37-$123)
July 17: “Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert, with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Thiago Tiberio ($37-$123)
July 18: Maoli ($69.95-$90.55)
July 19: Disney’s “The Lion King” in Concert, with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Thiago Tiberio ($37-$123)
July 29: Beck, with the San Diego Symphony ($89.50-$272.30)
July 31: Maren Morris ($62.80-$162.50)
Aug. 1: Mr. Symphonic: Shaggy with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Steven Reineke, ($47-$165)
Aug. 2: “Simply the Best: The Music of Tina Turner,” with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Steven Reineke and vocalist Adrienne Warren ($37-$123)
Aug. 3: Miles Davis’ “Porgy & Bess,” featuring Gilbert Castellanos and a 22-piece big band ($31-$94)
Aug. 8: “Chicago The Musical” in Concert, with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Rob Fisher, vocalists Bianca Marroquin, Tari Kelly, Emily Skinner, and Lewis Cleale, pianist Joe Thalken and drummer Sean McDaniel ($37-$123)
Aug. 9: The Beach Boys ($60-$259)
Aug. 10: Gipsy Kings, featuring Nicolas Reyes ($49-$167)
Aug. 11: King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, with the San Diego Symphony, Sarah Hicks and DJ Crenshaw ($75.65-$136.75)
Aug. 16: Smokey Robinson ($60-$259)
Aug. 17: Cynthia Erivo with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Anthony Parnther ($47-$165)
Aug. 22: “Barbie the Movie” In Concert, with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Macy Schmidt ($37-$123)
Aug. 23: “Jurassic Park” in Concert, with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Scott Terrell ($37-$123)
Aug. 24: Boyz II Men, with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Christopher Dragon, ($60-$259)
Aug. 29: “Weird Al” Yankovic, with Puddles Pity Party ($91-$213)
Aug. 30: “Tchaikovsky Spectacular” — Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, Selections from Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” and “Romeo & Juliet,” Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Stephanie Childress and pianist Kiron Atom Tellian ($37-$123)
Aug. 31: “SNAP! Best of The 90’s,” with the San Diego Symphony, featuring conductor Stuart Chafetz, vocalists Julie Reiber, Ciara Renée, Jim Hogan and Tamar Greene, and drummer Brian Kushmaul ($37-$123)
Sept. 10: Chicago ($58.70-$185.05)
Sept. 20: Classic Albums Live presents Prince’s “Purple Rain,” ($37-$123)
