Here's something you might be interested in.
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen — Movie commentary
Blurt — Music's inside track
Booze News — San Diego spirits
Classical Music — Immortal beauty
Classifieds — Free and easy
Close to Home — What it’s like on the street where you live
Cover Stories — Front-page features
Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast! — Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories — Local news & stories
Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives — Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams — Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters — Our inbox
Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news
News Ticker — News & politics
Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry — The old and the new
Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers
Reading — The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT — Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats — Places of worship
Special Issues — The best of
Street Style — San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater — On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week — Daily event picks
Anna Ballew will be in full Bloom at the Casbah on June 30
"This album was funded by dozens of donors who helped me raise over $10,000"
Anna Ballew's album release party for Bloom happens June 30 at the Casbah
"My music is an exploration of the complexities of mental health, navigating loss, heartbreak, and our cultural and political climate," says singer-songwriter Anna Ballew. "I intend for my music to bring people together and to foster collective healing." Ballew relocated from Missoula, Montana to San Diego in 2021, establishing roots in the local scene through professional partnerships (Acoustic Spot, QSC Audio), original music showcases (Writers Round SD, Songwriter Sanctuary San Diego, Sofar Sounds San Diego), live performances (Belly Up, Humphreys Backstage, Soda Bar), and collaborations (King Taylor Project, Stucky Leigh, Thonie Lee, Lee Coulter, Lindsay White). She made her recording debut with singles for “Bitter” (2024) and “Revolution” (2025).
Her debut album Bloom is scheduled to be released June 26, preceded by a single for the title track and followed by a launch party at the Casbah on June 30 with a full band including Joshua Taylor and Noah Williams.
"This show is a celebration," says Ballew, "not just of the album release, but of everyone who has contributed to my music journey. I have received a tremendous amount of support from family, friends, co-writers, the San Diego music community, and my community back home in Montana. I'd like to express gratitude by sharing the art that so many people helped me create."
The Casbah performance is slated in include some local guest appearances. "I will be playing mostly songs from the album and a few older original songs, including an acoustic version of a cover that features Cedrice and Shea Givens, the other two acts on the bill. All but one of the musicians played on the record, so it's largely the original crew. San Diego Music Award award winning musician Joshua Taylor, a friend and mentor, and the arranger and co-producer of this album, will be backing me up on electric guitar and harmonies, along with other world-class musicians."
Taylor has also worked as a session singer and guitarist on producer Jeff Berkley’s Satellite Studio roster. His guitar playing can be heard on Lauren Leigh's 2021 San Diego Music Award-winning single “Trust Fall,” her 2020 EP Flare, and her album Ghost in the Picture. He's the featured guitarist on Jonny Tarr’s 2020 album Tough Stuff, and his studio work and stage performances also include backing up area artists such as Rebecca Jade, Nick Crook, and Josh Weinstein, as well as tribute bands Pink Froyd and High Tide Society.
For the Casbah date, in addition to Taylor, "I'll be featuring several of the original singers on the record, and will have some of the same horn players, so there will be a rotating crew of high quality vocalists and musicians contributing to the set."
Featuring seven tracks, Bloom is described as sitting at the intersection of indie, folk, and soul. The album was produced at Pacific Beat Recording by Grammy-winner Alan Sanderson, whose resume includes Elton John, Fiona Apple, B.B. King, Weezer, The Rolling Stones, and more.
“It was a real pleasure working with Anna on this record,” says Sanderson. “From start to finish, the sessions felt effortless, and the music had a clear sense of quality, identity, and artistry.”
According to Ballew, "This album was funded by dozens of donors who helped me raise over $10,000. I launched a GoFundMe campaign and hosted three fundraising events, and was graciously met with generosity that helped me reach my goal. The funds went to renting the studio, paying musicians, the recording engineer and producer, album art, and promotion."
Upcoming Event
Anna Ballew and Shea Givens
- Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
- Casbah, 2501 Kettner Boulevard, San Diego
- Age Limit: 21+
In addition to her solo project, Ballew is also a member of Children of Lilith, a touring project formed in 2026 that celebrates the music of Lilith Fair and beyond.
If you miss the June 30 Casbah album release show, you can also catch Anna Ballew on July 5 at Gallery 21 in Spanish Village Art Center or August 19 at the Music Box.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Anna Ballew will be in full Bloom at the Casbah on June 30
"This album was funded by dozens of donors who helped me raise over $10,000"
Anna Ballew will be in full Bloom at the Casbah on June 30
"This album was funded by dozens of donors who helped me raise over $10,000"
Anna Ballew's album release party for Bloom happens June 30 at the Casbah
"My music is an exploration of the complexities of mental health, navigating loss, heartbreak, and our cultural and political climate," says singer-songwriter Anna Ballew. "I intend for my music to bring people together and to foster collective healing." Ballew relocated from Missoula, Montana to San Diego in 2021, establishing roots in the local scene through professional partnerships (Acoustic Spot, QSC Audio), original music showcases (Writers Round SD, Songwriter Sanctuary San Diego, Sofar Sounds San Diego), live performances (Belly Up, Humphreys Backstage, Soda Bar), and collaborations (King Taylor Project, Stucky Leigh, Thonie Lee, Lee Coulter, Lindsay White). She made her recording debut with singles for “Bitter” (2024) and “Revolution” (2025).
Her debut album Bloom is scheduled to be released June 26, preceded by a single for the title track and followed by a launch party at the Casbah on June 30 with a full band including Joshua Taylor and Noah Williams.
"This show is a celebration," says Ballew, "not just of the album release, but of everyone who has contributed to my music journey. I have received a tremendous amount of support from family, friends, co-writers, the San Diego music community, and my community back home in Montana. I'd like to express gratitude by sharing the art that so many people helped me create."
The Casbah performance is slated in include some local guest appearances. "I will be playing mostly songs from the album and a few older original songs, including an acoustic version of a cover that features Cedrice and Shea Givens, the other two acts on the bill. All but one of the musicians played on the record, so it's largely the original crew. San Diego Music Award award winning musician Joshua Taylor, a friend and mentor, and the arranger and co-producer of this album, will be backing me up on electric guitar and harmonies, along with other world-class musicians."
Taylor has also worked as a session singer and guitarist on producer Jeff Berkley’s Satellite Studio roster. His guitar playing can be heard on Lauren Leigh's 2021 San Diego Music Award-winning single “Trust Fall,” her 2020 EP Flare, and her album Ghost in the Picture. He's the featured guitarist on Jonny Tarr’s 2020 album Tough Stuff, and his studio work and stage performances also include backing up area artists such as Rebecca Jade, Nick Crook, and Josh Weinstein, as well as tribute bands Pink Froyd and High Tide Society.
For the Casbah date, in addition to Taylor, "I'll be featuring several of the original singers on the record, and will have some of the same horn players, so there will be a rotating crew of high quality vocalists and musicians contributing to the set."
Featuring seven tracks, Bloom is described as sitting at the intersection of indie, folk, and soul. The album was produced at Pacific Beat Recording by Grammy-winner Alan Sanderson, whose resume includes Elton John, Fiona Apple, B.B. King, Weezer, The Rolling Stones, and more.
“It was a real pleasure working with Anna on this record,” says Sanderson. “From start to finish, the sessions felt effortless, and the music had a clear sense of quality, identity, and artistry.”
According to Ballew, "This album was funded by dozens of donors who helped me raise over $10,000. I launched a GoFundMe campaign and hosted three fundraising events, and was graciously met with generosity that helped me reach my goal. The funds went to renting the studio, paying musicians, the recording engineer and producer, album art, and promotion."
Upcoming Event
Anna Ballew and Shea Givens
- Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
- Casbah, 2501 Kettner Boulevard, San Diego
- Age Limit: 21+
In addition to her solo project, Ballew is also a member of Children of Lilith, a touring project formed in 2026 that celebrates the music of Lilith Fair and beyond.
If you miss the June 30 Casbah album release show, you can also catch Anna Ballew on July 5 at Gallery 21 in Spanish Village Art Center or August 19 at the Music Box.
Comments