Alicia Keys brought the official opening night of the Santa Barbara Bowl’s 2010 season to life with a dazzling arena-style show that Lady Ga Ga or Madonna might have enjoyed.

On Wednesday, a hot, dry Santa Ana wind blew in from the mountains, slicing through Santa Barbara’s usually cool, salty haze drifting off the ocean. The resulting warm, crystal-clear sky, complete with a stunning sunset, lingering brilliant twilight and star-filled night, was the perfect backdrop for the impressive show.

Santa Barbara residents are lucky to have one of live music’s most prestigious venues in their backyard (for some literally). Extensive renovations have been completed on the main stage, and the venue is now capable of handling most any arena-sized music set. But with the relatively intimate, 4,500-person capacity, it’s a tribute to the hard work of many that the Bowl is usually the smallest stop for many of the world’s biggest touring bands.


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