St. Patrick, the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland, is responsible for bringing Christianity to Ireland during the 4th century.  As this holy day becomes increasingly popular amongst non-catholics, San Diego has collectively decided to celebrate St Paddy’s Day with a parade in the Gaslamp Quarter followed by (you guessed it!) the whole city getting absolutely, stumblingly shit-housed.  But please don’t get me wrong, people will arrive to the evening parade already completely wasted.  On St Paddy’s Day in San Diego, every Irish Pub will already be packed long before noon with locals wearing green shirts sucking down thier body weight in Guinness in an effort to prove to their friends that they really are Irish… today.

Last year on my San Diego March 17th I was actually able to snag a table at Hennesseys in Pacific Beach by arriving at 8am, impressive eh?  It really didn’t matter because I was fully blacked out by noon, and so were my friends.  I was told that things got pretty messy and the next thing I remember was being at Sidebar in Downtown at 10pm in a t-shirt, shorts, and flip flops.  What the hell happened to my bike?  Only St. Patrick knows. 

One year later with a liver twice the size and even more green in my blood, I will brave The Field in Gaslamp Quarter for St Paddy’s Day because it is the most authentic Irish Pub in San Diego… and quite frankly I’ve heard the joint goes OFF on St Paddy’s.  This San Diego Irish Pub rocks because it features traditional Irish Breakfast and authentic Irish music to help you fire up that inner-Catholic alcoholic you have tried to suppress!  Don’t worry, it’s not about how much you can drink that makes you an Irish-Catholic, but how guilty you feel the next day! 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day San Diego!

The supreme joint for concerts and after-hours parties in downtown San Diego has always been 4th & B. But with the explosion of downtown over the past few years, fierce competition from new, more elaborate concert venues has threatened 4th & B’s ability to book the top artists touring through San Diego. A few changes, a new niche, and some creative booking are keeping this OG concert hall’s ticket sales up more than ever.

The largest threat to 4 th & B has definitely been the arrival of the House of Blues just a few blocks away. The House of Blues’ budget and street credibility has allowed it to scoop most of the major talent on tour through San Diego. Even Petco Park has managed to host a few major acts such as the Rolling Stones in 2005.

After a full facelift, new lighting, and a seriously upgraded sound system, 4th & B has reclaimed itself as the czar of after-hours parties. Their San Diego “Love” Friday nights has hosted the best DJ talent in the world, such as Tiesto, Sasha & Digweed, Sandra Collins, and The Crystal Method with no end in sight. With many such Fridays selling out the 21,000 foot arena, this rekindling of the rave scene in San Diego seems to have no end anytime in the near future. Keep an eye on 4th and B because you do not want to miss what’s coming up next weekend in San Diego.

I know it can seem like a drag to drive all the way home after work on Friday evenings just to shower and change your clothes, especially if you already work in Downtown San Diego. I know it seems like a good idea for you and all your office buddies to hit a happy hour or two and just stay downtown all night in your “business casual.” Maybe if you just take that tie down a bit and undo that top button no women will put it together that you have yet to shower. Just bear in mind that the On Broadway staff clearly notices that you’re a tremendous douche bag.

I’m sure you’ve all noticed the guys I’m talking about. They usually come in groups, often accompanied by female counterparts in business suits. Since they’ve already been drinking since 5pm the drink of choice for the night is Vodka Redbull, which really enhances the sweat stains on those pits as they dance (horribly) into the night. As a DJ and bartender, your not really sure if you should hate these guys or embrace the fact that they plan on blowing a few hundred bucks while jumping around on the dance floor. Personally, I don’t trust someone who’s too busy for changing his clothes before leaving the office so I’ll be at the other end of the bar.

Last Friday night I grabbed two friends and went to check out SIN Nite Club in Downtown San Diego because I’ve been hearing that it’s a red-hot new nightclub being promoted by Dre Vegas, an old San Diego favorite. I entered VIP and still had to pay $10… lame but becoming more typical… in Las Vegas.

The “Sin” concept was cool, the music was loud and everything was pimped out and brand new. Feelin’ the urge to booze heavily, i ordered the “Seven Deadly Shots” and a couple beers to chase. Turns out that drinks are like $9 a pop and I should be in a different bar if I planned on getting hammered.

Off to the dance floor to cut a little rug… most of the crowd was ghetto. I suddenly felt like I had left San DIego. When in hell did Hawaiian shirts and silly sunglasses re-enter the nightclub scene? I guess if the DJ will only spin last year’s Top 40 you might as well dress like dork to entertain yourself.

After almost getting in a fight with LaShawnda and her sisters for walking through their apparent “dancing space” it was time to belly up and calm the nerves. $200 later and only 3 rounds of beers and shots I was feeling a bit annoyed, to say the least. Not only were the drinks weak and overpriced, but my bartender was so shit-faced that he was spilling every third drink he poured making for an impatiently backed-up bar.

I left at 1am feeling half-sober and thoroughly disappointed. Greedy owners and promoters are to blame for creating the most fancy and overpriced dive bar in Downtown San Diego.