Show Review: Margo Price & Lola Kirke @ The Observatory North Park

Show Review

Marog Price & Lola Kirke 

@ The Observatory North Park

San Diego, CA.

   I remember the initial renovation/re-opening  of the North Park Theater.  After that, I remember it was sold to the people who own the Observatory in Orange County- that happened at the beginning of 2015.   Since then I've been to a couple shows in my +1 capacity- I saw Autolux play there and saw Christine and the Queens and Marina and the Diamonds and then the first/last time Margo Price played in San Diego she opened here for Jamey Johnson.- that was in April of 2017.  

   So it's kind of crazy that 'pon her return to San Diego she was headlining the Observatory- exactly the kind of progression I was talking about in my event preview for this show.  She opened for Jamey Johnson here in 2017, in 2023 she headlines, with zero plays in San Diego between the two dates.  I think, in 2018, when she played the Arroyo Seco Festival and maybe San Diego was within the radius clause.  In 2019 she just didn't get out to the west coast.  I think the idea that 2019 was supposed to be a quiet year and then there was going to be a big tour in 2020.   Of course, things did not pan out that way.

  Besides being my home market for over a decade, the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad is the 17th largest MSA with just under 3.3 million people.   Usually, touring acts hit San Diego, Los Angeles-Anaheim-Long Beach- #2 market and San Francisco-Oakland-Berkely #13.   The problem with San Diego is that the only other MSA within easy driving distance is LA.  Besides Los Angeles you are looking at a day to the next show, usually a day to the next show after that and then a day plus to get somewhere like Denver or Albuquerque before you can get to a really good market like Austin or Chicago, which are themselves close to a half dozen other places within a couple hours. 

   Touring bands frequently end up playing San Diego on a Tuesday because of the vagaries of touring schedules.  I always used to joke, in my local music days that Tuesday night was "death night" because nobody wants to casually go out on a Tuesday night and stay up till 1 in the morning listening to three bands play in a bar or what have you.  Margo sales in San Diego reflected this reality, and I think, the fact that this was literally her first headlining show in San Diego ever.  Certainly, San Diego came in a distant third to the ticket sales in Los Angeles and San Francisco.   Still, it was a respectable turn out all things considered and the crowd was enthusiastic.  

    Her live show was outstanding- it always is. She is a remarkable live performer- I think other artists like Willie Nelson, Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers, etc. recognize it which is why they want her around.   I think the Belly Up (capacity 600) would have obviously been a safer booking than the Observatory (capacity 1100) but the venue in Phoenix, The Crescent Ballroom (capacity 500) was also a smaller venue and like I said, I think the goal is to prove that she can sell 1000 tickets in 10/15/20 markets.  But like, the Belly Up show would have been legendary. I don't blame Margo and her team for going big in San Diego and it was fine. 

   The Observatory staff had quite improved since my last, pre-pandemic visit.  They used to be just the worst- I remember them confiscating a ball point pen from my girlfriend the last time we were there. Ridiculous assholes.  This time everything was more laid back, perhaps due to the fact that Tim Mays was co-promoting this show alongside Live Nation.  How does that work?

   Tomorrow is Los Angeles and Sharon Van Etten and Mike Campbell are guesting. It should be a good show!  Tickets are still available but San Francisco is sold out!