Humphreys Concerts By The Bay

Fantastic venue, always a vast list of performers throughout the season, I go a few times a year and always have a nice time. Parking is always plentiful. These folks know what their doing.

This is my favorite venue, thank you guys for providing such wonderful entertainment. Ever since 1998 when I moved back to San Diego I’ve enjoyed your brunches, your Sunday nights and your outdoor concerts. good job! :)

We always have a good time at this venue. Yes the seats suck, but we make the best of it and introduce ourselves to our neighbors. Have a laugh at how tight it is and then start drinking. The drink menu is pretty good. The drinks are strong.
The food options are limited and a bit sad considering how much money they could make if they tried just a bit harder. Forget the pre-​made sushi and fire up a grill with burgers.
Sound system is good and you are up close to the stage no matter what. Easy to park and get in and out, all things considered.

The area it’s self is not that great — the bathrooms were gross but the stage and Garbages presentation was amazing. I could actually see Shirley’s face. Not sure we will be back here. I just didn’t care for how much this has gone down hill.

Staff was great, friendly, and helpful. There were tons of security guys watching everyone everywhere… ummmm…at Gordon Lightfoot? The concert was a snooz fest… Gordon Lightfoot is 70 something and the patrons were pretty old too. No ruckus making here.
The view is always great.
The seats are DREADFUL. Twenty years they have had these same seats! They are super small and attached to each other. Bring your nail clipper ladies! (So you can cut them apart – but don’t let security see you) You are literally on top of the people you are with and not with. Leg room is worse than an airplane. Way to close for comfort and trying to get in and out is impossible – the entire row has to get up!
We did our usual… leave the seats at the break, and stand and watch the rest of the concert and then grab the reserved seats in the back which had ALOT more leg room.

Well, Gordon Lightfoot was a far cry from Van Halen 4 days ago! But you gotta admire this 76 year old who is still crooning like he did 50 years ago. It was a little subdued but this is a review for the venue, which really suited him quite well. Nice relaxed atmosphere and a 70 degree SD night I almost felt like I was being lullabied to sleep! It definitely was the quietist I have ever seen Humphreys!
The staff always makes you feel welcome … you are also allowed to bring in sealed water… unlike Sleeptrain. Not wild about how close together the chairs are jammed but this time we got an aisle seat so that helps.

I have been coming to shows here since the 80’s and very little has changed. What could be San Diego’s top venue is (sadly) often a mediocre experience. Here’s why;
1. The plastic folding chairs are a cheap joke. Seriously warped, crappy, ancient plastic! I’m pretty sure they are the same seats that have been here since they opened.
This already bad situation is made worse (almost intolerable) by the fact that;
2.THE SEATS ARE FAR TOO CLOSE TOGETHER! One is literally forced to have personal contact with one’s neighbors the whole time. This is AWKWARD at best and has been very uncomfortable on more than one occasion.
Read the other reviews and these are the most common complaints!
Thought; Maybe they could take out one seat per row and have a bit more space, with better chairs. They could even widen things up a bit, put in new chairs, and call it ‘Luxury Seating’. At least it seems feasible!
I expect the drinks to be weak and the tickets to be a bit pricey at Humphreys, but I can handle that. I do think the seating situation needs a serious revamp if Humphreys wants to see any more of my money!

Amends made, thank you

Great venue to see a concert. Beautiful outdoor setting right along the water. All the staff were super friendly. We saw Boston there a couple weeks ago and it was fantastic. I would LOVE this place if they changed the seating a tiny bit. The rows are cramped and the white fold out chairs are packed so tightly together you are definitely touching your seat neighbor, no getting around it. If it weren’t for the seating arrangement, I would give this venue 5 stars.

Great venue for concerts.
The seats are connected so just be careful not to try and move the seats. When purchasing tickets try to get a walkway or end seats.
The sound and acoustic is great but the lines to get an adult beverage is always long. Pre-​party before entering and check out Humphreys Backstage Live for a drink.

Jo Koy killed it at Humphrey’s last night! I love the outdoor venue, very pretty.
The show started at 8p & my boyfriend & I did not arrive until 820p which was a bad idea. It is extremely, extremely busy in that area with all the hotels, fishing, etcetera, & parking is ridiculous! Make sure you park in the designated areas or else you will get ticketed or towed!
There is a ton of security at the show so if there is no photography, do not do it because they will kick you out. We got seated in the middle ¾ way in in the back. Still, they were good seats for the price because we could see Jo Koy who came on at 830p. The seats themselves were uncomfortable, they are regular folding chairs & they pack the chairs in super tight so my neighbors arm was on top of mine during the entire show.
They sell snacks, drinks, & alcohol in the back.

Went to see Patty Griffin and Mavis Staples a few weeks ago. The show was fantastic.
I work in venues in Las Vegas, so I am always interested to see how other venues are run. My only complaint with this venue is that prime seating can only be purchased with a dinner package (at least it was for this particular concert).
The show wasn’t sold out, and I believe that the rows could have been spaced a little further apart.
Other than that, the staff was friendly and the evening was lovely. I can’t wait to see another show there.

We were there Friday night and saw the Impractical Jokers. The show was awesome as the Jokers definitely delivered! The cost of the tickets vary based upon the performers (I have tickets for Boston coming up and they are about twice the cost of what I paid for the Jokers).
The venue is outdoors, so dress accordingly. I enjoyed the smaller venue and it really allows you to be «up close and personal» to the performers. The sound quality is good (having been there for previous shows). The chair spacing is a little tight, which makes it challenging for people to get in and out of the inner chairs without spilling drinks.
They do have «inchair» service for beverages, however that’s only if you can get the attention of the wait staff; which we were not able to for the entire time during this show. I’m not sure if it was because they did not have enough staff this particular night or if the wait staff just wasn’t focused on the middle section (we were in the B section — row 15, so would have thought we would have gotten attention since we did pay a little more for the seats).
The cost of the food and drinks are not overly expensive, so I think the value for what you get is definitely there. The only negative for the stars is that if you’re advertising the inchair service, then please be able to provide it.

Totally loved Amos in concert 2015, everything down to keeping it very real, being transparently authentic… loved every last bit. Loved the entire band, yet secretly I was wishing I was on drums, yet even then, I loved every bit just as much. Now, down to the real stuff where it gets good… and better.
I know how difficult playing out in the open can be yet Im thanking God that what I noticed in the first 5 seconds of song number one, was finally fixed by the 3^rd or 4^th song when Amos began singing El Camino. Thanking God above me sound men finally noticed Amos couldn’t be heard beyond the way too loud band and far too loud background vocals… which are called backing vocals b/​c they are background, yet i couldn’t help but notice throughout the show they were forefront vocals b/​c their mike volume was turned up WAY TOO LOUD, and Amos couldn’t be deciphered among them. Yikes! Sound men… how did you get your Job?! Everyone needs a little constructive feedback at times. ;)
Trust me when I say I love everyone, yet the crowds pay to hear Amos, they only care to hear Amos (unless its their family in the audience)… yet behind the scenes we all know and appreciate how crucial the entire band is to the success of the entire show. (yet the world also all knows how every player likes to hear themselves play… oh please shut that down early int he game… its not helping Amos or his fans!) and crowds really don’t care about the band the way the band cares about the band… not yet anyway, its way to early in Amos stage career. In about 10 years the band will be loves just as much as Amos is, yet that can’t be a forced liking.
Next point:
Great move, thanking God a second time that Amos played acoustic in the middle of set. Good move, could have gone on and on AND ON without the band as acoustic is all the rage in my mind and far more meaningful to listeners. When the band walked off stage was when we really got to hear Amos sing for the first time. No one wants to work too hard to hear the main vocal… yet trust me, when band was playing in order to hear Amos we had to work too hard, and even then, little success in hearing the result… Amos!
…and then this will lead to the band causing Amos to over sing in competing to just be heard and there goes the vicious cycle that never ends… and then voice goes… not a good road to go down… just fix it more immediately sound men. For the love of God, and for the love of Amos vocals!
Last point, having nothing relating what was done in this show…
Best cover to incorporate in live show … trust me, when I say add in «Easy Like Sunday Morning» and then all the older crowds will GO CRAZY and be instantly a devoted fan to Amos as his vocals are tip top! Prove me wrong, I dare you to to incorporate this next song and see the crowds light up like a christmas tree!!! Thats one way to get them going. Please again, for the love go God, just try it!!!
Lastly toss the cover song that highlights the background voices by giving too many alternate solos… Amos singing is too sort, don’t give time away to other singers when audience needs more time to build a connection with main man.
Ok, thats all… and I wouldn’t be a real fan if I didn’t tell the truth.
Loved every bit of Amos, not so much of everything else, but I liked everything else enough to not leave… which was likely due to Amos.
P.S I couldn’t stand to stay and listen to more than 4 songs of David Grey. Nice man, but he works way to hard physically with the leg and head tick, that wasn’t at all a match to the feel of his music… that was the weirdest thing Ive ever seen in concert. Makes me appreciate Amos’s chill vibe of being a cool cat, all the more! Yet I really appreciate Davids voice and Im sure id enjoy listening to him on CD, if he’d chill and relax with his own music in person it would be really great. He did have a great vocal balance
Review wrote by my mom, not by me.

Wow! Wow! Wow! Have been coming here for years but this is the first time I get to thank them! My best friend and I have been coming here for years, we went through girls and girlfriends throughout the years, we have gray memories and God food! I love there seafood and my friend is into everything else… I hope to be coming here years and years from now… We love there food and everything else come with it, we love you!

THANK YOU HUMPREYS BY THE BAY! I just saw the newly re-​united Brit-​Rock/​Shoegaze band Ride here with a small crowd of real music fans who were respectful, quiet, into the music and not loud or obnoxious. Most of us were a little older but still cool/​hip none the less. Had I paid $ 1000 to see them at Coachella I’d be fighting a hoard of bros and broads wearing Indian head bands, strung out on drugs, running against them to make it to the tent that Ride is playing in that’s a mile away and then I’d have to stand there and listen to a bunch of kids that have no idea who this epic band is talk and scream and on top of that I’m trying to drown out the other music and activities going on in the neighboring tents. There are no douchebags at Humphreys. Everyone from the ushers to the bums and bike taxi’s waiting outside are friendly and genuine! I pretty much want a boat or a kayak so I can come to this venue and chill in the bay and listen to good music and/​or possibly live on Shelter Island.
I’ve been to Coachella, the Echo, O2 Arena, Royal Albert Hall, and everything in between and this venue is E V E R Y T H I N G! It’s nestled in some back corner of Shelter Island with palm trees, ocean air, and a lagoon full of boats in the background and the sound is AMAZING! If Gilligan’s island had a concert venue this would be it! I’m a fan of small venues because it’s more intimate and you just have better energy as opposed to an arena.
FOOD & DRINK TIPS: I bought a beer here and used my card and found out it’s a 2 drink minimum, so next time either I’ll drink before I get there or just bring cash. I didn’t get a chance to eat here, but they did have a small table with sushi, pizza, hot dogs and popcorn for sale. WTF? That’s a weird combination and I wouldn’t eat here before dor during the show unless I had to sober up.

Beautiful place. I didn’t know this area existed, or rather, I never cared to make it out to Shelter Island until one of my favorite artists scheduled a show here. True to its address name, the area is sheltered along the bay so it takes some time to get to the place from the main roads. You can always count on a full house, so depending on what time you arrive relative to the opening acts or main performances, you may run into to traffic and certainly parking issues. Although not much can be complained about with parking since you can park in public lots for free and your walk to the doors will not max 10 minutes.
Now, as for the venue itself, it’s right on the bay so you’ve got a backdrop of palm trees and water and boats; and it’s in a resort complex so there are actually hotel rooms where people can step out onto the balcony and watch the action below. So basically, it’s beautiful out there. And the artists know it, which I think gives their sets an extra layer of «umph» because they can directly sense that San Diego is special in this special-​looking place.
The common complaint is the seating: rock hard folding chairs that are essentially glued together so you’re as tightly packed as sardines. It takes «intimate atmosphere» to a different level, so either go with people close to you, or be prepared to get comfortable with strangers. A seat itself is pretty pricey, especially up front because dinner is included, so if you’re looking to save money, you might end up at the back edge that veers off to the side and is flooded with facility lighting. They do have a VIP balcony that overlooks the seating area but is standing room only. With expensive seats come expensive (but expected) refreshments.
I really wish I could add a star, but it’s currently a 3.5 at best until they fix the seating situation. I have a feeling they won’t, though, as they’ve been able to get away with filling these uncomfortable seats with people who have larger wallets for the experience. As long as they can sell, they won’t change. For now, if you really want to go, bring a cushion (if they even allow it) or get a boat out there.

Unfortunately Humphreys is not one of my favorite music venues in San Diego. I have been to 3 shows there, two recently. In theory, it should be the best place… beautiful venue, near the water, full bar… but whenever I go, I find myself wishing the show were elsewhere. First, they mainly have older bands, though not totally. But, I really like to go see old 80s bands. Recently, we saw The Cult and Erasure. First, tickets are always pricey… usually around $ 75. Second, seats are SO close together. They are folding chairs that are so close as to sell as many tickets as possible. When you want to go to the bar or use the restroom, you have to make a whole row of people get up. When you are on the end, you have to stand up whenever anyone needs to get out. While stuck between these chairs, it is nearly impossible to dance.
The bar is another story. There is a small, limited bar, that is near the entrance with a shorter line. When you go to the main bar, you can get a variety of drinks at relatively reasonable prices, but the lines are crazy. Really the lines don’t take too long, but when I say crazy, I mean, it is so packed back there you can barely move. Last time when we got our drinks and tried to head back to there seats, we could barely fit through the crowd to get back to our seats, much less trying not to spill our drinks.
Another issue, we were given a $ 100 gift certificate as a gift and tried to use it. Unfortunately on all concert days, we could not use it to buy dinner, as they only sell show/​dinner packages (through ticketmaster) so we still have not been able to use the gift certificate. We tried to use it to pay for our drinks, but the bars there won’t accept gift certificates.
Ladies, when you first Humphreys, security looks into your bags. Well, the person who looked into mine had an issue with my camera. She would not allow it into the venue… a small non-​professional camera. I told her that everyone has a camera on there phone so it shouldn’t matter, but she stood her ground and made us take it back to our car. So annoying! We didn’t even have a car as we use Über to go to shows. I had to hide it in my boot to get in. The whole thing was ridiculous!
One positive note is that they do have a cocktail waitress who brings you drinks during the show… if you are lucky enough to catch them and you don’t mind a wait.
All in all, the location is beautiful, but expect to deal with tight spaces and annoying security. The staff, in general, is friendly. I would go back, but only for a show I can’t miss. If the band were playing elsewhere, I would go there instead.

I will admit, it has been 14 years and somehow I have never seen a live show at this venue. Already knowing the beauty of the property, and hearing how great the venue was, I jumped on an opportunity to see my favorite artist Citizen Cope.
My wife rolled in on Halloween Night which added to the show with all the people dressing up.
What a beautiful venue, it is paradise inside. Palms, Birds of paradise, ferns and an over all West Coast meets Hawaii tropical feel, very intimate and small, small stage and not a bad seat in the house.
I must say, I will be back to see shows here for sure. Especially, with how close it is to our flat. Another tid-bit…DRINKS WERE affordable! I purchased a beer and two whiskey cocktails fro under 20 bucks. Went back for more and found it was like 6 bucks a cocktail, granted it was a 2 drink minimum, but I am OK with that. In a shitty bar a cocktail can run you 9 – 14 bucks, and it is usually a shitty pour,
These bartenders were happy to serve you and poured the proper pour. Again, if you want to see a show outside, in a beautiful setting Humphreys is the place to do it.

Cool venue, uncomfortable chairs. I loved the intimate nature of this venue. You really feel like you’re in someone’s backyard watching a concert. They use the thin white folding chairs that are pretty uncomfortable and right on top of each other.
The best way to see a concert here is to rent one of the rooms at the hotel that has a balcony right onto the venue.
Valet parking was sold out, which was annoying but over all a low key place to see a concert.