North by Northwest
“Comedy is local, tragedy is universal,” goes the old saying — and “local” here refers to time as well as place.Everyone from Henri Bergson to George Bernard Shaw to Sigmund Freud has commented on the way humor relies on particulars of time and place. And yet… how many filmed dramas about the terrifying inhumanity of the great societal machine have come and gone and been forgotten, while Hitchcock’s breezy, fun take on the matter has not only endured, but is now making the leap from screen to stage? Roger Thornhill is an ad man who winds up as a kind of living advertisement, designed to sell a story spun by the United States government. It’s not easy to imagine anyone besides Cary Grant in the role, but the Old Globe has a pretty good track record in the casting department.
Where: The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego When: July 3-August 2, 2026, visit theoldglobe.org for showtimes Ages: All ages Cost: $60-$144Charles McPherson
“At the time, he needed a sax player and a trumpet player,” says alto saxophonist Charles McPherson, who started gigging at clubs around Detroit before moving to New York and playing with legendary jazz cat Charles Mingus. As McPherson explained to the Reader, “A fellow Detroiter named Yusef Lateef introduced me and my friend, a trumpet player, to Mingus. He came to hear us play at a jam that night, and he hired us.” McPherson moved to San Diego in 1978 and led master classes at San Diego State back in the ’80s. His rich musical style is rooted in the blues and bebop and has influenced and inspired generations of musicians and listeners for over six decades. He has performed at concerts and festivals around the world with jazz greats like Barry Harris, Billy Eckstine, Nat Adderley, Jay McShann, Phil Woods, Wynton Marsalis, James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie, and others.
Where: Lou Lou’s Jungle Room, 2225 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego When: Friday, July 10, 2026, at 7 pm and 10 pm Ages: 21+ Cost: $30Fellow Travelers
Back before the media firestorm surrounding the contested 2000 Presidential election, you would have been forgiven if the term “red state” had you thinking of liberal strongholds like New York and California. Because, you know, reds. Commies. The folks who gave rise to the old slogan, “Better dead than red,” — meaning it would be better to risk nuclear war than let communism spread unchecked. Those who weren’t full-on reds, but merely sympathetic fellow travelers, well, they were pinkos. San Diego Opera’s latest production tells the story of a young man who heads off to D.C. to join the fight against communism, but then develops a secret affiliation of his own.
Where: Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Avenue, San Diego When: Friday, July 10 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, July 11 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, July 12 at 2 pm Ages: Adult themes and partial nudity Cost: $70-$301Tyler F. Simmons
Alt-pop singer-songwriter Tyler F. Simmons is a solo performer who’s become a regular fixture at restaurants, hotels, private clubs, and outdoor venues throughout southern California. He’s known for engaging solo acoustic performances and loop pedal work, which stretch his sound from merely contemplative to downright psychedelic. Alongside his solo acoustic gigs, he leads modern pop and atmospheric ensembles like the Sunset Collective, and he previously played in bands like Lavalanche. His releases include EPs such as “Hide Under the Waves” and singles like “Undertow” and “Beneath.” He has held residencies at Four Seasons Westlake Village and the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage, as well as performing at the PGA Tour and for corporate clients such as Charles Schwab.
Where: Bahia Resort Hotel, 998 West Mission Bay Drive, San Diego When: Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 10 am Ages: All ages Cost: FreeAfroman
Afroman (Joseph Edgar Foreman) is known for blending hip-hop with humorous stories and cannabis-themed party tracks.Long before social media, he bypassed record labels by utilizing file-sharing platforms like Napster to independently launch his career. He earned global fame with his comedic 2000 stoner anthem “Because I Got High,” which humorously details how cannabis ruined the narrator’s everyday life and responsibilities. The track topped the charts in several countries, was heard in the film “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back,” and it earned a 2002 Grammy nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance. His debut album The Good Times included another hit, “Crazy Rap,” widely known by its tagline “Colt 45 and 2 Zig Zags,” and he earned the ire of his local Ohio sheriff’s department when he used security footage of them raiding his home in music videos for “Will You Help Me Repair My Door” and “Lemon Pound Cake” (a confection he claims sheriffs ate from his home during the raid). The police action is addressed on his new album “Freedom of Speech,” which dropped in April, right around the same time he won a lawsuit filed by sheriffs over their unwanted music videos cameos (jurors ruled the songs and home security footage were protected speech under the First Amendment).
Where: Music Box, 12337 India Street, San Diego When: Sunday, July 12, 2026 at 7:30 pm Ages: 21+ Cost: $39.59 ($3 more on show date)San Diego International Organ Festival
The 38th annual festival featuring the largest outdoor musical instrument in the world doesn’t get really big until next month — events like the Festival Symphony Orchestra on August 17th, the not-so-silent movie night (featuring the simply brilliant “Sherlock Jr.” from Buster Keaton) on August 31, and the festival finale featuring the pavilion’s rock back ORGAN-ism on September 7th. But it gets started this month, with solo concerts from Alcee Chriss III on July 13th, Isabelle Demers on July 20th and Thomas Gaynor on July 27th. Come hear why J.S. Bach regarded the organ as the queen of instruments.
Where: Spreckels Organ Pavilion, 2125 Pan American E Road, San Diego When: Mondays in July and August at 7:30 pm Ages: All ages Cost: FreeGo Scarlet
Founded in 2022, all-female grunge-pop rockers Go Scarlet combine punchy, gritty rock tones with ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia, raw storytelling, and DIY punk energy. Pulling inspiration from classic alternative, southern rock, and punk influences, their music is defined by catchy melodies and driving, distorted guitar riffs. Citing influences such as The Breeders, Hole, Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Josie Cotton, the lineup includes singer-guitarist Heather Moonflower, bassist Arlina Hoeschen, keyboardist Tamara Monasterio, and drummer Nikki Bigonger, aka Nikki Stixx. Their concert sets are known for energetic abandon, with black and white films and Betty Boop cartoons playing behind them as they perform singles like “La Motocyclette,” which was nominated Best Rock or Indie/Alternative Song at the 35th annual San Diego Music Awards, and covers such as Black Sabbath’s “The Wizard,” weaving a melodic combo of vintage new wave and rock bite. They recently released a new single for their track “Desolation Drive.”
Where: The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Boulevard, San Diego When: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at 7:30 pm Ages: 21+ Cost: $13.40The Family Album
The pre-election celebrity cover of “Fight Song” didn’t wind up working out too well for Hillary Clinton back in 2016, but the following year, MILCK and AG’s “Quiet” became a viral sensation around the world as an anthem of the Women’s March. Here, playwright Sam Chanse has built a story around their stories and created Mia Bing, a singer-songwriter on the cusp of fame who has to go home and deal with her perpetually disappointed family. The musical, commissioned by La Jolla Playhouse, features a power-pop score by the artists who inspired it.
Where: La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla When: Begins Friday, July 17, 2026, visit lajollaplayhouse.org for showtimes Ages: All ages, but adult themes Cost: $30-$109Holo Holo Music Festival
Deeply rooted in island culture, the Holo Holo Music Festival is back downtown with another Polynesian-inspired cultural experience featuring live reggae and island music, cultural dances and luaus, and more. Attendees can sample a variety of authentic island-style food vendors, browse Polynesian artisan and craft booths, or just relax on the lawn with friends and family. With the festival kicking off at noon, performers include headliners The Green, whose 2010 self-titled debut spent a record 69 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Reggae Charts and won iTunes’ Best Reggae Album of the Year award. Subsequent albums like “Ways & Means and Marching Orders” have topped the Billboard Reggae Album chart. Hailing from Oahu, Hawaii, they’re known for featuring four lead vocalists in dub-heavy roots reggae performances that incorporate elements of contemporary pop and jam band rock. Also appearing is local female-fronted pop reggae act Hirie, who were nominated for Best World Music at the 2013 San Diego Music Awards. Their sophomore album “Wandering Soul” debuted at number one on the iTunes Reggae Chart and climbed as high as number 39 overall on iTunes. Their newest album Phases recently spawned a single and music video for the track “Nobody Wins.”
Where: Waterfront Park, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego When: Saturday, July 18, 2026, starting at noon Ages: All ages Cost: $83.93-$190.95Pacific Records Fest
Brian Witkin (whose father Joe Witkin performed at Woodstock as the keyboardist for Sha Na Na) started his Pacific Records label in 2003, soon signing up three local bands (Long Live Logos, Get Back Loretta, and his brother’s group A Dead Giveaway) and Life’s Only Lesson, from Virginia. By 2019, his record label/recording studio complex behind Soma on Sports Arena Boulevard had signed several more area acts and released the final solo recording by Motorhead frontman Lemmy. Other performers to appear on the label include Witkin’s own band Slack Key Ohana (San Diego Music Award winner for Best World Music Album), as well as iTunes blues chart topper Shane Hall, soulful R&B groove-master Jonny Tarr (2020 SDMA Best Pop Artist), cartoon punk mashup The Spice Pistols, and his brother Sean Witkin (Cambrian Shores), a multi-instrumentalist who makes electronic pop with a subtle hint of rock edge. This Pacific Records Fest happening in Pacific Beach kicks off at 4pm and features performances from Slack Key Ohana, as well as Pacific labelmates Sandollar (San Diego Music Awards winners for Best World Music Album), Americana roots rockers Twilight Highway (known for its core quartet of standout vocalists), sunny pop-folk rockers VB By the Sea (the musical project and English-language debut of Lithuanian artist and singer-songwriter Vidas Bareikis), and the Tourmaliners (2023 SDMA winners for Best Rock Album and 2023 Pipeline Instrumental Review Album of the Year).
Where: Kate Session Park, 5115 Soledad Road, San Diego When: Sunday, July 19, 2026, 4 pm-7 pm Ages: All ages Cost: FreeRafael Pondé
Brazil native Rafael Pondé grew up in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, playing in a reggae band called Diamba before visiting the U.S. in 2017 to help promote Brazilian music in the U.S. He relocated to Ocean Beach in 2022, living at first in his minivan while developing his signature brand of meditational reggae, heavy on the metaphysics, and moving around town from PB and Clairemont. His ninth studio album “Brazilian Reggae Experience Vol. 2” (his first full-length to feature original songs in English) dropped in summer 2025. Rooted in conscious music, the album is the result of his journey into yoga and meditation. Its lyrics explore themes of self-confidence, self-realization, culture, joy, poetry, love, gratitude, and a deep connection to Mother Nature. Recorded in both Brazil and at The Music Company in Pacific Beach throughout 2024, the album reflects the duality of his life between two countries.
Where: Winstons Beach Club, 1921 Bacon Street, San Diego When: Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 9 pm Ages: 21+ Cost: $10/$15 at the doorSan Diego Comic-Con Oral History Panel
There are not many who remember/They say a handful still survive… Mathew Klickstein’s book “See You at San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con” compiled stories from the creators, artists, and fans who built the convention from the ground up, including Roger Freedman (1970’s committee member), Wendy All (1970s committee member), Scott Smith (Director of Electronic Publicity), Clayton Moore (1970s committee member), Gus Krueger (son of co-founder Ken Krueger), Barry Short (1980s Program Director), and Dave Clark (co-originator).Now Klickstein has gathered a gaggle of those originators to tell the tale of how San Diego’s biggest pop culture event came to be — and came to be what it is today. Rumor has it that comic and con legend Scott Shaw will be in attendance.
Where: Bards & Cards Game Shop, 936 Fifth Avenue, San Diego When: Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 2 pm Ages: All ages Cost: FreeHence then, the article about hitchcock on stage comi con history and the international organ festival 8 great ways to spend july was published today ( ) and is available on Times of San Diego ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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