Soma Smarts

Last month, MTV2 considered House of Blues and 4th & B for a "$2 Bill Tour" concert that features Yellowcard and Hello Goodbye. The show, which offers no ticket proceeds to the venue, will be at Soma January 8.

"They looked at a lot of factors, like parking," says Len Paul, owner of Soma. "Besides, we have a history with Yellowcard."

One well-connected music insider says that Soma/Len Paul won a bidding war for a Fall Out Boy concert in March. The insider claims that House of Blues Concerts courted Fall Out Boy for a show at SDSU's Cox Arena. In the end, Soma, which partnered with Viejas Entertainment, won the rights to present the show. The insider says it was because Viejas could offer the bayside venue behind the convention center that can hold 10,000.

"Now that the band has reached the arena or amphitheater level, they are staying loyal to the people who helped them get there," says Paul. "I first booked [Fall Out Boy] at Soma two years ago."