Valley Weekend

FRIDAY / SWEET SOUL MUSIC

Before Michael Jackson, before Diana Ross, before Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson was the Motown sound. As the lead singer and songwriter for the Miracles, he was responsible for the Berry Gordy label’s first major hit, “Shop Around,” in 1960 and many hits after that.

Robinson, 55, the man who Bob Dylan once called America’s greatest living poet, will perform in concert Friday night at the Antelope Valley Fair and Alfalfa Festival in Lancaster.

Robinson’s silky and soulful vocal stylings are a distinct digression in the fair’s otherwise all country-western concert schedule.

If his previous concerts are any indication, Smokey will take requests from his audience and give them a say in what they’ll hear from his 35-plus year repertoire.

Other hits in the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s career include “Mickey’s Monkey,” “More Love,” “ Bein’ with You” and “What’s So Good About Goodbye.”

Besides the material he wrote and performed by himself and with the Miracles, songs penned by Robinson that became mega-hits by other artists include “You Really Got a Hold on Me” (The Beatles), “My Guy”( Mary Wells), “My Girl,” “Since I Lost My Baby,” (Temptations) “Tracks of My Tears,” (Johnny Rivers and Linda Ronstadt) and “Ooh Baby Baby,” (Ronstadt).

* Smokey Robinson performs in concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Antelope Valley Fair and Alfalfa Festival, Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, Avenue I and Division Street, Lancaster. Tickets are $15 to $21. Call (805) 948-6060.

SATURDAY / DON’T CRY FOR ME, HALEY GILBERT

You don’t have to wait for Madonna and Antonio Banderas in the upcoming film version, you can see “Evita” this weekend at the Starlight Bowl. The Burbank Civic Light Opera’s production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, starring Haley Gilbert in the title role, opens this weekend.

Madonna and Banderas have been cast as Eva Peron and Che Guevara respectively in the new film musical to be directed by Alan Parker. In the musical, the fictionalized story of Eva Peron, the wife of Argentine dictator Juan Peron, is narrated by revolutionary Che Guevara.

* Burbank Civic Light Opera presents “Evita” at 8:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Starlight Bowl, 1249 Lockheed View Drive, Burbank. Ends Sept. 9. Tickets are $15 general, $12 students and seniors. Call (818) 380-3444.

SUNDAY / All THAT JAZZ

Big band music fans have a treat in store this Sunday: Drummer Louis Bellson and his Big Band Explosion will give a free concert at Warner Park in Woodland Hills.

Jazz veteran Bellson, 71, has worked with many of the greats including Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Harry James, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, and his late wife singer Pearl Bailey. His big band ensembles have been described as “classic examples of hard-swinging, rich-textured, brass and percussion-driven, larger-than-life jazz.”

Bellson was one of the first jazz drummers to use two bass drums in his drum kit, starting in 1946.

Bellson, a former resident of Northridge, first performed at the Warner Park free concert series 10 years ago and has closed out the series each year for the last two years. Also featured as a vocalist Sunday will be Bellson’s daughter, Dee Dee.

* Louis Bellson’s Big Band Explosion featuring vocalist Dee Dee Bellson at 5:30 at Warner Park, 5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills. Free. Children’s entertainers Bobbo & Kookee will perform earlier at 4 p.m. Parking is $2. Call (818) 704-1587.