SPOTLIGHT

This year’s Concerts on the Green Community Night, taking place on July 21 at Kate Sessions Park, will focus on the music of Point Loma-based label Pacific Records. Over the past decade, Pacific Records has become one of the area’s best-known imprints, with releases featuring both local and national performers, from O-Town to Southside Johnny. For this show, some of the label’s best-known San Diego-based artists will be performing, including reggae favorites Sandollar, Hawaiian-themed folk-pop group Slack Key Ohana, funk and soul singer Jonny Tarr, singer-songwriter Charlie Rae, and songstress Kela Sako (above). In the tradition of the great music revues of the 1960s, the afternoon will be fast-paced, featuring quick intros, short sets, and a shared backline. Long-time fans will love seeing their favorite performers in such a beautiful setting, and the concert is also a great introduction to these artists for new listeners.

Pacific Records Night: Sunday, July 21 at Kate Sessions Park, 5115 Soledad Road. 3 p.m. Free pbtowncouncil.org/concerts-on-the-green.

RECOMMENDED

A tribute band to one of the 20^el century’s most beloved musicians, Jimmy’s Buffet, performs at Scripps Park on July 21, as part of the annual Concerts by the Sea program. Fronted by acoustic guitarist Chris Maddox, the group will play all the expected hits, from “Margaritaville” to “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” and include many of the fan interaction traditions of Buffets concerts. The band sounds great, but where Jimmy’s Buffet gets it right is in their lighthearted sense of humor. Maddox is an engaging performer who clearly loves what he does, playing these classic tunes with the same spirit as their original composer. If you are a fan of Buffet’s music, this concert will be sing-along fun from start to finish.

Jimmy’s Buffet: Sunday, July 21 at Scripps Park, 1133 Coast Blvd. 3:30 p.m. Free. kiwanisclublajolla.org/event/concerts-by-the-sea.

Reggae hitmakers UB40 return to Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay on July 24. After an acrimonious split, there are two versions of UB40 currently on the road, with this one featuring original vocalist and founding member, Ali Campbell. For reggae fans, this show promises to be one of the year’s highlights, with a mix of hits and songs from the band’s latest album, “Unprecedented.” The biggest cheers of the night will likely be for such evergreen tracks as “Red Red Wine” and “If It Happens Again,” but whatever UB40 plays, their island sounds will be a great soundtrack to a warm summer night in San Diego.

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell: Wednesday, July 24 at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. 7:30 p.m. $91.35. humphreysconcerts.com.

On July 25, promoter Rosalea Schiavone celebrates her birthday with a special show at Humphrey’s Backstage Live. On hand will be two of her favorite groups, ska/reggae combo Smoke and Mirrors Sound System, appearing hot on the heels of their new single, “Eight Hours A Day,” and blues rockers Black Market III. Schiavone has been a major force in promoting San Diego’s blues and rockabilly artists, as well as booking numerous international performers at local venues. This show will be a great way for local music fans to say “thanks” to her while taking in sets from two great headline acts.

Smoke and Mirrors Sound System: Thursday, July 25 at Humphrey’s Backstage Live, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. 6 p.m. $23.60-$28.75. humphreysbackstagelive.com.

Iconic 1970s disco group, KC & The Sunshine Band, will appear at the Epstein Family Amphitheater on July 27. The concert is a fundraiser for Doors of Change, an organization that helps homeless youth obtain safe housing and become self-sufficient. The 15-piece Sunshine band is still led by founding member Harry Casey, aka KC, currently touring with a greatest hit show that’s sure to please his fans. KC’s string of hits in the 1970s, such as “Get Down Tonight” and “That’s the Way (I Like It),” helped build the foundation for modern dance music, and remain among the most sure-fire dance floor fillers to this day.

KC & The Sunshine Band: Saturday, July 27 at Epstein Family Amphitheater, 9500 Gilman Drive. 7:30 p.m. $52 – $112. amphitheater.ucsd.edu.

The jazz quartet, the Gypsy Swing Cats, performs a free lunchtime concert on July 29 at the Athenaeum.

Specializing in 1930s-era acoustic gypsy jazz, as popularized by guitarist Jean “Django” Reinhardt, the Gypsy Swing Cats feature bassist Evona Wascinski and violinist David Morales Boroff, with their sound built around virtuoso guitarists Steve Nichols and Guy Gonzales. The latter two’s amazing playing is as much fun to watch as it is to listen to. While the music on offer here can be dated back nearly a century, gypsy jazz still sounds fresh and modern, it’s up-tempo rhythms are a great way to get your week started.

Gypsy Swing Cats: Monday, July 29 at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St. Noon. Free. ljathenaeum.org.