When it comes to storied venues, very few venues have such a historic run as Solana Beach California’s Belly Up Tavern. The small venue is just a block or so from the Pacific Ocean and has been bringing a colorful array of genres in rock, roots, punk, reggae, and folk making it the go-to stage for the beach communities North of San Diego since 1974. The Rolling Stones even graced this venue for a private gig back in 2015, so its walls have seen pretty much everything.
Glide had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Goldsmith, the president of Belly Up for the new column These Walls. He took us through some of his favorite memories from the venue and how Belly Up became the respected live music venue we know today.
When a mix of legends like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Childish Gambino play the venue at early stages in their career, it speaks volumes about the venue itself. What about Belly Up do you think has allowed itself to be a touring route for young bands that soon gain fame?
I think it’s because agents and managers know to trust us with their new clients. We may be a small club, but we have a great sound, do a solid job of marketing, and take really good care of the artists even when they are just starting out as opening acts.
What other bands are you most proud of that played at Belly Up in their early years?
As far as “in their early years,” ones who come to mind are Mumford and Sons (for $6!), Ryan Bingham, Erykah Badhu, Khruangbin, Alt J, Ben Harper, Slightly Stoopid, and more recently Marcus King and Charley Crockett. On the other side of the age timeline, we’re also really proud that so many legendary artists like Curtis Mayfield, Etta James, and The Neville Brothers consistently played the Belly Up as a regular stop over the years. and, of course, everyone in between!
The venue seems to be the pulse of Solana Beach and the main street there- how do you feel the venue creates synergy with the other businesses on the street?
The whole Cedros district has emerged around the Belly Up, and we couldn’t be happier. We used to be a bit lonely on this street, but now there are great places to eat (including our own Tavern), as well as tasting rooms for beer, wine, and kombucha….and there are also some great watering holes for before and after the show that is within walking distance. Makes for a great night out.
Does anybody ever mistake the Belly Up as a beach-type or outdoor bar since you’re located so close to the ocean? How has being close to the beach help you with booking certain artists?
Not sure what people think before they get here, but we have several artists who now plan to start their tour here, or make sure they have an off day on one side or the other, because it’s such a chill place to hang out. We are only three blocks from the beach, and artists like Lukas Nelson and Donovan are always surfing when they’re here. Jimmy Buffett surfed Cardiff reef the day before his last show here, and Tennis did an Instagram story about getting surf lessons from a pro before soundcheck. We also keep a couple of surfboards and wetsuits in the office, and there are definitely artists who know that and grab them for a quick surf when they are here.
What separates the Belly Up from other San Diego area venues and why would you say it’s cooler and more chill?
San Diego has a lot of great independent venues including Music Box, Casbah, Soda Bar, and Brick By Brick. Not sure we’re cooler or more chill than any of those, but we have a great staff and take a lot of pride in what we’re doing, so of course, we appreciate when people think we’re the best!
What is the capacity of the Belly Up? Please talk about your sound layout and why artists enjoy playing there so much.
Belly Up is 600 capacity with a great dance floor and about 200 seats around the sides, and everything is first-come-first-serve (except for 40 reserved seats in our “loft”). We’re located in a big Quonset hut and are mostly wood inside with tons of classic poster art and photos from local artists. The setting is intimate, the sound is warm, and we always get a lot of love from bands and customers about it. Our PA has always been curated by Sound Image, who also do sound for dozens of national arena acts, and they just installed a new Adamson system, so now it sounds even more insanely great than ever! We also have a giant shark hanging above the bar, which artists often call out by artists from the stage.
What is the most outrageous tour rider you can share?
Considering my own tastes, I’m not one to say anyone else’s needs are more outrageous than mine. We think artists are creative, unique people who dedicate a lot of their life to being on the road, and they deserve some creature comforts when they are away from home, even if the requests are a little strange or inconvenient. One thing observers tend to focus on are things like underwear or socks in the riders, but I would challenge anyone to spend four weeks on the road in a van or bus and try to keep up on laundry!!! So sometimes things are less outrageous than they first appear.
Does Belly Up have any long-standing residencies or host anything besides national acts?
It takes a lot of colors of the rainbow to book 25+ shows a month at a club this size, so we work with a lot of different sorts of artists, including local original music, tribute bands, a weekly Friday happy hour band, comedy, surf movies, charity events, and special events like the endless number of 50th birthday parties we’ve had for singer-songwriter Steve Poltz.
What band has most played your stage in its history and would you maybe call the “house” band?
As far as nationally known artists, that award would have to go to the English beat. Dave Wakeling has been playing with us for decades, and still sells out every single time he plays, several times a year. We love him, fans love him, and we think he loves us too? at least enough to keep on coming back. We also have several epic bands that come through regularly and feel like family, including X, Los Lobos, Robert Cray, Ty Segall, Big Head Todd, Galactic, White Buffalo, Lukas Nelson, and actually too many more to even name. It’s really a wonderful thing.
When did you all open up the tavern and what are your standout drinks and food if you can only swing by once?
Belly Up opened in 1974 as a bar. It got the name because 1). you belly up to the bar and 2). the original owner (and current landlord) was told many times he’d be “belly up within the year.” inside the club, we are pretty straightforward with drinks and food….simple, quick, affordable…..no blenders! Right next door we operate “Tavern” which has a great menu and specialty cocktails. I usually start with a manhattan and some popcorn shrimp and then move to a Hitching Post pinot and the salmon Beurre Blanc. For lunch, it’s at least one “sushi burrito” per week!
Who are you still hoping finally plays here”
Elvis! (either one actually, but really I mean Elvis Costello.) He played here once with Burt Bacharach and that was amazing, but I want to see him with his band on the Belly Up stage one day dammit. Make it happen, Glide!!!
Check out all the upcoming shows at Belly Up here: https://www.bellyup.com
One Response
Great piece. I’ve been to several fine shows at the Belly Up, a diverse group really, from Dead tribute band Easy Wind to hip hop violinist Sudan Archives… but my favorite show, the one I will always treasure, was getting to see the recent version of The Yardbirds, built up around original drummer Jim McCarty. Excellent musicians all, and they did a marvelous job keeping alive the Yardbirds legacy, both the blues numbers, and they more psychedelic classics like ‘Shapes of Things,’ ‘Happenings Ten Years Time Ago,’ and, of course, ‘Heart Full of Soul’ and ‘For Your Love.’ The room is fabulous, and the folks totally chill. Belly Up is definitely my favorite venue, with The Casbah, and Observatory North Park taking up the runner up positions.