You don’t have to be in a New York state of mind for Saturday’s sold-out Billy Joel and Sting concert at Petco Park. But you will want to be well prepared to ensure a smooth and enjoyable evening of music by these two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees.
The Petco Park show will mark an encore performance for Joel, whose 2016 performance at the home of the San Diego Padres sold out all 42,000 tickets in a record 42 seconds. Sting, the veteran solo star and former member of the band The Police, will be making his debut at the downtown ballpark.
This will only be the second joint stadium concert anywhere by Joel, 74, and Sting, 72. To help you navigate what will be a crowded concert on Saturday, here are 15 things you should know.
1. The concert’s scheduled starting time is 7 p.m. Sting will open the concert with his band, followed by Joel and his band.
2. All gates at Petco Park will open at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and early arrival is encouraged. No re-entry will be allowed.
3. Padres parking lots will open at 1 p.m. for concertgeoers with pre-purchased passes. Limited day-of parking will be subject to availability. No tailgating will be permitted.
4. Use of public transportation is strongly encouraged. The final post-concert departure times for the San Diego Trolley from the 12th Street & Imperial Avenue Transit Center, which is the closest station to Petco Park, are as follows:
• The last Green Line trolley to SDSU and Santee leaves at 11:36 p.m. However, if the concert goes late, additional trains may be provided, according to a San Diego Metropolitan Transit Service representative.
• The last Blue Line trolley to UTC leaves at 11:38 p.m.
• The last Blue Line trolley to San Ysidro leaves at 12:07 a.m. Sunday.
• The last Saturday night Coaster ride from downtown San Diego to Oceanside departs at 11:40 p.m.
5. All tickets for the concert are digital and can be found in either the MLB Ballpark app or the Ticketmaster app. Details on how to access or transfer your tickets are available online at mlb.com/padres/tickets/mobile/guide
6. Concertgoers with non-field level “seating bowl” tickets may enter at the following gates:
• The Gaslamp Gate, located at the intersection of K Sreet. and 7th Avenue.
• The East Village Gate, located at the intersection of K Street and 10th Avenue.
• The Park Blvd. Gate, located at the intersection of Park Boulevard and 10th Avenue.
• The Home Plate Gate, located at the corner of Park Boulevard and Tony Gwynn Drive.
7. Concertgoers with tickets for seats on the field — designated as sections A1–A7 and B2–B6 — must enter at the Gaslamp Breezeway, located at the intersection of 7th Avenue and K Street for field access. Those ticket-holders must obtain a specific field-access wristband before they can gain entry to the field level. Field wristbands are available at the Gaslamp Breezeway.
8. Concertgoers who purchased a suite can enter, starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, through any of the non-field level “seating bowl” entrances.
9. No outside food or beverages are permitted, including factory-sealed water bottles and reusable water bottles.
10. Petco Park prohibits backpacks and bags, with the exception of single-compartment clear plastic bags not exceeding 12 inches by six inches by 12 inches, infant and medical bags, and clutches and purses no larger than 5 inches by 7 inches.
11. Petco Park offers mobile lockers, located at the Premier Lot near the pedestrian bridge across from the Home Plate Gate. Locker rentals cost $12 and are cashless. The lockers will remain open for 30 minutes after the conclusion of the concert.
12. Petco Park is a cashless venue. Credit cards, Padres Pay, Google Pay and Apple Pay are accepted at all concessions locations within the ballpark.
13. No professional cameras or selfie sticks are allowed.
14. Petco Park is a smoke-free facility. Use of tobacco, vaping and e-cigarettes is not allowed inside the stadium. Designated smoking areas will be available at each main gate.
15. Frisbees, hover boards hula hoops and Chapstick are among the items that are prohibited at Petco Park. A complete list is available at: mlb.com/padres/tickets/concerts/prohibited-items.
Billy Joel and Sting
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd., downtown
Tickets: Sold out, but some tickets may be released for sale Friday and Saturday
Online: ticketmaster.com
george.varga@sduniontribune