The Santa Barbara Bowl, built in the 1930s, has hosted many amazing shows throughout its history. The Bowl has been home to many big names in music over the years, as a venue to stop at when traveling between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Some highlights that we picked out are:
Bob Marley + The Wailers - November 25, 1979
Bob Marley and his band, the Wailers, went on tour in the Fall of 1979 to promote their album, Survival. Marley had been diagnosed with cancer two years earlier, and this was the second-to-last tour for Marley. His entire set was recorded, and would eventually be released as in DVD format in 2003 called “Bob Marley” The Legend.
Jack Johnson - October 13 & 14, 2010
No stranger to Santa Barbara or the Bowl, Jack Johnson headlined two shows at the Bowl on his 2010 Tour for “To The Sea”. He played a two-hour set after opener G. Love, and his mellow and lighthearted demeanor graced the audience of families and children alike. To The Sea was one of the top-selling albums that year, and both sold-out nights of his Bowl performances were filmed and became the official music video for “To The Sea”.
Radiohead - April 12, 2012
Just last year, Radiohead stopped by Santa Barbara en route to headline the first weekend of Coachella, for a show that sold out within minutes. Amidst a dreary and haunting evening, Radiohead performed a set list of old songs like “Planet Telex” and many newer songs from King of Limbs. Radiohead mesmerized the rain-soaked crowd, with an incredible stage set up of lights and LED screens.
Read Jacob’s full review here.
Joni Mitchell - September 1979
Another hallmark concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl in 1979, was Joni Mitchell’s performance with an incredible band. The show featured Pat Metheny on guitar, Lyle Mays on keyboards, Michael Brecker on saxophone, Don Alias on drums, Jaco Pastorius on bass, and The Persuasions on vocals. The live performance was recorded in its entirety, and was released as her Shadows and Light Album the following year in 1980.
The Santa Barbara Bowl has been a standout venue for many many iconic artists, what are some of your favorite concerts you’ve attended at the Bowl?
