Categories: Mario Sanguinet, THE BUZZ

THE BUZZ: 10 Things to Do At Night During Comic Con That Don’t Involve Costumed Partying

The Balboa Theater

Article by Mario Sanguinet

July 14, 2019

Whether you’re in San Diego for Comic Con, or curious to see what else there might be going on outside the convention, San Diego is a burgeoning cultural center. 

Here are a few things happening in and around San Diego while the convention that celebrates the “popular arts” is in town. You could check most of them out in the evening during Comic Con.

Tuesday July 16, 2019

1. If you arrive a few days early, head on over to Pechanga Arena and to check out Hugh Jackman in concert. You read that right, Hugh Jackman. The Australian actor, perhaps best for his portrayal of Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, can do it all. He can sing, dance, and act.

Get your tickets to see Hugh Jackman show off those skills here.

Wednesday July 17, 2019

2. If you enjoy podcasts, films, and comedy, you might want to see comedian Doug Benson, from Comedy Central’s the High Court, record a live episode of his podcast Doug Loves Movies at the American Comedy Company.

Get your tickets to see Doug Benson to see a live podcast episode here.

3. Maybe you want to see a live theater performance before starting the convention. If so, you have some options since San Diego has quite a reputation for its theater prowess.

See Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, As You Like It. Or a musical adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s Newbery Medal book, The Tale of Despareaux. Or The Luckiest, a play that tests the bounds and bonds of family and friendships when someone gets ill.

Get your tickets to see The Luckiest at the La Jolla Playhouse, here.

Get your tickets to see The Tale of Despareaux, at the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage | Old Globe Theatre | Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, here.

Get your tickets to see the Bard’s As You Like It, at the Old Globe’s, Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, here.

Thursday July 18, 2019

4. Maybe all the comics and pop culture around San Diego remind you of the cartoons of your childhood days. If so, you might want to go the historic Balboa Theater and see the Animaniacs in Concert!

Get your tickets to see The Animaniacs in Concert! here.

5. Get away from the convention and drive half-an-hour north to the California Center for the Arts, Escondido and see Grammy winning artist, Natalia Lafourcade in an intimate outdoor concert. Here’s her Tiny Desk Concert. Remember to bring a blanket or a small (lawn) chair!

Get your tickets to see Natalia Lafourcade here.

Friday July 19, 2019

6. You can stay in the downtown area and head north to Copley Symphony Hall, Jacobs Music Center to watch Oscar nominated composer David Newman, whom I spoke with, conduct his own score for Galaxy Quest. Part of the San Diego Symphony’s Bayside Summer Nights series.

Get your tickets to see David Neman conduct Galaxy Quest here.

7. Maybe you want to stay in the downtown area, but aren’t feeling the symphony. If so, you’ll want to check out Middleditch & Schwartz. Where actors Thomas Middleditch, a.k.a. Richard Hendricks in HBO’s Silicon Valley; and Ben Schwartz, a.k.a. Jean-Ralphio Sapersteain in NBC’s Parks and Recreation, perform some long from improv at the historic Balboa Theater.

Get your tickets to see Middleditch & Schwartz here.

8. If after a day of popular art you still want more art head on to the California Center for the Arts, Escondido as they open their exhibition of impressionist art, “Edgar Degas: The Private Impressionist, Works on Paper by the Artist and His Circle.” You’ll get to see works by a few of the impressionist masters, like Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, Paul Cézanne, Camille Pissarro, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Get your tickets to see impressionist art here.

Saturday July 20, 2019

9. David Newman’s back leading the San Diego Symphony as they perform Alan Silvestri’s score for the 1985 classic, Back to the Future. Both of these performances are part of the San Diego Symphony’s Bayside Summer Nights series.

Get your tickets to see David Newman conduct Back to the Future here.

10. Another live recording of a podcast. This time it’s The Last Podcast on the Left. Come see the guys discuss all things gory and horror as they record this special episode live from Comic Con at the historic Balboa Theater.

Get your tickets to see The Last Podcast on the Left’s live recording here.


Obviously, this list does not cover all the things you could do while you’re in town for the convention. This is just a small preview of interesting cultural happenings for those who want something a little less hectic once the convention center closes.

Vanguard Culture

Vanguard Culture is an online media entity designed for culturally savvy, socially conscious individuals. We provide original interviews and reviews of the people, places, and events that make up San Diego’s thriving arts and culture community, as well as curated snapshots of the week’s best, most inspiring and unique cultural and culinary events. We believe in making a difference in the world, supporting San Diego’s vibrant visual and performing arts community and bringing awareness to important social and community causes.