Ziggy Marley opened The Sound on February 3, 2023, with the first of two nights that both sold out. The hall sits on the east side of the Del Mar Fairgrounds, about 20 miles up the 5 from downtown, and holds about 1,900 people. Belly Up Entertainment, the company behind the Belly Up in Solana Beach, runs and books it.
From race book to music hall
The building started life as Surfside Race Place, the fairgrounds' satellite wagering hall, where people bet on horse races being run at other tracks. Betting traffic fell off, and the 22nd District Agricultural Association, the state body that owns and runs the fairgrounds, chose to turn the space into a concert room.
Work began in 2019 with help from a $15 million state loan. Legal and budget trouble came next, then the pandemic, and the opening slipped by years. The finished hall was designed for loud, amplified shows, with three levels, several bars and a mix of standing and seated areas. The first few months alone brought Ziggy Marley's reggae, a Steve Aoki DJ night, the Flaming Lips and Jason Mraz.
Floor, balcony and terrace
At a standing show, the floor in front of the stage is general admission and the balcony and terrace seats are reserved. At a seated show, the floor gets assigned seats too, so check which kind of night you bought.
Ages change from show to show. A night can be all ages, 18 and over or 21 and over, and the listing tells you which. Anyone under 18 needs a responsible adult with them, and every person needs a ticket, kids included. Once you leave the front courtyard, you're out for the night.
Parking at the Main Gate
From the 5, take Via de la Valle west and turn left on Jimmy Durante Boulevard. The fairgrounds runs show parking, it's paid, and you enter through the Main Gate. Spaces go first come, first served, and The Sound suggests arriving early when another big event is on at the fairgrounds that day. The same grounds host the San Diego County Fair and the horse races, so some dates are much busier than others. Tailgating isn't allowed.
A rideshare skips all of that. Tell the driver Del Mar Fairgrounds Main Gate. The closest Coaster stop is Solana Beach, roughly a mile and a half north, so train riders should plan on a short ride from the station.
The Sound's shows land on our rock, alternative, reggae and dance calendars. The rest of the coastal rooms are on the North County page.