LIVE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUES IN EAST COUNTY

By Branda Gorgies

February 6, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – Live music can be enjoyed in many places besides the infamous large stadiums in San Diego city. East County has various places to listen to live music and support local artists and businesses. From casinos to wineries to cafes, this article will provide a large variety of venues in East County for live music.

PERFORMING ARTS CENTERS

The Magnolia

The Magnolia is in the heart of downtown El Cajon. The city spent more than $8 million to renovate it with “exceptional sightlines from every seat, extra wide rows for more legroom, a state-of-the-art sound, lighting and projection system, an exclusive VIP lounge, and several new bar areas throughout the facility.” The venue seats about 1,200 people. The venue has events lined up including singers, bands, comedians and other well-known entertainers.

Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center, 590 Palm Canyon Dr, Borrego Springs

The performing arts center is host to ballet, plays, comedy and music. The center currently has events lined up for their 2023-2024 season. The events go up until March, with at least one being held every month. Their next event is in November featuring Sue Palmer and her motel swing orchestra.

Poway Center for the Performing Arts has concerts from pop to classical, plus musicals, art shows and more coming up this year.

CASINOS

Jamul Casino & Resort, 14145 Campo Rd, Jamul

The Jamul Casino has one website for all of its entertainment events. There is a filter for the venue and the month of the event, so it’ll be easier to find the right event for you. There are four available venues; the JIVe Lounge, Loft 94, the casino floor and the Prime Cut. Both Loft 94 and the Prime Cut are restaurants as well.

Sycuan Casino, 5469 Casino Way, El Cajon

The Sycuan Casino in El Cajon has three venues for live music. The venues include the Live and Up Close Theatre; Heritage Event Center; the Retreat Pool and Cabanas. The Live and Up Close Theatre and Heritage Event Center hold regular concerts with a diverse set of artists. Although the Retreat Pool and Cabanas don’t have as many shows lined up, there are still a few to look out for.

Viejas Casino Resort, 5000 Willows Rd, Alpine

All Viejas events are 21+, including the concerts. The casino has an outdoor venue called The Park, and there are also performances held in the Lobby Bar and the Oak Ballroom. Although currently closed due to remodeling, the website does state that the V Lounge has "local live entertainment."

COLLEGES

Grossmont College and Cuyamaca College

Both schools have a venue for live music from their orchestras, chorales, ensembles, etc. Grossmont has the Performing and Visual Arts Center. The center has many events planned for this December. Cuyamaca has the Samuel M. Ciccati Theatre. Cuyamaca has a larger range in the dates of their events, but both venues hold plenty of events for you to enjoy.

SDSU

San Diego State University has four venues you can head to for a musical experience. The Cal Coast Amphitheatre has multiple events coming up soon, with notable artists such as Kim Petras, The National, Ivan Cornejo and more. The Viejas Arena is a stadium for basketball and concerts. It has nearly 13,000 seats available. Major artists such as the Jonas Brothers, Doja Cat, Pierce the Veil, and more, are scheduled to perform in the arena. The Smith Recital Hall has less of a major stadium vibe, but still has plenty of performances for you. The hall has many divisions of the SDSU school of music and dance performing soon.

BARS

Bancroft Bar, 9143 Campo Rd, Spring Valley

The Bancroft Bar, located in Spring Valley, offers a multitude of performing artists. It’s a 21+ establishment that stays open far past midnight. They have events lined up everyday this October and at least one per week in the following months. The bar itself offers 13 different items on its tap list as of now for you to enjoy.

Deano’s Pub, 5286 Baltimore Dr, La Mesa

Deano’s Pub has live music performances every Friday and Saturday. All events are free, with no cover charges guaranteed on the pub’s website. The pub also holds karaoke, open mic nights, football watch parties, bingo, trivia, and pool and shuffleboard games. You could also do a little shopping and dining before visiting the pub as it’s located in the Baltimore West shopping center.

Eastbound Bar & Grill, 10053 Maine Ave, Lakeside

The bar and grill has “Live Music Saturdays” from 9pm to 1 am. The events offer DJs, live bands, and karaoke, which is the third Saturday of the month according to the website. The bar holds events for every day of the week except Thursday and Friday. On Mondays, they have football nights, and the bar celebrates taco Tuesday with special deals. Wednesday nights are reserved for family-friendly bingo and trivia takes Sunday night.

Flame Bar & Grill, 3773 Willow Glen Dr, El Cajon

The bar hosts live music from Middle Eastern artists throughout the month. These events tend to be on a Thursday or Saturday, with some held on a Friday night. Some of these events also have belly dancers to perform. All events are 21+ and some of them are free but some of them will come with a ticket price. They post all planned events on their facebook and list a phone number on each post for more information or to RSVP.

Full Circle Saloon, 8528 Magnolia Ave #105, Santee

Full Circle Saloon has a full calendar of events held at the bar. The bar advertises “pool tables, darts, shuffleboard, full bar, sports, strong drinks and smiling faces,” along with their live music on the website.

Navajo Live Bar, 8515 Navajo Rd, San Diego

Navajo Live is known more for its music than anything else. They offer a list of upcoming shows and a calendar. They have events held nearly every day to keep you busy and entertained!

The Jazz Lounge, 6818 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego

The Jazz Lounge is self-described as a “live and virtual platform for creative artists” on their Facebook Profile. The lounge hosts a variety of artists and live streams all the performances on Facebook. All ticket sales can be accessed through their website.

The Renegade, 14335 Olde Hwy 80, El Cajon

The Renegade is the go-to bar for country music and line dancing. The bar has a food truck, nicknamed the “Chuck Wagon,” that offers burgers and snacks for your late night fun. Their live country music is held on Friday and Saturday nights with a $5 cover charge.

BREWERIES

While breweries don’t hold live music events often, there are still a couple around east county that perform live music and hold other events. BNS Brewery, Bolt Brewery, and Helix Brewery are three breweries in East county that have live music. BNS Brewery is located in Santee, it commonly holds comedy nights. Bolt Brewery is located in La Mesa with a second location in San Diego. Lastly, Helix Brewing Co. is also a brewery in La Mesa, with a fully updated calendar of events available on their website.

CITY AND COUNTY FESTIVITIES

East County’s four cities (El Cajon,  La Mesa,  Lemon Grove and Santee) all put on outdoor concert series each summer. Downtown El Cajon, the city’s merchants’ association, has concerts with live band on Friday nights from March or April through October, as well as a DJ at Wednesday night car shows. 

The cities also sponsor a variety of other events with live music,  from  La Mesa’s Oktoberfest to Lemon Grove’s concerts in the park to El Cajon’s American on Main festival and Santee’s Summer Concerts, as well as holiday festivities such as Santee Salutes on July 4th ,  El Cajon’s HauntFest on Main, Lemon Grove’s Holiday Bonfire, and La Mesa’s Holiday in the Village. There’s also an Oktoberfest hosted by the German-American Club in El Cajon with a band flown in from Germany each year.

The County of San Diego also hosts events in county parks, such as outdoor movie nights and holiday events. You can find these at the County’s Parks and Recreation site.

LIBRARIES

San Diego County Libraries

Public libraries have various events and programs to cater to the community. The San Diego County Libraries have a search option for the events held at the library, which range from afterschool programs for children, book discussions, storytimes, English Language Learning, to music. You can filter through these events to look for music specifically. There’s also filter options for library location, so you can choose whichever library is more convenient for you. Many of these events are tailored for both children and adults, and some even have musical lessons with different artists.

WINERIES

Julian Station, 4470 Julian Rd, Julian

The Julian Station hosts live music nearly every Saturday and Sunday. Each event starts at 1 pm and is a family-friendly event on the back patio. The patio offers a beautiful view of the Volcan Mountain Range and allows you to shop and dine while enjoying a great musical performance.

Ramona Ranch Winery, 23578 CA-78, Ramona

The Ramona Ranch Winery invites various local artists to perform. Although not on their website, they post about every upcoming event on their Instagram and Facebook page. They also offer wine for you during the performances.

San Pasqual Winery Tasting Room,8374  La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa has easy-listening live music in its barrel room on Saturday nights from  7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Wine Works, 8167 Center St, La Mesa

Wine Works offers live music every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They have a variety of other events besides live music, such as art tutorials, Trivia Thursdays, cookie decorating and more. Food vendors are available every time they have live performances. These events are hosted in the tasting room, barrel room and patio, where you could also hold a private event.

Find more East County wineries at the Ramona Valley Vineyards Association and  the Wineries of Highway 94   as well as the San Diego Vintners’ Association.

RESTAURANTS

Casino Inn Bar & Grill, 1155 Alpine Blvd, Alpine

The Casino Inn has a large list of upcoming shows. They have an event lined up for nearly every day, most of which are live music. Along with live music, the Casino Inn offers catering services, a rewards program, a versatile menu, and a fine beer menu.

Downtown Cafe Bar & Grill, 182 E Main St, El Cajon

The downtown restaurant keeps visitors updated on all kinds of events on their calendar. They commonly have live music being played in their outdoor dining area. The restaurant is a nice spot for a night out as they have a quality buffet menu, a wonderful ambiance and music to go along with it.

Grand Ole BBQ, 15505 Olde Hwy 80, El Cajon

This BBQ spot has live music hosted every weekend afternoon. This rustic restaurant serves up Texas-style BBQ along with their musical performances. They also have a catering service under the name “Grand Ole BBQ y Asado.” The shows are all kid-friendly and the restaurant has a large outdoor dining area.

Hacienda Casa Blanca, 700 N Johnson Ave Suite A, El Cajon

Hacienda is a family favorite Mexican restaurant. The restaurant posts a list of upcoming live music events for the month on their website. All events start at 5:30 pm and they’re all held on Tuesday to Thursday.

Hooley’s Public House

Hooley’s offers great Irish cuisine at two different locations in East County. The website has two different links for the La Mesa events and the Rancho San Diego events. Not only can you visit Hooley’s for the Irish Pub atmosphere and the live music, you can also reserve a private event or party to be held at one of the locations.

Pine Valley House, 28841 Old Hwy 80, Pine Valley

The Pine Valley House has a lot to offer to the community. From a “steakhouse, saloon, coffee bar, special events to gym & yoga classes,” as listed on their Facebook, this location is quite versatile. Each event and concert is announced on their Facebook profile. The community center has a variety of events, ranging from live music to dungeons and dragons.

Riviera Supper Club and Turquoise Room, 7777 University Ave, La Mesa

The Riviera has a set list of live music performed every Friday and Saturday, with the exception of a couple events being on different days. On the first Friday of the month, Amanda Portela performs, and on the fourth Saturday, Konrad Malinowski performs. Their website also puts up the genre the artists perform.

Steele 94, 12891 Campo Rd, Spring Valley

The Steele 94 restaurant hosts live music every Friday and Saturday. Although they don’t list the events or bands performing, more information is offered by calling (619)669-1979.

THEATERS

Lamplighter’s Community Theatre. 5915 Severin Drivem La Mesa is now in its 85th season.  They perform a variety of plays,  from comedies to dramas throughout the year.

MoxieTheatre, 6663 El Cajon Blvd.,San Diego features plays by women playwrights in productions that have  G.R.I.T. – Guts, Resilience, independence, and Tenacity explore the depth of the human spirit and the expanses of the universe.

Julian Theater Company

The Julian Theater Company holds a multitude of events all over Julian. These events are commonly held at Julian Town Hall or Julian High School Theater. They’ve currently announced the 2023/2024 season shows, all available to view on the East County Performing Arts Association website. You can purchase tickets for both individual shows and for the entire season.

Off Broadway Live, 9490 Cuyamaca St #100, Santee

Off Broadway Live offers two main music events; their “ENCORE Supper Club” and “DECADES: Flashback.” The ENCORE Supper Club offers “dinner, drinks, dessert and a live band show unlike anything else.” The shows occur on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. DECADES: Flashback takes you through the historical development of music, fashion and culture. The shows occur the same days as the ENCORE Supper Club.

Ramona Mainstage, 626 Main St, Ramona

The Ramona Mainstage has a couple events lined up for the upcoming weeks. All their scheduled events are put on a calendar for easy access and viewing for visitors. If interested, there’s a tour available on their website to explore the theater before visiting.

C. Hook Theatre of La Mesa features high school/young adult performers with family-friendly programs.  They perform at the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center’s theatre  at 6845 University Avenue., San Diego.

DANCE

Mounerath Powell Dance (formerly Visionary Dance Theatre), 8677 La Mesa  Blvd., La Mesa

Driven by the Vision of Artistic Director Spencer John Powell, VDT strives to enrich the community and its own company members through the shared experience of dance, theatre, and art. Included in this Vision is the belief that dance is for everyone. VDT brings together dancers & performers of all skill levels to create an environment of shared passion, growth, and opportunity for all of its members. Their students perform modern dance and musical theatre productions.

CHURCHES

Manzanita Concerts, 4880 Zion Ave, San Diego

Manzanita concerts are held in the Mission Trails Church. All events are free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated and are directed toward the performing artists. Although halfway through the 2023 fall season, there are two upcoming concerts; one in November featuring Clinton Davis, an “old time music master,” and one in December featuring MohaviSoul, performing “bluegrass originals and classics.”

COFFEE HOUSES

Brew Coffee Spot, 6101 Lake Murray Blvd, La Mesa

Brew Coffee Spot is a sweet place with pastries and coffee. Every Friday night, the cafe hosts a different event. They’ll rotate through music, open mics, and comedy nights. Each upcoming event is posted on their site with the feature artist(s), the time and date, and the genre of music. They also offer a small description of the artist themself.

Public Square Coffee House, 8278 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa

The Public Square Coffee House is located in La Mesa and is quite popular among younger adults and teenagers. They have a “Public Square After Hours” for all the concerts and open mics held. The upcoming concerts are posted on both their website and Instagram account.

Spacebar Cafe, 7454 University Ave A, La Mesa

The Spacebar Cafe is an internet cafe known for its atmosphere and good food. They have a variety of events lined up until February, many of which are live music events. The cafe is big on jazz, but also has local musical talent and open mic music nights.

The Well Cafe, 1945 Alpine Blvd #2110, Alpine

The Well Cafe is a small cafe in Alpine. They have pastries and sweets to pair with your cup of coffee. All their live events are posted on their Facebook page. In the past, they’ve had rock painting with live music and on their third anniversary they held a celebration with a raffle and live music.