San Diego Symphony’s annual Bayside Summer Nights outdoor concert series is heading into its last month of the season with an impressive lineup. Here are a few of the August concerts being held at the Embarcadero Marina Park South along San Diego’s picturesque bay: • Aug. 18: Blues Traveler – Frontman and harmonica player Jon Popper and the band return to their bluesy roots with new jams of old favorites and tunes from their latest album. • Aug. 24: Chaka Khan (with special guest Macy Gray) – The soulful power of her voice on massive hits like I Feel for You and I’m Every Woman has won her 10 Grammys, sold 70 million records, and influenced generations of musicians. • Aug. 30-31, Sept. 1: 1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular – The summer season comes to a dazzling end with a must-see grand finale: the 1812 Overture complete with booming cannons and a sparkling fireworks display over San Diego Bay. • Aug. 9-10: Classic Albums Live presents Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – Sgt. Pepper is 50 years old! Experience the groundbreaking Sgt. Pepper album with a ‘note for note – cut for cut’ performance by the San Diego Symphony featuring hits like “When I’m Sixty Four,” “A Day in the Life,” and “With a Little Help from My Friends.” From the sitars and orchestra to the guitars and kazoos, this performance brings The Lonely Hearts Club Band back to life. Conducted by Stuart Chafetz. • Aug. 16-17: Some Enchanted Evening: The Broadway Hits of Rodgers, Hammerstein & Hart – Bayside comes alive with the sound of Broadway’s most famous music including “My Favorite Things, “Where or When,” “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “Oh What a Beautiful Morning,” and more. Featuring two-time Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes (Cinderella, Bonnie and Clyde) and Jason Danieley (Candide, The Full Monty, Pretty Woman) who the New York Times hailed as “the most exquisite tenor on Broadway.” Conducted by Rob Fisher. • Aug. 22: Following the sold-out success of Kind of Blue In Concert last spring at Copley Symphony Hall at Jacobs Music Center, they will showcase Miles Ahead +19, Miles Davis’ first collaboration with arranger Gil Evans released in 1957 by Columbia Records. Miles Ahead is one of the most famous recordings of Third Stream, a fusion of jazz, European classical, and world musics. Take pleasure in a track by track performance of this masterpiece with the nineteen-piece KSDS Jazz Orchestra. • Aug. 23: Singin’ in the Rain in Concert – “What a glorious feeling, I’m happy again!” It’s been called the greatest musical ever filmed — now, dance your way to Bayside Summer Nights and experience the charm of Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor on the big screen with the score played live by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Kaufman. • Aug. 25: O’Jays plus the Commodores – Spend an evening Bayside enjoying classic R&B and soul hits of the ’70s and early ’80s with The O’Jays plus the Commodores. Hear top 10 singles from The O’Jay’s including “Love Train” and “For the Love of Money” and sing along to “Easy,” “Three Times a Lady,” and “Brick House” from the Commodores.
Looking ahead to fall, the Symphony’s 2019-2020 indoor season is expected to be its greatest indoor season yet with new music director Rafael Payare. Payare’s global clout and energetic stage presence are sure to make San Diego a city to watch in the arts and culture realm, attracting the best musicians and guest artists to the Symphony.