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    The Sound

    3.6 (105 reviews)

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    Front entrance
    Charlyann M.

    Very cool venue! The size is perfect for an intimate experience. The exterior is very classy and pretty. We purchased premium parking. It wasn't cheap but it was front row, steps away from the entrance! My only complaint is that we purchased seats. They were high and backless bar stools. Not comfortable or easy to get up on. I would prefer a folding chair. The security was helpful. The other guests were friendly.

    Empire Brass?
    Dan A.

    The seating up stairs provides a great unobstructed view to the stage. The sound quality is amazing. The lighting is great. The venue is the perfect size for an intimate setting with a big venue feel. Didn't try any food, not sure if any was offered on the night I went. (Dec 31 2025 thievery corporation ) Parking was easy. Staff was professional and friendly. Elevators provided for second floor seating.

    Front
    Toby P.

    Recently, I went to the sound for the first time. There were things I liked and things I didn't like at all. I have been to many many venues growing up with family in the industry so I have a lot to compare. Cons: Parking is pretty pricey at $20. The parking lot is huge and empty, with the exception of concert goers taking up a tiny amount of spaces. Unfortunately, there's nowhere nearby to park unless you want to walk a long way or use uber or Lyft so you don't have much of a choice. They even charge for disabled patrons. A lot of staff/security that I encountered were rude and impatient both inside and out. I didn't get food or drinks so I didn't experience that aspect. As soon as the show ended everyone was told to leave and herded out the door. People weren't loitering, they were trying to find their friends, saying goodbye or trying to go to the bathroom. The same thing happened in the parking lot when everyone was leaving. Including people who were parked in the handicapped spaces. I get if it was 20-30 mins after the end of the show but this was immediate. The pros: It's a clean, modern space with retro neon lighting. The air conditioning kept it pretty cool, but it was only maybe half full so occupancy may make a difference. The few ushers I encountered near where I sat were mostly nice and seemed like they were happy to be there. There are several bar areas to get drinks and some food options when you first walk in. The sound is decent, some songs were louder than others and I would have liked to hear the singers voices a bit more, but all in all it was fine. The bathrooms were clean and stocked. I didn't encounter lines but that may have just been lucky. I would likely come back if someone really I like is playing, but the parking and ticket prices will be a consideration. Maybe the staff was having an off night? I'll have to update if/when I visit again.

    Viagra Boys
    Karen N.

    So, we have had mixed experiences at the Sound, from the different times we've been there. It would've been a little higher, but the negative experiences have brought it down by a star. The first thing people will mention is the $20 for parking. You have no choice, because it's on the front right side of the Del Mar Fairgrounds. It used to be the old location of the off-track betting area. There's no way to park nearby and walk, you would have to rideshare instead. We have experienced some very nice employees, and also some truly infuriating ones. One friend had such a horrible experience in the ADA section, that she had to complain and speak to the owner. We have also had a bad experience with a member of management on several occasions. I appreciate that they have a good ADA section, that you make a reservation for. The last show had a few too many people in the ADA, and a woman with a walker had difficulty getting in and out because the rows were closer together than normal. The sound quality is usually good, haven't had too much problem with that. It can get crowded and backed up on the floor, restrooms, etc when there is a sold-out show. The staff also is instructed to immediately push you out as soon as the show is over, so try to use the restroom before the show is over if possible. They also comb the parking lot making people leave immediately, so you will be in the long line waiting to exit the parking lot.

    Becky G.

    I watched Durand Jones & The Indications at The Sound and it was such a great first time experience! The venue isn't huge, but it has a really nice setup. Food and drinks are a bit pricey, though that's expected in Del Mar and pretty much at any event venue. We sat on the lower left side of the terrace (bar seat) and had an awesome view of the stage. They have standing room only but it was very crowded and I'm glad we had seats. The acoustics were excellent and I must say security did a great job keeping everyone in their designated spots. Overall, it was a fun night with great sound and good vibes all around!!!

    Jennifer A.

    Saw Dean Lewis it was a wonderful venue 2 floors was very intimate, great sound quality, love their a lot of restrooms, and bars, I would definately will go there again for a concert.

    Dean Lewis Concert VIP Merchandise
    Marcie L.

    I attended a Dean Lewis concert here last night. The venue itself is very cute, intimate, spacious, and well lit, which worked nicely for the performance. That said, the overall experience, especially as a VIP ticket holder, was disappointing. Dean Lewis originally rescheduled this concert from April 26, 2025 to January 10, 2026. We were given until around July 2025 to request a refund, and I chose to keep my VIP tickets specifically for the meet and greet. I did not learn that the meet and greet was canceled until I arrived at the venue. VIP ticket holders were told to arrive between 5:45 and 6:15 PM for merchandise pickup. We entered at 6:15, while general admission entered at 6:30. Since the venue is standing room only, we were essentially standing around for over an hour before the show even began, with no real added value for the VIP tickets. It did not feel like a VIP experience at all. When I asked others in line about the meet and greet, several said they were contacted by the venue in December and given a partial refund of about $47. I was never notified at that time and only learned about the refund while in line for the event. I also never received the refund so I emailed the venue once I found out. Complaints: 1. The venue was freezing. It was already chilly outside, and it felt even colder inside. Many people were visibly uncomfortable. 2. Prices were excessive. Water was $6 and a small bag of chips was $5. It would have been nice to see more reasonable pricing or at least some healthier snack options. 3. Communication regarding the rescheduled event and changes to the VIP experience was very poor. 4. Parking was an absolute mess. Parking cost $20, but there was no one directing traffic. Cones forced cars to turn around repeatedly, and it took me at least 20-25 minutes just to exit the lot. Positives: 1. There is a large variety of food options including burgers, vegan bao buns, tacos, charcuterie boards, mini hot dogs, pretzel bites, and more, though prices are quite high. 2. The lighting was excellent and really enhanced the performance. 3. There is a cute upstairs deck where you can sit if you purchase those tickets. 4. The venue was very clean. Overall, this is a cute and intimate venue, but I did not realize it was standing room only. Standing for four hours with VIP tickets was not an enjoyable experience. Between the poor organization surrounding the rescheduled concert, the failure to provide what was originally purchased, the freezing temperature inside, and the parking issues, it's hard to recommend this venue. Despite its charm and cleanliness, it's not worth it unless you're comfortable standing for hours in an uncomfortable environment with little direction or communication from the venue.

    Elle N.

    Concert season is upon us, which is all year round! I have made it a point to book a few new venues each year. This spring was a first trip to the Sound and I only have good things to say about the experience. The parking was so easy, right in front of the venue. The drink and merchandise vendors were right inside the main corridor with short lines. The seats were good near the stage but to the side with a great view. We went to see Vertical Horizon. This was pure nostalgia for me as Vertical Horizon got their start at my friends bar, called the Grog and Tankard in Washington DC. A great way to bring it home. VH was opening for Matt Nathanson, who put on a pretty entertaining show for us. I especially liked his talk about AI and music. What will the world look like for music in the future? He merged his song with a country vibe for fun. I got a signed album by Matt Scanell of VH before departing for the evening. A fab first at the Sound in Del Mar. #DelMar #TheSound #Nostalgia #VerticalHorizon

    Brandi P.

    Such a great local venue! There were a few food stands inside serving everything from a charcuterie tray to burgers, tacos, and even snacks and candy. They also had plenty of bar spaces and even water coolers with free lemon water (a rarity nowadays everyone usually charges). The staff was super friendly and helped us find our seats quickly. Sound was pretty good. Located just inside the parking lot entrance of the SD County Fairgrounds in Del Mar there was plenty of parking. I had upgraded to the premium parking ($40 vs. $20). It was nice but not sure entirely necessary this evening. Overall great venue, sound, staff and food and very easy to get in and out of. Loved it and cannot wait to go back for another show!!!

    Chance G.

    Was able to see Stephen Wilson Jr play here on Sunday 11/2! The venue was great and the show was awesome! I would definitely come here to watch another show again! SWJ packed the house!

    Stage area
    Brian V.

    This is a concert/events venue located in the fairgrounds area in Del Mar. I'm not sure when this place was built, but the building and facilities feel a little newer. Sound quality/acoustics here are pretty darn good. It's a small enough venue where you have a solid line of site to the artist anywhere in the room. I would say my only gripe about the layout is that the columns are kind of blocking the view of a lot of nooks. Maybe I just wasn't familiar enough with this space but I had to walk around for a while until I found a spot where I could still see really well and not be overcrowded. As I am becoming an older concert goer I kinda need my space lol. I came here to see one of my favorite bands of all time, Bright Eyes in January 2025. It was sold out so I wasn't surprised at the level of crowd. I think this might've been almost my 30th time watching them live lol Everyone from the parking gate to the concessions and security were all very friendly. I can't remember they actually have food items here or there were just drinks because all I ordered was a beer at one of the satellite concession locations. I'm not sure if it's just because this was the only man happening at the time or I was getting there later at night, but there was tons of parking. You just have to pay for it. And because I'm not familiar, I'm not sure what other options there are so I just went straight to the paid parking lot.

    Outside View
    Monica J.

    Friendly and professional staff. Venue is a medium sized with comfortable seating. Both balcony and first floor sections has food and alcohol available. Downstairs is also where you will find your merch tables. Easy in and out general parking. Doors were supposed to open 90 minutes before the start of event and they did not. We waited outside in line with over 100+ people for half an hour. I would definitely come back, but hopefully they get a little bit more organized and communicate with each other. Nevertheless, we had an awesome time watching The Teskey Brothers from Melbourne, Australia perform.

    View from floor seating / Row H seats H8 & H9
    LindaGG K.

    Marshall Tucker was absolutely great ! Our first time to The Sound - trust the future line-up brings us back again. Concert venue is intimately sized and well appointed with food & drink options too - and - pricing for these adds was palatable. Premium parking has one right outside the venue main entry and provides well at the nights end. Upstairs balcony is a worthy consideration for the future shows per our scoping the venue out - these seats come with a full surround counter to hold your eats and spirits as you view the stage below. Actually - all seating - (upper & stage level) provide nicely for viewing - yet I'm sure some sound quality is sacrificed when not center stage. The Balcony Burger station will not disappoint if you get chef / cook we did - we shared the fully loaded burger and it was very well prepared and extremely tasty - worth it if you arrive and need a bite before the show.

    Cuco

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - The Sound

    They let you smoke in here?

    No place in CA is legal for smoking (or vaping) inside of a building or within 20 feet of doors and windows. Do people do it at their own risk? Yes. Truth be told, I smell weed mixed with that signature body spray vape juice smell at every show and… Read more

    Does the large floor area in front of the stage have seats or is it standing only? Hard to tell from the venue map.

    Depends on the show. Shows geared for older crowds will have seating in the pit (Lyle Lovette had seats).

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - The Sound

    Such an easy venue to access, friendly staff, crisp sound, awesome view.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Belly Up Tavern - Belly Up Entertainment Venue

    Belly Up Tavern

    4.1(935 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    I have always wanted to attend a concert here, but either I wasn't in Solana Beach at the right…read moretime or I could not make it down. We were looking for a fun evening to bring in the Christmas spirit post Thanksgiving and I saw this advertised concert on the website that I thought our daughter would really enjoy. I went ahead and purchased our tickets which were very reasonable for a show. I love that Belly Up has its own website so people can still afford to attend their shows. We saw Grammy nominated and Father of Contemporary Jazz David Benoit perform all the Peanuts Christmas songs from A Charlie Brown Christmas. WOW! What a terrific show! We sat on the main floor right up close to the stage and we all had such a good time especially our daughter as it was a surprise show for her. The layout is perfect with lots of open space, a bar area, dance floor and a second level. It is quite large inside but you cannot see that from the outside. Acoustics are perfect and David Benoit is still the master of the piano. He had a guest vocalist Courtney Fortune which added to the evening performance. Parking is about the only challenge so we made sure to arrive extra early and grabbed a spot right out front. Also parking was free! I definitely recommend this venue for good service and great music.

    First time at Belly Up in Solana Beach and wow... what a fun surprise! We came on a Friday evening…read moreto see Atomic Groove playing all the best 80's & 90's hits, and the energy was AMAZING. Every single musician was so talented -- not only were they great on their instruments, but they could all sing too! That honestly caught us off guard in the best way. It was such a fun girls' night vibe -- singing along, dancing, and just enjoying the music. We're definitely coming back, and next time we're bringing more girlfriends with us! We came hungry and almost grabbed food before arriving, but decided to wait -- good thing we did because they actually serve food here along with drinks. We ordered the hamburger sliders with truffle fries, plus beer and a cola. The food was solid and hit the spot. Only small downside was the soda -- it was flat and didn't have carbonation. But everything else made up for it. Overall, such a fun spot with great live music, good food, and a lively atmosphere. Can't wait to be back!

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    Belly Up Tavern - Tab Benoit

    Tab Benoit

    Belly Up Tavern - Outside

    Outside

    Belly Up Tavern - Inside

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    Inside

    San Diego Jazz Party

    San Diego Jazz Party

    5.0(1 review)
    0.2 mi
    Not-for-profit
    Live music

    This is a three-day yearly jazz festival in San Diego (actually in Del Mar Hilton hotel). As a…read moreswing dancer, I only attended the late Saturday night dance (11PM to 2AM). The party happens in a large ballroom. However, the good dancing space is limited and split into two tiny floors on the right and the left of the stage, each good for 4-5 couples. The carpet covering the rest of the ballroom is smooth and perfectly danceable in your good dancing shoes. The attendance is pretty high, about 200 people, but most of them come to listen to the music. The dancing group was about 20 people total, with slightly more follows than leads. The skills of most are above intermediate. Hints: the crowd is thin. Unless you really know the swing dance community, it is wise to bring your own partner. The parking ticket ($10) shall be pre-paid in the lobby hotel upon entering, otherwise exiting will take a lot of effort. Overall: if the late night dance happens next year, definitely put it onto your calendar.

    From the owner: The San Diego Jazz Party has more than 20 of today’s top Mainstream Jazz Performance Artists from…read morearound the world. Enjoy live music in an informal jazz club environment at the San Diego Hilton in Del Mar. Attendees can choose the full weekend or special focused programs within the Jazz Party. The Hilton Hotel is offering special rates for those who choose to stay at the hotel. You may come for the full weekend as a Patron with reserved table seating and full access to all performances including a brunch on Saturday. Or you may purchase tickets for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday performances. This is a unique opportunity to hear some of today’s greatest Jazz Artists performing together right here in San Diego.

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    San Diego Jazz Party
    San Diego Jazz Party
    San Diego Jazz Party

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    Seaside Stage - Doggy always bringing the crowd

    Seaside Stage

    4.0(3 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $

    In 1994, Del Mar started holding free concerts after the races on Fridays and sometimes Saturdays…read more 2011 marks the debut of the new Seaside Stage, which is located just west of the race track's Grandstand, with the ocean as a backdrop. Before, concerts took place in either of two locations- Saturdays in the infield area of the racetrack and on Fridays at the racetrack's Plaza del Mexico. "This year we decided to create one stage to accommodate all of our shows," said Josh Rubinstein, senior vice president of development for the Del Mar Racetrack, in a story on www.signonsandiego.com. "We feel the new stage location will provide better sight lines and a better concert experience for everybody who attends. Having one stage allows us to invest more in one location, as opposed to having two," Josh Rubinstein said. The new Seaside Stage is nice. It is a big step up from the previous staging area where music-lovers would need to traipse through the tunnel and walk far to get to the area. With the Seaside Stage, you just walk right into the betting area and then down past some tents, and voila! It's very cool to watch the Amtrack & Coaster trains buzz by and all the potted palm trees swaying in the refreshing ocean breezes gives the place a nice Humphrey's by the Bay ambiance. Del Mar has it all . The new Seaside Stage= 5 YELP STARS for sure!

    Free concerts with track admission on the infield area of the racetrack? Count me in! We caught…read moreshows from Weezer and Offspring here after an afternoon of watching the ponies. Combined with a beer or two simply a fantastic way to spend a Friday or Saturday with friends.

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    Seaside Stage
    Seaside Stage
    Seaside Stage - Wallflowers

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    Wallflowers

    The Kraken

    The Kraken

    3.7(245 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    THE KRAKEN @ CARDIFF…read more Parking is available right out front, but you can also walk here if you're nearby. My friends and I tried walking from State Beach in Encinitas, it was about a 13-minute walk, but I wouldn't recommend it. The path smelled pretty bad, likely because of the seals and trash in the area. Once we arrived, we were quickly settled in. The restroom was clean and decent, and we loved how spacious the place felt. There's a nice outdoor area where people can hang out and drink, as well as an indoor section with a pool table. We tried some of their margaritas, which were absolutely delicious, and really enjoyed the ambiance. The staff was friendly, the service was great, and the overall vibe made it a fun spot to visit. Once inside, you don't notice the outdoor smell, so that's a plus. I'd definitely stop by again.

    Ok I'm a long time lover of this dive bar…read more I don't expect much and I never leave a bad review unless DESERVED. The long time bartender was fired for unknown reasons .. ( probs for having a drink on duty but whatever.. kinda expected here!!) The new dude thinks he's a GOD and with ZERO!!!Personality! ZERO!!!Sense of humor ZERO knowledge of making basic drinks ( didn't know what a painkiller was and that he could charge $25 for it) and REALLY RUDE. Basically told me to piss off! So I ordered a beer. Later, on my way out...I mentioned the bathroom smelled like sewage and maybe he should call the plumber for Monday.. and told me to shut up and get outta here or he'd be calling the cops?! Over reacting for a simple situation...trying to help a business owner. This guy needs a job NOT in the SERVICE INDUSTRY!!‍‍

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    The Kraken
    The Kraken
    The Kraken

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    Acoustic Spot Talent - Josephine & The Sound Machine

    Acoustic Spot Talent

    3.3(7 reviews)
    38.6 mi

    WORST EXPERIENCE!…read more Their violinist canceled on us two weeks before our wedding day!!! They had a contract with us for 8 months and acted like it was meaningless. The violinist booked another job shortly after our contract was signed in Jan and never told us for 8 months until Aug!! She tried to pass off her friend to fill in for her but her friend was a rock and roll singer/violist and it was not at all comparable to the vibe we wanted for our ceremony. The violinist said the other job paid more and that it was her 'breadwinner'. It was extremely hard to get a hold of the performer during the contract and The owner refused to pay for the difference to book another musician. The only reason we even found out was because I reached out to the performer and manager to send our ceremony songs and she replied saying she had another job booked!!! This place is a joke. They put an extreme amount of stress on my family and I canceling this late before our wedding. Thankfully I found someone to fill our wedding date on the side but the owner would not pay or contribute to the new cost. The owner also went black for 3 days w/o communication to us. It was an absolute nightmare!!!! They also had employees leave the company during our experience with them changing around our point of contact. Untrustworthy. Unprofessional. Unreliable. Poor business management.

    A phenomenal company to work with for live music. They have a roster of some of San Diego's best…read moremusicians and artists, and are exceptionally considerate of their musicians and venues. If you need music for private events, weddings, corporate parties etc the Acoustic Spot is the best option for you!

    Photos
    Acoustic Spot Talent
    Acoustic Spot Talent
    Acoustic Spot Talent

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    The Sound - musicvenues - Updated May 2026

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