Buffett Plays Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego

Jimmy Buffett was back on stage Saturday night for a show at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

The San Diego Union Tribune has a review of the show: “Review: Jimmy Buffett and Jason Mraz turn Snapdragon Stadium into a giant beach party, 8 miles inland”

Jimmy Buffett and Jason Mraz have each performed numerous times in San Diego over the years — Buffett since the early 1970s and native Virginian-turned-Oceanside resident Mraz since the late 1990s. But Saturday night was the first instance in memory at which either played second fiddle here to a large, new, outdoor concrete edifice.

So, take a bow, Snapdragon Stadium, which opened last September as the home of San Diego State University’s Aztecs football team — and this weekend made its largely promising debut as a concert venue.

Longtime Buffett collaborator Mac McAnally was, in fact, the first artist to perform at Saturday’s concert. The show had been pushed back from its original date last October, after Buffett was hospitalized for undisclosed reasons.

Now 76, the star of the night was in good spirits as he took to the stage at 7 p.m. He warmly greeted the audience, then introduced McAnally, who did an engaging, five-song opening set with percussionist Erik Darken.

“We finally made it!” Buffett, clad in a track warm-up suit, told the cheering audience. “Thank you for waiting.”

Read the full review here.

Photo K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune