SOMA went thirty years without pouring a beer. For most of its life it was an all ages room, a place where you did not need to be 21 to see a loud band, and the San Diego Reader credits it with helping launch Blink-182 and Pierce the Veil.
Three homes since 1986
SOMA started in 1986 as an all ages dance club downtown. In the 1990s it moved to a warehouse off Morena Boulevard in Bay Park, and in 2002 it landed in its third home on Sports Arena Boulevard, a remodeled multiplex movie theater with the walls between screens knocked out. The building got another extensive remodel in 2019.
The dry streak ended in September 2016, when a Descendents show became the first night beer was poured here, and only in the side room.
Mainstage and Sidestage
Your ticket names one of two rooms, and they are very different nights.
Mainstage is the big hall, about 20,000 square feet with room for up to 2,300 people. The back of the floor is raised so people in the rear can still see, and there are two raised VIP viewing areas.
Sidestage is the smaller room next to the main hall, with its own bookings. It keeps its own calendar on our SOMA Sidestage page, so check both lists when you look for shows here.
Age limits are set show by show. Some nights are still all ages, others are 18 and up or 21 and up. The bar is for 21 and up with ID, and the ticket says what applies.
Getting there
SOMA is at 3350 Sports Arena Boulevard in the Midway District, next door to Pechanga Arena. There is parking at the venue, but the setup can change by show, so check the event listing before you go. If the arena has a hockey game or a concert the same night, give yourself extra time on the boulevard.
Without a car, take the Trolley to Old Town Transit Center on the Blue or Green Line and catch MTS Route 8, which stops at the arena a short walk away.
On the calendar
Much of what plays here fits our alternative, hard rock and hip-hop pages. The Casbah books some shows here too, usually acts that have grown too big for its own room. For other venues near the Midway and the bay, see Point Loma and the Coast.